Chapter 144: Open your heart

"..." Mariel silently looked at her little daughter who was finally finished crying in the man's embrace.

"D-Does that mean 'sniff' B-brother remembers e-verything?" Mia asked as she wiped her tears.

"...No" Eli firmly stated.

"Huh?"

"I mean I only remembered my early age" Eli added with a little awkwardness.

"sigh" Mia sighed in relief and sat on his lap as if she owned that and looked at the 'stranger' woman who was glaring at her for an inappropriate act.

"So, What are you doing here?" Mia asked indifferently.

Seeing her attitude, Mariel didn't have much reaction though she wondered why her little daughter was sitting on the man's lap comfortably.

"Hmm, Do I need a reason to see my daughters?" Mariel answered with a smile.

"ah, what you mean your daughters? I don't remember having a mother other than father, brother, and big sister" Mia said with annoyance.

"sigh" Mariel sighed she knew it was futile to argue with her and turned to focus on Eli who awkwardly held Mia.

"Little Mia, go to your seat" Scarlett suddenly said.

"Ha...Big sis?" Mia was titled her as if she didn't understand what her big sister was saying.

"I-I mean, you cannot act like this in front of a stranger" Scarlett clearly pointed out....though her eyes were twitching for some reason.

".....Fine" Mia reluctantly accepted, 'There are too many obstacles, let's retreat' she thought and went to her seat not before giving a kiss on his cheek.

'~chu~'

Though she was covering her blushing face with her hands.

Seeing this Eli smiled awkwardly and Mariel at her little daughter blushing just like her big daughter.

'He is dangerous!!' Mariel's Maternal security leveled up.

"My daughters really love..ah" Mariel muttered.

"...." Eli simply smiled If not for Scarlett calling 'mother', Eli would believed either Mariel was another sister or Scarlett's 'useless' disguise.

"I-I thought you have work, Mother" Scarlett suddenly voiced out the point.

"hmm....well, today I decided to visit the person who is going to be your future father" Mariel suddenly threw a bomb.

Mia and Eli raised their eyebrows and were surprised to hear that Mariel was going to marry again.

"W-Wha..." Scarlett stuttered as she clearly saw her mother's determined expression...she was the only one who knew what her mother meant.

Though the word 'prey' escaped from Mariel before, Eli forgot about it.

"Do you object to it?" Mariel looked at Eli and suddenly questioned him.

"Huh?" Eli who thought about ordering food suddenly stumbled.

Seeing her expectant eyes,

"Why do I?" Eli wanted to know why she was asking him.

"...I mean I married your 'late' father and had two children and after he died I am marrying someone.....shouldn't you get angry for your father's sake? I mean you are partially my son also, right?" Mariel's eyebrows furrowed.

'....'

'What the heck is this woman talking about?' Eli wondered why he was getting involved in her affairs.

"And last but not least, see your partner from your heart" Eli's voice reverberated in their heart.

Mariel slightly raised her eyebrows as her eyes saw Eli was holding Scarlett's hand that was grabbing Eli's thigh before.

Their fingers intertwined as if he was showing his affection for her.

Scarlett's eyes turned teary.

After that, Mariel turned silent and contemplated something. While others ordered food.

Mariel's thought process went through a lot during that time.

Although Mariel didn't know Eli she indirectly used him in many ways to get her daughters under her.

For Scarlett; she wanted Mana Breathwork for her little brother. Using this opportunity Mariel got her.

For Mia; she wanted to protect her big brother in order to do that she accepted Mariel's teaching.

No matter what Mariel daughter's came back to her only for one person.

And from what she understood, Their brother lost his memory during the monster rampage and only now he remembered little.

""Say~ahh""

Mariel snapped out of her thoughts and looked at her daughters competing with each other to feed him.

"Mia, it's big sister's duty"

"Ah, haven't you already fed him enough your lips?"

""cough, cough""

"W-what? You saw us?" Scarlett's face turned pale.

"Ahem, did you hear anything?" Eli asked carefully.

"Tsk, you guys were literally whispering face-to-face to each other" Mia said with annoyance and Jealousy.

Scarlett and Eli sighed inwardly.

"Little Mia" Suddenly Scarlett called Mia with a smile....but for Mia, it's not a warm smile.

"N-Noooo, Brother helllpppp mmmeee!" Mia suddenly stood up and tried to run away.

"You are not going anywhere, young lady"

"NOOOOO!!!"

Looking at their banter, Mariel felt she was seeing her children's every new side....she wanted to be part of them, she wanted to feel the happiness of being with them.

She looked at Eli who was laughing at his sisters' banter as if he was seeing after many years....Mariel now envied Eli who was the reason for their smiles.

She wanted to them smile for her, she wanted to pamper them, she wanted to hold them tightly she wanted to ask forgiveness for involving them in her schemes.....she wanted more and more as she missed her motherly time with them.

To tell the truth, she did everything in the past for her daughters' future, 'I just don't want them to suffer like me'.

Seeing his warm and gentle on her daughters, Mariel thought, 'Maybe he is not that much bad guy, I guess"

Feeling a certain gaze, Eli turned his head from banter and looked at his stepmother.

Seeing her envious and pained look, Eli smiled and said,

"Open your heart and you will also be the reason for their smile"

'Ba-dump, Ba-dump'