"I’m home," said a boy with long white hair as he walked into a house situated beside a riverbank, accompanied by a girl with purple hair.
"Welcome home, Eden~," a woman with beautiful silver hair greeted them with a smile as she quickly emerged from inside the house.
"Marine," Stephanie smiled as she looked at her ’daughter,’ who trembled at her words.
"M-mom," Marine bowed her head, struggling to utter the words.
"Come inside," Stephanie said as she led the way into the house, with Eden and Marine following behind.
As they entered the house, the warm aroma of home-cooked meals filled the air.
The interior was cozy, with comfortable furniture arranged neatly around the living space.
"Sit down, both of you," Stephanie said, gesturing towards the sofa.
As Eden sat down on one end and Marine took the middle spot, Stephanie settled into the chair in front of them.
"So, Marine, how have you been?" she asked, looking at her ’daughter,’ whom she hadn’t seen since she woke up from her coma.
"I have been fine, mother," Marine replied, her voice trembling slightly.
"And how about your new mother?" Stephanie inquired as if discussing a stranger. "How is she doing in the new house... in a new environment?"
"She has been doing fine. I have been helping her if she needed anything," Marine answered, glancing around the house.
"Does your father know you are here?" Stephanie asked, making Marine look back at her.
Marine hesitated before answering, her gaze dropping to her hands folded in her lap. "No, I haven’t told him. I... I wasn’t sure how he would react."
Stephanie’s expression remained unchanged as she nodded. "I see."
If her father had known, he wouldn’t have allowed Marine to come here or anywhere near Stephanie.
Marine nodded silently, feeling the weight of her secret heavy on her heart.
She knew she needed to tell her father about her visits to Stephanie’s house, but the fear of his reaction held her back.
"Master," Sarah’s voice interrupted the heavy silence as she entered the living space, addressing Eden.
"Yes?" Eden replied, turning his attention to her.
"Can you come with me? I need to buy some things," Sarah asked, bowing slightly.
Eden frowned at her request, considering their current situation. "Can it wait? We have a guest here."
"Eden," Stephanie called out to him, drawing his attention, "go with her."
Eden hesitated but ultimately acquiesced, sitting there for a moment before standing up. "Do I have to go, Mother?"
"Let the mother and daughter have some time alone," Stephanie replied with a slight smile.
"It’s nothing," Stephanie replied, wiping her tears away.
"Are you feeling guilty now?" Marine pressed further, her voice tinged with accusation. "Are you feeling guilty for what you did to us?"
"Marine, don’t get ahead of yourself," Stephanie replied in a chilly voice, causing Marine to tremble in fear. "And no, I am not feeling guilty for what I did to you."
Stephanie stood up and walked closer to Marine, who tried to move away from her but was grabbed by the face, forcing her to look at Stephanie.
"Marine Morton," Stephanie said, ignoring her trembling body. "I will say this once and only once—don’t ever try to harm Eden."
"Even though I see you as my child," Stephanie continued, applying pressure to Marine’s cheeks as she squeezed them. "Even though I have watched over you for more than six years, I will not hesitate to kill you and destroy your family if you ever do anything to harm Eden."
Marine’s eyes widened in shock as Stephanie’s words sank in.
The icy tone of her voice sent shivers down her spine, and she felt a wave of fear wash over her.
Despite her best efforts to hide it, she couldn’t suppress the tremble in her body as Stephanie’s grip tightened on her cheeks.
"I... I understand," Marine managed to whisper, her voice barely audible.
Stephanie released her grip, allowing Marine to pull away, her heart beating louder in her chest as she remembered the look in Stephanie’s eyes.
All she could see was madness.
....
....
....
Meanwhile, in a different place, Eden looked at Sarah.
"What was your question again?" Eden asked as he glanced at Sarah, both of them standing in front of a clothes store.
"Do you prefer pink or black?" Sarah asked, her expression unchanged.
Eden looked at her strangely, unsure of how to respond.
"Why are you asking?" he inquired.
"Just answer," Sarah insisted.
"Pink," Eden replied with a sigh.
"Then it’s pink," Sarah muttered as she walked into the store.
"Wait, why are you asking?" Eden questioned, following her inside.
"I’ll tell you another time," Sarah replied, looking back at him.
Indeed, it’s a story for another day.