Kace widened his eyes and his lips pulled into an astonished smile.
"Wasn't that a great speech?" Hop grinned.
"Indeed." Kace agreed readily.
"But, I am still waiting here for you to speak." Despite Hope acted as if she was only joking around, when actually she was serious about her questions. "What happened to my parents?"
Kace sighed deeply. "I think this will be a very long conversation." He started the engine and drove back to the road.
"Don't worry, we have the whole night and tomorrow and the day after that." Hope grinned and adjusted her sitting position, so she could face him properly. "I am all ears."
"About your parents…" the time showed it was ten o'clock when they were driving through the night with a long story that must be told.
The street light and a few passing cars were the only thing that prominent that night aside from whatever news that Kace would tell Hope.
"Both of your parents have died." Kace broke the information in a very simple way possible, after that he glanced at Hope beside him, afraid if she was going to cry.
However, the girl just stared at him while asking. "What caused it?"
"Your father had a car accident when you were still in your mother's w.o.m.b and your mother died when she delivered you." Kace kept staring at Hope and the road back and forth, trying to engage her reaction.
But, all he got was only a regretful sigh. "That's one of the reasons I have thought about." She nodded to herself. "And then? How did Serefina find me?"
"That's it?" Kace raised his eyebrows. "You are not going to cry your eyes out after finding the truth that your parents have died?"
"Don't be so dramatic." Hope slapped his arms. "I don't even know them. Yes, it was a pity knowing I will never have a chance to see them, but to say I will cry my heart out is very exaggerated, how can I shed tears for someone that I don't even know?��
Though what Hope said sounded cold, but it was very logic for her. She had never met them and didn't have an emotional attachment to them, moreover this reason was within her expectation.
Yes, there was a regret, but not strong enough to turn her into a crying mess.
Apparently, Serefina took an important role in developing Hope's character to be a logical person and bold enough to defend herself, just like how she handled Oliver and Abby by herself.
Kace didn't complain, if anything, he liked it when Hope has a strong character. He was hesitant to tell her about this because he didn't want to see her sad, but it seemed it wouldn't be the case now.
"Very logic." Kace nodded in agreement. "And then, how did Serefina find me?"
"About that, you have to ask Serefina yourself. She didn't tell me anything even when I asked." Kace shrugged. "She only said it was her obligation to find you."
Hope frowned as she tilted her head. "That's weird, if I don't know Serefina, I will assume she had something to do with the death of my parents."
Kace chuckled. "That is farfetched."
"Right?" Hope rolled her eyes, living with Serefina over years, she had ruled out that possibility. "But, why she didn't want to tell you anything about that?"
"That's something I want to know too." Kace remembered Serefina changed right after the war with the devil ended and the witch decided to leave the realm along with Jedrek, the love of her life, if Kace could say.
"How about my other family? No one was looking for a missing baby?" Hope wanted to know about this if she had other relatives, yet it didn't mean she was going to see them soon, she only wanted to know, that's all.
"I think Serefina did something to your other relatives' memories about you." Kace glanced at Hope when they reached the mystic river village's border. "You know, like what she had done to your friends back then when you were in the red river city."
Hope nodded her head slowly.
"But, if you want to meet them, we can find free time to go, they are in different region." Kace gave her an offer. "Serefina told me about them when she gave you to me."
Hope stared at the familiar road ahead of her as she thought about the offer. "I don't think that is necessary." She decided. "They don't even remember about my existence and I don't know them at all. It is pointless."
"Hm, I see your point." Kace, once again, glanced at his mate. He always saw Hope as a cheerful little gir with adorable smile.
However, what he watched now was a young woman with a deep thought and rational. Kace would never expect that one day he would have this kind of conversation with her and witnessed how calm her reaction could be.
Indeed, Hope was right, when he had gone for three years, she have grown up and the moment of his visit once a year, was not enough for him to get to know her character deeper.
"Are you going to answer all my questions?" Hope asked carefully. The question about her parents was one of many things that she wanted to ask.
Kace pulled over his car in front of the house and shifted in his seat to face his eager little mate. "If I answer all your questions, will you forgive me for the past three years for not calling you?"
Hope crossed her arms and stared at him.
In Kace's eyes, she looked adorable and made him couldn't help himself to not pinch her cheeks.
"What is that for?" Hope groaned as she swatted his hand away.
"For being so cute." Kace chuckled seeing Hope was being upset.
"I will think about that, because that will be my another questions. It will depend on what your reason for leaving me without news at all."