My Stubborn Mistress

"A thousand stars sparkling beneath the magnificent canva.s.s of the twilight skyline."

She stops reading. Amazed, she sat up from the sofa and take a closer look at the painting that became mysterious to many people. Reading the poem written by Doctor Charles, the three-man gasps.

Marie began sobbing, hugging the book tightly closer to her chest. Trying to hold his tears, Butler Pete cried as well. But he wasn"t sad, he is actually glad, too happy for his master.

At last, he found the mysterious woman he meets during his past life. Who would have thought about that? No one even guessed because Carlene has blue eyes and when she"s reincarnated, she had the beautiful black eye-color.

Therefore, the painting is evidence of how the past connected to this life; ever since the beginning. It is not just the RESET one from the Book that written… but it is the present life itself.

Marivella met her daughter even before she got pregnant and gave birth to her. She already got to spend time with her: touch her and have a conversation….

Marie keeps wiping her tears while having these thoughts. Happy to know, that even though Marivella died after Carlene was born, she got the chance to bond with her daughter before everything happens.

And for Charles, who draws this painting. He is the witness of how the future Carlene traveled to the past. The future has played a huge role even before the life that does not exist anymore.

RESET LIFE is already a part of the past. It determines already that there is only one course, and that is their present life. Marie could now reflect that this time-traveling is necessary. Although she still has fears, she"s hoping that Madison and the others could figure out what they must do and find all the reasons for this frequent time traveling.

"Excuse me, gentlemen," said Marie. Placing down the book on the console table just below the photo frame, she then headed to the door and steps out from the library.

Meanwhile, Ca.s.sie, who had breakfast in her bedroom, she got worried upon seeing Marie"s face flooded with tears. "Aunt Marie? Did something happen?" She sat up from the chair and walk toward the lady.

Surprised, Ca.s.sie stood still when Marie hugged her tight. She let the lady cry on her shoulder and then patted her back until she"s calming down.

"I"m sorry." she apologized.

"Oh, no problem, Aunt Marie. Are you all right now?" she"s worried and curious to know what happened. Somehow, she"s praying that it is not something about the others. "Did something happen with Master Williams?" she asked afterward.

"Ah, no. I was just carried away to the book I am reading."

"Oh, I see... sounds like a very interesting book that it made you cry. Can I read it too?"

Surprised, Marie faces a difficult question. She knew that Ca.s.sie must-read none of those books, but she has a hard time explaining to her.

"Oh, if something I must not read, please don"t bother about it, Aunt Marie! And oh, please take a seat here. Join me and have some latte." Ca.s.sie pours the empty cup.

Amused, she thanked Ca.s.sie, letting her serve the hot drinks. How wonderful to get a bond with your great-great-great-great-grand. Marie smiled.

It"s been two days since then, but they haven"t gone back home yet.  Quinn contemplated these things when Levi came back from gathering information around Paris. They left him in the abandoned hut because it would be more noticeable if Parisian saw another Carlisle and Klein Williams in this time if he is the one who wanders around.

"Levi? Did you hear important information?"

"Brother Quinn, something is upcoming," Levi began reporting.

"What is it?"

"A prince from Korea is coming to visit France. And there is a Gala tomorrow night."

"Prince of Korea? Who? And why?"

"Who is he and why is he coming here? This even not written in the book."

"What do you mean, Levi?"

"There is no Prince of Korea visiting France this time around."

"Maybe just missed writing." Quinn"s thought.

"That"s impossible. French History is one of the first lessons that taught us."

"Then we should attend that Gala to find out?"

"How we could get in? The security surely tight and our faces would be mistaken for someone else. We can"t wander around freely. If they caught us and began interrogating, we can"t tell them we came from the future." Levi"s statement.

"You both forgotten me."

"You can"t!" Levi and Quinn said at once to Madison.

"Oh, okay. But you have no choice," she insisted. She"s actually stunned watching these two amazing men in her life. Of course, her father Marco in this second life included.

Quinn and Levi looked at each other. Truly, they have no other choice but let Madison attend the Gala and find out what was the changes in the past… and the question was, how it will affect them who are living from the future?

* * *

Chen Residence: Five days ago before the Church incident...

Peter opens the door after he hears a knock. "What I can do for you, sir?"

"Can I speak to your father?" A middle-aged man speaking his parent"s language.

Although born in France, their parents still teaching them of their native language Hanguk-so and so, Peter replied with the same language. The man was pleased to hear him talk the same language.

"Please, come in. They will be home soon," he told the man and let him in.

"Thank you, Peter."

"Do you know my name?"

"Of course. Your father and I exchanged letters," the man smiled.

Peter brings the man to the living room and lets him take a seat. After half an hour, her parents arrived. "Mama! Papa! We have a guest." Peter meets his parents at the patio.

"Guest?" Louis wondered. He walked to the living room and surprised to see his visitor. "Dae-Ho!"

"Greetings, Master Young-Jae..."

"Don"t be like someone else! We are great friends when we were young." Louis Chen expressed.

"I know that, Master Young-Jae. But I am always honored to meeting you again."

"Ah… Don"t mention it. Did you already meet my sons?"

"Yes. Peter and James are it."

"That"s good. All right, let"s go to my study room."

"I"ll prepare some coffee."

"Thank you, dear."

"I can"t believe she would become your wife," Dae-Ho commented.

"I can"t believe, either." Louis smiled.

"She goes against her grandfather"s order to marry the Prince of Silla, instead she comes here in Paris to follow you."

"I didn"t know that actually, but after we got married here in France. I learned from my brother"s letter after I informed him about my marriage. He told me that Caroline is betrothed with the crowned Prince of Silla."

"Not to mention, you first run away because your mother arranged your marriage to the second Princess of Silla."

Louis laughs. That was true anyway, and he truly doesn"t want to get married to someone who is in love with his older brother. It was all because his older brother is a child from a concubine; he has a lower rank in the family.

But he as the firstborn of the Minister"s wife is the only qualified to marry the Princess. But he runs away, and so many things happen to him here in Paris and back to Korea.

"Although I got a lover once, her family is against us because I am just an orphan teenager wandering around Paris. I am truly sad that she died upon giving birth to our daughter. But it was in the past now. Caroline is a great wife and mother to our children."

"She"s been showing her interest to marry you since we were little."

"Really?" Louis chuckles then his expression s.h.i.+fted being serious. "Sadly, what I get through before, is my daughter has to get through also."

"These people should know who really you are and your family."

"Marivella chooses a peaceful life. She doesn"t want to complicate the situation for everyone, us... and so we just avoid encountering the rumors." he sighed. "Now tell me, you"re not coming here just to see me, is it?"

"Your nephew is coming to Paris. One week from now, they probably arrive if there are no problems on their voyage."

"Is that true? Why?"

"I don"t have all the information if what are the Prince"s subject. But the rumors among the Eunuch, he is choosing your daughter to be his wife."

"What? That cannot be! I live here so that my family won"t get involved in any affairs of the Chen! I did everything to give my family a peaceful life, away from the troubled life I have back there. I oppose this!" firmly, Louis expressed his disagreement with the news he received.

"Even you are, but you must attend the Gala that holds five days from now to welcome the Second Prince."

"How if, I refuse to go?"

"Maybe just use this opportunity? Might the Gala could help to boost your status here in France, then, you can discuss your disapproval of the marriage with the second prince later." Dae-Ho suggested.

"I think, you are correct. Maybe this could help clean my daughter"s name and earn her status in society. And whatever decision she comes up with, I will support her."

Louis clenches his knuckles. Gala, huh? He thought.

"If Marivella would like to attend, we will go to the Gala."