During dinner time of the Chen family...Marivella seated on the right side of her father which left the side of her mother. Across her is seated her two brothers.
She felt an unusual silence on the table; the liveliness was minimizing without the voice of her parents. She is sure that her parents did not have a fight, as her mother"s smile still the same.
Quietly, she continues emptying her plate and a bowl of soup. Even though of this deafening silence, she could tell that there is a reason behind it, and she can"t bring herself to ask her father. She"s worried that it might be about the rumors of her.
She can"t bring another shamed to her family. She understood that her father facing rumors as well in the past, and she was like repeating it. That is why she made a decision, and that is to avoid Carlisle and stay deaf to all rumors and thrashed talks about her. It actually angers her for these people judging her. But because of their status, they throw all the negativity at her because she is just the peasant who loves a prince.
"Ahem..." Louis clears his throat. "I have an announcement for everyone." he began.
"What is it, Papa?" asked Peter.
"We"re invited to a Gala in a week from now."
"Wow! Are we invited too? Because if they invited you, only mother and sister may come!" James complains.
Louis smiled and messed Peter"s hair. "Everyone will go, it is necessary. But—" he glanced at Marivella before he continued. "What do you think?"
"If it is necessary as related to your work. Why not?" Marivella shares her thoughts about the said Gala.
"This is one thing I want to discuss with everyone." Louis looked at Caroline and his wife nodded. "There is someone from our country who will visit France, and our presence has to be there."
"Who is it, Papa?" asked Peter.
"It was the second Prince of Joseon Kingdom."
"Wow!" Peter and James said at once.
"So we will go to meet him?" James asked excitedly.
"Yes. And another thing is, his mother, the present Queen of Korea is the daughter of your grandfather"s brother. She married the Crown Prince who became the current King of Joseon."
"Wow! Are you saying that our family was like from royals?" Peter curiously commented.
"People saying that which I don"t think about it."
"Then, he was like our cousin? We have a prince cousin?" happily, James was like daydreaming.
"Yes."
"And we will attend the Gala!"
"That is why the two of you must behave."
"Yes!" they replied with full of enthusiasm.
After the long dinner, Louis had a private talk with his daughter. Marivella enters the study room of his father where her mother began making her a beautiful dress for the Gala. She places the tea on the table where his father reading a letter that said, from his uncle who married the Princess of Silla. His uncle becomes the King"s advisor and has a higher place in the palace.
What will happen if her parents married said royals and not being married to each other? How will they live every day seeing each other as living in the same palace? Could they realize their attraction to each other? Would she even be born in this world? And if that happens, she will not meet Carlisle and fall in love with him. She never regretted that she loves Carlisle, and she will love him for the rest of her life.
Louis could tell that his daughter was in deep thought. He and Caroline looked at each other. They were sad about how their daughter has to get through at the moment. They wish that they could do something. Louis worried about his daughter, that is why he is having a hard time telling her the truth of why a prince from Korea is coming to France.
He glanced at his wife and Caroline nodded. He clears his truth before he begins the conversation. "Marivella, I and your mother wish to speak with you for important things."
"Father... all right, I am all ears."
"Marivella, the Prince who is coming here is actually to wish for your hand of marriage."
She was sipping her tea, and she almost drops the teacup. Her face is full of bewilderment about the news she heard. She looked down and ponders. "Did you agree?" she asked. Honestly, she is afraid and her heart began feeling the sadness inside.
"No. The decision is not ours. It is yours." he stated.
Marivella stood from the chair and walked toward his father. Louis let his daughter cry on his shoulder. He knew that she only bore all the weight on her shoulder. Lovingly, he patted her back. His beautiful daughter. There are no words he could describe how a good daughter she is. Ever since she was born into this world, she became his light.
Louis looked at Caroline. He stretched his arm, telling her to come. Caroline understood. She put down the red silk and stride closer to her husband and daughter. Louis put his right arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer to him. Caroline then leans her head to her husband"s shoulder.
She knows that she doesn"t hold his whole heart because someone buried deep down inside, but it does not matter. Everything is in the past, and Louis shows everything how much he loves the family he makes of his own. She is more than happy to become the mother of his children, and Louis is happy.
Caroline reaches her daughter"s face and wipes the tears that flooded down from her eyes. "We love you, sweetie," she told her daughter.
"I love you both..." Louis confessed.
Caroline looks up, surprised and felt like she"s dreaming; wis.h.i.+ng her ears hears correctly. She wanted her husband to say it again, but she is shy to request such a thing, especially that their daughter is around. But the next words that came out from his mouth made her eyes watered.
"I love you."
Is what Louis said while looking at his wife"s eyes. Now, the women of his life both cried on his shoulder. He felt his role is effective as the head of the family. He should be the one who comforts the people that dear to him. That is also his role. He knows that there are times her wife would cry alone when her being a woman tattered. But she is such a strong and brave woman although he never hears she complains or against his words and decisions. She always shows her cheerfulness and smiles all the time.
The fact why he falls in love with her. Yes. He loves his wife even if; he is not showy about it, and he is honest about how he can"t say the words.
"You are the women I love so much," he whispered to them.
"I love you too, Papa!"
"I love you, dear!"
"How about us?" Peter and James entered the room; they who eavesdrop outside the door then joined a group hugged.
Louis laughs. He can"t be happier than tonight. This is his family.
And for Marivella, she was glad about the decision she made... choosing her family is much important for her.
Truly she loves Carlisle, but her family is everything to her.