In Search For Happiness

Chapter 49

Kal went back to the palace furiously. He opened his office door. Carney covered his eyes from behind.
▶Carney: "Could you guess who I am~~"
Kal turned to Carney.
▶Kal: "What are you doing here?!"
▶Carney: "I missed you Kal~ didn't you miss me?~," said while pressing her chest on Kal. Kal began to feel nervous and hesitant. Kal pushed Carney away.
▶Kal: "Carney! Get out of here we shouldn't do that. I... I don't want to upset Ariel anymore. I want things to go back as it was. So... We will stop here."
Carney paused for a second, then she clenched her dress. And stepped closer to Kal and clung into Kal's arm pressing and showing her chest to him. Kal saw it and tried to calm down and control himself.
▶Carney: "I understand, if you are worried about sister we can keep it a secret. I'll stay quiet about it. I'll stay as a shadow. Kal I love you. I can't be without you. Please, please let me be with you. Ok~ I promise to be good to you and sister, ok~" Kal gave up, he couldn't resist anymore. He closed the door and ordered no one to be allowed near the office.

[Duke Alix residence]
When Kal left. Ariel's knees gave up so she fell. Alix walked towards Ariel and reached his hands to her to help her stand up. Ariel took his hand and stood up.
▶Ariel: "... I'm sorry for causing you trouble... And thank you." Alix grind and smiled teasingly.
▶Alix: "Glad you know it"
Ariel smiled faintly. Lidia walked towards Ariel.
▶Lidia: "Ariel, don't worry as long as you are here no one could touch you, even the emperor himself." Ariel nodded her head and thanked Lidia and Alix.
▶Ariel: "Ah! That's right have you found Mrs. Pax?!" Alix shook his head.
▶Alix: "We couldn't find anything. It's just like she has evaporated."
▶Ariel: "That's strange, where she could be?! I asked Bency but she said she didn't see her because she was busy all the time. She just knew from Carney that Mrs. Pax has left the next morning."
▶Alix: "I see, in that case only Carney knows. Anyway, don't think about anything now and rest."
▶Lidia: "Yes, if you need anything just tell me!"
Ariel nodded her head. Afterward, Alix and Lidia left the room to let Ariel rest. Ariel throws herself into the bed staring at the ceiling. Not long Ariel started to close her eyes and fell asleep.
Lidia went back to the palace to call out Rane for dinner, she wanted to see him because it's been a while since they spent time together.
Alix knocked on Ariel's room so many times but didn't answer. Alix got worried so he opened the door. He walked towards Ariel and saw her sleeping deeply while crying. Alix wiped her tears, then caressed her hair, he gazed at Ariel for a while then stepped outside. Alix instructed a maid to wake Ariel up after 5 minutes to have dinner. Alix went to the dining room and waited for Ariel.
After 5 minutes a maid woke Ariel up. Ariel freshens up and walked to the dining room. Ariel saw Alix closing his eyes while sitting. Ariel stepped closer to Alix wonders if he was sleeping.
▶Ariel: "... Duke Alix? Duke Alix? Are you sleeping?!... Alix?"
Alix opened his eyes and told Ariel to sit down and start eating. Ariel stood there dumbfounded.
▶Ariel: "Wer... Were you awake the whole time?!!"
Alix grinned.
▶Alix: "Your highness may you start so I could start as well! I'm hungry right now."
Ariel quickly sit down and apologized. Alix smiled faintly.
▶Alix: "You don't have to apologize you did nothing wrong. Anyway, I could have started but I wanted to wait for you to be together."
Somehow Ariel was taken aback. He was straightforward which made Ariel blush a little bit.
▶Ariel: "Ah! Where is Lidia?!"
▶Alix: "She went on a date with Rane."
▶Ariel: "Oh! I see... Somehow I feel sorry for letting Lidia beside me, Marquis Rane must have a hard time."
▶Alix: "Don't say that. Lidia stayed beside you because she wanted to and no one could stop her as you know if she decided on something. And anyway, she would have sat ideally spending money and doing nothing. So it was also a relief that she is busy and besides you."
Lidia appeared beside Alix.
▶Lidia: "What do you mean by that I would sit ideally spending only money and do nothing?! "
▶Alix: "... Nothing I was just saying that it's good that you are having fun while working with her highness."
▶Lidia: "Oh! Really?!" Lidia started to grumble and Alix looked troubled. Ariel laughed at the scene. She laughed at Alix's troubled looks and at how Lidia is troubling the famous strong cold Duke Alix. Lidia stopped grumbling and turned to Ariel and so was Alix.
▶Ariel: "I'm sorry! It's just..."
▶Alix: "No, it's good to see you laugh," said while smiling and giving Ariel affectionate looks. Alix doesn't realize how he looks but when Lidia saw that she grinned.
▶Lidia: "Uum ehum, anyway I'm sorry for interrupting you little sweet dinner. I'm going now please do continue " Lidia left the dining room.
▶Ariel: "This Lidia!"
▶Alix: "By the way, ... I wanted to apologize for my past behavior towards you, I..." Ariel didn't let Alix complete his words of apologies.
▶Ariel: "Please don't, I totally understand. I have never resented you. If I were you, I would have done the same." Said while smiling faintly. Ariel changed the subject afterward. Alix felt thankful and somehow pleased.
After the dinner, Ariel decided to go back. Alix didn't want to but he couldn't say anything, but Alix's facial expression said everything and sold him out. Ariel noticed Alix's facial expression, it was the same expression when the last time she saw Alen. Ariel felt sad because she didn't want Alix to make that expression, and that she was the reason for that expression. However, she couldn't say anything. Ariel felt that she didn't have the right to say anything comforting.
Ariel arrived at the palace. Once she took off from the carriage she went back to her room as usual. When Ariel opened the door she saw Baroness Kaylee drinking tea in her room.
▶Baroness: "you finally came?! I was waiting for you! I asked for you but the maids told me that you are not here so I asked them if they could lead me to your room I was wondering..."
▶Ariel: "Is there something you want Baroness Kaylee?!"
▶Baroness: "Dear~ why are you acting like this, my daughter you're hurting my feelings," said with a sad voice.
Alix came to the palace to give back Ariel's earrings. One of Ariel's earrings was founded. He could've just sent someone and deliver it but he wanted to see Ariel, himself felt strange, though just now he was with Ariel, he missed her. He didn't know what these feelings were called but he always felt heartache whenever Ariel leave his sight. Alix headed to Ariel's room, then paused when he heard the baroness talking to Ariel.
▶Ariel: "... Mother please, get to the point."
▶Baroness: "Ariel~ Why don't you talk to his highness to take Carney as his concubine, I assure you that you won't have any problem! It's good to have your family near you, don't you think so?!"
▶Ariel: "I refuse."
The baroness began to feel annoyed.
▶Baroness: "Ariel!! I don't know why you are so against Carney!! She is your sister now and she is a good girl."
▶Ariel: "Then what am I to you mother?! Am I your daughter?! What I have done wrong to you?!"
▶Baroness: "Ariel!! The answer is so clear. Think and use your brain!!"
▶Ariel: "Why don't you answer me this time?! I really want to know."
▶Baroness: "It's because Carney is a good girl, she never argues with me as you do now. She never distrusts my decision and does as I tell her. She respects me more than you my daughter." Shouted Baroness Kaylee.
▶Ariel: "So... It's because she does whatever you want and desire without arguing... That's it?!"
▶Baroness: "Obviously!!"
▶Ariel: "In that case, you shouldn't have given birth and just hired a maid."
Baroness glared at Ariel and slapped her.
▶Baroness: "You dare say that!!!? Who do you think you are, no, just because you are the crown princess that does not mean you have the right to talk to me like that I'm your mother!!"
▶Ariel: "If you think you are my mother then act like one." The baroness was about to slap Ariel again but Ariel stopped it by grasping the baroness's hand.
▶Baroness: "YOU DARE!!" The baroness shook Ariel's hand away.
▶Ariel: "If you really were my mother, you won't talk to me right now about letting Carney be my husband's concubine!! If you really were my mother you won't treat me differently just because I don't do as you desire. If you were my mother... You would have treated me a little bit warmly. Do you know how do I feel whenever you treat that person with affection as she was your daughter and take her side whenever something happens!? I feel miserable, sad, lonely, and depressed. Because all I wanted and yearned for was your affection. I wanted you to understand me when no one does. I wanted you to hug me whenever I feel upset. I wanted you to comfort me, stay with me and have a relationship like any mother and daughter. I wanted to have a happy family. Is that just too much?!" Said while tearing.
▶Baroness: "IT IS BECAUSE YOU DO NOT DESERVE IT. YOU WANTED TO HAVE A HAPPY FAMILY?! THEN WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR THE FAMILY TO MAKE US PROUD OF YOU AND HAPPY!! HAVE YOU WORKED TO PLEASE US?!"
▶Ariel: "... It seems like we can't talk or agree on something, right?! Fine, if I don't have the right, then Carney doesn't have the right as well. Let me tell you. I don't agree with Carney being a concubine I won't accept her."
The baroness sneered.
▶Baroness: "Heh!! It's not up to you anyway. I just thought of letting you help Carney to get some point and make her enter the palace faster. And let me tell you, you still have no right in this at all because his highness is the Crown Prince he has the right to have as many concubines as he wants." The Baroness stepped outside then noticed Duke Alix in front of the door. Then turned to Ariel.
▶Baroness: "Heh! I see that you are not short of men either your highness! " said disgustingly and walked past Alix.