Madam Collins' steps came to an abrupt halt.

The middle-aged woman seemed to widen her eyes, staring in disbelief at the person who had folded her legs and was sitting casually in their living room.


Her body reacted by clenching her fists, wondering if the person she saw this afternoon was indeed the person she had been waiting for for a long time.

Until a few seconds later, Madam Collins and the stranger accidentally locked eyes.

"Mommy! I'm home!" Beatrice ,exclaimed happily, with a smile on the corners of her lips.


She rose from the chair she was sitting in and spread her arms to gesture for a hug.

Madam Collins froze for a few moments, before hurriedly descending the stairs.


For the love of everything! Beatrice was really back! It was really her daughter!

"Mommy! I missed you!" exclaimed Beatrice as Madam Collins approached, hoping that she would get a warm hug from the mother who had carried her and given birth to her.

But no such luck, because what Beatrice got was a series of pats on the back.

"You crazy woman!" Madam Collins simply cursed, not even returning Beatrice's greeting. "How dare you come back after causing such a mess, Beatrice! I really should kick your ass!"

Patting Beatrice's back with considerable force, Madam Collins seemed satisfied when she heard her only child grimace in pain.

"Mommy! Ouch, Mommy!" The blonde-haired woman whimpered. "Mercy, Mommy! Mercy, my back!"

But it seemed that the clapping was not about to stop. Growling with mounting irritation, Madam Collins did not even notice her breathing rise and fall with the vigor of a four-five.

Perhaps resentment and anger had been festering inside her chest for too long, especially since she hadn't heard from her daughter at all.

She was abandoned, humiliated, and even worried by wondering if she was okay out there.

Was Beatrice living well? Was she eating regularly? And the other thoughts that rushed through Madam Collins' mind during Beatrice's disappearance.

Although she regretted Beatrice's actions, Madam Collins could not deny that as a mother she also harbored a deep sense of worry.

Having had enough of venting her pent-up frustration, the middle-aged woman finally slowly ended her tattooed beating of Beatrice's back.

Hurriedly curling up and rubbing her hot back, Beatrice could only grumble in annoyance with a furrowed brow. Unfortunately, she happened to be wearing a rather revealing one-strap outfit, which in turn made her mother's slap leave a reddish mark there.

"Feel that, you little brat!" exclaimed Madam Collins still raising her voice. Taking a deep breath to neutralize her racing heartbeat, she now looked at Beatrice intently.

Inwardly thankful that her daughter had returned without missing a thing. She still looked healthy, and seemed even more beautiful.

"Mommy! Really, anyway," Beatrice was still grumbling. Her tail followed the movements of Madam Collins who now stepped up to take a position on one of the single sofas, opposite Beatrice.

"When are you coming back?" Madam Collins' tone sounded harsh, but Beatrice knew her mother missed her. "Are you okay?"

The burning sensation on her back gradually disappeared, as Beatrice now took a position to sit on the sofa as well.

"As you can see, Mam. I'm fine. You look fine in my absence too."

Madam Collins snorted, still annoyed in the corner of her heart. But now Beatrice was back, at least she was grateful for that.

"I arrived last night," Beatrice said as she leaned back in the chair, steadying herself. She knew she had to explain everything, and she was ready for it. "You were asleep, and I didn't want to disturb you. Thank goodness you're okay, Mam."

Madam Collins folded her arms across her chest.

"Do you know what you've done, Beatrice?" she asked to the point. There was no time to delay, she had to tell everything what had happened in Beatrice's absence. "You know what a mess you've made, huh?!"

Beatrice swallowed. She did know, and she wanted to make things right. Although she was (quite) late, she at least wanted to apologize profusely to Rey.

The one she had missed the whole time she was away. Now that she has thought carefully, she has decided to agree to everything the man asks for.

She will not dodge anymore, she will give it all to her fiancé.

"I know, Mam," Beatrice replied with a smile at the corner of her lips. "I'm sorry for messing things up, I'm sorry for embarrassing you and our family. But believe me I really needed time to think at the time."

Madam Collins kept a flat expression on her face, radar ears perked up high to listen to her daughter's narration.

"I can't tell you the reason why I left at that time," Beatrice explained. Her beady eyes seemed to glaze over, but she continued anyway. "Rey asked for something I could not give. But now I've considered it carefully, and I'm ready to make amends to him. He must have waited a long time for me."

Something had escaped Beatrice's notice, Madame Collins thought quickly. But her lips remained silent, for Beatrice still seemed to want to speak.

"I must see Rey immediately," Beatrice murmured in a lower tone of voice this time. "I will plead with him, I will ask him to understand my decision back then. I'm sure he will understand, and be willing to start all over again with me."

Madam Collins took a slow breath.

"I will not ask for a grand wedding, I will only ask for a simple celebration," Beatrice quirked a smile at the corners of her lips. "I messed up, so that's how I'll make up for it this time. He will understand."

The smile was still perched on Beatrice's lips, when suddenly Madam Collins felt a growing tightness in her chest.

Beatrice really had no idea what had happened during her escape from Munich, and now Madam Collins began to wonder how to explain to her daughter.

To the daughter who still seemed to expect one more chance from Rey, even though she had foolishly left him without a word.

"Beatrice." Madam Collins' voice echoed in the living room of the mansion.

Beatrice raised her head, and then gradually improved her body position to sit straighter.

"Don't worry, Mam." As if she could read the hesitation in her mother's eyes, Beatrice had already given her voice. "Let me take care of it, let me apologize directly to the Lueic family."

No, that wasn't the case.

"It's not like that," interrupted Madam Collins. The middle-aged woman squeezed her fingers to relieve her indecision, but she really had to reveal everything. "Rey, he is no longer who you think he is."

Beatrice shook her head faintly. "I know him, Mam. He may be angry, but he's still Rey, my fiancé."

God, it was getting complicated.

"No, not like that," Madam Collins muttered again. She really didn't expect it to be this hard to say, especially when Beatrice still seemed to expect Rey to come back to her.

"It seems you've made a wrong move, Beatrice," Madam Collins said again. "After you left, things weren't the same. Things changed quickly, and you couldn't even be reached. Mummy tried to hold things together, but it seems Rey has really changed."

Beatrice squinted, beginning to wonder where her mother would take this conversation.

Taking a deep breath, Madam Collins gathered her strength to reveal the facts.

"I means, Rey...," But still stammering.

"Hm mh? What's wrong with Rey, Mommy?"

"He... he's married."