My CEO Boss Is A Masked Internet Sensation-Chapter 267: Tension At Dinner

(Arata)

We settled at the dinner table. Mom and Aunt Huria sat on either side of me. Zaylen and Stella took their seats opposite us while Baba perched on his designated head seat.

Thankfully, I wasn’t nauseated at that moment, just hungry.

I filled my plate with some rice and sauteed veggies—a bowl of stew.

Everyone threw casual glances at my plate but I knew they were ensuring I had enough. The chatter and clutter began.

Aunt Huria rubbed her hands together and cast a very subtle look towards Mom and Baba.

"It’s time to tell the real love story of you two love birds."

Zaylen and Stella’s ears must have pricked as they exchanged glances with me. I only knowingly smiled and let Aunt Huria do the deed.

Baba had a confusion reflecting ripple on his forehead while Mom busied herself in fiddling with the food on her plate.

"Go on, Aunt Huria. I want to hear it."

"So your Mom was a real daredevil. When that pathetic excuse for a human, Doran, cheated on her; I ensured she went drinking and fishing. And I hooked her with your father in the nightclub Mirage."

Zaylen’s bulging eyes swept from me to Mom and Baba. Stella’s eyebrows had disappeared into her hair from the shock.

Baba loudly cleared his throat while Mom was hysterically laughing with Aunt Huria.

"This is wild. Mom, I never knew..." Zaylen’s food lay forgotten on his plate. freēwēbnovel.com

"Those were the days. I didn’t even fear getting caught and your father was the gentlest, the most caring man I had ever met," Mom revealed.

I already knew how special he was.

My gaze met his and I smiled at him for being so kind to Mom—to us.

"Now that we are spilling secrets, your Mom was too cute and thought I was the real Kakashi in her drunken state," Baba teased and all of us burst out laughing. "I still remember how she told me she loved my Chidori."

Mom blushed at his words and both of them shared this intense emotional look with each other.

"It has almost been 35 years," she finally spoke, reaching out and placing her hand on top of his. His thumb traced hers and I felt my heart melting.

"You guys never told us this. I can’t believe you guys hid such a story from us." Zaylen was shaking his head while Stella sympathetically rubbed his arm.

"Come to me for their wild stories. I know too many." Aunt Huria winked at Zaylen and he saluted her.

My heart swelled and eased. My parents had overcome all obstacles and found their way to each other.

Maybe, one day I could find my way to Karsten as well.

"Don’t spill too many of our beans, Huria. You will spoil them," Baba warned, his eyes drifting to me. I knew he meant me, I had already betrayed his trust so brutally.

"I am their aunt. It’s my right to spoil them." Aunt Huria shrugged her shoulders.

We busied ourselves with eating.

"Yes, but nowadays men only like to take advantage and hurt others. I don’t want my kids to get hurt more than they already have."

I understood where Baba was coming from. Their love story was like straight out of some dark fairytale where Baba had emerged as Mom’s saviour and hero. But, he didn’t believe men of our era were capable of doing what he did.

"Kids always find their own way. But a good example is always needed to lead them—to give them hope that they can find someone worthy."

Baba scoffed, placing his fork down.

"Worthy? No one is worthy of my daughter. And I am done standing on the sidelines and letting her get hurt. No man looking to hurt her is going to cross my threshold ever," he declared, fuming, and that relaxed vibe was suddenly replaced by a tense one.

Dead silence followed his words.

Aunt Huria squeezed my arm affectionately, telling me it was all right. I just buried my eyes into my half-finished plate.

"Zy! Let’s relax. We will discuss it later. She just got home," Mom tried to diffuse the situation and Baba didn’t speak after that.

My appetite died. Quietly picking up the napkin, I dabbed my lips and pushed my chair back.

"I want to be excused," I said in a small voice, not glancing in anyone’s direction.

"Moonshine, please, finish your food," Baba requested, his voice soft.

"I am not hungry and feel tired after the journey. I need to lay down." Getting up, I made my way back to my room. I heard footsteps behind me and knew Zaylen and Stella were following me.

The elders remained behind to discuss their next course of action. I knew they would be divided on Karsten, and soon, the question would be sprung towards me.

"Are you alright?" Stella’s hands, I felt around my shoulders. She settled me on the bed and sat down. Zaylen took his stance in front like a protector.

"I feel so disappointed in myself. I should want someone normal in my life, like Callum. But I don’t. My heart won’t fit anyone else. It hurts, especially seeing how much Baba gets disturbed even by his thoughts," I lamented, placing my head on Stella’s shoulder.

"Take your time, Arata. You have been through so much. Dad gets overly emotional when it comes down to you. Everyone knows that. Let Mom handle him for now," Zaylen suggested but the tension in his voice didn’t go unnoticed by me.

Deep down, we both knew how stubborn Baba could get especially when it came down to his children.

"Yes, let yourself heal. We are here for you, and when the time is right, and if you still want him, we will always back you. Remember, we have his deepest secret with us, he won’t dare hurt you."

Even without Stella’s assurance, I knew Karsten wouldn’t hurt me, not anymore and my intuitions had never been wrong.

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