Made The Decision to Stay Away from Them

"Oh Mum, dear Mum, I sooo looooooveee ewwww..." circling her arms around Sylvia's necks, Mantisha nuzzled her cheeks. Adi laughed out hard. She seemed like a little kitten seeking the attention she deserved.

Sylvia was already gotten out of anger by her early morning's clingy attitude. She still pretended to be angry.

"How can you be so careless Tish? Yesterday, you almost made headlines by your drinking attitude. If not for Megan and Judy, do you think you could return? I had to go and pick you up from middle of the road."

Mantisha silently listened to her mom's lecture as she bit her lips. Sylvia was right. She made a total fool of herself. After the toe curling kiss she shared with that strange man, she actually started arguing with another strange man. She could not believe that she went against her morals and judged their appearances, commented on them and teased them.

Later to hide her embarrassment, she drank so much that nobody could stop her. As a result, they could not even shove her into a cab as she screamed, cried, and vomited all over the place.

Thankfully the owner was known, and there Judy, Megan, Herbert, and Albert were present. So they did not chase them away until Sylvia arrived. She regretted. She really regretted that she dropped the idea to go to a Salón and joined them to the departmental farewell party they had. Everything went wrong since she had gone there. She had exposed her embarrassing past with her ex, judged two scary people randomly, fought with one, kissed another one, had been drunk to the point of passing out and on the top of that, she had experienced an extra nightmare. She was really doomed.

"Boohoo hoo hoo... Mom does not love me anymore. What would I do now? Miaaaa... Will you adopt me." Just when Sylvia stopped to take breath, Mantisha started her drama.

Mia was shocked to the point that she could not utter a single word. Had this lady gone crazy? How could she comment between her master's affairs. She shut her mouth without speaking anything.

Mantisha blinked twice. It seemed that her cry did not affect Mia at all.

"You are so cold hearted Mia. You just pushed away a desperate child who was seeking a little bit of love and warmth. I don't want to talk to you anymore." She wiped her eyes as she turned towards Adi.

"Uncleeee, you are sooo handsome..." Adi nearly spilled the juice on his plate. Her adaptability was really admiring. She turned towards him the moment she realised Mia would not help her.

Sylvia was annoyed, she knocked her head as she scolded.

"Changing sides and asking for help would not change the things you have done. Besides..."

"Okay okay, stop now. Let the child enjoy her breakfast. She vomited out everything yesterday. She must be hungry by now." Adi looked at Mantisha with the corner of his eyes as she gave him a thumbs up.

"Uncle, you are awesome. I will also support you and take your side in the future." Mantisha whisper screamed.

"I can hear everything you know." Sylvia deadpanned.

Mantisha stuck out her tongue as she started having her breakfast. Adi laughed again.

Their breakfast passed in harmony.

In the afternoon, at Port of Eden Banquet Hall,

Sylvia was so nervous that her palms were sweating. It was the D-Day for them. They did not hold any ceremony at their marriage. They just got their certificates. She did not know what Adi was planning then. But now she knew. Adi had arranged a lot for today. He invited guests from all over the world. They were all from prestigious families, famous people or nobles. And Adi was going to introduce her to the world.

A part of her was very happy as well as proud. This time, she really wanted to stand beside him and be a wife who would be worthy of his love. But another side of her was already panicking. Twenty five years ago, it was her dream to became a renowned chef, but she could not manage to drive her own cart and killed the dream she had by her own hands. Now that her youth was gone, and so much had changed, could she still become the one she had always wanted to be!

She did not know anything. Nor did she dare to predict the future of her. This time, she really want to hold that man's hand, so tight that he would not be able to escape even if he tried and be happy by staying at his side with her daughter beside her.

Thinking of Mantisha, a gentle smile appeared on her face. She was really lucky to have her. In her life full of wrongs, her daughter was like a gentle breeze, a ray of sunshine, she was like moonlight in a dark lonely path of hers.

Even this time, Mantisha came to her again and again, as she coaxed her gently. Holding her hands, Mantisha coaxed her, reminding her to not get scared, to hold on, to smile at people even if she got bored, like a child. She could sense that Mantisha was scared to death. She felt her fingers getting colder as the time passed.

But she did not tell her anything. Sylvia knew that she was a brave girl. She needed some time to adjust. And this time, she just needed to hold on.

Sylvia smiled lightly as she thought of the firm face Mantisha made. Adi had proposed her to take his surname and get into his family but she strongly declined. Later, when she asked her to talk, Mantisha said,

"I have a father Mom, it does not matter if he genuinely loves me or not. I have grown up considering him as my father, my idol. Even if he does not remain my idol, he is still my father. And that would not change."

She looked upset as she continued, "Besides, I am an adult. I don't really need a guardian now. Now that I have grown up, let me come out from a family's shadow. Watch me Mom, I will make sure that I will become like a huge banyan tree, so that I can give shelter and shadow to everybody who will be in need."

Sylvia went silent back then. She thought that her girl had really grown up. Mantisha had taken her silence as her disappointment. So she had hurriedly said, "You are my mother, my everything. I have brought you here to start a new life. Live this life to your own fill Mom. I will be always there when you are in need. I will always support you. This time, let me protect you." She paused for a while as she breathed in relief.

"Uncle Adi is really a good man mom. He will keep you safe, make your life better. I also love him, not because he loves the person I love the most, but because of I can feel his love, tenderness, and care for me too. And trust me Mom, if I really get into his family now, his family members will come after us. For our safety, for a peaceful life we want, I need to stay out of his businesses. I believe, just like me or you, he will also protect us with his life if something really happened. And I am afraid of letting something like that happen. For this cause, I would rather stay away than create such situations. This rich people's society is too complicated."

Looking at the reflection on the mirror, Sylvia sighed. Her little girl was right, not only Adi's family but also his food family clan was too complicated. Mantisha made the right decision to stay away from them.

Fortunately, she would just attend the banquet today, even if she got introduced, she would not be tracked down or pointed by the upper class people here and there. For that, she said that she would stay low key, as she thought to continue working in the library until she would get the chance to start her Ph.D.

For that, she would just appear today at the party as an introduction, then would disappear quietly from their sights. By any means, her identity should not be exposed.

-------------------------

Do you also think our female lead made the right decision?

Let me know through your comments and keep sending loves by your votes.

By the way, I just can not believe that I have already written this much words in this chapter. Oh my god! My knuckles are hurting.

I write when I get the chance after completing my work, generally on midnight. But work from home days are going to be over soon. Don't really know what would be the update rate by then. I hope you would not mind if the chapters are a little shorter right?

For now, Happy reading. :)