19. I can't show my tears.

"I thought I forgot their voices, but it seems everything is still engraved in my memories", Natalia said, touching her puffy face and swollen eyes and looking in the mirror as she recalled the dream she had seen while sleeping on the floor.

A regretful smile formed on her face.

"I shouldn't be crying like this right now; you have never considered me your daughter; you have always hated me for who I am, even though you were the reason I was born. But why is my heart falling apart? It feels like someone is tearing my body apart,", she said, placing both her hands on the white marble across the wash basin, warm tears flowing through her eyes.

Her hands felt weak as she let her body fall onto the bathroom floor. She sat, sticking her back to the bathroom wall and pulling her legs near her body. She buried her face in her knees and cried while sitting there.

After some time, she calmed down. She stood up from the floor. She knew Agnes would come calling her out soon. She didn't want to show her that she cried, nor did she want to cry in front of her.

She opened the taps in her bathtub and filled them with warm water.

She removed her clothes from her body, slid into the bathtub, and let her skin soak in the warm water.

*****

She came out of the bathtub, wrapping her body in a towel. She went toward her closet to find something to wear.

She picked out a black crop top with black jeans; she usually wears a black outfit, so it will not be weird of her to wear it today too.

She went out of her room wearing sunglasses to hide her swollen eyes; she didn't want to be seen by Agnes. She didn't have any missions for today, so she is free and has nothing to do at all. But she didn't want to confront Agnes.

She went toward the door and stuck her ear at the door to hear if there were any footsteps.

When she confirmed that there was no one in the corridor, she slightly opened the door and peeked outside. There was no one outside.

She slowly opened the door so that it didn't make any sound.

She stepped outside, but as she stepped out, Agnes came in front of her out of nowhere.

"Ahh!", A little gasp left Natalia's mouth as Agnes suddenly appeared.

She pushed her a bit out of instinct.

"Wooah! Why did you suddenly appear like this?", she said as she kept her hand on her chest.

"I was waiting for you to come outside, so I just came as soon as you stepped outside. Come with me; I have something to talk about,", Agnes said as she went ahead toward the stairs.

"Ah! I have to go out somewhere; can we talk later?", Natalia said, resisting a little but still following behind.

"What is it? You don't have any mission or task to do for now, and it's bright outside to go out for a hunt,", the witch said, stopping on the stairs and turning back to look at her.

"Ah! I was thinking of going out somewhere to give myself a break, but I didn't come up with it just now; I had been planning for it quite a while. Don't worry, it's just for a day,", Natalia said, saying whatever came to her mind at that time.

"Really! Then let's go together. I think I should also take a day off. We can talk on our way too,", Agnes said as she went ahead and went down the stairs.

"I would like to go alone. We can go together some other day."

"In that case, let's talk first,", Agnes said as she sat down on the sofa.

Agnes gestured for her to sit down against her.

Natalia slowly went toward her and sat down.

"Why are you wearing sunglasses in the house?", Agnes asked, as she just noticed her outfit.

"I was going out; it's sunny today, so I just wanted to protect my eyes."

Agnes turned her face to the window to look outside, and following her head, Natalia also turned her face. It was overcast outside; she didn't need to cover her eyes.

"Annnnd... I have to cover my red eyes too; I do not want to attract much attention,", Natalia said to cover up her excuse.

"But you still didn't need to wear them inside."

"No, that's fine.", Natalia does not want to show her swollen eyes to Agnes.

"What do you want to talk about?", she said as she tried to change the topic.

"Ah! right. What do you think about the offer?"

"Which offer are you talking about?", Natalia asked, forgetting about the invitation to Mr. Roerig. The news of her father's death was too heartbreaking; this was the only thing she was thinking about the whole night and after.

"The offer, the man who came yesterday, was presented to you by your father's family."

"Wasn't it an invitation that the lady of the Dragomir house sent to me?", Natalia replied as she remembered the words from the man.

He said he would take up the chance to show his worth, but why shouldn't he be hating her too for being a hybrid like others? The thought just came to her mind.

"It was but for them; for us, it's an offer."

"And how is that? I don't think I should go back just because the family requires me now,", Natalia said, showing her disagreement.

"On the other hand, I think you should. I called it an offer because you will be getting what was originally yours. I too think this is the time for you to show your worth to others; you should show them that you are no different from them."

"And in exchange, the Dragomir family receives help from you. What could be more interesting than that?", Agnes said, explaining the reason why it can be profitable for her.