Love Again

156. Without A Trace

"You've wrecked enough havoc and you still have the audacity to command my son to give you an audience? For what? With whose authority?"

"I didn't force him to come and meet me..." Mijin frowned. "He had the choice to not show up and he didn't..."

"Need I remind you and let me make it very clear lest you forget. He is a married man."

"I only requested him to represent me and nothing more. I apologize if I overstepped..."

"You most certainly overstepped with the full knowledge he is on maternity leave. I'm not your relative young lady! I will call you out when you cross the line!"

Mijin further frowned then rested her chin onto her palm hopelessly. She felt like she had been housing a lot of emotions inside of her that it was beginning to get heavy which only amplified her sadness. 'She is just like everyone else, shunning me away like some plague.'

"You won't fool me with your crocodile tears."

Elric's mother's statement brought her to the realisation that tears had been running down her cheeks. Wiping them away, she apologised then sat upright once more, her eyes on the table yet unfocused on no particular object at all.

Earlier that day, Elric's mother's secretary had contacted her to come to her office for an urgent meeting. She'd showed up, hoping for new infromation regarding the two fire incidences only to be given a mouthful.

"You make a convincing actress but I can see right through your act. My son is out of bounds. Consider it a fair warning."

"You are frightening me...I-I'm not a bad person as you may believe."

"You think this as a joke, putting your life in jeopardy? Exposing yourself as such to the public? This is not child's play! The media will uncover your part in all this and in due time, your involvement with Mora will be brought to light! Think of your parents, your daughter's future! Deliberate over what you and your brother endured at the hands of Mora and her father! You do know that those two are psychopaths right? They will never regret what they have done so no matter what you do, they won't care!"

"I didn't start the fire!"

"Oh, you most certainly had prior knowledge of it!"

"I want to ruin everything! I admit that but I didn't start the fire!"

Elric's mother was even more furious by Mijin's continual denial. "Stop throwing a fit as if you're the first person to go through trauma! Everyone you see walking around has something they are dealing with and if given the opportunity, they'll put your experience to shame..."

"I didn't start the fire!" Mijin yelled once more. "I'm innocent!"

"So says every criminal brought to justice! Who do you think you are to ask for my son to represent you behind my back? Or are you by any chance in the belief that I'm being lenient because I like you?"

"I said I was sorry..."

"I've heard enough of your excuses. Now, explain to me in a few words why you also inquired over my son's husband."

Mijin hesitated before she replied, "I just wanted to see him one last time."

"You'll have to do better than that." Elric's mother appeared unconvinced.

Unable to remain sitted, she stood up and paced about in front of Mijin, who seemed fidgety as she kept playing with her fingers nervously. Her eyes remained on Mijin like a hawk, observing her body language intently. She had vowed to stop cutting Mijin some slack. Leaving her to roam free unsupervised had been one of the biggest mistake she'd come to make.