Riley let out a slow sigh, rubbing his forehead as he watched the woman in front of him act like she was the picture of motherly affection.
Of all people, Aera playing the loving parent was the last thing he expected to see today.
He already knew she wouldn’t actually stop whatever sche she’d been brewing for Seo—Aera wasn’t the type to quit just because soone told her to.
Even after his warning last ti, he figured she’d show up eventually with so sly angle, slipping in through a loophole like she always did.
But this?
This was too direct.
Almost shalessly so.
’She’s not even trying to hide it... what the hell is this woman up to now?’
The tenderness in her tone, the gentle gestures, the soft smile—anyone else would’ve thought she was a loving mother reconnecting with her shy daughter.
But Riley knew better.
Aera always acted, always calculated. Nothing was ever accidental with her.
Even so... she was doing it so naturally that even he was starting to second-guess himself.
"Here, have another one, Seo~," Aera cooed, lifting another dumpling toward Seo’s lips. "Even though you’re already strong, you still need to grow big and healthy, you know? Fufu~"
Seo, anwhile, looked like a confused cat being force-fed. Her eyes shifted between the dumpling and Riley, silently begging for help—even if her face barely moved.
Riley had enough.
He leaned forward, snatched the dumpling straight from Aera’s chopsticks, and popped it into his mouth without hesitation.
Aera blinked, genuinely surprised for a mont. "My, my... Riley, dear, that was ant for Seo."
"You can’t have her getting full," Riley replied flatly. "Our ran hasn’t arrived yet."
Aera’s lips curled in amusent. "Fufu~ is that so?"
"Yes," he deadpanned.
She humd thoughtfully and glanced at the plates beside her. "Hmm... this is quite the trouble, then. I may have ordered a bit too much~"
On her side of the table sat two whole plates of dumplings—steaming, untouched, and clearly prepared as ammo for her "loving mother routine."
Riley clicked his tongue. "Don’t worry. I’ll eat it."
"Fufu, how kind of you then~ here, ahh~"
Aera lifted another dumpling toward Riley as if this whole situation wasn’t insane.
Her chopsticks hovered in front of his mouth with the sa gentle patience you’d give a child.
Riley stared at her for a second, his face clearly asking if she was actually being serious right now.
"Riley?" she prompted softly.
The innocence on her face didn’t match the woman he knew—the one capable of twisting any situation to her advantage.
But right now she looked so sincere it almost felt like he was the crazy one for questioning it.
Not wanting things to get any more awkward, Riley leaned forward and took the dumpling.
The mont the taste hit his tongue Aera’s smile brightened, warm and proud in a way he had never seen directed at Seo before.
"It’s good, right?" she said. "Dumplings were Seo’s favorite dish back at the household, you know. So I figured she might still like them. I asked the chef earlier to make the flavor a bit more eastern just for her."
"Is that so..." Riley replied quietly.
And annoyingly enough—she wasn’t lying.
Seo did love dumplings.
Almost as much as she loved her sword and ran.
That was the part that actually made Riley uncomfortable... because it ant Aera put real effort into this instead of her usual snake-like tactics.
He glanced around. As expected, half the shop was staring at them now.
Hard not to—Seo looking lost, Riley getting fed, and Aera radiating that gentle motherly aura that absolutely did not belong to her.
The whole setup looked like so strange family al, or worse, a date with a third wheel mom-in-law.
Originally, Riley had planned to tell Aera off the mont she appeared out of nowhere. Just one push of mana would’ve been enough for her to back off.
But doing that here would turn the shop upside down.
Tables flipped, custors screaming, food flying everywhere... yeah, no.
He and Seo ca here often—he didn’t want this place getting dragged into their family ss.
So instead, he held back, jaw tight as he watched Aera pretend to be the sweetest mother alive.
Seo, who had been silently chewing this whole ti, kept glancing between them with a faint frown. She clearly had no idea what was happening,
The waiter placed the bowls down with a bright smile.
"Thanks for waiting! Two super-bowl, extra-spicy x10 special ran—ready!"
The mont the bowls touched the table, a strong wave of spice drifted up.
Riley barely reacted, but Seo’s eyes widened ever so slightly—just a small flicker of light quickly hidden behind her usual calm face.
Aera, of course, noticed.
"Fufu... it seems you enjoy ran quite a bit as well," she said, turning her attention fully on Seo.
Seo stiffened a little. She finally mustered enough courage to look at Aera properly and opened her mouth.
"Mistress—"
Aera’s finger imdiately pressed lightly against Seo’s lips.
"Shh. Call ’Mother.’"
Seo’s fingers tightened on her lap.
"But..."
"Fufufu... I understand your reluctance." Aera’s smile softened in a way Riley had rarely ever seen from her. "After all, I was the one who stopped you from calling that in the first place."
Seo blinked—slow, unsure, almost like she wasn’t hearing the sa woman she grew up with.
Aera continued, her tone lower now, almost gentle.
"But this ti... I want things to be different. I’ve wanted to fix our relationship for a long ti now." She reached forward and cupped Seo’s cheek with the back of her hand, brushing the cold skin softly. "I know I haven’t been soone worthy of your respect or love. Not then... and not now. And for that, I truly am sorry."
Seo didn’t move. Didn’t breathe. Her eyes trembled—sothing she never let anyone see.
Aera smiled sadly.
"I’ve neglected you for so long out of personal spite. I was blinded by the most childish jealousy back then... and it ruined what little bond we could have had." She swallowed lightly and kept her hand on Seo’s cheek, warm and steady. "So... allow to make things right this ti. Even if it takes ti. Even if you reject now."
Riley watched quietly.
"....."
Seo honestly didn’t know how she was supposed to answer. How could she?
In truth, she never really hated Aera for anything.
Back then she just assud everything was normal.
And even now, even if she understood that Aera’s actions over the years were... not exactly right, it never affected her in any deep way.
She knew her real mother disliked Aera, and that Aera disliked her mother too, but...
"Ok..."
Just because the two hated each other didn’t an she had to, right?
At Seo’s small nod, Aera’s lips curved into a warm smile.
A bit too warm.
She then glanced to her side—straight into Riley’s cold stare.
For a split second, Aera’s smile twitched.
That icy blue gaze of his made her feel a little uneasy, like he could see right through her act... but she held her expression steady.
Everything was lining up perfectly, after all.
"Fufu~ I know I’m being a little too direct... maybe even a bit forceful," Aera said softly, placing a hand on her chest as if she truly ant every word. "But believe , the only reason I ca here today was so I could spend ti with Seo. I want to fix what I ruined... to start over."
Her voice softened even more.
"I know forgiveness doesn’t co easy... and maybe I’m not even worthy of it. But please trust —my intentions here really are as clear as I’m showing them to be."
She sounded sincere. She acted sincere.
Anyone watching would think she was a caring, apologetic mother.
But Riley didn’t look away.
He didn’t buy a single word of it.
And deep down, Aera knew he didn’t.
Yet she kept smiling—because in her mind, the first step of her plan had already succeeded.
"Are you sure your intentions were purely about Seo and her feelings?" Riley asked, his tone calm but carrying that quiet pressure he didn’t bother hiding anymore.
Aera smiled that soft, practiced smile of hers. "Honestly? No... that’s not all of it."
She slowly shifted her gaze toward Riley, her eyes narrowing just a little in that way she always used when she was about to twist a situation to her advantage. "It’s also because of you."
Riley’s brow twitched.
"Yes," Aera continued, completely shaless. "Just as much as I wanted to fix things with Seo, I wanted to et you. The person who sohow fixed things for her... even without the family’s full support. The young man who won her heart, who changed her this much, and the man who loves her enough to stand by her. I wanted to know you better as well, Riley Hell."
She gently placed her hand on top of his, almost like it was the most natural thing in the world.
"So, if it’s not too much... you wouldn’t mind telling how you two t, right?"
At those words, Riley could finally see the real intention in her eyes—clear as day.
Haa... this woman’s shalessness really knows no limits...
"Very well," Riley muttered, voice low. "I guess my mother-in-law does deserve at least that much of the story."
Aera’s eyes widened for a mont, surprised he played along.
Before she could react fully, Riley tightened his hand around hers and returned the gesture—interlocking their fingers just like she did, except this ti he pushed a faint pulse of mana straight into her skin.
Aera stiffened, her smile twitching.
Seo, completely unaware of the silent war happening across the table, quietly continued eating her ran.
anwhile, the rest of the shop had gone dead quiet.
Every custor who had been staring at the three of them from the start was now gawking, confused as hell at what they were witnessing.
Riley and Aera, fingers intertwined.
Seo eating ran like nothing was happening.
And a tension so thick even the steam from the bowls couldn’t cut it.
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