Chapter 27: Me! Regret?
Leia blinked, then playfully fluttered her lashes at Kimberly, her lips curling into an amused smile.
"Mom, what are you talking about?" Kimberly sighed. "I remember when you first met Nicolas, you seemed to like him. But after you found out about his playboy reputation and his endless string of women, you flatly refused any talk of marriage to him."
She paused, her tone thoughtful. "But today, Nicolas is nothing like the man we thought we knew. He's courteous, refined, and exudes a grace that's far from the wild, irresponsible heir we'd imagined. Seeing this side of him… I just wondered if you might regret not agreeing to marry him back then."
"Mom, you're overthinking it," Leia interrupted before Kimberly could finish. Leia's smile softened as she added, "I'll admit, when I was young and naive, I had a fleeting crush on Nicolas. But that was in the past. You know full well the person in my heart now is…." Her voice trailed off as a faint blush dusted her cheeks. She lowered her head shyly, her coy demeanor making Kimberly suddenly recall something.
"Oh, right!" Kimberly exclaimed, chuckling at her own forgetfulness. "How could I forget you've been smitten with Harley Parker all this time! Speaking of which, I heard from Mrs. Parker that he's coming back to the country soon."
"Yes." Leia's eyes brightened, her voice soft and tinged with delight. "He mentioned in our old class group chat that he's planning to attend university here, at Eston University."
"Really?" Kimberly's surprise turned into a delighted smile. "Then you and Harley will have plenty of chances to see each other again!"
Harley Parker was the only son of the prestigious Parker family in Reniam City, a paragon of nobility and achievement. He was widely admired in their social circles, his name synonymous with excellence. Leia and Harley had shared a classroom during high school, but their connection had been limited to fleeting interactions before Harley left for overseas studies during their first year. Since then, they had only exchanged the occasional holiday greeting. Despite this, Harley had left a deep impression on Leia. Compared to Nicolas's wild, untamed charm, Harley's composed elegance and clean reputation made him Leia's ideal partner.
"That's wonderful," Kimberly said, clearly pleased. "If things work out between you and Harley, it would be such a lovely match." Her joy was tempered by a lingering curiosity. Kimberly glanced at Leia again, her tone tentative. "But Leia, maybe it's just me, but it seems like you don't really like Noelle spending time with Nicolas?"
Leia's expression didn't waver. She admitted with apparent sincerity, "Mom, you're right. I do have some concerns about Noelle and Nicolas. Not out of jealousy, of course," Leia added quickly, her tone measured. "But don't you think Noelle relies on Nicolas too much? Women today should be independent and self-reliant, yet she always seems to cling to him, expecting him to solve everything for her. That's not acceptable behavior for a daughter of the Anderson family."
Kimberly sighed. "When you put it that way, I suppose you're right."
Leia pushed on, sensing a shift in Kimberly's stance, her voice heavy with a resigned wisdom. "Even if Nicolas appears to be a gentleman now, his reputation as a womanizer isn't unfounded. Sure, he's indulging Noelle now, but what happens when he loses interest? It'll be Noelle who gets hurt in the end. That's why I hope she can learn to stand on her own two feet and not let herself be led around by a man."
"You're such a considerate sister, Leia," Kimberly said, her face softening with affection. "I only hope Noelle can learn from you and grow into just as independent and level-headed…."
"Don't worry, Mom," Leia gently looped her arm through Kimberly's. "I'm sure Noelle will mature in time. But when it comes to her relationship with Nicolas, I think you should have a talk with her."
Kimberly nodded decisively. "I will. They're not even married yet; she can't keep clinging to him like this."
"Exactly," Leia replied with a satisfied smile, her eyes glinting with triumph.
Meanwhile, Miles and Noelle had just finished their meal. Heartily indulged, Noelle waddled toward the restaurant exit, one arm draped across her stomach. Her other hand clutched dramatically at Miles's arm.
"I may fall; I feel like my food's about to come back up," she whimpered, her face worn and pale.
"Not the survival skills!" Miles joked, half-repeated, half-amused. "I warned you. You didn't have to finish everything, you know?" Miles took Noelle to a nearby crab restaurant. Noelle ordered two massive crabs, weighing over ten pounds in total. She'd barely finished one before she started feeling full, but still, she insisted on finishing the second one. Now, she was definitely paying the price.
"Our tour didn't waste any money," Noelle shot back, baking up at him with a determined pout. "Those crabs grew so big it would've been disrespectful not to eat them."
"Yes, you respected the crabs," Miles said with a chuckle. He placed a large, steady hand on her soft, round belly and began gently massaging it.
"This is helping," Noelle admitted, her face relaxing. "Your hands work their magic." His hand was warm, firm, and soothing, and she found herself swaying slightly.
"Should we walk around a bit to help you digest?" Miles suggested.
"Okay, better," she chirped, perking up.
They wandered to the entertainment section of the mall. Miles was about to suggest bowling or billiards, but as they passed a row of claw machines with plush toys, Noelle froze.
"What's that?" she asked, her eyes wide with childlike wonder.
Miles followed her gaze and couldn't help but smile. Despite everything, she was still just a young girl at heart.
"It's a claw machine," he explained, his tone indulgent. "Haven't you ever played one? Do you want to try?"
Noelle nodded, looking eager.
Not far away, eleven young men descended the escalator. One of them spotted the claw machines and lit up with excitement. He tugged at the sleeve of his companion, a tall, aloof figure dressed in black, with earbuds in and a look that screamed "leave me alone."
"Harley! Look, claw machines! Let's go play!"