EDNA'S PAST (FOUR)

For a moment the atmosphere in the room became more silent and tense. Acelon never liked sentimental lines like love. There has never been love in the dictionary of his life. Unfortunately Edna still asks him about that after more than nine years they have lived together.

“You know exactly how I feel Edna. Empty!"

"Then what is all this for? You should let me choose my own man without having to interfere with my life."

"You are my responsibility. And I've said this since the beginning of, Edna, don't ever expect more from me. Moreover, getting love from me."

Edna laughed dryly in the darkness of her room while gripping her white blanket tightly. The line Acelon had just spoken, was the same one that the man had spoken three years ago when she foolishly had those cursed feelings for the brown-eyed man, Acelon Grishold.

Flash back

The years passed so quickly for Edna. It doesn't feel like she has spent six years living under the responsibility of Acelon Grishold as her adoptive father. But during she lived in that luxurious mansion, she had never met the slightest figure of her father. Every day before she left for school, she never found her adoptive father at the dining table for breakfast with her. And even at night, she also never saw his figure in the house. She had once asked the butler about Acelon's whereabouts, but the old man only answered that Mr. Acelon rarely spends time at home.

Bored with her curiosity, Edna finally decided to ignore everything. She considered Acelon's presence in the house no longer important and chose to live her life well. Secretly, she dreams of getting out of the luxury mansion someday and having a life of her own. She realized that she could not possibly be like this forever, living in Acelon's own house without a clear status and bothering that terrible man until she was old. She wants to learn to be independent, and after that find the Mr. Right to accompany her life that is always alone.

"This is your orange juice, miss."

"Thank you."

Edna smiled kindly at Tina and immediately drank her orange juice as part of her last breakfast session. Today she has a morning class she has to attend, so she has to quickly finish her breakfast before she gets into trouble for being late this morning.

The sound of knocking on the soles of the shoes and the loud white marble floor made Edna turn quickly towards the source of the sound while staring at the shoe owner in surprise. Finally after six years she had not seen Acelon Grishold in his mansion..

"Good morning Father," said Edna hesitated. She actually still clearly remembered the words of the man six years ago, but she had no other designation than father, which was suitable for calling him. Maybe if he really doesn't like being called father, then she will call him with a more formal nickname.

"I'm not your father."

Just as Edna thought, that man didn't like being called a father. And with his sharp gaze, that man looked at Edna while sitting himself calmly on the main chair at the end of the table.

"Good morning, Mr. Acelon Grishold,” said Edna in a low voice. From the look on her face she couldn't lie if she was currently very afraid of the sharp gaze that Acelon gave her. But she couldn't help it because that man had a domineering aura that she was so afraid of.

"How has your life been?"

"Good." Edna replied briefly. She really did not think that this day would come. The day Acelon Grishold would sit at the same table as her asking her how her life had been.

"I... haven't seen you in the last six years, where exactly are you?"

Edna tried to dare to ask where Acelon had gone for the past six years, because she felt strange with that man. She was sure that in fact Acelon was always in his mansion. It's just that the man never showed the bridge of his nose. Or maybe Acelon had been avoiding her all this time because that man didn't really like her in this mansion.

"I am always wherever I want Edna. And even I am in this mansion too.”

"But I never saw you." Edna replied quickly. She really couldn't hide her curiosity towards that man. It feels like for six years living in that luxurious mansion can't make Edna know how Acelon really is. In fact, she is increasingly blind with all things related to that man. Plus no one was willing to share information about her adoptive father with her. Mr. Kim never wanted to go into details about Acelon and only spoke as necessary when he asked about the man's whereabouts.

“We just live in a different time Edna. When I was here, you were probably asleep already, and when you opened your eyes, I was already going to work."

"Is that so? But, isn't that your order? You are asking me through Mr. Kim to always obey the curfew that you have set. I'm not allowed to sleep more than nine at night and I have to get home from campus on time. Sir, actually I want to live like girls my age generally. I want to spend more time on campus doing social activities that are often held by my colleagues or joining one of the sports clubs I like."

"What kind of sport do you like?"

While putting food into his mouth, Acelon asked seriously about the type of sport Edna likes. Meanwhile, Edna seemed unsure of what she had just heard because that man for the first time asked something that sounded strange to be asked by Acelon.

“I like volleyball. I used to join a volleyball club, but since my father died, I didn't follow it anymore because at my new school they didn't have a volleyball club."

"More or less it's because of my fault, I'm sorry Edna."

"You mean?" Asked Edna did not understand.

She was really confused by the attitude of the mature man who was currently eating his breakfast menu calmly in front of her. This morning was truly an extraordinary achievement for her, because for the first time she had a long conversation with Acelon. But she was a little sad with herself because as long as she talked with that man, there was nothing she could understand from him. Everything Acelon asks her is ambiguous and actually has a hidden meaning behind it.

"Forget it. Don't you want to go to campus? Mr. Rider will start his lecture in five minutes."

"What?"

Edna shrieked under her breath as she glanced at the excited watch. She really forgot that this morning she had a class schedule with the killer lecturer she avoided the most. But the mysterious Acelon Grishold suddenly came and made her forget about the killer lecturer who this morning will definitely give punishment for her delay.

"No need to panic like that Edna, I will drive you over."

"What?"

Edna again screamed in surprise without covering the slightest look of surprise which was clearly printed on her face. Again, her adoptive father did something that made her both amazed and surprised at the same time. After six years they never saw each other, the men suddenly offered to take her to campus. Moreover, the man also knew about her killer lecturer schedule which was very annoying.

Has he been watching me secretly all this time?

Edna reflexively screamed that in her head while following Acelon's wide footsteps in front of her. The man wordlessly continued to lead his way in the arrogant style of a domineering aristocratic man. And when she arrived in front of the car, Acelon suddenly opened the silver car door for her while giving a smile which unconsciously also made Edna smile at the man.

"Thank you. You are very kind Mr. Acelon.”

-00-

At three o'clock Edna left her class while glancing at the main door on her campus. Usually Mr. Han's car was waiting there to pick her up home. But this afternoon she did not see Han's car at all and the plAcelon Mr. Han used to use was already filled with other cars.

"Edna, don’t you always go home with your driver?”

Zyan, one of the popular students on her campus, and one of her classmates suddenly came over while tapping her shoulder lightly.

“Oh, my driver isn't here yet. You... why do you know if I always come home on time with my driver?"

Edna looked surprised while staring at Zyan's face in a daze. She thought that the man had never paid attention to her because every day Zyan was always the target of the students at her campus. After all, she was not part of the popular students who were always in the spotlight every day. Here she is just an ordinary student with few friends who rarely spend much time on campus. So it really felt strange if a Zyan suddenly found out about one of her habits so far.

"You don't know."

"What?"

“You are actually being talked about quite a lot by the students here. You're beautiful Edna, and innocent."

Instantly Edna blushed as she turned her gaze to another direction. She never knew if she was often talked about by students at her campus because he herself always did not have time to mingle with them. Only when doing group assignments does she mingle with her friends, the rest she rarely interacts with her friends in class.

“I don't know if my friends talk about me a lot. So far, I rarely interact with them."

"Why do you always come home on time? Do you have urgent work at home?”

Edna chuckled softly at the question that Zyan had asked her. Of course Zyan was not the first to ask her that. Some of her seniors at the club as well as other friends also often ask her. And from all those questions, only one answer is always given by Edna to them.

"My adoptive father doesn't like it when I come home late, he makes very strict rules at home."

"Really?"

Edna nodded in agreement while imagining a series of rules that Mr. Kim had told her before. When she first set foot in the mansion owned by Acelon Grishold, Mr. Kim, as the butler in the mansion, immediately gave a lot of rules that were quite confusing for her. And when she started going to school, Mr. Kim gave her additional rules. One of the rules is that she is prohibited from returning home beyond the school hours set by the school. In the past, she was actually quite uncomfortable with these regulations because they had clearly limited her space. But the longer she got used to it all, and now she just enjoys it all casually.

"Is your adoptive father a fierce person?"

Edna immediately burst into laughter at Zyan's question while closing her mouth so that her laughter would not disturb the students passing by.

"My father is not fierce." Edna replied short. She was still laughing at the thought of Acelon, whom he rarely even met at home. In fact, from time to time, she wanted to know what form Acelon's anger would look like because s he had rarely seen this man at home.

"Then why didn't he let you come home late?"

"It is because....."

"Edna."

That cold and firm voice suddenly interrupted Edna's words and made the woman turn in surprise towards the source of the voice. To her left, Acelon stood with his handsome looking office suit, sticking his right hand into his coat pocket. The man looked at Edna and Zyan alternately with intense gaze, and finally he looked back at Edna while hissing sharply at the woman.

"Come home, you've made me wait a long time, Edna."

"Oo oh, I'm sorry. Zyan, I'll go first. See you."

Edna smiled slightly at Zyan and immediately stepped after Acelon who had walked first in front of her. Several pairs of eyes seemed to be stealing glances at Acelon while amazed by the man's good looks. But Acelon was silent while showing his flat face to everyone regardless of all the adoring gazes directed at him.

"Come in."

Edna followed Acelon's orders silently while showing her astonished face to the man. Again she had an extraordinary surprise. This morning the man revealed himself after more than six years of never seeing the bridge of his nose. And now suddenly the man picked her up on campus. Is it true that right now with her is Acelon, her cold and terrible adoptive father?

"Why did you suddenly pick me up?"

"Call me Acelon or Ace, whatever but not father.”

"Ace? But you are more worthy to be my father." Edna said in a low voice. She was afraid that Acelon would be offended by her words. And sure enough, Ace was looking directly at her with a gaze that looked terrible.

"I'm not your father. I took you from the orphanage not to be your father."

"Then what for? I wish to have a family, but you treat me like this."

Edna has unconsciously released all her emotions that she has been harboring for the last six years.

“Didn't I tell you not to expect anything from me? Did you forget baby? Here I am just keeping my promise to your father. He wants me to take care of you after he's gone."

Acelon stared at the road ahead with his jaw tight as he gripped the wheel of his car tightly. It turns out that grown up woman is very different from teenage Edna who seems quiet and shy.

"You are now my responsibility, so obey all the rules that I have given you."

“If I am your responsibility, you should treat me accordingly. I want you to be my family in a true sense."

Acelon turned quickly towards Edna, and a second later the man immediately grinned mysteriously at the woman.

“Deal! I will show you how a family is Edna Morel. Now get down, I have to go back to the office."

Without looking scared at all, Edna immediately stepped down while returning Acelon's sharp gaze with her innocent gaze. Unconsciously she admired the brown eyes and wanted to stare at it for a longer time. Unfortunately the man had already closed his car door loudly and just left in his luxury car, leaving his mansion with a gust of thin smoke that soared into the air.