"Mother," Leilanna choked. "I will see Mother soon. I will not recant what I have said, nor will I apologize. I stand for my sons. Stand with us, Mother." Leilanna said bravely.
"My sweet daughter. I will. I am so proud of you. Be safe." Allurai said, tears collecting in her eyes. This would not pass. Allurai would gather all the allies she could to stand up for her daughters and sons. She would reach beyond her friends, call in favors, or withhold goods and services if she had to. She would protest until Clan Thelan was crippled. She would make them an example. Cerez looked into Nora's eyes and knew that there was a flurry of emotion going on behind the tears she was trying to restrain.
"I feel like I am going to fall apart any moment," Nora said in Korean in a low voice.
"I was so scared that I would awake locked up somewhere. How dare she blame us and say that?" Nora finished in an anguished tone before she started choking on her tears.
"It is okay to cry, darling. I am crying, too. I am so happy you are safe." Kai said through the open communication channel. Cerez nodded as he scooped her into a warm embrace.
"It is alright. We planned for this, remember? Astra needs to see it is alright to cry, that powerful people cry." Cerez said in Korean as he patted her back. Tears trailed down Nora's face.
"I was so scared." Nora sobbed in Calloran.
"Mommy, that was scary. But we are safe again. Do not be scared, but it is better to let those feelings out," Sirona said as she walked up with wet red eyes. "Father Talan says it is good to cry so you can acknowledge your feelings. It helps you heal." Sirona said as she tried to reassure her mother. She clung to Liem's arm but was giving her bravest face. Nora's tears slowed as her daughter's bravery and emotional intelligence touched her heart. "Hugs?" Sirona said.
"Always, Rona," Nora said with a smile. Sirona climbed into both Cerez and Nora's laps.
"You too, Father Cerez," Sirona said, giving Cerez a cute, partially toothless smile. Sirona's tenderness greatly calmed Nora as she stroked her daughter's braided strawberry blonde hair tenderly.
"Mother." Astra embraced her. She was shaking slightly. Her daughter was usually so calm.
"It is alright, Astra. I am not hurt. They came for Aunt. Not for us." Nora said. Her daughter's tender embrace calmed her. Her daughters were all very smart and sweet girls. Sirona and Astra would be splendid leaders.
"I was so scared. This is why we don't say things we are not sure about and only the things in our hearts. They were scared of Aunt Leilanna's words, right?" Astra said and wept.
"It will be alright. It was because they were not prepared to stick up for themselves like we are. They failed because we were here. Don't forget how mighty we are." Nora consoled her daughter.
"Like Barali?" Astra said, nestling into her mother.
"Stronger," Nora said. She stroked Astra's curls. Nora placed a shaky kiss on her daughter's face.
Liem met his Mother's eyes, she seemed to be giving him a pleading look. He had stated years ago that the security was not up to standards and people might try to capture Nora due to her beauty and fresh genetic background, but she had not taken him seriously back then. Liem's eyes watered, and he bit his lip, burying the spite he felt. His face shifted to the former cold, unreadable countenance of the past. He had heard his young sister's words and his mother's earlier slip. He was enraged inside, but he was trying to keep it together for his daughter.
"Contact Setton after this; your security will have to be upgraded before we visit again," Liem said in a cold and authoritative voice. He was acting as Nora's spouse only at that point. The boy who desperately sought his mother's love in him died. He was livid that he was not taken seriously.
"Son. Liem. I did not know what I now know. It is obvious. But why could you not trust me enough to tell me?" Allurai said, full of emotion.
"You think it was her? Still? Even after Setton's investigation. Even after Lena said so. You're as delusional as your Mother. No. They carried Leilanna out of the building, they were here for her. This is about her! Her actions and your unwillingness to take responsibility for your behavior. We were caught up in this because Thelan was retaliating against your daughter. We will be expecting compensation." Liem snapped at Allurai angrily as he pointed angrily at her.
"S-stop this, right now," Allurai stuttered.
"Don't interrupt me!" Liem shouted. "You will listen to me this time," Liem said with a trembling voice. He watched his Mother open her interface, his hands trembling.
"Stop talking back to me," Allurai said. Her hands went through the practiced actions of opening up her tools to an array of painful tools that no longer existed. She felt the urge to punish him and then shuddered with guilt. Her hands trembled. Liem sneered as he watched. Liem guffawed when she finally looked down at the suite to find no options to do so, forgetting that it was no longer the same product.
"Rai! Liem!" Dorien yelped, mortified. He saw her actions just now.
"Oh, ho, ho. You cannot use those anymore. I'm no boy you can silence anymore. Trust you? Because you did not trust me, nor did you care about my concerns. You almost lost the daughter you willingly discarded us for. I asked for enhanced security, but it was not much. You could have granted it easily. You could also not have given Leilanna the first residence that you built for me. Did you think I would not know? How was that not a lot?" Liem questioned Allurai, frustrated. Allurai started to tremble and weep. Dorien came to her side.
"Liem, son!" Dorien shouted.
"No, Father, I told you that the security was too weak. You only care now because they came for your daughter. That is what it took Allurai to care about security, and she still had the nerve to blame it on us. She has not even consoled my children or Nora," Liem spat.
"It was never an -" Allurai interjected.
"No. Let me finish. Enhanced security was too much for me to ask for? Is it because I am a male? A waste. Is that why you did nothing after she -" Liem paused and spat angrily at his mother for the first time in his life.
"Liem. Don't," Dorien called desperately, hoping for him to stop. The building was full of people. Their secret was about to be spilled.
"No. Father. Do not silence me. I am no longer a boy." Liem spat. Dorien shrank his neck.
"Son." Dorien whimpered. Tears ran down his face in shame, anxiety, and anger.
"After she humiliated us for years, after she touched our bodies and tortured us. How could I trust you after you were so blind to me? Only after Father asked, did you relent to this inadequate level, Mother. How could I trust you? How could you do that to me, to us?" Liem finished with a whimper, looking around the room. The room was filled with people. Liem trembled as adrenaline coursed through him. It was the first time in his life that he had aired his grievances with his mother. He knew he could not be punished, but he still whimpered.
"Liem, I am so sorry," Allurai said, feeling embarrassed.
"You never think about me. Is my family also looked down upon, that you feel you can elude that we have secrets in public?" Liem said. Allurai gasped as she looked around. Sirona tightly snuggled herself into her mother's lap, burying her face away from her shouting father. Nora stared at the two of them, her trembling hand trying to soothe her daughter.
"What does Matri know now about you, Mommy?" Sirona's tiny voice whispered.
"Nothing, she never asked me, baby. She never cared. It was more about what good things I brought to her. Like fame." Nora said weakly. Allurai heard the exchange between the two and started to whimper. Her gaze fell on Nora's scared face and then her granddaughter, who was just as scared as Daven and Lena. She had not even bothered to ask Nora about herself, her preferences, and her past. She read reports and taught her.
"I am so sorry, I will show you I am." Allurai pleaded to Liem.