Amanda clasped Sia's trembling hands and said in a gentle voice, "Sia, thank you for saving Varian. If not for you, that child wouldn't be alive. Really, thank you so much…"
"I…" Sia raised her head at Amanda and opened her mouth in shock. She shivered as her heart grew painful and her vision grew misty.
She thought of a lot of things Amanda would say when they met. She might curse Sia for killing her. She might be enraged at the betrayal.
Amanda had every right to condemn Sia and wish her the worst of things.
Sia was prepared to take the hurls of insults and abuse from the person she should've never killed.
Yet, when she met her after her death, the first thing this woman says is 'Thank You.'
'Thank You' to the girl who she raised for eight years ended up killing her.
'Thank You' to the girl who separated a mother from her son.
'Thank You' to the girl who deserved nothing but loathing and punishment.
"T-Th..ank m…e?" Tears rolled down Sia's cheeks as she felt something heavy in her chest.
It seemed like someone was choking all the air out of her. That's the reason she couldn't even breathe the air. Yes. That's the reason. Not the deep pain in her heart and the cries she stopped in her throat.
"Sia, please," Amanda wiped the tears from Sia's cheeks and hugged the little girl. "It was a mistake. You never wanted it to happen. I know you, don't I? You only wish for my well-being."
"B-But…I did k…ill you…" Sia bit her lip as more tears rolled down her cheeks.
The sadness was so rooted in her heart that Sia couldn't even let out a cry. All she could do was feel the tears drop from her eyes like rain.
"It's a mistake," Amanda gently stroked Sia's back.
When Sia was new to their home and couldn't sleep at night, Amanda used to do the same thing. The little girl would fall asleep in her arms with a peaceful smile on her face.
And even after so many years, feeling Amanda's actions, Sia felt her body relax and her heart melt.
"I.." Sia opened her mouth. The pain she buried deep in her heart finally couldn't be held any longer. Buring her head on Amanda's shoulder, she cried out. "…S…ry! Shawrry! I…no..I..do..n't…want to…sorry…shwory…ple..ase…swho…rry!"
Sia couldn't even form a proper word but Amanda completely understood what she was saying.
"It's okay, Sia. It's okay, I'm not blaming you, so you too shouldn't blame yourself," Amanda said sincerely.
"…I'm….sroryy…so…mu..ch…" Sia wailed.
"It's fine, it's fine…" Amanda consoled her.
Sarah watched Sia wail and felt tears swirl in her eyes. If she met her mother, perhaps she too would cry like this.
But now, she decided she couldn't let her best friend cry any longer. After all, no one knew if Amanda would once again be consumed by killing intent and lose her rationality.
If all they did in this one chance to meet Varian's mother was cry, then it's going to remain a huge regret.
So, Sarah cleared her throat and coughed, "Ahem, Ahem."
"Uh?" Amanda turned to her and realized she was neglecting this girl since the beginning.
Sia, however, continued to cry.
"Excuse me, Mother-in-law, I need to discuss my marriage with your son," Sarah said in a business tone, "I'm going to be his only wife."
"Sorr…eh? What?" Sia stopped crying and raised her head at Sarah. "W-What are you talking about? You aren't the only wife? I am also a—"
"He's looking for a wife who can remain strong and give him strength in times of adversity. Not a crybaby who can't stop wailing. If he marries you, he'll also need to hire a babysitter," Sarah spoke mercilessly with a cold face as if she was stating the obvious.
Sia froze in place as if an arrow pierced her heart. Then, the tip of her ears turned red from shame and she broke from the hug.
"W-Who is a crybaby?" She wiped the tears off her face and glared at Sarah like an angry tigress, "And if he takes you, a woman who can't even cook, he'll starve to death!"
Sarah's expression froze as she felt an arrow pierce her heart.
'As expected, she's vicious as ever,' Sia and Sarah glared at each other before their eyes widened and they turned to Amanda watching them with an amused expression.
"What happened? Go ahead! I'm having so much fun," Amanda waved her hand with a smile.
"I...she's a crazy girl, she, no, I am usually not like that," Sia panicked as she tried to come up with an explanation.
Sarah chuckled at the cheerful atmosphere and introduced herself with a light bow, "I'm Sarah, your son's girlfriend, and his future wife. Oh, and I am the main wife by the way."
"Stop snatching my position," Sia snorted at Sarah and turned to Amanda. Unlike before, Sia was able to see Amanda in the eye.
She still had sadness and regret facing her. But thanks to Sarah lightening the atmosphere, she was able to say calmly, "More than a year passed after you were gone. A lot of things happened and now, Varian and I are together."
"More than a year?" Amanda's jaw dropped.
According to her, she just closed her eyes and woke up right away. So much time passed in between?
Amanda still couldn't process everything properly. So, she dismissed the part where Varian had two girlfriends.
In her opinion, Sarah was Sia's best friend and after seeing her cry so much, she must've wanted to make a joke to stop her from crying.
Moreover, Varian and Sia grew up together and liked each other. Amanda knew her son's character well. Unless Sia didn't exist at all, Varian wouldn't even look at another woman.
Before Varian fell behind because he couldn't awaken, he received many confessions because of his handsome looks and strong body.
Sia's beauty only bloomed after she awakened and until then, Varian was the more popular one of the two.
Yet, he didn't even entertain any idea of dating nor did he maintain a close relationship with any of those girls, even though at that time, they were more beautiful than Sia.
When the topic came up, he glanced at Sia and joked, 'I can't help it. The seat next to the Emperor was already booked years ago.'
Of course, Sia kicked his shin for that but couldn't stop the small smile at the corner of her lips.
With such a relationship history, Amanda didn't think that Sarah might really be Varian's girlfriend.
And personally, she disliked the playboys who were in stark contrast to her responsible and mature husband. Confident in her upbringing, she was certain that her son would turn out like his father and not a man with two or more wives.
'It's something that'll never happen,'
So, dismissing Sarah's words as a good-hearted joke aimed to lighten the mood, she asked her next biggest worry after Sia's well-being, "M-More than a year…what happened after I died? H-How is V-Varian now? T-Tell me everything!"
