"Y-You really have a boyfriend??" Isla' voice, laced with shock, cut through the air, sharp and baffled.
Her expression was a mix of astonishment and disbelief, breaking the sudden silence that descended right after Amelia revealed whatever she was waiting to say.
Logan appeared momentarily unmoored by the news, his usual composure replaced by a baffled vulnerability, "My little sweet pea has a boyfriend??" he mumbled, the twitch in his brow betraying his inner turmoil.
It was as though the words were foreign, an unexpected thought in the pool of his expectations.
He was afraid that some scheming bastard might have tried to court her because of who she was.
Amelia caught in the tender yet tumultuous gaze of her parents, felt a warmth spread across her cheeks.
Her flush was accompanied by a gentle plea, "Please lower your voices, both of you. I told you our relationship can't be made public yet because he is in a difficult position."
Logan, his fatherly instincts veiled in concern, stood tall, and puffed his chest as he kept nodding, "Right, right. You not only dropped this huge bomb on us, but you want us to create a fake background and recommend him for a prestigious position in the WHA...a position where he isn't supposed to be in any relationship. How are we supposed to trust this stranger you are talking about without even seeing his face even once?"
Isla countered Logan's apprehension with unwavering faith in their daughter, "Stop trying to bad mouth her boyfriend. Do you think our daughter would pick the wrong man to be her boyfriend after patiently waiting all these years to find the right one?" She asked with a chiding look, making Logan wince.
"Hmph, once in the past, there was only one man I ever would truly approve to be worthy of my daughter's affection. Unfortunately he..." Logan trailed off as his face briefly flashed with a face mixed with regret and disappointment, making Amelia lower her gaze as well as she knew who he was talking about.
Her father admired him more than anyone and would never stop talking about him until he was crestfallen when the news spread around the world.
Only if she could let him know the truth…
But she then lifted her gaze, her confidence mingled with a softness that spoke of deep affection, "Don't worry, dad. He is equally or more worthy than any man you might be thinking about."
Logan and Isla glanced at each other upon hearing her words before Isla asked eagerly, "We believe you since you chose him. But do you not at least have a picture of him or tell us his real background, his family, and what he's like. You didn't even mention his name till now."
Amelia took a short nervous breath before revealing, "His name is Ash. He has no background or last name, and I can't reveal more about him or how we met, to you guys until he is okay with it. So please...you guys have to trust me until then. I promise he is the only one for me until I die."
"My little pea...you are making this really hard for us," Isla said with a voice heavy with emotion, making Amelia sigh and nod apologetically, "I know, and I am sorry since I am asking you two to blindly trust someone you have never met. But you don't have to trust him. Just trust me."
Logan let out a heartfelt laughter suddenly as he patted his daughter's head, "Hoho, of course, we trust you, and we will do as you want. When have we ever not believed you?" He asked with a warm smile that reached his ears.
Isla mirrored Logan's sentiment with a nod and a smile that seemed to banish shadows.
Amelia, touched by the depth of their love and trust, felt her heart swell within her chest. Every day she always thought how lucky she was to be born to them and how different they were compared to the parents of other elite families.
"But at least tell us if he is strong, handsome, and kind?" Isla asked excitedly as she grabbed her daughter's hands.
Amelia awkwardly smiled as she also felt her dad's curious and scrutinizing gaze on her before she revealed with a dreamy look, "He is the most handsome and kindest man I have ever seen in my life."
"That's bull. How can anybody be more handsome and kind than your father? Isn't that right, Isla? Tell our daughter what you told me when you married me," Logan said with a proud, smug smile while caressing the ends of his beard majestically.
"All I remember is saying what a simpleton you are and blaming my fate for it," Isla said with one of her cheeks puffed while looking away, making Logan's face reddened as he pointed an accusatory finger at her, "Y-You! That's not how I remember it!"
Amelia giggled as she said, "Don't get upset, Dad. Nobody said otherwise."
Logan puffed up his chest and harrumphed, "Fine. But why don't you now say how strong he is. Is he as strong as me, at least?"
Amelia winced, and her expression became difficult before she hesitantly revealed, "It's a bit complicated, but…"
"But?" Logan leaned in with a raised brow while Isla also leaned in with anticipation.
"He is a cripple…" Amelia said as she exhaled, as if lifting a heavy weight off her chest.
"WHAT?! A cripple??" Logan's eyes widened in shock as he stumbled back and almost lost his footing when a shocked Isla reeled in her shock and came to his rescue, "C-Careful, my dear."
Amelia bit down on her nail in nervousness upon seeing her parents' reaction. She knew no elite family would ever want to marry any of their descendants to a cripple since it could potentially cripple the future of that family.
And from her parents' perspective, it was worse because she was their only child.
But only she knew it was the last thing they should be worried about, though it was not as if she could reassure them by telling the truth.
Yet, as if to alleviate some of her stress, she explained, "Before you guys jump to conclusions, he isn't really weak. He has a very powerful bloodline and was one of the strongest S Rankers I knew, but he hid himself so as not to get exploited since he had nobody to support him. But unfortunate things happened to him, and he ended up being crippled."
Logan and Isla regained some of their senses upon hearing her words, though Logan's face looked a bit troubled and concerned, "My little one, are you really sure about him? From what you have told me so far, he sounds like he reeks of trouble. A man like him must be surrounded by dangers all the time, even if he is a cripple now. I know you know what's best for yourself, but you have to make sure he is not trying to take advantage of your feelings."
"The last thing he would do is hurt me. He is like us and cares about the people he loves more than anything. That is one of the reasons I fell in love with him. He is different from others," Amelia said with a soft shake of her head.
Isla softly smiled and hugged her as she said, "If you like him so much, we can't change your mind but support you. Just promise us you will come to us if you need anything and not keep us in the dark for silly reasons. Your father has such a bad habit and I am afraid you might have inherited it," Isla said with a pout.
Amelia winced as she was doing exactly that, though she knew her parents might not survive the blow if they heard the truth now. They won't be able to understand until it was time.
Logan cleared his throat and said, "It's not necessarily a bad habit, but if I ever do it, it's for the good of the family."
"Well, our family will run better if each of us knows what the other is going through. So don't you let me find out you are still holding onto that habit," Isla said with a chiding look, making Logan shrink his neck.
Amelia winced as she said, "I wouldn't hide, but I already told you guys certain things I can't tell until he's okay with it. It's not my business to share."
"What's so secretive about his business?" Isla mumbled with a cat-like curiosity.
However, Logan's expression became contemplative, his fingers idly rubbing the ends of his beard, "But...only our recommendation wouldn't suffice. He needs someone from a Supreme Class to recommend him as well if he wants a guaranteed entry. Our family does have friends in those families. Still, unfortunately, I don't think they are that friendly enough to simply trust our word without knowing anything about your man."
Isla's concern was palpable, her worry a shadow that crossed her expressive face, "Oh no. What will we do then?" She asked as she placed her hand on her chest.
Amelia, however, remained undaunted, her confidence undimmed, "Don't you worry, guys. I do know someone who will trust me and believe in Ash without any question," she assured.
Logan and Isla exchanged a glance, a silent conversation passing between them. Who could their daughter be referring to?
Who possessed the influence and the trust in Amelia to endorse a man shrouded in mystery, into the ranks of the World Hunter Association?
