Chapter 16

Renata had barely heard what her soon to be father-in-law had said, because soon after Dorian got up to say a few words, she pulled Helena along with her. The two friends joked with one another before proceeding to tell the guests how lucky Renata was to be getting married to such a genius like Killian, truthfully on paper he was a good prospect husband. Even Renata could not argue with this fact so as much as she knew his true face, the world did not so she could not blame them for how they viewed him.

After that Dorian bragged about her daughter Julie and how talented she was, even though she could not compare with Killian, but she had great prospects in the cultivation. If it was in the earlier days of their cultivation world, she would have been a disciple in the ancient sect that had disappeared 300 years ago. She continued to brag until Raanan tapped her thigh, to remind her why they were there. Renata just wished they could get the engagement over and done with so she can go read those books that were still in Divya's storage ring.

The night was dragging on way too much for her liking and she wanted to eat, she did not realise how talkative these people were and it was mostly them patting themselves in the back. Her father, Renata thought as she looked at him. Maybe it was her eyes, but it looked like he had gained a few more strands of white hair and had bags under his eyes but that could be just the trick of light. Raanan feeling a pair of eyes looking at him, he saw his eldest daughter staring at him as if trying to figure out a riddle on his persons. Her eyes carried a look of desperation, he knew she no longer wanted this marriage with Killian, but he felt as if this was best, he could do for her. He did not know if this was true but this time around it had to be different, how will it be different. He also did not know. He only hoped it would be.

He averted his gaze from her and looked at his wife Dorian, 18 years later and he was still not used to her, but he did give him a ray of light in the darkness he felt after his first wife left him. The woman he thought was going to spend his entire life with, had left him with a year-old daughter who later turned out to be unable to cultivate. He was tired and just wanted to provide a stable life for his eldest daughter and cultivate his ray of light, Julie to her fullest potential.

Dorian stopped her bragging, told Julie to go to where the couple was sitting and give them their engagement rings. Julie gave the two velvet boxes to the couple, her brushed ever so slightly on Killian's while offering her sister a friendly. Killian desperately wished this charade could end already, so he can spend it with the love of his life. He held his impulse to pull Julie toward him and took the boxes and gave one to Renata.

Renata had seen the small exchange between the two and she could careless, all she wanted was to leave and eat. Seriously if these people did not waste time bragging about bullshit and speaking unnecessary words. This night would have ended sooner.

She took the box and opened it, there was a beautiful ring with emerald stones, she closed the box and told Killian they should exchange boxes, since she got the one with her ring in it. The box Killian exchanged with her held a platinum band with black stones, it looked beautiful as well, who ever designed their rings did a good job.

Before they exchanged rings, Julie suddenly spoke, "The emerald ring was your mothers." A sad smile grazed her lips as if to pity Renata, "I told dad, he should get you a new one, but he said this would be more fitting." Those last words were left open-ended, an abandoned daughter get married with the ring of the mother who did not want her, how comical the guests thought.

There were faint whispers in the hall, words of pity and judgement came from the guests, they only quietened once they saw Raanan looking at them and then his youngest daughter in a look of dissatisfaction. "Sorry dad." Julie looked down with remorse in her eyes…

Dorian wanted to speak but went quiet before she could speak, as she received a meaningful look from her husband. On the hand Renata did not know how to feel, she had met her mother a few months before she died, she had told her something, but she currently could not remember what it is.

She knew the answer was behind the locked door in her sea of conscience, she just did not want to open it yet because she was not ready to face some of her past.

Killian could care less about any of this, but he was glad to see the expression in Renata's face even if it was there for a few seconds, he was still glad. "Hey, are you okay?" Renata felt like he has asked her this question more times she could count, "I am okay, let us get on with this." Killian once again did not like how her attitude had suddenly changed, her desperate love was not there anymore and she was not as expressive with her emotions anymore, her face was too closed off and she felt distant. He did not like it one bit, he will have spoken with Julie about this.