A Goodbye I Never Heard

After hearing their arguments in the dining hall, I turned to Her Highness. "May I speak with them privately?" I asked.

She studied me for a moment before nodding. "Go ahead."

I took my grandmother's hand and gently led her away, out of the suffocating atmosphere of the estate. I needed a place where we could talk freely, without the weight of royal expectations pressing down on us.

As we walked, my thoughts drifted back to my first days here. That's when the idea struck me, I decided to take my grandmother to the same coffee shop where the Queen had first brought me. A place that had once been unfamiliar but had slowly become a part of my world.

When we arrived, the warm scent of roasted coffee beans and freshly baked pastries greeted us. It felt oddly comforting. We settled into a quiet corner, and I finally turned to her.

"Please," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "Tell me what really happened to my mother."

My grandmother let out a heavy sigh as she stirred her tea, staring into the dark liquid as if searching for the right words. After a moment, she looked up at me, her eyes filled with emotions I couldn't quite read.

"It happened twenty-six years ago," she began softly. "Your mother, Choi Hyeseon, was a noblewoman, graceful, intelligent, and kind-hearted. She was everything our family could have hoped for. At the time, she managed one of our family's prestigious restaurants, a place where only nobles and royals dined."

She paused for a moment, as if the memories were too painful to relive.

"One day, she hired a new chef, a young man named Han Jihoon. He was talented, hardworking, and had a passion for cooking that was rare to see. But, my dear, he was just a commoner."

Her voice dropped slightly as she leaned in.

"Your mother fell in love with him."

I felt my heart tighten as I listened.

"They kept their love a secret for months," my grandmother continued. "They knew the consequences of a noblewoman loving a man with no status. But love doesn't follow rules, does it?" She gave a small, sad smile before shaking her head. "Eventually, they were discovered. And when they were… it became a scandal."

I swallowed hard, imagining my mother and father standing against the judgment of the noble world.

"The entire noble society erupted in protest. The elders were furious, claiming it was an insult to our family's name. And back then, the Queen, Her Highness today had only recently ascended the throne. She was still securing her power, and the nobles watched her every move."

She sighed deeply.

"The pressure on your mother was immense. The nobles demanded she end things with Jihoon immediately, that she remember her duty as a Choi. But she refused. She fought for her love, even when it meant losing everything."

I held my breath, knowing what was coming next.

"She made a choice, my dear." My grandmother's voice trembled. "She gave up her nobility. She renounced her title, her wealth, her status, everything for love. The moment she did, the protests stopped. The nobles turned their backs on her, as if she had never existed. And a few weeks later, she and Jihoon were married."

A heavy silence fell between us.

"Then I was born," I murmured.

She nodded, her lips pressing into a thin line.

"Yes, and for a time, they were happy. Your father continued his work as a chef, and your mother, despite leaving her noble life behind, was content as long as she had you and Jihoon. But…" She hesitated, and I braced myself.

"Grandmother," I whispered. "How did my mother die?"

She closed her eyes for a moment, as if willing herself to stay strong.

"Once a noble steps away from nobility, the protection they once had is stripped away," she said slowly. "Your mother was no longer one of us, which meant she was vulnerable."

I felt my stomach drop.

"The Oathbreakers took advantage of that."

Her voice was barely above a whisper, but the words hit me like a strike to the chest.

"A few months after you were born, they came for your family. Your father… he tried to protect you both. But he was just a chef. He wasn't trained to fight."

A lump formed in my throat.

"They killed him, didn't they?" I asked, my voice shaking.

She nodded solemnly. "Yes. Your mother… she fought back. She had learned self-defense, like all nobles do, and she was skilled. But she knew she couldn't win. She only had one thought... saving you."

My hands trembled as I gripped the table.

"She gave you to her personal maid, the woman who had once cared for her as a child. She ordered her to run, to take you somewhere safe." My grandmother swallowed hard. "And then… she lured the Oathbreakers away."

Tears welled up in my eyes.

"She sacrificed herself," I murmured.

My grandmother nodded. "Yes. She gave her life to protect you."

The weight of her words crushed me. My mother, the woman I had never truly known, had given up her status, her wealth, and in the end… her life, all for love.

I stared down at my untouched drink, my heart pounding in my chest.

I had always wondered what kind of person she was. Now, I knew. And I had never felt so heartbroken in my life.

My grandmother took a shaky breath before continuing.

"The maid ran away, clutching you tightly in her arms. She was terrified, but she knew she had to follow your mother's last wish... to keep you safe."

I listened in silence, my hands clenched into fists.

"As she fled, she ran into your mother's personal guard. He was one of the few people who still held loyalty to her, even after she left nobility. Realizing the danger, he made a split-second decision. Together, they disappeared into the night, taking you with them."

I swallowed hard. "And then?"

My grandmother sighed. "Since that night, no one has heard from them. They vanished completely, going into hiding to protect you. The royal and noble families searched, but it was as if they had never existed. Even I… I had no idea where you had gone."

My breath hitched as realization hit me.

The people she was talking about… they were my parents.

The ones who had raised me, cared for me, and loved me unconditionally. The ones I had called "Mother" and "Father" all my life, they had been the maid and the personal guard.

My grandmother gave me a sorrowful look. "They were your protectors. But they loved you like their own, didn't they?"

Tears welled in my eyes. They did. They had given up everything to keep me safe, never once telling me the truth about where I came from. 

My grandmother reached across the table and pulled me into a warm embrace.

"My dear child," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "I'm so sorry you had to find out this way. You've been through so much… and you never even knew the truth."

I clutched onto her, my body trembling as the weight of everything sank in. The truth about my parents, the sacrifices they made, the reason I had been hidden all my life, it was overwhelming.

She gently stroked my hair, holding me like she was afraid I would disappear. "You're not alone anymore, Hyorin. You still have family who loves you. I love you."

Tears slipped down my cheeks as I buried my face in her shoulder.