NovelUSAChapter 444 "Yeah." Hilda nodded.
She eased herself down onto the couch.
But just then, a flash of gray darted out from under the coffee table.
Hilda froze as she locked eyes with a cat perched on the sofa; panic surged through her, and she screamed, leaping to her feet and scrambling to the far side of the room.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtCitrine was filling a glass of water in the kitchen when she heard the commotion in the living room. She rushed over, only to see her Maine Coon arching its back and hissing at Hilda from the couch.
Citrine couldn't help but laugh, both amused and exasperated. She never would have guessed Hilda was afraid of cats, but seeing how shaken she was, Citrine quickly crossed the room and gently patted Hilda's back to calm her. "Don't worry it's just my cat. He doesn't bite, I promise." "He loves sneaking up on people for fun. Pulls this little prank onall the time. I'm really sorry he startled you." Turning to the cat, Citrine's tone grew a shade firmer. "Happy, that's not nice. Apologize." To Hilda's amazement, the Maine Coon immediately sat up straight on the sofa, raised both paws, and made a gesture that looked suspiciously like a little bow.
Hilda's eyes went wide. She hadn't expected the cat to actually understand. For a moment, she was too surprised to speak.
Citrine caught the look on her face and grinned. "I watched a bunch of videos about communicating with cats online. After a while, he really does seem to get what I'm saying." With that, Citrine made a shooing motion. Though Happy looked a bit put out, he obediently wiggled his fluffy tail and trotted off, disappearing around the corner.
Once the cat was gone, Hilda's nerves finally began to settle.
A wave of regret washed over her. She wondered if her panicked outburst had frightened her daughter.
But Citrine didn't seem bothered by the incident at all, so Hilda let it drop.
They sat together on the couch, half-watching the TV, until finally, Hilda broke the silence. "Citrine, has your father treated you well all these years?" Citrine nodded. She didn't mention that she'd only moved back in with the Carmichaels a little over a year ago. "You two seem really close," Hilda said, a trace of envy in her voice.
Citrine turned and regarded Hilda with a calm, almost indifferent expression. "We're... alright. He matters a lot to me." Hilda hesitated, her face clouded with discomfort.
But before Hilda could say anything else, Citrine's brow furrowed and she asked abruptly, "If you care so much, why did you leavein the first place?" Citrine wasn't naive. She could sense Hilda's feelings for her-the affection was obvious. That was precisely why she couldn't understand why, years ago, Ailda had given her up.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmBoth women were too sharp to dance around the truth. They each knew who the other was, and for Citrine, there was no longer any point in pretending otherwise.
She'd wanted to ask this question for a long time.
"So you finally admit it," Hilda whispered, breath catching in nhen throat. She'd always known, deep down, that Citrine was her daughter, but hearing it out loud hit he harder than she'd imagined.
Citrine's face remained impassive. "Does it really matter i Dadiniit or e. not? You already know everything."
She'd spent so long denying it, hoping Hilda would give up. But Hilda only grew more persistent, more attentive and now, there was no point in denying it anymore. Tears welled up in Hilda's eyes. She looked at her daughter and spoke quietly, "I'm sorry. I truly am. But Citrine, you have to believe me-I never wanted to leave you.
"No mother could ever bear to give up the child she carried for nine months."
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