20 LUNCH WITH HIS PARENTS

Knock! Knock! Knock!

Ceres woke up went on full alert when she heard the irregular knocking on the door. She was not familiar with this knocking pattern and it didn't dawn on her that she was currently in Eli's house. Her nature as an assassin got the best of her.

"Belle?"

Ceres blinked her eyes and looked around the room. Slowly, she realized where she was and her alertness decipitated after a few seconds. She finally let her guard down.

Ceres walked to the door and opened it a little with her head peeking outside. "I fell asleep. Sorry."

"Ah! Sorry for waking you up. I thought you were just using Eli's computer." Neon stated with an apologetic look on his face. "Auntie Jo told me to bring you down for lunch," he added.

"Give me a sec." Ceres closed the door for a while, ran to the vanity mirror, combed her hair and made sure she looked presentable for lunch before coming out to go downstairs. "Have you been doing well, here?"

"Yes. Auntie Jo helps me a lot and I get to talk to Andrei."

"Who's Andrei?"

"He's Eli's nephew. He lives in States, I didn't really ask which part but Auntie Jo said that he will be coming over next week."

"It's good to hear that you are making friends."

"But, Belle." Neon spoke softly and pulled his sister's hand to a stop. "How long are we staying here? Aren't we going to stay in our own home away from everyone? Aren't you healed yet?"

Ceres leaned closer to this little guy in front of her and her heart ached for his suffering. Even though he seemed to enjoy his stay in Eli's house, she could still see the shadow of his traumatic experience. He wasn't really free yet from the pain he went through.

"Neon, we don't have a lot of money yet. We could only rely on Eli's help this time. Don't worry, we will repay him in the future, but right now, let me save money for us."

"Are you going back to work? Do you remember your work now?"

"Of co,...Ah?!" Ceres scratched her face and shifted her eyes somewhere else. She almost made a slip of the tongue. "I don't remember much yet, but Eli said I can work as his assistant."

"Eli is very good. If you get a boyfriend one day, I wish it would be Eli."

"Hahahaha. What are you talking about? Don't let him hear that. It's embarrassing." Though, if she should be honest, she also wanted to wish for the same thing.

"What are you guys still whispering there?" Neon and Ceres both turned their heads to Eli and grinned at him. "Let's have lunch. Mom is looking forward to your opinion regarding the food she made."

Ceres felt happy knowing that some people genuinely cared for her. She didn't know why Eli's mom was so good to her, but she could tell that she was really kind. She wasn't masking her emotions or expressions. [Eli's parents are really great. That's probably the reason why Eli has a good upbringing.]

(He's lucky to have parents like them.)

[You are lucky with your parents as well. It was just unfortunate that their lives ended when you were just starting with your career.]

"Are you alright? You've gone silent again. It always makes me wonder what you are worried about."

Ceres looked at Eli beside her as they walk to the kitchen and she smiled. "Sometimes, I am worried but there are times that I am just thinking of how grateful I am for meeting you."

Eli was so surpried with her statement that he got tongue-tied. He didn't know what to say at all. It also makes him wonder if Belle was naturally glib-tongued. She really knows what to say to make someone feel good of themselves. [That's probably the reason why the children like her so much.]

Upon reaching the dining area, Ceres bowed her head to Eli's parents and smiled faintly. "Thank you for taking care of me and my brother."

"Not at all." Dr. Elijah Rivera, Eli's father, commented and waved his hand, gesturing her to have a seat. "Just be comfortable with us. I know you are aware that this is Eli's house but his mother likes to give him a hard time so you will be seeing us here most of the time."

"What are you saying?! I am not giving anyone a hard time!"

"Yes. Auntie Jo is helping me when Eli is not home. She teaches me and Andrei when she's not busy."

"See?! Neon is the only one who can see my worth. Both of you always bullies me!"

"And she can be very dramatic." Elijah expressed which made Ceres laugh. It was a genuine laughter that really came from the bottom of her heart. She didn't know that Eli's parents would be this fun to talk to.

Belle's first impression of the senior doctor was strict and serious. She never saw him smile even when he talked with Eli before. There was even a time that he scolded Eli because he made one mistake. It wasn't a critical or a fatal mistake but it angered the doctor. From then on, Belle had this impression that he was someone who was difficult to deal with.

In a sense, because she shared her memories with Ceres, the latter had the same impression of the older man. Therefore, it was so surprising when he appeared in her hospital room last time and talked to her jovially.

His mother looked intimidating when she came to the hospital last time, too. Belle got so scared of her but because Eli shooed his mother away, she didn't get the chance to have a conversation with her.

Who would have thought that they would treat her like family? They never made her feel like she was an outcast. She felt so welcome in their home.

Jojie: "My son can be very difficult to handle sometimes. I hope you'll extend your patience for him."

"Ha?"

Elijah: "Right. You are his first girlfriend. So, if he does something that would hurt you, don't hesitate to let him know. I want you guys to pass the hurdles in life together."

Ceres looked at Eli while his father spoke and when Eli looked at her, she shifted her gaze somewhere else. Maybe Eli didn't know she was staring at him but that didn't mean his parents didn't see her intense gaze.