CHAPTER TEN: SECRET

When Leonard noticed that things had gone wrong, he quickly went to Ciara's chamber with the guards and found everyone frozen, except for Millicent, Flower, and two maids. Millicent explained what happened to him, and Leonard commanded the guards to search for Ciara and attempted to release his wife and the maids from their frozen state. However, despite his efforts, he was unable to succeed, as his power proved to be insufficient for such a task. He then tenderly stroked Clarissa's cheek, assuring her to hold on.

Determined to find Ciara, he also went to look for her and eventually discovered her hiding in one corner of the garden. Ciara sat on the ground, her head bowed, her hair transformed into a resplendent and abundant cascade covering a significant portion of the garden, glowing with enchanting radiance.

As Leonard approached his daughter, an extraordinary event unfolded: Ciara's hair gently formed a path for him to step on, ensuring that he wouldn't trample upon its beauty. Once Leonard reached Ciara, he held her hand with tenderness and spoke comforting words, assuring her that everything would be alright. Caressing her hair, he encouraged her to breathe calmly and reminisce about the cherished moments they had shared together.

He reminded her of the time when her mother had bravely confronted her sister due to her derogatory comment about Ciara, calling her an ugly girl who should hide her face from the world. Upon hearing this, Ciara slowly lifted her head gently and recounted the incident, saying, "I recall how mother, in her anger, forcefully propelled her through the window, causing her to plummet into a messy and unsavory situation."

After the conversation, Ciara's hair gradually returned to its normal state, cascading around her shoulders with its usual length and radiance. Her father smiled at her and then said, "That's the kind of mother you have. No matter what happens, she will always support you and stand by your side."

"But this time, she sided with the maids and even slapped me," Ciara responded. "She only did that for your own good. Did you know that when your mother was your age, her temper was even worse than yours? Everyone was scared of her, and even the maids couldn't look her in the eyes. When my parents asked me to marry her, I refused because I knew that one day her temper might harm me. However, once she became pregnant with you, everything changed. She became a caring and devoted wife and mother. I'm not the only one surprised by her sudden transformation; her family is too," her father explained.

"You mean, mother was really like that?" she asked. "Of course, you can ask your grandmother the next time you see her. She will explain everything your mother did," he replied.

Ciara couldn't stop laughing at what her father had just told her about her mother, and her joyful expression only made her father even happier. She then asked him if her mother would forgive her for what she had done. Her father reassured her, telling her to trust him and reminding her that her mother loved her more than anything else in the world.

"You mean more than you?" she asked, to which he responded, "Yes, more than me." He moved closer to her, wrapped his arms around her in a hug, and assured her, "We will never leave you. Even if one of us leaves first, the other will always be there for you." After a few moments, he released her from the embrace, and she told her father to let them go and unfreeze her mother so that she could scold her quickly and let her go.

When they arrived at her chamber, her father asked her to release her mother first, so that the maid would not witness their exchange. Ciara nodded in agreement, understanding the need for privacy in this moment.

She took a deep breath, priming herself for what she was about to do. She closed her eyes, allowing her mind to clear and focus solely on her objective. Time seemed to slow down as she delved into her powers. A surge of energy pulsed through her, tingling in her veins.With a steady concentration, she visualized her mother, Clarissa, standing before her. Harnessing the immense power within her, she willed the icy freeze that had trapped her mother to dissipate. As seconds turned into minutes, She could sense the gradual thawing, as if warmth was slowly seeping back into her mother's frozen form. And then,the ice around her started to melt away, revealing Clarissa's familiar features beneath. It was a mesmerizing sight, like witnessing the transformation of a sculpture back into a living being. Every drop of melted ice revealed more of her mother's essence, until finally, Clarissa returned to her normal state. Ciara's eyes fluttered open, filled with relief.

When Clarissa opened her eyes, she quickly took hold of Ciara's hand and led her out of her room, guiding her to her own chamber. There, she embraced her daughter tightly, assuring her that everything was fine. Curious, Ciara asked her mother why she wasn't angry with her for what had happened. Clarissa lovingly replied that she could never be mad at her little girl, and smiled warmly at her. Feeling relieved, Ciara expressed her readiness to apologize to the maids and Millicent, and insisted on unfreezing them as well. However, before she could leave, her mother suggested that she can release them right there in her chamber, stating that there was no need for Ciara to go back to her own chamber. Agreeing with her mother's practical suggestion, she release the maids.

Clarissa later instructed her maid to bring water for her. The cool drink was handed to her, and she eagerly took a sip. Following her mother's lead, Ciara was then guided to a comfortable bed, and soon, she drifted off into a peaceful slumber.

When she realized that Ciara had fallen asleep, Clarissa instructed her maid to keep watch over her and made her way to Ciara's chamber. Upon arrival, she found Millicent, Flower, and Leonard present, while the rest of the maids lay lifeless on the ground. It became evident that Ciara's powers had unfrozen them, but unfortunately, those with weaker energy could not withstand the intense cold, resulting in their unfortunate deaths.

"I thought immortals don't die," Millicent looked at them, feeling hurt and regretful.

"They can't, but Ciara's power is something only the strong can withstand," Clarissa replied.