C74 Questions Without Easy Answers

Georgia smiled warmly and nodded. “Of course, my child. What is it?” Alicia hesitated for a moment before speaking. “What is love? How do you know when you love someone?”

The moment the words left her mouth, Peter burst into laughter. Alicia’s face immediately turned red. “Grandpa!” Peter chuckled, raising his hands defensively. “Have you fallen for one of your so-called brothers?” Alicia quickly straightened up, trying to regain her composure. “No! I’m just asking.”

Georgia smiled knowingly, while Peter continued laughing softly.

Alicia pointed at him. “Besides, this is women’s talk. You should close your ears.” Peter shook his head in amusement. “Fine, fine. I won’t interfere.” Once the laughter settled, Georgia reached out and gently held Alicia’s hand. “Love,” she began softly, “is not something simple. You don’t always realize when it begins.”

Alicia listened carefully. “It often starts quietly,” Georgia continued. “At first, it may look like friendship. You enjoy their presence. You think about them often. Slowly, you start caring more than you intended to. You imagine a future without even noticing.”

Alicia blinked slowly, absorbing every word.

“You may even feel like you understand them without speaking,” Georgia added. “And over time, your actions begin to revolve around their happiness.” Alicia nodded slightly. “So… it can start as friendship?” Georgia smiled. “Yes. Very often, it does.”

Peter laughed again under his breath. “Dangerous answer.” Georgia shot him a look, and he immediately stopped. Before Alicia could respond further, a deep voice interrupted from behind. “So which one are you talking about?” All three turned.

Mark stood at the entrance of the living room, having just returned from the study. His expression was calm, but there was a sharp curiosity in his eyes. Alicia froze instantly. “Dad!” Mark stepped closer. “I heard most of your conversation.” Alicia quickly stood up. “This is women’s talk. You were not supposed to hear it.”

Mark crossed his arms. “Are you admitting you’ve fallen for one of them?” Alicia’s face flushed red. “No! I was just asking. I need to understand things. And besides… they both already have girlfriends. I’m just their sister.”

Mark studied her for a moment, then relaxed slightly. “Good,” he said simply.

The tension eased, and dinner finally began. The atmosphere slowly returned to normal, and after eating, everyone eventually retreated to their rooms. Alicia sat on her bed, finally alone. The house was quiet. She picked up her phone and noticed she had not been online the entire day.

Opening Weibo, she was immediately flooded with messages. Mike had thanked her repeatedly, praising her cooking and her help. Chris had also sent similar messages, expressing gratitude and admiration for the meal she prepared. A small smile formed on her lips. She didn’t respond immediately. Then she opened the group chat. Her eyes narrowed slightly.

Chris had confessed. Not directly to her but about that night. About everything that had happened, Alicia leaned back slowly. “So he finally said it…” Her thoughts drifted immediately. Sarah… Ben’s sister. Director’s daughter. Chris had sex with her, taking her first time. This was going to complicate everything even more.

Then Mike came to mind. He had also confessed to Laura. Her expression softened slightly as memories surfaced. The moments she had shared with Mike. The times he had helped her without hesitation. The way he had looked at her when no one else was paying attention.

She recalled his presence during stressful moments… his calm voice… even the way he sometimes teased her. Her fingers paused over the screen. But then Laura’s face appeared in her thoughts. Right. Mike was not alone. He had someone now.

Alicia exhaled slowly, closing her eyes for a moment. “Of course…” she whispered to herself. “He would choose her.” She opened her eyes again, more composed now. There was no jealousy in her expression, only a strange mixture of acceptance and uncertainty. She typed nothing.

Instead, she placed her phone down. Some feelings, she realized, were not meant to be spoken yet. Not when everything around them was already falling into deeper complications. But despite telling herself not to think about it, her mind refused to listen.

Chris had given his first time to Sarah, and Sarah had given hers to Chris. It was something precious one had to share with the person they loved. Even with all the complications surrounding them, the way they ended up loosing it when he was drugged. Alicia couldn't help making another comparison. If Chris's first time belonged to Sarah... then one day Mike's would surely belong to Laura. The thought made her heart tighten.

She had already accepted that fact the moment Mike confessed that he liked Laura. They suited each other, and everyone around them could see it. If they continued dating, marriage would naturally follow, and everything else would happen in its own time.

She smiled faintly, though the smile carried a trace of bitterness. Laura will probably be his first... and he'll probably be hers too. Her fingers unconsciously tightened around her phone. Then, almost against her own will, another question surfaced. What about me?

The room suddenly felt unusually quiet. She had never been interested in dating. Throughout school and even university, she had rejected every confession without hesitation. It wasn't because those people weren't good enough, she had simply never felt anything for them. As her grandmother said Love always seemed like something distant, something that would eventually come when the right person appeared.

Yet somewhere along the way, without her realizing it, Mike had quietly become the standard by which she measured everyone else. He was patient, dependable, mature, gentle, and thoughtful. He respected people, listened more than he spoke, and somehow always knew exactly when she needed help. Looking back now, she realized every quality she had ever imagined wanting in a future partner seemed to exist in him.

Alicia buried her face in the pillow with a soft groan. "This is bad..." What was she supposed to do now? Her heart had chosen the one person she shouldn't be thinking about. If one day Mike, Chris, Sarah, Laura, or even the others somehow discovered the thoughts hidden in her heart, she would probably be too embarrassed to face any of them again. They all treated her as a younger sister, while she had secretly begun wondering what kind of man would one day become her first love... and even her future husband.

The answer that appeared in her mind frightened her. It was Mike. But that future could never happen. Because in the future she imagined him, standing beside him was Laura... not her. With that thought, Alicia slowly closed her eyes, silently hoping that the restless feelings in her heart would fade with time, even though deep down she already knew they wouldn't disappear so easily.