[Happy New Year!]
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Behind The Spotlight Chapter 187
"These kittens are so cute!" Aida squealed with excitement as she fed the five kittens milk one by one, carefully adjusting the milk bottle so none of them choked.
The kittens who had already been fed were lying down, relaxing with their chubby tummies up. As for the two others who were still waiting for their turn, they cried pitifully, their small voices begging Aida to feed them too. Unfortunately, Aida could only feed them one by one.
"These kittens can already eat solid food. Why are you feeding them milk?" Collin raised a brow in confusion. It would be less stressful if Aida fed them solid food, perhaps chicken meat or something similar.
"But they're adorable. I want to feed them myself, one by one," she answered without hesitation.
"... That's torture. The two remaining kittens are asking for food, yet you're making them wait," Collin commented.
"I love their cute meows. It's music to my ears." Aida cooed at the small kitten in her arms. Her eyes sparkled with affection as the kitten chugged the milk, staring back at her. The kitten was so adorable that it melted her heart.
"..." Collin was speechless. He had already gone to the veterinary clinic to vaccinate the kittens before heading to Beverly Hills and bringing them home, making sure they were healthy and safe.
"Dinner's ready," Evelyn announced half an hour later. By that time, Aida was done feeding the kittens with milk formula meant specifically for kittens, which Collin had bought from the veterinary clinic along with other necessary supplies.
The family of three shared a nice meal. Now that Collin had decided to live on his own, it was rare for them to eat together like this.
"Tomorrow, you'll also have dinner with us," Evelyn said to Collin, leaving no room for negotiation.
"Mom, I might be busy tomorrow," Collin replied.
"Then the next day." Evelyn would not take no for an answer. She missed her son.
"Okay, Mom. I'll try. I'll call you if I'm going to show up so you can prepare more food," Collin conceded with a helpless smile.
"That would be great." Evelyn smiled with satisfaction.
"Honestly, I have no idea why you want to separate from us," Aida muttered.
"Because that's what it means to be an adult," Collin replied.
"But living alone in an apartment is very sad. You don't even have a girlfriend to share it with," Aida pointed out.
"Well..." Collin awkwardly focused on eating, using the food as an excuse to stay silent. He had avoided romantic relationships for years, prioritizing his career instead.
Now that he was successful, he thought about trying to find love again, but he realized it wasn't simple anymore. Trusting someone and giving half of his heart left him vulnerable to pain. He was still traumatized by his first relationship.
He had once considered trying one-night stands to release stress, but that kind of lifestyle wasn't for him, no matter how convenient it seemed. The idea of having sex and then treating it like nothing was too much for him to handle.
'Once is enough. I'm not going to try it again.' He concluded silently.
After that, the conversation shifted to Aida's future, changing the atmosphere entirely.
"Now that you've finished college, what job are you looking for? If you want, I can help you find one," Collin offered. With his influence in ANT and Moonrise Music, he could hire his sister without any problem.
Aida's college degree was in computer science. Around this era, computer science was still a profession that people took seriously and respected. However, two decades later, the degree would be mocked due to oversaturation, as competition in the industry became brutal.
Aida put down her utensils and looked at Collin.
"If I worked in Hollywood and had your protection, I'd probably get a safe career with a high salary," she stated honestly.
"Of course. I'll do my best for you," Collin answered without hesitation.
"Thank you, Collin." Aida smiled appreciatively. "But I don't need your help, at least not for now."
"I want to try my best, find a job, and challenge myself. I don't want to depend on you. I want to stand on my own," she added.
Hearing Aida's decision, both Evelyn and Collin smiled, filled with pride. Independence was an important part of adulthood. No matter how much they wanted to protect Aida, they couldn't do so for her entire life. Overprotection would only harm her growth in the long run.
"Why are you looking at me like that? I'm not a kid anymore," Aida frowned, feeling embarrassed by the endearing gazes from her mother and brother.
"A company offered me a job. They're interested in hiring me," she added.
"Oh? What company? And what position?" Evelyn asked.
"It's a game company. They want to hire me as a game developer," Aida replied.
Aida had been at the top of her department. For her final project, she created a game that earned praise from her professors. It wasn't complicated, a simple 2D arcade-style game, but it was polished and fully functional. That project gave her the chance to be discovered by a game company.
"The name of the company is Active Vision," Aida revealed.
"Oh, I feel like I've heard of that company, but I can't quite remember," Collin admitted.
......
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...
"Once she shows up, I want you to hug her and smile. Show her that you really miss her. Do you understand?" Stufedia Beaumont instructed, her voice sharp and commanding.
"Yes, Mom."
Stufedia Beaumont reminded her daughter, Alice, of what to do. The fourteen-year-old girl was still confused about how things had transpired and why everything felt so complicated.
Three years ago, Alice's older sister had been kicked out of the house because she was already an adult, and their parents were no longer legally obligated to take care of her.
At that time, Alice was terrified. She feared she might suffer the same fate if she failed to meet expectations. Because of that, she worked harder and studied obsessively.
When she was younger, her parents praised her intelligence, and she became afraid of disappointing them. However, she never expected things to worsen to the point where their expectations became suffocating.
Sometimes, she felt jealous of her older sister, who could do whatever she wanted. Although she admitted that Chantal had also suffered from their parents' biased decisions.
A year ago, back in January 1999, a song titled Love Everywhere became famous worldwide. It rose to the top of radio charts across many countries, including France.
The most shocking part was that the singer was French. It was a pleasant surprise, and the French people proudly embraced the song and its success.