Steps were rushed inside the fancy modern restaurant. All of the workers got nervous and fear on their face as the main woman’s feet reached the main door.

She pulled off her shades and a smirk left on the corner of her lips as a young lady approached her,

     “Could you come this way please?”

A soft knocked on the door got Ari startled on her seat, “Come in” she said. The petite girl in white bowed to her, “I’m sorry to disturb you miss” her voice trembled in anxious. She started to get worried as she sees her assistant drenched in sweat as something was wrong.

     “Miss, your mother is here”

It is not a certain day that her mother would visit the restaurant. With her visiting the restaurant without a single notice, shook up the entire residence. The chefs already prepared themselves in the kitchen if the waitresses come rushing in for the food.

The waiters and waitresses already lined up next to the room waiting for their call. “Miss” one of the workers called her. Ari nodded and fixed her attire for the last time, “Just act normal. It won’t be long” she uttered trying to calm her employees.

 Aera, the petite girl pulled the door for her to enter, “Good luck” she mouthed. Ari took a deep breath and called out for her mother, “Ma, it has been a while” she bowed to her. She approached the empty seat near the woman.

     “You must be thinking of something when you heard I was here”

She bit her lips agreeing with her mother. Aera entered the room with a tray of green tea for them, “So, how have you been? The kids missed you” the woman mumbled. Ari crooked her eyebrows as her mother continued talking.

To be frank, she couldn’t remember how long that she didn’t visit the Son’s resident after she moved out. All this time she was busy running the restaurant and the café at the same time, she forgot about her younger brother and sister.

From what her mother told, that they really wished for her to visit often but sometimes when they called her, she would be busy. Just at the age of twenty, she was already busy as a bee trying to keep up with her work.

     “I’ll take them for dinner the day after” she told her mother.

Her mother proceeds by reached out the folder under the table for her to read. “I want the restaurant to shut down” she stated her intention of coming. Ari gawked at her mother, “You can’t do that! Pa started this business because us. He worked so hard on it” her note rise little by little.

Her mother sighed, “You’re old enough to know that his dreams are childish. Even though he managed to put this place on the map, it’s not going to last forever” she took a sip of the green tea.

     “But Ma, this is the only memories we have with him. You should understand that!”

Ari stated. She could feel the tears started to well in her eyes but she managed to hold it in.

She, herself couldn’t figure out why her mother hated her father so much. Even after he passed away, she still has that grudge on him inside her heart. She tried her best to wipe off all his trace in our life but Ari finally got the hold of their precious possession. She even threats Ari to hand over the restaurant or she would kick her out of the house.

That was the main reason why she left home that day. All for the sake of her father precious dream. They pinky swear,

     “Ari dear, would you promise me to protect our dream even if I’m gone?”

Eight years old Ari nodded with tears in her eyes. Even though her father couldn’t managed his time for her but she knew he did all of it because of her mother and her.

She couldn’t be more proud to be saying his father’s name. His passion towards cooking and how he would only taught Ari his secret dishes. Sometimes, they would also spend their time doing the things she likes.

Unlike her mother, she would force her do things that she didn’t even have interested on. All she cares that her daughter would be well behaved and keep the image of their family.

     “Then, I’ll set up an arranged marriage. Some of my friends already have their interest in you”