Part 27

"It's not that I don't want to be your mom. Of course, I would love to have a beautiful and kind daughter like you," Claire replied, cupping Flavia's face with both hands. "Especially since you never cause trouble like your best friend over there." Claire playfully glanced at Abigail. "But just because I care for you and would love to have a daughter as wonderful as you in the future, it doesn't mean I 'have' to be your mom. And even if you like me, you can't force your dad to feel the same. Feelings can't be forced.

"I want to live like the main characters in the dramas I watch too, marrying a man who only loves me, who's crazy about me," Claire continued, making both Abigail and Flavia giggle. "But that's clearly not your dad."

"So from now on, you need to accept the reality that your dad prefers Anastasia," Abigail chimed in, making Flavia frown and glare at her friend.

Claire chuckled again, wrapping her arms around the shoulders of both teens and leading them away.

"As a good daughter, you should also consider your dad's position and feelings. Let him be happy with whoever he chooses," Claire said, looking directly at Flavia. "In return, your dad shouldn't force you to be kind or to accept his choice. But I'm sure you won't disappoint him by behaving poorly toward whoever he chooses. For your dad's happiness, you'll do what he wants, won't you?" Flavia nodded in response. "Then you've truly grown up because you can do A even when what you want is B."

"But I still want you to be my mom," Flavia whispered, causing Claire to smile.

"You really do like me, don't you?" Claire teased, making Flavia's eyes well up. "What we want and what we plan doesn't always align with reality. That's fate. And maybe fate has decided I'm not meant to be your mom. What God has planned for you is always for the best, even if it's not what you like. And what you like may not always be the best in God's eyes."

"Like my real mom?" Flavia murmured softly.

"What do you mean?" Claire asked, a bit confused.

"My birth mom, who left me and Papa. Do you think that was something good in God's eyes?"

Claire smiled. "Yes, just like that. Your dad met your birth mom, they got married, had you, and then separated. To most people, it might seem like a problem, but God's plan isn't like that. Only your parents and God know what they felt and why they parted ways. But I can say this—there's always something good to be found in every situation."

"For example, because your parents separated, you got to receive love from Grandpa, Granny, Uncle Altezza, and... what's the other uncle's name?" Claire asked.

"Uncle Gian," Flavia answered.

"Yes, Uncle Gian. And you also got to meet me, and Abigail. If your parents were still together, you wouldn't be here with us now. You and your dad might be living in Italy. Or even if you were still in the U.S., your mom might have taken you to live somewhere else, and sent you to a different school, one without Abigail."

Abigail nodded in agreement. "Yeah, she's right. If you were living with your mom, you'd probably be busy with all kinds of private lessons right now. And you wouldn't know all the cool street food we eat together."

"Who knows, maybe your mom's the type who's super neat and always carries hand sanitizer everywhere. Someone who prefers five-star hotel food," Abigail teased, making Flavia laugh at the playful exaggeration.

"The point is, don't regret your situation," Claire continued, "because that's the same as not being grateful. Everything we experience is part of our destiny. Whether we gain something or lose something, there's always a lesson in it. And what we go through in the future will be the result of the choices we make.

"Good or bad, the outcome comes from our decisions. So, don't think poorly of God's plan.

"Remember, doing good will always lead to more good. One act of kindness can multiply into a thousand other blessings. But don't expect the kindness to come from the person you were kind to. God has countless ways to reward your goodness in ways you can't predict. It might happen right away, or it could come later. And it could come from someone you don't even know or expect. Do you understand?"

Both teens nodded.

"And now, I want you both to stop interfering in other people's business, even if it's about Flavia's dad.

"Giving advice is fine if someone asks for it. And it's okay to correct someone you love when they're wrong. But don't meddle too much unless they ask for help. Got it?" The girls nodded again. "Good. So, stop trying to set me up with Via's dad. Just pray that he finds the best partner, and that you get a new mom who loves you.

"Don't ask for a specific person to be his match, because who knows? I might not be the best mom for you in the future. I could end up being a wicked stepmother who only loves your dad and not his daughter," Claire joked. "Like those stepmothers in songs who 'only love my dad.'" She finished, making both teens giggle.

Claire looked at Flavia with a feeling she couldn't quite describe.

Claire felt a deep sadness, of course. Seeing the sorrow on that teenager's face made her heart ache. Who wouldn't be touched by a child abandoned by her biological mother as a baby, only to be neglected by her father throughout her adolescence? Anyone would feel pity hearing such a story, and Claire was no different. Especially hearing the girl's simple wish for a loving mother—how could that not tug at her heartstrings?

Flavia seemed more like an orphan, despite both of her parents still being alive. Antony should be thankful his daughter had grown into such a kind young woman. Many teenage girls, in similar circumstances, might rebel simply because they lacked parental attention or didn't get what they wanted. But Flavia never went that far.

This was why Claire agreed to help Antony now. Not because she wanted to win his attention or secure her place in the company. She was helping Antony so he could, in turn, reconnect with Flavia and restore the love and affection she deserved from her father. It was all for the sake of Flavia's happiness, not to win Antony over.

God knows, Claire had never even pictured herself getting married, let alone to a widower with a teenage daughter.

No! Claire wasn't ready for that kind of commitment. It wasn't that she had anything against widowers. But her strained relationship with her own mother made her afraid of entering into any serious relationship with a man.

The idea of marrying even a single man made her hesitate, considering all the long-term risks. Marrying a divorced man? That was even more daunting. Claire didn't want to deal with the jealousy that might arise over her husband's ex-wife, especially when she didn't even know what she looked like.

Without realizing it, Claire shook her head at the thought.

How could she even think about marriage when she had never even dated and always turned down men who approached her?

Frigid? Some people might say so. In fact, someone once spread a rumor that she was a lesbian simply because she had never had a boyfriend.

But Claire knew herself better than anyone. If she were a lesbian, how could she have been so obsessed with Jensen Ackles when he starred in 'Supernatural'? She had even printed out his picture and plastered it on her wall.

She also had a crush on Ian Somerhalder, daydreaming about him turning her into a vampire, fantasizing about being Nina Dobrev just to be held by him. She even had his picture as her F******k wallpaper for a while because she was so infatuated.

Not to mention, she had Kit Harrington's photo as her phone's keyboard wallpaper just to catch a glimpse of the curly-haired, ruggedly handsome actor. She had even fantasized about being the Mother of Dragons, just so Kit would kiss her. Too bad the Mother of Dragons ended up being killed by Kit's character. Claire certainly didn't want that kind of ending. So she settled for just admiring him from afar.

See? Claire was perfectly normal. Just like any other girl, she dreamed of romance. But certainly not with a widower.

No, if she could choose, she wanted a love story with a young, kind, handsome, charming, romantic, and funny guy. Hmm... if only such a person existed.