"Aunt Umi?" Tiana, who was looking for Umilia and decided to see if he was in her room, was surprised to see her standing near the door, talking on the phone with glowing cheeks.
"Tia? What happened?" Umilia asked as she lowered her phone, trying her best to put up a calm expression.
Umilia didn't cut the call so she could let Viktor learn about the situation that was going on, and Viktor indeed heard Tiana's voice and wondered what she was doing there.
He sighed and cut the call since he knew Tiana might need Umilia for something.
Tiana slyly smiled as she came in and closed the door behind her. She then skeptically looked at Umilia as she asked, "Aunt Umi, who were you talking to?"
Umilia casually said with a smile, "Just a friend. Anyways, is there something you need, Tia?"
Tiana narrowed her eyes, but no matter how much she kept looking at Umilia, her poker expression didn't change a bit. There wasn't even a sign of nervousness or shyness she was hoping for.
Tiana inwardly sighed, thinking that, unlike Sayana, Umilia was a tough nut to get answers out of if she didn't want to say anything.
Still, Tiana decided to get a tease out of her since she had never caught her on the phone like this before and said, "Oh, I was just looking for you to ask about a dessert. But it seems like you have quite a close friend there. Still, I suddenly have one question in my mind."
Umilia softly chuckled and asked, "What is it?"
Tiana scanned Umilia's bombshell figure top to bottom and said in pure curiosity, "Aunt Umi, you look so beautiful and hot. I know a lot of guys must have already asked you out. But can you tell me why you are not interested in getting a boyfriend? Is it because of Sayana?"
Umilia smiled, "I don't really have time for one, especially with how busy I am. Also, I doubt Sayana would like to have a stranger suddenly entering her life. I don't know how she would react."
"Come on, auntie. Sayana is a big girl now, and I am sure she would like you to be happy. Personally, I would like it if you had an amazing boyfriend because I think you are too good not to have a partner. Still, it's just my opinion, and if you do indeed have a secret boyfriend, your secret is safe with me," Tiana said with a wink.
Umilia softly smiled, "I will keep that in mind."
Umilia realized that Tiana might have indeed caught on to something, but she felt that as long as Tiana doesn't know any better, things would be alright.
So, she decided to turn around the game before she dug deeper and asked, "What about you? Do you want your mother to marry again? I sometimes ask her about it, but she is just like me, I guess."
Tiana's expression became pensive, and she said, "Nah...I don't personally feel like my mother should marry again."
She then said with a sigh, "You are right. Thinking about it, it's strange and awkward for me to suddenly get acquainted with a stranger who might be spending the rest of his life with us. Anyways, even if she is one of the most beautiful women out there, she doesn't have time for men. I even barely see her since she's so obsessed with playing doctor. What is she even doing in the hospital to keep her so busy? If this is how all doctors are, I am glad I am not interested in medicine."
Umilia held Tiana's hand and asked in a gentle tone, "Are you angry with your mother?"
Tiana glanced away, "No...I just don't understand her. She won't tell me anything if I ask something serious. Why would someone be so cold to her own daughter? I don't get it. And all she does is lecture me whenever she sees me."
Umilia sighed as she pulled Tiana along to sit with her on the bed and said as she hugged her, "Your mother loves you a lot more than you think, Tia. In fact, contrary to what you might think, you are more important than her own life. But the reason your mother is so busy is that she is managing the whole Snow Group on her own and being the Madam of the Snow Family is not easy, especially with the stress and workload that comes with it, making her completely exhausted and tired by the end of the day."
Tiana pursed her lips and said, "But who asked her to be the Madam? Why can't she just be someone normal and let someone else manage the company?"
"Then you might not be able to enjoy the same luxury as you do now, and your status won't be the same as well. But besides that, who else can she trust to entrust such a big empire? She is already too busy keeping away countless enemies from clawing at the Snow Group. And probably she has her own goals and ambitions, which we might not be able to understand now. But I trust that one day everything is going to be alright, and she might not be this busy anymore as you want."
Tiana let out an exasperated sigh as she flailed her legs and said, "Haa...I don't care. Let her do her thing, hmph. Anyways, Aunt Umi, don't tell her anything about what I said. Okay?"
"Of course, I won't," Umilia said in a reassuring tone.
Tiana happily hugged Umilia and gave her a peck on her cheek, "You are really the coolest auntie. Sayana is so lucky to have a mom like you."
Umilia slightly laughed with her hand on her lips, "Really? Sayana may not totally agree with that. You must have heard about how mothers are more strict to their own daughters than others, right?"
Tiana shrugged, "But I never heard her complaining."
"You know how she mostly keeps things to herself, and well, she never caused any trouble for me to reprimand her."
"Wait a minute...Auntie, are you telling me that I am a troublemaker?" Tiana asked in a petulant tone.
Umilia softly giggled, "No...I did not. But who said being a troublemaker is bad? This house wouldn't be lively without you, and being yourself is what matters in the end."
Tiana proudly smiled, taking her words as a compliment, "See, you really understand me. Anyways, any idea why Dorian and grandpa left on a sudden trip? It just seems strange."
Umilia and Tiana continued talking for a while as she subtly came up with a good explanation for their sudden outing.
Meanwhile, a few minutes ago, Viktor, who had gotten off the phone, turned around to see a sight that made him smile roguishly.