Alisha’s POV
Louie's admission was a thunderclap to my comprehension, leaving me utterly dumbfounded, grappling with the weight of this newfound message. I needed affirmation, my words escaping in a mix of disbelief and curiosity, "Your grandmother... Shaunda is your grandmother? And, your connection to... Archie?"
Louie's gaze, steady and composed, met mine as he responded in a matter-of-fact tone, "Yeah, Shaunda is my grandma, and Archie is my cousin. My mother is the Luna of Deep Moon, and she is Shaunda's daughter. Archie's father is Shaunda’s son, so I am Archie’s cousin."
I sat on the chair, the puzzle pieces of their intertwined family web falling into place, leaving me speechless in the face of this revelation. I had never imagined that Archie and Louie were actually cousins!
Gray's voice, tinted with curiosity, brought me back, "You had no inkling of their relationship? I thought you have already known that."
My head shook in response, a touch of frustration accompanying my words, "Archie rarely mentioned his thing to me, so I never know that he has a cousin. Besides, I didn't meet Louie at our wedding either. I became friends with him by chance. I was completely unaware of his relationship with Archie until today."
Now it was Gray's turn to share in my astonishment, his voice tinged with incredulity, "That sounds like a story."
Louie's gentle tone washed over the conversation, his words imbued with a hint of remorse, "It's my fault. I've been traveling away from home for some reason, so I was unable to attend Archie and Alisha's wedding. I did know Archie got married and had a wonderful spouse, but..." Louie paused, his eyes meeting mine, carrying a subdued bitterness, "I never expect it was you, Alisha."
The room seemed to hang in a brief, poignant silence. Gray's gaze shifted thoughtfully between Louie and me.
For my part, a pang of realization struck me, revealing the unintentional wounds I might have inflicted on Louie. The need to make amends stirred within me, prompting my sincere apology to spill forth, "Louie, I truly regret not sharing my true identity with you earlier. I want you to know that it wasn't a deliberate act of deception on my part. I had planned to leave the Golden Crest, even the werewolves world, embracing a human life as a singer, Theresa, alongside my grandmother and friend. To achieve this dream, I've been actively seeking employment recently. Whether as Alisha or Theresa, I'm profoundly thankful for your support and companionship. You were the first friend I found within the werewolf world, and for that, I am genuinely grateful."
Louie's countenance lit up, the same warm smile that I had seen before gracing his lips once more. "Alisha, there's no need for you to carry any guilt. I am also very happy to be your friend."
Gray, never one to remain on the sidelines, joined the conversation with a playful glint in his eyes, his words full of glee, " Absolutely, same here! Indeed, from the instant I laid eyes on Alisha, I felt a sense of familiarity and wanted to talk with her."
I smiled after hearing Gray’s words, but Louie looked at Gray, raising his brow, “Come on, every time a playboy who wants to strike up a conversation with an attractive girl, he would claim to feel a sense of familiarity or an instant connection the moment you see her.”
Both Louie and I couldn’t help laughing.
As the gentle laughter of newfound understanding filled the air, I couldn't help but feel a renewed sense of gratitude for the unforeseen paths that had led us to this very moment. Gray retorted, “Believe it or not, Alisha is the most special girl I met.”
Louie's gaze became discerningly intent as he addressed me, his voice tinged with a sense of resolve, "In truth, I must also extend my apologies to you. There's a matter I've kept hidden, and it is time I shared it with you. I am the boss of DM Entertainment. You came to our company to discuss the collaboration with us, hoping we could purchase the rights to your song and have you perform it personally, but in the end..." Louie's words hung momentarily in the air, his expression etching a deep furrow of contemplation across his features, before he continued, "Due to specific circumstances, I made the decision to sell the rights of that very song to Erma, thereby inadvertently extinguishing a significant opportunity for you. I genuinely regret the unintended consequences of that decision."
The weight of Louie's apology settled upon me, a mixture of emotions swirling within. I released a sigh, my words carrying a measure of understanding, "Louie, there's no need for you to shoulder this burden. I admit that I hold no fondness for Erma and I got angry when I knew she had snatched that song from me. I was clear that you didn’t know me at that time, so it did no harm to our friendship. Furthermore, it's likely that Archie was the driving force behind that decision. Considering your role as a businessman and your relationship to Archie, your choice was reasonable. Besides, I recall that DM Entertainment later publicly supported me on Twitter in relation to that very song. I ever wondered who helped me, but now, I know the answer, it is you, right?" I acknowledged the subtle hand of kindness that had reached out to me amidst the turmoil caused by Erma, so I continued with a sincere smile, "In that case, I owe you a thank you.” After all, Archie was the one who wanted to give music resources to Erma, and that was what hurt me the most, not Louie.
Louie met my gaze, his response a reflection of our evolving friendship, "Since we already have become friends, you don't need to be so polite. Let us leave behind the past and forge ahead. I just heard you mention you've been looking for a job recently, and I know you turned down DM's offer before, but as the boss of DM entertainment, I wanted to ask again, would you reconsider it now?