Filed to story: Returning to Her Not-So-Poor Family
“I found some unopened flour and milk in the kitchen, so I followed an online tutorial and made some milk biscuits for my parents and sister. Take them to them, will you?” she asked, her voice hopeful.
Betty was impressed by the well-crafted biscuits, shaped like delicate blossoms, and Serena’s evident earnestness.
“I also made soup. There’s fresh produce in the garden and some unopened cans of ham, so I whipped up three bowls of vegetable and ham soup. I’m not sure if it’s tasty or if they’ll like it.”
Serena carefully packed the bowls into the basket, then took out two neatly folded sheets of paper.
“This letter is for my parents, and this one is for my sister. Could you please pass them on?”
Her tone was sincere, that of someone seeking forgiveness and reconciliation. Betty felt moved by her gesture.
“If your parents and Ms. Bella see your homemade breakfast and read the letters, they’re sure to forgive you.”
“I just want them to be happy, not upset over me anymore. The holidays are coming up.” Serena’s voice trailed off as she looked out at the courtyard, her eyes reflecting a longing for freedom and her family’s affection.”I’ll deliver these right away, Serena!” Betty hurried off, finally reaching the dining area only to find that Kenneth and Louisa, along with Mirabella, had finished their breakfast.
Betty presented Serena’s breakfast and letters with haste, yet Louisa didn’t take the letters, barely glancing at the biscuits and soup before she stood and left the room.
Kenneth saw his wife storm out and hastened to catch up with her.
Mirabella too got up and left. Betty watched as Serena’s intentions were completely ignored and couldn’t help but follow Mr. and Mrs. Collins.
In this household, if Mr. and Mrs. Collins chose to forgive Serena, then Ms. Mirabella would likely soften as well.
“Mr. and Mrs. Collins!” Betty finally caught up to them, walking briskly alongside them, “Ms. Serena was brought up without lifting a finger in the kitchen, yet she managed to make those muffins and biscuits look so beautiful. She must have put in a lot of effort behind the scenes! She’s hurt so badly; not only did she prepare this feast herself, she also wrote a letter. You should at least see what she wrote, try what she’s cooked.”
Louisa stopped in her tracks, eyeing the servant with a frosty gaze, “What has she offered you to speak so fondly of her?”
“Heavens no!” Betty quickly clarified, “Ms. Serena hasn’t given me a dime. It’s just that I saw her looking so pitiful this morning, sitting alone on the garden bench, without a soul by her side. She has always been the center of attention; how could she not feel the chill of being neglected?”
“That’s her feeling neglected?” Louisa retorted with a hint of anger, “She’s been bullying Bella for half a year, in the open and behind her back. Did she ever consider Bella’s feelings? That’s far worse than feeling neglected! I sent her to the guesthouse to reflect, to realize what she’s done wrong, not to concoct these distractions!”
If this were the past, Serena’s muffins and biscuits would have been devoured by Louisa without a crumb left. The letters written by Serena would have been read by Louisa, word for word.But not this time. Louisa felt that the girl hadn’t truly grasped the gravity of her mistakes, just trying to charm her way out of that house, playing the same old sympathy card.
“If you really can’t stand seeing her like this, then we’ll have someone else deliver her meals!” Louisa moved on, closing the conversation.
“No, Mrs. Collins.” Betty saw their minds were made up and called out again, “Mr. Collins.” But even Kenneth didn’t respond.
Watching their resolute and indifferent backs, Betty steeled her heart and ran to find Mirabella.
Mirabella had just settled into the driver’s seat, about to close the door, when Betty blurted, “Ms. Serena wrote you a letter; won’t you give it a glance? And the breakfast she made, you haven’t even tasted it.
She truly realizes her mistake and wants to apologize! It’s almost New Year.”
“If she really realized her mistake, you wouldn’t be here being used by her.”
Betty froze, not understanding what that meant.
“Your hand.”
With Mirabella’s reminder, Betty realized she was still clutching the car door and quickly let go.
Mirabella shut the door, stepped on the gas, and drove off, leaving Betty somewhat dazed, watching the car disappear. Ms. Mirabella’s words puzzled her. Serena hadn’t used her at all; it was she who felt pity for Serena and wanted to help.
Her phone rang at that moment. It was a call from Serena, who acted in a polite and amicable way, treating her not like a servant but like a friend.”Serena, they didn’t touch your breakfast, not a single bite, and they didn’t even glance at the letter, let alone hold it in their hands.”
Serena’s heart sank; she had never expected them to be so heartless this time. They didn’t even consider her dignity in front of the staff; not a shred of respect was given!
“Serena, don’t be too down. Mr. and Mrs. Collins just want you to realize your mistakes and straighten up. Give it a few days, and they’ll cool off. Everything will be back to normal.”
Serena knew it wouldn’t be that easy this time, but she still managed a polite response, “Thanks, Betty.
I’m okay. You’ve done me a solid already. The gift was delivered; it’s their choice not to look at it or taste it. I was in the wrong from the start. It’s not on them. You’ve done a great job.”
Betty felt so sorry for Serena. Mr. and Mrs. Collins had never treated her like this before, but all she could offer was a few words of comfort.
Meanwhile, Mirabella parked her car in the underground level of a sprawling shopping mall and took the elevator up to the ground floor.
Carol had been waiting there and upon she saw Mirabella, her face lit up with a radiant smile, “Bella, over here!”
“Carol, long time no see,” Mirabella was relieved to see her standing there, healthy and vibrant, a stark contrast to her previously frail appearance. She felt genuinely happy for her.
“It’s been ages since we caught up. I heard from your brother you’ve been overseas saving lives and back home juggling work, barely touching the ground. Catching you for a moment seems like a feat,”
Carol said as she linked arms with Mirabella.
“I’m used to this jet-setting lifestyle. Where’s he?”
“I sent him packing. Didn’t want him to third-wheel our girls’ day out.” Carol led Mirabella into a quaint flower shop next door, “I only found out later that Crystal loved ice-blue roses.”The florist greeted Carol with familiarity and quickly apologized, “Sorry, we’re out of ice-blue roses today. They’ve all been snapped up.”
“Not even a single one?” Carol had hoped to buy some to join Mirabella in paying tribute to Crystal.
“Afraid not. That couple just cleared us out.”
The couple at the counter turned around after paying the bills, the man holding a lavish bunch of ice-
blue roses. Upon seeing Mirabella and Carol, the couple seemed taken aback, probably not expecting to run into them there.
“Mr. And Mrs. Temple,” Mirabella greeted first. They looked a few years older, perhaps burdened by bad news, their usual vitality seemingly dimmed.
Alger and Celeste couldn’t help but reminisce about the past when they ran into Mirabella, who had once been their daughter Crystal’s lifesaver. They remembered how Mirabella had fought tirelessly for hours on end in the operating room to save her.
“Bella.” Celeste greeted her warmly with a nod, before turning to Carol, “Carol, are you here to buy flowers too?”
Mirabella was surprised to hear Celeste call Carol by her first name, speaking with the kind of tender concern usually reserved for someone much younger.
Back in the day, Alger and Celeste believed that Carol was responsible for their daughter’s death. They harbored immense hostility towards her, treating her no better than an enemy. To think that now, their relationship had thawed to such an extent was baffling.
Although confused, Mirabella didn’t want to reignite any past animosity, so she quickly added, “The holidays are just around the corner, and New Year is only few days away. Carol asked me out to pick some flowers for visiting Crystal’s grave, and to choose some New Year’s gifts for you both.”
Upon hearing this, Alger and Celeste looked at Carol with surprise. Celeste even went so far as to say, “That’s very thoughtful of you, but there’s no need for flowers or gifts. Why don’t you come over for dinner sometime instead?”
Mirabella was even more startled. Celeste was inviting Carol over for dinner? And during such an important holiday as New Year. What exactly had happened during Mirabella’s absence abroad?
“I’ll come with Clark, and we’ll let you know in advance which day, Aunt Celeste, Uncle Alger.”
Carol’s way of addressing them baffled Mirabella even further. Was there really a blood relation there, or had they come to regard each other as family?”Alright then, we’ll head off to visit Crystal now. Take your time here,” Celeste’s demeanor was a far cry from the aggressive stance she once held. She nodded gently and, along with her husband, walked away.
Once they were gone, Carol picked out a bouquet of white roses and, linking arms with Mirabella, left the flower shop. As they walked, Carol began to explain, “Surprised I call them aunt and uncle? I didn’t find out until after I was reunited with my biological family. It turns out my late mom was her younger sister. By family hierarchy, I should indeed call her ‘aunt.'”
Mirabella was stunned, yet somehow it felt as if the universe had its own plans. Heaven had taken Crystal but hadn’t left her parents alone and desolate. Instead, Carol was brought into their lives.
“Do you remember that story my brother once told you, about when we got lost as kids?” Carol recounted, “I only found out later that the day we were separated was Crystal’s birthday. My aunt had invited our family to the amusement park to celebrate. It was crowded that day, and shortly after we arrived, my mom received a call that my aunt and uncle had been in a car accident.”
Carol detailed what happened, “My mom was frantic. She told my dad to watch us and ran to help. The accident was near the amusement park, and the woman who hit my aunt and uncle was in a panic, apologizing profusely and insisting on taking them to the hospital. They were injured, so my mom decided to go with them. Tragically, on the way, a truck swerved into their lane and accelerated. The woman driving was either too scared to react properly or something else happened, but she died instantly. My mom, who was sitting directly behind the driver, realized what was happening and shielded my aunt, protecting Crystal in her arms. After that, my mom was on death’s door and ended up with a lifelong disability, unable to walk. My brother and I were separated that day – I ended up in an orphanage, while he was taken by traffickers and sold to a family in a remote village. You know the rest.”
Mirabella sighed by the tale, which she had never fully known before.”My mom spent years searching for us but never succeeded. In the end, she died of illness.” Carol’s eyes dimmed as she spoke, “All these years, my aunt felt she owed my mom her life. If it hadn’t been for her invitation, if my mom hadn’t been rushing them to the hospital, if she hadn’t been there to hold my aunt and protect Crystal during the crash. They say the steel rod from the truck pierced my mom’s back and legs.”
Just the thought of that scene made Carol’s heart ache.
“My aunt believes that if my mom hadn’t been disabled, if she hadn’t spent every day crying because she couldn’t find us, her life would have been better. Our family wouldn’t have fallen apart, and dad wouldn’t have moved on so quickly with a new flame after she passed away.”
Carol’s eyes dimmed for a moment as she spoke, then she quickly added, “But I don’t blame my aunt.
None of this is her fault. If there’s anyone to blame, it’s that truck that swerved into our lane.”
If it hadn’t been for that truck changing lanes, the lady driving wouldn’t have crashed, and mom wouldn’t have ended up with a lifelong disability due to a steel rod piercing her leg. Dad wouldn’t have been so frantic after getting the call about mom being in the ICU that he lost track of the kids.
It all seemed like it was written in the stars.
“How does your dad treat you?” Mirabella asked softly, “Were he happy when you and your brother came home?”
“He just broke down crying on the spot, kept apologizing to us for not taking better care of us, saying it was his fault we ended up alone for so many years.” Carol’s smile held no trace of blame; instead she said, “He doesn’t know about Doom. We didn’t tell him.”
Mirabella nodded in understanding; after all, no one wanted their loved ones to live in constant fear.
“He only knows I ended up in an orphanage and then was adopted by a kind couple. Later on, I reunited with my brother, and then Crystal suffered indecent assault for trying to save my adoptive parents, and died because of fatal injuries.”
Mentioning Crystal weighed heavily on Carol, as if a mountain of stone pressed down on her, making it hard to breathe.They say that Crystal, with her last breath, made her parents promise not to hurt Carol and Clark.
That good-hearted girl, knowing her time was short, still used her last bit of life to protect them.
“Back then, Crystal had multiple fractures, breaks in her nerves, tendons, blood vessels, and her organs were damaged to varying degrees. Even if she had survived, she wouldn’t have been able to move her arms and legs freely, and there was a high chance she would have needed amputations.
Given her condition, she would’ve had to live with a catheter bag for life, never leaving her wheelchair, being fed by someone else. For her, that would’ve been unbearable agony.”
Especially she had someone she deeply loved and didn’t want him to learn that she’d been violated;
every day when waking up, she had to face herself in a wheelchair. She had always loved the arts, especially dancing. If she lost her arms and legs, it would have been a devastating blow. With her temperament, she truly would’ve preferred death over living like that.
“I’ll take good care of my aunt and her husband, give them more company and attention, to comfort Crystal’s spirit in heaven.”
Holding a bouquet of white roses in one hand and Mirabella’s hand in the other, Carol said, “For the New Year’s dinner, I want to visit my aunt’s house with Clark. We can’t go empty-handed. They’ve seen their fair share of jewelry over the years, and they have plenty. I was thinking of gifting something practical. I heard there’s this craft yarn shop at the mall which is all the rage with the girls. I want to buy some yarn and knit sweaters and scarves for them two.”
