Filed To Story: Returning to Her Not-So-Poor Family
“Game on.”
They sat opposite each other, and Sean started recounting his adventures over the years in Belloria.
Back on David’s end. He tentatively texted his sister, asking what she was up to. No response. He tried calling her.
Five minutes passed, ten minutes, David was getting anxious, [What’s on earth going on? Don’t fool me around. If you want money, I can give you, but was Bella bullied by someone? Did you see it with your own eyes? How can she be mistreated since you are with her??]
Hearing his phone buzzed, Sean knew David was getting anxious. Sure enough, he bombarded Sean with messages, and when Sean didn’t reply, he resorted to calling him repeatedly.
“You’re pretty busy?” Mirabella was surprised at the barrage of calls within such a short span, “Why don’t you pick up? It won’t count against the game.”
“That wouldn’t be right,” Sean said, glancing at the clock. Only eight minutes to go. He continued to regale Mirabella with the story of how he first suspected something fishy about the fire at the health clinic.
Unable to wait any longer, David transferred the money. Sean’s phone pinged with a notification of the transfer, seven minutes left in the game.[Sean, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have taken your money before. Please tell me what’s wrong with Bella? Is it bad? I can’t stand the thought of her crying. I wired you the cash, now spill! Sean, my dear Sean, just reply, please! Just this time!!]
Sean glanced at his phone screen, and with a sly smile, Mirabella teased, “Sean, you lost.”
The rule they had set for their game was clear: No peeking at the phone, not even once.
“Ahaha, I did! I just couldn’t resist. A bet’s a bet.”
When Sean checked his phone, as expected, there was a notification for a deposit of 5 million dollars.
He considered the windfall a reward and without hesitation, he transferred the whole sum to his sister’s number through the mobile banking app.
Then he texted David, [Let’s see if you dare to trick me again.]
David hadn’t anticipated that Sean would actually pull a fast one on him. How scheming he was! Did he have to do this to him for 5 million dollars? He almost believed something happened to Bella!!
[You…you got me good!] David was at a loss for words, but relieved that Bella was fine, the weight in his heart lifted.
Mirabella’s phone chimed with the transfer notification as soon as she powered it on. She uttered immediately, “Sean, it’s just a game; you really don’t need to send me the money.”
She hadn’t intended to win Sean’s money; it was all just for having some entertainment with Sean since there was nothing much to do.
“Don’t you dare send it back. We agreed on the rules, and besides, spending money on you makes me happy. Plus, I’ll let you in on a secret: this cash came easy; I didn’t break a sweat earning it!” Sean’s mood was clearly buoyant as he added, “Get some rest. I’m gonna take a shower.”
As Mirabella watched him climb the stairs, her phone buzzed again with a message from David asking what she was up to, along with eleven missed calls.[Needs me for something? I was just playing a game with Sean] she texted back.
[What game?] David had a hunch that this game was somehow connected to the 5 million he’d just lost.
[Sean bet on who could go without touching their phone for half an hour. The winner got a $5 million prize.]
So that was it! Sean had swindled his money to cheer up his sister! Sneaky dog!
But in the end, it was all going into his sister’s bank account, so David couldn’t really feel bad about it.
As long as she was happy, so was he.
Louisa was strolling through the garden, arm in arm with Kenneth, when a servant abruptly approached with news.
“Mrs. Collins, Mr. Cooper is here. He’s waiting at the gate. He’s concerned because he hasn’t heard from Serena in two days and came to check on her.”
Louisa hadn’t expected such devotion from that young man toward Serena and casually instructed, “Tell him the girl has made a mistake and we’ve confined her as punishment.”
“Yes, Mrs. Collins,” the servant promptly replied and withdrew.
“Martin’s a good kid, too bad.” Kenneth couldn’t help but comment, “If only the girl knew how to cherish him, with Martin doting on her, she’d be living a charmed life.”
Walking behind them, Eunice, who was holding Bard’s arm, added in a soft voice after hearing what he said, “If she knew how to cherish her luck, she wouldn’t have ended up in this situation. It’s her own insatiability that’s to blame, not anyone else’s.”After a while, the servant returned, “Mrs. Collins, Mr. Cooper insists on seeing you. He seems even more anxious now.”
“I will not see him,” Louisa stated, not wanting to waste words.
“Mr. Cooper says he’ll wait outside until you agree to meet him.”
Kenneth sighed, “The boy always had determination. If we don’t see him, he might indeed wait out there for a night or two.”
After all, it was with that same determination and patience that he had built his successful business at such a young age and won Serena’s heart.
“Fine, bring him to the garden.”
If he wanted the truth, she might as well tell him everything and let him see Serena for who she really was.
With Louisa’s permission, Martin hurried through the door, following the servant with an urgent demeanor.
He found four elders seated around a patio table in the garden. Striving to keep his inner turmoil at bay, Martin greeted them politely, “I’m terribly sorry for intruding at such a late hour.”
Darren and Belinda had already retreated indoors, no longer wanting to be around the drama surrounding Serena.
Noticing that Kenneth and Louisa hadn’t responded immediately, Eunice spoke up, “There’s no need for formalities anymore. No need to consider us as uncle- and aunt-in-law.”
Martin was taken aback by her words, a mix of surprise and bewilderment crossing his face.
“Serena Lott is no longer our niece.”
Though Martin was clueless as to what had transpired, he said, “Mr. and Mrs. Griffith, I’m not aware of what Serena did to anger you so, but may I ask why her last name is Lott now? Did she find her biological parents?”
Eunice had confided in him earlier that Serena was not a true Collins by blood, but why the sudden shift from Collins to Lott?
“Watch these videos and you’ll understand,” Louisa said coldly as she pulled up the surveillance footage from the abandoned building for Martin to see.
The truth shook Martin to his core; chill ran down his body after watching that. As Serena’s boyfriend, he knew it wasn’t his place to remain seated. He stood and bowed deeply, “I’m so sorry. I had no idea Serena could do such a thing. She really crossed the line this time.””It’s not your fault. Sit down, there’s no need to be on edge,” Louisa always saw things in black and white. Martin wasn’t involved, so they didn’t blame him.
“The disappointment Serena has caused is unbearable,” Martin realized that simply locking her away wouldn’t be enough to quell the bitterness in their hearts.
“You’ve seen the surveillance, heard what was said. For the past six months, that girl and Martha have been tormenting Bella incessantly, including harboring a desire for Bella’s fiancé and shamelessly trying to seduce him behind the scenes.”
Louisa’s anger was palpable as she continued, “We raised her like a princess for eighteen years, and she turned out to be without an ounce of decency. To get what she wants, she’d even throw away her own dignity!”
Hearing this, Martin’s gaze dimmed with sorrow. He recalled the last outburst at Eunice’s house when Serena drunkenly claimed he wasn’t good enough for her and how she wanted to bear children for Romeo.
That incident had crushed him, shattering the devotion he had offered. Just as he pieced himself back together, the surveillance footage shattered him all over again.
It was only now he realized that Serena had been making advances towards Romeo even while they were together.
That scene at Eunice’s place wasn’t just Serena losing her temper. It was because Mirabella had caught her red-handed after being drugged, and in her drugged state, Serena ended up spilling her deepest, darkest truths.
“We Collins family had taken her in like one of our own, with open hearts and open arms. But how did she repay us? A good flogging would be too kind for her, and if Erik Lott doesn’t show up, it’s no skin off our noses. If his own daughter starves or falls ill, it’s on him, not us.”
Martin’s heart knotted in concern at her decisive words, “Mrs. Collins.”
The mere thought of death frightened him. He feared Serena might die of starvation just as Louisa said.
For such a grave matter, she must have got enough beaten up by the Collins family; if she didn’t receive prompt treatment after that and didn’t have anything to eat either.
The latest surveillance footage was two days old, which meant Serena could have been hurt and hungry for that long.
“Mrs. Collins. I know Serena has made grave mistakes, let you down, and broken your hearts. I know it’s your family business. How you choose to handle it is beyond my say, but Serena is my girlfriend.”
The room fell silent, their gazes turning to him in stunned disbelief. Did he hit his head or something?
“After all this, you still take her as your girlfriend?”
What sort of blind love was this? The girl was rotten to the core, and he still wanted her?
“Martin, we’re telling you the truth because we see you’re a good kid.” Eunice said, setting her teacup down with a casual tone, “Eighteen years of pampering couldn’t warm her heart. What makes you think you can? How long have you two been together? She was so consumed by her vanity that she didn’t even tell you the truth about being adopted, leading to that brawl with Romeo. What does that tell you?
You’re a spare tire to her, easily replaceable. She only settled for you because she couldn’t do any better.””Martin, we were like you once, believing she could change, and gave her countless chances. But you’ve seen the footage,” Bard couldn’t stand him getting stuck in this relationship.
“The Collins family’s reputation is clear to you. We wouldn’t lock her up if things hadn’t gotten this bad.”
Kenneth tried to reason with him, “You deserve better. Start fresh with someone else.”
“Forget what you saw today, and keep the Collins family’s business to yourself.” Louisa waved him off briskly, “From now on, you and she will part ways.”
But Martin had pursued Serena for six long years, and now that he had finally got the woman he loved, he couldn’t bear to see her fall into an abyss…potentially losing her life.
“Mr. and Mrs. Collins, Mr. and Mrs. Griffith, I know you mean well for me, but the time I’ve spent with Serena has been the happiest of my life. When I confessed my love to her, I promised that no matter what happened, I would never leave her. Serena used to be innocent and kind-hearted. Her missteps are partly due to the bad influences around her, and yes, being coddled since childhood, her immaturity and lack of resolve played a role, too. She’s definitely in the wrong this time, and her actions shocked me, too. But to watch her die, I can’t do that. It’s almost New Year, and keeping her here is just causing you more trouble. She’s been sheltered and frail all her life, and any misfortune would be bad luck, wouldn’t it? Why not leave her to me?”
They were all rendered speechless, not expecting the kid to be so bent on saving a girl who seemed beyond redemption.
“I know you want Erik, and I promise, within a week, I’ll bring him right to you.”
Eunice’s lips curled into a cold, beautiful smile, “You think you can do what we couldn’t?”
“I know what Erik wants, and the moment he shows up, I’m gonna catch him. I want to trade him for Serena’s life. Is that okay?” Martin pleaded as he bowed deeply, “Please.”
The four exchanged knowing glances, silently concluding that the kid was a lost cause. He was hopelessly devoted to that girl, Serena, who just couldn’t see it. Her heart had always belonged to Romeo.
“Just go home.” Louisa was adamant about not releasing Serena, “She’s hurt Bella time and time again. I’m not about to let her off the hook that easily. And to be brutally honest, if she’s really dying, it’s Erik’s fault. Why hasn’t he shown up all this time? If he can ignore his own daughter’s life or death, why should you, just her boyfriend, bother?”
“Mrs. Collins.” Martin began, but Louisa cut him off.