Filed To Story: Returning to Her Not-So-Poor Family
Meanwhile, they were escorting Mirabella to the hotel in a car convoy, with Romeo’s vehicle leading the way. A fleet of a dozen vehicles cleared the path, an impressive sight to behold.
“She’s living a nightmare,” Hans commented on Serena’s current plight.
Sean was blunt, “Serves her right. We didn’t even need to mark her face; just letting her be was mercy enough. Once Bella’s true status is revealed, I’ll be the first to expose Serena’s lies.”
Soon, the media camped outside the hotel caught sight of a top-tier luxury car pulling up, and out stepped Erlinda, the head honcho of the Archer family!She was decked out in a QY gown, looking every bit the competent and assertive businesswoman despite being in her forties, her eyes sharp with the acumen of a successful entrepreneur.
Since her father’s death, she had single-handedly run the family’s century-old business, making waves in the business world.
“Even Erlinda is here too!”
“What on earth is the Collins family announcing today that even Erlinda is in attendance?”
“Let’s try to get an interview with her.”
“Ms. Archer, may we have a moment of your time? Could you answer a few questions for us?”
Erlinda seemed to anticipate their queries, maintaining her authoritative aura with a nonchalant air, “It’s a happy occasion. That’s all I can disclose for now. You’ll find out soon enough.”
As she entered the hotel, the crowd noticed she, too, was wearing a QY gown, complemented with a stylish and warm QY shawl.
Everyone arriving seemed to have a special preference for QY. Had they agreed in advance to wear this brand, or was there another reason?
A fleet of luxury cars rolled up to the hotel entrance, gleaming under the afternoon sun. Stepping out were seven sprightly gentlemen, each a paragon of vitality and grace.
There was the grandmaster of chess, Eugene, whose name was synonymous with the game itself.
The maestro of melodies, Regan, who could charm the soul with any instrument in his hands.
Nelson, the renowned calligrapher and painter, whose works were sought after across continents.
Beck, the illustrious president of Westerly College, famed for his medical prowess that could cure the incurable.
Brandy, the erudite head of Summerfield College, renowned for his encyclopedic knowledge and multifaceted talents.
Uriah, a retired political figure, now celebrated for his culinary genius and impressive agility.
And Thomas, a former hacker and racing prodigy known for his love of tinkering with gadgets.
The assembled journalists were agog, hardly believing their luck at catching so many luminaries in one place!
They swarmed towards the men, microphones thrust forward.
“Mr. Eugene, we’ve heard whispers of a favored protégé. Any truth to the rumors? Might we have a name?” one reporter asked eagerly.
“Sir, whose invitation swayed you to grace the Collins family’s press event with your presence?”
inquired another.
“Mr. Nelson, when might the world be graced with your latest masterpiece?””What’s the big reveal from the Collins family today? Any hints?”
The questions flew thick and fast, but the gentlemen simply smiled benevolently. One of them, in a warm voice, teased, “All in good time, my friends. All in good time.”
As they watched the dignified retreat of the group, the internet was already in a frenzy. Whether it was the Collins family’s clout or the McMillian family’s pull that had gathered such esteemed individuals, it was a marvel indeed—a testament to connections and influence!
Then, another procession of high-end sedans arrived, stopping in an impressive display at the hotel’s doorstep.
The bodyguards exited first, forming two neat lines, as a chauffeur stepped out to open the car door for a young lady.
She emerged in a stunning gown, her features delicate and eyes sparkling with vitality. Her neck was adorned with a regal tiara necklace, layered above a necklace of deep sea blue, both jewels sitting on her porcelain skin as if they were made just for her.
“Who is she?”
“Does anyone know her identity?”
“Look at her neck! What is she wearing?”
“That’s Shirley’s heirloom tiara necklace and Mrs. McMillian’s sapphire piece—never thought they’d look so good layered together!”
“Didn’t Shirley and Mrs. McMillian say earlier? Those necklaces are for Romeo’s fiancée. But who is this girl?”Mirabella stepped forward, and the tall, noble Romeo emerged from another vehicle.
He and the five dashing Collins boys approached the girl, meticulously adjusting her gown, as they followed her in a protective entourage, like knights escorting their one and only princess.
Her beauty was almost too much, her skin fairer than snow, and her eyes shone with a pride and coldness that was mesmerizing.
The journalists were struck dumb, and even the seasoned photographers forgot to snap pictures, all wondering about the identity of this mysterious girl.
Thank goodness for live streaming.
The online crowd erupted in heated debate, with comments flying across the screen faster than the eye could follow.
“Man, that girl is drop-dead gorgeous. ‘A beauty beyond compare’ is an understatement!”
“Does anyone know who she is? How did she get the five esteemed Collins boys and Romeo to bend over backward for her, quite literally.”
“Isn’t that the necklace Shirley left for her granddaughter-in-law, and the one Mrs. McMillian passed down to her daughter-in-law? Could she be Romeo’s fiancée?”
“But if she’s Romeo’s fiancée, where does that leave Serena??”
“Such a grand event today, and no sign of Serena? Where is she?”
“Yeah, where did Serena go?”
“What on earth is going on? Could there have been a switch in fiancées?”
“No way! If there was a new fiancée, would both families be getting along like this?”
“To book an entire luxury hotel for the Collins family on New Year’s Day so they can hold a press conference shows the families are close. But why are all the Collins brothers and Romeo bending over to lift this girl’s dress? That gesture is a clear sign of deference!”
Everyone was baffled by the situation, and the buzz had already crashed several social media platforms multiple times.When the media on-site and the photographers snapped out of their daze, all they caught was their retreating figures entering the hotel.
Flashes kept going off as all the reporters swarmed in pursuit, but they were a step too late.
Mirabella, clad in an exquisite gown, entered the elevator, her elegant updo giving off an ethereal vibe, as if she were a celestial being untouched by worldly matters. Romeo and her five brothers lifted her gown’s hem, escorting her into the elevator.
Outside the hotel, a parade of movers and shakers from various industries followed suit – some were relatives and friends of the Collins family, others belonged to Louisa’s side of the family, and then there were Mirabella’s own friends and trusted associates.
Once everyone had arrived, the media was finally invited to the banquet hall. Unseen was the fairy-tale world that unfolded before their eyes.
A vast canopy of twinkling stars, spheres from the Milky Way, and glittering stars served as blessings, while luminescent, fluttering butterflies could be seen everywhere. An array of flowers combined to create grand visuals, and swathes of white lights constructed a castle.
The scattered starlight and the lunar haze gave the illusion of stepping into the most beautiful, pure, and romantic dreams of a young girl.
The media and photographers feverishly captured the scene.
The Collins family had outdone themselves, hosting two hundred tables for some sixteen hundred guests – aside from the hundred-plus reporters and handful of photographers, everyone else was connected to the Collins and McMillian families or to Mirabella herself.The lights dimmed, highlighting Kenneth and Louisa as they rose and walked down a luminescent path, flanked by tables, towards the dreamlike circular stage at the far end, with the white castle and fantastical stars as their backdrop.
Kenneth, visibly moved, took the microphone, his eyes surveying the gathered crowd.
“First off, I want to express my gratitude to all of you for taking time out of your busy schedules to attend this press conference hosted by the Collins family. We invited you here today because we have a major announcement to make.”
Louisa stood poised on the stage, declaring, “I, Louisa, along with Kenneth, am thrilled to announce that Mirabella Collins, our daughter who was lost to us for eighteen years, was found and returned to us six months ago.”
With those words, the entire assembly was taken aback, and even the media didn’t miss a beat, snapping away at this explosive revelation.
They had a daughter who’d been lost?
When did this happen, and why was it only being announced now?
“Bella, come up here,” Louisa beckoned with a loving smile, her eyes soft with maternal affection and tenderness.
The spotlight found Mirabella, her features as perfect as a painting, exuding an air of cool elegance and an otherworldly charm that was both high-class and captivating.
Romeo and Mirabella’s brothers bent down to adjust her dress, and then watched her take each step towards the stage with a mix of pride and anticipation.
No one in the crowd had anticipated that Kenneth and Louisa, the town’s golden couple, had a daughter who had been lost to the world for eighteen years. And no one could have imagined just how strikingly beautiful she would be. She had a serene grace about her, an air of noble elegance that seemed otherworldly, sparking a buzz of conversation.
“She’s absolutely stunning. To think she could look so regal after being away for so long.”
“That grace is just unparalleled.”
“Royal blood flows in her veins. She was never destined for mediocrity. But where’s Serena today? I haven’t seen her around.”
“Yeah, where is Serena? Could it be she’s not their biological child?”
“You think there’s some soap opera twist here?”
The chatter reached Mirabella’s ears, but she didn’t show the slightest concern. Instead, she approached her parents with a sweet and compliant demeanor.
Kenneth, unable to hide his excitement, made the introduction. “Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce our long-lost daughter, Mirabella.”
As his words faded, the room erupted in enthusiastic applause, a symphony of genuine warmth that was as stirring as a powerful piece of music.