Filed To Story: Returning to Her Not-So-Poor Family
“Just wait for me in the car.”
Mirabella stepped out of the vehicle, ascended the steps, and rang the doorbell.
After a moment, with no response, Mirabella rang the bell twice more, thinking that the old man probably wasn’t home.
She noticed a gap under the front door and thought of writing a letter and slipping the money through the gap.
Just as she was about to get paper and pen, an elderly man appeared, shuffling up the stairs. One hand held onto the railing for support, while the other carried groceries from the supermarket. He squinted at the young woman standing in front of his house.
Hearing the noise, Mirabella turned around, “Excuse me, are you Grandpa Arno?”
At the sound of his native language, Arno dropped his guard and asked warmly, “Which family are you from?
Why are you standing at my doorstep?”
“Professor Earwood sent me, Mirabella offered, seeing him struggling with the heavy groceries and moving to help. “May I carry that for you?”
“Logan sent you?” Arno clung onto his grocery bags, “No, no, you’re a young lady, you can’t carry this.”Mirabella’s hand brushed against his, and she pulled back, taking a moment to look at the elderly man in front of her.
He seemed to be in his seventies, with a head full of white hair and a hunched back. It appeared as if the few steps had drained all his energy.
But something about him struck Mirabella as odd.
“Let’s, let’s talk inside.” The old man was panting slightly, leading the way inside with his grocery bags.
Mirabella followed him in, closing the door behind her.
“No need to take off your shoes, you’ll laugh, but I haven’t swept the floor in days.” The old man laughed heartily, “Make yourself comfortable. I’ll put the groceries away. You’re Logan’s daughter, right?”
“No, I’m not.” Mirabella took control of the conversation, asking casually, “I heard you live alone?”
“Only this old geezer left. My son and daughter-in-law live far away. Logan is such a good tutor, and I found him through my son, you know. Logan must’ve told you that my grandkids only speak foreign language, and I can’t communicate with them.”
Mirabella smiled slightly, “It’s quite good for your age.”
Arno put the groceries away, washed his hands, and poured a glass of water for Mirabella.
“I don’t have much to offer, but you can have some water.” His movements were slow and clumsy. After placing the glass on the coffee table in front of Mirabella, he sat down and asked, “Logan sent you because?”
“He and his wife have to leave unexpectedly and can’t tutor you anymore.”Mirabella took out the note written by Taylor and the remaining money from her bag, “They wanted to apologize personally, but they couldn’t make it. They tried calling you, but you didn’t pick up, so they asked me to come.
This is the remaining tuition fee, Mr. and Mrs. Earwood insisted that I hand it to you.”
“They’re leaving?” Arno’s eyes showed a hint of sadness. Seeing Mirabella place the money on the table, he waved his hand and said, “Tell them there’s no need. It’s not much. They should keep it for their journey. I’m glad to have known them.”
Perhaps the thought of being alone again saddened the old man.
Mirabella replied calmly, “I’m sure you’ll find an even better tutor.”
“Thank you for your comfort.”
Mirabella picked up the glass and looked around the house, “You keep your home very clean.”
“It’s okay, hahaha. I used to farm for decades. My son finally made it, and I followed him abroad, but I just can’t sit idle. The flowers and plants outside are all grown by me.”
At first glance, Mirabella was taken aback by the profusion of flowers and plants outside. It was nothing short of a charming little garden.
“I feel terrible for making you travel all this way. Would you like some water? Oh, I also bought some bagels from the supermarket. Let me get them for you.” The elderly man rose shakily.
“No need to trouble yourself.“ Mirabella picked up the glass and immediately detected the faint scent of chamomile.
She looked up at the man’s retreating figure, bending down to retrieve the bagels from the bag, a task that seemed to require some effort. “I buy these bagels often. They have a decent taste.”
He shuffled back towards Mirabella, extending the bagels towards her with a warm smile. “Try them.”
Ignoring the water, Mirabella set down the glass and responded with a smile, “Chamomile and opium poppy, is this how you typically welcome guests, Grandpa Arno?”
The old man was surprised that she had identified the scents. Moreover, the woman’s clear and bright eyes showed no fear of her current situation, a testament to her strong psychological quality.
“What are you talking about?” Arno feigned ignorance.
“Besides these two, you also have incense burning.”
“Hahahaha.” The elderly man put down the bagels, laughing heartily. “When did you notice?”
“At the door,’ Mirabella replied calmly. “You mentioned that you’ve been gardening for decades and often do household chores, yet your hands don’t seem like they’ve seen much work.”So, Mirabella hadn’t offered to help him with his groceries and deliberately followed him inside the house, curious to see his next move.
“When you entered the house and put down your things, you acted tired and leaned on the side table.
At which point you switched on the incense burner?”
The elderly man seemed even more intrigued. “And then?”
“And then, when you went to pour the water, you first fetched an empty glass, filled it with water, and dawdled before coming out. By then, you had already spiked the drink, right?”
The old man’s smile grew even more benevolent. “Since you knew something was off, why did you dare to enter alone? You’re quite bold.”
“If I didn’t come in, wouldn’t I have missed the show?”
“Hahaha. You’re a remarkable young lady. Why not join me? I could use an apprentice like you.”
“So, what do you do for a living?”
“With your intelligence, you must have some idea?” The old man suddenly made a move, swiftly and not at all like a man in his seventies.
Mirabella retaliated, and a fight broke out in the living room.
After a few exchanges, the old man asked, “What is your relationship with the leader of the Triangular Zone’s Mafia Flame?”
He looked at her warily and suspiciously.
Mirabella raised an eyebrow, “You know him?”“Answer my question first.’ The old man scrutinized the woman in front of him. Aside from her long hair, which he hadn’t seen before, her physique, posture, and even her moves were strikingly similar to the Mafia Flame’s leader…
But wasn’t the Mafia Flame’s leader a man?
Could this young woman be his lover?
Or perhaps his direct disciple?
But the Mafia Flame leader’s moves weren’t that easy to learn!
Who was this young woman exactly?
Did the Mafia Flame send her to meddle in his affairs?
“What’s the deal between Mafia Flame and Carol?” the old man pressed on, “Is Carol with Mafia Flame now?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Mirabella quickly retorted.
She racked her brain but couldn’t place who this old man could possibly be. She hadn’t crossed paths with anyone this aged before, so how could he have guessed her connection with the head of Mafia Flame?
“No matter who you are, you’re coming with me today.”
He had to bring this young miss back to his superiors. She was suspiciously skilled, her moves eerily similar to the Mafia Flame’s boss, and she remained calm under pressure. Clearly, she had been specially trained!
If she was indeed sent by Mafia Flame to meddle in their affairs, then it was perfect timing to strike back at Mafia Flame!
It was time to settle old scores!
Arno unleashed his fiercest moves against the young miss but found her to be an excellent fighter with quick reflexes. The fragrance of the narcotic in the air seerned to have no effect on her!
“Who the hell are you?” Arno was beginning to feel outmatched. Mirabella had the upper hand with every move, and he felt more and more powerless to turn the tide.
This girl was too formidable.Mirabella planned to take him down with a few swift moves but was caught off guard when Arno hit a switch, causing the ceiling to drop a dozen iron balls, each about the size of a burger. If they landed on her head, she’d be a goner.
After effortlessly dodging the iron balls, she found the old man had triggered another switch and escaped through a hidden passage in the wall.
To avoid being led on a wild goose chase, Mirabella decided not to pursue him. She pulled out her phone and called Clark.
“Clark, I’ve met this Grandpa Arno. If I’m not mistaken, he’s likely part of an organization and deliberately got close to them.”
On hearing this, Clark instinctively asked, “Are you hurt?”
“No, but he got away. I didn’t feel like chasing him.” Mirabella added, “He approached them under the guise of a pitiful old man, probably trying to dig out information about Carol from them. This could mean that Carol has something they want.”
Clark had an idea of what those things might be and was determined to find out.
“Be careful on your end, and get them on a plane soon,’ Mirabella instructed.
“Okay; Clark’s eyes were on the dozens of men in black suits approaching him as he stood in front of the ranch house. He said softly, “Bella, I’m feeling a bit peckish. Could you grab me something to eat on your way back?”
Hungry?
New Book: Returned To Make Them Pay
On her wedding anniversary, Alicia is drugged and stumbles into the wrong room—straight into the arms of the powerful Caden Ward, a man rumored never to touch women. Their night of passion shocks even him, especially when he discovers she’s still a virgin after two years of marriage to Joshua Yates.