Filed To Story: Watch Out! She's a Mastermind Heiress (Isabella Patton) Book PDF Free
“It looks like you’ve been doing fine all these years. That’s good to know. We’ve got work to tend to, so we’ll leave now.”
Elaine quickly apologized, “I’m truly sorry, Luka. I didn’t think it would take this long.”
Vienna glanced at Elaine. She had long wished for her husband to mend things with his sister, but now, thinking about his nervousness when they prepared to leave home and Elaine’s indifference toward the meeting, she felt it was unfair.
“You can all carry on. We’ll head out now,” Vienna said softly.
Years ago, it was clearly Elaine’s mistake. If she wasn’t interested in patching things up now, why would she and her husband bother to be so warm and friendly?
Elaine’s eyes grew misty. Glenn, feeling for her, said, “Luka, Vienna, this delay was on us, but Elaine truly wanted to meet you.”
Luka’s lips curled into a faint, bitter smile. He found it hard to believe that Elaine genuinely wanted to reconnect.
Elaine could see the disappointment written all over Luka’s face, and it made her heart sink. “I’m so sorry, Luka. I’ve let you down again. Maybe I’m just too foolish to get things right. Here, this is for you. I promise I won’t bother you anymore.”
She handed Luka a finely crafted wooden box.
Luka frowned slightly. “That’s not necessary.”
“Luka, she worked late into the night to make this for you. Please take it,” Glenn urged.
“That’s right, Luka. Happy birthday,” Elaine said softly.
Luka was taken aback. He hadn’t imagined that after all this time, Elaine would still remember his birthday. Seeing her tear-filled eyes, he felt his resolve start to waver.
Luka opened the box and was stunned by the exquisitely crafted garment inside. Vienna, who was beside him, shared his astonishment. Although she wasn’t deeply rooted in the fashion industry, Vienna had, through years at her husband’s side, developed an appreciation for traditional craftsmanship.
The garment’s delicate stitching and embroidery were unmistakably handcrafted. They would have expected such workmanship from a seasoned tailor, but Elaine was the artisan!
Elaine, with no background in sewing, had managed to produce a piece with such intricate details, which meant she must have dedicated many days and nights to its creation.
“I hoped to finish it earlier, but I encountered some difficulties and only just managed it. I apologize for the delay, Luka; I wanted it to be a surprise!” Elaine confessed, her eyes watery.
Luka felt a warmth spread through his heart. Vienna quickly said, “Elaine, you should have told us sooner. We completely misjudged you, thinking you were indifferent when you actually hadn’t had the chance to explain.”
“It was my oversight that led to the delay,” Elaine admitted, feeling guilty.
Luka said, “We assumed you didn’t care about our gathering. Little did we know, you were preparing this beautiful garment for me!”
Luka noticed Elaine was concealing her hands behind her back, and upon grabbing them, he was startled to see her callused hands.
“What…” Luka was stunned.
Elaine tried to withdraw her hands awkwardly, but Luka held on to them. Glenn, who was observing, said, “She consulted numerous experts and spent a long time learning to craft this just for you!”
He jokingly added, “I’ve never received such attention.” His jest was light-hearted, as he understood Elaine had faced the early loss of her parents and it was Luka who had supported her through life’s challenges before she got married.
Moved by the revelation, Luka said, “Elaine, why didn’t you reach out to me earlier, you silly girl?”
“I thought you were still upset with me,” Elaine murmured, her voice small and remorseful.
“Ah…” Luka sighed. “It’s all in the past. Let’s not dwell on it. Now that I think about it, today marks 20 years!”
“I could have given this garment to you 20 years ago,” Elaine said.
Luka frowned as he questioned, “You began working on this twenty years ago?”
“Yes, before your birthday, I had planned to finish it early as a gift for you, but I never anticipated…” Reminiscing about that day brought a wave of sadness over Elaine.
Luka, puzzled, inquired, “But weren’t you supposed to be traveling then?”
“No, I was learning from a master craftsman.”
“Back then, Sarai told me you went on a trip,” Luka quickly said.
Elaine was caught off guard by his statement. They had lost their grandmother when she was away. Elaine was aware her grandmother’s health was failing and had planned to come back early. Sarai, however, reassured her that their grandmother was stable, prompting Elaine to stay and finish the garment for Luka as a surprise. She hadn’t expected that by the time she returned, their grandmother had died and the funeral preparations were already underway. The pain of that realization stung Elaine deeply.
When Luka confronted her, he rebuked her harshly. Feeling unjustly accused, Elaine remained silent, which only intensified Luka’s anger.
It marked the first time Luka had ever scolded her in such a manner. Overwhelmed, Elaine retorted, prompting Luka to suggest she take some time to reflect alone.
Glenn, hearing of the incident, took Elaine away. That marked the last interaction between Luka and Elaine for a long time.
Elaine attempted to reconnect, but Luka, under the impression that she had intentionally skipped their grandmother’s funeral and disrespectfully left during her time of reflection, felt too betrayed to respond.
“So Sarai deceived me!” Luka exclaimed, his anger flaring.
Elaine said, “She misled me too, claiming our grandmother was well. I planned to finish the garment and bring it to you, but by the time I returned, Grandma had…” Back then, not only was Elaine mourning their grandmother, but she also felt deeply wronged by Luka’s accusations.
Luka, for his part, believed his sister was acting selfishly, ignoring their grandmother’s health. He worried that his sister might become spoiled and maintained a strict demeanor towards her. Little did he know, it had all been a tragic misunderstanding!
Luka was overwhelmed with remorse. Realizing his mistake in trusting Sarai’s words, he reflected on his sister’s consistent good nature and thoughtfulness. How could he have ever believed she would act so thoughtlessly?
“I’m sorry. It’s all my fault,” Luka said, his eyes slightly red. “I’ve made you go through so much.”
“It’s okay, Luka. Don’t blame yourself. I didn’t explain things clearly at that time, and I had no idea Sarai would try to stir things up between us,” Elaine said softly.
Luka’s expression hardened, and his jaw tightened. He nodded. “Yes. How dare Sarai be so duplicitous! I will definitely make her face the consequences.”
His voice was firm, laced with anger, giving Elaine the creeps. She knew Luka very well. He appeared harmless and gentle. But if someone offended him, he became a different person. He would make sure that person regretted ever crossing him.
“We really have to thank Isabella. Because of her, your past conflict was put to an end, and she helped you two reconcile,” Vienna said, looking at Isabella with tenderness and affection in her eyes.
“Mom and Uncle always care for each other,” Isabella said softly. “Even without me, they would resolve their misunderstanding on their own. I know their love for each other outweighs any trouble.” She paused for a moment before continuing, “But from now on, let’s not lose trust in each other, okay?”
Luka and Elaine exchanged awkward glances, feeling a bit embarrassed. They were the older ones, yet here they were, being lectured by someone younger.
And to their chagrin, they couldn’t even refute it.
Luka smiled and said, “From now on, I will trust your mother.”
Isabella nodded with satisfaction, a warm smile gracing her face. “It seems we can continue eating now,” she said, her tone light and cheerful.
Upon hearing this, Luka and Vienna quickly returned to their seats. The earlier tension had melted away, and the conversation gradually became light and pleasant.
Luka served dishes to Elaine and her family. Vienna, on the other hand, ordered a few more dishes to be served.
Elaine quickly said, “Hey, there are so many dishes already. We can’t finish all of these.”
“Let’s eat to our heart’s content. It’s okay. If we can’t finish them, we can take them home,” Vienna said warmly, her voice filled with a comforting sense of relaxation.
Elaine felt a bit emotional upon hearing this. She asked gently, “How have you been doing these past few years?”
Luka replied calmly, “My company has declined, but I’m content. Anyway, I’m not after making money. My only goal is to promote our cultural heritage.”
Elaine nodded. She understood Luka’s character, so she was not surprised. But when she saw the stark difference in their lifestyle compared to before, she couldn’t help but feel a little heartache.
Vienna immediately saw through Elaine’s thoughts. She said warmly and reassuringly, “Elaine, don’t worry. Your brother and I are doing well. We don’t care about outward appearances. To us, inner peace is what truly matters.”
For example, today, you two have finally reconciled. This moment is worth everything.”
Elaine smiled warmly, her joy evident. “Glenn and I have decided to settle in Ansport. We can have more chances to spend time with each other, so we must keep in touch more often.”
“That’s great! Next time, you should come to my place for dinner. I’ll cook for you,” Luka said happily, his tone filled with genuine enthusiasm.
Their meal lasted almost two hours, filled with heartfelt conversations, laughter, and shared memories. But it seemed those hours were not enough. They were reluctant to part ways.
When Luka was about to leave, his phone rang. He paused and pulled it out of his pocket. He answered and calmly spoke to the person on the other end of the line. After hanging up, he looked at Elaine and said, “It was a doctor. Sarai is still in the hospital. Do you want to come with me?”
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.