Filed To Story: Returning to Her Not-So-Poor Family
“I told her.”
Bard gently caressed his wife’s face. “Look how upset my sweetheart is.”
Eunice couldn’t help but chuckle at his antics.
With a doting tone, Bard asked, “Did you find anything you liked shopping today?”
“Oh yes, the new season’s collection is rather fetching.”
“And what did you get for Bella?”
“Clothes, shoes, handbags, a bit of everything. I’ll take her out for some jewelry another day.”
“How come you didn’t use my credit card?”
He had waited all day and hadn’t received a single bank notification.Eunice flashed a coy smile. “A mere three million, I can handle that.”
“And what about you? Didn’t you treat yourself to anything?”
“Bella got me gifts! The entire trunk is filled with presents from her, Eunice beamed, her smile radiant and enchanting.
“Look at how happy you are,’ Bard smiled, catching her infectious joy.
“It’s my niece’s token of affection.” Eunice straightened his collar, “There are a few things in there for you too.”
Bard lit up, pleasantly surprised, “For me as well?”
“Of course. Our niece is nothing if not fair.”
“Is it a suit?”
“Suits, shirts, ties, she got it all.” After adjusting his collar, Eunice gazed at him with eyes full of love.
“Then let’s pick up Serena and head home to see our gifts. As for her,’ Bard wrapped an arm around Eunice’s shoulder, glancing at the sack on the ground, “her fate, alive or dead, we’ll leave in the hands of the Almighty.
Eunice couldn’t be bothered with the sack anymore and walked away with Bard.
Serena listened as their footsteps faded and the car drove off. She dared not move until several minutes had passed, ensuring they wouldn’t return. Only then did she start to whimper for help.
At that moment, the fruit shop nearby was closing, and a clerk, carrying out the trash, spotted the sack on the ground. Hearing muffled cries for help from within, she was startled but quickly untied the ropes sealing it.Serena was finally exposed to the outside world, her eyes adjusting to the light as large snowflakes fell from the sky. Her phone was ringing non-stop on the ground.
The clerk saw the blood on Serena’s mouth and her filthy appearance – stained with wine and muck –
and hastily helped her to her feet.
What on Earth was going on here?
“Hey, are you okay?” The clerk, seeing she was a girl and probably not up to no good, picked up the dropped cellphone and handed it over. “Is this yours? How’d you end up in a sack? You should head home quick, alright.”
Serena didn’t know how long she’d been out of it until the clerk left and her phone started ringing again.
That was when she finally snapped out of it and saw ‘Uncle Bard” flashing on the screen, but she couldn’t bring herself to answer.
Sitting in his car, Bard had called Serena three times with no answer, and he was starting to worry.
“Could something have happened?° “You said she called you for help, mentioning she was being bullied?” Eunice asked.
“Yeah, Bard replied, worried his niece might be in danger. He was about to get someone to check on her when his phone rang.
It was Serena!
Trying to muster strength, Serena stood up against the wall, forcing a smile, and said with a light laugh, “Uncle Bard, you don’t need to come get me. My boyfriend just came by and he’s taken me back to the hotel safely. I’ve just finished taking a shower.
Bard, relieved yet surprised, said, “Since when do you have a boyfriend?”
“It’s a long story.” Serena teased sweetly, avoiding a lengthy explanation, “I’ll tell you all about it when we meet tomorrow.”“You mentioned on the phone that you were bullied? What exactly happened? Did you have a fight with your boyfriend?” Bard asked with concern.
“No, it’s not that.” Serena didn’t want to tarnish Martin’s image, especially since he was already no Romeo. To speak ill of him now would only make him seem worse.
She lied, “My boyfriend’s been tied up with work in Dawnstar, busy for a long time. He said he missed me, couldn’t get away, and wanted me to come see him.”
Serena could feel pain all over, but she endured it, standing and smiling, “I thought, it’s been a long time since I’ve seen Grandpa and you, especially since I heard Aunt Eunice is back. I couldn’t contain my excitement, wanting to visit you all. I planned to stay at a hotel tonight and come see you tomorrow, but I didn’t expect that as soon as I got to Dawnstar, while waiting for my boyfriend on the street, some thugs started harassing me.”
Bard frowned slightly, “Thugs? What did they do to you? Can you remember what they looked like?”
Serena was afraid Bard would check the surveillance footage and find out that she wasn’t harassed by thugs but was, in fact, the one who got into a scuffle with Mirabella and ended up in a sack, taking a beating.
So she lied again, “It wasn’t much, they just whistled at me and said a few rude things. I’ve never encountered such people before, so I got scared. Maybe they got bored when they saw me crying and left.”
Bard seemed unconvinced, “Nothing else happened?”
“Nothing. Uncle Bard, don’t worry. I’ve adjusted my attitude. Please don’t tell my parents about this. I’m eighteen now. I should start facing this complex world. If you tell them secretly, they won’t let me go out alone next time.”Bard relaxed, not pressing further, “Alright, as long as you’re okay, I promise I won’t tell.”
Serena felt a lump in her throat and a sudden urge to cry.
“Which hotel are you staying at? Send me the address, and I’ll send someone to pick you up tomorrow, Bard offered.
Serena hadn’t actually settled on a hotel yet and chuckled, “No need, Uncle Bard, I want to spend some more time alone with my boyfriend. I don’t know when I’ll be free to visit you. Don’t bother coming to get me; my boyfriend will arrange that.”
“Then get some rest. Now that I know you’re safe, I can relax. If you need anything, just call me,’ Bard said warmly. “I’m glad you thought to call me. Will you reach out next time you’re in trouble?”
“Of course,’ Serena’s voice wavered, and she sniffled, “Well, Uncle Bard, you and Aunt Eunice should get some sleep too.”
“Alright; Bard said, finally at ease and hanging up the phone, content that she was safe.
Serena slid to the floor, her body unable to support her any longer after she hung up the phone.
Through the call, she could feel Bard’s genuine concern. It wasn’t just a show for appearances’ sake.
But as much as Bard cared about her, as close as they had always been, she now felt a vast distance between them.
All because of Mirabella!
Clutching the snow in her fists, Serena thought bitterly that if it weren’t for Mirabella, she would still be the darling princess of the Collins family, adored by all. Her brothers wouldn’t despise her, her aunt wouldn’t have struck her, and she could still be acting coy with her uncle like before.
How wonderful those days were?
It was all Mirabella’s fault that she had fallen into such a state!
The cold snow melted in her palm, but she couldn’t feel the chill, her eyes brimming with hatred towards Mirabella.
Her phone rang repeatedly until she snapped back to reality and answered it.
“Sorry, Serena, the traffic was a beast, I’m just downstairs at the restaurant now. Where are you?” the driver apologized profusely over the phone.
“I’ve already gone back to the hotel’ Serena replied icily, cutting off the call. She didn’t want the driver to see her in such disarray, lest it get back to Martin and make a bad impression.As the snow continued to fall, she struggled to her feet and made her way back to the hotel, step by step.
Along the way, she remembered her aunt mentioning that she had bought Mirabella a welcome gift worth $3 million. Serena’s heart swelled with discontent, fueling her disdain for Mirabella.
The next morning.
Just as Mirabella finished getting ready to head downstairs, a nervous servant suggested, ‘Miss Bella, perhaps you should get some more rest. Or maybe take a stroll in the garden through the back staircase. It’s best not to pass through the living room.”
Puzzled, Mirabella glanced up and asked, “Why?”
“Bess Griffith is here, and she’s a real piece of work.” the servant whispered. “Mrs. Griffith is already dealing with her. If you can’t go back to sleep, Miss Bella, why not enjoy the garden? Shall I bring your breakfast out there?”
“Sure.” Mirabella didn’t want to cause any trouble, and as she stepped into the garden, she saw a girl taking selfies on a swing.
Noticing Mirabella, the girl snapped irritably, “Is this Eunice’s idea of hospitality? I come all the way to see her and not even a cup of tea or a biscuit in sight. Hurry up and serve me!”
Mirabella regarded the snobby heiress and asked calmly, “Who are you to her?”
“What’s it to you?” the girl scoffed, looking Mirabella up and down. “Why’s a servant asking so many questions?”
To think a servant didn’t recognize her!Just then, another servant approached, trembling, with a tray of pastries and fruit. In her nervousness, she nearly dropped it.
“I’ve got it” Mirabella said, steadying the tray.
The poor servant was about to tell Bella that the young lady was also not to be trifled with.
But Mirabella had already taken the tray and placed it before the spoiled rich girl.
The girl, admiring her own reflection, was displeased when Mirabella delivered the tray.
“Is this what Eunice sends for my welcome?” she huffed.
“Is there a problern?”
“These are fit for a dog, and you dare present them to me?’ the rich girl flipped the tray onto the ground.
Fresh orange juice, milk, an assortment of six fruits, and four different pastries scattered across the grass.
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.