Filed To Story: Returning to Her Not-So-Poor Family
“If Serena wants more, just have the kitchen make some, Eunice said decisively. Then turning to Mirabella, “You eat now, and we’ll have the chef prepare some for Serena later.”
“No need, Serena said with a strained smile. “This is plenty for me.”
The servants were in a bind. Should they instruct the kitchen to make more or not?Serena seemed upset, her feelings hurt. But once food had been placed in Mirabella’s bowl, it couldn’t be taken back. After all, Serena wouldn’t want it if it had been removed.
“Today’s breakfast oversight was on me for not instructing the kitchen to prepare a little extra” Eunice admitted.
“If you think this is enough, then tomorrow we’ll make sure they cook more of what you like. Just let the kitchen know in advance.”
“Thanks, Aunt Eunice.” Serena suddenly stuck out her tongue in a mischievous smile. “Don’t be so worried. I’m not picky. Just being able to sit and eat with you all is enough for me. It’s just a pie. I couldn’t possibly fight with my sister over it.”
Eunice wasn’t fooled by her niece’s playful facade, but Bard and Darren, less attuned to subtleties, thought Serena was just being playful, teasing them.
Darren laughed, “I thought you were so stingy that you’d fight your sister over a pie. When did you become such a tease? Eat up while it’s hot. My heart, having just recovered, can barely handle the suspense.”
Serena couldn’t help but laugh and ask, “Grandpa, do you really think I’m petty?”
“Of course not, my dear he reassured her with a smile. “In my eyes, you’ve always been the sweet and sensible girl, kind and generous to a fault”
Hearing Darren’s praise, Serena felt her spirits lift. She glanced at Mirabella, only to find her calmly eating her cereal, not even sparing Serena a sideways look.
A twinge of annoyance pricked Serena’s heart. She suspected that Mirabella was playing dumb, seething with jealousy on the inside.
After breakfast was over.
Serena wanted to put on a show for her family, but Eunice had taken a phone call and stepped away.
“Mirabella, come to my study, please,’ Bard called out.
Mirabella was about to text Romeo that it was safe to leave when her uncle called. She nodded and followed him upstairs.
Left alone with Darren in the living room, Serena saw an opportunity. “Grandpa, we just had a big breakfast, how about we take a stroll in the garden?” she cooed, linking her arm through his. “It’s been ages since we walked together. Do you remember when I was a kid, running ahead while you chased after me? I picked a little flower for you and promised that when I grew up, I’d buy you a bigger mansion and plant the most beautiful garden.
You used to say that all you needed to be happy was for me to visit and walk with you.”Darren looked outside at the snowy landscape, hesitating, but Serena’s enthusiasm won him over.
Serena was thrilled. Before stepping out, she didn’t forget to instruct the help, “Take a few pictures of us from behind, will you? For Facebook.”
Once they stepped outside, a bone-chilling wind made them shiver.
“Grandpa, do you know? When my sister first came back home, I was totally stunned. I couldn’t believe I wasn’t the biological Collins.’ Serena confided.
Darren’s teeth chattered with cold. The mansion was warm and cozy, but outside was another story.
To make matters worse, he was wearing slippers.
Even with thermal socks, the biting wind made it hard to walk.
“I was so afraid of losing you all. I’m thankful she let me stay. Walking with you is wonderful, like reliving my childhood; Serena mused, resting her head on Darren’s arm, hoping for a picture-perfect moment.
However, the help found that Serena’s thick pajamas and wind-tossed hair, combined with Darren’s hunched, shivering posture, did not make for a beautiful picture.
“Grandpa.” Serena snuggled closer, admiring the snowy landscape.
Darren, puffing white breaths, suggested, “Serena, it’s too cold. Let’s go back inside and have some coffee. I haven’t heard you play the piano in a long time.”
“Grandpa, I didn’t tell you, but I won first prize at the last piano competition!” Serena boasted, not mentioning that Mirabella’s piano skills surpassed her own.
“Really? Then I must reward you properly!” Darren was hoping this meant they could go back inside.But Serena pressed, “What will you reward me with? Clothes, jewelry, or something else?”
Darren was too cold to think. “Whatever you want, I’ll buy it for you,” he said blankly, dreaming of the warmth inside.
His lips had turned a pallid shade of blue from the cold, and all he wanted was to hurry back to the main house.
Just then, the sky began to drop its snowy payload, a blizzard of flakes whisking through the air with each gust of the biting wind.
The snow fell with such intensity, as if the heavens were furiously sowing seeds in a relentless barrage.
“Snowing, huh?” Serena couldn’t believe their luck, grasping her grandfather’s hand with a tinge of regret.
“Guess we’ll have to take our walk some other time.”
Darren was of the same mind, silently relieved at the prospect of returning indoors.
A servant not far off raised their phone, aiming to capture a snapshot or two of the scene.
Seized by a sudden inspiration, Serena thought if she were to break into a gentle run with her grandfather, the visual would be absolutely charming!
Yet, as she took her first strides, her feet clad in slippers betrayed her on the slippery ground.
Because she was holding onto her grandfather, both of therm tumbled to the ground in a heap.
The servant, who had just captured the moment, rushed over in alarm to offer assistance.
The snowy conditions had made the ground treacherously slick, and the domestic footwear that Serena and Darren donned offered no traction, ensuring their spill.”Grandpa, are you alright?” Serena, less concerned for herself, saw her grandfather’s pained expression and quickly offered her support, “Let me help you up.”
“Serena, don’t move him!” The servant shouted from a distance, “Let me do it!”
Serena felt a sting of irritation. How dare a servant stop her? Was he trying to steal the limelight?
“Mr. Darren’s fallen and we can’t just yank him up willy-nilly. If he’s hurt, it could make things worse;’
said the servant, crouching down to Darren and asking gently, “Sir, do you feel dizzy at all? Any nausea?”
Serena was already annoyed from being shouted at, and hearing the servant ask seemingly trivial questions only fueled her anger.
“What are you on about at a time like this? Grandpa’s still sitting on the cold, wet ground, and with the snow coming down like this, if you won’t help me, at least hurry up and help him up!” Serena took the opportunity to settle her earlier grievance.
But the servant didn’t arque with her, instead patiently explaining, “Serena, please, I’m just trying to see if he’s hit his head and if he’s still lucid.”
After this, the servant turned back to Darren and asked in a soft tone, “Sir, can you move your limbs?”
If he couldn’t move his hands or feet, it might indicate a fracture. Trying to stand up in such a case could lead to bone displacement and cause secondary injuries.
“lL can move. it’s just that my back hurts something fierce.”
Darren had landed squarely on his back when he fell, and now the pain was so intense he could hardly move.Serena, still feeling guilty for a past incident that had led to her grandmother getting hurt, was now worried about what her uncle and aunt might say once they found out. She didn’t want to tarnish her image in their eyes.
“Grandpa, let me rub it for you!”
No sooner had Serena started to rub Darren’s back than she heard his pained cries.
“Serena, you can’t rub it!” the servant interjected urgently, “Rubbing like that after a fall can worsen the injury, lead to swelling, and even misalignment.”
Serena hadn’t realized there were so many complications to consider, “Then what are we supposed to do?”
They couldn’t just sit there indefinitely, after all.
“Ms. Bella will know what to do. I’ll go fetch her!”
The servant had barely taken a step when Serena’s sharp voice cut through, “By the time you’re done running around, Grandpa’s either going to be in agony or frozen stiff. Let’s see if he can stand up first, we can talk about everything else back inside!”
The last thing she wanted was to lose face in front of Bella and she certainly didn’t want Bella stealing the spotlight!
“I’m fine.” Darren didn’t want his granddaughter to worry. He tried to stand, grimacing with the sharp pain in his back, groaning several times before. With the help of his granddaughter and the servant, he managed to get on his feet.
In the study.
Bard spoke softly to the girl before him, “How did you find evidence about all those past incidents?”
Some of these things happened months or even years ago, yet Mirabella had managed to uncover evidence of Calvin and Arlen’s schemes against her grandparents. It was no small feat.
“It was actually something I overheard from your staff. Only a few people knew about my grandparents’
travel plans. I had them list those people and started looking into them. Eventually, I cracked Mr.
Clarence’s phone, exported his chat logs with others, and traced the connections from there.”
“You know how to crack into people’s phones?” Bard was surprised but nodded in acknowledgment, “Makes sense. If you can tamper with multiple security systems, what’s a single phone to you?”
Bard laughed, “Bella, you keep impressing me. You’re going places, kid”“You flatter me, Uncle Bard.”
“How was Grandpa’s mood in the OR last night?” Bard couldn’t help but ask with concern.
“Disappointed, heartbroken, and furious,’ Mirabella summarized succinctly, “But he came to terms with it later.”
“That’s good to hear.” Bard sighed in relief, “I was worried about his emotional swings causing more health issues when he called you to his room last night.”
“He was indeed unwell, with a headache and feeling irritable. I gave him some acupuncture, and he fell asleep after that.”
“Thank goodness for you.” Bard looked appreciatively at the girl before him, “You’ve had to carry so much on your slender shoulders lately. This family owes you a lot, and yet we still lean on you.”
“You’re too kind, Uncle Bard. I’m happy to contribute to the family”
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.