Filed To Story: Returning to Her Not-So-Poor Family
The staff, caught up in the excitement, crowded around.
“Ms. Bella, you were phenomenal! Between ‘Melody’ and ‘Summer’.”
“You really surprised us in the best way possible!”
“Who would’ve thought you’d overshadow David?”
“You’ve inherited all the best from this family, and then some, you’re just incredible!”
When Mirabella noticed the last servant’s voice was hoarse, she couldn’t help but ask, “What happened to your voice?””Your concert with David tonight. I got a little too excited cheering,” was the reply, which made Mirabella chuckle.
“I’m a huge fan of yours! Every time I clock out, I go straight to my room and listen to your songs,”
confessed the maid Coco, mustering the courage to pull out a notebook from behind her back. “Would it be too much to ask for your autograph? I promise it’ll be just for me.”
“Ms. Bella, I’d love an autograph too.” another maid, Ilana, held out her own notebook, a mixture of hope and nervousness in her eyes.
“Ms. Bella, I’d like more than an autograph, I’d love to take a picture with you,” said the third maid, Judy.
Seeing how much everyone adored his daughter, Kenneth cheerfully suggested, “Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s all take a group photo, come on.”
“Sir, we were hoping for a moment alone with Ms. Bella.” Judy bravely spoke up.
April added shyly, “Maybe we could take one with you later?”
After all, who wouldn’t want a pure picture with their idol?
Louisa, laughing heartily, teased, “Who wants to take a picture with you? Go on, shoo.”
Kenneth looked a bit lost, after all, wasn’t he a former tycoon? Didn’t anyone want a keepsake photo with him?
“Bella, are you too tired for pictures? Would you like to?” Louisa respectfully asked her daughter.
“I’m good, no problem,” Mirabella had barely finished speaking when several maids lined up in front of her eagerly.Louisa was amused all over again.
Mirabella graciously wrote blessings in everyone’s notebooks and signed “Summer’s” name, then took turns posing for photos with them, much to their delight.
“My turn!” Louisa declared, waving her glow stick one moment and linking arms with her daughter the next, even pretending to plant a kiss on her cheek.
“I want in too.” Kenneth, not to be outdone, squeezed in for his own photo with Mirabella.
“You’re blocking the shot. I’m not done yet! Just wait,” Louisa pulled her daughter aside for another angle and continued to snap away.
Kenneth could only wait longingly until his wife was satisfied with her photos, then eagerly stepped forward to take several more with his daughter.
After the photo session, Mirabella saw everyone busy editing their pictures and said with a soft smile, “I’m heading upstairs for a shower.”
“I had the kitchen whip up some sweet almond soup for you. It’ll be ready soon so we can bring it up to you.”
“No need, I’ll come down and eat,” I called out, trying to sound casual.
“Take it easy, hon,” Louisa hollered from downstairs, her voice tinged with a mother’s concern. “You’ve been spinning like a top all day. Try to clear your schedule for the holidays. I want to take you out for some fun.”
“Sure,” she replied, the word barely a whisper.
Meanwhile.
Serena’s Facebook feed was completely taken over by the concert updates. As she scrolled, she stumbled upon a proposal segment with a couple who bore an uncanny resemblance to Romeo and Mirabella.
She was so shocked that her phone slipped right out of her hands, clattering to the floor. She didn’t even bother to pick it up right away.
Mirabella did have a similar black coat. Serena had seen her wear it once. But the concert lighting was dim, and it was hard to make out any details.
If it was them, then their coats, their black masks, everything matched—they looked like a couple straight out of a storybook. Especially when Romeo dropped to one knee, ring in hand, proposing to Mirabella.
Serena couldn’t find the words to describe her feelings. Shock? Jealousy? Hatred? Something else entirely?
To confirm if the couple on stage was indeed them, Serena frantically searched through multiple social media platforms for any scrap of evidence in the videos and photos posted of the concert’s proposal segment.One user had captured the newly engaged couple’s kiss on stage and shared it online.
Despite the poor lighting, Serena recognized them in the instant they pulled down their masks—Romeo and Mirabella.
It really was them.
They had been on stage, kissing so intimately, so lost in the moment.
Absolutely shameless!
Especially Mirabella, always pretending to be aloof and above worldly desires, but crumbling at a proposal, kissing like that? What about her image?
Though she had the Collins family blood and was the true young lady of the Collins lineage, deep down she seemed just as frivolous, without restraint!
Serena stewed in envy for a long while until the surprise guest’s video took over her feed.
The guest wore a mask and a disguise, but the familiar silhouette, the movements, those bright eyes, and the shock on David’s face upon seeing this guest.
It was clear—the guest was Mirabella!
The envy was gone, replaced by utter astonishment.
Mirabella was Summer?
How could she be Summer?
How could she have so many identities?Considering Summer’s status was even higher than David’s, a mysterious international superstar.
If she was ranked second, no other female singer in the country would dare claim the first spot.
The shocking revelation made Serena shiver slightly, a chill creeping up her spine.
She couldn’t believe that Mirabella had another identity as Summer.
Mirabella’s many layers and the Collins family blood would only make her more valuable in their eyes.
What about Serena then?
The tinny ringtone of Serena’s cell phone brought her back from her reverie. Glancing at the screen, she saw Martha’s name flashing.
“Serena, are you okay?” Martha’s voice, tinged with concern, crackled through the phone.
“Martha, why are you asking all of a sudden? What’s wrong with your voice?” Serena detected a raspiness in Martha’s usually clear tone. Suddenly, she heard the clatter of something falling on Martha’s end.
Martha seemed to be reaching for the fallen object, and in doing so, must have snagged her wound, letting out an involuntary “Ouch.”
Serena’s worry spiked. “Martha, what’s happened? Are you not feeling well? Are you sick?”
“No, it’s—ouch—nothing.” Martha’s sharp intake of breath was audible.
“I’m sending a video call, hold on,” Serena said quickly.
She hung up and shot a video call Martha’s way, but Martha declined it.
Serena’s curiosity was piqued. She kept trying, and finally, Martha, seemingly with no other choice, reluctantly accepted the video call.
When Serena’s eyes met Martha’s bruised face on the screen, she gasped in shock. “Martha, what happened to you? Did you fall? When did this happen? You never mentioned it!”
“It’s nothing. Ouch.” Martha winced, possibly having aggravated her injury again. She steadied herself, holding her side and looking into the camera. “Serena, what’s with the bruises on you? What happened? And where are you? Isn’t that the guest room next to the main house? Why are you there so late, and still in your pajamas?”Having been with the Collins family for over a decade, Martha recognized the background in Serena’s video call. It wasn’t the lavish bedroom of Serena’s past.
The floodgates opened as Martha’s concern touched Serena’s already heavy heart, and tears began to stream down her face.
“Serena, why are you crying? It’s okay, tell me.”
Serena poured out the events that had unfolded at Mr. Eugene’s birthday party.
“So, because Mrs. Collins heard you were pretending to be Queena’s apprentice, she thought you were trying to punch above your weight. And then she found out you’d been badmouthing Mirabella, saying she sabotaged your engagement with Mr. McMillian. All because of these two things, she banished you to the next building?”
Serena nodded miserably.
“How can they do this to you? You only pretended to be Queena’s apprentice in front of some friends, and it was those friends who blabbed, not you. It’s their fault, not yours. And you even apologized to Mirabella in front of all those guests. What more does she want?”
Martha’s words struck a chord with Serena, who felt the sting of injustice all over again.
“If it wasn’t for Mirabella coming back to this family, you’d still be engaged to Mr. McMillian. It truly was Mirabella who broke that off, whether or not you’re the one who told people. There’s truth to that, isn’t there? Mrs. Collins shouldn’t have cast you aside over such trivial matters! They’ve cherished you for eighteen years. How can they just neglect you now, just because Mirabella carries their blood?”
Tears flowed once more as Serena felt the pain of her parents’ actions, deepening her sense of betrayal.
“Ever since Mirabella waltzed back into this house, you’ve been wronged. What’s the big deal in venting to a friend? Is Mirabella some kind of royalty that she can’t handle a couple of harsh words without keeling over?” Martha paused, her concern evident, “You still haven’t told me, how’d you get all banged up? It looks pretty bad.”
Serena recounted the series of unfortunate events at her birthday party, including the bullying by Alma, the beating she received at her doorstep, and her fall while chasing after her parents’ car, hoping for their forgiveness.
Martha’s eyes misted with empathy. “Serena, what did you do to deserve such treatment?”
“Martha, don’t cry.” Serena suddenly felt that, in this family, Martha was the only one who truly cared for her.