Filed To Story: Returning to Her Not-So-Poor Family
Sean’s gaze turned amused, “So, you’re saying it’s not your fault?”
“No, no, no, it’s my fault.” the manager pleaded, “I promise, it won’t happen again.”
“Are you saying that next time Hans shows up, you’ll have the guts to stop him?”
The manager could never have the audacity. When it came to the Collins family, the eldest and the fourth were the ones he never wanted to cross.
“Looks like you’ve lost your nerve, old-timer.”
The club manager nearly jumped out of his skin at Sean’s tone that made his knees weak, “Absolutely, Mr. Sean Collins. I’ll take the blame and resign, retire back to the countryside.”
“Who said you could leave?”
The manager was at a loss for words.
Sean leaned in closer, a careless smirk playing on his lips, “Next time someone comes in uninvited, I’ll throw you out the window of this fifth floor myself.”
The words were said in jest, but the manager was so terrified he felt a heart attack coming on. He hastily assured Sean it would never happen again.
Sean knocked the gift on the table to the floor without a glance and finished off his drink in one gulp. To persuade Hans to deliver a gift for her? His sister was proving to be quite a character.
As he stood to leave, the manager quickly said, “Mr. Sean Collins, you’ve forgotten your things.”
Sean glanced at the painting the manager picked up from the floor and dismissed it with a flick of his gaze, “Don’t need it.”
The manager couldn’t believe it. A personal gift from Mr. Hans Collins himself, rejected just like that.
Sean exited the VIP room, and a bevy of beauties eyed him, eager to chat him up but lacking the courage. They knew this man was as unpredictable as the devil himself, and even though they harbored the thought, they dared not approach.His assistant, Steward, saw him leave the club and promptly drove up, respectfully opening the car door for him.
“Mr. Collins.”
He was leaving so early today, which wasn’t Sean’s usual style.
His good mood soured by Hans’s interference, Sean said languidly, “Let’s go somewhere else.”
“The Kensing Club?” Steward glanced at him in the rearview mirror, trying to read his expression, then suggested, “Or the Vail Hot Springs?”
It was a hot spring resort Sean had bought years ago, the outdoor spring pool surrounded by beautiful gardens and mountains all year round, with snow-capped peaks visible in the winter.
Both the indoor and outdoor springs offered a great view and were a delight to soak in.
“What’s there to do?” Sean sounded utterly uninterested.
Not wanting to irritate him further, the assistant paused before suggesting, “Shall I take you home then?”
Perhaps Sean could get some rest. Seeing no response from Sean, Steward drove towards his residence, cautiously reporting, “The man in the basement cracked just a little. He admitted to being involved in that incident years ago, but he claimed ignorance about the main instigator or the real purpose.”
“Is that what you call cracking?” Sean scoffed, clearly unimpressed, “Seems like the beating wasn’t tough enough. Find some guys with more muscle to ‘entertain’ him properly.””Yes,” Steward had been with Sean for years, but the nonchalant cruelty in his boss’s voice always sent a chill down his spine.
When Sean remained silent, Steward continued, “Also, the old fart on the board said you’re too capricious, turning the whole industry upside down – everyone’s profits depend on your mood. He even suggested that the cat and mouse game a while back was all your doing.”
“Since when is my business open for discussion? A man on his last legs should be more concerned with saving up for his coffin.”
“I agree. A lesson is in order.” Steward glanced at the rearview mirror, “I’ll handle it; no trouble to you, Mr. Collins.”
“When have I ever been afraid of trouble?”
Right, Steward shrank a little, “One more thing, sir. Mr. and Mrs. Collins have called me more than once, asking when you’re coming home.”
Sean hadn’t expected his sister to be persistent enough to have their parents incessantly calling him for the past six months.
Even Hans, coming all the way to Belloria for business, had made a special trip here for her, hoping to get him to come home.
“Because you were looking into those,” Steward’s words trailed off as he sensed the icy gaze from Sean. He quickly corrected himself, “I mean, it wasn’t convenient to discuss with Mr. and Mrs. Collins because of your injuries, plus there are a bunch of things that need your personal touch, so I just told them you’d be back once you wrapped up.”
Sean smirked, his sister was clearly a master at playing her cards right. She even managed to get Hans, the most stubborn mule in the family, to run errands for her. The corners of Sean’s mouth twitched upwards in a smile, seemingly scornful by the girl’s petty schemes.
“Where is she now?”
She??
Steward caught on instantly, replying at once, “She’s got a competition coming up in a couple of days;
she should show up.”
“Should?” Sean’s voice lifted playfully at the end.
“I believe she’ll definitely make an appearance.”
Seeing Sean’s lips curl upward, Steward breathed a silent sigh of relief. Thankfully he hadn’t misspoken, or else he could kiss his holiday goodbye.
Early in the next morning, Mirabella had barely gotten out of bed when she received a message from Romeo.
“Got to head overseas for a bit, about two days. Will message when I get there. Get some rest, no worries.”
Just as Mirabella was about to reply, she got another message from one of her employees.[Boss, a royal princess is requesting your services for a custom gown. Are you available? It’s an overseas job, and she insists on you taking her measurements personally. Name the price.]
[When?]
[The sooner, the better. Also, our lab is short on a certain chemical; need to make a run to Belloria as well.]
[Book me on the afternoon flight then.]
[You got it!]
Mirabella messaged Romeo to briefly explain the situation, and then headed downstairs for breakfast.
Eight days until New Year’s Eve.
“What in the world is going on here! David and Bella are siblings, yet these rumors make it sound like they’re dating.”
“People’s imaginations are too wild. Can’t they just be brother and sister?”
Seeing her parents getting worked up, Mirabella couldn’t help but ask, “What’s going on?”
“Bella, there you are.” Louisa quickly put away her phone and served her a bowl of nourishing oatmeal, “It’s nothing; just some internet users speculating that you and David are dating. There’s even a bunch rooting for you two.”
Mirabella sat down, not understanding why the netizens were heating up the sibling topic again.
“They noticed the gown you wore at your concert was from the same designer as your brother’s tux.””That’s right.” Mirabella continued her breakfast, stating the facts, “It was indeed a spare gown from David’s collection.”
The outfits were all custom-ordered from the same brand; it wasn’t like she brought her own. However, the netizens probably didn’t know the whole story.
“When you sat down to play the piano, someone noticed you hadn’t changed your shoes, and they were a matching pair with David’s.”
Mirabella hadn’t expected such a small detail to be dug up. She looked at the photo Louisa handed her;
indeed, when she sat on the piano bench, only a hint of her shoes was visible. She never thought that would be uncovered.
“David gave them to me before.”
Never did she expect that David would show up in the same pair. It was all a coincidence, but to the fans online, it was proof positive they were an item.
Mirabella scrolled through a list the fans had compiled, outlining the ten pieces of ‘evidence’ that they were dating. One point was about a fan noticing the way David looked at her while singing – full of adoration, his smile brimming with affection.
And then there were fans saying, [Do you know who Summer is? Big shots in the industry can’t even invite her over, so how does David swing it? Because they’ve got to be dating, that’s how! Otherwise, why would David spend an entire night clearing up rumors for her about lip-syncing and plagiarism.
He’s got no obligation! They’ve got to be hiding something!!]
Mirabella was almost convinced by their deductions, especially when someone zoomed in on the in-ear monitor she wore while singing.
[I’m David’s die-hard fan, and I recognize those in-ears! That’s David’s favorite set – the pair he treasures most! I can’t believe he’d let Summer use them.]
[Their relationship must be pretty tight.]
Mirabella was at a loss for words. She had been a last-minute replacement onstage and hadn’t brought her own in-ears – was borrowing David’s really such a crime???
And then there were the countless fans who swooned over that hug on stage, claiming it was the kind of embrace only real lovers would share.
Next, they dissected the eyes beneath Summer’s mask, saying, “Those clear bright eyes, so full of life and grace, they could only belong to a young girl, not some older woman past her prime!!”So, they excitedly begged Summer to drop the mask and for her and David to go public with their romance – both their fan bases would celebrate.
“You and David are really trending magnets; anything you do hits the hot topics.” Louisa knew all too well that fame came with its baggage, “Thankfully, no one knows you’re Summer and Summer is you.
Otherwise, you’d have reporters camping at our doorstep. That would make life pretty inconvenient.”
As Louisa peeled an egg for her daughter, she added, “David used to avoid coming home often, just so he wouldn’t disturb the family.”
Mirabella hadn’t realized David’s fame came at such a cost, keeping him from home.
Meanwhile, Serena sent a message to Erik, eager to gauge her parents’ mood.
Relying solely on Betty for updates wasn’t enough – Erik was the family’s butler, and since Martha left, he was the one who truly knew their parents’ thoughts.