Filed to story: A Second Chance with My Billionaire Love
Flossie descended the stairs calmly and said bitterly, ’It’s okay. I wish I was possessed so I could get an expert to help me get rid of the demon, but unfortunately… that won’t help me this time.” “Don’t say such things. I know you’re upset. You can tell me anything. I’ll give you some advice.” Ava treated Flossie like a daughter and led her to sit in the living room on the first floor.
“It’s nothing much. I’m just being a fool in love. It isn’t a big deal,” Flossie admitted openly. She was afraid that they’d assume a demon had possessed her if she didn’t make it clear.
“Oh, things like that aren’t a big deal. Everyone goes through it at some point! Cole and I also broke up several times back then. I would be crying my eyes out every time, and I was worse than you. It’s normal!” Ava chuckled affectionately.
Flossie smiled. “I didn’t know that, Mrs. Joyner. Did you break up with Mr. Joyner?” “Yes, I did. In our village, I was a famous beauty, and he was the most handsome man, so our families always said that we’d be a couple. I guess we’re considered childhood sweethearts!” Ava’s skin was tanned and rough from the harsh weather, but she still looked as charming and happy as a young woman. Anyone could tell that her husband doted on her.
“No wonder Jeffrey got your good looks,” Flossie praised her. It was the truth-Cole and Ava were both very good-looking, and their son had inherited their striking features. His personality and height were also good, and if he ever joined the entertainment industry, his mixture of wildness and simplicity would help him go far. Many young women would be attracted to him.
“Ms. Flossie, you flatter him. Jeffrey is good but too naive. He’s never left this village, and it worries me sometimes. How he’s going to survive if Cole and I are gone…’ Ava sighed deeply. Both Ava and Cole were honest people, and the child they had raised was simple and ignorant. Besides, he was their only child. As they grew older, they became more worried about that silly son of theirs.
“Mom, don’t say that…” Jeffrey frowned and looked embarrassed. “You make it sound like I’m an idiot. I’m not that weak. I choose to stay here to take care of you both and help you. If I go out to make a living, I’m sure I can adapt to it.” Jeffrey didn’t want Flossie to regard him as a useless idiot, so he quickly tried to defend himself.
“Well, have you been away from the village or to the city? Do you know how to fly on a plane, ride a train, or use the subway? What can you do other than fishing?” Ava didn’t realize Jeffrey was trying to impress Flossie, and was upset that her obedient son was opposing her.
“I… I don’t, but I can learn. You both didn’t allow me to go out of the village because you didn’t want me to meet bad people. You both are the ones who didn’t give me a chance to see the world!” Jeffrey protested stubbornly, rebelling against his parents for the first time.
Flossie hurriedly tried to mediate the situation when she noticed that they were about to get into a fight. “Calm down. Mrs. Joyner, you’re worried that people will bully Jeffrey out there, and Jeffrey, you want to go out and prove yourself. It’s very easy to resolve…” Flossie looked at Ava and suggested, “Mrs. Joyner, why don’t you let Jeffrey leave the village and make a living out there? He’s still young, and there are many opportunities for him. If he goes out and sees the world, he might become a better person.”
Ava pursed her lips and sighed. “My son is uncultured. He’s just a bit handsome. What could he possibly do out there? If he goes to the city, he can only lay bricks or carry trays. He’d better stay home to fish. The sea is where he belongs.” “You can’t say that.” Flossie looked at Jeffrey’s nice figure and added, “I think he can try the entertainment circle given his good looks and temperament. Do you know Diego Jensen? He’s a kid from Janeria, and he’s doing very well now.” Flossie felt that Jeffrey’s simplicity resembled Diego’s, but he was more handsome than him. If a reliable company worked hard to dress Jeffrey up, he would have a bright future.
“Flossie, you’re being too nice…” Ava waved her hand dismissively. “He can’t join the entertainment field. We don’t have any connections, so if he goes there, he’ll be preyed on. Plus, he’s naive. I’m afraid he’s not suited for the field.’ “I’ll be his connection!” Flossie admired Jeffrey sincerely. She asked him,” Jeffrey, what do you think?” “I…” Jeffrey clenched his fists. “I love the sea, but… if it’s possible, I want to see a world other than the sea. I don’t want to be filthy rich, I just want to see the world.” He was uninterested in being a star, but he felt that he might get closer to Flossie if he chose that path and she supported him. He would leave the sea he knew and loved as long as he could be closer to her.
“It’s a deal. I’ll take you out of the village and let you see the world,” Flossie promised quickly. “I’ll find a good way out for you.”
Flossie spent a few more days at Joyner Village, and it was the most relaxing time she’d had lately. She woke up early to watch the sunrise and enjoyed the sunset too. She even went out to the sea with Ava and her family sometimes, and if she was lucky, she could see dolphins and swim with them. After a while, her injured heart started to heal, and eventually, the pain had almost faded completely.
One day, she was chatting with the villagers, and heard the legend of the sea witch again. They would always mention the horrible story of an adopted son killing his entire foster family whenever they mentioned the sea witch, and Flossie always wondered if the boy in the story was Quinton, her brother. Curious, she decided to go to the village her brother had stayed at because she wanted to know more about her brother’s past.
However, she wasn’t familiar with the area, so Jeffrey readily agreed to go with her when he found out her plan. When Cole and Ava heard that, they chose to support her even though they were worried. They made a lot of food and stuffed Flossie and Jeffrey’s backpacks with it.
“Garcia Village is far from here, so we packed a lot of food for you. You both can grab a bite if you’re hungry on the way,” Ava said kindly to Flossie and Jeffrey.
“Mom, what did you make? I told you Flossie doesn’t like pastries, so why did you give US so many biscuits? You’d better cook some seafood for her- she likes that the best.” Jeffrey fished out the buns and bread that Ava had put into their backpacks and ran into the kitchen. “Forget it, I’ll cook for her.” “Ah, Jeffrey…” Ava turned to look at Jeffrey, who had run into the kitchen. She sighed helplessly. “Flossie, please bear with him. Jeffrey might be a little rough around the edges, but he cares about you very much. He’s always seen you as his idol and only wants the best for you…”
Flossie smiled. “You flatter me. I have a lot of shortcomings he doesn’t know about. Once he learns about them, he’ll know that I might be worse than many others.” “Hey, how could you say that? You’re the most brilliant person we’ve ever met. Even Cole and I admire you.” Ava smiled, then asked Flossie curiously, “Why do you suddenly want to go to Garcia Village? After that incident, the village became strange. All the people moved away except the old and weak. I heard that people who went there would sometimes come back with bad luck… So, I don’t suggest you go if it isn’t anything important.’ The legend about Garcia Village had spread far and wide, and elders would always advise their children not to go near that village. If Flossie hadn’t wanted to go there, Ava would never have allowed her son to go.
“Mrs. Joyner, I’ll be honest with you-my brother grew up there, so I want to check the village out and see if I can find out more about his past. That’s why I have to go there,” Flossie said sincerely. She had only heard about her brother’s past from him, but there were still many things she didn’t know… like who had kidnapped Quinton from the hospital and separated him from his family?
Flossie wondered if the fisherman’s family had adopted Quinton willingly or been forced to. Maybe they knew something about Quinton’s family background. There was no point in listening to rumours-she had to go there and find out herself.
“Your brother?” Ava tilted her head, looking puzzled. “Shouldn’t your brother be living with you? Why would he live in Garcia Village? Did you live there when you were young? I’m sure you would have mentioned it if you did.” “It’s a long story. I’ll tell you in detail when we’re free.” Flossie didn’t say much because she herself didn’t know why Quinton had ended up in Garcia Village. She had to find out the truth on her own.
After a while, Jeffrey finally finished cooking the seafood and kept everything in a cooler box. “Let’s go, Flossie. I’ve made enough food for several meals for the both of US.” Jeffrey smiled brightly, looking like an eager child going out to play.
However, Ava looked worried and could not stop sighing. “Son, you must be careful when you get there, and protect Flossie well. You know that place is very dangerous. You cant-’ “Okay, Mom. Those legends are lies, and only kids believe them. I certainly don’t.” Jeffrey interrupted his mother’s nagging, impatient to leave. As long as he was going with Flossie, it was an exciting adventure, and he was looking forward to it very much.
Finally, they set off. Garcia Village was far away from Joyner Village, and was located in another bay 300 kilometers away. They had to ride a boat to go there, and luckily, Ava’s family owned a speedboat. It could take them to Garcia Village with a full tank of gas. After a few hours, they arrived at the dock of Garcia Village.
Garcia Village was nearer to the middle of the sea compared to Joyner Village, so the scenery there was more beautiful even though the village was practically deserted. Many fishermen’s houses were made out of mud, and a lot of them had already collapsed. At sunset, the village looked like a ghost town, and even though Flossie and Jeffrey walked through it for a while, they saw no one.
“Is there anyone around?” Flossie called out, trying to find a local villager.
As they walked on, they felt like something was off, and realized someone was following them. After exchanging a look, Flossie and Jeffrey decided to part ways. When they reached a junction, Flossie took the left path while Jeffrey took the right path.
Flossie heard someone stepping on leaves behind her, so she pretended to squat down to tie her shoelaces. Then, she swung around and grabbed the person behind her. “Got you!”
“It’s… you?” Flossie’s eyes widened in surprise when she turned around and came face-to-face with Daisy.
“Ah, I’m sorry, Miss…” Daisy ducked her head awkwardly. “I overheard that you both were going to Garcia Village, so I hid on the boat early so I could follow. I didn’t scare you, did I?”
Flossie was speechless. “Why did you follow US?” “Garcia Village is infamous for being dangerous, but you both decided to come here for an adventure. I also wanted to come here, but the most important thing is…” Daisy shoved Flossie’s hands away and said righteously, “I have to keep an eye on you so you don’t harm Jeff!” She firmly believed that the sea witch had possessed Flossie and that Flossie would harm Jeffrey, so she felt that she had to watch Flossie at all times.
“How could you…”.Flossie smacked her forehead and complained, “Your imagination certainly runs wild. Don’t you have to go to school?” “I stopped going to school ages ago. My mom said I’ll marry Jeff when I’m eighteen years old, so don’t you dare snatch him away from me. If you do, I won’t go easy on you!” Daisy planted her hands on her waist and warned Flossie rudely.
“Don’t worry, I won’t snatch him away… but I can’t guarantee if I’ll become the sea witch or not!” Flossie purposely rolled her eyes and pounced on Daisy with her fingers curled. “Oh no, here comes the sea witch!” “Ah, what are you doing? Don’t come here!” Daisy’s face became pale and she screamed, stumbling back in fear.
Jeffrey, who had been walking on the other path nearby, heard the screaming and immediately rushed over.
“Jeff, save me!” When Daisy saw Jeffrey, she hurriedly ran over to him and hid behind him. “This woman… She’s become the sea witch!” “Daisy? What are you doing here?” Jeffrey asked in shock. He didn’t remember a third person being on that boat. How strange!
“She hid on the boat beforehand and secretly came here with US,” Flossie explained to Jeffrey on Daisy’s behalf.
“You secretly came with US?” Enraged, Jeffrey rebuked, “How could you be so silly? Did you tell your family? We’re going to stay here for a few days, and they’ll get anxious if they can’t find you.” “I… I…” Daisy kept her head hung and didn’t dare to say much because she knew she had acted impulsively.
Flossie’s heart softened and she sighed. “Stop scolding her, Jeffrey. Since she’s already here, she can follow US. Take care of her while we look for a villager who can call Daisy’s family to inform them about her safety. Then, I can charge my phone too,” Flossie said, then took the lead and walked ahead. There was no point in arguing since Daisy was already here, so she just had to accept the situation.
Soon, the sky grew darker, and the village seemed more silent and eerie. Garcia Village was facing the ocean with mountains behind it, and only a few houses were scattered in the mountains. There was a winding cobblestone road ahead of them, but all the houses they saw were vacant. The paintings pasted on the doors had fallen off ages ago, and the houses seemed like they had been deserted for years.
Undeterred, they walked deeper into the village, and finally found a house with the lights turned on.
Delighted, Flossie hurried toward the house, but abruptly stopped as she got closer. A chill ran down her spine.
“Flossie, the lights are on in this house, so someone should be living here, right?” Jeffrey had been walking beside Daisy during the journey, but hurried to catch up with Flossie. When he and Daisy arrived at the door of that house, they gasped, the blood draining from their faces.
“Umm… Isn’t that a coffin? There are candles around it too… Did… someone die here?” Daisy grabbed Jeffrey’s arm and stammered.
“What bad luck! We should leave.” Flossie had been through a lot already, and knew she couldn’t afford any more bad luck if she offended any spirits in the house.
“Yeah, let’s… look for another house.” Jeffrey swallowed in fear.
The three of them turned around to leave, but Flossie bumped into something the moment she turned around. Flossie was shocked to see an old woman with gray hair and dark clothes standing behind her. They hadn’t even seen her or heard her approach!
“I’m sorry, Madam. I didn’t see you there.” Although Flossie was scared, she still apologized to the old woman politely.
The old woman stared at them for a long time, then finally croaked, “Who are you? You don’t look like locals.” The old woman’s eyes were dull, and her voice was hoarse. She sounded like a character from a horror movie.
“Yes, we’re not locals. We came here to find out something.” Although Flossie was still scared, the old woman was the first person she’d seen in this village. Besides, she was old, so she might know about
Quinton’s history.
“I see. Where are you all staying tonight?” The old woman asked curiously.
“Umm… We still haven’t found a place to stay actually,” Flossie replied awkwardly.
“If you don’t mind, you can rest at my house,” the old woman said kindly, then walked into her house.
The three of them stood at the door, not daring to enter the house.
“What’s the matter? Do you think my house is too shabby?” The old woman turned and smiled at them.
Flossie shook her head. “No, we don’t. It’s just that… we’re worried we might inconvenience you… if you’re busy.” The old woman’s house was clearly having a funeral, so outsiders shouldn’t enter it unless they wanted bad luck on their hands.
“Haha! No, you’ve got it all wrong. No one died at my house…” The old woman pointed at the coffin in the living room. “This coffin is for me.” “Umm… What about the candles then?” “Oh, that’s because I haven’t paid the electricity bill for a long time. Plus, this village is practically forgotten, so it’s been a long time since we had electricity.” The old woman coughed and said helplessly, “All the people in the village left except for elders like me. When we’re dying, we’ll go lay in the coffins, and die naturally.” “So, you wear dark clothes to prevent sudden…” Flossie trailed off, feeling sorry for the elders living there.