Filed To Story: Returning to Her Not-So-Poor Family
Sean moved to the side steps, glaring at Romeo.
“Come on, spill it. Why were you glued to your phone during your date? Leaving my sister all by herself?”
Images flashed through Romeo’s mind, but not a single one involved leaving Bella hanging.
“The hell are you waiting for?” Sean was raging but caught his sister’s eye and backed down a bit. Was this guy still scrambling to come up with a lie?
“Are you talking about at the diner?” Romeo remembered. That was the only time he had glanced at his phone.
“What else would it be? Or are you telling me there were other times you left my sister on her own?”
“I was discussing something about photos with Bella,” Romeo said with a light chuckle, explaining, “I took some pictures of her and sent them to her, so she could keep them.”Steward was taken aback, he had thought Mr. McMillian and Ms. Bella lacked common ground, and that Romeo was perhaps browsing the net for conversation topics. Turns out they were sharing photos.
Photos on a first date?
Sean was pondering this while also itching to give Romeo a piece of his mind. But then, Bella’s gaze softened him a bit. “A McMillian, living so frugally. I could overlook the modest three-course meal, but taking leftovers home, and then making my sister pay.”
Not too far off, Mirabella pitched in, “I paid using his card.”
Sean and Steward were both surprised.
“He gave me a card with no spending limit a long time ago. I never used it until today. He brought it up, so I thought I might as well.”
Her words stunned Sean and Steward. Had they misunderstood Romeo?
Romeo wasn’t stingy?
A no-limit credit card? That was more than generous!
“I asked for the leftovers because you added those dishes to the order. I hate waste, so thanks, Sean.”
Mirabella walked up to her brother, a smile playing on her lips.
“How did you know those dishes were added by me?” Sean questioned and then looked back at Romeo. “Did he tell you?”
“We had spotted you the moment we stepped into the diner,” Mirabella’s words sent Sean and Steward into a state of shock. Had their cover been blown so soon?
It must have been the diner manager’s poor attempt at discretion that led to their early discovery.
“My arm’s been injured, you see, so I’ve got to avoid anything too raw, spicy, or with a hint of alcohol.
I’m not a fan of that sort of thing. Dishes like pork are just too greasy for my taste,” Mirabella explained, making a point to add, “Romeo ordered according to my usual preferences. I even thought it was too much food for two people to finish.”
“Knowing Bella’s tastes, I made sure to order her favorites. The diner’s menu was half filled with raw and spicy options, so that’s why I didn’t order much,” Romeo chimed in.
Mostly because his fiancée wouldn’t allow it!
Hearing this, Sean turned sheepish. So, he was the one who didn’t understand his sister’s preferences, not knowing what she liked or couldn’t eat. He had thought that by simply instructing the diner manager to serve the best dishes, he was doing what was best for his sister.
It turned out, the joke was on him.
It was at this point that Steward realized why Mr. McMillian hadn’t shown Ms. Bella the menu when ordering. He already knew what Ms. Bella liked and would’ve just verbally checked with her on each dish, seeing if she approved before finalizing the order.
It wasn’t that he was being presumptuous or disrespectful to Ms. Bella.
With this revelation, a wave of embarrassment washed over Steward as well.”But your relationship is all happened so fast.” Sean was implying that they were getting cozy, holding hands, and nearly kissing, all before making their relationship official.
Mirabella glanced at Romeo and they shared a knowing smile, as if they had reached an unspoken agreement. She then said, “Actually, Romeo and I began seeing each other not long after I got home.”
Sean’s jaw dropped at this news.
Steward was equally incredulous.
“To be precise, I was the one who kept pestering Bella until she finally gave in and agreed to give us a chance,” Romeo confessed. “I wanted to clear the air with you when you came to see me at McMillian Corporation, but you kept interrupting me, not letting me speak.”
Sean remembered how, back in the McMillian Corporation’s meeting room, he was so eager for answers, wanting to know if Romeo would pursue his sister and treat her right, that he had completely ignored Romeo’s attempts to explain.
If he had just listened a few seconds longer, so many misunderstandings could have been avoided.
“Romeo told me about this, and I decided to give you a surprise,” Mirabella added.
Now, with the charming couple standing before him, hands intertwined, Sean realized he had made a huge blunder.
No wonder this guy had been so casual, calling him Sean and referring to his precious sister as Bella –
they were already on intimate terms.
No wonder Romeo didn’t mind sharing a drink with his sister. It wasn’t about being cheap; it was because their relationship had grown so close that sharing everything had become second nature to them.His sister truly didn’t mind drinking after Romeo.
His heart suddenly felt a tinge of sourness, a hint of loss.
He hadn’t expected his sister to be swept off her feet so quickly.
As for the unfinished building’s surveillance, when his sister confronted Martha, Sean only knew about Serena’s repeated attempts to seduce Romeo. He was unaware of his sister and Romeo’s secret relationship of half a year.
In those videos, his sister never once mentioned that Romeo was her boyfriend, nor did Martha.
Instead, Martha bizarrely blamed his sister for returning to their family and for competing with Serena over Romeo.
So, he had no idea that his sister had started dating Romeo as soon as she returned home, and that their connection was incredibly strong.
What’s the deal with Timothy?
Timothy was Romeo’s buddy, and when he caught a glimpse of Sean chasing down Bella, he figured he’d lend a hand to his friend – nothing out of the ordinary there.
At the time, Timothy was clueless about Bella’s true identity; he had no idea she was the precious daughter of the Collins clan, and little did he know that she was Sean’s own sister. So, he didn’t step in to stop the siblings from their disastrous misunderstanding.
And boy, did that misunderstanding blow up.
Now he wished he could just vanish into thin air.
If he was cocky before, he was now the epitome of awkwardness.
“It was my bad for stirring up a mess without getting the facts straight. My apologies,” Sean admitted, wincing a bit from the embarrassment.
“I purposely kept it from you, wanted to surprise you,” Mirabella said with a sly grin.
There was no surprise, just a whole lot of shock.
Sean hadn’t expected his sister to pair up with Romeo so quickly, and it left him feeling a bit hollow.
“This movie’s a bust. Shall we get out of here?”
Mirabella had barely taken a step forward when Sean and Romeo positioned themselves on either side of her. Steward felt like a third wheel but scrambled to keep pace with Sean.
Exiting the theater on the third floor of the mall, they were surrounded by high-end boutiques.”Bella, how about I treat you to a little shopping spree?” Sean suggested, eyeing a jewelry store.
But Mirabella wasn’t keen on him spending money and made no move to enter, “I’ve already got plenty of jewelry.”
Mainly because she rarely wore any. It wasn’t practical for her line of work, and losing a piece could leave evidence, potentially blowing her cover.
“Just a quick look, okay?” Sean added, glancing at Romeo for backup.
Romeo chimed in, “Sean’s just being generous. Why not take a look?”
With a raised eyebrow, Sean knew Romeo was playing the game well.
Fearing Mirabella might refuse, Sean tugged her by the arm and steered her into the jewelry store.
“Bring out your best pieces – necklaces, rings, bracelets, you name it. The designs should be trendy and suited for a young lady.”
The staff, spotting a big spender, clamored to serve them.
“What a ruckus! Get it together!” The manager emerged as the staff nearly came to blows, then his knees buckled upon recognizing Romeo and Sean. He steadied himself against a display case, “Mr.
McMillian, Mr. Collins, forgive me for not realizing your esteemed presence. Shut the store for their exclusive service, now!”
“Do you have eyes only for me? Didn’t you see my sister?” Sean pulled Mirabella forward. “From now on, greet her first.”
The manager hadn’t expected Sean to bring his sister, and although he wasn’t sure if she was a cousin or what, he saw the dollar signs in Sean’s protective attitude – this sale was going to be a jackpot!”Miss Collins is stunning, making even our jewels pale in comparison. Please, this way.” he said, leading them inside while lavishing praise, “Miss Collins is truly lucky to have Mr. McMillian and Mr.
Collins for company. It’s the envy of many women.”
The staff quickly presented their crowning jewels as the manager enthusiastically and respectfully introduced them, “These are our latest collections with auspicious meanings. This one represents smooth sailing, that one symbolizes happiness and bliss, and this one here is for peace and health.”
Sean was so moved by the symbolism. He wanted to buy them all for his sister!
“How about it, Bella? Found anything you like?” Sean watched Mirabella for her reaction, “Should I have them wrap everything up so you can take your time deciding at home?”
“No need,” Mirabella replied, not particularly taken by any of the designs.
Sean glanced at Romeo, who promptly suggested, “I think this one’s quite nice.”