Filed To Story: Returning to Her Not-So-Poor Family
Mirabella glanced at the platinum card in front of her, and without a need for anyone to tell her, she knew it had at least 5 million dollars in it.
5 million was the bare minimum for that kind of card.
“It’s just a few clothes, Sean. You don’t have to be that polite with me.” Mirabella pushed the card back towards him.
“Keep it!” Sean insisted, placing it on top of her sketchpad, “I have other cards. Don’t worry about me running out of money!”As he spoke, he pushed a box of his other treasures towards her.
“These are from various auctions I’ve won bids at, you could call it my private collection. I want you to have them.”
Mirabella saw a variety of items including paintings, and priceless artifacts.
“I’m always out in Belloria and can’t give these things the proper care. They’ll be safe with you,” Sean said, thinking he’d found the perfect excuse.
But Mirabella was serious, “Sean, these gifts are too valuable. I can’t accept them.”
She had already accepted 5 million dollars from him and did not plan to take anything more.
Yet Sean was adamant, “You accepted gifts from our other brothers. If you don’t accept mine, I’ll be heartbroken.”
Mirabella tried to interrupt him, when then she heard him say, “I really want to give them to you. If you accept them, it’ll make me happy. Don’t you want me to be happy?”
“I only have one sister. If I’m not giving these to you, then who else should receive these?”
Mirabella smiled, “Once you have a girlfriend, you could give them to her.”
“I have no idea when I’ll be able to win over your future sister-in-law.” Sean blurted out, then, suddenly remembering something, glanced at Mirabella sheepishly.
Mirabella smiled slyly, “Ophelia is coming to see me tonight.”
“Really?” An excited spark appeared in Sean’s eyes.”The holidays are coming, and she’s back in town. She said she’d stop by tonight. She’ll also be there the day I announce my identity.” Watching Sean with amusement, she added, “Do you like her?”
“No, that’s not it.” Sean, caught off guard by the news that the girl of his dreams would be visiting, hurriedly said, “Actually, there’s something urgent I just realized I need to do. I have to go. And keep the stuff, okay? Don’t you dare send it back, or I’ll get mad!”
Sean left in a hurry, and Mirabella couldn’t help but chuckle. Without guessing, she knew Sean was probably off to shave, shower, and spruce himself up.
Evening had fallen.
Mirabella had barely finished her dinner when a message from Ophelia popped up on her phone. It read, [Heading out now. I’ll be at Reflections Villa in 20 minutes.]
With a swift thumbs-up emoji reply, Mirabella looked up and announced to her parents, “Mom, Dad, a friend of mine will be stopping by for a visit soon.”
“A friend? ” Kenneth and Louisa were pleasantly surprised and excited to hear that their darling daughter had invited someone over. It wasn’t an everyday occurrence.
“What does your friend prefer to eat and drink? I’ll have it prepared right away,” Louisa said, her own hunger forgotten amidst the surprise. Mirabella hadn’t had friends over since she moved back home six months ago, so this friend must be quite special to her.
“She’s not picky, anything can be fine. There’s no need to fuss,” Mirabella reassured her parents, standing up from the table, “You guys enjoy your meal. I’m going to wait for her by the entrance.”
“It’s chilly outside, put on an extra layer!” Louisa called out after her daughter. Once Mirabella had left, Louisa turned to Kenneth, trying hard to contain her joy. “Our daughter’s finally inviting friends over.
This is wonderful. What do you suppose young girls like to eat and drink these days?”
“If she’s friends with Bella, then I’d wager they have similar tastes and interests,” Kenneth speculated, glancing at the half-eaten plate of food in front of his wife. “You can finish up your food. I’ll have the staff prepare some fruit and snacks. Bella’s gone to welcome her, so her friend must be close.”
Louisa couldn’t sit still to eat, rising from her chair. “I’ll go tell the boys to come downstairs. When their sister’s friend arrives, they should at least say hello, have a brief conversation. This is Bella’s first time bringing someone over; we need to make a good impression and show some warmth!”The staff were left puzzled, unsure if they should clear the table or wait, as the couple had left their meal halfway through, clearly too preoccupied to eat.
Mirabella stood at the entrance of Reflections Villa, quickly replying to a message from Romeo. Soon, the glare of headlights approached.
A sleek black sports car, its engine purring, pulled up in front of her.
“Hey, sweetheart,” Ophelia said, greeting Mirabella with her radiant smile, her hair rolled into a chic bun, which added a playful charm to her appearance.
Her beauty was like a plum blossom thriving in the snow; subtle yet breathtaking, never clamoring for attention yet impossible to overlook.
“How long have you been waiting? Aren’t you cold?” Ophelia asked as she stepped out of the car and gently rubbed Mirabella’s rosy cheeks. “I shouldn’t tell you about my arrival time. You’re nearly frozen.
And look at your little red nose!”
Pulling out a dozen gifts from the trunk, Ophelia struggled to carry them all.
Mirabella quickly moved to help, teasing with a light smile, “What are you, Santa Claus with your bag of presents?”
“I’ve got to make an impression as your friend,” Ophelia chuckled, realizing their combined efforts weren’t enough. She had intended to call over a security guard for help, but as she looked up, she froze in surprise.
Following Ophelia’s gaze, Mirabella saw her parents and brothers emerging from the house to greet them, the reception grander than she’d anticipated.
“What’s going on?” Ophelia was bewildered, having only planned a casual visit.”You must be Bella’s friend. I’m Bella’s mother. It’s a pleasure to have you,” Louisa greeted with an elegant and warm smile. She intended to shake hands, but seeing Ophelia’s arms laden with gifts, she quickly interjected, “Dear, you shouldn’t have brought these gifts. Coming over is gift enough. Here, boys, help out!”
The brothers stepped forward to lend their hands, with Sean being the first to take the present from Ophelia’s hands. When the girl thanked him, he was on the verge of introducing himself, but her hand was promptly taken by her mother in the next moment.
“This child, she’s a real beauty, just like our Bella. Those features, that grace, simply stunning,” Louisa said warmly as she gently took her hand. “It’s chilly out here, let’s head inside to chat.”
“Hey there, I’m Bella’s dad. Right this way.” Kenneth said with a welcoming gesture and a beaming smile.
Ophelia hadn’t expected such a grand reception just for coming to visit Mirabella. She was utterly flabbergasted. “You’re too kind, even coming out to greet me personally.”
“You’re Bella’s friend; we’re just as thrilled as she is that you’re here. Welcome! Do come by more often when you have the time!” Louisa said enthusiastically, linking arms with her and Bella. “We’ll grab a bite in a bit, and then Bella can show you around. Oh, and these gentlemen are Bella’s brothers—there’s Hans, Chase, Clark, and Sean. There’s also another brother named David, who’s been tied up with work and hasn’t made it back yet.”
When she got to Sean, he instinctively held his breath.
Dressed to the nines tonight, he looked as though he’d just returned from an evening gala, shedding his usual aloof coolness for a more polished charm.
At first, his brothers were puzzled by his attire since it seemed a bit too formal for home.
It wasn’t until he offered an excuse about attending a friend’s wedding and carefully timed his return.
A closer look revealed that from his hair down to his shoes, including the color of his socks, everything was different from his usual style.But with so many brothers to meet, Ophelia could hardly take it all in, nodding with a smile, “Hello, it’s a pleasure to meet you all.”
Sean was about to say something when he overheard her asking Mirabella, “Why does your house have so many bodyguards?”
It looked like the place was on high alert, as if something had happened.
“Something came up at home recently, which has prompted an increase in security—but rest assured, it’s safe here. Feel free to relax and enjoy yourself. And if you get tired, you’re welcome to stay over.
We’ve got plenty of guest rooms; pick whichever you like. I’ll have Bella show you around later so you can choose.” Louisa explained.
“You’re so kind, thank you for your generosity, Mrs. Collins. My place is only a twenty-minute drive from here, which is quite close, and with the holidays coming up, I wouldn’t want to impose. But thank you again for your warm hospitality.”
“Thank me? Dear, you’re being too formal.”
For the first time, Ophelia was experiencing the warmth of the Collins family. She exchanged knowing looks with Mirabella as if to say: OMG! Your family is just so welcoming and friendly!
“You don’t need to change shoes; just come on in,” Louisa invited her warmly as they entered the main house.
“No, no, no, I’ll change them. Your floors are so clean, and the atmosphere is so cozy. You are all so warm and kind. Bella must feel so blessed and happy coming home to this.”
Louisa beamed with joy upon hearing her words, “You’re such a charmer. Oh, I just realized, we didn’t even ask your name?””The daughter of the Almond family, Ophelia,” Hans and Sean suddenly chimed together.
Kenneth and Louisa were surprised. How on earth did the two know Ophelia’s name?
Hans, too, glanced at Sean with a hint of surprise. Ophelia’s identity was not common knowledge, so how Sean could know that, since he had always been in Belloria?
Had Ophelia visited Belloria, crossing paths with Sean in the process?
The other siblings exchanged curious and puzzled looks, turning their eyes towards Sean.
It was not strange for Hans, a seasoned businessman, to know the Almonds, but how did Sean come to know Ophelia?
Kenneth and Louisa hadn’t expected that Bella’s friend would turn out to be Ophelia Almond, the sole heiress of the Almonds.
“Your father and I go way back,” Hans began, “We’ve had a few dealings in the past, and then his business focus shifted abroad, and we lost touch. I remember when we were out playing golf, he mentioned you were still in school. He spoke so fondly of you, it’s hard to believe you’ve grown up to be such a graceful young woman.”
Kenneth, realizing she was the Almonds’ daughter, looked at her with a newfound warmth, as if seeing an old friend’s child.
“Just two years ago, I read in the news that your father handed over the reins of the family business to you. It was quite a significant event back then,” Louisa chimed in.
Ophelia responded with a light chuckle, “Yes, a lot of people doubted me back then, thinking I couldn’t fill my father’s shoes.””This proves that your father was a man of vision,” Hans said. That was a rare compliment from him, especially for someone he had just met.
Since taking over the Collins family business, Hans hadn’t worked with the Almonds directly. However, he had heard of the feats of the Almond heiress in their business circle.
At such a young age, she had propelled the group to new heights, turning skepticism into respect in just two years.
It was said that she was a sports enthusiast, a skydiving aficionado, a legend on the ski slopes.
A young woman of her caliber, sharing hobbies with his sister. It was no wonder they had become such good friends.
“Hans knows of me?” This time, it was Ophelia who was taken aback.
Hans nodded, “You’re doing great, keep it up.”
“Hans rarely dishes out praise. That means you must have a solid reputation in the business world,”
Mirabella said with a smile.