Filed To Story: Returning to Her Not-So-Poor Family
“Mr. Sheen, I didn’t expect you to come today. If you could just wait, I’ll check if we can make an exception for you.”
“No need, the side door is fine.”
Mirabella’s words allowed the captain to breathe a sigh of relief, “Right this way, please.”
Through a side gate and a series of security checkpoints and recognition portals, they truly entered the castle grounds.
The six truck drivers who had unloaded the cargo didn’t have the clearance to proceed further. The castle staff took over, hefting the enormous crates inside. Once in the exhibition hall, they carefully unpacked the boxes, unveiling the pristine garments to be displayed and later scrutinized by the castle’s proprietor.
Mirabella and Sean, guided by two female bodyguards, traversed the frost-kissed garden to a charming drawing room where they were to wait.
Soon, the six outfits Mirabella had designed were also delivered there.
The drawing room was as grand as the one where Leia had received her last time, but Mirabella’s state of mind was entirely different on this occasion.
At the moment, she was meticulously arranging her designs.
A servant brought in coffee and pastries, and Sean, without hesitation, took a seat. “Bella, let’s take a breather here.”
Mirabella continued her work, prompting Sean to bring the refreshments to her. “Have some coffee first, it smells pretty good.”
“I’ll have some later, just keep it away from the clothes, will you?” she said, focused on her task.
“How about some pastries then?”
“I’m not hungry.”When Leia arrived, she found Sean holding a plate in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other, coaxing Mirabella to eat.
A shadow of melancholy and surprise crossed Leia’s eyes. Why was Sean here? And what was his relationship with Mirabella?
“Bella.”
Leia, dressed in a tasteful and elegant outfit, approached with grace and poise, her every move refined.
Eight nimble female bodyguards followed her closely.
As Mirabella was about to curtsy, Leia spoke, “We’re friends, remember? From now on, you call me Leia, and I’ll call you Bella. No need for formalities here.”
“Leia,” Mirabella responded with a radiant smile. “This is my dear brother, Sean. There’s been some trouble at home recently, and he didn’t feel comfortable with me traveling alone, so he accompanied me here.”
“Trouble at home?” Leia’s eyes filled with concern and worry. Despite the urgency she felt, her upbringing ensured she always spoke in a calm, measured tone. “Do you need any help?”
“No, thank you.”
“I hadn’t realized that the renowned Sheen was your brother Sean.” Leia was slightly taken aback, recalling how Sean insisted on feeding Mirabella, and it dawned on her that it stemmed from a brother’s care for his sister.
Such a strong bond between siblings.Leia’s gaze shifted to Sean. “Hello, Sean. We’ve met before, but I am still very pleased to see you again.”
Sean was surprised. “Have we met before?”
He had no recollection of such an encounter.
“At a family banquet and a few dinner parties hosted by my brothers, I saw you from a distance several times.”
Once, Sean had boldly voiced objections to her family members, challenged one of her arrogant brothers, and had even flipped a table in anger.
At that time, Leia had quietly harbored a deep admiration for him.
It was just that Sean never knew of her existence, nor had he any memory of her.
“Oh, dinner parties, family gatherings.” Sean recalled, each memory a bitter pill to swallow, the kind that made you want to flip the table in frustration.
“Get some fresh coffee and pastries in here, don’t neglect my friend and her brother,” Leia said to the servants, her eyes softening as she glanced at Sean.
Suddenly, Mirabella remembered something Leia had mentioned before: she had a crush on someone with the last name Collins.
Could it be Sean Collins?
“No need. Just check the clothes, and if all’s good, I’m taking my sister home.” Sean clearly didn’t want to stick around.
A shadow of disappointment crossed Leia’s heart as she heard him talking about leaving, but she managed to say gracefully, “Alright, please give me a moment.”
She approached the garment Mirabella had designed, “I didn’t expect the final piece to be this stunning.”
Her every gesture was just right, like a gentle breeze in spring.
To her, Mirabella’s design seemed to transform into a work of art, her gaze filled with admiration as she gently touched the fabric.
It was evident that Mirabella had poured her heart not only into the design but also into sourcing the quality materials.
“Not bad, you truly are a genius designer. I made the right choice coming to you,” Leia said, turning back to Mirabella with a radiant smile.Her beauty was renowned in this land, captured just once by the press, and it had been the talk of the town for years. Her features, as if sculpted by the divine hand, her skin pale and soft, resembled a porcelain doll.
“Princess Leia, if you are pleased, then we won’t impose any longer. C’mon Bella, let’s head home,”
Sean said, eager to leave.
“Please wait,” Leia said softly, “If you aren’t in a hurry, I wonder if it might be possible for you to stay for coffee? Just the three of us, a little afternoon delight?”
Sean was about to respond when his phone rang. He excused himself, “Sorry, I have to take this call.”
Leia nodded, her eyes full of understanding.
Whatever the person on the phone said, it made Sean lose his cool.
“I asked for a sapphire, what on earth did you send me? What is this dull stone? You think this is worthy of gracing Ophelia’s neck? Are you out of your mind? Find the right one!” Sean ended the call with a hint of fury.
Leia, overhearing his conversation, was momentarily taken aback but soon realized he was searching for a precious sapphire for someone named Ophelia. Did he have a girlfriend?
“Sean, what kind of sapphire are you looking for? I know quite a few jewelers who could have what you need,” she offered.
Immediately, Sean showed her a photo on his phone, “Like this one?”
Leia saw that the sapphire in the picture was especially rare, even rarer than any she owned.”I’m not sure, but I can give you their contacts. Is this for your girlfriend?” Leia asked with a hint of curiosity.
“Yeah,” Sean replied nonchalantly.
Mirabella could almost hear Leia’s heart breaking, but her impeccable upbringing wouldn’t let her show a hint of her inner turmoil.
With a smile, Leia said, “Alright, someone get Sean the contact details for all the jewelers. Tell them he’s a friend of mine and to treat him well.”
One of the female bodyguards, knowing of her mistress’s affection for Sean, hesitated but complied when Leia urged gently, “Well? Hurry up.”
Reluctantly, the bodyguard handed over the contacts to Sean, feeling a pang of unwillingness and sympathy for the Princess.
After all, Leia had harbored feelings for Sean for a long time.
And she didn’t expect that Sean had already found someone else so quickly.
“Thanks.” Sean punched the contacts into his phone with practiced ease before looking up. “Guess we’ll skip the afternoon coffee. Mirabella and I have some errands to run. Let’s head out.”
As much as Leia didn’t want to see Sean leave, she didn’t press the issue, her smile gracious and understanding. “Well, we can always have tea some other time. Let me walk you out.”
“No need,” Sean and Mirabella both chimed in unison.
“You stay and try on the rest of the outfits. Once the other styles are ready, I’ll drop them off.” Mirabella knew Leia came from an influential family and wasn’t supposed to escort them out of the mansion.
She had already bent the rules last time; Mirabella didn’t want to put her in an awkward position again.
“When are you coming next? Just give me a shout, and I’ll drive you over,” Sean said casually, but his words warmed Leia’s heart, the thought of Sean returning was like a blossoming flower in her mind.
“Then I won’t hold you up any longer. Safe travels,” Leia said as they parted.
“Thanks for the snacks and coffee,” Sean said, setting down his mug and tugging at his sister’s sleeve to leave the sitting room.
Leia watched their retreating figures, lost in thought.
Her bodyguard whispered, “I never guessed he was Miss Mirabella’s real brother. They’re so different.”
“Really?” Leia’s smile was as captivating as ever, her gaze still following them. “I think they’re quite similar. They might seem all cool and distant, but deep down, they’re warm-hearted.”
Truth be told, she envied Mirabella for having such a caring brother. Leia’s eyes dimmed briefly with her own thoughts before brightening again.Once they left the mansion, Sean drove his sports car with Mirabella to check out the resort he owned.
The resort was expansive, a hit with the elite from the day it opened. Its convenient location, surrounded by natural beauty, boasted ten top-tier golf courses, up-close wildlife encounters, falconry, off-road racing, horseback riding, stargazing, and more.
The resort manager personally took them on a tour in a golf cart. When they stopped, Sean stepped out and said to his sister, “From now on, this place is yours.”
He held out his hand, and the manager presented the contract with a pen at the ready.
Sean penned his name on the deed with a flourish and handed it to Mirabella.
“Miss Mirabella, from now on, just let me know what you need,” the manager said, bowing with a respectful grin.
Mirabella was puzzled. Why was Sean suddenly gifting her such a grand resort? There were the bank card and the collectibles before.