Filed To Story: Returning to Her Not-So-Poor Family
Was that when the glass had buried itself even deeper?
“And there’s more, the Collins family might have been a bit too rough when they hit you, one of your leg bones is fractured, hence the plaster.”
Serena’s eyes widened.
“The doctors have set the bone back in place, now it needs time to heal about three months. But your knees will need around six months to recover.”
Perhaps fearing her despair, Martin quickly added, “After six months, you’ll be able to walk. You’ll just need another three months of physical therapy.”
Serena was beyond devastated.
She was a thousand times, no, ten thousand times more shattered than mere collapse could convey.
This meant for the next half year, she’d be confined to a wheelchair, and even after that, she’d need another three months of rehab to regain her former strength.
“Will I make a full recovery?” The tears spilled over as Serena asked, dreading the answer, “Can I dance ballet like before? Or will it only be seventy or eighty percent of what it was?””With current medical treatments, you can expect to recover seventy to eighty percent.”
Martin’s words sent Serena into a torrent of sobs, her body shaking uncontrollably, unable to digest this devastating news.
Her hands, perhaps, she could accept not fully recovering, but her feet too, unable to dance as before?
“In nine months you’ll walk normally, no one will be the wiser, but dancing won’t be as graceful as it was. If it comes to that, you could always choose not to dance.”
Serena’s weeping intensified. In high society, how could one simply not dance?
So many dinner parties necessitate a couple’s waltz.
She couldn’t dance, was she supposed to just stand there and watch her date invite another girl to dance right in front of her?
If she couldn’t even dance, couldn’t even play the piano, what good was she?
In high society, she was nothing short of a pariah!
Was this some cosmic joke, to take back everything she learned from the Collins family?
Martin held her close, allowing her to vent her frustrations in his embrace.
“Why, why must this happen to me.” Serena sobbed uncontrollably, “Why?”
Her tears flowed like rivers, her sorrow seemingly endless, “Why does Mirabella, after all the hardships, still come back so beautiful, so glorified to that home, with so many skills to her name, while I, after my struggles, am left with nothing but the aftermath?”
Why had fate stripped her of her prized beauty and status?
Why was she rendered unable to walk unaided, to relearn how to use utensils for eating?
Why?
It felt like she was cast into the deepest circle of hell, experiencing pain beyond comprehension!
Was it just because she was jealous of Mirabella, because she had once tried to trip her up, that she deserved such divine retribution?
Compared to her, Mirabella’s past sufferings seemed trivial!At least Mirabella was taken in by the Melton family, who provided a decent life, neither lavish nor lacking, and Granny Grace had connections that allowed her to learn so much.
And her. now that she was so destitute, the heavens still decided to take away the very basics of her existence!!
“Why must this happen to me.” Serena cried as if her heart was being torn apart.
She had lost everything, yet instead of receiving sympathy from above, it seemed as if the universe itself wanted to crush her all the more.
God was too biased!
Why must it be so unfair!
“So you’re telling me my knees will scar, and what will I do every summer? How will I wear skirts and shorts?” Serena wept anew.
Meanwhile.
David came home to the family portrait hanging on the wall and smiled, “This picture is perfect right here, first thing you see when you walk in.”
In the living room, his brothers were eagerly trying to get a photo with Bella.
Seeing such a lively scene, and spotting his dear sister, David’s smile grew even wider.
“Bella, I’m back,” David teased, waving something in his hand, “Guess what tasty treat I have brought for you?”
“Late at night, and you’re bringing your sister barbecue?” Hans frowned slightly.”It’s all fresh off the grill. I rushed the driver to hurry over just so my sister could have a bite while it’s still hot.” David placed several bags on the coffee table, and the servants promptly began setting out the dozens of grilled delights.
Chasel’s brow also furrowed, “Tomorrow’s New Year, and the day after is Bella’s homecoming banquet, you’re feeding her this, what if she gets a breakout?”
“Bella’s skin isn’t prone to blemishes. Besides, even if she did get a spot, she’d still be my most beautiful, most angelic sister, incomparable to anyone else!” David added, then pinched Bella’s soft cheek affectionately, “Plus, my sister’s a doctor, she knows all the tricks to keep the skin clear, right?”
Mirabella smiled warmly, looking back at David.
“Seriously, what if she can’t handle it?” Clark retorted, barely able to mask his concern.
“Come on, dude. The skincare stuff Mirabella hooked me up with has been like magic for my skin. I could be all glammed up for hours, and not a zit in sight. Sure, if I pull an all-nighter and hit up a barbecue, I might get a spot or two, but a dab of Mirabella’s miracle cream, and poof! By morning, it’s like nothing happened. Makeup still goes on smooth as silk. Mirabella’s got a treasure trove of secrets, right?” David said.
David grabbed a skewer fresh off the grill and offered it to Mirabella, “Here, try this while it’s hot.”
Mirabella reached to take it herself, but David quickly said, “Watch out for the grease, don’t mess up your hands. I got it, you just enjoy.”
“I can handle it myself,” Mirabella replied, not accustomed to being fussed over this way.
David took a few more napkins, wrapping the skewer’s stick meticulously before handing it over to Mirabella.
The guys nearby overheard the conversation about the miraculous skincare and ointment Mirabella had provided David.
“I gotta get one for Molly. She’s always freaked out about breakouts,” Hans suddenly chimed in.
“Count one in for Myrna too.”
“And one for Carol.”
“Are you guys ragging on me for being single?” Sean blurted out, his face a mix of jest and earnest. “I want one for Ophelia!””She’s taken,” Mirabella said nonchalantly, munching on her skewer.
“Well then, I want one for myself!” Sean insisted, not wanting to be left out.
“Ms. Bella. we’d love to get our hands on one too.” the servants eyed Mirabella with envy, having experienced the wonders of her skincare gifts before.
“Ms. Bella, you have no idea, the acne treatment you gave me, I used it so sparingly towards the end, I didn’t want to run out, and then I did!” one of the servants confessed.
“Ms. Bella, why don’t you start your own acne treatment brand? Then we could always buy it!” another suggested.
“Yeah, I mean, we feel kinda bad using your stash for free,” a third added.
“We sometimes share snacks, and the greasy stuff gives us pimples. Your cream works wonders, but we can’t always resist those snacks, and we still get the occasional breakout.”
Mirabella laughed, “I’ll grab some from upstairs in a bit, consider them early New Year’s gifts.”
“Thank you, Ms. Bella!!” The servants were overjoyed, valuing these gifts far more than cash.
It was something money couldn’t buy.
The brothers looked on hopefully.
“You’ll get yours too,” Mirabella assured them, bringing smiles and sighs of relief.
“I heard Grandpas and Grandmas, and our uncles and aunts are here too? Go call them down for dinner,” David said, and the servants quickly went to fetch the relatives.”Oh, and you guys get a share too. Once you’re done with your tasks, come and join us,” David told the servants. “I had my hands full earlier, but I’ve asked the bodyguard to bring your portions.”
The servants beamed, “Thanks, David!”
“It’s New Year tomorrow, and you’re only getting home now.” Louisa started to scold as soon as she descended the stairs, “Didn’t I tell you to wrap up your work early? And here you are.”
“Well, if Mirabella’s song hadn’t turned me into a hit machine, I wouldn’t be booked solid for the next three years.”
This year, he had specially pushed back all his work just to have time to spend with his sister.
He was about to release a new album, kick off a concert tour, and he had lined up countless endorsements, commercials, movies, TV shows, and variety gigs.
“My agent cleared a slot just for me, saying that once my sister’s identity goes public, we’re gonna get swamped with invites to do reality TV together. My agent even met with hers today to talk it over.”
“You’re thinking of taking Mirabella on a reality show?” Everyone was stunned, and they quickly dismissed the idea, “No way!”
Being on a reality show would put Bella under a magnifying glass for the whole world to see.
They didn’t want their precious princess exposed to the scrutiny and judgment of others.
“You guys, chill. It’s just an idea for now.”
“No way—” they all refused again.
David went silent, but then he sneakily shot his sister a knowing look.