Filed To Story: Returning to Her Not-So-Poor Family
“She seems quite reluctant,” Romeo observed, his gaze resting on Cathy.
“Romeo, can I just write it once, please.” Cathy’s eyes brimmed with a pitiful plea, “I promise to be the most welcoming, friendly, and sincere person later! Just watch me!”
“You could also try not being welcoming, friendly, or sincere.”
“No, no, no, I’ll be all that and more!” Cathy begged, her eyes pleading with Romeo.
“Finish writing it a hundred times and email it to me, and if there’s a single typo, start over.””Romeo?” As her brother walked away, Cathy hurried after him. “Listen to me, I was just hungry, okay?
I have nothing against your fiancée, she’s so beautiful and elegant, such a perfect match for you. Why would I have any issue with her? Plus, her voice is so lovely, and she’s got such a great figure, all tall and slim.”
“Make it fifty times. Send it when you’re done.”
Cathy paused, then quickly followed him, “Romeo, I’m not finished. The moment I saw your fiancée, I was stunned by her beauty. Not a single word can be used to describe her allure. Her looks are the most beautiful, unique, and distinct I’ve ever seen!”
Seeing that her brother wasn’t stopping, she added, “Such a stunning, lovely fairy joining us for the New Year dinner, I must bring my A-game, treat her right, and make sure she feels the warmth and love of our family!”
Her brother kept walking, so Cathy quickly added, “Before I met her, I always thought Serena wasn’t good enough for you, but from the moment I saw your fiancée today, I felt like it was fate, that she was meant for you. She outshines Serena in every aspect, it’s like she was born to be with you. You two look so good together, like a perfect match! Let me be the first to wish you both a lifetime of happiness and unity.”
“Ten times.”
“Thank you, Romeo, but can we do less.” Cathy saw her chance as he lowered the count, pleading, “After dinner, we’re supposed to watch the show and fireworks with her, right? If I’m absent, she might think I don’t like her. Just let me write it once, one time is already a lot, a hundred rules, you know.”
“Any more bargaining and you won’t reduce a single word.””Romeo.” Cathy watched helplessly as her brother entered the dining room, feeling defeated. Ten times, she’d be writing until who knows when.
At the dinner table, Phillip and Shirley sat on either side of Mirabella, fussing over her and urging her to eat more.
Tomas and Donna had never seen their parents shower so much affection on a younger relative before.
Even Jennifer, who was usually so aloof and shrewd, had lowered her guard. She seemed eager to heap every delicacy on the table into Mirabella’s plate.
“Sweetheart, be a good girl and eat more, okay?” Jennifer was still serving dishes to Mirabella.
“These two dishes were made by me, you should give them a try too,” George spoke to her in an indulgent tone. It was the first time they saw George show such affection to someone other than Jennifer, especially to a junior.
“These dishes were made by Grandpa and Grandma, give them a taste, okay?”
“Thank you, Grandpa and Grandma, but there’s too much, I can’t finish it all,” Mirabella’s bowl was piled high with food.
“Bella, you performed the heart surgery for Grandpa, and cured Grandma’s illness. We will never forget this kindness. We both toast to you.” Tomas and Donna stood up, raising their glasses.
“Bella is still young, she can’t drink,” Phillip and Shirley said simultaneously.
Romeo poured a little lemon water into Mirabella’s empty glass, not too much, fearing it might upset her stomach before dinner.
Mirabella stood up and, seeing the two elders finish their drinks in front of her, said gently, “You’re too kind. Saving lives and healing the wounded is my duty. I’ll raise a toast to you both.” She drank the lemon water in one gulp. Tomas and Donna smiled, satisfied with her response.
Everyone urged Mirabella to eat more in a lively atmosphere.
“Bella, try this dish. I wish you a prosperous life, successful studies, and everything going well in the coming year. May it be as flourishing as fire.” Cathy stood up and served Mirabella two big prawns.
“And these dishes…” Cathy served all the other dishes to Mirabella, saying, “I wish you a year full of laughter, good luck, successful endeavors, happiness, and most importantly, may your relationship withmy eldest brother deepen and become sweeter.”
“Thank you,” Mirabella noticed that Cathy’s hostility had disappeared, replaced by respect and admiration. Could it be because of Romeo just now?
Mirabella’s gaze fell on Romeo, whose expression seemed normal.
“Bella, please try them. If they’re not good, I’ll serve you something else.” Cathy hoped Mirabella would accept her goodwill and show it to her eldest brother.
“Wow, Cathy, you’re so sweet today,” Shirley chuckled. “Speaking of which, you should learn more from your sister-in-law. Her virtues are like the stars in the sky, countless.”
“When I saw her for the first time tonight, I knew she was extraordinary!”
Cathy hadn’t finished speaking when she saw her eldest brother personally peeling shrimp for Mirabella.
Indeed, she wasn’t an ordinary person to make her eldest brother peel shrimp for her.
After peeling the shrimp, Romeo fed it to Mirabella.
“It’s delicious.”
Cathy finally breathed a sigh of relief. Did this mean Mirabella approved of the dishes she served?
“Bella, I can peel shrimp too. Let me peel two for you.” Cathy wiped her hands clean and started peeling the shrimp. “The shrimp I peel is no worse than Romeo’s.”
“Bella, eat more,” Jeffery and Luna warmly invited.
“You guys should eat too.”Mirabella served everyone and also served some to Romeo.
“Bella, I just learned that you’re both Dr. Bell and the perfect scorer.”
Donna’s words made Cathy pause mid-peel on her shrimp. Perfect-scorer? What?
The whole family knew about Mirabella being Dr. Bell, but none had any clue about her other accolade.
And a perfect-scorer at that!
Cathy knew how tough the tests were back home, and she never imagined her sister-in-law, of all people, could nail a perfect score. Aside from her big brother, Bella was the second person in recent years to achieve such a feat. They both were just too impressive.
“Guess what else Bella does?” Phillip chimed in, grinning ear to ear as he played the tease. After several wrong guesses from the crowd, he couldn’t help but spill, “My favorite artist, Mirabelle, and the calligrapher Labella—it’s her!”
All of them present were doubly surprised.
Even the usually composed Luna and the always cool-headed Jeffery were taken aback by Bella’s dual identity.
“And that’s not all, Bella is also Maestro Melody.” Shirley said with a beaming smile, “The ringtone on my phone? She composed it just for me.”
“My ringtone’s her work too,” Phillip couldn’t hide his joy, reminiscing about the time Shirley had Mirabella’s piano composition as her ringtone and he didn’t, feeling a tad bit jealous. But Mirabella had promised to create a special piece for him, and sure enough, she sent him a delightful melody not long after.
“All my chess and golf buddies rave about it, always asking for the title, and I tell them it’s a unique piece composed by my granddaughter-in-law, impossible to find online. They’re green with envy!”Phillip boasted with pride.
This was a tune crafted for him by Bella herself!
Unique to him alone!
“Bella is truly extraordinary. So young, yet so learned and talented. A real bright spark.” Donna’s smile was warm and inviting, “Having such a wonderful girl join the McMillian family is indeed a blessing for us.”
“You can say that again. So capable and yet so modest. I’ve really taken a shine to her.” Jennifer piled more food onto Mirabella’s plate, “Darling, eat while it’s hot, have a little more.”
Jeffery couldn’t believe that this elegant woman before him had so many personas.
He too often listened to Melody’s piano works and admired Mirabelle’s paintings, never imagining they were created by the same person.
How many times had he been captivated by the brilliance in those paintings, or enchanted by the latest piano composition, wishing to meet these masterful artists?
Little did he know, these masters were one and the same, and his future sister-in-law at that.
Jeffery averted his gaze from the girl’s refined appearance, feeling a tinge of melancholy.
Luna hadn’t encountered someone so talented and captivating for a long time. Learning of Bella’s many identities, she was surprised but felt an increased fondness.
After snapping out of her daze, Cathy carefully placed a peeled shrimp into Mirabella’s plate. “Bella, you’re so incredible. No wonder Grandma said your virtues are as numerous as the stars in the sky.
She wasn’t just being kind. You truly are amazing, utterly admirable.”Initially, Cathy thought Bella was just some nouveau riche heiress from a humble background.
She had no idea she was in the presence of a top-tier boss!
Donna laughed, “All of you should take a leaf out of Bella’s book.”
As the meal concluded, everyone moved to the living room where Shirley had invited a series of entertainers—a sketch comic, a magician—each taking their turn to perform.
Some acts had everyone in stitches, while the magician’s tricks drew gasps of wonder.
Romeo watched the joy on Mirabella’s face, his own lips curving into an involuntary smile.
Half an hour later.
All the performances had come to an end, and Jennifer, linking arms with Mirabella, beamed at her, “Bella, how about we go watch the fireworks? Your Grandma and Grandpa had them set up just for you.”
Mirabella’s gaze shifted towards Phillip and Shirley, her tone gentle, “Thank you, Grandma and Grandpa.”
“I just hope you like them.” Phillip helped his wife put on a woolen beanie and a thick coat before they all made their way to the garden.
“It’s a bit nippy out here, Bella. Do you have a warmer coat?” A gust of wind made Shirley’s neck chill, and she was concerned Mirabella might catch a cold.
But in the next second, Romeo draped his overcoat around Mirabella’s shoulders and meticulously fastened each button, “Wear mine, it’ll do.”
The black overcoat hung loose on Mirabella, accentuating her slender figure even more.
Cathy hadn’t expected Mirabella to carry off Romeo’s overcoat with such a cool vibe.
It seemed like her sister-in-law was a natural clothes horse, the kind who could make even a burlap sack look good.