Filed To Story: Returning to Her Not-So-Poor Family
When Mirabella walked into the living room, she was greeted by a scene of six adults, all engrossed in their phones, fiercely sending gift in the chat.
“Bella’s right here, can’t we just give her a big one in person?” Romeo, standing next to Mirabella, was somewhat speechless at his relatives’ antics.
It dawned on Phillip and Shirley then. Oh right, they’d prepared a hefty gift card for Mirabella!
George and Jennifer, Tomas and Donna, all remembered and handed Mirabella their generous gifts, wishing her a Happy New Year.”Thanks, Grandma and Grandpa,” Mirabella said, accepting the gift cards and thanking each in turn, “Thanks.”
“Silly girl, no need for formalities with family.” Jennifer was overjoyed to see her accept the gifts.
The other adults then distributed gifts to the younger family members. Cathy, upon seeing that her gift was smaller and less substantial than Mirabella’s, couldn’t help but confront her own parents, “Dad, Mom, can’t you be impartial? How can you be okay with giving such a tiny gift card?”
She was their own daughter, after all!
“Of course we’re okay with it,” Tomas and Donna responded, not seeing anything amiss.
Cathy then looked pleadingly towards her grandparents.
Her own parents might not dote on her, but surely her grandparents would be more generous. Yet even they handed over a gift card that was notably modest.
“Bella’s new here, so naturally the gift is a bit more generous. You’re old enough to appreciate getting one at all,” Phillip said with a bias that might as well have stretched to the Pacific.
She was younger than Mirabella!
Cathy felt a sting but then turned to her aunt and uncle.Cathy was touched but then noticed that Jennifer’s gift cards, like the others given to the younger family members, were different from Mirabella’s.
“Bella’s going to be my daughter-in-law, so I gave a little extra. You don’t mind, do you?” Jennifer’s smile didn’t waver.
In the past, their family group chat was never this lively, nor did it ever ‘rain’ gift cards like this.Seeing Cathy glued to Mirabella’s side, Romeo couldn’t help but tease, “Can’t you go count your bounty somewhere else?”
“Can’t I even chat with my sis-in-law for a minute?” Cathy retorted with a rebellious flair, her voice tinged with defiance. “I hardly cling to her. Grandma and Grandpa chatted her up way more just now.
Why don’t you send them off to count their gift in the corner?”
Romeo’s gaze hardened, and Cathy quickly grabbed Mirabella’s hand, pleading for help. “Bella.”
The unspoken message was clear: Save me! Romeo’s about to go off on me again!
Mirabella cracked a smile and glanced up at Romeo, “Where did you put the holiday presents I got for Grandma and Grandpa?”
“I’ll go get them.”
Romeo shot Cathy a warning look before he left.
“Wow, Bella, you actually got him to move.” Cathy was starstruck by Mirabella’s influence. “Wait, you didn’t even ask him, and off he went. Am I blind or has he changed. Is that really my big brother?”
No, her big brother was still the same—stern and aloof with them.
But with his wife, Mirabella, he was all tenderness.
“Bella, you gotta cover for me in the future! Any tasty treats I get, they’re all yours. Any cool spots I find, you’re the first one I’ll take! Any perks come my way, you’re the one I’ll think of first—just protect me. If I can avoid Romeo’s claws—no, his ‘educational’ grip—for the rest of my life.”
Mirabella couldn’t help but chuckle at Cathy’s earnest appeal.
“Bella, you’ve got such a beautiful smile. You should do it more often.” Cathy rambled on. “When you first came around, you seemed so cool and distant, but then you smiled, and I was totally blown away. Ihereby declare, from today onwards, my sister Luna’s beauty takes second place, and you’re in the lead!”
“Thanks for the ranking,” Mirabella said with a soft smile.
When Romeo returned with the holiday gifts Mirabella had prepared for the elders, she personally handed them out.
Phillip, Shirley, George, and Jennifer each received a fine painting.
As for Tomas and Donna.
Mirabella hadn’t expected them for the holiday dinner and had prepared nothing.
Although Tomas and Donna insisted it was fine, Mirabella still excused herself to the study and penned a calligraphic piece for each of them.
“Bella, aren’t you a bit too quick with that?” Cathy watched Mirabella’s brush dance across the paper, utterly amazed.
Seeing Mirabella’s work, Cathy suddenly yearned to learn how to write like that.
Jeffery and Luna, too, were completely taken aback by Mirabella’s talent. They couldn’t believe that in such a short time, she could produce such beautiful script.This was the work of a true calligrapher. The brushwork was commendable and awe-inspiring.
Once the ink was dry, Mirabella brought the pieces down to Tomas and Donna, earning their surprise and praise.
It was past ten in the evening when she decided to head home.
“Finally, the day has come. It hasn’t been easy, not at all,” Shirley sighed with a sense of relief. “At long last, the hardship has turned to sweetness.”
“Bella, tomorrow I’ll be in top form, dressed in my sharpest, youngest-looking suit to show you off!”
Phillip promised with gusto. “I’m going to make sure every reporter out there knows that you’re my granddaughter-in-law, the darling of the McMillian family—someone they can only envy. No one can replace your place in our hearts, especially in Romeo’s.”
“Absolutely, at tomorrow’s homecoming banquet, I heard it’s going to be nationally televised. I will declare in front of everyone that you, Bella, are the McMillian family’s and personally my most satisfactory, most beloved, and proudest daughter-in-law!”
“We’ll all be there early to support you, as a united front,” Tomas said, his charm undiminished by his warm smile. “We’ll show everyone the esteemed place you hold within the McMillian and Collins families.”
“Thank you all so much.” Mirabella’s heart swelled with emotion as she thanked them for their kindness.
“Bella, before the banquet starts tomorrow, can I come over to Reflections Villa to see you?” Cathy asked eagerly.
Her request was met with a firm “No,” from Romeo, with a chilling tone.
But Cathy was undeterred, her eyes pleading with Mirabella for approval.
“Anytime is fine by me.”
Mirabella’s response made Cathy beam with excitement. “I’ll text you before I head out tomorrow!”Having said her piece, Cathy then turned to her older brother Jeffery and sister Luna, “Jeffery, Luna, let’s head over early tomorrow! See if there’s anything we can help with.”
“You just better not cause any trouble,” Romeo interjected, doubtful of her assistance.
“Hey! At least I can help with styling, makeup, carrying things, even holding up a dress hem!”
Jeffery smiled gently, “No problem, we’ll go together.”
Luna chimed in as well, “Sure, no problem.”
Romeo hadn’t expected such a rapid warming of relations between them and Mirabella, who had only just met that evening.
Their fondness for Mirabella seemed to surpass even their blood-related big brother.
“See you tomorrow, Bella,” Cathy said cheerily, hurrying to open the car door for Mirabella and buckling her in, essentially doing Romeo’s job for him.
“Goodbye for now, Bella,” Cathy said with a sweet smile.
Luna, too, smiled and waved goodbye to Mirabella.
“See you tomorrow, Bella,” Jeffery said respectfully.”Have you noticed our families have a similar vibe?”
“I gotta say, they’re a hoot to hang out with,” Mirabella said with a playful smile. “Especially Cathy, she’s just a darling and a real firecracker.”
“Just wait until she gets into trouble and you’re left holding the bag,” Romeo grumbled, smoothly turning the steering wheel as the car veered onto the next street.
Mirabella chuckled lightly, “Sounds like she’s given you a run for your money in the past.”
“Trouble? She’s a one-woman wrecking crew.” Visions of Cathy’s mischievous escapades over the years played through Romeo’s mind. “Her parents couldn’t rein her in, so it all fell to me. Once they saw I had some sway, even Jeffery and Luna stepped back. Any problem, they came straight to me.”
“No wonder you guys are thick as thieves,” Mirabella laughed. “It’s rare to see cousins bond like siblings.”
“Is it, though?” Romeo shot her a glance and asked.
“Absolutely. It’s clear as day that they look up to you. And in your heart, you see them as your little siblings, too. Your bond is just like that of real brothers and sisters.”
“You’ve been smiling a lot tonight,” Romeo observed, his own heart warming at her laughter. “Back when you were with the Meltons, you hardly ever did. But since you’ve returned to the Collins family, you’ve been all smiles.”
“Maybe I’ve changed,” Mirabella mused, also aware of her transformation. “Feels like I’ve suddenly got a soft spot, yet at the same time, a suit of armor.”
The conversation flowed between them until the car pulled up in front of Reflections Villa.”Here they come! That’s Romeo’s ride! Romeo’s bringing Bella home!” Louisa exclaimed, glued to the surveillance screen. “When do we set off the fireworks? Now, or when Bella steps in?”
Behind her, a small crowd had gathered—ten adults, five men, and Alma.
“The moment those fireworks go off, we all rush out and surprise her, wish her a Happy New Year,”
Chasel suggested.
“Should we be holding glow sticks or something when we go out?”
“We’ve got the light show planned right after the fireworks, remember? Let’s not overcomplicate things.
We don’t want her to miss the good stuff.”
“Good point—oh my god, they’re kissing!” David’ eyes nearly popped out at the sight of the couple’s intimate embrace on the monitor.