Chapter 8 - Remembering The Past

The next day, Alex had nothing planned, she had some free days before officially starting her work. Since she had finally come to Florelia, she decided to visit her grandparents and mother before going shopping with Fidelia.

Their apartments gifted by Royalstars was finally ready, so they planned to do some shopping to decorate their new home a bit so it can feel like home. The two friends decided to live together since they were already used to living together.

After a 2-hour drive, Alex arrived at her grandparents' last house with Fidelia. It was a family mausoleum where her grandfather, grandmother and mother rested. In fact, after her mother died in New Bell, her grandfather had insisted that she should rest beside her mother, so he had personally brought his daughter's ashes back to Florelia at that time and then buried them with his wife. When he died, he too was buried next to his two most loved ones. Unfortunately, Alex couldn't saw her grandfather before his death. He was already back at Florelia secretly while she was working outside the country.

Alex and Fidelia laid down the flowers they had brought and stood there both lost in their own thoughts.

After a few minutes of silence, Alex spoke. She turned to her mother first, "Hello mom, it's been a long time, I see grandfather took good care of you before he came to live with you here, I hope you are happy where you are. I am finally back in Florelia, your little girl has grown up and followed in your footsteps. I became a model like you and recently I even got a chance to be in a movie, that's great right? I hope you are proud of me. Do not worry about me, you know I am a strong independent girl, right? I love you."

Then she put her hand on her grandfather's grave, "Hey grandfather, your dear little girl came to see you as promised, I am sorry it took so long, I am sorry I could not say goodbye one last time to you. I hope you are happy with grandmother and mom beside you. I am back in Florelia and plan to keep the promise I made to you. I will get back everything Alan Porter took from our family; I promise you one more time, I'll do all I can to make that happen!!!" she finished, shedding a tear. For her part, Fidelia could not help but shed a few tears too while hearing her friend so sad. She greeted Alex's mother and promised to take care of Alex as always.

Alex stayed with her family for a moment, sitting in front of them and drinking the wine she had bought. After some time, the two young women went back silently.

On the way back, there was silence in the car. Then Alex spoke abruptly "My grandfather Charles Michell was a great stylist back then, he had a fashion house here with several shops, he met my grandmother on one of her trips to France, she was very beautiful, well that's how grandfather thought about her. I actually look a lot like her" she smiled as she remembered the image of his grandmother in her mind.

Then she continued, "She was born here in New Bell actually and came to live here when she was a teenager. She met my grandfather here and they married very quickly. Two years later my mother was born. When she was 20, my mother was a model for my father's company, that's where she met my father and married him not long after.

My mother was far from imagining that their marriage was just a ruse and a prank to get my grandfather's fashion house. Seven years after I was born, my grandmother died. My grandfather could not cope with the loss and withdrew into himself. It was then that he decided to hand over the running of his business to his son-in-law, whom he trusted completely. Four years later, my mother found out about my father's mistress.

My mother decided to file for divorce, but unfortunately, she did not get custody of me as she was left with nothing. So for a year, I lived with my father, my stepmother and his two children. My mother could only see me on weekends, that year was the most terrifying in my life, I was abused every day, if not for my mother coming every weekend maybe I'll have died already. Then came that fateful day when my half-brother got his hands on me.

Luckily for me, it was the day my mother came to pick me up. After finding me crying that day, my clothes torn, my mother decided to file for sole custody of me. She confronted my father, who refused what happened, saying she had no proof. My father then took advantage of this to take over my grandfather's business: My mother could only get my custody if she agreed to hand over my grandfather's business, which she was running in his name.

After discussions with my grandfather, my mother eventually gave her inheritance to my father in exchange for my custody, then my grandfather decided it was better for us to live in this country, that's how we ended up in New Bell."

She told her little story to Fidelia, who in turn could not help but feel sorry for her friend who had a turbulent and sad childhood unlike her who had spent the happiest childhood with loving parents.

Then Alex said to her with a smile, "My grandfather was a great person, he always took care of me, after he lost his business, he continued to work in New Bell to help me and my mother; before he died, I promised him to get his business back, and I plan to do that even if it has to cost me all the sacrifices in the world."

Fidelia took her friend's hand and answered her with great determination, "You can count on me, I will help you."

To relax the somewhat gloomy atmosphere in the car, Alex decided to listen to one of the songs that always made her happy even when she is at her lowest state.

Then, in the car, we heard two beautiful voices of young women singing loudly with a wide smile and a cheerful look to Kua le song bai from Angela Zhang ft Will PAN. All their gloomy thoughts were gradually wiped and replaced by cheerful ones.

Across town, in a large, luxurious old-style office of the kind often seen in old 1920s movies, on the top floor of the Royal Corp tower, Eli Jensen, a man in his sixties, was talking with his son, a young man of thirty quite seriously.

"Son, in less than 6 months, this office will be yours, I could enjoy my retirement by travelling around the world with your mother," Eli said with a big smile, already imagining the joy this well-deserved rest will bring him.

Eliott Jensen looked at his father with his eyes brow nearly touching each other as he was frowning " You remind me of that every day! Thank you for reminding me that my beautiful life free from any responsibilities will soon be over;"

"Your mother is waiting eagerly; I hope you have not forgotten that all this is only valid if you get married. I hope you are looking because I am not going to cancel my trip around the world because you can't find yourself a wife!!" Eli said with a big smile.

Eliott innocently replied to his father with a shrug of his shoulders saying with a mysterious smile, "Maybe you should start cancelling your trip already. Cause as you can see I'm still single!! I'm already sorry for you dad"