John ignored my playful request. “That means you can’t drive, then. You’ll head downstairs on your own later. The chauffeur and the car are already waiting for you at the entrance of the hotel. I’ll stay to accompany Audrey, so I won’t be seeing you off.”
“How did you know I wanted to leave?” I gaped at John in astonishment.
Without batting an eyelid, John replied smoothly, “I know you far better than you think. Go back and do what you have to do. Once you’ve wrapped up the loose ends, there won’t be a need to look back and regret anything. Leave Anthony’s kidnapping plans to me. I’m not fond of that fellow, but since you’re set on a family reunion, I’ll find a way to fulfill your wish. I’ll use him as a servant at the most.”
I could not help but find John’s stoicism endearing. I was clearly very important to him that he was willing to put aside his immense hatred for Anthony to please me. At that moment, I knew then the full weight of what Sienna meant to John.
It was past five in the evening when I exited the hotel. A gray Mercedes-Benz was the only car parked out in front. I approached it cautiously. As I went near, I could hear the sound of the doors unlock. Thus, I immediately opened the car door and slid into the passenger seat.
I was stunned to see that the chauffeur was a woman.
“Pleased to meet you, Ms. Stanhope. I’m Millie. You have previously hired me to protect you and your children. After what happened, Mr. Stanhope kept me in his service to await your return. You can ask me anything you like. There’s no need to feel shy,” she chirped.
Millie’s straightforward explanation and heartiness comforted me. I immediately took a liking to her frank manner.
“I’ll leave my safety in your capable hands then,” I replied her warmly. Fastening my seatbelt, I instructed, “To the Featherstones’.”
Within the next second, Millie had revved the engines, and the car hurtled forward.
We arrived at the Featherstones’ villa in less than twenty minutes.
“We’re here,” Millie said matter-of-factly as she turned off the engine.
I took a deep breath. It was a while before I felt confident enough to face what lay ahead of me. I unbuckled the seatbelt rather hesitantly.
“Do you need me to go in with you?” Millie asked.
“There’s no need,” I asserted. “Anthony will be alarmed if I bring someone with me. Go back and look after Audrey.”
I sounded more self-possessed than I was. Deep inside, I was trembling. I stepped out of the car and took a breath of fresh air. Millie’s driving hadn’t helped matters. The breakneck speed at which we’d flown through the streets had only served to increase the level of adrenaline in me. Consequently, my heart was still pumping madly.
I straightened myself out, then walked up to the entrance of the villa. As I crossed the threshold, however, I ran right into Anthony.
“Ms. Stanhope?” Joseph, who was following behind, exclaimed in amazement.
Gregory had been dragging his feet listlessly beside Joseph. When he heard Joseph’s yelp, he immediately perked up and dashed over to me.
“Mommy! I thought you didn’t want me anymore. I want you to be my mommy forever! Don’t leave me behind,” Gregory bawled, clinging desolately to my leg.
I quickly knelt down next to Gregory and pacified him, saying, “Silly boy, Mommy only left for a while. How could I have left you behind? Didn’t we agree that we’d stick together?”
However, Gregory could not be so easily appeased. He frowned in deep thought. After a moment, his eyes lit up. Extending his tiny pinky towards me he claimed, “We didn’t make a pinky promise last time, so it didn’t count. Now we have to!”
I put on an unsmiling face and hooked my pinky with Gregory’s. He cheered up considerably afterward.
Looking down at Gregory clad smartly in a tuxedo, I guessed that the three of them were heading out to dinner. In a friendly manner, I asked, “Are you going out to dinner tonight, Gregory?”
Before Gregory could reply, Anthony cut in with a low voice, “We’re going to meet my parents. You have to come too.”
We’re going to meet the Hall family? I thought, amused. I guess today isn’t a wasted trip after all.
I smiled cheerfully at Anthony, then replied, “Sure! Let me go back and change. Wait here for me.”
“It’s alright,” Anthony commanded, halting me in my tracks. “You can come as you are. There’s no need to be so formal.”
Without another word, Anthony got into the van parked just outside the yard.
I shrugged and followed after him, holding tightly onto Gregory’s hand. At least I’ve saved some time and trouble going back to change.
I was actually supremely interested to meet the Hall family. They must be a callous bunch who attempted to wipe out their own son and daughter-in-law without blinking.
We boarded the van. I sat in the back with Gregory while Anthony sat in the front. We seemed to have come to a mutual understanding that the earlier matter with John would not be discussed.
Gregory was thrilled to see me and naturally chattered on endlessly, filling me in with all the news from school that I’d missed in my absence.
When the van was idling at a traffic light, I suddenly thought of Audrey. Experimentally, I asked, “Gregory, you don’t really like to mix with the younger children at school, do you? Do you find them dull? If you have a younger sister who’s very childish, would you dislike her?”
“Of course, I won’t!” Gregory declared stoutly. “I’ll stay with my sister always and protect her. I won’t let anyone bully her!”
The firmness with which Gregory spoke made an amusing contrast with his still-babyish voice. A picture of Gregory and Audrey holding onto each other suddenly surfaced in my mind.
I laughed, then ruffled Gregory’s hair. I looked at him fondly, commending, “You’ve really grown up into a fine young man, Gregory!”
Looking up, I saw Anthony sneakily watching us through the rearview mirror. However, Anthony looked away from the mirror the instant our eyes met, All that remained was the stiff, icy look on his face.
He issued me with another look of utter contempt that doubled up as a warning.
Anthony didn’t seem to care that I had told Gregory about Audrey. It felt like he had full assurance that he would be able to acquire custody of both Audrey and Gregory.
Time flew by as I was thus occupied in thought. It seemed as if we’d arrived at the Hall residence within mere minutes.
Anthony led Gregory and me forward while holding onto Gregory’s hand, I followed closely.
“Mr. Anthony, Mr. Gregory,” the maids standing by both sides of the door chorused as we entered. The living room, however, seemed to be completely still. I presumed that we had arrived earlier than we were expected.
Upon further inspection, however, I realized that I had jumped too quickly to conclusions.
The entire Hall family had already assembled, and they filled the living room. They’d spread themselves out on the sofas but remained oddly hushed. Some were flipping through the papers while others scrolled through their phones. No one exchanged a single word. A suffocating silence hung in the air.
At the sound of our incoming footsteps, Tiffany’s head snapped up. The moment her gaze landed on me, she looked aggressive.
Anthony, however, stepped forward, placing himself squarely between Tiffany and me. Anthony’s sturdy body formed a solid barricade that prevented further escalation of the tension that charged the air between us.
Tiffany sulked. She flung her phone away from her, crossing her arms in front of her chest in annoyance.
Anthony ignored her completely. He strode into the room with the two of us in tow, paying no attention to the various looks that were suddenly focused intently in our direction.
We’d barely taken a few steps into the room when Tiffany said incredulously, “Anthony, have you been too busy with work after firing me from the company? We’re having a family dinner tonight. It’s not the time for you to bring random strangers home.”
Obstinately, Anthony remained standing where he was. He cast a backward glance to see Joseph hurrying in with a stack of gifts.
“Sienna prepared these small tokens for Mom and Dad,” Anthony explained evenly.
Baffled, I looked at Anthony. When had all these been prepared? Had Anthony already predicted that I’d leave John behind to attend the dinner with him?
My mind was swimming with thoughts.
Tiffany tossed her head uncaringly. Joseph, laden down by the weight of the gifts in his arms, tottered awkwardly into the room.
Just then, a deep voice commanded regally, “There’s no need to make such a fuss. We’re family, after all. Housekeeper, take those things from him.”
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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