’’I am worried you’d take me there in a rush and I would not have enough to prepare gifts... No, that would be too improper...’’
Ella mumbled to herself. No matter what, after all the chaos she had put Adrian’s grandparents through in her previous life, she had no face left to see them, let alone go there empty handed.
Adrian’s brows relaxed, "Gifts?" He looked at her in a daze.
She was concerned about gifts?
Not reluctant about going there?
Ella turned to him, ’’When did you say we are going there?"
"Today,’’ Adrian declared calmly.
Ella blinked once. Twice.
And then she suddenly looked at him in disbelief, ’’T-Today?"
"Are you mad, Adrian? How could you not tell me in advance?" Ella paced around in the room, clutching her in both her palms.
All the sugary baby-darling she uttered usually flew out of the window.
Adrian blinked as he watched the girl walk in circles, tugging her hair till it resembled a bird’s nest.
"This won’t do... This won’t do... I haven’t even mentally prepared myself. What if I mess up? And what about the gifts? What to get for them on such a short notice...’’ Ella’s mumbling came to a halt when long fingers grabbed her wrists firmly.
Her grip on her hair loosened as Adrian slowly pulled her hands down from her hair.
He released her hands and reached out towards her hair.
Ella tried to shift her head on instinct but then man held her in place and smoothened her hair, ’’Grandpa is not around. Grandma does not care about gifts.’’
Ella was silent for a beat before she spoke again, ’’Does that mean Grandpa cares about gifts? Then, won’t he mind if I don’t treat his wife sincerely and go there without gifts?"
Eventually, Ella did prepare some gifts for the Old Madam.
In the backseat of the black sedan, Ella sat with a little basket in her lap. The basket was wrapped delicately and it looked beautiful.
"You said this will work but what if it doesn’t?" she turned to Adrian, ’’I haven’t baked in a long time. What if these cookies and brownies did not turn out to be that nice?"
"She would still like it.’’
Ella looked at him skeptically, ’’Why would someone like bad food?"
"Because you made it. She has to.’’
This blatant favoritism. Such obvious nepotism was indeed a little tough to digest.
Unlike the Eve Mansion, the Main Mansion was not just one mansion.
But rather, it was like a grand elite society past the main gates, like a little town of its own with various mansions, big and small on either side of the road till they reached the main mansion that stood like towering castle in comparison.
This place resided not only Adrian’s grandparents, but also the branch families, servants, staff members and many such people by an extension.
When the car stopped in front of the main mansion, Ella’s breath hitched.
Even after Ji Yan opened the door, Ella did not alight from the car.
But rather, she looked at the grand towering mansion in front of her eyes.
The memories of her previous life flooded in her eyes.
Today, the sky was clear but back then, she visited this place on a stormy night for a family dinner. It’s another thing that she ruined that family dinner.
But in the long run, the old couple were very healthy and happy, doting on their grandsons. But in no time, that happiness faded.
The power politics in the main family started getting worse, Adrian’s health worsened, Kade’s strategical marriage, constant riot in the family...
Although the old couple already knew about the nature of Ella’s and Adrian’s relationship, they thought that things were getting better between them.
Until, they witnessed one of their fights where, in her anger, Ella cursed Adrian to die. When he approached her, she pointed a knife at him.
The old madam lost consciousness by the blow. And her already fragile health kept deteriorating until she eventually passed away a few months later.
With the growing chaos in the family, the Old Master declared his will to hand everything over to Adrian and passed away two months after his wife’s death...
Ella’s heart twisted just at the thought of the past.
Her fingers clenched the handle of the basket so tightly her knuckles turned white, as if clinging to a second chance she feared she hadn’t earned.
Suddenly, slender fingers settled on the back of her palm.
’’She will like it,’’ Adrian pulled Ella’s hand to his lap.
Ella turned to look at him and she did not know if it was an illusion, but his glacier-like eyes seemed to be reflecting a hint of gentleness.
She felt his fingers caressing her, relaxing her stiff palm.
The man, who had felt like a cold, untouchable existence for an entire lifetime suddenly seemed more humane. Within her reach.
A row of servants stood outside the main mansion and the one in front was the butler.
Another servant rushed out from within the mansion, "The Old Madam is asking about them again. What should I tell her?"
The butler looked on in bewilderment, ’’Inform her that they have arrived but for some reason, they have yet to step out of the car...’’
Just as he finished speaking, he spotted a woman stepping out of the car first.
Then Ji Yan went to the other side and opened the door for Adrian.
The butler was stunned but after a moment, he quickly tried to observe the woman who accompanied their Second Master.
On the other side, Ella hopped to Adrian’s side the moment he alighted the car.
And before the man could say a word, he felt an arm wrapping around his.
Adrian’s mind glitched for a moment before he recovered his senses and took the lead, taking Ella with him.
"Second Master,’’ The butler greeted Adrian before turning to Adrian.
Ella was dressed in an ankle-length pastel pink dress, her long braided hair fell over her shoulder and her face had some subtle makeup done.
The butler felt like she was too much different from the socialites he was used to seeing. She was not conventionally beautiful...
Ella: *walking in circles*
Author: What’s wrong now?
Ella: Adrian is taking me to see his grandma... I messed up so bad in my last life, what do I even say to her?
Author: Say "hi," and maybe drop a smile. Oh, and while you’re at it *turns to readers* drop some power stones, golden tickets and nice reviews, please. Ella needs all the blessings she can get.
Ella: *sniffles* That’s only fair.