Time flies and Sena has been in Beldane for a week. 

Her return sparked a new kind of vitality into the formerly somber ancestral home making the old servants, who previously lost hope of seeing the masters, shed tears of joy. 

There are freshly shipped ingredients for meals every day, chefs taking turns to cook her favorite food, rare and colorful flowers filling the antique vases, personnel from exclusive clothing brands coming on schedule to get Miss’ measurements for new clothing in season.

April, who came along with her boss, was in a daze most of the time.  

“What’s the matter?” Sena asked during tea. 

“I think I might have to revise the word ‘rich’ in my vocabulary.” 

Maya Luz and her rich friends who often brag about their wealth in social media, spending money like dirt could not even compare to the custom made shoes worn by the manor staff. 

Even the watches clasped on the bodyguard’s wrist is already worth a two-floor house in the capital! 

It’s hard to believe that, just a week ago, she and Sena were eating corn dogs in a roadstall stall and now enjoying a luxury desert outside a humongous European manor. And what’s even more surprising is Sena’s nonchalant attitude about it all.  

The gap is so wide that April is in a constant state of bewilderment. No wonder her secretarial training was so intense! 

 

During this period of relaxation, Sena took her time to visit the family cemetery. She put a basketful of Lily on the Nile on top of the tombstone then rested her hands on the cold marble.   

“It’s been a while, mama.” She whispered in a choked voice. 

The photo frame perched on top showed the image of a brown-haired beauty with haughty hazel eyes and reserved smile.   

“I’m sorry I wasn’t able to come for a long time. You see, you left me quite a huge amount of work to do.” She continued. “I’ve been very busy signing papers, my hands are cramping. I also made several rectifications on other businesses we have, I… I hope you don’t mind.” 

The mausoleum was cold and silent with only her soft voice echoing but Sena did not mind nor did she feel scared. When she got tired of standing, she went to sit on the chair reserved on the side and went on. 

“I made a lot of friends.” She said happily. “Rest assured they are not like those before— I have changed. I promise.” Then she turned quiet for a while and slowly looked at the photo. “I guess what I really wanted to tell you is that I miss you. I miss you so bad… but you already knew that, right?”

I miss you always. 

Sena smiled and played with the leather glove on her hand. 

“Mama, I have someone I like.” She said softly. She had a lot of good things to say about Nicholas and she is excited to cite all his positive traits to her mother, however in the end, she settled with a brief, “He’s not perfect but I’m happy being with him.” 

The mausoleum remained as silent as ever but despite lacking any sort of reply she felt a profound sense of relief and comfort after confessing. She told her mother about Nicholas beginning from how they met and while talking, the corners of her lips keep turning up.  

“I wasn’t able to catch him before and wasted a lot of time. But it’s different this time.” 

If Paula was alive, would she like him? 

Her heart fluttered. Mama most definitely will. 

The sun was filtering through the foggy meadow when she made it out of the mausoleum. It was six in the morning and the sleepy folks of Stonecraft Park began to arise. Outside of the tombs, tied to the iron gate is a handsome chestnut horse awaiting its owner. 

“Waited for long, Sky?” Sena asked affectionately. Her hands touched the horse's head, caressing it gently. “Let’s go back home and have breakfast with everybody, shall we?”

Putting her gloves on, she then stepped into the stirrups and rode over a thousand acres of parkland, a lake and undulating hills. Half an hour later, she arrived at the stables where a familiar figure was getting ready to ride out himself. 

“I was just about to find you.” Nicholas said with a helpless smile. 

Sena’s eyes widened in surprise. He’s here! 

The bright morning light hit the tip of his boots as soon as he stepped out of the shade of the tree. From dark to light and the closer he comes, his image seems to glow in her eyes.   

“Did you have a pleasant ride, maam?” Nicholas abandoned his horse, walked steadily towards her and held her hand looking up.

She nodded her head and replied in a short panting breath, “More than pleasant!” 

Nicholas saw her surprise and felt pleased with himself. Coming unannounced has turned out to be a good decision. However, seconds later, he regretted it. 

Her eyes turned red, “You came…” 

“Happy?” He teased her then explained briefly, “I had some business not far from here so I thought of dropping by.”

Seeing him all of a sudden, the memory from the dream came back to her in a rush. She felt extremely giddy at the moment that her emotions threatened to spill. He came for her… 

She remembers it now. 

At that time she was taken into custody, her mental state was at the brink of collapsing. Added to the constant harassment of Crisanta’s paid thugs in the cell, she lived her days like a frightened bird. The horrible experience scared her so much that she paid little to no attention to what was happening to her surroundings. So to say she had a vague recollection of the many details during that event that if not for the dream, she wouldn’t remember the important encounter at all.

Sena took a calming breath. The captain leading the team during the bar raid and the person who helped bail her out from the prison was Nicholas.

The height, voice and gestures of the person was unmistakable that Sena wouldn’t mistake it for anyone else. He came for her. Moreover, she clearly heard him say that he helped because he was the “little sister” of a friend which Sena guessed was her big brother Leo. She was sure of it because Nicholas and Leonard had known each other for a long time.  

They had a connection but unfortunately they were not able to meet in the past. But in this life…

The very thought of it touched so much and added by the fast ride, she went completely crazy and began tearing up. 

Sensing something wrong, Nicholas asked worriedly, “Sweetheart?”

Sena let go of the reins and plunged into his arms. 

Nicholas spread his hands out catching her quickly as soon as she slid down bonelessly. “Careful!”

The warm and fragrant body came into his arms softly. Nicholas was both flattered and helpless but that move was very dangerous. He was about to get angry when he felt her cling tighter into him and let out a contented sigh. 

This cheeky woman… All that anger suddenly had nowhere to vent!  

Nicholas can feel something’s off about Sena. She seemed a lot more excited than usual and refused to let go. They held each other like this for several moments until Nicholas resigned to his fate of carrying his little girlfriend. 

They began walking back to the nearby gazebo. The stable hands already tactfully took the horses back to the paddock and secretly admired the strength of Nicholas arms. Just look how he lifted Missy so effortlessly as though he was holding a doll. 

On the way to the gazebo.

Nicholas nagged her about the dangers of jumping off the horse. Sena dare not let out a word of protest and nodded her head obediently like a good girl. She wanted to tease him but decided against it. Instead she leaned on his shoulder with her hands on his neck and legs shamelessly clamped around his waist like a monkey. 

Nicholas raised an eyebrow. 

Sena finally came to her senses but did not expect that her thoughtless action scared him to the point of anger. Although he spoke clearly she could faintly guess that if she retorted stubbornly there would be dire consequences later. 

Nicholas held her until they sat on the stone bench inside and even when they were finally sitting, they were still stuck like conjoined twins. 

It was finally time for a confrontation. 

Sena swallowed and fidgeted, “I know you’ll catch me.” 

Nicholas poked her forehead. 

“Don’t take your safety for granted. Don’t even joke about it. What if—” there are hundreds of angry words that wanted to come out of his lips but in the end he settled with, “No next time.” 

Of course there is no next time. She will only do this kind of stupid thing when he is around.

“I’m glad you’re here…” She murmured, burying her head into his neck and breathing his scent.

Sena heard him groan. His hands tightened around her even more. 

“Brat.” 

“Hehe.” When she looked into his eyes, she saw only tenderness. 

“Sena, I’m serious. You cannot do that again. It’s dangerous.” 

Sena: (T⌓T) sermon’s not over. 

“I know. I’m sorry.”  

“Hm?”

“I promise.” She said solemnly. 

It was her brain malfunctioning. The adrenaline gave her an exhilarating feeling of being unbound and alive. More alive than ever. Sena gazed into Nicholas’s worried face and felt warm to the depths of her heart. 

Another thing that gave her so much courage was because she had finally come to her mother’s grave after such a long time of avoiding it. The knot she held inside loosened knowing that her fear of facing reality without her mother was not as scary as it used to be. 

Not anymore when she still has people who love and support her. 

And despite Nicholas’ excuses of coming here, she knew he came for her.

 

On the main road, far from where she was at. A Bentley was steadily making its way towards the front gate of Stonecraft manor. 

“Are you sure that the girl went back home?” 

The question was flung by a stiff-face woman to a young male secretary. She wore a dainty custom-made green vest over a pleated skirt. She lifted her manicured hand to the hummingbird lapel pin she wore and waited for the reply.  

“Yes, ma’am. Miss arrived the other day to attend the late lady’s first death anniversary.”

The woman squinted her eyes, making her appear more stern and severe. “What about the filthy street rat Paula raised?”

“Yilmaz Adin, ma’am?”

“Yes. Him. Who else?” The woman grimaced. “God knows which decrepit slum the sneaky bastard came from. Over the years, he was able to get his paws into the Erde’s properties. It’s detestable!”

“Mr Adin left Histonia last year, his whereabouts unknown except for the top executives of Nexus Global.”  

The woman pinched her fingers together. “He comes and goes as he pleases. I wonder how the board remains blind to his actions. Sena might not be too pleased with him either.”

Her secretary chose to be silent. 

“What about the shareholders and the chairman, did they come to visit her?”

“No ma’am. There was no news of them coming to Beldane country in the past days. The people at Nexus Global remained oblivious to the Miss' presence as well. I presume they haven’t made any contact with her since the funeral.”

So she disappeared just like that and reappeared?

“Good.” The woman said smugly. Her hand went to the stack of folders beside, protecting them as if they were as delicate as eggshells. “Since I am here, I might as well ask where dear Sena went in the past year.” 

Her secretary looked uneasy on his seat. The most taboo thing about the mother and daughter of the Erde family is to inquire about their whereabouts. He wondered if Patricia was just too excited and missed her words. 

Several miles of paved road and towering trees, the car came to a huge iron gate with the Erde family crest. The doors opened as soon as they approached, giving them passage towards the palatial estate that is Stonecraft. 

Inside, Sena was playing Vivaldi’s Summer in the piano hall when the butler announced the arrival of Patricia Larsson. Her eyebrow went up but her fingers continued to jump on the keys playing the hearty music. 

So she comes…