The Offer – Part ll

"I'll try to get back to you as soon as possible." Mason chuckled,
"I'm sorry I can't come to see you off at the airport." Gerbert apologized and Mason dismissed it.
"There's nothing to worry about. I hope to see you soon."
"Hopefully you will." As Mason got into the waiting car, they said their goodbyes. Gerbert's driver dropped off Mason at the airport, and he was soon on his way back to California.


"Dad! You are back!" As Mason entered their home in the morning, Ophelia cheerfully hugged him.
"How are you holding up, little dove?" He inquired in a rich voice, as he placed his suitcase on the floor and sat down on the couch.
"I suppose everything is OK at work. I mean, I know I didn't make any mistakes?" She inquired, and Mason laughed.
"I'm sure you didn't."
"How did things turn out?" Mason sighed, losing his tie, as Ophelia eagerly inquired.
"He agreed to invest, and we devised some business concepts. He will be paying us a visit soon." Mason chose not to tell her everything right away and instead decided to inform her about their plan later. He is not sure how she'd react. Ophelia did get back together with Owen, so Mason is unsure what her answer will be. Even while he first liked Owen, the vibe Owen gave off later irked him. And Owen did leave her in a situation like that and decided to come back again. Mason also noticed Ophelia's love for Owen fade in throughout the year, she doesn't seem to be as happy with or as excited about Owen as she did before. Perhaps Onyx would be a good match for her, but that decision is solely hers.



The ringing of a cellphone filled the silent room, jolting Ophelia awake. When she saw her Aunt's name flash across the screen, she took her phone off the bedside table and frowned.
"Hello Aunt Stella?" Ophelia replied in a scratchy voice, then a distressed and terrified voice came through.
"It's Abigail, Ophelia!" Stella's voice cracked, and Ophelia sat up straight on the bed.
"What happend?"
"S-she is gone Ophelia. She left us!" Stella burst into tears, and before Ophelia realised it, tears flowed down her cheeks. Her grandmother, Abigail Grace Stella's mother-in-law, was like a grandmother to her. Abigail, her only Aunt Stella, her husband and their two kids, and her father Mason were her only family. Their bond was close as they had noone but each other. Ophelia dried her tears as she prepared to tell her father the news. Ophelia could only hope that her father would take the news well. She can't bear such misery all at once.
After hanging up the phone, Ophelia got out of bed and walked out of the room quietly. She took a few big breaths and came to a halt in front of Mason's bedroom door. She raised her hand to knock on the door but came to a halt when her eyes fell on the clock on the wall. It was 3 in the morning, and her father had arrived after a long journey. She chose not to wake him and inform him in the morning. She returned to the little living room and sat on the couch. Sleep didn't come onto her eyes for the rest of the night, and her grandmother's memories kept her awake.
"Ophelia?" When Mason shook her shoulder, she was jolted out of her reverie. She has no idea when the morning dawned or when her father woke up.
"Dad!" She exclaimed as she hugged her father, and Mason held her tightly. "What happend, little dove?" As he sat down, he questioned, perplexed. "Grandma, Dad. She is no longer with us." She barely uttered and felt Mason's breath hitched. The morning passed as they consoled each other and decided to visit Abigail's house, which was a few hours away. Their entire family was gathered when Ophelia and Mason arrived. Ophelia's aunt, uncle, and cousin brother.
While they were all preparing for the funeral that was the next day, a large number of people began to visit them. Abigail was always willing to help anyone in need. Everyone ran to her when they were in distress, and Abigail always helped them with a smile. All of those people for whom Abigail had stood in their moment of need were now there to console her family and say goodbye to her.

"Ophelia?" Stella called her name, and she turned around. "Yes Aunt?"
"Can you try and call Zoey? I can't reach her." Stella inquired, and Ophelia responded with a nod.
"Isn't she aware of Grandma?"
"I informed her, and she was meant to arrive today." Stella appears to be concerned.
"Don't worry, I'll try to reach her."
Ophelia tried calling Zoey hundred times but couldn't get through, so she decided to leave a voicemail.
The next day, dressed in all black, Ophelia and her family gathered at the church for Abigail's funeral. Ophelia held herself up as her father, aunt, and others grieved. She greeted everyone who came to the funeral and consoled her father and aunt. Ophelia kept herself from breaking down as they needed her and she needed to be strong. In the midst of all of this, she attempted to call and reach Zoey. But she was still unavailable, and Ophelia became increasingly anxious and frustrated.

Ophelia was pacing impatiently outside the church as the funeral ceremony was about to begin and Zoey hadn't arrived yet. When she heard footsteps approaching the gate, her attention was drawn to it. When she saw Zoey's plight, Ophelia began to boil inside. Her hair looked like a strom had blown through it, her makeup was smudged, and Zoey was dressed in a little dress.
"Zoey! What is this behaviour? I and your mother tried a thousand times to reach you! Your grandmother died, and you showed up to her funeral dressed like this!" Zoey stared down as Ophelia snarled in wrath. Ophelia felt a pair of eyes on her and glanced over Zoey's shoulder. When she recognised the person in the driver's seat, she stormed down the pavement towards the car, and Onyx got out.