Chapter 250 Encountering an Old Friend
Joe hired a few cleaners to tidy up the house.
Joe's assistant had snagged a reservation at some restaurant, so they decided to grab a bite while the cleaners did their thing.
After tossing a few instructions to the cleaners, Aurelia followed them out. Joe had already hustled Cathy into the car.
She stepped outside and froze when she saw who was standing there.
Ulysses had put on a few pounds since four years ago, but his style was still on point. He was rocking a custom casual outfit, definitely his own design.
Ulysses gawked at Aurelia, eyes wide. He licked his lips, totally at a loss for words.
Four years back, everyone thought Aurelia had bit the dust in a car crash, and Nathaniel even held a memorial for her. Seeing her now was blowing Ulysses' mind.
"Aurelia?" he called out, his voice shaky but hopeful.
Aurelia gave a bittersweet smile, her eyes welling up. She nodded. "Yeah, Ulysses, it's me."
Ulysses suddenly cracked up, his laughter choked with emotion.
Aurelia's disappearance had messed him up for ages. He'd kept her room untouched and even blamed Nathaniel for her supposed death.
It turned out she was alive and kicking.
Ulysses snapped out of it and took a few steps closer, giving Aurelia a once-over to make sure it was really her. Aside from a new hairstyle, she was pretty much the same.
He couldn't help but laugh, a mix of bitterness and joy. For a moment, he forgot to keep his cool.
He asked, "Aurelia, where the heck have you been all these years? You doing okay?"
Aurelia wiped away her tears, feeling guilty toward her old friend.
She said, "I've been alright, Ulysses. I'll fill you in later."
Ulysses gave her a look that said he got it.
"With us, no need for explanations. Just knowing you're alive and well is enough for me. You have no idea how stoked I am right now."
Ulysses was so pumped he could barely get his words out.
He explained, "I swapped numbers with your neighbor and kept tabs on your place. He called me saying someone was in the house, so I rushed over. Never thought it'd be you."
Aurelia could feel Ulysses' excitement through his heartfelt words.
She glanced back and saw Joe and Cathy were waiting for her in the car..
She said, "Ulysses, my grandma's waiting for me. I'll hit you up tonight. It's been ages; let's get together with Amber and catch up."
Ulysses nodded, pressing his lips together to keep his excitement in check.
After a quick goodbye, Aurelia hopped into the car.
She hadn't expected to bump into an old friend on her first day back. She'd planned to visit Ulysses later, but fate had other ideas. She tapped out a message on her phone, asking Ulysses to save her number.
After lunch, Aurelia took Cathy and Joe to Brenda's favorite flower shop, market, and bookstore.
The street hadn't changed much; the shops had new owners, but the signs were still the same.
Cathy, not one to tire easily, soaked in the cultural vibes of Imperick, experiencing the life her daughter had lived, walking the paths she had walked. Her once-empty heart was slowly filling up.
When they got back to the villa, the cleaners had already worked their magic, making the place spotless.
They planned to crash here before heading back to Coral Bay.
That evening, Aurelia gave Ulysses a call, just like she promised.
Ulysses had already prepped some barbecue stuff at home, with Amber lending a hand.
Amber had swapped shifts with a coworker and dashed over to Ulysses' place after his call. She was half-doubting what Ulysses had said. Four years ago, when news of Aurelia's car accident hit, Nathaniel had been a wreck for ages before he slowly got back on his feet.
She thought Ulysses was pulling her leg, but his serious tone on the phone made it hard to brush off.
Amber decided she had to see it to believe it.
When Aurelia's call came in, Ulysses put it on speaker.
Upon hearing Aurelia's voice, Amber covered her mouth in shock, her eyes wide as saucers.
"Aurelia, is that really you?" she asked.
Aurelia paused for a few seconds on the other end and said, "Amber, I'm back. Hang tight; I'm on my way."
After hanging up, Amber was so excited she didn't know what to do with herself. She left the half-washed veggies in the kitchen, muttering, "Aurelia loves sweet fruit wine, and she likes broccoli and baby bok choy."
She wiped her hands on her apron and started rummaging through the fridge.
Ulysses, having set up the grill, walked over and said, "Amber, we've got everything at home. I already prepped it. Just think about what you want to say when you see her."
Amber cried tears of joy and said, "I want to ask her where she's been all these years, if she's met anyone she likes, seen beautiful places, and tried new foods."
Ulysses handed her a tissue. He'd already gone through his round of excitement that afternoon and totally got how Amber was feeling. The three of them were about to be reunited!
He said, "Don't get too worked up. We've got plenty of time now."
Amber nodded.
Meanwhile, Aurelia hopped in a cab to Ulysses' place.
She looked at the familiar streets, feeling a whirlwind of emotions. If it weren't for Brenda's grave here, she probably wouldn't want to come back to this place, where she'd been through so much.
Imperick was still the same, but her her state of mind had changed a lot.
Back then, she wanted to hold onto her family with Nathaniel, but it all ended in disaster. The memories were sad and ironic, constantly reminding her of how oppressed and humble she'd lived.
The cab pulled up outside Ulysses' house, and she headed upstairs with her bag.
At the stairway, Ulysses and Amber had already heard the car and opened the door to welcome her.
The moment Amber saw Aurelia, she rushed over and gave her a big hug.
They were hugging and crying together.
Ulysses stood off to the side, hands on his hips, watching them quietly.
Amber had a million questions but couldn't get a word out. She just cried until she started hiccupping. Aurelia wiped her tears and patted her back, comforting her, "Amber, it's all in the past."
With that simple sentence, she brushed off all the suffering she'd endured, like it was nothing.
Ulysses chimed in, "Alright, can you two get inside first? If the neighbors see, they'll think I'm bullying you."
Amber wiped her tears and broke into a smile.
After all, it was a happy occasion, and she was over the moon.
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