Chapter 84 Buying Back the House for You
"Aurelia, the house you mentioned was listed for sale online some time ago. Nathaniel asked me to buy it, but he didn't want the seller to know he was the buyer. Since everyone knows I have a good relationship with him, I decided to put the house under my sister's name."
"However, you managed to find out about it. Once Chelsea loses interest in this house, we'll transfer the ownership. This house will then be yours, bought by him for you."
Oscar scratched his head and revealed the hidden truth.
Aurelia was shocked. "Nathaniel was the one who bought it!"
Why would he buy that house from Chelsea? He already owns countless properties and wouldn't be interested in such an old house in that location.
"Why did he buy that house?"
Oscar sighed. "Aurelia, can't you see Nathaniel is trying to deceive you?"
He continued, "Well, indeed, no man would deceive his wife in such a discreet manner. If you can see through it, that's strange."
Aurelia didn’t believe it. Nathaniel never cared about her affairs, let alone buying the house her mother left, especially from Chelsea.
"What did he say when he asked you to buy the house?"
"He said not to let Chelsea know he bought it. That's all."
Aurelia felt confused. She couldn't believe Nathaniel would take something from Chelsea for her.
Oscar handed her a set of keys. "Stop doubting. Let's have dinner. I'll give you the main door key. I always worry about losing it. After dinner, I'll take you to see the house; the password of the smart lock inside has been changed."
Aurelia had lost her appetite completely. The news both unsettled and thrilled her.
The house her mother left had unexpectedly returned to her hands.
Oscar took a few bites casually, observing Aurelia's anxious expression, and then put down his fork.
"Let's go. I'll show you the house."
Aurelia couldn't hide her eagerness. "Let's go."
Today, Oscar drove his stylish Ferrari, making Aurelia feel uncomfortable inside.
Nathaniel preferred discreet luxury cars, unlike Oscar's flamboyant style. The car was all pink, attracting attention wherever they went, with people staring and even taking photos.
They arrived at the Lake Villa.
Aurelia stood in front of the door, overwhelmed with emotions. Every brick felt familiar. She recalled her mother's voice in her mind,
"Aurelia, it's time to wake up."
"Aurelia, I'll be at your school performance today to cheer you on."
"Aurelia, don't be picky with your food."
Childhood memories flooded back. Her mother was gentle and caring, always revolving around her and her father.
She had to send Aurelia to school in the morning and also made beautiful bento boxes for Norman. She could manage the house very orderly.
In the beginning, Norman was just a man full of passion. Aurelia's mother provided him with the initial capital to start his business.
Despite that, Norman didn't want to come home, had affairs outside, and had another daughter Chelsea.
Aurelia couldn't help but shed tears.
Oscar reminded her, "Go inside and take a look."
The villa's door opened, revealing a different interior style. Aurelia hurried upstairs to her mother's room, finding everything replaced with new items, but there was not a trace of her mother's belongings left.
Her own bedroom seemed like it belonged to someone else. Her paintings were gone, replaced by Chelsea's photos on the walls and her belongings on the desk.
Everything felt so unfamiliar that she couldn't believe it was the house she had lived in for over a decade.
Aurelia choked up, frantically searching around. Finally, in the storage room on the ground floor, she found her mother's box and some of her childhood books.
She began sorting through the contents. Seeing her so heartbroken, Oscar couldn't leave her alone. He stood quietly by her side.
"Aurelia, the house is back in your hands. Take your time."
Aurelia's hands trembled uncontrollably.
All the valuable items left by her mother were gone, leaving only these inconspicuous things.
Inside the box were her mother's notes, including some recipes. The papers had yellowed with age, showing their years. In one notebook, Aurelia found an old photo, probably one that had been looked at often, with the edges turning yellow.
In the photo, her mother had shoulder-length hair, looking bright and lively, appearing to be only eighteen or nineteen years old.
She held a chubby-faced baby in her arms, with small words inscribed next to them- March 18, 1993, Samuel's 100th-day celebration.
Aurelia was momentarily stunned. Samuel was a mystery to her, the closest she had ever been to unraveling it.
Who was Samuel, and what was his relationship with her mother?
Aurelia's mind was in turmoil as she searched further, finding nothing else related to Samuel.
At that moment, her phone rang. Aurelia set down what she was holding and took out her phone—it was Ulysses.
"Ulysses, what's up?"
Upon hearing the name Ulysses, Oscar's heart skipped a beat. He felt a sudden urge to escape but also felt obligated to stay since he had brought her here. Taxis were hard to come by in this suburban area, especially at night. If something happened now, Nathaniel would surely give him a hard time in the future.
"Okay, I'll send you my location."
Aurelia spoke with Ulysses for only a few minutes before sending him her location.
Oscar's startled, thinking, ‘Is Ulysses coming?’
Aurelia didn't notice Oscar's expression and continued sorting through her things.
Soon, the sound of a car engine outside, followed by the doorbell, interrupted their silence.
Aurelia stood up to answer the door.
Oscar felt uneasy; he couldn't understand why he wanted to escape. He had nothing to run from. In this era, a one-night stand was nothing unusual for young people.
Ulysses entered wearing a simple white t-shirt and work pants that accentuated his long legs.
"Aurelia, is your husband away on a business trip?"
He asked as he entered. Nathaniel didn't like Aurelia associating with him, so Ulysses was aware and usually refrained from contacting her to avoid causing trouble.
Their innocent friendship seemed like an affair.
Aurelia hesitated. "He's away for a week."
Ulysses nodded and walked in. "Amber is at my place today. We bought some stuff for a barbecue tonight. Would you like to join us?"
"I've already had dinner with Oscar."
Aurelia's gaze shifted to Oscar, and Ulysses finally noticed there was another person in the room.
The atmosphere suddenly turned awkward, with Aurelia feeling the discomfort first.
"You two talk. I'll get some water."
The villa had been uninhabited for a long time, lacking even a drink. Aurelia ordered water on her phone.
"You talk. I have some things to attend to."
Oscar prepared to leave; he had nothing to discuss with Ulysses.
After a moment of contemplation, Ulysses spoke up, "Why did you block me on Facebook again?"
"Of course, I had to block you."
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