Chapter 22

Chapter 21

Gealic's face dilated in shock, the shock on her face undeniable as she tried to fathom what had just happened that made her face sting so much.

She looked at the woman who had just slapped her as if she was searching for an answer on why she was slapped by the woman. And judging by the woman's appearance everything about was so Luxurious that judging from her tender glowing skin one would think she's a Young teenager but Gealic was aware the woman would be in her late fifties even without being told.

“Mother, sister, didn't push me intentionally. Am sure it was a mistake from my end,”Maggie said, as she was helped up by the guards.

“Was she just slapped by Amelia's mother?” Gealic's wondered,as a thought lingered on her mind “If it were to be Amelia, that would have been the way she would be slapped for her sister by her mother?” Just the thought of it made her feel there's probably something more to their family.

“Apologize to your sister,” A man said walking towards them while Gealic already guessed the man to be the woman's husband and definitely Amelia's father.

“Apologize for what? You didn't even give me a chance to defend myself yet you want to apologize for what I didn't do?” Gealic asked, staring at them with a plain expression.

She had thought coming over to have dinner with Amelia's family would be the best thing she has ever yearned for all her life. She has always wanted a family, that she thought Ethan's families were hers also until they showed her the opposite of family.

“Amelia, you don't have to apologize. We're family, so we are one, okay?” Maggie muttered innocently and held Gealic's hand like a five years old child pleading.

“You!” Gealic sputtered ignition as she raised her index finger pointing out at the sly bitch in front of her acting nonchalantly as if she wasn't aware of what she had done.

“Miss, apologize to Miss Maggie to avoid unnecessary problems,” Mrs Rachel whispered into Gealic's ears which left Gealic stunned as she wasn't expecting such from the woman. Afterall, she was there with her and could see she didn't push her.

“I won't be apologizing, I have done nothing wrong,” Gealic responded in a stern tone which led the woman to raise her hand ready to slap her again but a voice withheld the hand firmly that she was forced to drop the hand.

“And what is going on over there?”

Gealic looked towards the direction where she had heard the voice and what met her gaze was an old man who emerged from the grandiose mansion walking towards her; them. The old man moved with grace, his shoulder held back, his composure dignified as he approached nearer.

Despite the man's advanced age, Gealic could see a youthful energy in his eyes, which seemed to spark curiosity as the man finally stopped right in front of her and held her hands tenderly.

“Seems not all birds are of the same feathers,” She thought to herself staring at the man.

“Amelia, you didn't visit me last week, I was so worried about you. Ain't you worried about your grandfather?” Grandpa Raymond asked while looking straight into his daughter's gaze.

Gealic thought for a short time, thinking of a suitable response to give to the old man after learning he's Amelia's grandfather. And she could notice, it was only the old man that seemed to care about her granddaughter while others seemed to care more about Maggie.

“Am sorry, grandpa. I was so busy with work that I forgot about the dinner.” Gealic said, and took the gift she had gotten along the way and passed it to grandpa Raymond assistant.

The old man grabbed Gealic's hands not bothering to ask what had caused the dramatic scene he had met, rather he took his granddaughter inside the mansion leaving the other three agitated.

Soon, the dishes were served with everyone seated at the dining table but the dining table seemed like a battlefield. The atmosphere was thick with tension, as every one sat in awkward silence, Gealic could see their eyes darting between each other with distrust and suspicion.

“Bring over Amelia's favorite,” Grandpa Raymond said with a broad smile seeing his granddaughter, she has always been the old man's Favorite.

“Why didn't you come over with your husband?” Grandpa Raymond asked along the way which seemed to leave Garlic in a deep thought.

“Grandpa, he has been busy with work. But he promised to visit you during the next dinner,” Gealic said in a convincing tone which seemed to make Mrs Rachel who was on a stand by curious.

“Really, sister?” Maggie's voice cut through the air, dripping with venomous sweetness.

“Rumors have been circulating that your husband doesn't come home unless you use different scheming means for him to come home,is it true, sister?“Well, some rumors are not always true.” She purred, her eyes sparkling with malice.

“I wonder where my sister heard those fake rumors. You don't have to listen to rumors, you can easily visit me to satisfy your curiosity as that could help keep your mind at rest. We are sisters, remember?” Gealic said with a broad smile before gulping down the whole content in her glass cup.

“How dare she try to make a fool out of her, twice. Not once but twice!”

“Sister, I am just worried that your husband might have grown tired of you… You know men are so quick to change their minds.”

Gealic exchanged a glance with Maggie and could clearly see the sly bitch isn't backing down anytime soon.

“Sister, I thought, mother taught us some table manners to use while eating. How come you forget to make use of it?”

“Haha, seems mother has a lot to teach you. After All, not to spoil our family's diehard reputation. Isn't it my mother?”

“You…!”

Gealic had killed the two birds with one hand even without trying hard that grandpa Raymond couldn't help but grin happily that one of his granddaughters is growing up.

****

After lunch, Gealic casually went to the passage alone that lead to the rose garden. She walked towards the large pine tree in her view before sitting under the shade. She leaned back on its girth while her fingers drew circles on the layer of snow that covered the ground.

Along her way, she was mesmerized by how huge and luxurious everything was in the residence that she never thought a day would come. She would be granted permission to freely explore around the whole mansion.

She would be lying to herself that she doesn't pity Amelia for having such a shameless family but for some reason, she thought since she has her grandfather who loves her dearly, there wouldn't be a need to pity her. Thinking about how Amelia's mom and sister were, she instantly felt her lips turn sour.

“They're all a bunch of problematic set of people,” She muttered, realizing she hasn't spent up to two days and yet she has already learnt alot from the people she met. And just the word problematic was a reminder to Gealic.

Everything that happened today…. She decided to take it as a lesson on how to relate and know more about human lives. Gealic has been so native to think everyone was like her grandmother.

She realized people change easily. Even the calmest person could easily change and turn into a beast, such a world filled up with different sets of people.

Gealic thought she married the best and calmest soul but little does she know that he was a green snake under green grass. If her husband of four years could suddenly change then definitely others would.

Gealic suddenly felt a footstep was approaching her even without turning backwards, she could feel it, as the person's cane tapped softly on the ground, the old man's presence was almost silent.“A penny for your thoughts, daughter?”

“Grandpa, why are you here?” Gealic asked, giving the old man a space to sit beside her.

“Am worried about my granddaughter, is there anything wrong with going to look after her?”

“No, Grandpa, you can always look for me whenever you are worried about me.”

“Have you thought about what I told you, Amelia?” Grandpa Raymond suddenly asked, which seemed to puzzle Gealic that her throat almost dried up.

She wasn't aware of what the old man was saying, Afterall, She wasn't Amelia neither was she with her when she and her grandfather had the conversation. She could only play along to be caught.

“Grandpa, we've spoken about a lot of things,” Gealic said, avoiding the man's eye contact before tucking her ears stylishly behind her ears.

“Well, I don't mind reminding you again, Amelia. But I hope you've made up your mind, daughter. Time wait for no one,”

“Have you thought about leaving your career and taking over the companys, I have worked so hard to keep during my teenage days?” Grandpa Raymond said, trying to study his granddaughter's expression.

“Grandpa, what about father and his brothers and sisters?” Gealic asked confidently, she had seen their family portrait which was how she got to know even without being told.

“They are all greedy. That am afraid it'll cause a commotion between them, daughter,”

Gealic thought for a while, Even though she wasn't aware of her career yet, she believed it wasn't her place to give the old man an answer. Amelia, herself should be the one to give an answer. It wasn't her place to give an answer.

“Grandpa, how about you give me a little more time?” She asked with a pleading gaze that the old man could not reject.

“Alright… When you are ready, You let me know, okay” Grandpa Raymond said before getting up and walking away while Gealic couldn't help struggling within herself as she kept staring at the old man retreating figure.

“Miss, we have to leave now!” A voice said behind her jolting her out of her long thoughts and eventually jerking her in a cringe way but even without turning back to see the person's face, she recognized the voice instantly.

“Where again?” She groaned tiredly.

“Your manager just…..” Mrs Rachel's words were innocently interrupted by someone who was desperately curious.

“My manager? Do I have a manager?” Gealic asked shamelessly before releasing she shouldn't have asked such a lame question that could easily frustrate the hell out of someone.

“You can continue.” Gealic said, trying to hide her face out of shame.

“Miss, your manager called to remind you, you'll be promoting your first Female lead role in a new movie that's airing tonight with you co-worker,” Mrs Rachel said.

“Okay,” Gealic briefly mumbled as she stood up ready to leave with Mrs Rachel but before she could take a step, the words the woman had just said seemed to ring inside her ears and then reality dawned on her.

“My new movie? Promoting with coworkers? What the heck?!” She yelled but it seemed funny to her.

When Mrs Rachel felt the woman wasn't following behind, she had to turn around to have a look at the woman who seemed to want to die out of curiosity.

“Give me My cell phone,” She demanded eagerly, as she collected Amelia's cellphone. Amelia didn't take her phone with her when she ran out of the mansion as not to be able to track down her whereabouts.

She collected the phone and instantly went to the search bar on Instagram inputting Amelia names and her history was brought out.

An aspiring actress from a prestigious family who solemnly wants to rely on herself without any help from her parents.

She has been in the industry for close to six years but yet she recently got her female lead role and the drama would be airing tonight. Would she be able to make a breakthrough and win the hearts of many fans?

She had few dating rumors but in all she's a single actress as she never admits to those dating rumors.

Raymond Amelia an actress under highlight entertainment. Hope highlight will treat her well as she deserves to be treated well…

“What the heck?!”