Chapter 5

“Are you sure that you are fine going back there?” a soft, worried voice asked.

“Mom, you heard what Dad said on the phone. If I don’t go, who knows what will happen to that company? You built it with your own hands, and I don’t understand why you left it for him to manage it despite of knowing that he has poor management and financial skills,” Elaine answered, making her mother stare at her.

“That’s your father you are talking about. Speaking of him with total respect,” her mother reprimanded her, making Elaine roll her eyes.

“Whatever. He has never treated me well. He treats that girl better than he treats me, his own daughter. Someone can mistake that Rosa is his biological daughter, and I am the daughter whom my mother brought when she married that family,” Elaine said, causing her mother to sigh as she didn’t know what else to say, as her daughter already hated her father so much.

“You know that he is forcing you to go there as he wants you to hand over the shares in your hands. Are you ready to do that? You know that you are the majority shareholder, as I transferred everything to you before the divorce, as I didn’t want any of my belongings to fall into his hands after what he had done to me,” her mother said, causing Elaine to stare at her.

“Is that the reason why he fought for my custody? Cause he knew that if I left with you, the dividends won’t be falling in his hands? After I left and couldn’t get the dividends, he realized that I was receiving more money than he was, right?” Elaine asked, and her mother nodded as she didn’t see the need to lie to her.

“It’s okay. I am a grown-up person and already have kids of my own. I understand what you were trying to protect me and give me the best, but I never expected things to turn out the way they did. I am fine, Mom. I am even ready to face them all. These five years that I have been away, giving birth to my kids, have allowed me to see things from a different perspective. I am stronger than how I came here, don’t worry so much about me,” Elaine said with a reassuring smile on her face.

“So are you going with the kids or are you leaving them with us?” her mother said. She understood that if the latter had already decided on something, she would do as she wanted and no one could talk her out of it; thus, she could only support her and make sure that she wouldn’t be bullied when she went back there.

“No, I will first leave them here with you. After I settle everything there, I will come for them as I am going to get my revenge for everything they have done and taken away from me. Though I am not interested in some things that they snatched, I will take what’s important to them,” Elaine said with determination shining in her eyes.

“Just be careful when you go there. If you need anything, you can call one of your brothers, and they will help you,” her mother said, causing Elaine to look at her mother. Then she nodded, though she didn’t plan on depending on them.

She was already a mother and wanted to do things on her own, to stand for herself; the time of them always standing for her was over.

“I will take my leave, my momma,” she said as she hugged her mother and pecked her forehead. She wanted to leave before her kids woke up, as they would insist on following her, and she didn’t want to see them crying as she left them by force.

She then turned to walk away, but heard her mother saying, “I am sure that you will meet Travis there at the party.” Though it was in a low voice, she heard it clearly.

“I am ready for anything that will be thrown my way!” Elaine said in a low but determined tone, making her mother sigh, but there was nothing she could do if the latter was determined to go back to that place.

“Mommy, where are you going?” a soft voice asked, causing Elaine and her mother to freeze.

Their heads turned to the clock to see what the time was, as the kids never woke up so early before turning to the little girl who was still rubbing her eyes cause of sleepiness.

“Oh my darling, come to granny,” Elaine’s mother said as she walked to the girl, but the latter immediately shook her head and ran towards Elaine.

“Grandma, you are a bad person. You couldn’t even wake us up and allowed mom to leave without us. If I hadn’t woken up, would I have witnessed such a scene?” a young boy said as he walked down the stairs.

“Did you wake your brothers up?” Elaine asked her daughter, who was holding her legs tightly as if she was preventing her from walking away.

“I had to. My brothers are stronger than I. If I did it myself, I can’t stop you from going,” the little girl said, making Elaine shake her head, then bent to pick up the girl.

“I am going to another city for work. I will be back within a week’s time, kids,” she told them, then stared at her eldest son, who was the mature one.

“Mommy, you can go where you want to go. I will look after my siblings,” the boy said when he saw his mother’s gaze on him and knew that he was telling him those words.

“Who wants to be looked after by you? You are so strict that you never allow me to do what I want. You always follow the rules. If I am left under your care, I might die within a day,” the boy said, exaggerating and earning a cold stare from his eldest brother. Seeing this, he ran to his grandmother and hid behind her, causing the woman to chuckle.

“That’s not the way to talk to our eldest brother, brother. Mom will punish you, and I don’t want to see you crying,” the little girl said, causing Elaine to smile.

“Elaine, why not take the princess with you? You will be able to take care of her. You know that after seeing you, it would be difficult for you to leave without her if it is a must for you to leave.”