Chapter Four

CHAPTER FOUR 

ELOWEN VALE WINSLOW 

I hated funerals and solemn ceremonies. I was melancholic enough on my own. I hated being in this place. I hated the fact that people were attending a ‘commendation dinner' when someone had died, and I was one of them. 

I walked faster towards the bathroom and made it just in time to allow my composure to crumble. I had been holding back, been holding tight. But this was the funeral of my adoptive mother, Sherry. I had not seen or heard of her in a little over three years. Then Damon, my adoptive father contacted me to let me know she had died and he would appreciate seeing me at the funeral. 

I stared at my reflection in the mirror, taking deep breaths and wishing I had not come here. Now that I was here, I remembered why I had left, why I did not want to ever come back here. 

My life in Portland was peaceful. I had my daughter and more than enough money to take care of her. My peace had been disrupted when I randomly got an email from Damon while I was speaking with my gallery manager. 

Sherry had died. It was his wish, and probably Sherry's that I grace her funeral. 

I could not bring myself to decline. I tried, but I couldn't. I told myself it would be the last thing I would do for them, because they raised me. 

So, I had packed mine and my daughter's things, asked my assistant, Grace, to arrange a meeting with a collector in Connecticut– one I disliked –and took the flight to East Halewood airport. Now I was at a commendation dinner and Arden was on the stage making jokes about little things her mother did. 

I looked in the mirror again and took a deep breath. I was not scared. I was not anxious. I could not explain what I was feeling. It was discomfort, an immense discomfort that made it hard to breathe. It was like my body could sense danger, like something I wouldn't like was about to happen. 

I immediately dialed Grace's number. She was supposed to have come in with Seren. She had volunteered to come with my daughter, Seren, and I. 

“Hey,” I steadied my voice. 

“Hi,” her voice bubbled through my speakers. Seren was talking about her favorite crayons in the background. Warmth flooded my chest and I smiled. I loved her so much. 

“Where are you?” I asked Grace. She had dropped me off at the dinner location. She was supposed to come in too, but she needed to find a good parking spot and Seren had been asleep. 

“I just got Seren to calm down. She's been fussy,” she said. “We're outside the car. She's…” she said something to Seren. “She's talking about her favorite color and I don't want to ruin her mood. I'll send you directions,” she said. 

I was filled with gratitude. “Thank you so much, Grace.” 

“Don't mention it.” She responded and I hung up. 

Hearing Seren's voice had reenergized me and given me just enough strength to leave the building without any drama. 

As I made my way out of the women's restroom, I bumped into someone who was walking out of the men's. I twisted my ankle as I tried to stabilize myself on my feet. 

“I'm so sorry. Are you okay?” A masculine voice asked. I paused and glared up at him, saying nothing. Once my ankle didn't hurt anymore, I walked away from him. 

The further I walked away, the more I realized I knew him. That voice… his dark, curly hair. I hadn't gotten a good look at his face, but I was suddenly unsettled. I managed to push the thought off to a corner of my mind as I entered the hall again. People were chattering and silverware was clinking against ceramic dishes.

I could not wait to be out of here. I grabbed my purse off my secluded table and headed for the door. I was momentarily distracted by Damon calling my name. 

I wanted to ignore him, but I was intercepted. Arden and Melrose were standing in front of me. 

“Elowen,” Melrose called. I stilled. It had been years since I had heard her voice. It was sickly sweet as she reached my hand. She took it before I could move away from her. I sighed, calming the storm that was thing up in me. My body's reaction to her was of visceral disgust. 

“Melrose,” I looked at Arden. “Arden.”

Arden said nothing. Her hostility was seeping off her in waves, and for some reason, it stung. She was my sister after all. I buried the feeling immediately. I was not going to expend my emotions on her. She was not worth it, nobody was. 

“Its been so long, where have you been?” Melrose asked. I took my hand out of hers and smiled curtly. 

“Somewhere I didn't want to be found,” I responded. “I have to be on my way.” I turned away from her. 

She physically held me back. Irritation licked over my skin and I could not hide its manifestation on my face. I snatched my hand from hers. 

“We haven't even spoken or caught up. And I haven't introduced you to my fiance,” she smiled at the last words, turning around. 

My heart sank, immediately knowing where this was going. She called a name, one I recognized all too well. “Mael?” 

“Come here, babe,” she smiled at me. 

I suddenly knew what this was and where it was going. She was trying to rub what she had done to me years ago in my face. She had seen me and the first thing she thought to do was hurt me. 

I was not going to lie and say that it didn't feel like she was ripping open an old wound, but I was not going to let her see that. Melrose was not going to get what she wanted from me. 

I steeled myself, turning the agitation growing in me to disgust as I looked in the direction she had looked. There he was, in his Greek glory. The father of my daughter. He was as heartbreakingly beautiful as the first and only time I had seen him. I immediately recognized him to be the man I had bumped into when I was heading out of the ladies’.

I inhaled sharply, instinctively taking a step back before I could stop myself. I had not expected to see him. I had hoped that I would not see any of these people.

I had managed to bury him in the darkest part of my mind and it had been like he did not exist. Seeing him now was destroying my composure and cracking the strong defenses I had built. 

He excused himself and walked in our direction. I took a slow, deep breath, glaring at Melrose. She smiled sweetly as he came up beside her. 

“Hey,” he kissed her cheek. She ran her hand up his arm and then extended it in my direction.

“Elowen was about to leave. I wanted to introduce you both,” she said. I kept my eyes on her but as soon as I felt his on me, I looked at him. 

It was hard to hide the immense negativity I felt towards him. 

“This is Elowen, Arden's long lost sister, and an old friend,” Melrose introduced. “Elowen, this is my fiance, Mael Virelis. You must have heard of him.”

“I know you,” his eyebrows drew together and Melrose's face went pale. 

I tipped my head to the side as he extended his hand for a hand shake, staring at him coldly. I was over the initial shock of seeing him. 

“I bumped into you in front of the gent's. You didn't accept my apology,” his voice was smooth. I loathed it. 

Hatred bloomed through me so aggressively that my skin felt hot. 

I stepped back from them, not saying a word to him. “I'll take my leave now. It wasn't nice meeting any of you. I hope I never see you again,” I told them the truth and turned to walk away. 

“Mommy?” I heard Seren's voice. I looked in the direction it had come from. 

She sprinted away from Grace towards me. Her curly black hair bounced around her as I lifted her into my arms. 

“Hey baby.” The sight of her smile dissolved all the negativity that I was brimming with. 

“Wanna go home?” I asked, pushing her hair out of her face and kissing her cheek. She giggled. 

“On the plane?” 

“No, our small house here,” I responded as I started walking away from the trio I had been talking to earlier. 

“Oh,” Seren looked bummed. I felt bad. I traveled a lot because of my art and all the shows I organized. I knew she coped well with it, but she got tired sometimes. 

“Soon, baby,” I kissed her cheek again. She nodded and leant her head on my shoulder. I should have guessed that Melrose would physically try to stop me from leaving, but I didn't. 

She ran in front of me and grabbed my arm aggressively. Her face was pale and she had a mix of horror and fury on her face. 

“Who is this?” Her eyes were fixed on Seren. I snatched my hand from hers and shielded my daughter because Melrose looked like she was about to fall into a mania. 

“Don't you ever touch me again.” I warned her coldly. 

She blinked, looking like she would faint. Mael was by her side in seconds. She glanced between Seren and Mael a few times as she started sobbing, drawing people's attention to us. My heart dropped. I did not want the attention. Not on me, especially not Seren. 

I swiftly made my way towards the door. 

“Mommy, who was that?” Seren asked quietly. 

“No one,” I said shakily. The first real crack in the immunity I had tried so hard to build. Melrose knew. She had figured that Seren was Mael's child.

But that was okay. I would not be seeing her or anyone else again. 

Or so I thought.