Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

The next morning meets her in front of the mansion she had willingly abandoned many years back, being so stubborn, too stubborn to see that her parents had been all but wrong about what Adrian looked like to them.

Just how had she been so blind to see that all he liked was quantity, never quality?

Hesitating, Serena sighs before she pushes open the gate, to reveal the place she had left behind.

The estate is an opulent one, enormous even, not counting the amount of things on the land. From the sport courts, to the pools and living quarters built for the staff living on-site. 

Then, her favorite place in all of the estate, the fruit-yard.

She inhales deeply, drawing in the scent from her childhood as she pulls her suitcase in behind her, feeling like a prodigal daughter who has come to beg for a place back in her father’s house… but what she does not know, is if her parents will accept her, seeing how she had left them for so long just for a man, one that has now shattered all the trust and feelings she had for him.

“YOUNG MA’AM!”

The yell resonates as several heads look up from where they are working, and they all slowly turn towards her. Several of their eyes light up, throwing down their gardening tools and running over, especially a grey-haired woman amongst them.

As soon as Serena sets her eyes on her, her nose begins to sting. How did she have the nerve to leave all of these people behind? She had been so dumb and stupid.

The older woman, not minding that she is dressed a little bit causally, pulls Serena into a big hug, rubbing her back. “Welcome back… Welcome back…” She continued to whisper, her eyes closed in extreme happiness. “You look so good darling, even though you have lost a lot of weight.” She suddenly tugs on her hands, pulling her past the fellow staffs who are all agitatedly welcoming her back home.

“I missed you Nan.” She manages to whisper,

“Master and Madam would be so happy to see you, so so happy.”

Serena’s steps falter subtly as someone grabs her suitcase from her hands, while in front of her, the grey-haired woman is yelling at someone to, “Bring round the cabby, we’re going to the house!”

Just within a few steps, a cabby really does appear, driving down the road and picks the trio.

Serena, Nan and the boy with her suitcase.

The drive from the gate to the main attraction of the estate, takes them just a few seconds past eight minutes. And as the ride goes, Serena admires everything by the side of the road, all of the flowers her mum makes sure is never found dead, all of the horses that her dad makes sure is never unfed… and as she takes it all in, she realizes again how much she’s lost, chasing a man that, obviously, never truly valued or loved her.

“We’re here ma’am.” The driver announces, pulling Serena out of her wandering thoughts.

As she steps out of the cabby, she is shocked at how much she’d forgotten what she left behind.

In front of her is a building as tall, and wide as the ones used in fairytales. A mansion with mansions around it, seeming like a modern castle, with it’s hanging flowers and colored windows. To the right side of the large building is the garage door, to the left is where the paths begin, the same paths that lead to where she had had the most fun in the world as a little kid.

Nan just stands there, letting her take it all in before she nudges the kid with the case inside first.

Shortly after, a sharp gasp draws Serena out of her reverie.

Standing a few meters away is Salem Stone… her mother.

With visible grey hairs in her black hair, and the kindest eyes any woman could possibly have, and small, almost invisible wrinkles that she must have been the cause of, tears spring into Serena’s eyes.

Without waiting for another second, she runs into her mother’s hands, bawling her eyes out, the tears falling freely and unchecked down her cheeks.

“I’m so sorry Mom, I am so sorry. I have missed you so much, I am sorry.”

Whilst crying, she raises her hand to wipe the tears from her eyes and sees her Dad standing by the doorway, his hands clasped together as he watches his wife and daughter.

Serena hesitantly pulls away, wiping her eyes even though the tears seem to have no dam prepared to stop them from falling so profusely from her eyes.

“D-Dad.” She mutters, her voice breaking as she bursts into tears all over again.

Fully grown, twenty five year old woman, realizing her mistake and is shedding tears like a kid at her parent’s door… Maybe because she’ll always be their child, and they know that.

That’s why the couple immediately wrap their hands around her, pulling her into that one hug that heals even the most shattered hearts. 

“Stop crying love, we missed you too, so much.” Ray Stone mutters, pecking his daughter on the forehead, before patting her until her crying is reduced to sniffles. 

“Come on in, we’ve been expecting you.”

Serena wipes her eyes, nodding as she walks behind her parents into the house, Nan is nowhere to be found at this point.

Salem takes her daughter’s hand and walks her into the living room, where someone promptly serves her a glass of water.

“You have come a long way just this morning, darling, catch your breath.”

Serena, feeling guilty and speechless, takes the glass of water and downs it in a few gulps. As she hands the cup back to the waiting servant, she suddenly lets out a loud belch, catching herself but it’s too late, everything has come out already.

The couple exchanges a glance, before they both burst into laughter.

“Yeah, that is totally the daughter we know.”

Seeing them laugh automatically tickles something in Serena as well, as she chuckles, putting down her hands.

“While they make breakfast, why don’t you freshen up? Your room is where you left it.” Ray suggests, motioning his head towards the staircase.

Serena nods and rises, unsure of what else to do or say, she awkwardly bows as she walks by them, up the stairs and finally out of sight before she takes a deep breath.

“They are your parents, don’t be so awkward.” She whispers to herself as she walks down the hall towards where her room used to be before she moved out five years ago after that one fight.

She comes to a stop in front of the familiar large wooden door before she reaches for the handle. It’s cool to the touch, always has been, then she pulls it open.

The sight that meets her eyes is full of warmth.

Everything was left untouched, save for the clothes she’d left streaked all over the floor, and those were neatly folded on the bed.

And hanging above everything, pinned to the wall, is a banner that reads “Welcome home darling, we missed you.”

Serena enters fully, a smile coating her lips, then, slowly, it turns to confusion, then realization.

“How did they—“

She stops short, realizing again that this, the banner, is not the first hint that they’ve dropped, knowing she’d be coming home…

But how?