FOR a split second, both husband and wife were stunned and dumbfounded, they were lost for words, watching at Andrew with surprises written all over their faces.
What has Andrew just said to them, that their son was finally back after five long years? Ahhh! It was unbelievable.
"Andrew, repeat what you just told us," Lord Dino said, gradually jolting back into reality.
Andrew all the while was just smiling and excited, he wasn't as surprised as they were, although felt that way when he had just first heard the news.
"I said…" he trailed off and turned back, towards the large television set and picked up the remote control which was lying on the rack beneath the television.
"It is on the news right now, live," he said as he picked it up. The couple watched him.
Then with the remote control, he put on the television and began searching for the particular TV channel where he had seen the news, but he needed not to, the first channel that showed up, was talking about it.
"Ah ha!" he exclaimed and dropped the remote control, then stepped backwards for the couple to see.
Woah! They saw him, they saw their son, right there on the television, he was shown as he was walking away from one of the planes that had just landed, at the airport.
The press were all trying to talk to him, and to get him to talk but he said nothing to anyone, he just walked along keeping mute, and keeping a straight mean face.
**Mr Oswald, it is good to see you back again. How do you feel being back home?**
One of the press media, a lady asked as she followed him, holding a microphone before him so he could reply her question into it.
**We are so elated having you back home Mr Escobar, please can you just tell us a little how you feel?**
Another press guy asked, trying to catch up with him.
**Welcome back Mr Oswald, we all actually do know the reason you suddenly vanished, thank God you are back home. Firstly, have you really come to stay? Or you would be going back again?**
**Have you come to continue from where you stopped with the companies?**
More questions flooded as the press and throngs of people followed.
But Mr Oswald just kept a straight face, a mean expression on his face, no single word of reply from him at all, not even a scoff, a snort, or a sigh.
He didn't even glanced at the many media presenters as he walked in large strides.
In fact, they were practically running after him, and not walking, because he walked in large strides.
His guards, the few he had taken with him to his land of exile, were also following at a very close range, keeping the press and throngs of people who followed them away.
Instantly, the couple abruptly turned to each other and a smile appeared on their faces.
"Jeez! He is really back," Lady Frances spoke and immediately raised her two hands up in prayer, her beading work fell to the floor.
Philip immediately rushed forward and picked it up.
"Thank you so much Lord Jesus, thank you," she prayed.
Lord Dino was also still full of surprises.
"Woah!" he exclaimed, "finally, that idiot is back," he said and closed the laptop, then turned to Philip.
Lady Frances frowned and looked at him.
"Andrew," he called.
"Yes My Lord," he replied and moved closer to him.
"Get the ride ready immediately, we are going to see him ASAP," he said and got up.
"Okay My Lord," he replied and bowed, then dashed out of the house.
Lady Frances was stunned.
"Huh? What do you mean? Isn't he coming here?" she asked, and her husband turned to her, and laughed out loud.
"Seems you are still yet to know the kind of son you gave birth to," and he went into the rooms.
Grudgingly, she got up too and joined him.
THANK YOU, DEAR READER!Wow! You made it to the end of this journey with me, and I can't thank you enough. Your time, emotions, and support mean the world to me. Every read, every comment, every like, it all keeps me going.If this story touched you, made you laugh, cry, or feel something deep, please consider supporting me with gems, reviews and or sharing the book with others. It helps me grow and motivates me to keep creating more stories you'll love.Your support isn't just appreciated, it's everything.With love, Baby Nûella
……SEVEN YEARS LATER……THE sky was a sweet blue, scattered with wisps of cotton clouds, the sun not too harsh, just the perfect weather for a baby shower. The Escobar mansion had been transformed into a wonderland of white and gold décor. Soft jazz music floated in the air, the sound of laughter mingling with the gentle clinking of glasses. Round tables adorned with floral centerpieces dotted the manicured lawn, and shimmering white drapes flowed like silk in the soft wind. Every guest looked like they had stepped out of a designer magazine.At the center of it all stood the radiant couple— Oswald and Orlanda Escobar.Orlanda wore a long blush-pink off-shoulder gown, her hair flowing in soft curls around her glowing face. A delicate tiara sat on her head, her baby bump adding an extra charm to her silhouette. She laughed freely, resting one hand on her belly and the other entwined with Oswald's.Oswald, ever the striking figure, wore a custom-tailored white suit with a silk black shirt
THE Escobar mansion shimmered in gold and ivory hues, the grand chandelier raining elegance over the long dining table being set with the finest cutlery and crystal glassware. Fresh flowers lined the center, and the mouthwatering aroma of roasted lamb, buttered vegetables, and delicate pastries floated through the air as uniformed chefs and servers made final adjustments.It was a rare and cherished evening, one the Escobar family hadn’t experienced in years. Not since the days when laughter once danced through these same halls.Lady Frances stood by the grand hallway, clasping her fingers in an unusual flurry of excitement. Her heart was fluttering, not because her beloved son was coming home for dinner, but because she was coming. The girl who had done what no therapy, no medicine, no luxury had ever been able to do— heal her son.“Everything looks perfect,” Frances murmured, adjusting a gold goblet slightly out of place. Then the front doors creaked open and her husband, Lord Dino
THE office floor was alive with chatter that morning, but it wasn’t the usual talk about deadlines or client meetings. It was about Orlanda.She was everywhere, or rather, her story was. The photos from the villa unveiling had already made the rounds online, and the headlines were impossible to miss. Her name was on everyone’s lips.The women gathered in little clusters, their conversations laced with mixed emotions.“Honestly, I’m happy for her,” one young woman said, her voice sincere. “She has been through a lot. She deserves this happiness.”Another scoffed, crossing her arms. “Happy? Please. Some people just have all the luck. I have been here five years and—” she stopped herself but the bitterness in her tone lingered.Near the coffee station, an elderly woman spoke up, her voice firm but tinged with nostalgia. “She deserves all she gets now,” she said. “I knew her mother — Helena Lawn. Not too close, but close enough to know she was a good woman. What happened to her was trag
OSWALD sat at the long mahogany dining table in his parents’ grand home, the warm glow from the chandelier casting golden highlights over polished silverware. Lady Frances was at the head of the table, her eyes sparkling with a rare kind of joy as she poured tea into his cup.“It has been too long since you visited like this,” she said, almost chiding, but her voice was soft with affection. She reached across to pat his hand. “I missed you, my son.”“I have been… busy,” Oswald replied with a small smile, his deep voice calm and measured, but the warmth in his eyes gave him away.Lord Dino, sitting opposite, leaned back in his chair and studied his son. “I see, busy with Orlanda.” His wife chuckled and Oswald scoffed.“Well you and Orlanda now, son. Is that your choice?”Oswald’s gaze didn’t waver. “Yes, Father. She is my choice. My only choice.”Lord Dino gave a slow nod, his stern features relaxing into approval. “So, no longer Queen?”Oswald’s jaw tightened slightly at the name,
THE car rolled smoothly along winding country roads, trees arching overhead like a green cathedral. They had been driving for quite a while now, and Orlanda’s curiosity was nearly eating her alive. Every so often she would glance at Oswald, trying to read his expression, but he only offered that maddening half-smile that said he was enjoying keeping her in suspense.Finally, the road curved into a quiet bend, revealing a set of ornate wrought-iron gates. They were flanked by towering stone pillars, each crowned with lanterns that gleamed in the morning light. As the gates swung open, the car glided forward onto a cobblestone driveway that seemed to stretch forever.And then she saw it.A grand villa stood proudly at the end of the drive, all cream stone and sweeping terraces, its massive windows reflecting the sunlight like liquid gold. Beautiful gardens bloomed on either side, a fountain dancing in the center of a circular courtyard. It wasn’t just a house. It was a palace.Orlanda’s