“We are here,” Jason announced to Natalie with a tight expression, he still didn’t support this idea. It was too risky and the woman was damn stubborn.
Looking out the window, Natalie nodded her head before stepping out of the car with her handbag in tight.
Jason stepped out of the car too and came to her side, saying, “I’ll be on the lookout in case of anything. You have your phone on you, right?”
“My phone is with me and you have to stop worrying about me. It’s becoming annoying,” Natalie told him seriously before walking to the gate while Jason sighed. He was going to get in trouble for this real soon.
Natalie was let in through the gate after she had properly introduced herself, however, because she had no prior appointment, the staff had to make her wait in the foyer and left to inform the man of the house of her presence.
While Natalie stood there waiting, a young woman passed through and saw her. The girl watched her with an assessing gaze that made Natalie feel somewhat exposed. So she stared back; Natalie was never one to be intimidated by looks.
“Do I know you?” Claudia asked the unfamiliar stranger in her home. She would have thought it was one of her father’s mistresses, after all, the relationship between her parents hit rock bottom after that incident with Arianna.
Although both of her parents haven’t divorced yet – for reasons best known to them – they were more like strangers right now. Claudia always knew that her parents didn’t exactly love each other much and had just gotten married for the sole purpose of procreation and starting a family. Now, they just don’t care about each other and do whatever they want.
However, there was just something about the woman that felt oddly familiar, like she knew her even though it was the first time she ever set eyes on her. And she was going to admit it, her father, that loser, could never score a woman like this. The woman looked so regal and powerful that even she – Claudia – didn’t want to mess with her. She didn’t feel ordinary.
.....
“I hope not,” Natalie answered, observing her. “You must be his daughter then?”
“Who?” Claudia was a bit confused until it hit her, “Oh, you mean my father? Of course, I am. Do you know him? You must be here to see him then. What’s your relationship with my father?”
“You’re supposed to be two years younger than her?” Natalie muttered under her breath but Claudia heard her.
“Younger than who?” Claudia asked, waiting to know more about this strange woman in the middle of their house.
However, that was the moment the staff returned with the man of the house and the moment their gazes connected, Claudia’s father halted in his step, freezing up at once as his jaw almost dropped to the ground.
Judging from his reaction, Natalie could safely assume that the man already recognized her, so she turned fully towards him, saying sweetly,
“You are her,” Raymond, Claudia’s father, swallowed the lump down his throat. The woman was back. She was probably back for her daughter and remembering everything his family had done to Arianna made him tense up. He never thought that a day like this would come.
“You know her?” Claudia looked between her father and the woman in confusion. What was going on here? Could it be that this woman was really her father’s mistress or an ex in the past? It was amazing. This was huge gossip and her mother would love to hear it.
“Arianna’s mother,” Raymond dropped the bombshell and Claudia screeched before covering her mouth with her palm when she realized what she had done.
Arianna’s mother?!
How was that possible? Didn’t they say that her mother was dead or gave her up at birth or something? She hasn’t exactly asked about it because Arianna never grew up one and she simply assumed it that way.
But now, her father was saying that Arianna’s mother was standing in front of her? No wonder she looked so familiar, it was because Arianna looks like her. It seems genes never lie.
However, if the woman finds out what they did to Arianna. Claudia gasped louder, closing her mouth even further. This was bad. Real bad. They can’t tell her the truth, Claudia sent her father the signals through the eye. It was good that Arianna was not around to defend whatever they would say about her today.
It was quite funny, but Claudia had been planning to secretly take the woman’s photo with her phone and send it to her mother so she could confirm him bringing other women into the house. However, she ends up getting shocked instead.
With her head held high, Natalie affirmed it, “Yes, you’re right. My name is Natalie and I’m Arianna’s mother. So tell me, where is my daughter?”
Claudia and her faster exchanged nervous looks, they were dead meat. They had no idea about Arianna or where she was at the moment.
“Oh, what manners!” Claudia came to her side, “My father should have offered you a seat first before we begin talking,” She laughed nervously, leading her to the living room.
The staff would get you anything you require – ”
“I came here for only one thing and I don’t see my daughter anywhere,” Natalie interrupted her sternly. She had been around Eric for a long time enough to know when people were acting shady and right now, they were trying to distract her.
“Oh about that, I’ll need to borrow my father for a while and call my mother. She would love to see you because it has been my mother’s dream to lay her eyes on Arianna’s mother.”
And they flatter as well. A sweet tongue is as deadly as a viper, Natalie had to be careful here. Even at that, Natalie was busy making her assessment even as father and daughter left to come up with a plan.