Emmelineâs apprehensive question broke the silence. âWhy did you summon me back so urgently?
Whatâs going on?â
Hannah responded firmly. Itâs only proper to reciprocate. Mom expects us to visit the Zeller family tomorrow as a token of gratitude.
âA visit?â Emmeline inquired, her voice trembling. âIs there⦠is there nothing else?â
âAt this juncture, no,â Hannah reassured.
A sigh of relief escaped Emmeline.
Hannahâs tone changed as she continued, âHowever, in a few days, both families will meet to discuss your marriage with Albus.â
Emmelineâs mind raced, and she stumbled slightly, clutching her dog Seal as she headed to her bedroom. She pondered whether to continue hiding or confront the impending decision.
The following day, Emmeline woke up early. Her primary goal was to compensate Jorge with the remaining three hundred for her inadvertent collision with him the previous day. Following this, she intended to return home, purchase gifts, pick up her sister, and then proceed to Albusâ house.
After withdrawing the cash from the bank, she used the address on the prescription note to locate Hankâs residence. Parking her car by the roadside, she stood before the gate, approached the gray wooden door, and knocked.
A voice from within inquired, âWho is it?â
It was Hankâs voice from the day before.
Iâm the owner of the 9968 car, Emmeline replied. âIâve come to send you the remaining money.â
Hankâs voice resonated from inside. âMom, sheâs here! You said youâd handle it!â
After a while, the gate opened, and Michelle walked out with Jorge.
Emmeline handed three hundred to Hank, expressing her remorse for the previous dayâs incident. âIâm truly sorry for what happened yesterday.â
He declined, saying, âItâs not necessary; itâs not a big deal. Letâs forget about it.â
âI injured Mr. Jorge, so itâs the right thing to do.â She placed the money on a large potted plant. âNow everything is settled. Iâll take my leave.â With that, she turned and quickly walked away.
Then, she bought four gifts at the mall entrance before returning home.
At that moment, Hannah had just woken up.
Kimberly urged, âHurry up; itâs getting late!â
While brushing her teeth, Hannah muttered. âDidnât Albus tell you yesterday that heâd finish work by ten and come pick us up? Itâs not even nine yet, so why the rush!â
Kimberly scolded her, âOnly you would dare to talk back!â
Emmeline observed her mother and noticed a significant improvement in her mental state. She wondered if agreeing with her might help alleviate her motherâs depression.
Albus arrived at 10 am. Upon seeing Emmeline, he exuded a newfound sense of relaxation and confidence. He could envision a promising future with her, boosting his selfâassurance.
However, she said nothing, her demeanor composed.
Once Hannah finished getting ready, the three of them descended the stairs. Kimberly repeatedly emphasized to Emmeline the importance of speaking politely, avoiding stubbornness, and not embarrassing her.
With a heavy heart, Emmeline simply nodded and said, âMm.
She took the wheel, with Albus in the passenger seat and Hannah in the back. They followed his directions, leading them into a residential area.
Emmeline glanced around and recognized it as the same place she had been to earlier. She furrowed her brow as she gazed at him and his home, seeking confirmation. âIs this the place!â
With a warm smile, Albus opened the wooden door and welcomed her. âYes, this is my house. Please, come on in!â
Emmeline hesitated, contemplating her decision. Should I enter or not?
Meanwhile, Hannah had already strolled into the yard without a second thought.
Assuming Emmelineâs hesitation stemmed from shyness, Albus smiled reassuringly and encouraged her, âItâs alright, Emma, just follow me.â
Emmeline stepped into the yard with unwavering determination, signaling a point of no return.
âMom, we have guests!â Albus joyfully called out to the house, âEmmeline is here!â
Shortly after that, Michelleâs enthusiastic voice reached Emmelineâs ears, âSheâs here, great, Iâve been waiting!â
Having met Michelle the day before, Hannah politely greeted her, saying, âHello, Mrs. Zeller!
Emmeline chose silence and nodded in response to Michelleâs gaze.
Michelle, visibly surprised, pointed at Emmeline, seeking confirmation from her son. âIs this the girl?â
Albus, beaming with pride, nodded in confirmation. âYes, Mom, this is Emma.â
Emmelineâs beauty and graceful demeanor did not go unnoticed by Michelle, who momentarily paled.
before managing a forced smile. âYouâre here. Please, come inside.â
Emmeline replied calmly, âIf itâs inconvenient, I wonât go in.â
Michelle was left momentarily speechless by her response.
Hannah leaned in to offer some advice, thinking her sister was being difficult. âYou need to be reasonable, Emma âWeâre already at the doorstep, Albus urged. âYou canât simply decline to enterâ