"Charmaine, come to the Ji mansion tomorrow. Grandpa wants to see you. He really missed you a lot." Leo Ji told Charmaine when the car pulled over in front of the Song's Villa. Charmaine nodded before alighting the car.
"Do you want to come inside first?" Charmaine offered Leo while the chauffeur was still unloading their suitcases. "You went out of your way to fetch us after all."
"No thanks. I still have other things to do. Just be sure to come early tomorrow, and don't forget to bring Luke with you." he responded.
Charmaine nodded and gazed at him one last time before turning around and leaving with Luke in tow. She didn't look back, but Luke did and he caught the man smiling their way.
"Mom, he's looking this way!" Luke mumbled. He didn't expect his father to be such a stoic person! His mom however is a warm and cheerful lady. What a contrast! But that smile before his car took off seemed genuine. Leo Ji must be a very complicated man...
"Mommy... isn't he my dad?" Luke asked. "He doesn't seem to like me."
Charmaine chuckled and squeezed his hand a little. "I'm sorry about that. He doesn't know about you yet."
"Oh..." he exclaimed before falling into a deep silence.
***
Charmaine rushed to her parents when she saw them waiting in the living room. Not having seen them for five years, Charmaine felt that they aged a lot. Did they have it rough when she was not around?- she thought as she blamed herself while she remained in their arms. Their embrace was just as warm as when she was just a child. How nostalgic!
"You're finally here. Do you know how much we missed you?" Aya blurted as tears pooled in her eyes. She was very glad to see Charmaine again, but seeing her also reminded her of Jienna. Her heart started aching and she began sobbing uncontrollably.
James sighed as he helplessly looked at his weeping wife. Aya has always been emotionally sensitive. He's been together with him for almost twenty six years but he was still not as good as Charmaine when it comes to comforting the woman!
"Xiaomin, stay with your mom." James told her before turning to Luke who was standing there like a statue and watching them with awe. "I'll take the child upstairs to show him his room." he added. He approached the boy and led him away as he tried his best to escape the overwhelming episode.
"Why is Grandma crying? Is she ill?", the boy asked while they were climbing the stairs.
James looked at the little guy's face and smiled. Those doe eyes of his are like replicas of his daughter's orbs. What an adorable child! "Don't worry about grandma. She just missed your mommy so much." he explained. "She'll calm down soon. Let me show you your room first."
Luke smiled. He didn't expect his grandpa to lead him to a big room though. He was awestruck by the huge bed and the many furnitures inside! There were shelves filled with books and toys too! "Is this our room? You're so rich?" he blurted.
James Song laughed. "This room is yours. I'll show your mom's room later. Did you like it?" he asked.
The little boy's smile widened. "My own room? Really?" he gushed. He never had his own room before! He used to co sleep with either Jienna or Charmaine. Suddenly getting his own room and a sizeable one at that, he felt a bit agoraphobic. But he quickly overcame it as he climbed the bed and started jumping up and down on it. "So bouncy!" he yelled.
***
Aya let go of Charmaine as she wiped her tears. Having bawled her eyes out, she felt as if a very heavy weight was lifted from her chest. She has been blaming herself for losing her niece; thinking that she hadn't loved her enough, but the sound of Charmaine's voice as she comforts her made her feel a lot better.
"Believe me mom. Jienna didn't hate you. We were both sorry for making you suffer." Charmaine continued to coax her.
Aya nodded her head. She calmed herself and lowered her head. "I'm sorry. I was too emotional. I wasn't even able to greet my grandson." she lamented, before suddenly turning to her daughter. "Oh, right! Where's Leo? I called him earlier and asked him to pick you up. He didn't come?"
"He did. He dropped us here and then left. I invited him in but he said he's busy with something." she replied.
Aya stared at her as if waiting for something else, but Charmaine remained clueless. "And??? Did he meet Luke?" she asked.
Sitting across Aya on the sofa, Charmaine blinked her eyes twice. What if he did? "Of course he met Luke. What about?" she said.
"How did he react? What did he say about him? Did he ask you anything?" Aya inquired with her eyes focused on her daughter. Charmaine found her mother's actions strange but she still responded.
"Nothing! He just looked at him and then asked his name. What's the matter?" Charmaine furrowed her brows. Why exactly was her mother so anxious?
"Are you for real? Isn't Luke Leo's son? He didn't even asked who he was; who his father is? Doesn't that mean he's already aware of his identity?" Aya blurted out.
Aya asked Leo to fetch them from the airport because she wanted to know how he would react after seeing Charmaine coming home with a child after a long time! But he wasn't even curious about him? That only proves that he already know about Luke, and that's not a very good news.
Charmaine just like Aya went silent. She thought the reason why he didn't ask about Luke was because he didn't care. He obviously heard him calling her mom. But Leo doesn't like her so why would he care about her personal life? But as she listened to her mom, she suddenly felt worried. If it was true that Leo knew about Luke's existence from the very start, then about Luke's birth mother....
"Xiaomin, Leo Ji has been asking about you a lot lately... The reason why they want you to come home... do you think they wanted to talk about your engagement?.... or is it that they want to take custody of the child?"
Charmaine's heart trembled. Leo wants her to come home because he wants to take Luke from her? It can't be!