"Where has Michelle been all these days?" Alec asked, trying to find out more about her.
"Nobody knows," Alexandra said.
"She stays in South-hills now?" He asked again
"She is only here to see me." Alexandra lied.
In no time they reached the park. When Michelle saw Alexandra with Alec, Panic overwhelmed her for a moment.
She quickly relaxed herself and used a scarf to hide her head and sat facing opposite to their direction.
When the car parked, Alec said he'll be back in an hour to pick her up.
Alexandra thanked Alec and stepped out.
Alec waited inside and his eyes looked around to find Michelle.
He saw Alexandra walking towards a bench, she sat beside a lady, she was wearing a scarf around her head, although he couldn't see her face, she had an aura of elegance around her.
Alec waited for another minute and then drove away.
Alec thought for a minute and dialled a number on his phone and said "I found Michelle Ford, she is in South Hills."
The person on the other side replied "I'll be there soon."
At the Sunrise park,
"You came with Alec?" Michelle asked with a tinge of surprise in her voice.
"What did you tell him?"
"I only told him that my granddaughter Michelle is here to visit me." Alexandra said.
Michelle nodded anxiously.
"Relax child, you've to tell him some day" Alexandra placated her. Are you having a good time at the Wilson's?" She asked
"It's not bad," Alexandra said plainly.
"Do they treat you well?" Michelle asked, concerned about Carolyn's hostile nature.
"I must be asking 'you' that" Alexandra retorted.
"I saw how she was treating you at the funeral. She even says the worst of derogatory things about you. That is no way one speaks about Alexandra's granddaughter" She fulminated.
"Relax grandma" Michelle tried to calm her down.
"No, you need to tell them who you really are." Michelle patted her back softly without anything.
"Ignore her words grandma, she isn't worth your frustration."
Few minutes later,
"Isobelle told me we have… I mean the Ford family has an unoccupied villa here. You can stay there, it'll be easy for me to visit you."
"I'll think about it," Alexandra said.
"Have you thought about at least telling Alec about yourself?" Alexandra asked
Michelle let out an exasperated sigh and said
"Please don't push me Grandma, I will tell him, when the time is right."
They talked for a few more minutes, Alexandra checked the time on her watch and said,
"You must leave now, Alec might be here any minute to receive me."
Michelle turned around slightly and saw Alec waiting inside his car. She quickly turned away,
"Alec's here, you leave first. I'll see you soon" she said in a hasty voice.
As soon as Alexandra exited the park, Michelle saw media personnels tailing Alexandra and few others were coming in her direction.
She hid the bottom half of her face with the scarf and tried to rush outside.
"Are you Michelle Ford?"
"Where have you been all these years?"
She heard the reporters asking. Ignoring them she continued towards the exit keeping her face hidden.
As soon as she reached the exit someone grabbed her hand and pulled her inside a car. It was Mark.
"Thank you Mark" she said as she breathed out in relief.
"What were you thinking? Meeting your grandmother as Michelle out in the open?" Mark fumed.
Michelle lowered her gaze without answering him.
Few hours later, the news about Michelle's return was all over the internet.
It also had a picture of her half covered face, where only her eyes could be seen.
The news material shared details about her fleeing the wedding which was supposed to happen with Dwane Farehya, her family disowning her and the rise of rivalry between the Fords and the Farehyas.
The revelation had soon become the talk of the town and people had different reactions to it.
Michelle scrolled through the article absentmindedly and tossed the phone away in boredom.
Alec on the other hand, read the article carefully, saw her picture, even read speculations about her having a huge scar on her face. He wanted to find out more about her.
Ricky deeply studied her picture and said "Stay safe little Mish."
Isobelle saw the article and rolled her eyes on Michelle's carefree nature.
She called Mark and asked him to be on his guard.
She then called Michelle. Michelle, who was leisurely sitting on the armchair in her room, looked at the caller ID and cancelled the call.
She knew what Isobelle was going to say and was feeling too exhausted to deal with it.
Isobelle called again, Michelle cancelled the call for a second time.
Yet she received a third call from Isobelle, she received the call this time and said,
"Isso, I've had a very exhausting day, I'll call you tomorrow, Alright." Saying this she was about to hang up the call but before she did she heard Isobelle saying, "Stay safe El."
"Um uhm" Alec cleared his throat to get El's attention.
She turned around and shot him a bright smile.
Alec felt his exhaustion go away when he saw her alluring face.
'What is she doing to me?' he thought to himself. He came close to her and questioned
"exhausting day?"
"Yeah" El let out a clumsy chuckle.
"I had to run some errands. Then I got back to my old apartment, I did some cleaning and bought some stuff."
"Didn't Robert help?" Alec asked
"He is useless." El rolled her eyes.
In reality Michelle had tricked Robert into waiting for her near her old apartment.
"Can I ask you something?"
She widened her eyes slightly and made a pleading cute face. Looking at her face, Alec knew he wouldn't be able to deny her. He felt fulfilling yet powerless at the same time.
"Go on," he said.
"Could you not have Robert tail me around everywhere, all the time?" She maintained her pleading face.
"I know he follows me but he doesn't do a good job hiding it" she rolled her eyes.
"He is not tailing you, I've instructed him to be your bodyguard, which means he'll protect you in case of any threat and if you need anything done you can ask him." Alec calmly replied.
"I can take care of myself and if I need anything I can have it done by myself as well" she said firmly.
Seeing that Alec didn't reply, she added,
"Worst case scenario, I'll call Robert if I need something daunting done or If I'm going to an unknown place."
"But I can't have him tailing me all the time," she pleaded again and held in hand.
Alec was in a dilemma.
He thought back and realised that she hasn't yet needed Robert's protection or assistance for anything and given her humble background she isn't used to having a bodyguard who follows you everywhere.
He took a deep breath and replied,
"Fine" Alec was baffled at himself with his reply.
'How is she doing it?' he thought.
El smiled ecstatically on his approval.
"But" Alec said firmly,
"You have to keep your word, if you need something daunting done or If you are going somewhere new you have to keep Robert by your side." El nodded in an adorable manner.
'This woman is indeed something different' Alec said to himself.