El arrived at Wilson's Mansion in the evening. She looked around to find Alec's car but she couldn't and understood that he hadn't arrived yet. Hesitantly she stepped in the mansion.
"What are you doing here?" Carolyn seethed as she saw her.
"I'm here to help grandma Alexandra move."
"She is not your grandma." Carolyn retorted.
El rolled her eyes, after all Alexandra was indeed her grandmother by blood.
"You have become so audacious to roll your eyes at me?"
El exhaled a long breath and didn't say anything. Her calm demeanor was getting on Carolyn's nerves.
"Why are you here?" She asked again.
"I've already answered you Mrs. Wilson."
"Have you signed the divorce papers?" Carolyn asked.
'Not again, ' El sighed.
"I'd suggest you to let go of your intention of having us divorced. I'm growing to like the lavish lifestyle and I don't intend to leave it" El said smugly to agitate Carolyn.
"You…" Carolyn fumed.
"El", Alec said as he entered.
Carolyn tried to control her anger.
"Get this lowlife in line, she is forgetting her place." Carolyn warned Alec.
"She is my wife and that is her place. I hope you'll accept the fact soon and treat her accordingly" Alec said firmly to Carolyn.
He grabbed El's hand and went upstairs.
They entered the room,
"Hi grandma, this is my wife, El" Alec introduced her.
Michelle shot her a mischievous smile.
Alexandra glared at her for her audacity. Alec felt a tinge of sadness when he saw Alexandra's reaction.
"Don't you like her?" he asked in a low voice.
Alexandra's face softened, "ofcourse I like her. What's there not to like?"
"See, she loves me." El chirped.
They had her luggage sent downstairs and the three of them left for Ford's Villa.
When they entered the villa, Alec was baffled by the luxurious interiors.
Everything looked regal, the walls, settings, paintings of celebrated artists were hung and there was a huge portrait of Alexandra's family.
"It is our last picture in which we all were together." Alexandra said, getting emotional.
In the portrait Alexandra and Lyla were sitting on majestic armchairs, while her husband and Daniel stood beside their wives.
Isobelle and Michelle, who were about ten years old, stood in the middle.
'I don't even remember it being taken ' Michelle sighed.
"Michelle did a splendid job setting this place," Alexandra said.
Alec looked at El to see her reaction towards the villa, the villa was so exquisitely designed that any person would be mesmerized by it, but to Alec's disappointment Michelle's face remained emotionless.
"Did you like the place?" He asked her, she lightly nodded.
Alma, the housekeeper who Mark appointed, introduced herself. She also informed them about the other staff at the villa.
'Even though Michelle isn't here she had made all necessary arrangements perfectly' Alec thought, being more eager to meet her in person.
Slowly, Alexandra settled in the new villa.
"Do you mind if we stay here for the night?" El asked Alec.
"Sure," he said.
The next evening, Ricky had invited Alec and El for drinks at Rags and Riches bar.
"You forgot your buddy and his humble abode since you got married" Ricky complained.
"How have you been ,gold digger?" He asked El.
"Stop calling her that." Alec retorted
"She doesn't mind." Ricky replied casually,
"Do you?"
El shrugged at his question.
They were having fun when El got Isobelle's call. She cancelled it with a 'busy' text message.
"When will we be meeting your friend Izzy?" Ricky asked.
"If she happens to come to South-hills then sure. I'll be back in a minute" she said and walked towards the ladies room.
"Have you done a thorough background check on El?" Ricky asked Alec.
"Yes, everything checks out." Alec said.
"Sure," Ricky smirked.
He slowly took El's phone and noted Izzy's number.
Alec and El returned to Alwils Villa.
"I got you something," Alec said.
He had planned to give it to her and confess his love. He handed her the jewellery box. She opened it, it was a strikingly beautiful necklace.
"It's from the Joyas Royal collection" he said.
She looked at him and said "It's beautiful" with a smile, but her smile didn't reach her eyes.
Unsatisfied with her reaction Alec dropped his plan.
For the next week Alec tried to gift her lavish things or take her to high end places, but El always had an underwhelming reaction.
Meanwhile, Ricky checked Izzy's number.
He ran the number on his computer to find the real caller ID. He got stupefied when he saw the name 'Isobelle Ford'.
'How does a simple orphan like El from Valcity know Isobelle Ford' he thought.
He tried to search more about Isobelle Ford.
Nothing about her connected to El or Valcity.
Ricky expanded his search to the Ford family to see any connection with El.
He read, 'Daniel Ford's most trusted guard and assistant Shawn Smith.'
'Smith,' Ricky thought 'Mark Smith' he had an epiphany.
He continued his search on Shawn Smith. Shawn Smith most trusted guard of Daniel Ford, wife -Leah Smith, daughter - Laura Smith, son- Mark Smith.
He made a call,
"Find about Shawn Smith's son Mark Smith and his connection to El Wilson. Also find Isobelle Ford's connection with El Wilson."
The next day, Ricky got the details about Mark Smith.
Mark Smith, son of Shawn Smith, mother and elder sister died when he was young in a house fire.
Later joined Union military services. Left military service and joined the 'Shadows'.
Ricky's eyes popped out when he read 'shadows'.
Shadows was an organisation with supremely skilled individuals who provided high-end security of investigating and intelligence services.
The individuals are known to be very secretive about their work. It was a commendable job of Ricky's informant to find that Mark was a part of Shadows.
He read further, 'no further information about Mark Smith could be found'
'obviously' Ricky thought and read further,
' Mark and El Wilson - acquaintances
Isobelle and El Wilson - no connection.'