El was unusually quiet on their ride home.
"What's wrong?" Alec asked her.
"Uhmm.. nothing. Just a bit feverish."
"Let me see." He pulled her closer and placed the back of his hand on her neck and foreheads.
Grabbing his arm she leaned closer, trying to find comfort in his embrace.
She rested her head on his muscular arms and closed her eyes.
Sleeping was one of the things she preferred doing when she felt stressed. Seeing her trying to sleep, Alec moved his arm around her shoulder bringing her further closer and tapped her head.
When they reached Alwils Villa, Alec found El deep asleep, he gently picked her up in order to not wake up and walked towards the door. When he entered he saw Dwane waiting for him inside.
They exchanged glances.
"We need to talk." Dwane said slowly looking at Alec who was carrying El in his arm.
Alec nodded and headed upstairs to his room. He gently laid El down and stepped out of the room.
The next day at Ford's Villa,
"Mr. Farehya is at our gates asking for a meeting with you." Daniel's assistant said.
"Send him in," he replied firmly.
"Are you sure Dan?" Lyla was apprehensive.
"I'm no longer afraid of him. The Fords and the Farehyas stand on equal footing now. There is nothing he can do against us." Daniel was fearless.
In no time Dwane stepped in, an eerie silence occupied Ford's villa when the eyes of two authoritative men met.
"Where is she?" Dwane said, gritting his teeth.
Daniel smirked, "She isn't here."
"You won't be able to hide her for long. I'll be strangling her soon"
Daniel's expression turned dark and cold.
"If you much as lay a finger on her I'll have you destroyed." He fumed
Dwane scoffed at his words, "You aren't yet there Mr. Ford. Irrespectively, I don't care what you do. You want to destroy me? Go ahead. That won't stop me from going after her" Dwane was adamant.
"You are dealing with a lone wolf here. I won't stop at anything." He sneered.
Daniel was losing his calm and growing furious with every passing moment.
Lyla feared their heated conversation might turn into something fatal for both of them.
"You must leave now." She said firmly, glaring at Dwane.
"Sure, I've got someone to find." Dwane smirked and turned away.
"Call Michelle here and have high-end security arranged for her." Daniel instructed his assistant.
Later that evening, El got a call from Alma saying that Alexandra wished to see her.
After completing her scheduled activities for the day, she dropped at Ford's Villa without giving it much thought.
As she casually stepped in,
"Michelle, my child." Lyla rushed to her and hugged her.
It was this moment.
The moment Michelle had been terribly longing for for four and half years. The feeling she yearned for since the day she left Barnesville.
The feeling of having at least someone who is her family close to her. She hugged Lyla back and their tears flowed uncontrollably.
Lyla undid their hug and held her face.
"You look so beautiful now." Pulling her face close she kissed her daughter's cheek and hugged her again.
"I missed you so much Michelle."
"I missed you too Mom." She replied in a sobbing voice. After a long hug Lyla finally distanced herself.
Michelle saw Daniel when Lyla approached her, yet she did not look him in the eye.
Now that Lyla had let go of her, Daniel slowly walked towards her.
"Michelle, my prin…"
"No.." she stretched her hand stopping Daniel.
"I don't need your pretence.. Dad." She tried to keep her voice firm but she snivelled. Although she didn't want to show any affection to him yet she couldn't be rude enough to not address him as dad.
"Michelle.." Daniel's eyes turned misty, he was seeing his daughter after four years but she refused to show any affection towards him.
"No, you don't get to act like nothing happened and hug it out."
Michelle uttered every word with sheer pain.
"You abandoned me and left me all alone to myself. You couldn't even stay to say goodbye." She sobbed between her words.
"For four years I've longed and strived for your affection, for your love, but you couldn't even give me a phone call. None of you called" she looked at Lyla blaming her as well.
"Only Isobelle tried to stay touch, only she cares, none of you do."
She struggled as she spoke.
Letting out a long sigh Daniel said,
"I was the wrong princess. I'm sorry." Even though he was helpless and had no choice back then, he didn't let his pride get in the way of coaxing his daughter.
"It's too late. No matter what you do now, I'll never stop resenting you."
"Stop it Michelle." Lyla said.
"He is your father and you won't be speaking to him like that " she reprimanded.
"He was helpless back then and we did it to keep you safe."
"Safe?" She sneered.
"Who do you think let Isobelle contact you, who funded your education and paid Mark for protecting you all this while."
Michelle scoffed. "Oh so you funded my education, did you see me starve for days? Or Work my ass off day and night so that I had a roof over my head? You didn't right? So please stop pretending that you care."
Her voice changed from scoff to painful cries as she completed her sentence.
The agonising memories of her past engulfed her mind, filling her with resentment. She wrapped her arms around her as she struggled with her emotions.
"Michelle please.." Lyla tried to approach her to comfort her.
"no"
she turned her away and hurried outside.