El stormed out of the party hall in anger, Alec stepped towards her but was stopped by Ricky.
"Let me." He said as he offered to placate El.
Alec stood still unable to comprehend anything.
El stood in a corner, under a tree, sobbing,
"Hey" Ricky approached her.
"You should talk to him." He slowly said.
"Ricky," her tone was sharp.
"I don't know what you know or don't, but I'm not talking to anyone who abandoned me." She whined.
"So do you plan to be angry forever? Do you even understand how you react when you are around him?" Ricky's voice was soft yet firm.
"If it goes on you'll be in deep trouble. So only for the sake of yourself, talk to him. Alright?"
Michelle understood the meaning behind his words and nodded.
Ricky returned to the party hall,
"Is she..?"
"Yes she is fine, she just wants to be alone for sometime." Ricky replied to Alec.
He saw Daniel standing at a corner and walked towards him.
"She has agreed to talk to you."
His voice was low. Daniel sincerely thanked him and walked out.
"Michelle." He softly called her out.
"Why did you abandon me?" She directly asked.
"I was very helpless that time my child and you were safer away from us, away from Barnesville. Which is why I sent you away to Paris before and then here."
"Why wasn't I safe?"
"There are some things that are better left in the past."
"It was the safest choice to send you away and keep your Identity hidden. Besides, Mark is always around, isn't he?"
"That he is, like a shadow. But I had no one, no family or friends to call me now." She sobbed again.
"I'm sorry for that, and I will continue to be sorry till perpetuity." Daniel's voice choked as he apologised.
Michelle hugged him and sobbed harder. "I missed you dad."
"I missed you too, my princess." Their tears got uncontrollable as they let out their feelings they had buried for more than four years.
"You don't need to hide anymore. I'll let everyone know you are my daughter and give you everything you deserve." Daniel was elated when he said that but Michelle's face fell.
"no" she said in a low voice. "You shouldn't."
"Why?"
"I can't lose Alec. I can't tell him I'm Michelle. It's too late now" Michelle regretted not informing him before.
"But.." Daniel was disappointed.
"Please dad, I love him."
Daniel reluctantly nodded. "But are you happy?"
"Yes." She nodded frequently.
"It didn't seem like it this afternoon. I'm worried for you. I still think you are better off without that family." Daniel voiced his concern.
"It's only Carolyn Wilson."
"If she even touches you again I'll rip her skin off."
"Dad, please." Michelle chuckled but made him stop.
She was still hugging him.
It felt good, a calmness surrounded her, something she had been seeking for long. Her anger against him made her restless and anxious.
Now that she had settled her differences she felt at ease.
Undoing the hug, Daniel offered her the necklace again,
"Please take this. It'll look much more beautiful if you'll be the one wearing it." He had a captivating smile on his face.
"No wonder mom is still crazy about you, no one can beat you at flattering other people."
"Only my wife and daughters have the privilege of it." She chuckled at his words and accepted the necklace box.
He wiped her tears with his fingers and kissed on her forehead.
"You've got your mother's beautiful brown eyes. Tears don't do any justice to them."
Michelle chuckled again at his endearing words.
"That's much like it."
"Let's go in?" Daniel asked.
"I'll stay here, you go." Her voice was calm without any anguish. Daniel agreed.
"take care."
"Sure" she replied and Daniel walked inside.
After spending a few minutes in silence, she called Alec.
"Let's go home."
"Okay."
Alec hurried outside and saw El standing near the huge tree. He walked towards her and saw her holding the necklace box.
She slowly walked towards his car and stepped in, Alec followed her.
El: "To home"
Alec: "To Alwils Villa"
they both said at the same time.
El had the same plain and emotionless expression but now her face also exuded tranquillity.
Meanwhile at the auction party, Daniel walked towards Ricky,
"How do you know El?" He asked.
"She is my good friend."
"You know about her, don't you?" Daniel was curious.
Ricky nodded.
"Her secret is safe with me, you don't have to worry about it."
Daniel cast a soft smile and looked at him.
Even Daniel felt an unsaid bond with him like El did. Ricky seemed like someone whom he could trust.
"What's your name?"
"Ricky"
"Ricky?" Daniel asked for his family name.
"Just Ricky." He replied unwilling to reveal his family name.
He felt weirdly similar to Daniel. "Have we met before?" Daniel asked.
"No."
"It was nice meeting you. You seem like a good lad."
"That's what my dad says." Ricky replied thinking about Ronald.
They parted away.
Alec and El were on their way home,
"I see you have the necklace with you." Alec said.
"Mhm"
"Mind explaining?" His face soured.
"Haven't we had a long day Alec." She avoided his question, she was exhausted too.
The day wasn't easy for Alec as well,
Carolyn's demeaning attitude with El,
El lashing out on her,
her strange relationship with Daniel Ford all irked him immensely.
Her strange behaviour with Daniel troubled him the most.
Nobody dared to say a single word against him but El constantly disobeyed and contradicted him without fearing for any consequences yet when she was vulnerable she relied on him and not Alec to seek affection.
Her actions didn't sit well with Alec.
Seeing her unaffected State he asked
"Why do I feel so distant from you these days?"
"You should've locked me in the small cabin."
"Maybe I will."
Their conversation was plain without any anger or playfulness. It was hard to figure out if they really meant it or were only joking.
El slowly leaned on his arm and closed her eyes out of exhaustion. Her touch comforted him yet the unexplainable anxious feeling still remained in his heart.