"Al.." they heard Carolyn's voice as she entered the living room.
"I didn't know you'd be here." Carolyn said, looking at Michelle.
"Where else would I be? This is my home."
Her simplistic attire rendered her a humble look.
'Why is she still dressed as a homeless person.' Carolyn thought to herself but couldn't say it aloud.
Flashing a fake smile she sat near Michelle. "Do you remember the time when you used to come to South-hills with Alexandra? You used to.."
"I don't remember anything, Mrs. Wilson." Michelle said in a plain voice interrupting her.
Carolyn tried to hide her bitter face and asked again,
"You must at least remember.."
"I'll stop you there Mrs. Wilson, I've had retrograde amnesia. I don't remember anything before I was fifteen."
"Oh, then let me tell you I was your favourite Aunt."
Alec's eyes shot up at Carolyn's lie. He found it appalling that she was taking advantage of Michelle's condition.
"Mrs Ford is here." Patty informed Alec.
Alec saw a Rolls Royce followed by a Maybach parking outside.
Stepping out of the car Lyla flawlessly walked to the door.
Everything about her was nothing less than perfect. She was indeed perfection personified and time had only done justice to the perpetual Beauty of Lyla Ford.
Michelle on the other hand seemed like an unrefined version of Lyla.
"Good morning, Mrs Ford." Alec greeted her.
"Call me aunt Lyla, son." She smiled at him. But her smile immediately faded when she saw Carolyn.
"You are here too, Mrs Wilson."
"Yes, she was telling me that she used to be my favourite Aunt when I was little." Michelle replied.
Lyla shot a hard glare at Carolyn, "You were hardly around to raise your own kid." She scoffed at her lies.
"Why the two cars?" Michelle asked.
"The Maybach is for you, you'll no longer be taking that 'Box' with you at work."
"But.." Michelle argued.
"No buts." Lyla said firmly. Michelle nodded.
"She is right." Carolyn chimed in "You should.."
Lyla glared at her again, making her stop. She clearly didn't want anyone, especially Carolyn, to speak between her and Michelle.
"And what is it you are wearing, you need to dress accordingly. You are no longer a commoner. You are the daughter in law of the Wilson family and more importantly the daughter of Daniel Ford." Lyla reprimanded her.
Alec had never stopped Michelle from dressing the way she wanted.
He let her carry herself the way she wished, that way she was his El, innocent and pristine, untouched by the superficial high status glam. He liked her that way.
The current rules and restrictions were irking him as well.
"Yes indeed you must dress appropriately as Alec's wife." Carolyn interrupted again.
"Go wear something nice, I'll take you shopping."
"Yes mom." She obediently said and obliged.
Seeing that Michelle was far away, Lyla shot a hard glare at both Alec and Carolyn.
"You dare not take advantage of my daughter's condition." Lyla clearly dominated the room. Carolyn lowered her head.
" I'm well aware of the way you treated my daughter and the nasty comments you made to my upbringing."
"Michelle's birth was no less than a blessing for Daniel and I and for you to insult all of us in such vile ways. Thank your stars Carolyn, that my daughter loves your son or I'd have destroyed you in no time." She fumed.
"But I…" Carolyn tried to justify her actions but was stopped by Lyla again.
"You even dared to slap my daughter in front of Daniel nonetheless."
"She was being disrespectful against Mr. Ford." Carolyn defended herself.
"So what? You had no right to intervene between Father and daughter."
"But.." Carolyn tried to defend herself again but was stopped by Alec this time.
"Please accept my sincere apology on behalf of my mother, even though she was unaware whatever she did with Michelle wasn't decent." He humbly apologised
"Fine, But if any of you hurt Michelle again in any way then I'll be the worst person you've ever met."
Alec nodded, "Don't worry Aunt Lyla, I'll look after Michelle in every way like I used to before." Alec said referring to his past and Lyla understood his inference.
The fact that Alec had once saved Michelle from drowning helped Lyla calm down.
Alec asked Patty to escort Carolyn to the guest room and attend to her so that any further conflicts between them can be avoided.
Few minutes later, Michelle came downstairs dressed in a floral skater dress.
"Don't slouch." Lyla said, looking at her.
Michelle obediently straightened her back and shoulder.
"I'll be back soon." she said and kissed Alec on his cheek. He was disappointed that his quality Sunday time with his wife was cut short.
Keeping a faint smile he nodded at her and she walked away with Lyla.
Lyla kept instructing her all the way to their car and Alec saw it. The exchange between mother and daughter seemed very formal which perplexed Alec.
Meanwhile at Rags and Riches, Ricky got a text from Dave -'Isobelle Ford is running a background check on you.'
Ricky wasn't surprised, deep in he had anticipated this.
'Don't let her know anything about my dad, even my last name.' Ricky replied.
He didn't want anyone, especially any romantic interest, to know about his family background and treat him according to it.
He found them pretentious and materialistic.
He checked his phone to see if Isobelle had replied to his text. He had been doing it since morning, but was only disappointed.
'If my family status bothers her, then we are better off away from each other.' Ricky thought but deep in, subconsciously he hoped for him and Isobelle to have something special.
But he wanted her to like him as Ricky, not as Ronald Dawson's son. Which is why chose to hide his identity.
But little did Ricky know that a crucial truth about his identity was hidden from him as well. A truth that Ronald had buried deep in his heart for years and tried with all his might to keep it away from his son.
Revelation of which would change his life and everyone's life around him, a moment Ronald dreaded. But for how long could he avoid the inevitable.