~ The Next Day ~
* Hentritch *
" Welcome home, miss Jenna." Bruce, the butler greeted.
He was out to welcome Jenna, right behind a maid who collected Jenna's luggage.
" Thank you Bruce. How have you been?" Jenna asked in polite manner.
" I guess I can say I've been doing pretty good young mistress." Bruce replied. Jenna couldn't help but roll her eyes.
" Oh Bruce, please don't start with the 'young mistress' ish." She said while they both made their way to the main living area.
" Ok young mistress."
" Bruce!"
" Fine'' Bruce said in resignation, accompanied with a grin.
" So tell me, how has Planora been? I hope work is stable now. The latest you told me was that your job was shaky, especially because of your boss.'' Bruce asked.
Sighing, Jenna shrugged.
" It's been pretty good. You know ups and downs and a lot, basically!'' Jenna said while Bruce nodded.
'' I see. So w_"
" Look who arrived!" Evelyn announced.
Raising her head to look at Evelyn who was coming down the stairs, Jenna saw a familiar person walking behind her. Actually, a familiar group of people.
Behind Evelyn was Jenna's dad, Elle and Hilton, Mason's mother and father and of course, Mason.
" It's a good thing you came before the day ran out, else you would have been sorry Jenna!'' Came Elle's voice to Jenna who folded her arm while Bruce halted his steps behind her.
" Come with us Jenna." Hilton said after they all came down from the stairs.
" I'm very tired. Just 10 minutes so I can go freshen up a_"
A swift slap from Elle landed on her right cheek before she knew what was going on!
" You want to freshen up huh? Do you know what you've done you worthless brat!'' Elle shouted at Jenna.
Raising her head with her hands on her cheek, Jenna looked from Elle to her mother, before returning her gaze to Elle, speechlessly.
Neither of her parents did or said anything and so did Hilton. Mason only stood behind Jenna with his hands in his pocket while he watched the drama unfold.
" I suggest you do not repeat what you just did Madam." Bruce spoke up.
" Or what? What are you gonna do about that? Huh? Defend this lying theif?!" Evelyn asked with her gaze never leaving Jenna.
Jenna said and did nothing, except dropping her hand to her side.
" You had better join us right now, if you don't want to end up in jail." Elle said to Jenna who kept mute.
Jenna's parents, were not so pleased with Elle's reaction. But they had already made Jenna look inferior to their family members, so there was nothing they could do. Or, they chose to do nothing.
Why?
When they gave birth to Jenna, they never intended to raise a mannerless and bratty child. They disciplined her till they took it to the extremes and unknowingly stripped Jenna off her childhood.
For the sake of not raising a spoilt brat, they became emotionally detached from Jenna and when she grew old enough to spell it out to them, they then assumed they failed in raising a respectful wife material.
That, called for even more hostility towards Jenna.
They loved her, but they were blind to the fact that they pushed their daughter away and even made her feel inferior, in the name of discipline.
Another reason, especially from Sampson's point of view was that he was always busy. Throughout her childhood, they seldom discussed like a father and only daughter should.
At some point, Jenna confronted him about it.
Infact, she once asked if the only time he had for even her mother was performing the other room's duty. After all, she rarely saw them talk, so she assumed he only had nighttime to spare with his wife.
_
" Come with us." Evelyn said looking at Elle with displeasure before turning around to leave for Sampson's office.
The rest eventually followed suit. Mason, Jenna and Bruce, behind the couples.
Looking ahead, Jenna and Bruce walked past Mason without saying a word. Mason, couldn't take his eyes off Jenna.
At the office,
Clearing his throat, Hilton spoke up first after everyone sat down, except for Jenna and Bruce.
" I must say I am very disappointed in you Jenna. I can't believe you could actually do this to your own cousin. First, you tricked him into a scam offer, made him borrow a huge sum, from a loan shark you funded, tripled the interests so he would be unable to pay and had him locked up."
" And you cleverly did this behind the scenes. Why? Isn't your parents money enough? Huh?!" Elle asked, raising her voice after every word.
To their surprise, Jenna giggled and then her giggles graduated to fits of laughter.
" What is funny young lady? We are having a serious discussion here." Sampson said.
" Or would you prefer we involve your grandfather into this matter?'' Elle asked. Her body temperature surged because of rage.
But the heated temperature did not stop Jenna from laughing.
It was so funny to her, seeing the set of foolish and naive family members she had. 'How did they skip the entertainment industry?' Jenna wondered.
The previous day, she felt a pierce in her heart hearing all of the false allegations, but the case was different this time.
" Don't worry. Grandfather already is involved." Came Jenna's voice after she managed to compose herself.
" I mean, isn't it funny? Seeing you all choose to make a fool of yourselves. Like, come on aunt Elle, uncle Hilton. You both are better than this. " Jenna said with a smirk.
" Jenna, watch your t_"
" Tone."
" I know. It's my duty to always watch my tone and never speak out." Jenna said, turning to Evelyn who had been quiet until then.
" My dear mommy. I forgot you're in the room too. I guess I have to always flop to get my momma's attention, right Mason?''
" Leave my son out of this." Elle said defensively.
" I'm sorry aunt Elle. It's just that I feel he can relate as well. You know, I let words slip out my mouth and my mom spoke up. He fucked up and the both of you are backing his ass, something I've not seen the both of you do for a long while." Jenna said with a smile.
Placing her hands behind her back, Jenna started pacing back and forth, slowly.
The way the room dropped by a few degrees, did not go unnoticed by Jenna who giggled again.
" I guess when we fuck up, we gain our parents attention. I mean, that's the take home for me though."
" Mom, Dad. I just hope that after this, you both learn to allow both parties defend themselves squarely, before passing a verdict." Jenna said.
" And I hope you learn to stand by the one you love." She added, looking into their eyes from time to time.
" I'm not asking you to slap an innocent person..." she said, glancing from Elle to Hilton.
" I'm just asking you to dim it fit to love me and stand up for me." Jenna said looking at her parents who didn't say a word but stared at her, wondering where she was heading with all she was saying.
" What do you mean?'' Evelyn managed to say after a few seconds of a surprising ear deafening silence.
" Silence woman!" Grandfather Gordon shouted from the door.
His stern voice caused heads to turn!
Citing him, they all stood up.
Gordon and the late Mrs. Marlenis , Jenna's beloved grandmother, were her Paternal grandparents.
Gordon Smith was a former minister and renowned politician in Cilevile. He wasn't emotionally present throughout Jenna's childhood, not because he didn't love her, but because he dedicated his youth to serving the country.
When he retired, Jenna was not a little child anymore, more over, he was proud of her decision of being independent.
However, he wasn't absent from Jenna's life, because she never paid for her house rent and he got her the car she owned.
But unbeknownst to him, Jenna had been indebted to Wallace. That accounted for him not being the best grandfather, however, Jenna knew she could run to him when the going became tough, too much for her to handle.
Jenna was someone who had a tendency of running insane when she was falsely accused.
So, the Smith's Family Mansion was the first house she set foot in immediately she arrived Hentritch.
~ Flashback ~
" My beautiful granddaughter! How have you been my angel?" Gordon asked with a smile as Jenna ran to him for a hug.
" I'm not so sure Grandpa." Jenna said. Sobbing, wasn't the first thing she wanted to do immediately she arrived so she bit her lips.
Pulling out from the embrace, Gordon held her shoulders to examine her face. He confirmed that she actually wasn't doing great.
And ten minutes later, after Jenna had settled down, she was done explaining everything.
" I see." Gordon said after exhaling deeply.
Gordon was a man with a broad figure, like that of a retired Major General. His beards matched his grey-like hair color. An elderly retired politician who was in his mid 70's, but pretty much looked like a 50 year old.
He had the wisdom of an experienced elder and leader. He was very influential and the only reason he was not an ex-president is because he was not a greedy politician.
" Trust this old man, princess. Whatever it is, it'll all be history by tomorrow" Gordon said in a tone of assurance.
" Thank you Grandpa."
" Just spend the night here. You can go see your parents by tomorrow." Gordon said, patting Jenna's hands.
The truth was a phone call away.
_
That evening, Gordon's source called in and placing the call on speaker, they both confirmed Gordon's suspicions.
*
After Mason eloped, he was low on cash and that prompted him to take another loan, but this time, he couldn't run away from it.
Mason was beaten and manhandled by the loan officers. But it didn't mean that he was not going to clear his debts. Infact, he was to pay twice of what he borrowed.
When he realized he had no where else to fall back to, he carved out the evil plan of framing Jenna and pleaded for his parent's support, which took a while.
When they agreed was when he was beaten up for the second time.
They couldn't settle the loan officers because they weren't as rich as Jenna's parents and what Mason borrowed was a lot. Gordon wasn't filthy rich either but he could definitely afford what Mason borrowed without breaking the bank.
But would he lend them such huge amount knowing that it was all thanks to Mason's stupidity? Hell No!
The only plan was to create a make believe story and tell it to Jenna's parents who were ever ready to pounce on her at the slightest mistake.
They were the filthy rich family anyway.
It would take only Evelyn the snap of her fingers to settle the debts altogether.
Elle even had an issue with that, which brought about her attitude towards Jenna.
~ Flashback Ends ~
" How could y_"
" No mom. Please don't blame them, it's not their fault. Because I'm pretty sure you would not be able to do the same if the table was reversed. Why?"
She paused and turned to face her parents before she continued
"They would hear their son out. That's why. I need to freshen up, that's if you all don't mind." Jenna said before walking out.
" Jenna Please h_"
" Leave the poor girl alone. Let her rest, you all are very tiring. Bruce, get me a glass." Gordon ordered, before he sat, while the others made way for Bruce.
While they waited for Bruce, everybody in the room felt like they needed extra ventilation because it felt like humid heat to them and the ear deafening silence did no good to help matters.
They all pretty much knew what they were in for.
But they all sat, regardless, waiting for Bruce.