"Yes?" Thalia Mirabel returned to her surroundings and threw a questioning look at Jake, her assigned assistant.
"That was Mr Jorge Trimshaw." He informed her,
Thalia Mirabel nodded in response and continued looking at him through the rear-view mirror in front of her for whatever message he had.
"He has given us where he wants you to dwell tonight...
'That's a little strange,' Thalia Mirabel thought, but she responded, "uh-huh…" and then added,
"I prefer that you call me by my name and not 'Mrs Trimshaw'"
".. erm, that might be a little difficult for me … please consider my position …."
Thalia Mirabel sighed and then added, "You can call me that in public, but not when it's just us like now… can you do that?"
Jake looked at the woman through the review mirror and relented. He knew that she was not trying to make things difficult for him, and she had conceded a little, so he agreed.
The car steadily moved through the quiet traffic towards their destination, and Thalia Mirabel relaxed and watched the dying embers of the last daylight and the darkening sky.
She settled into the comfy seat and pulled Collin protectively against her chest. He hummed in agreement, bringing a small smile onto her face. Collin started twisting a small portion of Thalia Mirabel's jacket. Thalia Mirabel succumbed to her thoughts and decided not to ask Jake about the show anymore,
A new life awaited her at the end of this car trip. It had happened a little too fast, and the reality was yet to sink in. She had married a man that she did not know at all. She only knew his name, and that was because he was 'party A' on the contract!
A man she had not met and in a contract marriage! Thalia Mirabel had reprimanded herself several times for that action but knew that if she had gone back in time, she would have made the same decision. She did all this for her son and had no regrets …. at least not yet.
The funny thing was that she did not even know what her new husband looked like! 'Am I -' she stopped her line of thoughts as there was no need for her to dwell on actions already taken.
Even though she detested the 'rich ways' of life, for she had tasted the bitter end of it once and had no designs to venture into it ever again, his conditions for the contract were just too good to be true. It was her one chance at life, and she knew for a fact that she had made the right decision, at least for her son, Collin Tony Thebes.
Thalia Mirabel placed a kiss on his hair, and he ventured even closer to her.
She did not know the man yet, but in as much as she felt grateful to him, she felt that Mr Jorge Trimshaw was crazy… her mental assessment of him on the Reveal show was just as right also. 'I don't think you have to know a person to put him in the jerk category?' Thalia Mirabel thought to herself.
Apart from the day she had signed the contract, she had not even heard his voice. His assistant, who had introduced himself as Ryan Marvel, was the main person she had corresponded with on the contract.
Then this sweet old man, Mr Benny, had taken off from there until she met this one by her, Jake Mash, who had introduced himself as her assistant. What did she even need an 'assistant' for? Her new husband must have a lot of money lying around to throw recklessly around.
She had felt Mr Jorge Trimshaw 'desperately' needed a wife, but his actions spoke otherwise.
Thalia Mirabel knew that if anyone had been in her shoes and had been in despair in that 'godforsaken' place and in a life of neglect with no hope coming in from anywhere and also had that feeling of being suppressed… one would understand her decision-making.
'Let's stop dwelling on the past,' she lightly tapped her cheeks and turned her attention to the road that the car now sped on.
Even though she had just re-emerged into society, she knew that the neighbourhood they had entered was one of the wealthy. It seemed like Thalia Mirabel was yet to get the information that her new husband was THE Jorge Trimshaw on Hiddenburg, and money was nothing to him at all.
She watched as the houses sped by almost a five-minute drive apart. They were substantial extravagant houses. With the evening around and their night lights on, each house looked unique and exquisite!
Very soon, Eric Moss spoke clearly, "We are almost there, Mrs Trimshaw," Thalia Mirabel nodded but glared at him through the rear-view mirror again. Eric cleared his throat with an awkward smile, for he had heard the conversation with Jake earlier, and then said once again, "Miss Thalia Mirabel, we will be there in about ten minutes,"
Thalia Mirabel gave him one of her rare smiles, and the pot-bellied man blushed furiously. He lowered his head and concentrated on the road. Thalia was beautiful, but even more so when she smiled because her dimples became more emphasised.
From afar, she spotted the mansion, much larger-looking and more exquisite than any of the others they had seen earlier. It looked nestled on a small hill they were steadily speeding up.
They had left the last house about fifteen minutes prior. Thalia Mirabel lacked the words to describe the magnificent building that their car drew closer to. She got a more precise view as it was high up on a hill.
Gates rolled open on their own, and their car sailed through. It was beautiful and secluded. Stuck up on that high place like in a fairy tale. Thalia Mirabel's face remained passive as she looked straight ahead at their looming mansion.
"Mommy?" Collin's eyes widened just a bit as he lifted his little head to peer outside the window, but he stayed quiet, and Thalia Mirabel knew what he wanted to say and continued to stroke his hair as if saying, 'I know, sweetheart'.
"This is one of the urban villas of Mr- …" Jake started
"Th-is i-s his house?" Yes, ma'am, but it's just one of the houses Mr Trimshaw owns!" Jake added excitedly. He turned to watch them, but the duo just stared at the approaching building with slightly masked indifference. Jake looked slightly dejected for not getting the reaction he was looking out for.
"What an unusual pair," Jake whispered…. They were the first people who did not get any rigorous reaction from seeing this! After coming here for years, he was still marvelled by it!"
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Thank you so much to all for your votes and comments! I hope we can keep it up ^_^