Night time
Mrs Isabella lay on the bed, her exhaustion and emotions swirling together like a toxic storm. She had expected Mr Lucas to be here, but not because she cared about their marriage. She just wanted him to be here for her, to acknowledge her existence.
The door opened, and Mr Lucas walked in, his eyes fixed on some point beyond her. "Where were you?" Mrs Isabella demanded, her anger and hurt boiling over. "I expected you to be here when I arrived."
Mr Lucas shrugged, his expression unreadable. "I didn't think it was necessary," he said, his voice devoid of emotion. "We both know how this is going to play out."
Mrs Isabella's anger flared, a wildfire raging out of control. "Oh, so you're just going to ignore me now?" she spat. "After all these years, you can't even pretend to care?"
Mr Lucas sighed, his eyes finally meeting hers. "Isabella, we've been over for years," he said, his voice heavy with resignation. "What's the point of pretending? We're just two strangers sharing a house."
Mrs Isabella's bitterness threatened to consume her. "You're right," she said, her voice cold. "I don't care about this marriage either. I just want to know why you bothered coming back at all."
Mr Lucas shrugged again. "I didn't have anywhere else to go," he said, his voice empty.
Mrs Isabella laughed, a harsh, mirthless sound. "Well, that's just great," she said. "So, we're just stuck together because we have nowhere else to go. What a wonderful basis for a relationship."
Mr Lucas didn't respond, just stood there looking at her with a mixture of apathy and disdain. Mrs Isabella's anger boiled over again, and she screamed at him to get out. This time, he didn't argue, just turned and walked away, leaving her alone in the cold, dark room.
Mia could hear their voices as they spoke loudly. She went to tighten her door lock and then sank herself under her bed blanket.
The next day~~
It was Monday and time for a school. Mia headed downstairs and then saw her mother on the dinning table eating breakfast. She quickly sat , " Good morning, Mom," and then stuffed some toasted bread in her mouth along side some grilled cheese sandwich. Mrs Isabella stared at her for while and then decided to give her a response, " Morning, sweetheart."
Mrs Isabella sat at the dining table, her eyes fixed on her daughter. "So, how was your night?" she asked, her voice casual.
Mia grunted, her annoyance evident. "It was fine, mom."
Mrs Isabella expression turned questioning. "Just fine? You seem a bit upset."
Mia sighed, gathering her backpack and standing up. "I'm not upset, mom. I just don't want to talk right now, okay?"
Mrs Isabella's voice was gentle. "But sweetie, we need to talk about-"
Mia cut her off, her voice firm. "Not now, mom. I'm late for school."
Mrs isabella's eyes narrowed. "You're avoiding me."
Mia shrugged. "Maybe I just don't feel like talking to you right now, okay? Can I go?"
Mrs Isabella nodded reluctantly, watching as her daughter stormed out of the house, feeling frustrated and wondering what had caused her daughter's sudden chilliness.
_Just one secret_
Cars pulled up at Hill Crawford academy, Students would quickly round up in pairs. They were talking about how they spent their weekend and Mia had also pulled up.
This time Luna was a little bit late and Mia had to wait for her to drop by. As Mia walked through the school gates, she noticed a commotion near the entrance. A sleek, black Tesla had pulled up, and a chauffeur was opening the door for Wilder, her senior, and his mother. Wilder's mother, elegantly dressed, stepped out first, followed by Wilder, who looked a bit uncomfortable amidst the attention.
Mia watched from a distance, curious about the scene unfolding before her. She and Wilder weren't close, they only exchanged few unfortunate moments together, so she wasn't surprised when he didn't acknowledge her as he walked.
As Mia watched Wilder and his mother walk into the school building, she couldn't help but think about her own life of luxury. Her family's wealth and privilege had always been a normal part of her existence, and she had never really thought twice about it.
But seeing Wilder's obvious discomfort with the attention his car and chauffeur had brought him made her realize that not everyone felt the same way about their wealth. She wondered if Wilder felt suffocated by the expectations that came with his family's money, just as she sometimes did.
Mia's own car, a sleek Porsche, was parked in her house lot, and had rarely brought it to school because of reasons such as it was her mother's gift to her and then it had a different colour but whenever she had brought it to school she had grown accustomed to the admiring glances and sometimes hateful whispers that followed her wherever she went. But she had never really connected with Wilder, who seemed to shy away from the spotlight, despite his family's obvious wealth.
As she walked to her locker, Mia couldn't help but feel a twinge of curiosity about Wilder's story. What was it like to be him, to have so much and yet seem so humble and unassuming? She made a mental note to try to get to know him better, to look beyond the surface level of their shared wealth and privilege.
Luna tapped her from behind and gave out a smile and Mia tried to return the smile.
***
As they entered Principal Petal's office, Wilder's eyes scanned the room, his mother's reassuring presence beside him.
Mrs Antonia Parker walked into Principal Petal's office with a confident stride, her stylish yet casual outfit exuding a warm, Italian flair. Her dark hair was pulled back in a relaxed ponytail, and she wore a pair of fitted white linen pants paired with a comfortable, pastel pink blouse. A simple yet elegant silver necklace adorned her neck, and her feet were clad in a pair of sleek, designer loafers.
While her outfit wasn't traditional Italian attire, it was clear that her heritage influenced her sense of style. The effortless elegance and comfort she embodied were reminiscent of the classic Italian approach to fashion. Her understated yet polished look commanded respect without drawing attention away from the matter at hand.
As she sat down beside Wilder, her calm and composed demeanor reassured him, and he felt grateful to have her by his side. She smiled calmly at her son before turning to the principal.
"Thank you for seeing us, Principal Petal," Mrs Antonia said, her voice confident and poised. "I understand there have been some...rumors circulating about our family."
Principal Petal nodded, her expression stern. "Yes, Mrs. Parker. We take these allegations seriously. There are concerns about your family's...business dealings."
Wilder's eyes dropped, his face growing hot with discomfort. His mother's hand brushed against his, a subtle gesture of support.
Mrs Antonia's expression remained serene. "I assure you, Principal Petal, these rumors are baseless. My family's business is legitimate, and Wilder is not involved in any...unsavory activities."
Principal Petal's gaze lingered on Wilder before returning to Mrs Antonia. "I hope so, for Wilder's sake. We can't have our students compromised by...outside influences."
" And I must say, your attire is beautiful, it has never looked so perfect on you. I am not an Italian fan but I definitely love this " Principal petal said with a smile with Mrs Antonia returned the smile and also the compliment.
Mrs Antonia's voice took on a gentle, yet firm tone. "Wilder is a good boy, Principal Petal. He won't be affected by these rumors. And I'll ensure our family's name is cleared. Can we put this matter behind us?"
Principal Petal nodded, her expression softening. "Very well, Mrs. Parker. I think we've discussed this enough for today."
As they left the office, Wilder felt a sense of relief wash over him, grateful for his mother's unwavering support and defense.
Mrs Antonia gave her son a hug with a quite lovely smile which Wilder couldn't resist returning. She left after giving him some reassuring words...