" Listen Miss, I Don't why you have that creepy smile plastered on your face but whatever am about to say doesn't require that smile of yours " Annabelle said.
" Forget it Anna, just tell me what you have to say " Elena retorted.
" Well while you were away ..... "
* At old man John's house *.
Playfully, joyful chatter could be heard coming from the house. And the voice of Mrs grey was the loudest as she was happy over the arrival of Elena to Portland despite, Elena not coming to visit them yet.
" Is she truly around, I mean is she in Portland? " Mrs grey asked.
" Yes my dearest, she is. I don't know what's keeping her from coming to see us " madam Clara replied.
" She's quite busy mother " Mr grey explained.
* Pout *
" She went to the office today ? " Old man Shawn asked.
" Yes she did " replied Mr grey.
" She's just too work oriented " old man Shawn said.
" And who's fault is it ? " Old man John asked.
" Enough both of you. We've had enough of your banter for weeks now , don't start again. We should prepare for our baby's visit " madam Clara caution.
" Don't be too presumptuous woman " old man John said.
" She's not being presumptuous father in-law, she just being certain " Mrs grey replied.
" Yes father, you really need to have some faith in that child of yours " Mr grey said.
" Like I will " old man John replied sarcastically.
" What an arrogant old hag " old man Shawn cursed.
" !!.... ".
" Did you say something? " Old man John asked.
" Me ??? No I didn't " old man Shawn denied.
" It better be true " .
Suddenly a car drove into the company, alerting everyone's attention. This was Elena and Edward.
" Grandpa !!!! " Elena called in a yell.
" See.... Never say never " madam Clara murmured.
" Elle " her grandma called happy.
" It's so good to finally see you all again " Elena replied hugging her tightly.
" Good day Mr and Mrs John " Edward greeted politely shocking everyone.
" What's happened to this arrogant little devil " Mr grey murmured to his father who looked just as shocked as everyone else .
" Grandpa " Elena called out the second time finally gaining his attention.
" You little girl, why didn't you call when you arrived at where ever he took you too " her grandpa question.
Series of question mark appeared on their heads.
" Err ... Grandma, did something happen to grandpa while I was away ? " She asked.
" Nothing of which I can remember my dear, he has just being grumpy since you left " her grandma explained.
" Oh I see... Miss you too grandpa " she said hugging him tightly. " And am sorry for not calling you while I was away " she apologized.
She had the strongest bond with her grandpa, sh she understood what he meant by his question.
" Let's all have our seat then " Mr grey motion.
" Of course, we don't want to keep them standing . Do we ? " Madam Clara asked.
After sitting down comfortably, old man John asked another question.
" Anyway, Edward where the you take Elena too ? ".
" Country H " was Edward's curt response.
" What !!! " They all exclaimed.
" Country H , why take her there ? " madam Clara asked.
" Ehmmm.... Grandma that's where he lives, he's just in Portland for work " Elena explained.
" Elle, could you please take your grandpa Shawn to the garden ? " Mrs grey asked.
" !!.... Sure aunty " she replied taking with her grandpa with her.
" Is she gone? " Madam Clara asked.
" Yes she is " Mrs grey replied after properly making sure Elena wasn't anywhere close to the main building.
"Are you crazy Edward ? " Mr grey asked in an icy tone.
" Crazy? , Am certainly very sane, grey " Edward replied.
" Then why take her to country H ? " Madam Clara asked feeling confused and angry.
" Like she said that's where I live " Edward replied calmly.
" We all know.... The history we've with that particular country " old man John said remorsefully.
* At the Garden *.
" How are you feeling grandpa ? " Elena asked as they sat comfortably under a tree.
" Am feeling better my dear.... Anyway, aren't you curious? " Old man Shawn asked.
" Curious ? " She asked.
" Yes dear, don't you want to know what they all are talking about ? " He asked.
" Of course grandpa..... I do , I really feel they all are keeping something from me . A very deep secret but am just waiting patiently for them to come clean " she replied honestly.
" Err.... Well dear, the room on the left wing of his mansion. Whose room is it ? " He asked.
" I don't know grandpa, and my grandparents strictly prohibited me from going close or even entering into the room " she explained.
" Well dear, I might have stumbled into the room " he confessed.
" Oh no grandpa, grandma or uncle grey finds out - they would be furious " she exclaimed in shock.
" I know dear, that's why am confiding in you " he replied.
" Anyway grandpa, what did you see ? " She asked like a little girl gossiping to her fellow girls.
" A picture of a lady.... She looks exactly like you " he said looking closely at her reaction.
" Haha haha, very funny grandpa. Why would my grandparents have a picture of me looked in a room, like some voodoo practice " she replied.
" You don't believe me do you ? " He asked.
" That's not it , it's just unbelievable " she replied politely.
" Follow me " he replied getting off his seat.
" To where exactly ? " She asked.
" The room off course " he replied walking ahead of her towards the room.
Shakes her head " oh boy, why do I smell trouble " she murmured follow slowly behind him. Despite her unbelief in what he said, she was still curious about that room.
On getting to the room.
" Don't make a sound " old man Shawn said.
" Heavens.... This room is so big " she exclaimed silently.
" Over here " he motion.
On getting closer to the picture, sitting comfortably on an old dressing table, she almost had an heart attack.
" What..... What's going on here " she whispered.
" Exactly what I was saying " he replied.
" This.... This .... This lady, she looks like me. I could mistake her for my mother " she stammered. She couldn't understand a thing but she felt confused and betrayed and heartbroken.
* Back at the parlor "
" You very well know , that's where her mother died " old man John yelled slamming his hands on the table close to him.
" And so, isn't it time to tell her the truth? She's grown for heavens sake. She has successfully run her company without your help " Edward explained calmly.
" She can't know the truth " madam Clara thundered.
" What truth " Elena asked looking angry.
" Elle.... Elena? , how long have you been standing there ? " Madam Clara asked in shock. They all felt how angry she was .
" I just came in now " she replied with her hands behind her. " So back to my question, what truth am I suppose to know? " She asked again.
" No truth darling " old man John said.
" Okay...( Clicks her tongue ) Then explain to me, who this lady is ? " She asked waving the picture frame at them.
The shock registered in their face's was enough to tell Elena who the lady was but she did not want to believe it, she wanted to hear them said it.
" Who is she " she asked in an icy tone indicating her anger.