Anna walked into the villa, her expression cool despite the long and hectic day. But her gaze had an edge to it that warned the people around not to mess with her.
"Welcome back, Young Miss," Carl the family's butler greeted as he gestured to the maid beside him to take the lady's bag inside.
"Is she back?" Anna asked, even though she already knew what the answer would be. And as expected, Carl nodded and replied,
"Yes. Just a few minutes ago. She is waiting for you in the drawing room," Carl informed her. Sighing, Anna took her steps towards the drawing room.
Her mother was definitely up to something again, she could just feel it.
"You were waiting for me?" Anna asked as soon as she entered the drawing room. Evelyn turned to look at her, a frown on her face but she didn't say what was on her mind. She was already used to having her daughter treat her like a stranger over the past years.
"Yes. Have a seat, Annabelle," Evelyn said, her tone calm but many thoughts and possibilities ran rampant in her head.
Anna stared at her for a second longer before she walked to a sofa and sat down opposite her mother. "Well…?"
"I was at Empire City this time. I believe you know that already," Evelyn began, her eyes steady on her daughter's face watching every change in her expression. She didn't want to miss even the slightest one. But to her disappointment, Anna's face remains placid, giving nothing away.
"While I was there, something happened and I met someone," her gaze shifted a little, and for a moment, Anna thought she saw her eyes soften as she thought about that person but Anna didn't think anything could make her go soft all of a sudden. Then her heart skipped a beat and her calm expression nearly cracked at Evelyn's next words. "A little girl. About five or six years old. Quite the bundle of joy. She struck me as familiar. She reminded me of someone. Can you guess who that is?"
Anna tried as hard as she could not react to anything Evelyn said but the more she spoke, the more her yearning to reconnect with her daughter grew stronger. Five years old. Her daughter is five years old now. She knew that. She counted every year that passed by. And on that very day. On her birthday, she kept herself in solitude. It was a form of punishment for herself. To remind herself of her incapabilities. To tell herself that she ought to do something. But every year would come and go and she was too fearful to take a step towards that one goal. Even too afraid to try to find out how those two were fairing.
"YOU," Evelyn's voice pulled her out of her thoughts as her heart skipped another beat. "She looked like a miniature version of you, Anna," Evelyn added.
"What are you trying to say, Mother?" Anna would've given herself a pat on the back if she could for being able to maintain her composure. "That I have a child who is five or six years old under your roof and you never knew about it?" She locked eyes with Evelyn, the look of mockery filled her eyes and a smirk played on her lips. "Your eyesight must not be as keen as I thought."
Anna rose to her feet having had enough of the conversation. If it dragged any further, she may not be able to keep her calm anymore and the last thing she wanted was to give her mother any hints about her child.
"Do you know who her father is?" Evelyn asked and Anna's foot halted mid-step. Her expression shook but she tried to keep her calm. She could not react and give her mother the satisfaction that she needed.
Seeing her like that, Evelyn smiled, but the smile was far from a happy one. She stood up and took a few steps towards Anna but still kept some distance.
"Her father is Lloyd Reigns. Remember him? That boy you were so obsessed with? The one you eloped with?" she added knowing well how much that name affected her daughter. It still amazed Evelyn how just his name alone still had so much effect on her daughter.
Anna was lucky that she had her back to Evelyn because as she mentioned that familiar name, that name that she would never forget no matter where or what rolled out of her mother's lips, her expression faltered. Her fist clenched tightly but she fought for calm.
Slowly, she turned around and faced Evelyn. A smile on her lips and the storm of emotions that overwhelmed her before were gone. Locking eyes with her, she opened her mouth and said the words that Evelyn would have never expected her to say.
"I am glad he's got a family now," her smile widened. "At least now, you can get over your insecurities," her voice was soft and warm as if she didn't just call her mother insecure. "If that is all, I will take my leave now. It has been a busy day, Mother, I need my rest."
Evelyn watched as Anna walked away with mixed emotions. She wanted to believe what she saw but then, when did it happen? Anna's lack of reaction to her words also added to her confusion.
Just what in the world was going on now!?
She remembered the child very well. She even remembered everything Lloyd had said. His anger was evident and so was his hatred towards her. She had always wondered why Anna was so willing to follow her and protect that man in the past but now, she was starting to suspect that Anna was protecting more than just that worthless man.
She had no proof of that just yet but she would make sure she got to the bottom of it. If Anna lied to her back then, she wouldn't forgive her that easily.