"Welcome Home, Gaby," said the elegant old lady with tears in her eyes. "My name is Diana -Diana Cromwell... Gaby, I - I am your grandmother."
Gabrielle froze as she remained seated on the soft mattress. She flickered her eyes repeatedly and shook her head, repeating the woman's words, "Gr - grandmother?"
The lady, like her, had hazel eyes. They were looking at her with yearning as she explained, "Genevieve is my first daughter." More water flowed down her face as she added, "That makes me... your grandmother."
"You're - you are my grandmother?" She asked again, trying to make sure she heard it right.
The fashionable woman, whose hair had already turned grey, wiped the wetness on her face and said, "Yes - Yes, I am, Gaby. I'm your grandmother Diana."
While Gabrielle rose from the bed, the woman walked towards her carefully and raised both her arms, clearly wanting to embrace Gabrielle. She heard the woman say, "You - you remind me
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Gaby, please." Diana walked slowly to Gabrielle and suggested, "Maybe... if you meet Alistair, you will like him? He is a handsome man and, like our family, he belongs to a noble family. He will - " "I've already met this Alistair Howard, grandma and I don't like him one bit!" Gabrielle answered, with conviction. "Besides, I am already engaged to a man that I love so much!" Tears fell down her face as she explained, "Had I known being reunited with the Cromwells will only keep me apart from the one I love the most, I would not! Never! Dream in a million years to be a Cromwell!" Gabrielle essentially broke down in tears, afraid for her future at that point. In front of her grandmother, she begged, "Please... Please... Please help me. I - don't want this. I want to return to my fiance." Diana watched in agony as Gabrielle kneeled in front of her, repeatedly beseeching. Aside from that, she was surprised to learn that Gabrielle had already met Alistair.&
"Gaby, this is your aunt Gloria and your cousin, Veronica." A smile left Diana's lips as she introduced the rest of the family. "You are about the same age as Veronica." The Cromwells were in front of their dining table, with Diana hoping to have quality time over dinner. After two days of being locked up in the room, it was Diana's idea to formally introduce Gabrielle to the Cromwell family. "Next to your aunt is your uncle, Lester Wales. Your aunt and your cousin hold the last name of Wales, but they have lived with us since, while keeping our business afloat," explained Diana. "Come here, child. Sit with me." "It's nice to meet you, Gaby," greeted Lester. "You look very similar to Genevieve and.. I am sorry to hear about your mother's passing." "While I am sorry about Genevieve, I am curious what brings Gaby here?" Gloria probed, lazily shifting her gaze to Diana and to the other end of the table where Gerald Cromwell sat. She scoffed and inquired,
The sound of the helicopter's rotor blades loudly echoing across the estate of the Cromwells made Gabrielle look up to the sky as she brought Diana out for some fresh air. It was from the master bedroom balcony that both Diana and Gabrielle could not help but be curious over the rotating helicopter. "That helicopter has been going around our estate for days." Gerald Cromwell came out to the balcony with them, narrowing his eyes at the flying chopper. "I thought you said that our country's officials had allowed a survey, covering several acres of land, including ours," Diana probed as she sat on her chair. Frowning, Gerald answered, "They did, I just did not expect it to take several days." Gabrielle, who was holding a soup bowl, could not feel at ease, looking at the helicopter. Somehow, she hoped it was Kyle, but like the other days, the chopper soon fled away from the manor house and into the other fields surrounding the Cr
August 6 Headlines: [BREAKING NEWS FROM THE FREEDONIAN TIMES: Prince Liam was saved by a western businessman, following the young prince's sudden outburst, fleeing the school grounds and rushing into the nearby streets! This was not the first time where the royal prince had this kind of tantrum, and yet again his rows of bodyguards were unable to contain him on school grounds! This time, however, it was a near-tragic incident where a private vehicle had nearly run into the prince if it were not for the businessman, rushing to the rescue!] August 8 Headlines: [BREAKING NEWS FROM FREEDONIAN TIMES: The Howard Family has been renounced from their noble duties after pieces of evidence have surfaced, proving the family's long-time fraudulent act, stealing funds from the royal family! For decades, the Howards had been in charge of managing the royal family's personal European investments, but as it turns out, the Howards had long been stealin
"Your highness, it's nice of you to join us for dinner." After shaking hands with Prince Adi, Gerald Cromwell said, "It has been years since you last visited our manor." "Yes, it has, but we regularly see each other, pertaining to our gold reserves," reminded the Prince. "You remember my son, Liam." Gerald looked down at the restless-looking four-year-old and greeted, "Good evening, Prince Liam. A pleasure to have you here in our home." Turning behind him, Prince Adi introduced, "And you may have heard the businessman who saved Liam's life after he ran across the street from school." Directing with his hand, Prince Adi named the businessman, "This is Mister Kyle Wright. He happens to be the CEO of one of the biggest corporations in the US." "Mister Wright, this is Gerald Cromwell, the head of the Cromwell family, one of the families who is taking care of the royal family's assets," added the prince. Kyle came up next to the prince and without
Veronica's heart was pounding, following Kyle's repeated proposal. With the man hinting that she would be his wife and be part of his family, she was in cloud nine. While Kyle gave no regard whatsoever to her remarkable excitement, Veronica and her mother were nearly teary-eyed, both foreseeing fortune and luck for their family. Veronica though, Kyle was extremely handsome and she and her mother definitely took Prince's Adi's word for it! Who wouldn't? Surely, the royal family's sources were accurate! All the Cromwells have missed seeing Kyle's indifference, merely focusing on the good luck that has come to them. Even Diana, who at first thought Kyle was snobbish, felt grateful that their family business will finally be saved! After Gerald's approval to Kyle's terms, everyone waited for the man to turn his attention to Veronica. Silenced engulfed them, fixating their eyes at Kyle's gaze. To their bewilderment, however, Kyle a
As Gerald made his walk to the stairs, he hissed, shaking his head with the thought of Kyle Wright. He understood well how blunt the man was, especially when talking about his granddaughter, Veronica. At first, he was unsure how to take it, but he felt he did not have any other choice! They were in desperate need of help, and Prince Adi seemed to like him. As part of the monarch, who wouldn't? There were talks about Kyle Wright building a hotel in Freedonia, an added investment to their small nation. "Stop it, Gerald. What's important now is to convince Gaby." He supposed Kyle Wright was just being harshly honest, and perhaps his granddaughter's traits were the reason he could not get Alistair to marry Veronica. When he made it to Gabrielle's room, he instructed, "Gaby. Come down with me. Wear something presentable. I will introduce you to the prince and a businessman with whom the royal family has made an alliance." Gabrielle was standing by he
"Mister Cromwell, is it true that you were trying to get in between Mister Wright and your granddaughter, Gaby? Despite them already being engaged?" Prince Adi probed while his brows further met. "I - I. Well, Prince Adi, you see. Marriage alliances have long been practiced in our country. And because - because Alistair Howard wanted to marry Gaby, we brought her here to fulfill her duties, one that her mother was not able to do so," Gerald answered reluctantly. His voice could not help but shudder as he spoke. "So you think! One Alistair Howard - the Howards! A family of thieves is better than Mister Kyle Wright!" At that point, the prince rose from his seat, angered by hearing the name. Turning to Kyle, he finally understood why the man put in so much effort in disclosing the Howards' long deceit to the royal family. At the prince's counter, Gerald found himself swallowing air down his throat. He sensed his throat dry up, struggling to answer. Again and aga