Chapter 3 " Father"

"HAPPY 18TH BIRTHDAY PRINCESS"

She heard her father shouted. Opening and closing her mouth in shock,  Crystel was utterly baffled. Pinching herself, she winced when she realised that it was true.

"P..papa..?" Her sweet voice cracked,

Her father, her papa, he is here with her.  She remembers how  her father died,

Her eyes were suddenly filled with tears as a sob came out of her mouth, scaring her father, who immediately placed the cake down and rushed to her side to hugged her in his arm. It has been so long since Crystal felt the warmest and care of her father and was overwhelmed.

"Princess, my baby, what happened?"

Papa, it was really papa. How long had it been since she saw her dad? She even hugged him like this.

"Papa...papa" She cried loudly, hugging her father tightly, not letting him go.

"Princess, what happens? You are worrying me, baby?"

If she remembers correctly, it's her 20th birthday. She recalled a big party thrown on her birthday by her father in her previous life, and many wealthy families came. Her father had introduse her to many affluent families and celebrities. But before the party was over, everything turned upside down for her. Her happy life becomes sad. The thing that happened caused her reputation to go down after that day.

I crystal will definitely make those people pay for what they did to me.

Just you wait!

She promised herself and closed her eyes.

"Crystal, are you ok, sis?"

Crystal opened her eyes when she heard the familiar soft voice near her.

There her older sister standing beside her mother with a worried and shocked look. Looking at their faces, no one will say these two were her murderer. She shivers, recalling the incident of her past life.

Look can really be deceiving sometimes. She thought, looking at the worried expression of her mother and sister.

She smirked she has already changed her future. She knew everything would have gone wrong if she would not come home on time. Anna was planing to slander her image.

Crystal smiled and wiped her face. Ignoring Anna's question, she looked at her father.

"Papa, I am ok. I just missed you so much."

Her father smiled at her lovingly. "Oh princess, you just saw me yesterday. Anyway, birthday girl should not cry." Her father patted her head and wiped her tears.

"I won't cry anymore, I am so happy. Thank you, papa," Crystal said and kissed her father cheek. Her father laughed at her lovely cute daughter.

The father and daughter were so busy that they overlooked the hatred and jealous filled eye of her mother and sister.  Anna's fist clenched in a ball as if she was ready to choke the hell out of crystal. Where is the mother who has a disgusting look in her eyes.

"Honey, Crystal must be hungry; we should go have breakfast all together." Ketty, her mother said.

Anna immediately masked her expression and smiled at Crystal. " Let have breakfast, little sis, and you can cut the cake there." Anna held Crystal's hand and pulled her out toward the main dining hall.

"Happy birthday, miss Crystal."

The maids wished her. Crystal smiled at them, whispering thank you.

She really missed this.

"Princess here, take this" Hemant, her father, called. Crystal pushed Anna's hand away from her and ran toward her father.

"Papa....this.?"

She saw her father holding the black card.

"here, my daughter, this is your from now. You can send it however you need. It's your birthday gift. Take it" Hemant pushed the black card in Crystal's hand.  As soon as the black card touched Crystal's hand, it was snatched away by her mother.

"Honey! You should not spoil our daughter too much. She is young and didn't know much about spending and being kept safely for the future. I will give this card to Anna; she will help Crystal spend the money properly, right, Crystal?"

Anna's eyes shined hearing her mother. A smirk formed on her lips, but soon her expression became dull hearing Crystal's response.

Her mother looked at the crystal, expecting her to agree on whatever she said like always. But this time, she was wrong.

Crystal took the card from her mother's hand and hugged her father.

"Thank you so much, Papa. I love you. I am a big girl now, and I know how to spend my money. I will keep the card with me." Her father smiled and nodded.

Ketty's face turned red in embarrassment as she glared at Crystel. While Anna had her mouth wide open. It was the first time crystal did not agree with her mother. But crystal will make sure it is not the last time. Ketty couldn't say anything now as it would be rude when her husband already agreed.

Crystal remembered in her previous life, when her father given her the black card, she happily gave the card away to her older sister. But whenever she needed money, her sister never gave her a penny, always making excuses. She was a big fool to trust her.

She has to remember, she cannot trust anyone except herself and her father. When crystal finished eating, her phone rang. Looking at the caller id, her eye shined, tears threatening to fall, but she holds it in.

Crystal politely got up and told her father that she would go back to her room to pick the call. Her father wished her again, and she walked out of the dining hall.

Rushing back to the room, she immediately locks her room and answers the call.

"HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CRYBABY." She has to pull away from the handphone due to her best friend's scream.

"Sofia..." Crystal whisper. Her best friend Sofia attempted suicide after finding out her boyfriend cheated on her and illegally took all her father's business under his name. Crystal was heartbroken after hearing the news.

In this life, she wouldn't let her friend die.

"I AM SORRY, BABY GIRL, I AM NOT IN THE COUNTRY RIGHT NOW, I HAD TO FLY TO NEW YORK CITY WITH MY FAMILY, AND I WILL BE BACK TOMORROW, AND I WILL SURELY BRING YOU A GIFT, I PROMISE. PLEASE DON'T BE ANGRY, OK."

Sofia was a tomboy, and she was a crybaby. She used to be very sensitive and cry about every other thing.

"I miss you, " Crystal said, covering her mouth to not let out a sob. she didn't want to worry her best friend.

"I MISS YOU TOO, BABYGIRL. I WILL TALK TO YOU LATER AS I AM ABOUT TO LAND," She said.

"Land?? What are you doing?"

"I AM SKYDIVING, BABE?" Crystal shook her head. She was stunned; Sofia was a crazy girl. She could do anything.

"Ok will talk to you later. Please be safe."

"OOOOOKKKKKKK" And the line was cut.

It was shocking to hear such a strong girl committing suicide. She will save her friend for sure this time.

-----

Anna clenched her feist and angrily shouted. "How did that bitch came back on time. I had made sure to set her up yesterday how was she here. Mom did you see how that bitch was behaving. She disagreed with you today. She did not talk to me, not even look at me, mom. There is something wrong. Did she perhaps suspect us?" Anna panicked voice created distress in the mother's heart, but she knew her youngest daughter.

The girl was an emotional fool. Very kind-hearted, unlike her oldest daughter.

"Keep your voice low, Anna. Crystal is a fool, she has no brain. She would never suspect anything. I know her. and don't worry we have so many surprises for her at her birthday party "

“But mom father gave that slut a black card,I want it. I am older then her but dad gave her that black card”

“Don’t worry about that, i promise you will get the black card. I will teach her a good lesson at the party. Don't worry. Just do as I say.

“Mom ,you are best!! “ Anna jump in excitement and hug her mother.

“Ok Ok now go give this present to your lovely little sister. And don’t forget to wish her happy birthday.”

The pair of mother and daughter smirk at each other cooking an evil plan in their mind.

Crystal was searching for a safe place to hide her black card from her past experience. She knew ketty and Anna would do anything to stole this black card.

In this life, she has so many goals to accomplish. She has to save her best friend; she also has to find the exact cause of her father's death.

Her father was a healthy man; he has always taken care of his health how can he suddenly fall ill. She remembered that doctor said his heart was weak, but he also said there was a 50% chance of his full recovery. And the next day, her father died.  Could it be that Anna killed her father? Because she remembers Anna was the last person who talked to her dad. It can be a hazard because she was after her father's property. Ketty also helped Anna and Zean to acquire her father's property. Before, she did not suspect anything because she was too busy mourning her father and did not know her mother and older sister's intention. But now everything is suspicious. She has to find the cause of her father's weak heart.

All this thing caused head ach as she held her head to ease the pain. She has to become vital to face this cruel world and save her loved ones.

Soon she heard a loud knock on her door. Crystal stood up and held the door nob to open it.

"Since when did you start to lock your door" Come Anna annoying voice.

Crystal rolls her eyes. "What do you want?" Crystal speaks indifferently.

Anna narrowed her eye at a crystal. "Did you just roll your eye at me?" Anna said in an angry voice. Crystal wanted to do that again, but she smiled at her sister.  She has to be in her character, and she can't let this pain of evil mother and daughter find about her knowing their truth.

"I am sorry, sister. I did it by mistake. It just I had little head ach."

Anna hummed before pushing herself into her room.

"I brought you this gift for your birthday. Come open it." Anna handed her the sparkling gift bag to the crystal and smiling lovingly.

Bogus...

Crystal pretended to be excited and took the bag, whispering a thank you to her older sister. Crystal knew something was not right. The fake smile and evil sparkling eye of her older sister say it all.

"Come on, open it fast."

Crystal unwrap the pink gift cover, and there was a white gift box. Crystal opened the box to find a blue material. Crystal took the soft material in her hand and pulled it up, taking out the whole heavy dress from the bag.

The dress was too familiar. She felt her heartbeat fast.

Immediately the flashback of that horrible night came to her mind. How this dress caused her the humiliation at her birthday party. So it is all because of Anna and this dress. She remembers how she entered her birthday party, and all light and camera was on her when the dress was torn off and slid down, flashing her body in front of the media and the people. She was so humiliated that she couldn't even look into anyone's eyes.

Her fist clench as her hold tightened on the dress. Her expression change into a terrifying one which frightens Anna.

"C, crystal, are you ok," Anna asked as the shiver ran down, looking at the terrifying look of Crystal.

Crystal shook her head and smiled at her older sister. "I love the dress, sister. Thank you so much. I will surely wear it at the party tonight."

"Oh..Ok.. then I will go bye' Anna said and ran away from Crystal's room.

Anna has never seen a crystal-like this. She felt crystal would eat her alive. She ran toward her mother's room to tell her about her accomplishment.

After Anna left. Crystal tore off the dress and threw it in the dustbin. She won't let those too bully her.

Holding the black card in her, she got the mind-blowing idea.  She took her shoulder bag and walked out of her room.

When Crystal entered the main hall. She was greeted by her family butler. Who always took care of her father.

"Uncle  Matt, good afternoon." He was her father's loyal man and the only person who didn't like her mother. Because he didn't want her mother and older sister. She never talked to him or greeted him.

Mr Matt was surprised to hear the greeting from little miss.

"Good afternoon to you too, little miss. Happy birthday. Are you going somewhere?"

"Oh, thank you, Uncle matt. I am going to the mall to do some shopping."

"Oh, come, I will drop you at the mall. I just came to take some important documents of your father."

Crystal was about to refuse, but she got an idea and nodded her head.

"Alright, go get in the car. I will come soon after taking the document. "

Crystal again nodded and walked toward the parked car.

Soon after 5 or 10 minutes, Mr Matt walked out of the house and sat in the car.

"Sorry for making you wait, princess" Mr matt apologise. Uncle Matt was a very humble man.

" Uncle Matt, it's ok no need to apologies." Crystal smiled softly.

" Let go", Mr Matt said to the driver.

"Please give me a miss call after you are done with shopping, princess. So that I can send the car to pick you up from the mall and drop you off at the house.

"No need, Uncle Matt. I can take a taxi."

"No..no, I don't want to get scolded by your father. So please, young miss, give me a miss call."

"Ok, uncle Matt I will do as you say, but you have to answer my question and Please answer me honestly."

"I will answer honestly," He said in a severe voice,

"Is my father taking care of his health? He doesn't have any problem breathing on any heart pain. Is he eating properly?"

"No, Princess. Your father is fit and fine, you don't have to worry. He is eating properly and doing yoga every day to keep his body and health fine. And he is also going for a regular check-up every month to monitor his health."

"Oh...can you tell me his daily routine and what he eat or drink? My father is getting old, he has so much workload. I don't want him to be sick.

"I understand, young miss.  When he wakes up, he drinks his herbal tea then a little breakfast in the morning. Then lunch in the office which is made by the best cook in the city. And at night, little dinner. He drinks coffee while working, but he has cut down his coffee intake because he thinks he has become addicted. "

Crystal smile. Her father is genuinely great. How can he die like this after doing so much?.

"Any supplement he takes. "

"No, not in front of me. I have never seen his eating any supplements."

"Oh, ok, uncle, thank you so much."

"You are welcome, princess."

How can his heart turn weak suddenly? There is something fishy. Either uncle matt is telling a lie, or my father is taking something else without Uncle matt noticing.

She has to find out everything and stop kitty, anna and Zean plan. Zean has not appeared in Infront of her yet, he even did not wish her or call her. She was in a relationship with Zean for two years now, If she remembers correctly. Yet he did not care about her since the beginning. Her heart filled with bitterness.

He will be in the party tonight. He will propose her today. she have to avoid it at all cost or else she will be trapped again.

“Uncle Matt can you give me the list of people who are coming in tonight party.”

“oh wait I will send you on your phone”

Crystal was deep in her thought that she did not notice, they reached.

"We are here, princess." Uncle Matt voice brought her back as she smile and thanked Mr matt before stepping out of the car.

As she step inside the mall, her phone vibrated. Crystal Check her mobile and found the p*f file send by uncle Matt.

Her original plan was to go to the dress store, but she quickly ran toward the bathroom. Without checking the door, she entered. The bathroom was empty. She pulled out her phone and opened the P*F file, she had a name in her mind, she was checking if the person was on the list or not.

Her eyes shined with excitement.

Aiden Scott

The heir to the most powerful business empire and a legendary business man. A sudden memory such in her mind. In her previous, the man never attended her party. If his name is on the list, why did he not attend her birthday party in her previous life? A sudden memory such in her mind. In her previous, the man never attended her party. If his name is on the list, why did he not attend her birthday party in her previous life?

Crystal bites her lips as tears fill her eyes. She doesn't want to die. She has  to meet him he is the only one who can help her today. She knew what was going to happen at the party. She won't let them win this time.

It seems I have to pay him a visit before the party.