6. Challenges to be faced

“What do you mean?” Helena protested all the schedules that had been set by her aunt without discussing them with her first. “I’m still in shock from yesterday’s incident. How can I possibly appear in public anytime soon?”

Serena, who had just reached the last step, turned to her niece.

“Auntie doesn’t accept any rejection, Helena. It’s time for you to come back and take over the reins,” Serena said, not wanting to hear the girl’s protests.

Helena followed her aunt’s steps again as she walked into a fairly spacious room with rows of neatly arranged sofas and other classy furniture.

“But still. How can I lead without any experience?” Helena still objected to the position given by her aunt. “Besides, I graduated three years ago,” the girl said softly, sounding very pessimistic.

Her aunt’s steps stopped again and she turned to Helena again.

“So what? At least you’re smart, intelligent, and of course firm in making decisions. It doesn’t matter as long as you know where you are,” Serena said, completely unable to hear Helena’s complaints anymore.

“But –“

“Why? Do you want to persuade Auntie about that irreversible decision?”

The two women’s attention was diverted by the sound of someone not far away.

Helena’s smile spread across her lips and she immediately ran towards Philip, and without the slightest hesitation, she jumped into the man’s lap who quickly held Helena’s body. The girl’s childish attitude made her aunt just shake her head.

“See. You’re so spoiled when Philip is around, and so talkative when you’re with me,” Serena quipped while folding her arms across her chest.

Helena didn’t care and instead hid her face in the crook of Philip’s neck, inhaling the distinctive scent of the man who had become Helena’s addiction without knowing that what the girl was doing was slightly disturbing Philip.

“Enough. Let’s just have lunch,” Serena said as she turned around and left the two of them.

The girl got off Philip’s lap, seeing a suitcase behind Philip.

“Did you come on Auntie’s orders?” Helena asked.

Philip looked at his suitcase and nodded.

“Come on, Auntie doesn’t like waiting at the dinner table,” Philip said, distracting the girl by grabbing her hand and pulling the suitcase with his left hand.

The dining table was always full of dishes. Not just one or two menus were served there. The big house had a special chef since Helena's grandfather was still there even though it had changed several times.

No one spoke for a while, but Philip knew that there was something his aunt who sat on the single chair like a queen wanted to say. Helena was a little indifferent, just busy taking food.

"So, what's wrong?" Helena asked while chewing her food.

Serena looked at the girl.

"What?"

Helena rolled her eyes. "Do you think I'll forget this one attitude of yours? Don't think I don't know if there's something you want to say," Helena said.

Serena laughed at the girl's words.

"I didn't expect it, even though we rarely met for three years, we only met six times in those three years," Serena said while raising her hand and bending her fingers as if counting to six.

On one of the chairs facing Helena, only blocked by the table, Philip said nothing, smiling faintly while reminiscing about the times when he still lived in the Jerome Family's big house. There was a longing that was cured.

"Auntie has arranged a schedule for a press conference the day after tomorrow," Serena said matter-of-factly, which then made Helena cough. Philip immediately gave the girl a glass of water.

Helena roughly wiped her wet lips while staring sharply at her aunt, while Serena was still casually feeding food into her mouth.

"What do you mean? A press conference? That soon? Oh, come on, Auntie. That's too sudden. I haven't even prepared anything. I don't even know what to do," Helena protested, not believing her aunt's decision to schedule a conference shortly. "Besides, I'm not ready to meet reporters, and I don't want to appear in public."

Serena seemed indifferent to Helena's protests who rejected the decision without discussing it first. The girl fed her food carelessly until her small mouth was full, making Philip unable to hold back his smile, even Serena shook her head in disbelief. After three years of being a wife and a maid, how Helena's childish attitude had not changed at all.

Stopping her eating, Serena wiped her lips with a napkin leaned back and looked at Helena calmly. The girl was still chewing her food, and Serena waited for the girl to stop choking. Her attention then turned to Philip whose gaze was fixed on Helena, watching the girl silently. A small smile appeared on Serena's lips seeing the sight.

"So, you still have to come the day after tomorrow. I'm the one who handles the parent company and ensures that the company is yours," Serena said starting her serious conversation.

Helena fell silent.

"For the preparations, I've done what you need. You just follow my instructions. So, you don't need to worry about that," Serena continued calmly.

Still silent, Helena thought what her aunt did was a little excessive.

"I know, you're not interested in this position at all, Helena. You have the right to make decisions, but decisions made by your father cannot be changed. So, just accept it and live your destiny as a princess who is in control," Serena looked at Helena who this time did not feed her even a little.

Philip also remained silent.

“It’s time for you to come back, Helena. You won’t be able to go far anyway. Your destiny is here, and it can’t be changed no matter what. Even though three years have passed, you’ve come back. So, please, Auntie, come back.” Serena’s gaze looked sadly directed at Helena who lowered her head.

What her aunt said, Helena realized, even long before the girl returned there, that no matter how far she went, she would return to Jerome’s house. Because her destiny would not be able to escape from that.

“Alright.” Helena lifted her face and looked at her aunt. “This time I will follow you,” she continued with a serious look that brought a smile to Serena’s face.

Helena thought, there was nothing wrong if she came back and took over the reins of the company, making her a queen, like her aunt. That way, it would be easier for Helena to take revenge for all the insults, harassment, and baseless accusations that Helena received from her ex-husband’s family.

“Okay. Thank you, Helena,” Serena said sincerely with a gentle smile on her face. “You don’t need to worry. I’m just preparing a press conference to officially introduce you to the public, and announce it to the board of directors in the company. Regarding your duties, you will undergo three months of training at the parent company, under my and Philip’s supervision,” she continued.

Helena’s brow furrowed at the end of her aunt’s long sentence.

“Your and Brother Philip’s supervision?” Helena’s gaze shifted to the man who only showed a small smile. “Is that why you’re here?” the girl asked.

“Yes. From now on, Philip will stay here to supervise and guard you directly,” Serena answered, making Helena look away again.

“He’s here to supervise me?” Helena couldn’t believe it.

“Yes. He will also teach you how to take full control of the company,” her aunt continued.

“But –” Helena rejected the decision until she was at a loss for how to say it and looked at Philip who was silent because he couldn’t argue.

“No refusal, Helena!” Serena said firmly. “I won’t let you go back there again after what you’ve been through. Do you think I don’t know that you’re just suffering there as a lowly servant?”

Helena was shocked to hear her aunt’s words.

Serena took a deep breath as Helena stared at her in surprise.

“Yes. I’ve been watching you all this time. Do you think I’ll let you go just like that? No. I won’t even if you convince me. Besides, I promised your father, Helena. So, I sent someone to watch you there.”

Helena’s mind immediately went back to her ex-husband’s house, and she remembered who was close to her there. The middle-aged maid in the kitchen who always helped Helena. The young maid who always helped Helena clean and even wash clothes. And the two male bodyguards who were near her.

“So I beg you not to decide that again. Because it’s not just me who’s suffering seeing you like this, Philip must be hurting too.”

Helena’s gaze was fixed on Philip. The girl’s eyes were red.

“Please, stay here,” Serena pleaded softly, her voice shaking, her mind in turmoil and her heart aching at the memory of Helena’s suffering.

Philip met Helena’s gaze, and the small smile seemed to hurt Helena’s heart making her want to approach him but she knew it was impossible while her aunt was there. The pull, the desire was back, though not as strong. But Helena knew, being near him was a challenge.