Chapter 1: Homeless

Poppy's POV

As I gaze at the tomb of the guy I once adored, silent tears trickle down my cheeks. My mother is sniffling and my younger brother is sobbing.

"I've already missed Dad," Sunny said as she rested her chin on my left shoulder.

"Me, too, Sunny," I said, clutching her trembling hands. As she leans against me, she begins to cry.

"Poor Becketts, they went bankrupt, and now the head of their family is dead," a gossip lady in the back said to a friend.

"Does that mean we're now higher than them?" her proud companion asked. My ear begins to flare up in annoyance as I hear them. This woman is getting on my nerves, and I want to yell and shoo her away from my father's burial with her companions.

They had thick skin and could only focus on their position and our existing family situation. They didn't even give us sympathies, and now they're referring to us as if we didn't exist.  

An unexpected phone vibration diverts my attention. Mom cries as soon as she sees my father's face on her phone. She starts reading and clicking on the screen. The more I gaze at her face, the clearer it becomes that the news was awful, her anxious expression growing. Fortunately, I was able to hang on to her until she collapsed. Sunny forced her to sit down when she took a white plastic chair.

"What happened, Mom?" I whispered, my eyes welling up with tears. "Mom, please tell me," I said.

"The Drury take action and reclaim our house and properties as collateral!" Mom couldn't hold back her tears any more and wailed, as I was bewildered and slowly processing what she had said." Mom cried even louder, and everyone around us began to whisper and buzz like bees.

"They can't do that! Mrs. And Mr. Drury promised us they'll give us another 5 more months to be able to pay our remaining debt," People's whispers ring in my ears, as if I've already reached my breaking point and will go mad and hurl tantrums at them at any moment.

"But they've already done that!" Mom shouted, her sobs growing louder. Dubby cried as he heard mom's raising tone.

"Mom! Don't shout! You're scaring Dubby!" Rebuking mom. Sunny carried Dubby and made him stop crying. Mom cried even louder.

I can't believe this was happening. Everything was so fast that I didn't even have the chance to adapt.

My knees give out and I collapse to the ground. I'm dumbfounded because I'm so shocked. I turn around to face my younger sister and brother.

"What will happen to us now, Sis?" Sunny asked as she wrapped her arms to our younger brother tightly. Dubby, even at such a young age, detected the mood and hugged Sunny's neck, sobbing.

I want to cry, but I can't because I don't want to reveal my vulnerability right now, especially in front of my younger siblings. 

Aside from the agony of what is happening to our family, I can feel the mocking and prideful looks of people around us. They look at us as though we're the filthiest thing they've ever seen.

"They are no longer members of the Elite Family,"

"They deserve it,"

"Poorer than beggars," 

"Poorer than rats," says one.

"Fallen Beckett's,"

From the rest, these are the top insults and ridicule I've heard so far. They were once my father and mother's pals, but now they only say terrible things to them as a result of a sharp aching in my chest. I'm not sure if my mother heard them or is simply pretending not to, or if she is allowing them to make fun of our family.

My tolerance had already run out, and I couldn't take any more of their insults, so I had to stand and glare at them. They, too, are disgusted by me.

"Why? We're just telling the truth," the previous gossip lady explained, mirroring her grinning lips. "Homeless Fallen Beckett's," she joked, as two of her pals burst out laughing, then the entire group burst out laughing.

Everyone fell silent as a loud voice approached.

"What's the deal with all this commotion?" a middle-aged woman who emerged out of nowhere inquired. Everyone is tense as they hear her shoes clacking as she walks towards us. She moves through the folks who move to make space for her and stares at me with concern. She comes to a halt and turns to face them. "Looks like you're all having a good time? At my brother-in-law's funeral!" she said irritably.

"W-weren't Madame Maureen," the balding elderly man with a massive tummy protested. The others all nodded. I can sense their uneasiness.

My mother's older sister, Aunt Maureen, was a wealthy businesswoman and member of the upper class. They are terrified of her because she was also renowned as the most vicious woman.

"Shh shh..." she whispered, placing her pointer fingers on her lips and motioning for the man's mouth to close. "I wasn't born yesterday, Mr. Cowel, how dare you lie in front of me?" he exclaimed. "Don't you realize that mocking them is also mocking me?" Aunt shouted. "Yes, my sister married Beckett, but she's still a Roosevelt, and her children have the blood of Roosevelt as well. Perhaps, all of you are looking for corporate warfare?" They all shake their heads in displeasure. "Then good, so your presence is no longer required... All of you get out of here this instant and never show your faces in front of this family again!" Aunt Maureen yelled. Everyone dashed out the door as she said those words.

My previously controlled tears erupted. Aunt Maureen hugged my two siblings and me.

"Oh gracious, I'm so sorry for being late," she sobbed as she stroked my hair.

Aunt Maureen was quite interested in what happened to us after the spectacular entrance, so I told her everything, even how we ended up homeless.

"Well, we can live together at my mansion," she shouted joyfully.

The sound of raging shoes approaching us and a thunderous slap rang throughout the neighborhood. As I watched mum barely hit aunt, I widened my eyes in disbelief. Aunt Maureen clutches her right scarlet cheeks, yet her countenance is devoid of wonder, as if she knew what was about to happen.

Mom sneers, "We? Live together? In your mansion? Where did you get the nerve?" "We don't need your help, Maureen! Mark my words!" she exclaims as she walks away.

Sunny was likewise taken aback by the fact that she followed mum outside while pulling Dubby behind her.

I want to ask why Mom slapped her so hard, but I'm too scared. I only look at my aunt, who is staring off into space.

"Aunt Maureen, I'd like to apologize on behalf of my mother... I'm not sure why she did that, but please forgive her."

My aunt quickly stopped me as I was ready to depart.

"It's okay, it's my fault... I promised her I wouldn't show my face in front of all of you, but here I am acting like a hero," she smiled, but her eyes revealed her agony. "I know your Mom will be furious if she sees me here... but I can't stop worrying about her, you, and your siblings. Maybe it's too much to ask, but Poppy, could you talk to your mother? I have an unused condominium, you can live there."

Knowing my aunt was serious about lending us her condo, I decided to talk to her about it. She and I discussed how I should inform Mom without admitting that the condo was hers. She also wants me to work for her company to help pay off the rest of our debt, but I refuse. I'm terrified my mother will find out. To pacify my aunt, I promised to look for another job that would not harm my connection with my mother.

Aunt consented, but not before giving me the key to her condo.

I had to persuade Mom for a week. Even if I didn't say anything about Aunt Maureen, she knew it was from her. After realizing that Sunny and Dubby could no longer live at the local shelter, she was compelled to comply.

As we moved my two younger siblings were ecstatic. The magnificent condo was on the top floor. The view of the city lights from outside the glass wall was breathtaking. I sit on the couch and enjoy the view as my two siblings explore the entire condominium.

Sunny exclaims from the second floor, "This is going to be my bedroom!"

"Go on!" I yelled.

I observed Mom seated near me in my peripheral vision. When I looked at her, I realized that she was neither happy nor sad; her countenance was simply blank.

"Mom,"

She was staring at me.

"Are you mad at me?" I ask, feeling a flood of shame rush over me.

"No, my dear," she simply stated.

"But you're not happy that we moved in here," I expressed concern.

"I'm just wondering about things, and I didn't realize I was wearing this expression the whole time," Mom explained while pretending to smile.

The expression in Mom's eyes told me she was hiding something, but I stayed mute. I'll simply have to wait for her to open it for me.

Mom and I continued to converse. We discussed paying rent, daily expenses such as food, power bills, and water bills, as well as Sunny and Dubby's school-year expenses. We also discussed my job-search strategy.

My mother and I bid our goodnights and went to our own rooms to sleep after a lengthy chat.

***************************

I got dressed up and left early in the morning. I got into a taxi and, while waiting for my first destination, I took a little notebook from my one and only black Prada Patchwork shoulder bag, which dad had given me. The little notebook had a list of companies owned by my father's acquaintances that I planned to apply to. 

Mr. Miller, according to mum, was frequently aided by dad when his business was on the verge of bankruptcy.

When I arrived at the indicated location, I was astounded to see such a big structure. The structure has a total of 80 floors.

Before entering the building, I paid the taxi driver and proceeded straight inside the building.

But suddenly, a black sedan dashed and almost hit me lucky, it went to stop.

"Hey! Watch out!" Slamming my bag on the car hood. "People these days tsk!" I added before I went inside the building and went to the information desk.

"Excuse me?" I inquire. 

The lady in front of me was typing away on her computer.

"Yes, Ma'am, may I assist you?" she asked happily.

"Is Mr. Miller there?" 

"Do you have any appointments with him?"

As a response, I shake my head. "But, please inform him that Arnold Beckett's daughter has arrived." 

"Oh, just a moment!" Her smile faded as she said those words. She then dialed something on the telephone and made a phone call. 

After a few moments, the receptionist turns to face me, a phony smile on her face.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Beckett, but Mr. Miller was on a business trip; you may return tomorrow, next week, in a month, or never," she jokes.

"W-what?" I was angry by how she approached me. I was about to grasp her necktie when she called the guards, so I rushed out the door.

"Who cares about that ungrateful Mr. Miller!" I exclaim as I walk away, stomping my foot.

"What did he think of himself? Gold?" I dashed over to a bench and took a seat.

I grabbed the notebook and scribbled Mr. Miller's name on the list angrily. "Never mind, there are plenty of companies out there waiting for me," I reminded myself.

Even though hours have gone and the day is nearly over, no one from the list of companies has accepted me. It drives me crazy. My feet are so heavy that my vision blurs and tears gather as I walk home. My breathing also got labored. I was about to cry when I saw Mrs. Drury pushing my mother along the street, where everyone was gazing.

"Mom!" I cried as I ran up to her.

Mrs. Drury was outraged and asked that we pay our remaining $5 million bills as quickly as possible. My mother, on the other hand, accused her of being impertinent and selfish, so she pushed mom in wrath. I promised the old lady we'd pay for it by the end of the month to persuade her to stop, which was the biggest mistake I'd ever made.

I was alone in my room now, lying in my bed, looking through my phone.

"I can't even find a job, so how am I going to come up with $5 million this month?" I bemoaned to myself. I know Aunt Maureen is willing to help us, but I can't drag her along with this, and mum is also against it.

I then recollect the unusual flier I picked up on my way home when I bumped into a stranger dressed in a suit. I was about to hand it back to him when I noticed he was already inside the black automobile, the one I see whenever I go job hunting. It was creepy, to be sure, but I didn't mind.

"Westbridge: Are you looking for a Secretary?"

"Oh, they also prefer online sending applications!" I've never heard of it before, but it makes my heart skip a beat. I dashed to my laptop to finish my resume and application letter. I finished them and submitted them to their email address.

Not long after I sent my paperwork, I received the following email:

Ms. Beckett, congratulations! Thank you for your interest. We've hired you as our new secretary. Don't be late at 6 a.m. tomorrow.

C.W.

"I-i was accepted?" I smiled, but it rapidly faded as I realized something was wrong. "I was a

ccepted without being interviewed? That's awesome!"

I went back through the email and read it again.

"C.W.? It looks familiar... Where have I seen something like this before?"