Chapter 78: Night of Elegance
"Thea you are here!" Elizabeth exclaimed.
"Actually, Aunty... it’s not like that.." Thea began to explain, but Ryder interrupted before she could finish.
"Mom, I saw her on the road, so I brought her here. " Ryder said, trying to clarify the situation.
"Ryder, did you apologise to her properly?" she asked her son in a firm tone .
"Yes, I did... but she’s still angry." Ryder admitted, looking defeated.
Elizabeth nodded understandingly. "Thea..did the right thing. You’re the one who made her angry... now you have to face the consequences."
Turning to her, Elizabeth offered encouragement. "Thea, let’s go to the living room. Don’t bother about him .You did the best thing by not forgiving him."
"You go...she won’t disturb and talk with you. And even if she is willing to talk to you, I won’t allow her to do so..my son....Your childhood friend from now on is going to accompany me not you anymore... " With that, she turned and left him standing there.
Ryder knew he couldn’t win an argument against his mother, so he let out a frustrated sigh and accepted defeat.
Elizabeth led her to the sofa in the living room. "Why are you still standing there?" she glanced back at her son, who was still lingering in the same spot. Ryder looked at his mother before heading towards his room upstairs.
"Thea, did that boy say anything harsh to you today?" Thea shook her head.
Elizabeth’s expression turned concerned as she noticed the blood on Thea’s arm. "Thea, you’re hurt!" she exclaimed. "What happened?"
Thea shrugged, downplaying the injury. "It’s nothing, Aunty. I just fell in the park and scraped myself."
Elizabeth’s eyes narrowed. "Let me see," she said, firmly but gently taking Thea’s arm to examine the wound.
Thea tried to pull away. "Aunty, I can do it myself..."
But Elizabeth was insistent. "No, dear, let me take care of it. I’ll just clean and bandage it for you." She quickly fetched a first-aid box and began to carefully clean the wound with disinfectant. "This might sting a bit." she warned, before applying a soothing ointment and covering the wound with a bandage.
After spending some quality time she decided to leave for her home.
"Wait, Mr. Jack will drop you home." Elizabeth said, already dialing the phone.
"Uncle Jack came from his hometown?"
During Ryder’s grandparents’ anniversary celebration, she learned that Uncle Jack had to rush back to his hometown due to some unexpected emergency.
"Yes, he returned the day before yesterday." Elizabeth replied her question.
Elizabeth instructed Mr. Jack over the phone, "Mr. Jack, please drop Thea at her home."
At the entrance, Elizabeth asked, "So, how is your grandfather?" She was referring to the elder brother of Grace."Oh, thanks your grandma for that lovely gift."
"He is doing well."
As they stood at the entrance of the grand garden, she turned to Elizabeth with a curious expression. "It’s so peaceful here.." she said.
Her eyes wandered over the breathtaking garden, its expansive lawns and vibrant blooms meticulously arranged to create a picturesque haven. Despite multiple visits, she never tired of this enchanting setting, where every detail seemed to whisper stories of laughter and joy.
"This garden always brings back memories of how you two would spend hours playing together," Elizabeth said, a wistful smile on her face.
"The old swings are still here, just as they were." Elizabeth added, her voice laced with wistfulness, as if the recollections themselves were swaying softly in the wind.
"The car arrives," Thea said, noticing a sleek black sedan pulling up in front of them. Elizabeth gave her a warm, tight hug before stepping back. "Take care, sweetie." she whispered. Thea smiled and nodded, then turned to slide into the passenger seat. She waved at Elizabeth through the window as Mr. Jack started the car engine,sensing a soft vibration underneath. With a final glance at Elizabeth’s smiling face, the car glided smoothly away from the curb.
"Uncle Jack, how have you been?" Thea asked, glancing at Jack as he drove.
"Good, Miss Thea" he replied with a warm smile.
Mr Jack had been working for the Thompson family since Ryder’s father took over the business, and he had grown to adore and care for Ryder like his own son.
"I heard you went to your hometown." Thea continued. "Is everything okay there?"
"Yes, Miss, everything is sorted out."Mr Jack replied, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he smiled. He had a soft spot for Thea, just like the rest of the Thompson family members, who appreciated her kind and well-mannered nature.
Finally, they arrived at her house, and she thanked Uncle Jack before getting out of the car. Inside, she found her grandmother, Grace, watching television. "Had fun?" Grandma Grace asked, glancing at her with a hint of curiosity. Thea replied with a noncommittal "Hmm..." before heading to freshen up.
Afterward, she sat beside Grand5Grace on the couch. "I met Ryder on the road," Thea began, recounting her day. "He took me to visit his home."
Grandma Grace listened intently,her eyes brightening with fascination."Grandma ..Aunty thanked you for the gift." she said, suddenly remembering. "What did you send her?" she asked, realizing she had forgotten about the box Grandma Grace had asked her to give to Elizabeth. Grandma Grace smiled, pleased with herself.
"It’s a famous sweet from Australia. I asked your Grandma Marte to buy it for me when she was visiting from Australia."
"You’re so secretive, Grandma!" Thea exclaimed, discovering the surprise gift. "Should I spill the beans to Ryder’s mom about you two?"
"What’s the point?" Thea asked, her curiosity piqued. "Your upcoming wedding?" Grandma Grace teased, a sly smile spreading across her face. "Grandma, stop it!" Thea pleaded, her cheeks turning bright red. "You’re blushing at the mention of marriage... getting a little shy?" Grandma Grace continued to tease, her eyes sparkling with mischief. Thea’s face grew even hotter. "Okay, okay, I’ll stop. I won’t pry into your love life... happy now?" Grandma Grace asked, finally relenting. She simply responded with a quiet "Hmm."
She retreated to her room, her mind still racing from the conversation with her grandmother. "Marriage..." she whispered to herself, feeling her cheeks flush even deeper red. The word sent a flutter through her heart, as she couldn’t help but think of Ryder. She longed to spend the rest of her life with him, to wake up every morning by his side, and to build a life filled with love, laughter, and adventure together. The thought of marrying her soulmate made her feel all warm and fuzzy inside, and she couldn’t help but smile at the prospect of their future together.
Thea sat on her bed, her thoughts drifting to Ryder as she whispered the word "marriage" to herself.Her pulse quickened as she imagined herself floating down the aisle towards him, exchanging sacred vows, and locking their love in place forever.She pictured the smile on his face, the sparkle in his eyes, and the gentle way he would hold her hand. A soft sigh escaped her lips as she fantasized about their future together, her cheeks still flushed with excitement and happiness.
Her phone rang, and she saw Charlotte’s name flashing on the screen. "Hey, I’m coming over to your place today," Charlotte said, her voice bubbly. "I know if I don’t drag you out, you’ll never take me to that treat."
"Treat?" Thea asked, her confusion evident.
"Yes, the treat!" Charlotte replied, her tone playful. "Don’t pretend you forgot!"
Thea chuckled. "Oh, right... the treat. I was just thinking about... marriage..."
"Marriage?" Charlotte’s voice rose in excitement. "You’re thinking about marriage? Spill the beans - whom are you going to marry?"
"What are you saying?" Thea asked, her voice laced with embarrassment.
"Marriage... you were thinking about marriage... you said it yourself." Charlotte said from the other end of the line.
"You heard wrong... I said ’merry’." Thea gulped as she lied.
"Whatever," Charlotte replied dismissively. "Get ready, I’ll pick you up at 7. Wear something sexy."
"Sexy... I don’t want to." Thea protested.
"Come on, Thea! It’ll be fun!" Charlotte said, her voice persuasive.
"I will think about it." Thea answered.
She remembered the time when Charlotte had chased after her for three whole months before Thea finally accepted her as a friend.She couldn’t believe that a wealthy person like Charlotte would be so adamant about making her a friend without any ulterior motive.
