𝗟𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗡𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗱𝗲

17- 𝗪𝗲𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗛𝗼𝗺𝗲

"No, no, no- you're doing it all wrong. The ice sculpture is meant to be beside the paintings not the fucking food, did you ever get a degree in presentation?" Estela reprimanded the multiple event planners, all of them quickly going to move the sculpture to it's rightful place.

"Even money can't buy good staff" Estela muttered, pinching the bridge of her nose and sighing in frustration.

Aurelia Maldonado was coming home today and, if the event was any less than perfection, Estela knew she would get a lecture.

She loved her mother, truly. She had helped her through teenage motherhood and shared her own experiences. But, over the years, she had grown to be judgemental and not mothering or caring at all. Estela hoped that one day she would go back to the way she used to be, but she feared that that time had long gone.

"Mommy, look at this-" Arabella shouted, running into the room whilst waving a piece of paper with a scribbly drawing. However, before she could reach her mother, Arabella slipped in the pool of water that the ice sculpture had made, falling flat on her face.

"Bella!" Estela yelled, running, though quite slowly due to her high heels, to her daughter's side.

"Are you alright, sweetie?" Estela asked, bringing Arabella to a sitting position to be faced with a gash on her leg.

"Mommy, it's fine- look at this!" Arabella spoke, trying to hide her pain by showing her mother a drawing she had made.

The picture was definitely unique, but Estela could still work out what she had drawn. Her and Arabella stood alongside a man, all with smiles on her face. That man was labelled with the name 'daddy'.

Arabella hadn't mentioned how she felt about her father, she seemed perfectly fine. But the proud and happy look on her face when she handed Estela that picture showed that she wasn't fine.

"It's beautiful, darling- but I need you to sit down over there so I can have a look at your knee, okay?" Estela told her and Arabella nodded, grabbing the drawing back as Estela carried her over to an empty seat.

The cut seemed to be quite deep, presumably due to some ice shards that were also in the melted ice water.

"Mrs. Maldonado, we are so sorry-" One of the staff started but Estela silenced them with her hand.

"First, it's Miss, and second- why the fuck isn't that sculpture moved yet?" Estela spat, making all of the employees avoid eye contact and continue with transporting the sculpture.

"Oh, and you- go find Ines Maxwell then clean up this godforsaken mess. She should be in the east wing" Estela told one of the maids and they nodded their head profusely, walking off in search of Ines.

"You need to be careful next time, Arabella, okay?" Estela told Arabella and she looked glumly towards the floor, dangling her legs on the chair.

"I know, but- but I just wanted to show you my picture" Arabella muttered, not taking her eyes off of the marble floor. Estela lifted Arabella's chin up, holding both of her cheeks and forcing her to make eye contact.

"I know, sweetie, I do- but I just don't want you hurting yourself" Estela told her but Arabella still looked slightly upset. "Besides, if you hurt yourself, who is going to draw me pictures that are as good as yours?"

That statement seemed to cheer Arabella up as she laughed slightly, a smile on her face. Estela hated seeing Arabella upset. She could be a pain sometimes, of course, but she was her whole life and she wouldn't give that up for the world, no matter how many tea parties she is forced to attend.

"Listen, what do you-" Ines spoke as she walked in, decked out in a revealing top and jeans and wrapped in a doctor's jacket.

"Oh my god, what happened?" Ines gasped, hurrying over to Arabella to inspect the cut on her leg.