Something Gained: A Billionaire Romance

Chapter: 13

ELENA

It was Saturday, hence the day I was to move in with Rylan. I had been staying with my parents for some months and Dad had grown very much accustomed to my presence. He was heartbroken that I was moving out just like the first time I did when I graduated school and went to college hostel.

Mom was upset but happy for me. Liv on the other hand had been really excited and she promised to visit as soon as she could. Lately she had been drowning in work and her boss wasn't too amiable to say the least.

I flopped back on the bed, totally exhausted and I wasn't even halfway done with all the unpacking. Organizing my room has always tired me more than anything. Here we were talking about settling in at a new place.

Rylan had Chris get my things to his house before he left for some meeting. That had explained his formal wear when he was earlier at my home to pick me up.

That made me wonder why he was there in the first place. Chris was perfectly able to pick me up.

The first time we met, I didn't take Rylan as the guy who would be willing to play chauffeur but surprisingly he had insisted on driving me to every family meet-up, lunches and dinners we had had in the past one and a half month.

Figuring out what's on Rylan Parker's mind was last on my bucket list though. He's unpredictable and I happen to like my life a lot more without the edge.

"Elena!" Ava's cheery voice filled the room. When I arrived, she had fallen asleep while watching cartoons. Stacey said that Ava had a fever a few days back and the fatigue was still there.

"Hey sweetheart! Come here." I patted the space beside me.

Once her gaze fell on the trolley bags and unpacked boxes on the ground, her smile morphed into an adorable pout. "I wanted to help you."

My eyes strayed to one box that was yet to be unpacked. I had thought of opening it later but would rather do it sooner if that had a chance at lifting Ava's mood.

"Well I do need your help opening this one." As expected the smile returned to her face as she eagerly nodded. The box had mainly my books. Ava picked the one which had the brightest cover and held it to her chest.

"Can I read it?"

"You're too young to understand that, sweetheart." I chuckled at her fast fading enthusiasm. "But I do have something for you."

Ava's eyes glinted as I held out a few comics. I found them back at home while packing, sitting forgotten at the lowest shelf. Packed them too. Figured she might enjoy them.

She kept the previous book down just as soon and grabbed these. "Can I keep these?" I nodded and received a splitting grin in return. A fair deal I would say.

"Who is this?" Ava's attention had shifted to a photo frame. It was a childhood picture of me with Mom where I was sitting on the kitchen counter and Mom was kissing my cheek from behind.

"This is me and this is my mom." I smiled remembering the times when I used to sit on the kitchen counter, watching Mom bake cookies and cakes. I had boxed up a few frames last night, the most important ones.

Lost in reminiscing, I had failed to notice that Ava's eyes were blurry with tears and lips quivering.

"Ava, what's wrong?" This question is what it took for the dam to break and tears started rolling down her cheeks.

"What happened sweetheart? Why are you crying?" I was getting more perplexed with every second she spent silently crying.

"Come here." I pulled Ava to my lap and tucked away the loose strands of hair from her face. "Now tell me why are you crying?