A Silver Lining

Chapter Fifty: Old & New

Chapter 50: Old and New

Convincing papa wasn't that easy, but in the end, he agreed. So the next morning we packed our things and hit the road. Stacy and Louis weren't coming with us because they were exhausted from the long flight.

That was a good thing, otherwise convincing Alexa not to come with us wouldn't be easy. She didn't come out of her room to see us off because she was mad at us for not tagging her with us.

But I won't ever let her life fall in danger. So even though it was hard, I convinced mom not to let her come with us.

But no one even dared to tell Scott to stay back. Well his bad, because he will have to sit with Caleb and Xavier, while Hannah and I sit in the middle and Ryan in the passenger seat.

"So three days highest?" Papa asked.

I nodded. "Yes, and don't worry about us. Marie will take good care."

He nodded. He still didn't believe that none of them was my boyfriend, at least date. He eyed all of them suspiciously. Which was intimidating all of them, except for Ryan.

Ryan could be the greatest thief of the century. And for the sake of the world, I hoped he would never get a job in marketing.

But Caleb, for nothing was acting suspicious around him. I think papa scared the shit out of him.

He texted me that he was grateful to the God that papa wasn't a teacher in our school. On any for the sake of other people. He also pitied all the employees who worked under him.

"Okay, everything is packed," Ryan said, loading the last luggage. Caleb was helping him with that. He maintained his distance with papa and got in the car as soon as he was finished.

"I don't get it," papa said. "If the driver is also Ryan's bodyguard, then when isn't he loading the luggage? Are you sure that man really is his bodyguard?"

I bit my tongue. If only he knew they aren't bodyguards but trained agents.

"Of course," thinks of something good Stella, "well, you see his parents don't like him or his sister depending on others. They do all the household work, clean dishes after meals. They even carry all their trash to bin everyday, rain or snow." That was true, whenever we have dinner in their house, it's either Ryan or Phoebe who carried the trash outside."

Papa looked convinced. "That's good, I like him so far."

I sighed, that was a close call.

"You should get in too, it's getting late," he told me. I hugged him and mamma before getting inside the car with others.

With hitting traffic, ferry, and everything that comes between, we reached Maveland around noon. The other agents joined us while passing the ferry.

Maveland wasn't a big town, it was quite small, to be honest. There were no big buildings there, and not fancy either. Everything was average about it.

Mamma already called Marie in the morning, and she said she was fine having us around. When our car stopped in front of their house, she and Stephanie came out and greeted us.

"I couldn't believe I'm seeing you again Stella." Stephanie hugged me. "I thought you would never come back after what had happened."

I gave her a small smile. "I thought so, but it's been a long time. I've moved to the United States recently."

"Yes your mother told us, no one could guess you were adopted. Not that it's a bad thing or anything," she said.

I nodded. "Yes, and I'm here on holiday and thought I should come to visit her once more. We never came back after moving out." I told her the lie I told everyone.