After breakfast, Albina and Olivia perfected the design in every detail until neither could find anything wrong with it.
Olivia stroked her chin, her eyes fascinated by the perfected design.
-I’m sure every woman won’t be able to resist this dress,” she said.
Her eyes lit up, and suddenly she burst up the stairs and came down shortly after loaded with a carved wooden box.
-Albina, Albina, come here.
Olivia called to her mysteriously.
Albina approached in bewilderment.
Olivia carefully opened the box, which also contained a large pile of unset gems. They were very beautiful, not unlike the box Hector had sent her.
-These are my treasures, and I planned to make them gifts for my grandchildren when they are born, but for now it is better to please their mothers and grandmothers. The little children don’t understand anyway.
He said, approaching the box to Albina.
-Albina, design two dresses with these stones, one for each of us, and when the next party comes, we’ll wear them together.
“It should be a stunning scene.”
Olivia especially liked the limelight. The more Olivia thought about it, the more feasible it seemed to her.
-There’s no rush, take your time designing it. Do it before you have the baby.
“Just in time to show it off at my grandson’s full moon party.”
Seeing that she had already arranged everything in a jiffy, Albina laughed herself silly.
-Mom, your grandchildren are so pitiful. Mom and Grandma take things away from them.
Olivia looked down and touched Albina’s bulging belly, then said in a soft voice:
-Honey, you don’t blame Grandma, do you? You’ll be glad to see grandma and mommy looking pretty, won’t you?
As if in response, Albina’s belly suddenly tightened.
A small thump rested in Olivia’s palm.
Olivia noticed the movement and her eyebrows instantly filled with surprise.
-Look, Albina, our baby talks back to me, he’s so good.
Albina looked at her excitedly, her beautiful eyes full of tenderness.
-Yes, he is very good.
***
Albina was still a little apprehensive when she sent the design to Hector.
She was very worried that he would not like her design and was prepared to receive a rejection.
Shortly thereafter, Hector replied to the message.
-It’s beautiful, I’m very happy with it. Follow this design, I trust you.
The words soothed Albina’s heart and a smile instantly broke out on her face.
She immediately contacted the studio seamstress and began to select the fabrics and the various accessories, as well as the silk threads to be used.
Hector was unaware of Albina’s excitement. At this moment, she was looking at the paternity test in her hand, her eyes full of tenderness.
Indeed, Albina was his sister.
“After more than twenty years of searching and many human and material resources, we have finally found her.”
After getting Albina’s hair, she was determined to return to Jerala City, used an excuse, pulled a hair from her father’s head and had it authenticated by the most reliable identification agency.
“With this certificate, I can finally go home and tell my parents. They’ll be so happy.”
Hector’s mouth curved into a smile as he imagined the happy scene when his sister returned home.
Suddenly, the phone next to him rang.
It was a totally unknown number from Sogen City.
Hector picked it up.
-Hello, who is this?
There was silence on the other end, and just as Hector was about to hang up the phone after exhausting his patience, a deep male voice was heard.
-I’m Albina’s husband, Umberto.
Hector’s pupils instantly flinched.
“So you’re the guy who stole my sister, married her and got her pregnant!”
-That’s you! -What do you want from me?
He already had a feeling, but asked anyway.
Umberto let out a soft laugh.
-You took a paternity test two days ago and you already know that Albina is the lost daughter of the Espina family, don’t you?
Hector’s face was somber, and those eyes that were exactly the same as Albina’s were full of coldness.
-When did you learn that Albina was a member of the Espina family?
“My sister grew up fragile and was well protected by her family and was never allowed outdoors until she was two years old. Other than those who were very close to the Espina family, no one even knew that the Espina family had a daughter.”
When Albina was two years old and much healthier, her parents were ready to take their sister public, but there was an accident and she was lost.
It wasn’t until her parents could no longer suppress their thoughts of her sister that they adopted Diana, announcing her identity to the outside world and allowing her to bear the name Miss Thorn.
So outsiders only knew that the Espina family had a daughter named Diana. Other than her own family, no one knew that Diana was adopted, nor that the Espina family’s real daughter had been lost.
The paternity test itself was done in secret, but Umberto knew all about it and did not break the news to Albina.
Neither he nor the Espina family were prepared for this, and it was not known whether Albina would be repulsed by the family, and Umberto’s arrival scuppered their plans.
So Hector was a bit upset, and with old grudges and new ones added together, he had a very bad impression of Umberto.
As if hearing Hector’s annoyance, Umberto spoke:
-Mr. Espina, don’t worry, I didn’t tell Albina about this. She doesn’t know that you are her brother.
Hector was relieved, but not entirely relaxed when he suddenly heard Umberto say nonchalantly:
-To be precise, Albina has no intention of recognizing her relatives.
-What did you say?
Hector’s voice was agitated as he jerked to his feet and circled the office twice.
-What do you mean Albina has no intention of recognizing her family?
He learned that Albina was now an orphan, and must be longing for the warmth of a family.
He was her real brother and both her parents missed her, loved her and would make sure to be good to Albina, so how could she not want to acknowledge them?
In contrast to Hector’s agitation, Umberto explained slowly and methodically:
-Albina’s adoptive parents were very good to her, and Albina has deep feelings for both of them. In contrast, you had no relationship with her in the previous twenty years of her life, and memories from before she was two years old are long gone. She has no semblance of affection for you. You are but blood strangers so far as she is concerned.
These words instantly made Hector unable to say anything.
It was a little hard to hear, but one had to admit that Umberto was right.