After leaving the De Clarion Villa, Belle visits her new house as it’s not far from there. When she got in, she immediately looked at how she should have it set up, what furniture she needed, and all that.
From there, she went straight to the mall, up to the floor where the furniture section is. Using the card Tristan gave her, she purchased everything she needed.
She was told that it would all be delivered to her new house the next day. All she could do for now was wait for everything to arrive.
As there was only an hour left before her set meeting with Lawrence, she went straight to the Williams Villa from the mall. She was already feeling anxious about this dinner meeting.
While on her way, she kept thinking about how else she should spend her money. However, no matter how hard she tried to squeeze her brain, she can’t come up with anything.
Looking out her car’s window, she realized that she had already been in front of the villa for several minutes. As her thoughts were somewhere else, she wasn’t able to get out of her car immediately.
After fixing herself, she immediately stepped out of her car and went into the gate where a guard greeted her. “I’m here for Mr. Lawrence Williams,” she told him, and the guard let her in right away.
She rang the doorbell and she couldn’t explain the reaction Esme displayed after seeing her. She was surprised at first, then she smiled at her, but in the end, she led Belle to their living room. She looked hostile towards her.
“What are you visiting us for?” she asked, even before Belle sat down.
She furrowed her brows, not sure how to answer her, as it was Lawrence who asked her to come over. “Act-,” she was about to say something when someone cut her.
“I invited her to have dinner with us,” Lawrence stated while going downstairs. “Let’s go eat first,” then he gestured to Belle towards the dining room.
Belle immediately followed. For some reason, she doesn’t want to be left alone with Esme. She felt like she was going to be murdered any time, seeing how she was looking sharply at her.
They all ate peacefully. Belle, however, felt a little awkward, as Lawrence was too caring. He would sometimes ask if the food was good, if she wanted this or that, and so on.
Esme and Vernice exchange glances and frown whenever Lawrence pays attention to Vernice. So Belle chose to stay quiet.
After dinner, Lawrence invited everyone to their living room. He cleared his throat, took out the DNA result from his pocket, and placed it on the table.
“I called you here for this,” he stated.
Esme picked up the paper, her eyes widened after going thru it. She then passed it on to Vernice without looking at her. Esme’s eyes were glued to Lawrence.
As the paper hadn’t reached Belle yet, she couldn’t help but feel more curious. When Vernice finally passed it on to her, she immediately checked its contents.
“What?” she exclaimed. “W-What is this?” she asked Lawrence, her voice shaking.
“That is what it is, Belle. You are my daughter,” Lawrence sighed. He then started telling her their story, her story.
Lawrence finished talking after several minutes, but Belle was still quiet. She’s just staring at the table in front of her, thoughts everywhere.
“How did you come up with the idea of having a DNA test when you thought I was already dead?” she asked out of nowhere.
“I first find it intriguing that you looked almost exactly like Vernice and me,” Lawrence then lifted his gaze from the coffee table to Belle. “I first saw you during my meeting at De Clarion Empire. Then I saw you again at the banquet months ago,” he continued.
Esme and Vernice were just listening, but they let out sighs frequently. No one knows what was going through their minds.
“When we had an accident, I don’t know, I just suddenly felt like I had to do it, so I secretly talked to a doctor to conduct the test,” Lawrence confessed.
Belle looked at him. She didn’t know if she should be happy that he found her. In all honesty, she doesn’t know what to feel, period.
“I talked to my lawyer last night,” Lawrence spoke again, and Esme looked at him suddenly. As if she already knew what he was about to say.
“I had him rewrite my will and I’m leaving 75% of my property to you when I pass away.”
Vernice gasped. Belle’s mouth fell open. Esme, on the other hand, stood abruptly, toppling down the vase on the table next to her seat.
When Lawrence looked at her, she forced herself to calm down. She realized that she couldn’t do anything about it at the moment, so she needed to work on things secretly.
For now, she needs to calm down and be careful with her actions, so as not to raise any suspicion. Esme approached Belle and pretentiously hugged her.
“I’m glad that you’re alive,” she whispered to her ear, but what she said was loud enough for Lawrence and Vernice to hear.
Vernice creased her forehead, unaware of the drama her mother was trying to put up. She wanted to ignore what was going on but she couldn’t help but feel vexed at the same time.
‘How is everything suddenly going to this bitch?’ she thought to herself. Regardless of how rich her father is, 25% of his property won’t be enough for her and her mother.
When Esme and Vernice left to go upstairs, Belle was left with Lawrence in the living room. Both were quiet, both couldn’t utter a word to each other.
After a few minutes, Lawrence broke the silence, “I’m really sorry about everything,” he reached out to his daughter’s hand and gave it a light squeeze.
Belle nodded before smiling lazily at her father, “I’m still confused, Mr. Williams, but I understand what happened,” she told him honestly. “Now I understand why I can’t recall memories of my childhood. I mean my memories before I got into the accident.”
“You still can’t remember them until now?” he asked, concerned. Belle shook her head in confirmation. “Do you want to visit a doctor? Someone can probably help you recover those memories.”
“It’s okay, D-Dad,” she stuttered as she called him, but Lawrence couldn’t help but smile after hearing that. “Maybe those memories will come back on their own in the future,” she giggled.
Both father and daughter talked for two more hours before Belle bade him goodbye. “Make sure to visit me here or at the company when you have the time, alright?”
Belle nodded and smiled sweetly at the man who happened to be her father. She hugged him lightly before waving him goodbye.
Inside the car, Belle can’t help but think, ‘First, I got married on paper. Now, I’m suddenly a Williams. I wonder what’s next for me.’
She started her car’s engine, letting out a sigh as she did. ‘Life is indeed full of surprises,’ she mumbled as she drove home.