The next day, June left North City in Liam’s private jet.
Lucy was informed about her return and excitedly waited for her at the airport. Sheila travelled with her, alongside some guards there to ensure she kept her end of the bargain.
Although June trusted her, Liam wasn’t convinced she wouldn’t run away at the slightest discomfort. “Lady!” June heard the excited squeal from Lucy who attacked her with a hug. “Welcome back!” She looked her over. “I’ve missed you.”
June smiled. “It’s been a while. How are you doing?” Lucy took her baggage. “This is Sheila.” She introduced herself when Sheila stood still behind her.
Lucy turned around, noticing Sheila’s presence for the first time. “Hey!” She greeted excitedly and her brows narrowed. “Do I know you?” She asked Sheila who looked so familiar.
June intervened in the situation. “How’s your mother? I need to see her! I’m so hungry.”
“Forgive my manners! The car is out front. Let’s go!”
Lucy, June, and Sheila made their way out of the airport with the men Liam had assigned them. They entered the car and left for home. Evelyn sat outside the house, awaiting their return.
She had taken the time to prepare a feast in anticipation of her daughter’s return. Over the months, she brushed up on her cooking skills and realised she had no idea what her daughter liked to eat.
She prepared a bit of everything she could and hoped one would stick to make up for the lost time. She also promised to be a better mother moving forward. The gates opened and Lucy stepped into the compound with a smile.
Evelyn leapt from her seat and watched with a smile as Lucy opened the gates to welcome a black Range Rover. Soon enough, June stepped out of the car and rushed to her mother with a smile.
“Oh, my child!” Evelyn hugged her tightly as they enjoyed each other’s company. “You look so thin. Have you been working hard?” She asked with motherly concern.
“Of course! These bills won’t pay themselves.” June joked and turned to Sheila. “Meet my sweet mother, Mrs Evelyn Rivera.” She said proudly, however, Sheila shrunk.
Evelyn watched the young lady in confusion. She knew she’d seen that face somewhere, but couldn’t remember where. It was all to disturbing but she managed the situation.
“Welcome to the Rivera home! Come on in!” Evelyn said, being the perfect hostess.
They all settled in and soon, they were having lunch together. June dominated the conversations, sharing stories of her work in the Fernando estate and intentionally leaving out the not-so-pleasant experience.
June didn’t want her mother to worry about her health. Thanks to Carson, she was already healed and could finally put the past behind her. Soon enough, the meal was over and they lounged in the living area.
Lucy looked out the window with a raised brow at the men who stood in front of the house. She turned to June. “Do you think we should call them inside for dessert? They’ve been standing out there for a while.”
June waved her off. “They’ll be fine.”
June knew she couldn’t make them relent from their duties. From her stay at the Fernando Estate, it was clear whose orders they obeyed.
Liam made it clear. He would only let Sheila go if she was closely monitored by his men and placed under house arrest until she owned up to her crimes. He wasn’t losing another ‘enemy’, he’d said.
Evelyn watched Sheila discreetly. She served her a cup of beverage and sat beside her. “Tell me, child. Are you from the North?”
Sheila accepted the drink and nearly choked when she heard the question. Her hands shook and she suddenly wanted to be alone. “No Ma’am.” She answered. Her eyes darted around in search of June who was taken over by a conversation with Lucy.
Evelyn raised his brows. “Really? You are from here?”
She nodded, hoping to kill the conversation but Evelyn could not let up.
“What family? Is it a famous family?” She asked, trying to decipher if she had met her in one of her visits to the other families in the past.
“No. I was brought up in an orphanage.” She responded, hiding her eyes.
“Oh dear! I’m so sorry.” Evelyn retorted, very hurt. “I didn’t mean to poke.”
“I understand.”
“I was only asking because you are so striking to me,” Evelyn admitted. “It feels like I’ve met you somewhere. Maybe I am mistaken.”
Sheila’s eyes pooled. “You’re not.”
“What?”
“We’ve met before, Ma’am.”
Evelyn stood still, she managed to cover her shock as she said. “I thought so too! Forgive my old mind. Where did we meet?”
Unknown to them, June and Lucy had noticed their interaction and focused their attention on them. Sheila wore a sad smile when she saw the old woman’s eagerness. If only she knew.
Sheila knew there was no point hiding things. If she was going to win their trust and get them to help her sister, she needed to leave no stone unturned.
A part of her knew she would rather have things go wrong now – when the evidence is still in her possession – than have June find out later when everything was in her hands. She couldn’t help being selfish, it was her sister’s life at stake.
“I met you on the day of your accident,” Sheila said after a round of silence. June swallowed a deep breath and Evelyn just looked confused.
“What are you talking about child?”
Sheila took in a deep breath. “On the day of your accident. I was the young lady who saw you get knocked over by a car.”
A glass of water shattered on the tiled floor. Evelyn had lost grip of her water.
June watched in shock as his mother relived the experience of that day. “Mother! Calm down!”
A searing pain tore through Evelyn’s mind as she thought back on that gruesome day. How she merely escaped getting caught in the house by April and her boyfriend. How she ran out of the place with the recorder that was supposed to nail April once and for all.
“Mother! Please! Calm down!” June begged, holding her mother who sat on the chair, shaking from the trauma of her memories.
Evelyn remembered how she was knocked down by a car and saw the silhouette of a lady who stood by the other side of the road. She remembered her last moments and how she thought it was over.
Lastly, she remembered the young lady who picked up the flash drive and ran to a nearby phone booth. Her brains sharpened and Sheila wasn’t a stranger anymore.
“You!” Evelyn roared. “You took the recording! You picked it up! Where is it? Huh? Where did you keep it?!” Evelyn was hysterical as she struggled to get out of June’s hold.
Sheila felt like an outsider. A target. Unwanted.
“I’m sorry. I promise it’s safe. I hid it in a safe place.” She said with a sad smile.
“You were there! You were there when I got the accident! You were in South City when the whole media court ruckus went on! Why didn’t you come up? Why didn’t you come up when you had it the whole time?!”
“You let that sick adopted daughter of mine run around freely when you had everything to nail her to the cross!” Evelyn had not felt so many raw emotions in so long. “We could have had everything! We could have won the case and ended this nightmare!”
June held her mother. “Please, Mother. Calm down, I know you are upset but Sheila is here to help. Please don’t do this.”
Evelyn took a deep breath, trying to be calm for her daughter’s sake. All the emotions and memories she’d suppressed suddenly stuck their ugly head out, forcing her mind into a state of disarray.
“I’m sorry I caused your family pain,” Sheila said with her head bowed, unable to say anything else. Just then Lucy gasped.
“It’s her, isn’t it?” June felt her blood pressure increase.
“Lucy…”
“She was the reason you wanted to get the convicted murderess investigated.” Lucy’s voice turned cold. There was nothing anyone could say or do that could convince her otherwise. “She killed my father, didn’t she?”
June couldn’t respond. Sheila bowed her head, unable to face them.
“Didn’t she?!”
“Lucy please…”
“I’m sorry. I can’t… I can’t be in the same space as her… I just can’t”
June watched Lucy run out of the house and compound. Everything seemed surreal. How had a happy get-together ended up in so much pain? For the first time, Sheila was made to confront the consequences of her actions.
One thing was certain. She wasn’t prepared for Evelyn and Lucy’s reaction to her. Somewhere beneath everything, she assumed everyone would take it easy with her, just like June. Now, she wasn’t confident to face anyone, especially her sister.
That realisation gave her a whole new perspective.