Chapter 2: Her last hope
1877 Words
Odella found Mr. Ramos was patiently waiting outside the room. She gently closed the door.
"We didn't have a friendly conversation," she informed him about the meeting with Caleb.
"Maybe he's not in a good mood," he suggested.
She offered him a bitter smile. Her hopes of receiving help from Caleb were slim, but she was grateful to Mr. Ramos for arranging the meeting. "Thank you, Mr. Ramos!"
"Anytime, Miss Bale. Are you leaving already?"
'Of course! Should I stay here with a man who is even colder than ice?'
The man in the room wasn't the Caleb she was accustomed to seeing. Mr. Ramos understood what she was about to say. He pursed his lips and gave a slight nod.
She left the door leading to Caleb. As she stepped outside, it felt as if a heavy rock was pressing against her chest, and iron chains held her back.
Odella stopped by the front door, her gaze fixed on the approaching black Audi A7, which was slowly making its way to an empty spot in the parking lot. She pondered for a moment about who might be inside the car. Mrs. Ferell, Caleb's stepmother, lived miles away, while his grandfather resided in a nearby town. Caleb was the only one living in this villa. Her expectations weren't let down when the driver disembarked and opened the back door for the man about to enter.
"Odella? Is that you?" the surprising voice of the old man in his sixties rang out. He wore a plain white shirt and pants paired with simple slippers. At first glance, one might have assumed that this visitor was just an ordinary person. Who would have imagined that he had once been a business chief?
"Grandpa Ferell!" Odella exclaimed, approaching the man she hadn't seen for years with excitement.
"Wow! Look at you! What are you doing here?"
"I-I talked to Caleb."
Grandpa Ferell grinned after hearing that she had met his grandson.
"Ah! Am I missing something? I am missing the old days," he said teasingly.
"It's business."
"Hmm… Business?" The bite mark on Odella's shoulder caught his attention. But he said nothing, while she was unaware of what he was seeing.
Grandpa Ferell and Odella's grandfather were friends. They treated each other like an actual family. He always took care of her whenever the Bale Family went to his mansion years ago. That was when Grandpa Bale visited Ferell's mansion with Odella. She studied with Caleb in the library while the two elderly men engaged in chess or golf.
Then, she recalled that the Bale Family often celebrated festivals, special occasions, and Christmas with the Ferells. The image of the mansion was still vivid in her memory: the way the trees grew and their leaves turned yellow, how she cherished the invigorating fall air, or perhaps how Caleb always looked out for her when they visited. She also cherished the morning aroma of the rose-filled rose garden.
"Are you leaving?" Grandpa Ferell asked. But before Odella could answer, he added, "Stay, and let's have dinner."
"I don't think that's a good idea," she replied. She wasn't sure if Caleb would be happy to see her again after asking her to leave. No, she was certain—Caleb wouldn't be pleased.
"Grandpa," Caleb's crisp voice objected. She didn't know how long he had been there, but he had evidently overheard everything.
Grandpa Ferell and Odella turned toward the front door, where Caleb stood, resembling a knight guarding his home. Mr. Ramos stood beside him, awaiting his orders.
"Hey, man! I'm inviting Odella to dinner."
His threatening eyes narrowed, and he glared at Odella. "No, because she's leaving."
Grandpa Ferell countered, "Well, I insist on inviting her." He disregarded Caleb and smiled at Odella.
"This is my home. I may choose whom I let inside."
"Odella, don't mind him. You'll stay. We have many things to catch up on." Grandpa Ferell firmly held her hand, clearly intending to take her inside. She couldn't do anything about it, as he had already pulled her indoors.
A haughty spirit seemed to follow Odella as the old man accompanied her to Caleb's villa. She avoided the latter's piercing gaze, even when they passed by him to re-enter the building. She also wanted to have a friendly chat with Grandpa Ferell, whom she hadn't seen for a while; it just so happened that they met in this place.
Grandpa Ferell and Odella sat on the long couch that she had used earlier before talking to Caleb. It was fortunate that the old man was also guarding her against his grandson. However, she felt awkward and nervous—like an innocent rabbit in the lion king's den.
"How are you, Odella?"
"I am managing the restaurant at The Bale Hotel. You can visit me sometime and taste my best dishes. I am living with Aunt Aurelia and Livia."
He nodded. "I remember that being a chef was one of your dreams. Congratulations!"
"Thank you!"
"So, any news from your brother?" Grandpa Ferell brought up the topic Odella had been avoiding the most.
"None," Odella pursed her lips, but the pain etched on her face didn't deny what she was feeling at the moment. She knew that Braud was an asshole, leaving her with every problem. He said nothing; he just left. Nevertheless, she loved her brother—Braud was the only family she had.
"Do you want Caleb to help you look for him?"
"Grandpa!" Caleb immediately objected.
Odella had a feeling Caleb had been listening for a while, as he remained inside the room, seemingly watching her every move, as if she might steal the expensive items around her.
‘Why did he have to stay? Doesn't he want to be in the same room as me?’
"What?" Grandpa Ferell asked.
"You are senseless. I will not help that woman!" Caleb retorted.
"Caleb!"
"What? Do I have to remind her of what happened ten years ago?" Caleb said with sarcasm.
"Justice proved that her father had nothing to do with it!"
Hearing about her father, the world seemed to come to a standstill. Caleb poked at the most sensitive topic she didn't want to remember.
Odella's throat went dry, and she gripped the corner of the bag she was carrying.
"There was no need to be angry. You could have just said you won't help me!" Odella couldn't control her anger any longer, perhaps because his grandfather was there, giving her courage—someone who still believed in the Bales.
Caleb scoffed in response, and she met his ominous gaze. "Just minutes ago, you were willing to cooperate with me. Where did your audacity go now?"
"Caleb!"
Odella knew she needed Caleb's help, but he was being incredibly unreasonable. He had called her senseless, reopened her wounded heart, and now he was treating her as if she were beneath him.
Caleb insulted Odella in front of Grandpa Ferell, which was too much to bear. She could no longer stay there and pretend that everything was okay, so she stood up.
"Grandpa, I'm leaving." There was no emotion in Odella's voice.
The old man sighed. "All right! See you soon, Odella."
She didn't bother saying goodbye to Caleb; in her mind, he was a monster.
As she exited through the main gate, she finally felt like she could breathe. That man!
Then, a wave of regret washed over her, and she suddenly wished she hadn't annoyed him. She had forgotten that he was her last hope!
***
As Odella reached her home, she thought of Caleb, who had treated her differently earlier. She hoped he would still call upon her for help, despite their disagreement that afternoon. However, she wasn't too hopeful after making him angry. It was nearly dark when she arrived at the Bale residence.
"Where did you go?" Aunt Aurelia asked with a firm tone, standing in the corner of the room.
If there was something Odella disliked about her home, it was the woman and her cousin. Aunt Aurelia, her mother's younger sister, had historically been kind to her. However, over the years, things have changed. Odella had lost both of her parents, and Aunt Aurelia had changed as well.
Aunt Aurelia and her daughter, Livia, lived with Odella in that home, while her uncle lived abroad with his new family.
Odella was uncertain about when her aunt and cousin would move to that villa. After Braud left and went missing, her aunt asserted that her brother had sold the home to her uncle—Aunt Aurelia's husband. The woman even provided documents as proof of the legal sale.
If that was true, Odella couldn't forgive Braud any longer for allowing the home that had been so precious to their family to end up in someone else's hands, even if it was Aunt Aurelia. If there was one thing Odella cared about right now, it was that villa and the hotel.
Aunt Aurelia's actions didn't scare Odella. She suggested her lawyer verify or examine the documents, but her aunt instead made excuses and even offered to let her stay. Rather than argue with the woman, she decided to let it go. She thought that living with Aurelia and Livia wouldn't be a big deal. Little did she know they would become a source of displeasure once she was with them every day.
"I went to look for a clue that could help me find my brother," she lied.
"Why do you have to look for a person who doesn't want to be found?" Aunt Aurelia said with contempt.
"He's the only person who would tell me about your lies. Would that be enough?"
"You—!"
"I'm going up to my room. I'm tired."
Odella had just argued with Caleb that afternoon, and she didn't want to engage in another round of negative discussions with her aunt; it was draining. Instead, she made her way up the broad staircase nearby. Her aunt said nothing more, leaving a sharp stare at her back.
Odella retreated to her bedroom, where she could have some privacy.
She stepped into her clean and peaceful bedroom, adorned with soft yellow wallpaper. This had been her space for twenty-five years. Her attention was immediately drawn to her queen-sized bed, neatly covered with fresh green sheets. Across from the bed, she had her table where she placed her laptop and other personal items.
As she approached her dresser to stow away her bag, she happened to catch sight of a noticeable mark on her shoulder in the mirror.
"Darn!" Odella muttered, moving in closer to examine the mark.
Recalling how Grandpa Ferell had gazed at her neck earlier made her blush.
"Did he notice it?" she wondered. "Ah, never mind!" Grandpa Ferell probably hadn't seen it since he hadn't mentioned anything about it.
Sighing, she recollected the multitude of troubles that had filled her days recently. Her mind was a jumble of thoughts – the Infinite, her missing brother, and now, even Caleb.
Odella settled onto her bed, staring up at the ceiling, hoping to clear her mind. But how could she do that when the image of the man she had seen earlier continued to linger in her thoughts?
- Writer
