"By the way, how about your university?" Lenon asked after they were done eating.
"I have already dropped out of it when I returned… to our house one last time for my birthday. I was already sure of my decision to leave the family by then," Wynter respectfully replied.
She paused a little since she was about to say home, but stopped, knowing full well that that place does not welcome her as a family.
She was nothing but an object who could give them whatever outcome they desired.
After the tragedy 18 years ago, she no longer had a place in that house, so she could no longer call it her home.
She no longer has a home.
All three felt the change in her aura after she spoke, but no one tried to pry into what was wrong.
"What do you plan on doing if this did not happen?" Lenon continued asking.
"I was planning on studying something else from somewhere else. But for now, that plan is on hold. Things have deviated from the first prediction because of my decision," she answered truthfully.
Then, after a thought, she smiled, a smile of contentment.
"But despite the uncertainty, I feel like this is better. This chance is better."
Lenon smiled with confusion, "You seem to really love this situation."
"Oh. Uhmmm," Wynter felt a bit embarrassed.
"To be honest, I…"
She trailed off, looking for the right words.
Then she remembered the words she always kept in her mind.
"Don't flaunt what you can do, for no one likes a braggart. But if even one person appreciates your work. Have the courage to share it. And if it's rejected, move forward and create something better."
Lenon blinked.
"Those words…"
"They were the words that supported me in clinging to my dreams. They were the words of the person who made me want to become a good scriptwriter."
Lenon slightly furrowed his brows before shaking his head with a smile.
"I see. I guess I understand your enthusiasm now," he chuckled.
"What was it, Dad?" Dylan became curious.
Lenon looked at him then squinted his eyes, "Look at you. You are my son but you are unaware of this."
He shook his head in teasing disappointment.
Dylan slowly turned to his mother.
Tiffany giggled, "You said your idol was your father back then."
Dylan furrowed his brows.
"As a child I am his idol but now that he's an adult, his idol is Dominick. Truly what a sad father I am," Lenon continued grumbling.
Dylan felt exasperated. Why must his father act this way?
Wynter couldn't help but giggle.
She abruptly stopped when she realized what she had done.
"Go on. You can laugh. He looks hilarious right now. Being so clueless," Tiffany urged her.
Dylan was almost pouting while looking at his father who continued grumbling about how much his son was slipping away.
Wynter bit her lower lip before she started laughing.
This family is truly different.
They continued joking around, not realizing that Emina had entered the door.
She watched the scene at the dining table before she once again stepped out, not letting them know of her arrival.
'If that didn't happen, would our family be as harmonious as you all look now?' she thought before getting inside her car and driving away.
She came home because her father asked her to, and he wanted her to meet the one they are sponsoring.
She knew it was Wynter Morgrave, but she did not ask the details as to why this came to be.
But when she came in and saw them all enjoying themselves, she could not help but step back. A knife pierced through her heart.
…
Meanwhile, on the other side of the city.
"You're finally home," Minerva happily said as she welcomed her first child, Mathew Morgrave.
He had been studying abroad all this time.
Learning in different universities and expanding his knowledge about the IT world.
"I am home, Mother," Mathew smiled.
Because of the makeup and the hair color, Wynter's features were mostly different from her parents. But Mathew got the looks of Minerva.
He is of the same age as Dylan, six years older than Wynter.
"You have to listen to us, my dear son. That younger sister of yours. She teamed up with those families to bully us," Minerva cried while Mathew was patting her back.
"I see," he replied.
Jonathan stepped out of the study.
"Once you put down your things, come to the study. We need to discuss what we need to do about that sister of yours," he sternly said to him.
"I understand, Grandfather," Mathew replied.
Then he turned to his mother.
"I'll have to go and put down my things. I need to discuss things with Father. We can talk again later," he gently said.
"Okay. Go ahead. Be sure to listen well to your grandfather. We need to bring that woman back. How can she do this to her mother?" Minerva cried even more.
Mathew smiled and handed her a handkerchief before walking up to his room.
"Truly, you all call her my sister whenever she does things you do not like, but call her daughter and granddaughter when she does things right," he shook his head.
Despite the tiredness from the long flight, he needed to talk to Jonathan because he called for him.
"How long has it been since I was back here?" he couldn't help but ask as he looked around his room.
Was it since he graduated from high school?
'I guess it was almost ten years already.'
He sighed and braced himself for another long talk on how they would make Wynter return and make her follow them unconditionally.