Saturday morning was gloomy, with a light drizzle earlier that had left the air in the city damp and heavy.
Ella, dressed in mourning attire, and Eric, in a black suit, arrived together at the cetery. Grandma Carter and Isabella were buried not far from each other. After paying respects to Grandma Carter, they moved to Isabella’s grave.
However, they noticed a fresh bouquet of white baby’s breath placed in front of Isabella’s headstone.
Ella paused, exchanging a glance with Eric before kneeling down to examine the flowers.
There was no card or note.
Who had co to visit her mother?
Ella didn’t dwell on it too long and gently laid her own bouquet of white lilies at her mother’s grave.
"Mom, I’m here to see you. I hope... in your next life, you find a man who truly loves you and takes responsibility," Ella said softly, her mind swirling with confusion, but she continued speaking to the young face in Isabella’s photo, sharing her thoughts and emotions.
Eric remained silent, respecting the mont. The peacefulness of the cetery was only broken by the chirping of birds. Since the cetery was located in the northern suburbs, the air was much fresher here.
Ella gazed at her mother’s picture and smiled faintly. "Mom, I’m leaving now. I’ll co visit again next month."
But as she spoke, her eyes reddened, tears clouding her vision. Clenching her fists tightly, she whispered, "All those who hurt you have received their due. You don’t have to worry, Mom. Even if I’m not strong enough to protect myself, Eric is!"
"He’s a good man, so you don’t need to worry that I’ll suffer." Ella wiped away the tears at the corner of her eyes and gave one last look at the mysterious bouquet of baby’s breath before she and Eric left the gravesite together.
Eric accompanied her every month, never saying much, but his quiet support spoke volus. Ella believed that her mother could sense his sincerity.
As they got into the car parked at the roadside, Ella furrowed her brow, still puzzled by the baby’s breath. Was it the kind of flower her mother would have liked?
Isabella had passed away when Ella was so young that she never knew what her mother’s favorite flowers were.
"Who do you think could have visited my mom? Could it have been my uncle?" Ella asked Eric, genuinely curious about the mysterious visitor.
"Why not give him a call and find out?" Eric suggested.
Ella imdiately dialed her uncle Bobby’s number, but his response made her face darken. Bobby and his family were busy moving into the new house Ella had bought for them, aning he hadn’t been the one to leave the flowers.
So, who could it have been?
"It wasn’t my uncle, and there are no surviving descendants on Grandma Carter’s side. Who could it be?" Ella was completely stumped.
Eric gently tousled her hair, "Maybe... it was your biological father."
Ella’s head snapped up as she scanned the surroundings.
There had been a few cars coming and going earlier, but she hadn’t paid much attention to them.
Her biological father?
Ha, after more than twenty years of never fulfilling his duties as a father, he had the nerve to visit her mother’s grave?
Ella’s face darkened with anger. "He’s probably just so worthless jerk!"
"You haven’t even t him. Don’t jump to conclusions," Eric cautioned.
He continued, "I’ve been looking into potential candidates in Country W. There’s a farr, an ordinary businessman, and soone from an old, prominent family."
"But getting their DNA samples discreetly has been challenging."
Eric had already placed people close to these potential candidates for investigation.
"I don’t care anymore. I’m not interested in finding out," Ella responded coldly.
"Don’t be upset. Maybe there was so misunderstanding that caused them to separate," Eric said thoughtfully. After all, Isabella had married soone else while pregnant with Ella, so there had to be a reason behind it.
"Think about it—your mom had you, but then suddenly married Robert. Don’t you find that strange? I’ve already had soone approach Sean to see if he’ll reveal anything. We should have so answers soon."
Eric gently comforted her, but Ella still felt unsettled, letting out a soft sigh.
Robert likely never realized she wasn’t his biological daughter, which is why, during his lifeti, he didn’t show her any outright dislike. Later, when Ella excelled in every aspect, even surpassing Brianna and Hannah, Robert’s affection for her beca genuine. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have considered leaving all his shares and assets to her in his final monts.
Ella stayed quiet, her emotions conflicted. She and her mother had endured so much pain and tornt, yet her so-called biological father remained a distant figure. She couldn’t summon any feelings for him.
"Let’s head back. Are you busy?" she asked.
Eric kissed her cheek. "I have a client eting this afternoon."
"Then I’ll head to the office with Chloe and Lauren," Ella said with a smile. The company was almost ready to launch. They had hired a few talented designers, and the office space was being renovated.
"Be careful. Oh, I heard a rumor that a major fashion mogul from Country Y is planning to visit Country S to explore the market. He’s also looking for a potential partner. Even though your company is new, if you can impress him, you could land a big contract. Plus, it could be a great opportunity to promote your clothing in Country Y," Eric explained.
Ella frowned. "A fashion mogul? Why would he be interested in such a small company like ours, especially one that’s just starting out?"
Eric chuckled softly. "That depends on your abilities. I also heard Leah is digging for information on him. It looks like Carter Group is interested in partnering with him as well."
Carter Group’s fashion division, though not small, primarily catered to high society in Country S and had built a solid reputation. However, the company was struggling with negative press recently, and their sales had taken a hit.
Ella bit her lip. If she could snag this partnership, Leah would be furious!
"I’ll give it a shot. Send the mogul’s details. I need to study up on him!" Ella said, her eyes gleaming with determination. After all, she had so free ti on her hands.
"Take your ti. He won’t be here for a few months, and by then, your company will have launched. If things go well, he might consider you. I’ll also be investing in the company, so we’ll be in good shape."
Eric had grown to trust Ella’s judgnt over ti. He had already bought several plots of land she recomnded, and her instincts had proven to be spot-on.
It turned out that in Ella’s twenty-fifth year, several areas she had invested in experienced rapid developnt, including one region where the governnt planned to build an airport. The airport brought a surge in population, driving up property values and stimulating the local economy.
That was why Ella had persuaded Eric to buy large tracts of land in those areas, ensuring Nelson Group’s future growth and strength.
However, after purchasing so much land, Nelson Group’s cash flow had beco tight, so they had to delay further investnt in the fashion company. They planned to revisit it once their finances improved.
In two years, Ella’s early investnts in land would mature, allowing her to sell at a profit. When that ti ca, she could reinvest in LX Fashion Co. and continue expanding.
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