Don Raffa knew that face. How could he ever forget her?
She was so young when she worked at his company and trained under him. After Melvin died, Aviona went to Africa to mourn for him and when she came back to start a career for herself, she started as a regular botanist at Don Raffa"s pharmaceutical"s company. That"s when he came to know her and become one of Don Raffa"s trusted a.s.sociates. However, he knew Aviona was only trying to get some field experience under him so he willfully taught her whatever he could and when she was ready enough to stand on her own, she left Don Raffa"s company to build LGC. They remained good business comrades after that and when she died, Don Raffa was one of those who mourned deeply for her.
"You are Aviona Leigh!" Don Raffa was stunned to see her and the pieces of his wine gla.s.ses scattered all over the floor like pieces of little chaos just like how Don Raffa"s tension scattered to the rest of the guest who saw everything. Trying to recover from thorough shock, Don Raffa helplessly shook his head as if the woman before her was nothing real, "Impossible, you look so young…when G.o.d Jesus! I saw you grow more…more…more matured and Aviona you died decades ago!"
Don Raffa"s words caught everyone"s ears all they were all taken by huge daze of surprise. All those who knew Aviona before took a second look at the special guest, most of them were middle aged big businessmen and the room was filled with more chaos.
"How this be? Aviona Leigh rose from the dead!"
"She"s indeed Aviona Leigh, that was her face when she was young,"
"I remember her thoroughly, her eyes, her deep ink eyes, I can"t be wrong that is Aviona Leigh!"
"What is happening? Is she perhaps alive? Where was she all these years?"
"Oh G.o.d the great Aviona Leigh is back!"
Lady Portia couldn"t believe what she had been hearing from everyone. The old lady eyes were failing her already because of her old age and she could not particularly confirm what everyone was fussing about. Why was Aviona"s name being mentioned? Did her Aviona really came back from the dead, perhaps to fetch her? She would really be willing to go.
She wanted to confirm the thing by herself so she slowly walked down the center stage. Margo saw how the old madam move and she attempted to stop her. "Lady Portia no! Don"t go there we don"t know that woman!"
However, despite Margo"s protest, the old lady approached the guest. Her Aviona was already dead. She bad been long dead. How dare these people play fun of her memory like this, she will not forgive those who mock the memory of her beautiful niece!
Lady Portia"s walked as fast as she could and when the woman in a das.h.i.+ng gold gown met her eye, the rage she felt earlier was swept away as fast as it came. The old lady trembled and her eyes started to wet. With her shaking hands, she reached for the woman"s face and when her two palms felt the warmth of woman who smiled genuinely at her, tears started running down from her eyes.
Even when she was crying, she caressed the face of the woman that has Aviona"s face. She knew every part, even the smallest tiny details of her beloved Aviona"s face and she knew the woman in gold, wasn"t her. She wasn"t her niece, she wasn"t the baby she raised singlehandedly, she wasn"t her Aviona, but she knew who she was. Her heart told her so and the blood in her veins can tell they shared the same kind.
"This couldn"t be. How could this happen my dove," Lady Portia asked with incredulity as she was crying. She had so many questions right then but didn"t know how to ask them or whether it was right to ask any of it. Deep inside her, she knew the woman in front of her was their little dove, the baby Aviona and she both doted on the day she was brought into this world.
"I"ll tell you everything later grandma," The woman"s voice was cracking when she spoke as she forced herself not to cry. Immediately, she turned at her back where a man in crimson suit was waiting. "Clay can you bring my grandma home?"
It was Clayward Ma.s.son whom she was talking to and the man was just at her back tailing her ever since she made an entrance, "Yes Miss Leigh,"
Clayward answered and right away, he graciously a.s.sisted the old Lady Portia away from his boss. The old lady couldn"t stop her tears and she was shaking while Clay was walking her out.
"Madam, please don"t cry anymore, everything will be alright," Clay attempted to comfort her.
"Stupid fool! These are happy tears!" Lady Portia exclaimed at Clay, "G.o.d is indeed just! He had answered all my prayers!"
Clayward was surprised to hear such nasty remark from Lady Portia. She was just a well defined and sophisticated old madam whom he thought was incapable of saying bad words and yet, right then, he realized she was just as the same person as his boss is—probably another great actress.
"I was supposed to leave the country because I just couldn"t stand anymore those parasites and I"m glad I didn"t," Lady Portia hollered trying to wipe her tears away, "Who are they fooling at? Speaking of parasite… wait…" Lady Portia halted and looked at Clay in the eye.
"What is it Madam?"
"Where are you taking me?" Lady Portia asked.
"To Miss Leigh"s penthouse Madam,"
"No, we shall go home to the Golden Villa," Lady Portia ordered.
"But Madam, Miss Leigh specifically—"
"No. Tell her to go straight to the Golden Villa after she"s done," Lady Portia insisted and Clay could only sigh and scratch his head on how stubborn the old woman was, very much like his boss!
"It"s time I do some cleaning with that property. I want those rats away at this instant!" Lady Portia exclaimed and she took Clay"s phone from his suit"s pocket, much to Clay"s surprise and immediately dialed the number of the Golden Villa.
"I left my phone inside so let me borrow this for a second. I need to talk to the head maid," Lady Portia told Clay who was helpless to all her demands.