Chapter 279 HAPPY BIRTHDAY 3

      "Don't tell me you can't recognize me anymore? It's me, Genevieve." She laughed.

      "I can't believe you, dear cousin, you can't recognize a family." She continued standing right before me. "Uh, Hazel has a twin sister," Chan said loudly earning little murmurs from the rest of the people there. It's clear now how obsessed Vieve is with me, yet she tried to kill me. What is her plan? If you like someone so much to the point of idolizing everything about them, you wouldn't try to kill them, would you?

        "It's good to see you again Vieve, I never heard of your return, when did you get back?" I smiled ignoring the obvious fact that was pointing out to me. She had the money to do whatever she wanted, if she decides to imitate my appearance so be it.

       "Oh, that should be a week ago." She responded. "Hmm."

        While the cricket sang for a few seconds I shifted my gaze to the old Vieve standing behind her daughter, "Aunty Grace." I hugged her, "Didn't know you two would make it here today even if you were not invited. How are you?" I whispered feeling satisfied by her reaction.

          Through the years I got tired of being the good Hazel, the Hazel everyone could step on. I know I was no longer that poor naive girl I used to be, not like I was ever meant to be poor in the first place. All I wanted was to keep these negative people away from myself, to stay away from their drama and foolishness. I've been through a lot of dramas over the years and I wouldn't want to be in such a situation anymore.

         Genevieve and her mother didn't stay for long, after their gift to my kids they both had to leave. Since it was the kids' party, the guest started leaving with their kids one after another, and we were left with real family members and closest friends, who stayed a little longer to celebrate our recent achievements.

          It was already evening, Leah, Kyle, and Alex were so exhausted so they got to bed early, the adults in the mansion were all gathered in the garden, being myself and Alex, his family members, mum and dad, Chan and her father, Benson and his new girlfriend, Carlos and my cousin Maya and of cause Phillip and Sage.

         Lila had to also sleep with her best friend, Sage, and Maya's son had to share the same room with Kyle since Alex junior demanded to be alone. He hates when people bug him being a kid of three. "It's nice to have the family together like this once again, I've missed my good brother-in-law David," Father said and Dad smiled at his words.

         "Don't give the kids the wrong impression Oliver we're not as close as you all might think..." Laughs could be heard from everyone. "What do you think we're thinking dear uncle," Lukas asked in a mocking tone. "It seems someone's had some I'll thoughts," Benson added for everyone to laugh out loud again. It does feel good to have everyone around except of course most people.

          Like the devil Kendrick who hasn't stopped smiling at me, it's not the first time though, he does this each time we get to meet. I should ask why he does that but Alex has told me to stay away from him for a reason I don't know. "Excuse me." I heard Alex say as he stepped out of the garden to pick up his call. It's not the first time he's answered a call away from everyone and that includes me, and each time I ask, he says it's confidential.

        Just as nature goes, the men formed their little group to talk so did the women, except Mother and grandma who decided to leave cause they were both exhausted. I insisted they stayed but they refused and just left. Mum's face has been usually dull since she arrived which is so unlike her. She's usually a happy woman but today she's rather reserved.

       "Are you alright Mother?" My words came as a whisper and she smiled, "I'm fine my love, just a bit stressed." "Stressed from what?... Eww, mum stop don't make me have ill thoughts." She chuckled. "I never said anything you're the one thinking things." She stated. "Welcome to the family Rosaline," I spoke to the blonde-haired lady who  beside Carie.

          "Thank you, Hazel." I had a lot to ask her, first, on how she must have stolen Benson's cold heart, that was something a lot of women have tried stealing but all seem to be impossible. But I had to reserve my comment to myself, maybe when she's comfortable around me, friendly questions can pop in.

     Maya sat by mum's left placing her head on her shoulders and mum rubbed her hands on her hair.

        "Mother." She muttered like a kid, her words had us remembering Aunt Amelia. They both might have good memories of her, but I just couldn't forget everything she did to me. All the pain she caused, and somehow I felt like if she was still here, I would have been dead long ago.

       "I just heard from my dad that Berverly escaped from the asylum, no one has been able to find her for a week now," Maya said calmly. "What?" Maya lifted her head from mum's shoulders.

       "The last time I was there to see her, she wrote down scribbles and notes of revenge, not leaving any of the names of our family members aside, that includes Alex's family." She added. Her words were scary because nobody knew where Beverly is at the moment and what she was capable of right now.

        "My dad has sent a search team to look for her, but they still cannot find her anywhere. You should let Alex know about this, and please double your security for now until we find her."

.

        In a luxurious five-star hotel in London, and a private suite was a familiar figure lying on the king-size bed with an impassive face. Falcon lay in the slightly dark room alone lost in his thoughts. For days now he's decided to stay away from his family to clear his mind and thoughts of everything Genevieve had told him.

         He twirled a picture in his hands after having stared at it for some time, the woman in the picture was indeed familiar but he still could not recall a thing about them together. To make matters worst, Vieve asked him not to inform his parents about her, on the claim that his mother never liked her. She went on to say this woman is her cousin and was forcefully taken from him by Mr. Wilson.

         One thing Falcon hated more than ever is losing a fight, or someone stealing what was his. He has done some research on the so-called lover only to find out she's been married before he even met her. The information he had was not matching at all, he needed time away from the world and his family. Falcon let out a sigh running his hands through his hair.

           Staring at the picture before him, different emotions ran through his head all at once but the greatest is the uncontrollable hate he felt towards the person in there. For someone he was told he once loved, hating her now is weird.

.

         "Let's go." Dad held mum by the hands, their awkward behavior towards each other was getting really irritating, and making me desperate to find out what if actually wrong with them. My parents are never distant from each other, but tonight...

         "I'll stay with Hazel and my grandkids for tonight, I'll be back tomorrow do take good care of yourself." She said calmly for dad to nod too before leaving. I and mother watched everyone leave one after another even if Alex was not yet back after taking that call earlier. I'll not forgive him if he calls later to tell me he's in another country, that's most likely his life lately.

           Not having the time for me and the kids is his life now. "We have some catching to do Hazel, maybe we'll hang out this weekend when you're less busy?" Sage asked. She looked like she had a lot to say to me, and I couldn't reject it, "Yes, I'll create time."

           I and mum got back into the mansion after seeing everyone out, first I had to freshen up before our long mother and daughter conversation. There's noq way I'll let her sleep alone tonight.