17 Aveline Song

[ Chapter 17 ]

"Wonderful night I presume."

A pleasant and feminine-pitched yet judgemental voice was heard from the upstairs as the sound echoed across the spacious living room.

The young, beautiful lady was standing at the edge of the second floor with her hands on the railing. Her head titled down as she looked at the professional dressed woman who seemed to be the older version of herself.

The crystal chandelier treated her well. The light spackled upon her girly silhouette. She had the physique of swan, and the presence of dove, high and noble.

Her forest green eyes were as beautiful as the purest emerald and her elegantly-shaped eyes were shimmering under the light. Her long beautiful eyelashes fluttered elegantly.

Her feminine and gracious countenance was framed by long glamorous brown hair that wound back in a ponytail. Her heart shaped chin was exquisite and her pouty lips were in shade red of peach.

A violet floral dress wrapped loose around her lithe frame as it accentuated her well-developed figure.

Aveline Song pressed her lips into a thin line as she looked at her mother. Her eyes narrowed at Cassandra's innocent smile, seemingly scrutinizing the latter as the corners of her peachy lips were further curving down.

Tearing her gaze off her mother, she then began walk as she descended down the stairs. Making her way over the living room without giving Cassandra a second glance, she went into the dining hall through the extensive, sun-lighted corridor.

Still sitting on the plush black sofa, looking at her daughter's statuesque back, Cassandra cracked a troubled smile as she received her daughter's silent treatment.

Actually, she and her daughter have a healthy and close relationship, in fact, very great even. Since they, a mother and daughter had went through a lot of things together and pretty much have a lot in common, they bonded so well and developed a healthy parental friendship. Except private life, both of them shared almost everything that's going on their life.

Don't get her wrong, Cassandra could be a pretty strict and stern mother sometimes. That being said, it's definitely not easy being a single mother, she went through a lot of hardship in raising Aveline and the fact she became a single mother at such a young age was further making things difficult for her.

Those days when she lost her supposed other half and became a widow at twenty three was the lowest point of her life, Cassandra needed at least a year to recover from her sadness and sorrow, albeit it wasn't completely.

Thanks to her loving family, when she's desperate to keep her own sanity for living, her parents were always there for her and taking care of her daughter. After what had happened and when she began to busy herself in her career, she went back to live in Qin household to ensure her daughter's well being since she couldn't take care of her for all the time. It's when Aveline reached the age of fifteen and Cassandra climbed the top of her career had they went back to this house. The house where she and Nicolas Song, her dearest used to live.

To her contentment, Aveline was a well-behaved and understanding child since she was small and them, mother and daughter, always there for each other when one of them needed the other most, supporting each other in the ups and downs. Aveline was truly her greatest supporter, her spiritual motivation.

And surprisingly, Cassandra wasn't the only one who is strict in their relationship, Aveline could also become an authoritarian sometimes when it comes to Cassandra's well being. For instance, when Cassandra busied herself working over hours on the important project to the point she's neglecting her own health, Aveline wouldn't hold back on reprimanding her. To be honest, Cassandra loved that part of Aveline.

Aveline herself was an intelligent, sharp witted and level headed girl since she's small. She had always been toppling the grade of all courses she has been in and possessed high interpersonal intelligence. Cassandra admitted that Aveline was even better than she's at Aveline's age. That's not surprising though since both of her parents were accomplished individuals in their own respective fields.

Moreover, Aveline seemed to be following after her footsteps as the former also had a passion in business. Having born in the family where gold was treated as sand, didn't make her become a carefree young lady, instead she became a capable and ambitious person.

Now at the age of nineteen, Aveline was already a young entrepreneur since she has her own small company called "De Beauté". Its products were female luxury items. And surprisingly, the current company under Aveline ownership was performing quite well.

The backstory was, this small company was a former small skincare company that was in the brink of bankruptcy. When Raeliana Qin, Aveline's grandmother asked her for a present for her seventeen birthday, Aveline who had just started learning about business and by chance read the news of this small company, answered her grandmother that she's interested in this company's stocks. Therefore, being a business person herself and seeing the potential in her granddaughter, Raeliana Qin brought the entire shares of this company as a present, since at that time Aveline hadn't met the legal requirement, the shares were brought under the name of Cassandra. Her grandmother also had his people assisting Aveline on running the small company since the latter was in learning stage.

Actually, for a woman like Aveline, being a number one beauty and top socialite among her peers in elite society. It's quite easy to get helpful resources from her influential circle. That's the privilege for possessing high interpersonal intelligence and being a proud daughter of the renowned Qin household.

And just as a famous saying—Beauty is the greatest social privilege. Aveline sure knew how to use her beauty to endorse her own products through her social media such as Weibo and Instagram, which she had millions of followers each and proven effective.

Although the company seemed to start having a reputable reputation and performing quite well on the financial side, the scale of the company remained small as Aveline hasn't yet planned to expand this company. Aveline said that she didn't want to indulge herself further in business, at least not yet since she still had a young life to relish.

Furthermore, as a person both Aveline and Cassandra have a lot in common. Both of them couldn't be used as a role model for a gentle and demure lady. Aveline was equally a strong, independent and hard-hearted lady. She's also quite outspoken and was never intimidated.

Out of all young ladies in high society, Aveline Song would have always been the first selection in the topic of marriage. She's an ideal daughter in law material any mother would love to get for their sons.

Her beauty was dazzling and spectacular, she's like the most precious jewel, coveted by all. She excelled in her grades, extremely graceful in character and has outstanding social status. Such an excellent girl would, without a doubt, become a perfect match to any superior heir of all influential households.

Aveline also has a long lining of countless handsome and attractive boys and men courting for her. Yet none of them could attract her as she remained single amidst of her charm that could let any kind of man to sway beneath her feet.

Mothering such a desirable girl sure was so troublesome for Cassandra since she received a lot of marriage proposals for Aveline. Cassandra should be tactful on the rejection since some of the marriage proposals came from the prominent households that have equal or even higher standing than Qin household, and she didn't want to offend them in any way.

It wasn't a secret that arranged marriage was the norm among the elite children of high society. Among the elites, it's important to choose their children's partner and betroth them from a young age. Some sell their own children for their selfish needs and to strengthen their social standing. But most of the reason why this tradition still exists in this modern society was because most parents want to ensure the best for their children. That's how the mindset of superiors, they believe that marrying their children to those who are on the same or higher hierarchy was the best thing they could do for their offspring.

And truth be told, Cassandra was on the good side of this norm, since she met the love of her life through arranged marriage. It's just in her case, Cassandra believed in Aveline, she could see that her daughter was destined to be great, Aveline could choose her own partner and Cassandra believed in Aveline's judgement as she would choose the best man for herself.

That's why Cassandra remained firm on her stance. Some of those families even had the audacity to suppress her with their influence to make her yield to their marriage proposals. Cassandra could understand though why they want to have Aveline as their daughter in law. Having such an outstanding woman to assist their son and to have the capable future mistress was very important to any influential family. Such an outstanding woman foretold an excellent heir to which was very crucial to all elite families.

Shame on them, her daughter meant the world for Cassandra and she could go to any limit for her. No chance for her to yield to their suppression.

Well, enough about Aveline. Right now, she had to deal with her daughter.

Cassandra rose up from the sofa and followed her daughter into the dining hall.

Finished washing and drying off her hands, Cassandra pulled the dining chair and settled herself sitting in the seat in front of Aveline.

Aveline was already sitting in her seat with elegance, her posture was ladylike. Her pouty chin moved up and down as she munched her lunch. She produced no sound as she ate and her eyes remained on her plate. Her table manner and dining etiquette screamed nobility.

A second later, after Cassandra placed the napkin in her lap, Aisha, the young maid approached her and filled the glass in front of her with an infused water. Smiling softly at Cassandra to which the latter responded with a nod, the young maid turned around and disappeared into the kitchen.

On the dining table, the healthy lunch was served tastefully in front of her, the smoked salmon with fried capers and tuna tortilla soup were placed on the plates with light lemon fluff as the dessert.

Taking the glass in her hand, Cassandra drank the water and began to eat with grace.

"How's your day?" Cassandra sliced the salmon as she asked her daughter.

"Good," came a short reply from Aveline.

"Not going to college?"

Aveline answered flatly yet politely without looking back at her mother, "I have no class on Friday."

They continued to have small talks throughout the lunch and Cassandra sighed inwardly at their one sided conversation. It's pretty hard to coax her daughter when she's in such a bad mood.

Cassandra knew that she's in the wrong and in addition, considering how close they are Cassandra was as good as an exposed book in front of her daughter.

"Dear, listen." Cassandra began to explain as she finished munching a spoon of tortilla soup and downed her glass.

"Don't be angry with me okay." She sighed, looking at her daughter, "I'm sorry for making you worry last night."

"Sorry for not giving you a call last night," Cassandra showed a helpless look.

Cassandra knew her daughter well. Sure they both are grown adults now and they know how to respect each other's privacy. But despite how hectic she's at her work and how many times she went on trips to other cities or overseas for business. Cassandra had never forgotten to give her daughter a call in a day, same for her daughter.

Knowing her daughter so well. Aveline must had been worried as Cassandra had never gone like that without giving a call. When Cassandra opened her cell phone in the morning, looking at many unread messages and missed calls from Aveline, she knew that she's so done.

"Is that so," Aveline responded, she stopped knifing her dish and finally looking back at her mother in the eye.

"Don't worry mom I understand," Aveline soothed out sweet voice, her cherry lips turned slightly upward into a knowing smile.

"Last night must be delightful, wasn't it? I could understand that you're not even remember to text me. We both are woman."