11 Alone Time

Riley was not in the mood to waste another breath and hastily made his way to the stairs. Knowing her son, Madam Brown didn't follow. But, she frowned unhappily when the door just near the mahogany stairs opened. Riley had just stepped on the first step of the stairway when a swindling voice came from his back.

"Boy, you are ignoring your Auntie again?"

Riley glared in a sharp breathe while he turned around on his heels. Madam Brown felt pity for the woman downstairs.

Riley, who was much taller, was standing on the stairway, making him look much taller. He spoke coldly, "You deserved to be ignored."

Without wasting another breath, he hastily turned away and made his way upstairs. Madam Brown clicked her tongue and hid the obvious bout of laughter that threatened to outburst. On the other hand, her sister-in-law, Getty, stomped her foot angrily and shut the door heavily. All these fifteen years, she had been ruthlessly tortured by Riley's harsh words.

"Shameless!" Madam Brown muttered under her breath as she chuckled. Her so-called sister-in-law had divorced fifteen years ago when her daughter was 9 years old. She divorced and got nothing, and came to beg her brother dearest for a place. Why? Because she and her daughter had nowhere to stay. She had promised to move out after she found herself and her daughter a place to stay. But fifteen years had passed and that so-called promise vanished into thin air.

---

Honeycomb Villa

Ruby stopped the car right outside the villa. The entire ride was quiet, despite the noisy and loud music. There seemed to be something amiss with Sara. She was extremely quiet and lost in her thoughts in the latter part of the ride. Ruby patted her shoulder worryingly, "Are you okay?"

"Huh?" Sara woke up from her daze and then nodded, "Yes, I am okay. I... I think I should go back to my villa."

"Why?" Ruby frowned disbelievingly.

"I...", Sara sighed and closed her eyes, "I want to spend some alone time."

"Mom made dumplings", Ruby declared.

"That's great. Won't you be happy to get an extra share?" Sara said as she got down from the car and rushed inside.

Ruby sighed and got down from the car. She tossed the car to one of the guards and followed inside.

"What happened to Sara? Did the two of you fight?" Inside, Ruby's mom sounded worried.

Ruby shrugged, "God knows what got into her head. She wants to spend alone time and that too, in her villa!"

Jane, her mom, sighed. Moments later, the two of them saw Sara had changed into a sweatsuit and headband adorned her head, preventing her bangs from covering her forehead. Her long, silky hair was tied into a ponytail.

"Are you really leaving?" Jane asked worriedly.

"Yes, Auntie. Don't be worried. I just want to be alone", Sara forced a smile.

"Hmm", Jane nodded with a frown.

Sara started walking towards the entrance hurriedly. She was afraid of Ruby's Dad because he doted her very much. If he knew she was leaving, he wouldn't let her go. Thinking of it, she hurried her steps. But, just as she was about to, cross the doorstep, a boom echoed in the room...

"Wait!" the voice was filled with a doting edge, but one with firmness.

Sara sighed and closed her eyes while the lifted leg was frozen in the air.

"Dad", Ruby walked ahead to support the old man descending from the stairs. He had a cashmere shawl draped over his body, covering half of his tall figure. Realizing the weight of the situation, Sara turned, not wanting to disappoint the old man, Robert.

Before she could say anything, the old man moved his lips, "Go home if you want. But I dare you! If you touched alcohol to vent out your frustration, I will break both of your legs!"

Sara was stunned. His words were not threats but instead, they sounded like a father scolding a daughter, who was away for a football training and insisted to play out agin after returning home. Her heart was filled with warmth as tears threatened to fall. She was lucky enough. She nodded nervously, "Yes."

Robert nodded in response, "You better remember your promise."

Jane and Ruby sighed when they remembered how he had made Sara vow not to touch alcohol ever again.

Then, Ruby spoke up, "Don't worry, Dad. I will check on her tomorrow."

"I am leaving", Sara's voice shook as she turned to leave. If she stayed a moment longer, she knew she would be unable to leave.