CHAPTER THIRTEEN:AN EXPOSITORY OF THE PAST(part 8); Ta-da! Surprise!

Nestled in the woodland, as humble as any rock face in these parts, was the mansion.

It's windows were as shy eyes, large to welcome any ray of moon light.

The rock walls belonged right where it was, as if perchance it had grown up right from that hallowed ground.

It was as if it had been called into existence to protect those who came to dwell within, to quell the elements and allow a heat to build from hearths into the inhaled woodland air.

Each corner of the wall was beautifully carved, and the designs were made with complete care.

With the combination of sky dark blue and spotless white paint, it was looking like a palace from the fairyland.

Greeneries around the mansion was adding more beauty to it.

To the outside viewer like Rylee Athena, the mansion would have seemed identical to any other in the prestigious neighborhood.

Large curtained windows set in solid concrete walls and burnt red tiles on the roof.

Stone statues guarding the entrance, a freshly trimmed lawn, flowering bushes and sunlight reflecting off the surface of a pool on a typical warm summer day.

A well-kept gravel path led to automatic double doors.

Inside, rested proudly several brand-new sumptuous vehicles.

A glittering new motorcycle leaned gently against the spotless wall.

The kitchen was equipped with all sorts of unused cooking utensils and the wooden drawers were filled with all the latest gadgets.

In the bathroom, every surface was filled with half-used products ranging from shampoos to creams to toothpaste.

In the master bedroom, the bed was covered in fluffy pillows on top of embroidered covers, doughy blankets and crumpled bedsheets.

A lacquered wardrobe overflowing with expensive clothing stood happily in it's dark corner.

The additional lacerated shoe storage was very big and spacious to contain every pair polished and glittering pair of shoes.

A Victorian chaise lounge sofa occupied the living room along with the most recent TV released.

There were unconventional pendant living room lamps hanging from the ceiling.

There was a dark grey granite spiral staircase leading to the upper floors where a spriral chandelier hanged from the ceiling.

In front of the staircase was a bookshelf containing a lot of different books for one to read.

Next to the living room was an open dining area arranged in an empire dining table style.

There were circular living room lamps hanging from the ceiling.

Rylee Athena was directed to a room in the villa by Assistant Theo Kenji and was informed that the room was to be her bedroom while she was there.

The walls were as white as a one's teeth.

There was a wooden bedroom suite. It has a queen sized Rocco Marble bed which had a hand-carved Carrara marble headboard, brushed gold detailing and deep midnight blue velvet panelling brings a hint of old school glamour to the design.

They all matched.

There were pale blue and white lace curtains, and a white  bedspread over the Rocco marble bed.

Even the pillow cases were white in color.

The walls were painted a light shade of blue and on them hanged pictures of flowers and other mother nature.

The one Rylee Athena liked the most was the rose flower painting.

Beside the bed, there was a small white wooden side table with a vase of flowers and the other one on the other side with a small alarm clock and a picture of the sky at noon.

The study table faced the large french window and Rylee Athena get a good view of the large and spacious garden from the swivel chair.

On the side of the window was a pale blue wooden bookshelf with all sorts of books ranging from small to large.

A little white table lamp brightened up the study table.

On the ceiling there were circular lamps and on the wall there was an electric fan.

The room had a small white wooden dressing table where the toiletries, some face creams and makeups, a mirror and a vase of pink rose flowers were kept.

Some little dolls and fluffu teddy bears were placed in a row.

She unpacked and sat on the comfortable bed and informed her friend of her arrival and even sent her the pictures of the room.

Then Assistant Theo Kenji came in the room with a booklet which he handed to Rylee Athena and informed her to learn everything she could about Isla Amelia.

Out of kindness, he told her in advance that Vice president Ali Maddox hated people who invaded his personal space so she had to keep away.

He hated people entering his bedroom and study.

Apart from the two places, she was informed that she could go anywhere she wanted.

"Thank you for the kind reminder or else I would mess up." Rylee Athena said as she smiled unabashedly exposing her eggshell white teeth.

......

Rylee Athena was tired and worn out, she was lying on the bed feeling exhausted.

After a while of thinking the matter about being a fake Isla Amelia, she sat up on the bed and inhaled deeply.

Then she motivated herself, "Rylee Athena, you are only agreeing to the matter because of your current situation, no other reasons. Because you are leaving after a month so do not get carried away and forget the main agenda."

Rylee Athena had a wonderful night on the comfortable bed that she did not want to wake up if not for the knock on the door.

It was a wonderful morning, a watercolor sunrise streaked muted pastel shades of orange and yellow not forgetting white across the sky.

It was a bitingly cold chill that belonged to the rainy season.

She glanced at the digital alarm clock and saw that it was eight o'clock in the morning.

She responded to the call in a rather unwelcoming manner as she groaned and complained of being denied her sleep.

She stretched herself, wore her white bunny fluffy slippers and walked to the door.

It was Assistant Theo Kenji who seemed to be in a happy mood.

"Get ready and inform me immediately." He informed Rylee Athena as he handed her a piece of paper with his phone number written on it.

After getting prepared and putting on her best attire, she picked up her phone and dialed the phone number on the piece of paper and informed Assistant Theo Kenji that she was ready.

In a blink of an eye there was a knock on the door and Rylee Athena led by Assistant Theo Kenji walked to the living room where a young man - Ali Maddox in his casual clothes was sitted on the Victorian chaise lounge sofa with a glass of water in his hand.

"Ta-da! Surprise!" Assistant Theo Kenji said as he approached Ali Maddox whose facial expression was implying that he was happy.

"Good work." Ali Maddox complemented his personal assistant as he approached Rylee Athena.

"Since you agreed, let us sign the contract." Ali Maddox said as he told Assistant Theo Kenji to get him the file from his study.

Soon, Assistant Theo Kenji came back with the file and both of them signed their signatures affirming that the contract period had started.

They both shook hands while staring into each other's eyes.

"Good to work with you." Rylee Athena told Ali Maddox.

"Good to work with you, too." Ali Maddox replied.

......

The car halted at a design store filled with all kinds of fashion accessories: clothes, jewellery, shoes and even makeup.

Soon, Rylee Athena was surrounded by a large crowd of trained personnel aimed at making her look like Isla Amelia.

Her hair was dyed to auburn and curled up in loose waves.

She was given high heels and trained how to walk in them.

Though she stumbled and fell, she learned everything faster than expected.

She was given special training on how she would act like a lady, on how to choose her clothing and on how to put on makeup.

Her face was now covered with tones of different creams and more.

The makeup artist lightly applied some blush onto her cheeks using a brush.

She then lightly dabbed some light shade of pink onto her bottom lip and told her to rub her lips together so as to spread the colour.

After the lipstick, the makeup artist then applied some lipgloss onto her lips which made them shine.

She was given a pedicure and manicure and her nails painted a lighter shade of pink and a diamond ring too.

Then clothes hanged in hangers on a metal frame attached to wheels was driven in.

Tones of different types of clothes from expensive brands stood before Rylee Athena's very eyes.

She was handed a black, backless, sequin, long sleeved mermaid dress and a pair of black, glittering d'orsay high pumps.

It was hard for her to understand why some people liked that type of dressing code.

She was given a necklace that dropped on her back.

Her hair had been left free but swept across one side in order to reveal her flawless back.

She was given a black kelly bag with rhinestones and pearls and pair of tassel earrings and black shades.

After the makeover, Rylee Athena walked over to the mirror and was shocked beyond words to see her reflection.

She was so pretty, from head to toe she looked like a princess.

After that, she was handed a new phone, an expensive model that she had only heard about.

She was told that her flip phone could be hers to use to contact others but the special phone looked like an exact photocopy of Isla Amelia's.

Nothing had to be changed about it.

Not even a single syllable.

.......

The scent of blooming flowers wafted throughout the peaceful place.

It originated from a group of tall sturdy trees, under which a family read worn, adored books, leaning against the comforting, uneven surface of the bark.

Entering the neighbourhood, a slight breeze rustles the leaves making them fall to the solid ground one by one.

The sound of water dripping from a statue's mouth at the center of a glistening white fountain pleased the parents chatting away their worries while inattentively watching over the infants playing in the clear luscious liquid.

Flowers are vast, and they concealed the freshly cut green grass.

There were sun-colored daisies, vivid purple lilies, carrot-tinted hydrangeas, and cotton candy pink hyacinths.

The pathway was nothing more than concrete moulded into different shapes and size.

Each corner of the wall was beautifully carved, and the designs were made with complete care as they shone brightly.

With the combination of sky blue and spotless white paint, it was looking like a palace from the dreamland.

Greeneries around the mansion was adding more beauty to it.

There were stone statues guarding the entrance, a freshly trimmed lawn, flowering bushes and sunlight reflecting off the surface of a pool on a typical warm summer day.

The security guard welcomed them with a broad smile on his face.

The car drove in and was parked in the open parking lot.

The sound of water dripping from a statue's mouth at the center of a glistening white fountain.

An old man with winter white hair and eyes that were as bright as a jackdaw was on a wheelchair was seen waiting at the entrance to the grand building.

A group of men dressed in black stood erect behind him, they looked like his bodyguards.

Ali Maddox and Rylee Athena got off the car and walked towards the old man.

The old man was pleased to see Isla Amelia.

"Grandpa, I fulfilled your wish. Now fulfil mine." Ali Maddox said as he stood beside the old man.

Rylee Athena approached the old man with a smile on her face and greeted him.

"Grandpa, how have you been? Sorry I disappeared but I have brought you a present." Rylee Athena said as she handed Raymond Oliver - Ali Maddox's grandfather, the current president of Max's Corporation the brown bag.

Raymond Oliver took it and fished out another box wrapped in a green wrapping paper.

He tore the wrapping paper and a white box with the words 'Lemon Balm' written on the box.

"This is Lemon Balm, it is good for relieving stress, you can take it when you feel stressed out and I promise you that it will definitely help." Rylee Athena said in a calm and soothing voice.

Raymond Oliver smiled amiably and thanked Rylee Athena.

"Grandpa, in order for you to see us even when we get grandchildren then you should go for the surgery. Do not make us worry." Rylee Athena said caringly.

"Okay, I will be sure to go to surgery." Raymond Oliver said.

Ali Maddox was surprised how just simple words had convinced his hard nut to crack grandfather.

Both Rylee Athena and Ali Maddox were lead into the house for lunch.

The food there was delicious but in the end they had to return to Ali Maddox's mansion and leave Raymond Oliver recovering as he prepared for surgery but they would visit him after a period of three days.