CHAPTER TWO

Rachel's POV

 It was like stepping into a time machine and going back through all the years I spent in this room. The memories rushed through my memory filling me up with nostalgia. 

"Everything is exactly as I remembered,Maria must have been cleaning my room all these years" I said as my eyes became teary all of a sudden betraying the raw emotion I was feeling inside. 

My excitement of coming back home was only dampened by the obvious state of affairs. The grandeur of the James estate, which was once a symbol of power and prestige, has faded. The garden, once meticulously manicured, was now overgrown, and the mansion itself showed signs of neglect as a result of the fact that there was no longer enough money to keep our full staff. It was as if the James Mansion had lost its shine , leaving behind only a ghostly reminder of its former glory.

I shook my head trying to get rid of all my sad thoughts. 

***********

 After taking a long bath and resisting the urge to climb my bed, I quickly changed into a more comfortable outfit. 

A simple blue sundress that I had bought during my stay at the convent. Even though I had been at the convent ,it was known to them that I was not to become a nun and so I was allowed a few privileges. 

 Mariá had mentioned that my father was out, but I had expected my mother to be awake by now. Slipping my feet into some comfortable flip-flops , I headed towards my mother's room.

The door to her bedroom was slightly ajar, and I softly strode across the room and knelt down beside her bed.

 "I'm here, Mama. I'm home now. I'll take care of everything."

"Rachel dear?" 

She asked,her eyes fluttering open to reveal those beautiful green orbs that I inherited. My father would always joke about how the first thing that attracted his attention was the unique color of her eyes. They were as green as the forest trees, always full of life.

 But today, Mama's eyes looked weak and it made me even more sad. Seeing her like this, looking so frail and tired made me feel something akin to physical pain . 

"I'm home, Mama" , I said with a watery smile.

She reached up and enveloped me in her arms.

"Oh my baby. I've missed you so much "

"I missed you too Mama" I said, kissing her cheeks"...so so much".

We were so engrossed in the union that we didn't hear close footsteps until a familiar voice interrupted our reunion.

"Now what do we have here? Angel ?!"

I turned to see the familiar tall figure of my father standing at the doorway and staring at me with an expression of something close to shock. He once full hair was becoming thinner and more wrinkles graced his forehead and around his eyes. 

"What a surprise this is" he said as I stood up and flew into his arms.

"Oh Papà" I can imagine how I liked right now grinning through the cloud of tears and a bit of snot running down my face.

"My angel" I smiled at the old nickname. I haven't heard someone call me that in ages and being back with my family made me feel such fierce emotion that made me realize, I would do literally anything to save my family.

"Welcome back home Angel." My dad said with a sad smile. I know Dad never wanted me to know the true state of things because he felt the need to protect me but I was going to prove to him that I'm strong enough to handle it all.

********

After dinner, I left the dining room feeling a sense of worry, although it felt great to be with my family once again,there was an air unease and uncertainty which had never been there before.

 As I stood before the heavy oak door that led to my father's study, I remembered how my father always told me that I was his Angel . He had always wanted to protect me, wanting me to remain untouched by the harsh realities of the world. But now that the circumstances had changed, and I was more than determined to step into the role of a guardian angel .

Knocking lightly, I entered the room to find my father seated behind his huge desk, surrounded by files and documents. The room was softly lit , and the scent of old leather and papers mingled in the air. His face, weathered by the recent events, lit up as he saw me.

"Hey Angel" he said with a smile as he rose from his chair and engulfed me in a warm embrace. His hug felt comforting and familiar. "It's good to have you back home,my dear. Papa missed you."

"I've missed you too, Papa, but you know you wouldn't have let me come now" I replied with a slight pout. 

He pulled away slightly, studying my face with a mix of emotions. "Yes my love for several reasons but you're here now and it's great to have you back ." 

I nodded in understanding and continued "Thank you Papa, but I'm not a child anymore. I've learned a lot during my time away, and I've grown a lot. Please let me help"

He sighed deeply, his gaze fixed on a framed family portrait on the wall. "Rachel, it's not just the financial troubles we're dealing with. There's something more, something I've tried to shield you from for years. It's not safe for you here."

"What is it, Papa?" I asked

He hesitated for a moment, then walked to the window, gazing out into the night .Then he spoke,"it's a long story , Your great-grandfather was involved in some rather shady dealings. He made powerful enemies, and they have been passed down through the generations. They've been watching us, Rachel, waiting for an opportunity to strike and I unknowingly gave them a chance to get the revenge they've been waiting for."

He continued, "I made some bad investments and deals which landed us in our present predicament . Several of them are also trying to ruin our reputation and ruin our business. I'm so sorry my love, I let you and your mum down"

"No Papa. This isn't your fault besides is there no one who could help us?"

My father turned to face me, his eyes filled with a mix of regret and determination. "There's only one person who could help us right now,his name is Aiden O'Flanagan. He's a force to be reckoned with in this world but I've been unable to meet him"

I felt a sense of urgency rising within me. "Papa, I don't care about our family name or its past. I care about you and Mama, and I'm going to take care of my family."

He looked at me and said five words that I'll never forget, "I'm proud of you, Angel".

*********

I went to bed that night with only one resolve, I had to meet Aiden O'Flanagan.