Like Father, Like Son

''Yes, Good evening Carol. You are not one to call without a reason.''

'True…' Hearing those words, Carol smiled to herself. A moment later, sorrow flickered past her eyes. 'You're just like your….' Not finishing the thoughts in her head, Carol bit her lower lips with tears gathering around her lower eyelids.

Pushing away the gloomy thoughts in her head, Carol tried to lighten up her sad mood. ''Can't this old lady ask about her young master?'' She asked with a smile, her free fingers coming up to her eyes stroking the eyelids and wiping away the tears.

''….Right, I misspoke, Carol.'' Following the short pause, the masculine voice on the end of the connected call, expressed apologetically.

''No No, you have nothing apologize for, young master.'' Carol said, her voice more tender and sweet towards the man at the other end of the connected call.

''As you have guessed, I did not call without a reason…..'' Carol halted her word for a brief moment, and then continued with a tired sigh. ''Another lady has been brought in, again.''

''Deal with the lady like you dealt with others, Carol. If this is the reason why you called, then I will hang up now. I have more pending and important business matters to deal with than mother's immature tantrums.'' An instant reply came without hesitation.

''...''

Right. Her young master was a man like this. Anything concerning his own mother was less important than the family's business.

Well….she couldn't blame him for behaving like this….but….

''The Madam…'' Carol recalled the face of her young madam suffering under the hands of the young master's haughty mother.

''Carol…'' Unlike the calm tone of before, the deep called out in a warning tone. His voice lowered more, sounding almost like a growl.

 ''…..You aren't the only one who lost the Young miss Anderson….'' Different from the past, Carol forced herself to speak rather than keeping quiet and dwelling in her disappointment for the young master.

''Carol….''

''Madam also lost the half of herself, young master. She lost her twin sister, and yet she is treated in this manner. My old heart cannot bear to see her suffer more like this. I feel the same way for you, young master. It's been a long time since I've seen you smile happily.''

''...''

''Young master?'' Carol's aging face crinkled in uncertainty. Did her young master get fed up with her words and hang up on her?

''Since the day Irie departed from the living, my happiness and heart also left with her. I can't be happy with anyone else, Carol.''

''But the madam deserves to be happy, young master.'' Carol almost exclaimed, if not for her quick recall about the late time of the night. ''Young master, I didn't raise you to be this way. I understand that you are grieving, but the madam is grieving as well. She did not do anything to bring upon the resentment from you. Her family has never visited her almost like they had abandoned her so heartlessly without any concern. She only has you, young master. It's been years since that incident. Please just try to move on and interact with the madam. I understand how hard it is to move on, young master. Believe me, I do. If you can't do this for my sake, move on for the late master.'' Carol pleaded with her entire heart. Though she pitied the madam's poor circumstances, her heart couldn't bear to see her young master wasting his life without a sign of happiness. He was someone who she dearly loved as her own son. She just wanted him to be happy.

''...''

''If you and the madam have a good relationship, you know those young misses wouldn't have any connection entering the mansion.'' Carol added.

''….I understand, Carol.'' A frustrated sigh was heard from the connected call.

Beaming with a wide smile, Carol continued, trying her luck of cultivating a bond between the young master and the madam. ''Don't just come and go like you did last time. You must stay here and interact with the madam, young master.'' She quickly added at the end.

''Yes, I understand. Now can I go back to work, Carol?''

''You are free from this old lady, young master. Take good care of yourself, and don't overwork, young master.'' Carol did not forget to say few words of concerns, and ended the call with a satisfied smile on her lips.

''Even if he agreed just to end the call, he gave me his word. I hope he doesn't disappoint my old heart anymore.'' Carol murmured to herself, her satisfied smile turning sad.

****

*Peep*

After the call ended, a phone could be seen on an office desk. The name 'Mama Carol' was shown on the lighted screen of the phone. Close to the edge of the office desk, a flower photo frame could be seen, fingers tracing the intricate designs of the frame, until they settled on the photo behind the glass.

''Irie…''

Dark eyes took in the beautiful woman grinning in the photo. Her golden brown hair, her smiling eyes, her wide glossy lips….even if it was just a photo, anyone could tell the cheerfulness from the happy woman.

''Carol doesn't understand anything.'' The voice came again. ''She just pities your sister. I also feel bad for her since she's your twin…...but I can't help it.'' The eyes that was calm and gentle just by staring at the picture, hardened with blame. The intensity of the glare, cold and sharp as the voice spat out in anger.

''If only she had not driving carelessly, you would have been alive and we….'' The voice choked as if holding back sorrows of the heart.

''we would have been married….Why did you leave so suddenly, Irie?''

Looking past the same neatly arranged desk with stacked papers on top, a man could be seen, his empty gaze fixed on the ceiling of the office. The rays of the moon lighted streamed through the wide glass window behind the swivel chair his body relaxed on. The moon light gave his raven hair a particular glossy shine…However….that wasn't the only reflecting on the man.

Trailing down his cheeks was a lone tear, hanging at the edge of his sharp chin. As the tear dropped to from his chin, his voice came once again. The tear from his eye exposed the hidden loneliness within his heart.

''Why did you leave me Irie?''

****

''Hey…have you seen the new hot chic on campus?''

''Really there's another transfer student?''

''Is she that hot?''

''Very….she's way hotter than the beauties on campus.''

''I heard she's a daughter of a wealthy family from the big city.''

''Wow! That's crazy. Living around here costs more than thousands of dollars. Her family must be hella rich to be living in that side of the state!''

''Her family's richer than Lacy's?''

''I wonder how Lacy will react to that?

''Lol…''

Shutting her locker, Calla, in her usual hoodie and jeans, wrapped her arms to secure the books near her chest and walked down the busy hallway, passing by the murmurs of the students.

Rose Collins.

The woman her mother-in-law brought for her husband transferred to her university on the first day of the new week, which was two days ago.

Ever since then, she had been the talk of the university, and Calla expected that to happen. Even if she wasn't happy about the woman's presence in her life, she was a bit pleased that the attention on herself had finally being taken away.

Lacy and her followers had also stopped bothering her, probably feeling threatened by the appearance of Rose Collins.

''Wait….is that her?''

''No way! I thought she was in the comms department?''

''Dude! She's hella hot.''

''Why is she here though?''

''Does she have a boyfriend in our department?''

''...'' Listening to the words from the students around her, Calla suddenly got a bad feeling. Just as she was about to turn to side, leading to the next hallway, a cheery voice called her name from behind.

''Miss Anderson!''

>>>Enjoy!<<<