“How’s the search for Ramona’s parents going?” She deftly changed the subject. Even though Ramona had resorted to poison, she couldn't bring herself to blame her. No matter how sharp-witted she was, she was still a kid who had desperately tried to cope with her parents' abduction.
Leopold’s gaze grew distant and dark. “They’re still in the country, but not in Elysium anymore. We don't know where the kidnappers have taken them. My people are on it.”
“They got involved in this mess because of us. We must get them out,” Aurelia said firmly.
Leopold gave a slight nod. “The kidnappers are from Verdecalma. It seems like the local Elysium crowd is clueless about this.”
“Your aunt Tanya must know something.” Aurelia’s amber eyes twinkled with cunning.
After leaving the room, she carried some fruit into Kane’s room.
Skyler and the kids were engrossed in a game of robot wars.
“Transform, Superman model!”
“Charge, Zeo No.5!”
Aurelia placed the fruit platter on the table. “Time out, my loves. Let's have some fruits.”
“Okay!” The kids set down their robots.
Skyler picked up a piece of durian and began to eat. He relished the taste of the exotic fruit.
After finishing the durian, he moved on to mangos, which he thought was a perfect pairing.
Aurelia glanced at her two sons. “You guys aren't holding the poisoning against Ramona, are you?”
“The lesson here is to be cautious with new friends. Don’t trust them easily. After all, familiarity does not always mean understanding.”
“We get it.” The older and the younger nodded in unison. “Don’t harbor malice, but don’t eschew caution.”
Aurelia ate a mango, then sighed softly. “But I still believe Ramona is a good kid at heart. She was just scared. It’s sad, really. So young and alone in a foreign country, facing such horror. She probably grew up coddled by her parents, and this is her first brush with real terror.”
The more she thought about it, the more she pitied Ramona. She resolved to visit her the next day.
“Kane, William, you mustn’t isolate Ramona at school. Everyone makes mistakes. If she’s willing to be a genuine friend and not hurt you again, you should give her a chance.”
“Don’t worry, Mommy. We know how to handle it,” Kane assured her. “But she should also apologize to Rocky. He’s the real victim here. Rocky’s dad probably thinks it’s some superbug he brought from overseas. He must feel guilty. But if the truth comes out, she’ll get expelled.”
Aurelia stroked her son’s hair. “Let’s focus on getting Ramona’s parents back first.”
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: The CEO’S Unplanned Heir novel (Aurelia and Leopold)