Daniel's POV
Voss Capital. 1:00 P.M., Lexington City, Elyria.
"Excuse me, Sir. Mr. Alvarez is here to see you. He says it's urgent," my secretary, Alyssa, walked in carrying a file.
"I told you to clear the rest of my schedule, didn't I? Tell him I'm not available."
"But Sir---"
"Out now!" I barked. I was in an irritable mood, having completely forgotten about today.
Today was an important day to me. I had to visit my mother at the facility. Ever since my father died, she had lost her sense of reality. Some days she remembered me and my sister, Rhea, asked about our father; other days she screamed at me, refusing to let me near her.
My phone buzzed. Rhea's name flashed on the screen.
"Hello, brother. Are you with mother already?"
"Not yet, Rhea. I'm still at the office. I'll leave soon." I massaged my temples.
"Okay. Let me know when you get there."
I realized I hadn't even told Rhea what was happening next.
"Sure. I have something to tell you. I'm getting married — to Richard Kensington's daughter."
Rhea scoffed. "Despite everything I said, you still go ahead with this revenge? I told you to let that family be. I don't want anything to ever bring us into contact."
"Rhea, you know what we lost, everything that happened. How could I just let them be?"
"How does marrying his daughter help your revenge?"
"It gives me satisfaction seeing I have something Richard Kensington can never take back. That's enough."
"If it makes you happy, I can't stop you. Just call me when you're with mother."
"Alright."
I hung up, picked up my jacket, and headed out. Alyssa gave a small nod and returned to her desk. Outside, the sun was bright. My driver, Larry, hurriedly opened the door.
"Where are we headed, Mr. Voss?" he asked.
"Hopewood Facility."
He nodded and drove off. We stopped at a flower shop where I picked out her favorite flowers, marigolds. The drive to Hopewood was about twenty minutes. Once there, I stepped out and walked toward the entrance.
Hopewood Facility was among the best in Lexington City. Its elegant exterior and meticulously landscaped gardens gave the impression of calm and luxury. Inside, marble floors, rich wood accents, and plush furnishings made it feel like a five-star hotel. Rooms were spacious, with large windows offering views of the gardens. There were private therapy rooms, a fitness center, and gourmet dining, all staffed by highly trained professionals.
The receptionist smiled warmly at me, already familiar.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Voss."
"Mrs. Hughes," I replied.
I walked down the corridor to my mother's room. At the door, I hesitated. Today, I hoped she would recognize me.
I opened it. She sat in a chair, staring out the window, back turned.
"Mother, I'm here." I placed the marigolds on her bed.
She glanced at me briefly, then back to the window.
"How are you today, mother?" I stepped closer, taking her hands.
She looked at me, then down at our intertwined fingers. "Are you the doctor with the pills?"
"No, it's Daniel, your son. Look, I brought flowers." I pointed to the marigolds.
"Marigolds… Gregory used to bring me these. Where's Gregory?"
I stiffened. I needed a good answer to avoid triggering an episode.
"Gregory is coming. I'm his son, your son."
"My son?"
"Yes. You have a daughter too. Do you want to see her?"
She nodded. I dialed Rhea. The moment my mother saw her on the screen, recognition lit her face.
"Rhea Anne! My child, where's Alexander? Did you leave him out in the rain again?" She relived the memories of when Rhea and I were kids.
"Alexander is right here, mother."
She hugged me tightly, and for a few hours, we reconnected. When she fell asleep, I left.
On the ride home, I couldn't shake the image of her sitting there, so small and lost in her own world. Even when she remembered me, it was fleeting, like sand slipping through my fingers. I clenched my hands on my knees, forcing myself to stay composed. How long would these brief moments of recognition last? And what would tomorrow bring?
Once we pulled into the driveway I got out of the car and walked in, acknowledging the butlers greeting with a nod.
Selene greeted me. "Welcome, Mr. Voss."
"Thank you. Did the fashion designer come by? Where's Mara?" I settled on the couch, the image from yesterday replaying. Mara clutching the framed photo with tears. I told myself I didn't care, yet the image lingered.
"She's outside exploring. I'll fetch her now," Selene said.
My phone buzzed. A text from Rhea.
Booking tickets for Lexington City. Reynold's parent's 32nd wedding anniversary is coming up! I can't wait to see you and mother. Rielle says hi!
Rhea and her family resided in Azura City, situated in western Elyria. She moved there immediately after her and Reynold got married. During the holidays, they sometimes returned to Lexington City to celebrate with Reynold's family.
Rhea would be here soon. Her disapproval wouldn't change my plans. She had warned me to let Richard Kensington be, but I couldn't bring myself to stop. Even now, I felt unsatisfied. I would find other ways to make him pay.
The sound of footsteps interrupted my thoughts. I looked up from my phone to see Selene returning, Mara behind her. She wore a deep red dress that suited her perfectly, the colour complementing her skin, and her brown hair fell in soft waves, framing her face. Distracting. I reminded myself, Mara shouldn't look beautiful to me.
Setting my phone aside, I forced my expression back into its usual cold, unreadable mask.
"Selene said you were outside. Exploring again." I shrugged off my jacket.
"Yes. I was in the garden." She glanced at me and looked away quickly.
"It is my mother's. Whatever you do, don't ruin the flowers."
Mara said, "I won't. I'm good with flowers. Can I plant lilies? And I could tend the garden properly. I'm an excellent gardener."
I watched her lean forward, her eyes glossy, and I couldn't decide if it was confidence or strategy. She seemed too calm after everything I had thrown at her yesterday.
My mind pricked with curiosity, a feeling I couldn't afford to let Mara see. I clenched my jaw and let the cold expression settle back in.
"Do what you want," I said. "Just be careful."
I stood, picked up my jacket, and paused before leaving.
"I trust Blair showed you the designs. Did you pick a dress?"
She smiled brightly. "Yes, she showed me a lot of beautiful designs. They were all too lovely for me to pick from."
Something about her seemed off. Yesterday, she had been fragile on the balcony; today, she was composed, almost accepting.
Perhaps she realized the harsh truth: her father had betrayed her, and no one was coming to save her. The earlier she accepted that, the better for her.
I gave her a short nod.
"Alright. I'll see you at dinner. We have other things to discuss." I turned and walked away.