chapter 25 Just today

The next morning, for the first time ever, Victor was late. "Palace Master, forgive me. This damn car broke down on the way. I accept any punishment," Victor said, hands stained with oil, holding up a military stick. As the commander-in-chief's envoy, he understood the significance of time. "Haha..." Seeing Victor covered in grease, Ella couldn't help but chuckle. Fernando was also speechless; it was indeed challenging for a Middle Huaxia Nation's Peacekeeper to fix a car. Brushing aside the military stick, Fernando said, "No need for punishment in the palace. Take a rest today; we'll take a cab." In the taxi, the driver chattered away, "Sir and Miss, heading to Imperial Scenic Mansion to check out a house?" "Oh, that's a famous wealthy area, you know?" "The houses are not only large but also outrageously expensive. I advise you not to go there." The taxi driver, noticing the lack of a private car for the two, couldn't help shaking his head. Ella looked puzzled, "Fernando, didn't Zoey say it's a small house?" She hadn't paid attention to any real estate in recent years, and she hadn't heard of the Imperial Scenic Mansion. She thought Fernando had bought a small unit, but the driver mentioned it was a famous wealthy area with large and expensive houses, leaving her perplexed. Fernando smiled gently without answering. The house was indeed not large, barely worth mentioning compared to his residence at the border. As they got out of the taxi at the entrance of the residential area, Ella was astonished by the grand scene. Impressive gates with two majestic stone lions, each over five meters tall, guarded the entrance. Four uniformed security guards stood straight, and the circular arched windows and cornerstone masonry exuded elegance and luxury. "Fernando, is this where Zoey's small house is?" Ella couldn't believe it. Contrary to what the taxi driver said, this seemed to be an upscale neighborhood with undoubtedly expensive houses. Fernando nodded and lightly pushed Ella's waist. "Let's go, take a look inside. It's my first time here too." Fernando had only seen a rough layout on the sand table model. He didn't know what the actual residential area looked like. If the conditions were not good, they would consider changing it. Walking slowly through the residential area, Ella was amazed. It rivaled the grandeur of the former Gu Family mansion, considering that the Gu Family was known as the first family in Jinghai. This was just a residential residential area, yet it demonstrated comparable capability. A white Range Rover passed by the two, braked, and slowly reversed. The window rolled down, revealing a beautifully made-up girl. "Ella?" The girl in the car lowered her sunglasses. Ella looked over, contemplating. "Hey, it's you!" The girl was excited. "I'm Maya, Maya Xie." "Maya...? Oh, Maya. Sorry, I didn't recognize you at first." Ella replied with a smile. Maya opened the car door and stepped out, affectionately taking Ella's hand. She said, "I didn't recognize you at first either. How many years has it been since we last saw each other? Over seven years, right?" Ella lowered her head, ran her fingers through her hair, and nodded. Back when they had just graduated, they used to stay in touch frequently. However, since Ella was expelled from the Gu Family, Maya hadn't contacted her even once. "And who is this?" Maya looked towards the person beside Ella. "Oh, this is Fernando, my... well, you can just call him Fernando." Ella instantly didn't know how to introduce him. She couldn't say he was her husband; they weren't married yet. It also sounded odd to say he was the child's biological father. "Fernando?" Maya furrowed her brow, feeling like she had heard the name somewhere. Fernando nodded in acknowledgment. "How did you two end up here? Are you here to visit a friend?" Maya asked. "Oh, Fernando said he bought a small house here and brought me to see it today," Ella replied without much thought. "A small house?!" Maya rolled her eyes. Her house in this residential area was the smallest unit, and it was still over 200 square meters. At that time, she spent close to twenty million. During high school, she envied Ella's identity as the Gu Family's young lady. Ella had luxury cars, and designer bags, and wore extravagant clothes every day. While she came to Jinghai for school from a small town, from an ordinary family with an average income, her monthly living expenses were not even as much as what Ella spent on a casual meal. She couldn't believe it when she heard at a gathering a few years ago that Ella had been expelled from the Gu Family. That night, she celebrated alone with a bottle of white wine. "Come on, get in the car. I'll drive you." Maya arrogantly opened the door of her Range Rover. "Oh, no need. We'll walk." Ella quickly declined. "Oh, come on. This residential area is so big; that it will take ages to walk. Get in the car." Without waiting for a response, Maya pushed and pulled Ella into the car. Fernando, helpless, sat next to Ella. If he didn't follow, Ella wouldn't even find the house. The Range Rover moved slowly, playing lively music inside. "Ella, how's the sound system in this car?" A sudden question left Ella stunned, unsure how to respond. Maya continued, "Oh, back when I bought this car, my man at home claimed the audio system was top-notch, calling it a British treasure. He said it was worth over a hundred thousand just for the sound system. I didn't think much of it." "You know, as a young girl, he insisted on spending millions to buy me this enormous car, claiming it's safe. But it's inconvenient to turn, and I have to buy two parking spaces just to park it." Ella chuckled awkwardly, clearly catching on what Maya was flaunting. "I mean, Ella, where exactly is your home?" Maya had circled the entire residential area. "Uh, this is my first time here too," Ella said, glancing at Fernando. Fernando, like Ella, was also visiting for the first time. There was a considerable difference between what they saw on the sand table model and the actual residential area. Maya sneered inwardly, "How could someone expelled from their family can buy a house in this upscale residential area?xxx I'll see how long you can keep up the act." "We're here," Fernando pointed outside. Maya looked and almost burst into laughter. The entire residential area knew this villa was the top-tier property, and Ella claimed it was hers. Maya couldn't help but find it amusing. Ella was equally stunned. This was no small house; it was a large villa! Moreover, she had just circled the residential area and knew it was the only villa. "Fernando, are you sure about this?" Ella whispered. Fernando chuckled. It was the only villa in the entire residential area. How could he be mistaken? "Thanks, Maya. We'll catch up another day," Ella casually said, opening the door and getting out of the car. "No need to postpone. Let's do it today," Maya replied, parking the car and locking it.