Stay (Wild Creek Ranch Series Book 6)

Chapter Twenty-Six

One of the kitchen helpers was cleaning the foyer and before they could stop him, he rushed and opened the door wider. To their utter horror, there stood Madame Slovene in all her glory staring at the mess inside the house. Everyone’s face paled considerably. Their mom looked as if she would faint any minute yet she rushed towards the door to welcome her. 

“What a surprise, Madame Slovene! I thought you wouldn’t be able to make it to dinner,” she said nervously, welcoming her inside. The worker ran inside the kitchen when Bianca Farrell glared at him. Anastasia had her food and rushed to the kitchen as well. Anson however continued to finish off his beer. Their dad stood transfixed to the place as he watched everyone with horror.

“I surprised you, didn’t I? I knew I would find this scene. You’re disgusting, Bianca. I could hear you and Anson fighting from outside,” she said, shaking her head. Anastasia’s mom paled and looked extremely nervous. 

“Oh! I’m sorry,” she said, looking very stressed. 

“So, Anastasia? Did you get to eat that meatball? Didn’t your mother teach you how to eat like a lady?” Madame Slovene asked, looking disappointed at her. She dusted some imaginary dirt away from a couch and sat down, glaring at all of them with judgmental eyes. Anastasia paled more. What would she do now? Not want to train her? She wanted that in fact! 

“I’m sorry, Madame Slovene. Next time, I’ll eat like a lady,” she mumbled, looking ashamed of herself. Her mom’s eyes burned upon her and she knew that she would get a scolding later. Anson scoffed as he sipped his beer, glaring at his mom’s mentor. He hated her judgmental statements. 

“That’s good to hear,” said Madame Slovene, looking pleased. Anson rolled his eyes but Madame Slovene ignored him. She disliked him immensely and he was glad to be in her bad books. 

Then her eyes then fell upon their dad and he looked nervously down at his hands knowing that now it was his turn. “So, David? I heard that you’re jobless now! Surviving on your wife's earnings, are you now? Shame on men such as you!” said Madame Slovene, making Bianca Farrell’s eyes widened with horror. She had no idea about it! Anastasia glanced nervously at their dad who sat with a pale face, his head reeling at the insult.

“Why should he survive on mom’s earnings? He’ll start his own consultancy soon. I’m surprised that you haven’t found out that bit! You should pay your spies more,” chuckled Anson, finishing off his beer. They all gaped at him with horror. His mom’s face paled and she looked as if she would faint any time. 

Madame Slovene looked angry and insulted and glared at Anson, getting up from her seat. “No one speaks to me in that tone,” she hissed at him, pointing a perfectly manicured finger at him. His eyes flashed with defiance. 

“I don’t have any wish to speak. Just stop targeting my dad, that’s all,” he said, angrily walking away. Madame Slovene seemed horrified at his words as she clutched at her heart and sat down. 

“I’m sorry Bianca, I can’t stay here a moment longer. If you’ve invited me to insult me this way, then we don’t have any relationship with one another. I’m very disappointed with you and your family,” she said, getting up. Bianca Farrell rushed towards her with folded hands. 

“Please Madame Slovene, don’t mind Anson. He’s very disturbed for some reason. Please don’t go. I want you to join us for dinner, please. I’ll get Anson to apologize to you,” said Anastasia’s mom while she stood as frozen as her dad. He too made no effort to pacify his wife’s mentor. He was deeply hurt and felt insulted at her words, that too in front of his family and the workers in the house.

“No apology can change my decision , Bianca. Put some sense in your foster daughter and train her to talk to me well. I’ll not set foot in your house ever again. Send her to me after she completes her graduation. That is the only way to repay me. That is the only link you can have with me,” said Madame Slovene, as she walked towards the door, leaving Bianca Farrell in tears. “Goodbye, Bianca,” she said, opening the main door. 

Bianca ran after her although she knew that Madame Slovene never changed her mind about anything. “Please don’t go, Madame Slovene. I’m apologizing to you on Anson’s behalf. Please don’t break the relationship we share. You are my family,” she begged, sobbing brokenly, as she held onto Madame Slovene’s hand to stop her from leaving. But Madame Slovene ignored her pleas as she extracted her hand from Bianca’s grip. 

“I am your mentor and have just adopted you, Bianca but I’m not your family. So, stop the drama. You should have trained your family well. Like father, like son. Pathetic!” she said, giving David Farrell a hateful look as she just stormed out of the house, pulling the door shut after her. The main door clicked shut and Bianca Farrell broke down completely. No one knew what to do and how she would react now. Anastasia stood like a statue while her dad got up at last. 

“It’s no use crying, Bianca,” he started but Anastasia’s mom wiped her tears and glared at him angrily. 

“This is all your fault. What did you do to make them throw you out of your job? You’ve caused me so much shame, David. And Anson has really taken to you. What have you taught him that he went against Madame Slovene of all people?” she yelled at her husband. David Farrell closed his eyes, having tolerated this all his life but not anymore. He had reached his limit. Anson came down hearing his mom yell at his dad. 

“Bianca if you can’t say anything good to me, I might as well leave. We have nothing between us. I’ve tolerated enough but not anymore. Since you have a problem with everything about me, I think we should live separately. I'll pack my stuff and get out of your life,” said David Farrell, as Anson and Anastasia watched with horror. They had never seen or heard their dad protest. He always quietly took in all the insults that were always thrown at him but today somehow Anson lost his composure when Madame Slovene started attacking his dad. 

Anastasia’s mom glared at her husband with disbelief. She couldn’t believe that he had asked for a separation. She was a carbon copy of Madame Slovene actually. “ No, why should you leave? This house belongs to you. You’ve bought it with your money. Being jobless, I don’t think you can buy another. I’ll go away to LA and handle the empire which I was destined for. I’ll take Anastasia with me,” said her mom. Anastasia’s eyes widened with fear. She had no wish to go so soon and be treated like a doormat by her mom and her mentor. Anson nudged her and she looked into his eyes. He gestured to her, giving her moral support to speak her mind. 

“Mom, I can’t come with you right now. I haven’t completed my studies yet. Please let me finish my college first,” she said, looking her in the eye. Her mom seemed taken aback by her protest having never seen her protest about anything she said or asked for. 

“Shame on you Anastasia! This is the way you repay your foster family?” said her mom, walking up to slap her so that she could come to her senses. Anson stood in front of Anastasia, shielding her. 

“She’s a kid, mom. Let her complete her studies first,” he said, looking furious. 

“Yes, go if you need to, Bianca but leave the child alone. We have adopted her out of our own free will. We are her only family. She isn’t obligated to us in any way,” said David Farrell with a grave expression on his face. 

“She is obligated to me, just like I am to Madame Slovene. Fine. I’ll leave her to complete her studies but the day she graduates from college, I shall come to fetch her. She has to repay,” gritted out Bianca Farrell as she marched to her room to pack. No one stopped her. Anson went away without eating his dinner. Her dad paid the chef and his team, thanking them for their efforts. After they left, he sat in his study room with his head in his palms. Anastasia locked herself in her room so that her mom couldn’t take her along. Anson and her dad had saved her for the next four years but what if her mom changed her mind? 

After two hours, her mom left home forever. Her dad didn’t once try to stop her. It seemed that the woman he had loved was just a figment of his imagination. Bianca Farrell wasn’t meant for love. She was cold and hard just like her mentor who had brought her up. It was no use holding onto something that isn’t there. It was a one-sided relationship! He was the one who gave all his life but never received anything in return. So he finally let her go! 

Anastasia heaved a sigh of relief. The next four years would now be bearable without Bianca Farrell and Madame Slovene’s interference.