Maraïda: The Billionaire's Surrogate (Billionaire One)(Completed)

Finale

"What did you do then?"

"You ask as if you don't already know,"

"I do! But I still want to hear it,"

"Alright alright! I'll finish it then.

I became so confused. I didn't know what to do. I admitted I wasn't in good terms with Maraïda but I could've never wished her death. I had so much on my hand that I became traumatized: on one hand I had Maraïda; she only needed help, love and care, she still had a good chance in life; On the other hand you, innocent! Knowing nothing about what was happening, just wanting to be out and free. Then there was your father in the air, I didn't know if he was ever waking up. It was hard. But I had to be strong for all of you.

Then I remembered something. There was a time when Maraïda and Jared had a fight. I remembered promising your mother that day to be a good mother to you. But I also made her another promise...

(Flashback to chapter 17)

Sophia held Maraïda softly on the arm and was leading her inside. Maraïda stopped at the door,

"Is there a problem Maraïda?"

"There's something else that I want you to promise me?"

"What is it?" Sophia asked,

"You know as well as me how hard it is to grow up with unfit parenting. I want you to promise me, promise me you'll put this child's life first before all else. You'll put my child's life first even before yours, before mine if need be, promise me that,"

...and I promised her just that."

"So you chose me. You chose to save my life instead of hers?" Elina asks Sophia, looking right into her blue eyes. Sophia just nods. Elina then engulfs her into a big hug, "thank you mom!! For everything." Sophia hugs her back.

"Heyyy!!! I want a big hug too," A male British accented voice comes from behind them,

"Daddy!!!" Elina rises and jumps on him, "you came!!!"

"You know even the President himself could never make me miss my princess's birthday,"

"Aww! You're the best. But you didn't bring flowers?"

"Oh I did!" Jared replied with a wink

"Yeah! And I have to do all the work of bringing it here," Sophia says as she turns towards where the cars are packed. She comes back and drops her next bouquets of flowers, a fetish grin appears on Jared's face just by the sound of her voice,

"Need any help?"

"Right after I've done all the work? No thank you Jared. What a gentleman!" She wipes the atoms of sweat on her forehead,

"That's why you're the best." Jared wraps his arms around Sophia's waist, "how are you feeling love?" He asks her,

"You wanna answer that Ellie?" Sophia turns to Elina,

"Nope!" Jared chuckles.

"OK then hurry up, we've got a lot to do today,"

"But there's one more person missing!" Elina grumbles. The engine of a car rumbles from the entrance,

"Speak of the devil," the blonde woman rolls her eyes. A man steps out of the car dressed in casual jeans and blue shirt, he waves at them before he starts approaching.

"Joe!!!" Elina calls out in excitement and runs up to him. She jumps on him and he lifts her up high in the sky, before putting her down.

"You know, you're the only little girl I know who starts her birthday celebration in a graveyard." Joseph tells Elina,

"I know. And you know too that I can't celebrate my birthday without the rest of my family right?"

"Yes! I know! Let's go get this party started. I hear there's a Disneyland after party?"

Jared and Joseph do a casual guys handshake while he just smiles and nods at Sophia,

"How's Issa?"

"Well, very heavy. I see Maraïda has already received flowers," he points at the roses leaning against the tombstone, "so whose are these?"

"These are for, my grandmother Marisa, my aunt Marina and my cousin Marisa." Elina tells them as she carries three more bouquets mixed of lilies, white and pink roses, sunflowers and irises.

"Wait! Those are Maraïda's family members! Baby girl how do you know about these people, I never told you about any of them!" Sophia asked. She, Jared and Joseph just follow the girl's lead through the tombstones.

"I read about them in mummy's diary. Could you guys help me check for the names? We should put flowers for them too before we leave here,"

"Uh, I think the little Marisa's grave is over there," Jared points to the right end if the cemetery, " I remember because that was where I found Maraïda the first stormy night she disappeared."

The all walked to the grave. Coincidentally, the little Marisa had been buried right next to her mother who laid right next to her own mother,

"Three generations," Joseph mutters,

Elina carefully places the flowers on all three graves and starts walking back.

"Ellie," Sophia calls, "how come you never told me about the diary?"

"I only found it yesterday behind the mirror that broke in my bathroom. I think she kept it there purposely so I should find it. It's been my room since birth so naturally, I had to be the one to break something before finding it. I knew you'd ask about how I knew the rest of mummy's family today and then I'd have to tell you about the broken mirror. Sorry I didn't tell you right away!"

"It's OK,"

The kept on moving towards the entrance of the cemetery when Jared stops in front the first grave they'd been at;

MARAÏDA ELINA MENDOZA: daughter, sister, aunt, friend, mother; a beautiful rose amidst branches of thorns.

"Daddy!" Elina called, "she's OK now. She better, she's," She turns to her mother Sophia and smiles, "she's at peace and watching over us."

"Yeah. I know. Thank you Sophia, for everything. Taking care of our daughter while I played sleeping beauty for three years?" Jared grabs his daughters hand in one hand grabs his wife's in the other, while Elina takes Joseph's hand.

"You're no beauty Jared don't flatter yourself," Sophia chuckles,

The sun is high up in the sky shining bright on them as they walk towards the cars,

"Godfather," Elina calls in a distance,

"What is it baby girl?" Joseph answers,

"Can I have a car?" Joseph and Jared burst into laughter,

"Elina Marisa Shenko! You're not getting a car at ten," Sophia groans,

"But why? Daddy has like twenty. Joe makes them for a living so why can't I have one...

The scene closes up with Sophia and her daughter arguing about her getting a car while the two guys laugh their faces off. They all get into their various cars and drive off.

The End.