A Naive Bride for the Sophisticated CEO

Chapter 76: What is going on in her mind?

Dinner was ready at James' mansion, and they all sat at the dinner table to eat. Helen sat close to Charles, while Penelope sat next to Elena.

"Elena, how was your first time at the office?" Helen asked after a few minutes of digging into their meal.

"It was super hectic, Ma'am! My boss bombarded me with so much work. But I'll survive. I'll adjust as soon as possible." She responded, and they all bounced their heads except James.

She looked at James and noticed he wasn't paying attention to anyone. It was just himself and the food in front of him.

"Pookie, are you alright?" She asked.

James raised his head and shot her a deadly look. "What gave you the gut to call me that? I think I have made myself clear about that. Stop calling me that stupid name as if you own me, okay? I'm a married man, with a child." He responded with great anger.

Elena heaved a sigh and looked away. "It was just to make you smile, okay? You don't have to be so mean to me all the time. At least now you know that I know nothing about Amelia's disappearance."

"I'm yet to know for sure. It is you, Elena. You can do anything."

"Enough, both of you! Let's all have dinner in peace!" Penelope smacked, hitting the table in anger. Looked like she wasn't in the mood for their fight this time.

"Hold on, James. What are you feeling like, hun? You think I still feel something for you after all these years? Listen to me and listen well. I feel nothing for you anymore. You are nothing but my sister's husband, so please don't flatter yourself. You aren't the most handsome or richest man in the world!" She also yelled, hitting the dining table.

Charles hardly swallowed the chicken in his mouth and looked at Helen, who also looked at him. They could guess that they were all in a bad mood. Staying out of it was best for them.

"Okay, that's enough everyone. Let's relax. We are all stressed out and we all need a break from all this. Amelia and Alice are still out there, can we please not frustrate each other already? This isn't going to help at all." Helen intervened.

She spoke in a cool and calm manner which made all of them, one way or the other, calm down.

"The latest news from the cops is the same. They haven't found any traces of her in Alabama."

Charles uttered.

"Then we search outside Alabama. I already told them that the monster doing this wouldn't stay close by. He or she knows the influence we both have in Alabama. He or she can never dare to stay around." James answered.

"I told the policemen the same thing and they said if they were to extend the search outside Alabama, then they would have to inform the police in the town and that could cost us some money, and more time."

"F**k! We don't have much time! I need to start the search too. I can't just sit here and do nothing when my family is out there. How much do they need?"

"Forget about the money. You just need to be patient. They will do their job."

"No, father. I'm leaving Alabama tomorrow morning."

"And where will you be going?"

"I don't know yet! I am so confused, but I will leave this house tomorrow. I can't sit here and do nothing."

"I'll go with you." Helen butted in, and James shook his head almost immediately.

"No, Mom! I'm going on my own. You need to stay in Alabama and look over things. Father would be busy with his new contract. We can't take any risks."

Helen heaved a sigh and bounced her head.

"She doesn't have to stay if she doesn't want to. Elena and I are still here, we can help you watch over things."

James shook his head and scoffed. "No, thank you. I'd prefer my parents are here to watch over things. I don't want to stress my in-laws." He uttered sarcastically and stood to his feet, pushing the chair backwards with his leg.

"I lost my appetite. See y'all tomorrow." He picked up his phone from the table and headed to his bedroom. He slammed the door so hard that everyone in the dining room heard it.

Helen exhaled loudly and looked at Penelope. "I'm sorry for his attitude. Please understand that he isn't his best self at the moment."

Penelope let out a faint smile and shook her head. "It's fine. Only a fool wouldn't understand how he is feeling right now. I hope we find them soon so that all these can stop."

"Hmm." They all nodded.

After dinner, Penelope excused herself from the kitchen where they were doing the dishes. She walked up to the room to make a phone call.

As soon as she was gone, Helen turned to look at Elena, who was busy arranging the plates on the plate rack.

"Are you alright?" She asked with a grin. Elena looked at her and nodded, divulging a grin too.

"I'm sorry for everything that has been happening between you and James. Please forgive him. He doesn't know what to think anymore. I hope you can understand this too."

Elena chuckled and continued arranging the plates.

"I never blamed him for how badly he has been treating me these days. I am the cause of it all."

Helen's eyes widened and she dropped the plate in her hand, carefully into the sink.

"You are the cause of it all? You know something about Amelia's disappearance?"

"What?! No! That isn't what I mean! Let me explain, okay?!" Elena exclaimed.

Helen nodded eagerly, waiting for her explanation.

"Why I said that is because I have never been good to James. Ever since I knew him, all I have done is hurt him and hurt Amelia, the one he loves. I wouldn't blame him for not believing that I don't know anything about this. I have been so obsessed with making him mine and mine alone." She took a pause and cleaned the tears at the edge of her eyes with the back of her palm.

"Even until now?" Helen inquired.

"Even up till now. I sometimes imagine what it would be like if I was the one who got married to him. I admit that I still feel something for him, but I don't know anything about this. I swear on my life. I have grown to love my sister and her baby so much that I would never do something like this to them! But no one would ever believe me. No one."

She broke into tears and lowered her head. She sobbed so much that her hands began to shiver. Helen felt so bad seeing her like that, so she pulled her into her bosom.

"I'm sorry, Elena."

"I... I am trying so hard to kill whatever feelings I have left for him and be happy for my sister. He doesn't even deserve a monster like me. I don't want him for myself anymore. I swear." She mumbled, and buried her face on Helen's shoulder.

"Don't call yourself a monster, Elena. You are not a monster. I believe you and I don't blame you for what is happening, okay? I'll talk to James about this."

Elena released her arms and jolted backwards.

She lowered her head and shook it.

"Please don't. Let him keep seeing me as the evil one. When the truth finally comes out. Then he will finally believe me for once in his life. I'm trying to ensure all these because when Amelia is finally found, he will know I am innocent and he'll feel sorry for all he has done to me."

"So you want him to keep accusing you and calling you a criminal?" Helen asked in awe.

"I don't mind, Ma'am. Let him just do what he pleases." Elena mumbled and tried to put on a smile. But she was too weak to wear a smile. Tears wouldn't stop streaming down her face.

"Stop crying, okay? Let's forget about this." Helen moved closer to her and cleaned her eyes with her thumbs.

"Thank you, Ma'am Helen. You are such a nice person. I'll go to the room and wash up real quick."

"Okay. I'm almost done too. Good night."

"Good night."

Elena turned to leave and walked to the room. She could feel Helen's gaze on her until she was out of sight.

She gulped hard and cleaned the tears in her eyes. She got to the door and held onto the door knob. She was about to open it when she heard Penelope's voice.

"Just do as I say, okay?! If you are caught, you are on your own! I have always told you this. Just f**king..."

She took a halt when she heard the door open. She looked back and saw Elena walk into the room. She heard her eyes on her.

"I have to go. We'll talk about this later and don't f**king call me." She mumbled and hung up the call.

"Who was that mom? You sounded so pissed."

"Oh, just one of my workers at the office. They have been giving me so much headache because I haven't been visiting often." Penelope answered and sat on the bed.

"Really?" Elena narrowed her gaze at her as she asked.

"Really. What are you thinking? Here..." she tapped the bed. "... come and sit with me."

Elena moved closer to her and sat next to her. She sighed and slightly bowed her head.

"Are you okay? You look so down."

"It's nothing. Ma'am Helen and I just had a chat." She muttered.

"What?!" She sprang to her feet. "What did she f**king say to you?! Is she starting to act like her son too?!" She smacked.

"Hey, mom. Calm down, okay? She didn't make me cry. I was the one who got so emotional and cried. Why are you getting so worked up? Isn't she your friend?"

Elena could sense something strange in her mother, but she couldn't point out what it really was.

"She is my friend, but I wouldn't let her talk to you anyhow, okay?"

"She never did that. Stop being a drama queen."

Penelope clenched her jaws and sat on the bed again. "I'm sorry. I'm just kinda frustrated. Things aren't going the way I planned. It has always been like that since I was little." She uttered.

"Mom, are we still talking about me?" Elena curiously asked.

Penelope smiled and shook her head. "You should take a shower. You have to go to work tomorrow, remember? You can't afford to get there late."

Elena nodded in agreement and stood up. She walked to the bathroom and before she opened the door, she looked back at Penelope and noticed she had an angry look. She also clenched her fists very hard.

"Mom." She called, and Penelope turned to look at her. She quickly threw the frown off her face and wore a slight smile.

"We'll find Amelia and Alice soon, and we will finally know the criminal behind all these! I swear, that person would suffer the consequences. Don't worry, okay?"

"Uhmm." Penelope responded with a feeble smile. and a nod Elena widely smiled and walked into the bathroom. She shut the door and rested her back on it. She ceased her eyebrows and thought about Penelope's reaction again.

Why is she acting weird? What is going on in her mind?' She questioned herself.Content property of NôvelDra/ma.Org.