Bless The Broken Road

Chapter III - Adeline's Son

Three years ago, when Ely woke up in that hospital bed, she didn't even know her name. But then, Adeline Green came and told her that she was Elyana Green and she was on a coma for a year before that.

She didn't trust her at first but eventually, and left with no choice, she had to give in to Adeline's kindness. Adeline told her that she meant good in helping her and that she must trust her that she would not harm her. Adeline earned her trust and respect over the years that followed.

She might not know her past, but if there's one thing that Adeline never told her or claimed her to be, it was that she was her biological daughter. Instead, Adeline always speaks to her about her son that she was not able to be with since he was eight. 

So the old Mr. Hansen's words really shocked her. By the way he introduced herself as her grandfather was with complete conviction. And because she wasn't sure of her true identity, she was not able to tell him otherwise at once. 

Kristoff who never showed interest on what was happening, left first, leaving her behind. It was just then that Ely realized why he was acting that way towards the man that he said was just a client.  He was his grandfather. Maybe a grandfather that he didn't have a very nice relationship with.

'Wait, if he's my grandfather as well, what would that make my relationship with the boss?' Ely thought, strangely not liking the idea of possible kinship.

"Mr. Hansen," she politely addressed the old man who seemed to be so affectionate towards her. "It's true that I live under the mercy and kindness of Adeline Green, but she's not my mother. I'm afraid, you got it wrong. I am not your grandchild." 

Her words seemed to surprise the old Mr. Hansen. She half expected that he would get mad at her. After all, whom would Kristoff inherit his attitude if not from this man in front of her? 

Unexpectedly though, the old man laughed. "Adeline, Adeline..." he said shaking his head. 

"I'm just her adopted child," she continued but no longer wanting to explain the rest of her complicated relationship with Adeline. "But, with all due respect, Sir, how did you know my mother?"

"I believe, with that stunt that your mother pulled, I'm not taking the honor of telling you my relationship with her. You have to ask her yourself." Christopher answered with still a bit of amusement. 

"Then, I'll be taking my leave first, Mr. Hansen." She politely asked for permission. "Thank you for the dinner."

"Elyana, my invitation still stands. Tell Adeline that the both of you should come to visit me." 

She nodded and smiled before leaving. With no car to go back, she tried calling for a cab through her phone.  But then the old Mr. Hansen's car pulled over in front of her. The window of the back seat was rolled down.

"Let me give you a ride, Elyana." The old man offered kindly. She didn't have a reason to say no so she obediently complied.

While on the way, Christopher Hansen spoke a little about his unpleasant relationship with his grandson. "My little boy could not forgive his old man," his voice was full of regret. "I did him wrong when he was young and I don't know how to make it up to him."

Suddenly, Ely felt bad for him. He must had been feeling sad for so many years. On the other hand, she couldn't judge Kristoff. Whatever grudge he holds against his own grandfather wasn't her business after all.

Ely did not need to tell where she lives but the car pulled over exactly in front of Adeline's house.  'Money works,' Ely thought.

She was sure, Mr. Hansen had everything about her figured out before the dinner. 

"Thank you, Mr. Hansen." She politely thanked the old man again. As she watched the car drove away, Ely had a realization. If the old Mr. Hansen knew her, for sure, Kristoff knew about her all along as well. It wasn't random that he made her his assistant. 

He was probably thinking that they were related. But why was he rude to her?

Adeline, no one could answer her question but Adeline. With a wild guess, she went inside the house and looked for her mother.

"Mom," she found Adeline busy cooking in the kitchen. 

"Ely, you're home. I'm cooking your favorite, it'll be done soon."  She felt guilty all of a sudden. She forgot to tell Adeline that she had eaten her dinner.

"Mom, I- uhmn, the boss brought me to dinner," she hugged Adeline from her back. "I'm sorry, mom. I forgot to tell you."

"Really? But it's still early." She turned around and faced her. "It's fine. Don't say sorry. So, does it mean, you're getting along with Shanel?"

"No, I mean, Shanel's no longer my boss." 

"What happened?" Adeline took off her apron and called the cook to take over. She then led Ely to the living room.

"Mr. Hansen made me her assistant," Ely said without further ado. "Tonight, he brought me to have dinner with his grandfather. Old Mr. Hansen actually sent me home." 

Adeline didn't get surprised. "Everything's going according to my expectations."

"Mom, your son, is he-?" Adeline nodded even before she could finish.

Ely couldn't believe that her hunch was right. The CEO must be thinking that she was his sister. 

"I knew that Kristoff would investigate you once he learns that I talk to his godfather to let you work in his company. I'm still his mother after all." 

"Does he hate you, mom?" She asked rather reluctant. "He's rude to me."

"I'm sorry, Ely." Adeline held her hands. "But I promise you, I'm also doing this for you and Kristoff. I just need you to trust me. My son is a good person." 

Ely didn't understand what she meant. She just nodded. 

*

"Ms. Green, I asked for the bidding documents not the financial statement!" Kristoff threw the folder Ely had just brought him. "What is wrong with you?! If you cannot do such a simple task, why did you even think of coming to my company?" 

Ely was on the verge of tears. She took him the right document. And now he only threw it back to her face.  She was sure of what she'd been told. He asked for the financial statement and not the bidding documents as he was claiming. 

"Go get the right one!" He shouted. 

Saying nothing, she quietly picked up the folder on the floor and left his office. 

'He's just trying to make your life difficult, Ely. Don't take it to heart.' She told herself.

Before she could go back to his office, Kristoff had already asked Zack to bring the bidding documents. 

Ely went back to her workstation. Why was Kristoff so mean to her?

"Kristoff believes that I abandoned him," Adeline told her last night. "I never got the chance to explain myself to my son." Adeline married Chris Hansen when she was just eighteen. They were very much in love. However, Adeline was a poor girl while Chris was the successor of the Hansen empire. Chris's parents, especially Christopher Hansen strongly opposed their marriage.

He successfully drove Adeline away who unbeknownst to them was pregnant with Kristoff at that time. Chris got seriously depressed and wasted his life with suicide later on. Christopher couldn't accept the meaningless death of his son and still pinned the blame to Adeline.

Nine years later, when the empire had no successor, he learned about Kristoff. He took the child and made him believe that his mother sold him for money.  Powerless Adeline was robbed off her husband first and then her child was taken away from her as well. She was made evil in the eyes of her very own son.

Five years later, she finally got the luck of her life. An old rich businessman took her under his wings. Married her and transferred all his assets in her name without any condition. She worked hard to further expand his fortune. And in no time, she became well known in the business industry as Adeline Green.

And now that she was no longer the helpless Adeline twenty-one years ago, she could finally face her son who hates her so much.

"I promise you, mom. I won't let Kristoff hate you for the rest of his life," she told Adeline. 

An hour later, Kristoff called her again. 

"Book the earliest flight to New York. The branch needs my immediate attention. You come with me. Do you have a VISA?" Kristoff's tone was gentle this time but his full attention was on the pile of documents before him.

"Yes, Mr. Hansen," she replied. A sudden out of the country on her second day as P.A? Adeline must have had thought of this possibility before. She was so ready. 

"Impressive," Kristoff lifted his gaze to her but he didn't try to hide the sarcasm on his voice. "Get out!"

Ely rolled her eyes the moment she turned around to leave. 'What an arrogant beast!'

Their flight was scheduled at five a.m. the very next day. Kristoff simply told her to meet at the airport. They were flying business class, of course.

The boss was pretty workaholic. Even while on the plane, he merely stopped working. He just took a short nap and started working again. Ely on the other hand was a sleepy bug. She had a hard time not dozing off.   

*

Immediately after landing, Kristoff went full work mode again. They were fetched by the branch manager personally and went to the office right away. 

"What's going on? You told me that you already settled everything with the Governor." The boss was angry again. "You of all people here knows how important this project is! The construction should begin in a month's time and here you are telling me that the permits aren't done. What am I paying you for? B*llsh*t!"

"Mr. Hansen, the Governor's only request is you attend her daughter's birthday party tonight." The middle aged Mr. Leith tried to explain to the much younger CEO.

"You should've just put up an excuse!" Kristoff was still annoyed that such matter would need him to fly all the way from the opposite side of the world. "If you are not capable of handling things like this, tell me now, you are not indispensable!"

"It wasn't like that, Sir. The Governor-"

"Where's your secretary? Get her to prepare Ms. Green for the party tonight. She's coming with me." Kristoff didn't give him a chance to justify himself further. 

The Governor's intention was clear. He wanted Kristoff to meet his daughter. And the CEO hates that kind of style the most. If only the project wasn't on the crucial stage, he would just let it go. 

"Yes, Sir." With that, Ely parted ways with Kristoff. She heaved a sigh when he's finally out of her sight. Georgie, Mr. Leith's secretary accompanied her for the rest of the day.

She only took a short nap before Georgie took her to the boutique right inside the hotel that they were checked in. It was a high class shop that items come in handsome prices. Even Adeline wouldn't wear such expensive gowns. Her mother wasn't a show off person.  However, since she would be beside Kristoff tonight, she had to dress up. 

"Don't keep checking the price tags," Georgie was amused. "Mr. Hansen owns this hotel and everything inside." 

"Really?" She didn't hide her surprise. Actually she only booked the flight but the hotel was arranged by Georgie. Turned out, Kristoff owns the hotel.  Then she realized how stupid her reaction was. Of course, Kristoff had to own the hotel. Wasn't he the famous young CEO of the hospitality industry?  "Sorry, I've only been working for him for three days," she shyly explained. 

"That's a cute reaction." Georgie chuckled. "Well, he must trust you a lot that he brought you here." 

"I'm not so sure about that."

"He must be." Georgie pulled out a blue strapless gown from the rack. "Try this on."

"I actually have one problem."

It was her scar on the right side of her neck. The ugly burn that links her to her unknown past. She ended up wearing a black strapless neck scarf gown. The scarf hid her scar very well and elegantly.

"You're gorgeous," Georgie praised. "And we haven't made you up yet."

"She already looks stunning without the makeup." The lady assisting them said. "She's a natural. Let's leave it that way."

Ely blushed. She knew she wasn't a knock out.

"No need to be shy. But I would say you look pretty irresistible when you're blushing." Said Georgie while applying something on her face. “Just to keep the oil away,” she added. 

Pulling her hair in a romantic twisted updo, the lady finally noticed her eyeglasses. "You should ditch the glasses, can you see without it, honey?"

"Not very clear but I'm still good without it."  The lady and Georgie were awed when she took her glasses off.

“Your eyes!” Georgie was mesmerized. “They’re beautiful!”

“Thanks!”

By six o'clock she was all dolled up and just waiting for the CEO himself.

"Hey, the CEO's single. Want to bet? He'll get totally smitten by you tonight." Georgie teased.

"Not for a second," she rolled her eyes. 'He thought that I'm his sister.' But she kept that in her mind. 

"You're so modest," Georgie giggled.