The Heiress Return

Chapter four

New city New experience

Elena’s POV

She sat down on a long chair by the roadside after she couldn’t catch up with the thief. All she had left was herself and her small Android phone.

She looked devastated because of everything happening in her life at the moment. She decided not to give up and began looking for a job, but she was still very new to the environment. With the way she looked, no one seemed to want to talk to her.

She kept walking without any particular direction. She was very famished because she hadn’t eaten since she stepped into New York, but she didn’t have any money or a job. She had only herself.

She saw a kiosk where street food was being sold. It was owned by a middle-aged woman in her late fifties.

She approached the woman and begged, asking if she could work for her in exchange for food.

The woman asked where she was coming from and what her name was. Elena explained herself and told her what she had been through in New York.

The woman gave her some food and a new pair of clothes that belonged to her daughter, who was around the same age as Elena.

Elena thanked her and left.

Alexander’s POV

After he discovered that his daughter had left for greener pastures, Alexander requested a photograph or anything that could help him identify her.

Mrs. George gave him a picture that had been taken when Elena turned fifteen, along with her phone number.

He thanked her and went back to his car.

He decided to call the number she had given him. He dialed it, and the phone rang, but just before the person on the other end could answer, the call dropped.

He tried calling again, but the number was not reachable.

He sent the number to his detective with an order to find her address and whereabouts. He then drove back to the airport.

While all this was going on, Julian showed no care or remorse about the situation or the search.

“Dad, aren’t you doing too much for someone you didn’t even know? What could she be that Vivienne can’t? For someone who grew up in a place like this, I’m very certain she’s not in any way close to my Vivienne, so why the stress?”

Alexander sighed.

“What you don’t know is what I am not doing this because I’m in need of her or because I don’t love Vivienne. Of course, Vivienne will forever remain my proud little princess. But the fact that she’s a Whitmore means a business enemy may one day discover her and try using her to damage us.”

Julian sighed.

“Then I hear you.

Elena’s POV

On her way back from school, her phone rang. Just as she picked it up, the phone went off due to low battery. Now, she was left with nothing but a dead phone.

She saw a place where there was a vacancy for a cleaner and decided to apply.

She walked inside.

“Good day. Please, how can I help you? the manager asked.

“I saw a vacancy for the job of a cleaner. I want to apply.

“Where is your CV?”

“I don’t have one.”

“What’s your educational qualification?”

“I’m still aiming for high school.”

The manager looked at her.

“I’m sorry. This is a five-star restaurant, and big names come here for meetings. We only employ educated people. I’m sorry, but we can’t employ you because you have no formal education.”

“Thank you.”

She left, feeling sad.

As she walked away, she said to herself, One day, I will have all the degrees. I won’t give up on my dreams.

Isabelle’s POV

Isabelle sat on the sofa. She had been a full-time housewife who mostly attended gatherings with her husband while spending her free time on her phone.

Vivienne walked in. She had just returned from school.

Isabelle rushed to her.

“You can’t ignore me, Vivienne. I’m still your mother.”

“But you will soon stop being my mother the moment your true daughter arrives.”

“That doesn’t change the fact that I raised you right from birth.”

“But you will love and care for her more than me.” Vivienne began sobbing.

“No, I won’t. All I am asking is that you welcome her like your own sister too.”

Isabelle paused before continuing.

“In fact, to show you that I will always care for you, go and change your dress. Let’s go shopping.”

Vivienne quickly rushed inside to change her dress, and they left the house.

Shopping Mall

They picked different things as they went around the mall. Vivienne kept choosing different items, and Isabelle paid for them.

Just as they were about to leave the mall, they ran into Mrs. Victoria on their way out.

“Hi, Mrs. Victoria. It’s been ages,” Isabelle said.

“Good afternoon, ma’am,” Vivienne greeted.

“How are you, my daughter?” Mrs. Victoria asked as she hugged Vivienne.

“Isabelle, it’s been a while. Have you been good? What’s new with you?”

“We thank God. How’s business? It’s been a while since I last saw you at the estate too. How’s the family?”

“We are all doing well. We packed out of the estate because Grandma wanted a quieter place.”

“That’s good. And if you don’t mind having dinner with us sometime soon, it will be nice to see you and the family again.”

“That’s a nice idea. I’ll let you know.”

They departed and went their separate ways.

“Does that mean that if Mrs. Victoria comes for dinner, all her family will come too?” Vivienne asked.

“Yes, I hope so,” Isabelle replied.

Vivienne blushed, and Isabelle looked at her confusingly.

The Whitmores’ POV

Getting back home, Isabelle and Vivienne met Alexander and the boys seated together.

Isabelle asked, “How did it go? Where’s the girl?”

Julian answered, “I really don’t know why you and Dad are so concerned about this girl. We didn’t come here with any stranger.”

Alexander looked at him.

“Will you shut it? Well, my dear, it turns out the girl left the orphanage for greener pastures. We didn’t get to meet her.”

“Poor girl. Things must have been really difficult for her,” Isabelle said.

Vivienne left a wicked, satisfied smile without anyone noticing her.

“But I was able to get her picture and phone number,” Alexander said.

Vivienne’s smile dropped instantly.

Isabelle said, “Then we should try calling her to know where she is.”

“I already did, but she hung up. I have also asked my boys to look into her whereabouts. No Whitmore should stay outside.”

Julian shook his head.

“All this stress over a poor girl from nowhere. Oh, please. I’m out of this discussion.”

He left angrily for his room.

Adrian looked at his father.

“Dad, I just hope all this is worth it.”

He left for his room too.

Vivienne quietly stood up and headed inside.

“Vivienne, stop.” Alexander embraced her. “My little angel, I don’t want you thinking someone is coming to steal your place in my heart. You are still my princess and the only daughter of the Whitmores known by the public.”

“Yes, my dear. You are still our princess,” Isabelle added.

Vivienne left while Alexander showed Isabelle the note they had given him at the orphanage.

Isabelle looked at it in shock.

“What?! So someone deliberately switched my daughter with hers? Who could it be?”

Maya’s POV

Maya Bennett is a nineteen-year-old girl who lived with her single mother. She lost her father when she was five, and ever since then, it had been just her and her mother. She was an only child quiet, easygoing, and kind-hearted.

Her mother owned a kiosk down their street where she sold food. Maya worked part-time and took shifts to help her mother pay the bills and take care of other expenses.

She studied hard enough to gain a scholarship into Westbridge Academy, an institution known for offering scholarships to two students every year.

She was lucky to have qualified the previous session, but ever since she entered the school, she had become a major target of bullying, especially from Vivienne and her friends.

But she kept enduring it because she had nobody.

On her way home from her night shift, she saw a girl sitting by the roadside, shaking because of the cold weather.

Maya moved closer and observed her. She tapped her gently.

“Young lady, what are you doing outside in this cold weather? And what’s your name?”

The young girl raised her head.

“My name is Elena. I have nowhere to stay.”

Maya observed her one more time before speaking.

“If you don’t mind, I live down the street. Will you come with me?”

“Yes. Thank you.”

“I’m Maya, by the way.”

They both walked to Maya’s house.

“Have you eaten? Sit here. Let me call my mother.”

“Thank you.”

Maya entered her mother’s room.

“Mum, you’re back.”

Maya’s mother looked up.

“My dear, you are back. Welcome. How was work?”

“Work is fine, but, Mum, I found a girl on the street and took her home with me.”

Maya’s mother stared at her in shock.

“You did what?! You took a complete stranger into our home? What if she’s a thief or something?”

“Mum, she doesn’t look like one. Plus, she has nowhere to stay.”

“How sure are you? Take me to her now.”

They arrived in the living room.

“Mum, Elena. E

lena, this is my mum.”

Elena stood up politely.

“Good evening, ma.”

Maya’s mother looked at Elena.

Her eyes widened.

“You again?!