10.

"Father, would Ella be present for my award night?" Emily, who had just entered her father's home office, asked.

"Do you not have her phone number?" Eric asked. For the last two years since Ella had left home, there was rarely any mention of her in the house.

"I do." Of course, she doesn't have her phone number, but she would always check Ella's social media account, which is rarely ever updated.

"Then why not call her and invite her?" Eric asked. He has been trying to get Ella to return home since she left, but Ella stubbornly refuses. She doesn't even visit for the holidays, the only times he has seen her was when he visited her.

Emily smiled feeling helpless. She had wanted to make her father force Ella to attend her award night. She wanted Ella to be present as everyone acknowledged just her, she wanted to see the look of envy on Ella's face.

"Your sister will be happier if you invite her personally." Eric told Emily.

"Okay, Dad." With that, Emily left the office. A scowl resting on her face. Why would she bring herself low to invite Ella, Ella should be honored to even attend the event.

"Mom, Dad wants me to call Ella and invite her home to attend the award night." Clara frowned hearing Emily's words.

"Why?" Clara asked.

"I asked him to invite her. I wanted her to witness my success, since she left, there has been no news about her. I wanted her to see the vast difference between us; while I am in the limelight, she should see how unrecognized and unimportant she is." The more Emily spoke, the more excited she got.

In high school, Ella has always been better than her in studies, even when Emily had gone for art-related subjects while Ella went for science-related subjects; in the few classes they had together, Emily hated how Ella always tended to do better than her.

"Do you think that is a good idea? With her here, your father will stop paying so much attention to you." Clara could understand her daughter's feelings. Having Ella, who isn't as accomplished as Emily, over will be pleasing, but her worry is Eric.

Although Ella hasn't been home for the last two years, her position in Eric's heart hasn't for one moment been lost.

"Mom, do you know how proud Dad is? When I win this award, Dad's company will gain greatly from it since I am the face of the newly launched products. Do you really think he will pick Ella who hasn't contributed anything to the family over me who has?" Emily refused to believe that in Eric's heart, Ella was more important than her.

"So what are you going to do? Will you call her?" Clara asked Emily.

"Call her?" Emily sneered, "I do not even have her number. So how can I?" She asked with a slight scoff.

"Can you not make Dad call her?" Emily asked her mother.

Sighing defeatedly, "Fine, I will try and see if I can. But Em, are you really sure about this?" Clara still felt that inviting Ella over was a bad idea.

"I am." Emily responded confidently.

Meanwhile, Ella was sprawled on her apartment floor. She had just finished with her morning exercises and was resting when her phone rang.

Picking the phone, "Good morning ma'am." The estate agent she had employed greeted her.

"Good morning Austin. Is there any good news now?" After spending months in country G, Ella had gotten herself an office space. With just about 20 employees, she started her own business where they offer IT consulting services.

With her prior knowledge from her past life, she was able to efficiently run her business and now Ella is searching for a land. Her office rent expires in three years, and Ella is hoping that by then, she can have a permanent office available to move into.

"Based on your requirements, there is only one site I can think of, but the problem is they are not selling. I have tried to reach out to my contact in the Sterlings group, but he said except the CEO gives the go-ahead, which is, well, almost certain not to happen." Ella frowned.

"Can I visit the site with you?" She refuses to believe that there is nothing that can be done. But before she invests her time into seeking a solution, she would like to visit the said site and confirm that it is what she truly wants.

"Of course. We can go whenever you are free." Austin told her.

"In that case please give me three hours. I will be at your office and we can then visit the site." If he is right about the site being what she needs, then the earlier she acquires it, the better. If she delayed, another person will definitely get the land.

"Alright ma'am." Ending the call with Austin, Ella quickly went ahead to take her bath and prepare for the day.

[So are you going to be home? Even Emily wants you to attend her award night.]

As Ella read the text from her father, she laughed. 'How could I have almost forgotten?' She wondered as her fingers hovered on the keyboard, thinking of what she would respond with.

When she had planned on disgracing Emily on her biggest night, she hadn't cared whether her father would be affected by it or not, but now, she does care. She cannot afford to destroy her father's reputation just because of a vengeance. 'There should be more ways to deal with her right?' She thought to herself as she decided to not make use of the recording from two years ago.

[I doubt she wants me there, Dad. Besides, I am busy here, I have an important client and I cannot be away.] After hitting send, a memory flashed in her mind as she began to type, [Dad, Actually, I will be there.] She sent him another text.

In her past life, her father had been in an accident three days after the award night, this accident had led to him being in a vegetative state for years, a state he remained till her death.

'Will my going home change it?' Ella wondered.