Past Trauma

"Lucien squinted his eyes then massaged his temple then he gave a crisp response".

"Noted," he said, pausing his lips.

"Click"

"The call ended and Lucien leaned back slightly, closing his eyes". He knew what this call meant more than anything.

The name Vale had been generated through old money.

"Few minutes later, he opened his eyes and called for his driver".

"To the office, just drive at a steady pace, I need to relax my nerves a bit". He said.

"Okay sir" came the driver's response.

...

AT WHITE GROUP

"The elevator came to a stop, just at the right entrance where the meeting was taking place".

"Celestelle came out of the elevator, back straight and her gaze steady".

"She walked with calculated steps and grace, heading for the meeting room".

"Celestelle arrived at a glinting silver door, she could see her reflection, steadying herself, she pushed the door open, scanning her surroundings with her eyes".

"Celestela never had a chance to be in this room, mostly because she was a department head of a sector they didn't really need. She had created that department herself, and nobody ever bothered to bring her into the circle."

"A crucial presentation was going on in the meeting room when the door suddenly opened".

"Even the dumbest staff wouldn't dare, because they had all been informed not to cross there, including the janitors".

"Every person in the boardroom had one thought 'who could it be'.

"The door had not opened with a rush, if it had been so…..then it would have been understandable even so, that it was something really important".

"But not only did the door open slowly, like a king who barged in on his gossipy subordinate. It was still open and no one was stepping in yet".

"They all looked at each other, having their own thoughts in their heads".

"The chairman , Celestelle's stepfather, was seated at the head. And Connie the deput manager was seated not far from him".

"Celestelle scoffed, then stepped inside with a calm gaze".

"A pair of black eight inch heels appeared first, followed by toned, legs red dress, following the trace up to the waist view, then to a smooth fair chest popping out of the material. A sunkiss collarbone". Before the face came to view.

"Her looks were screaming elegance and composure."

"Immediately all this was seen, every breathing soul, widened their eyes in shock, some stood up abruptly, their chairs making a sound by the aftermath".

"Chairman Martinez clutched his chest in shock, like he had seen a ghost, Connie who was beside him had her eyes widened in disbelief".

"Yes, she knew Celestela didn't die, but what she didn't expect was seeing her after five days…..more so at the company, dressed flashy and like she owned the place".

"Connie was the first to come out of the shock, she felt like this wasn't Celestela, Celestela would never dress flashy and revealing".

"Celestelle eyes scanned everyone present, not hiding the mockery in her eyes".

"Do you guys miss me so much that you can't even sit properly?" Celestelle said, her eyes glinted with mockery and mischief.

" Ella" someone called.

"Immediately Celestelle heard the name, her fingers twitched, her heart ached as if pricked by a thousand needles".

"Celestelle held the nearby seat, shifting her gaze away from the boards, trying to steady her emotions". Her eyes were bright red, her cheeks turning red, her palm sweaty.

"Celestelle gasped for breath slowly, this was not her emotions but that of Celestela. Her body was reacting to reality".

"She remembered her step father always calling her Ella sweetly, either he wanted her to give what she had to Connie, or in front of people or for the media, or manipulative".

"But it was a completely different case when alone. She remembered the three of them eating together as a complete happy family".

"While she––it was either leftovers, no food or look for a blame to pin on her. She was just eighteen and just three months after her mother's death. She had come back from school bullied and mocked, Connie had whispered she had no father and mother, and that she was an orphan".

"She had come back from school bruised and smeared, only to be greeted with the sight of her stepfather and a woman who looked just like Connie and happened to be her mother's assistant".

"She rushed over to Connie demanding why she said those things to their classmate, but what she got in return was her father calling her this same nickname and reprimanding her for talking bad at Connie".

"From the corner of her eyes she remembered seeing Connie smile in contentment, her stepfather had called her the same Ella and kept food in the dog plate asking her to eat from it as her punishment". The things behind the name Ella was so traumatizing for her sometimes she thinks she might die".

And hearing the name Ella once again had triggered the emotions of Celestela, affecting Celestelle.

"During the time Celestelle was battling with Celestela emotions, Connie had steadied herself and kept her emotions in check".

"Celestelle took all of her willpower, fighting Celestela emotions".

"Their punishment would be given to them naturally, just like they had done" Celestelle whispered to herself, her gaze directed at her heart.

"Celestelle discomfort didn't go unnoticed by Connie".

'It could still affect her as usual, nothing really changed.' Connie thought.

"Smiling faintly Celestelle responded also, tone polite".

"Father," she called politely.

"I'm sorry I was late, please carry on" Celestelle said sarcastically with a not so polite smile sitting down at a nearby vacant seat.

"We are rounding up already, sis-ter "Connie responded emphasizing on the word sister, as she had always given her the sense that they were never related by blood in anyway".

"Celestelle turned her gaze lazily to the voice, and she saw the face that had always appeared in Celestela memory but was always blurry. For some reason she felt like she had seen the face somewhere, and there is a deeper connection between herself and Connie other than being stepsister's". Shaking her Head slightly, Celestelle snapped out of those thoughts, she was Celestela sister, maybe the familiarity came from Celestela and not her".

"If the meeting is rounding up isn't it okay to give me a summary of the meeting?" Celestelle asked lazily.

"I mean no one informed me a meeting was being held, I'm a department head not just that, this so happens to be the company of my biological parents" Celestelle pointed out the fact with smiles like it was nothing her gaze sweeping pass every board members".

"Connie squinted her eyes, wondering where Celestela's bravery and dominance had come from".

"What are you saying Celestela?" Chairman Martinez thundered standing up with force.

"Celestelle looked at him as if confused. Am I not right chairman Martinez?" Celestelle asked with a cruel smile".

"Martinez's chest raised and fell with rage, disbelief etched in his face, he couldn't believe the timid and easy to fool Celestela, comeback would be a sharp tongued with logistics, pointing out everything people had turned a blind eye to".

"People knew this wasn't his company, and that it was the company created by the late Mr and Mrs White, he didn't even go by the surname white".

"Connie was quiet all through her gaze calculated and it glinted with rage and malice". She opened her mouth wanting to say something when Celestelle's ringing tone broke the dead silence of the room.

"Celestelle picked the call looking at the unfamiliar number puzzled, she had gotten a new phone and sim during her confinement time at the Villa through the help of the butler and little money Celestela had.

"She hadn't given anyone the new number so who could be calling?", deciding not to guess she picked the call, and a deep annoying voice that hunted her during the morning came again. She had tried to forget that voice, and she truly did, but suddenly hearing it again, Celestelle gritted her teeth, even surprised with herself how she knew it was his voice so quickly.

"Hello" Celestelle's tone was calm and smooth, mostly because of the people around her.

"Where are you?' Lucien asked, his voice low, allowing someone needing full attention to understand his tone".

"Celestelle already knew one thing; his tune was always low, as if he had difficulty speaking at a high tune".

"Celestelle had wanted to ask why, or teased him a bit, but she had her own shame, she couldn't do that in the midst of all these people".

"White Group" she said.

"Lucien at the other end was taken aback slightly, he had prepared himself for her jab, because he already had a feeling she couldn't do without that". He was slightly satisfied with the fact she had answered like every normal human.

"Zachary would be with you shortly" Lucien's voice was crisp and short.