The car was speeding along the empty road. Vivienne leaned comfortably in the backseat, looking outside. The car windows were lowered, and a cool breeze blew inside, hitting her face.
The Rontrix city was near a hilly region; the upper part of the city was where the elite families lived, a little distant from the city crowd. This area was particularly picturesque, with big trees, large lakes, and miles of greeneries, through the middle of which lay clean asphalt roads. The place was quiet as well as charming. It was already the spring season, the air carried the scent of damp earth and budding flowers; along the sidewalks, the branches of the trees carrying soft green buds swayed in the air.
The world was shaking off the last remnants of winter's cold gasp, taking a deep breath of renewal, remembering time's gentle return; just like the way Vivienne did.
Sitting in the moving car, Vivienne's thoughts drifted away again to her past life memories. Though she had told herself not to think about it anymore, but still!
Five years were not a short time, and so were the memories.
She remembered, the year she got married, that year the spring felt totally different to her! She remembered, how she had blushed whenever she looked at the tiny diamond engagement ring on her left ring finger! She spent the last three months almost sleepless, counting every day. The more she got closer to their wedding date, the more nervous she became. And finally, it was the early summer when she was married to Damien.
After their marriage, Vivienne decided not to continue her studies anymore. She thought she already had enough — a loving family, a loving husband, loving in-laws; what else would she need? She decided not to run behind her career anymore, and give full of her time and attention to the Ashford family and Damien. None of the families disagreed with her, so she dropped off her studies and never completed her graduation.
But little did she know that her this decision would one day become a joke in the town!
Soon after a couple of months of their marriage, Damien stopped taking her anywhere because — he was too embarrassed to take his university dropout wife anywhere. As her substitute, Sarah used to accompany him to parties and every social gathering.
Everyone joked about her naive, foolish decision. The girl who was once everyone's idol had gradually transformed into a good-for-nothing housewife in everyone's eyes.
Thinking about it now, Vivienne couldn't help but laugh at herself.
'What kind of fool was I? I knew people get blinded by love, but become insane! None other than me — I bet.'
She sighed. She had tried so hard to be the perfect daughter, the perfect sister, the perfect wife, the perfect daughter-in-law. But perfection meant nothing to them. She was still just an orphan in their eyes, disposable when the time came.
But what it was, was.
She wouldn't dwell on the past anymore. After getting a second chance, in this life, she'd take back everything that belonged to her — starting with her future.
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"Ma'am, we've reached."
Sitting in the car, Vivienne was a little sleepy; her drowsiness was broken by the driver's call. Looking outside, she found the car standing in front of the Ashford mansion's portico.
She got out of the car. It was already past twelve; Damien and his father used to be in the office now. She had calculated the time before visiting, she had no desire to unnecessarily be in front of anyone except Mrs. Ashford Sr. of this family before her work was done.
Shaking off all the doubts, she straightened her posture. Enough of dwelling on the past, she had a mission today.
As she stepped in, one of the maids came running to her way. She was the future grandmother of this house, so it was their responsibility to respect and take care of her.
"Where's Grandma?" She asked, in a polite tone.
"Madam Senior is in her room, Miss Winter." One of them replied.
"Oh, can you please tell her I'm here to meet her?"
The maid went upstairs, and within two minutes, she came back. "Madam Senior asked you to come into her room."
"Oh, thank you!"
Nodding with another smile, she walked towards Mrs. Ashford Senior's room.
Maria was reading a book when she heard soft knocks on the door of her room. And with that, a very favorite face of hers appeared there, "Grandma!"
"Viv! Come inside." Seeing her, her face lit up in a second. She had seen this girl since childhood, and she could say even with closed eyes that, she had never met such a well-mannered and sweet girl like her!
Vivienne slipped inside the room. "What are you doing?"
"Nothing much, come, sit here." Placing the book on the bedside table, she asked her to sit beside her.
Vivienne settled herself beside her and glanced around. Since childhood, she had always loved Maria's room; it had a vintage aura and a couple of shelves full of books. When she was in the family mansion before moving out with Damien, she used to spend most of the time in this room only. Even after moving out, whenever they visited this place, Vivienne had always found herself drifting to this room!
Maria had always treated her well and loved her like her own granddaughter. Actually, after the Winter family and Damien, Maria was the only person whom she loved so much. Even her marriage to Damien was also arranged by her!
Maria has always believed a little too much in supernatural powers, fate, and fortune-telling. It happened to be five years ago when she went on a trip to her ancestral house in her hometown with Damien and Vivienne, where she met a fortune teller who advised her to marry her grandson to Vivienne so that she could bring good luck to the Ashford family.
She was overjoyed with the idea of her grandson's marriage to the girl of her choice and she arranged the marriage between the two families by herself.
Back then, Vivienne used to like Damien, so naturally, she never opposed it.
"Okay, so tell me, why suddenly visiting me?" Maria's voice brought her back to the present. At first, Vivienne couldn't decide how to say this to her. Would she dismiss her request? She didn't know yet, but she had to take the risk. Unsure, but after taking a little time, she finally spoke up.
"Grandma, I have a request."
"Spill it quickly. Why are you hesitating!" She laughed.
Vivien took a deep breath, then spoke up, looking at her eyes. "Umm, Grandma, can we postpone the wedding? For about... One year?"