"Aunt Nicole, are you feeling unwell? Is your back acting up again?" Lila asked worriedly, noticing Nicole's unusual behavior.
"It's nothing. I'm just getting old, so I need to be careful not to strain my back with any sudden movements," Nicole replied with a gentle smile.
She lovingly patted Lila's cheek. "Did you have a long day? Your grandparents are waiting for you inside, so let's go in. We even prepared a present for you."
"Isn't that a bit too much?"
"Not when this is your first time producing a film as an assistant director. I'm sure our darling Lila will become a brilliant director one day," Nicole praised warmly.
A motherly smile lit up her face, the faint wrinkles around her eyes adding to her elegance.
She reached out to take Lila's hand and spotted the gold bracelet on her wrist.
"Where'd you get this bracelet?" Nicole asked curiously.
Lila grinned. "Isn't it pretty? It's a present from Uncle Kieran for finishing the film."
She glanced at Kieran, who maintained his usual stoic expression. He only glanced at them briefly at the mention of his name, but his face remained the same.
Nicole wanted to tell Lila the bracelet's significance but decided to swallow her words.
Kieran looked so indifferent that Nicole figured she must have been overthinking things.
Knowing how considerate Lila was, there was a high chance she would feel uneasy after knowing the bracelet's price.
So, Nicole merely smiled and said, "It sure is. Kieran did one-up me this time. Your bracelet makes my gift pale in comparison."
She held Lila's hand and guided her toward the room. "Go say hi to your grandparents first. They would've gone to see you this morning if you weren't working."
"Lila, come sit with me," Hazel and Frances said in unison when they spotted Lila.
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: too late for a second chance novel (Lila and Dorian)