Chapter 3. Owner

What a surprise. 

It was the heir of the Phoenix Corporation, Phoenix Mason Hill. The man I just encountered yesterday.  

Oh... look what we have here... 

"You remember me?"  

He crossed his arms in front of him, raising his eyebrows. "Of course I would. I just encountered you yesterday, and you're very unforgettable." He then stopped. "And you just called me manong? We're almost the same age." 

"Forget about that. But why are you ....here? And doing...that?" I asked, pointing at the grass. A billionaire trimming the grass on his own, covered in sweat under the heat of the sun and wearing normal clothes? And now that I could see it, he had a mud stain on his white shirt.  

Gosh, I can't even imagine how much that white shirt costs. This is the first time I know of this. Well, I do not know all of the billionaires so I should not be quick to judge.  

He raised his eyebrows "Why? Is there something wrong with trimming the grass?"  

"No. It's just...surprising for an heir of a multi-billionaire company..." I trailed off. "I must admit, I thought you were a spoiled and arrogant typical billionaire kid," I admitted. Because it's true. It's what I think of whenever I hear a billionaire. I'm not judging it but yeah... 

"My parents used to train me here so that I could learn the hardship of being needy. And I get attached to this place." He said, glancing at the mansion behind us.  

Then I remembered what I came here for. I paused, looking at him with wide eyes. "Don't tell me.... you're the new owner of the house?"  

He shook his head. "Well, I'll answer that later but you have to answer my question first. Why are you here?"  

I offered a polite smile. "I'm Sereia Philomena Hudson Isolde, and I'm here to buy this land," I said confidently.  

It took a few seconds for Phoenix to process what I just said. "Buy? But this land is currently not for sale. Are you kidding me?"  

I shook my head. "No, I'm dead serious. Now tell me who is the current owner of this house." 

Phoenix was speechless at what I said but he then nodded, and led me inside the mansion, and called out, "Fine, I'll call for her. Granny! Someone is looking for you!"  

I paused at that. Granny? Who is this person Phoenix calling? Just then, an old woman came out of the door of the mansion. She had black hair and chocolate brown eyes. She has soft but prominent features, much like Phoenix but except, she looks feminine and she has wrinkles on her face due to old age.  

"Why, my dear...Who is it?" Asked her gentle voice. Looking at me, she narrowed her eyes, then smiled warmly at me, suddenly recognizing me. "Sereia?"  

She greeted me with a gentle hug so I did not have a choice but to return it. "You're already grown up! Do you still remember me, my dear?" 

"Ahm .." I trailed off, not able to answer. Who is she? I feel bad as she welcomed me warm-heartedly and I'm trying my best to rack my brains for any memory of her but found none.  

She chuckled. "Well, of course, you were young when you saw me. I'm Nanding. Just call me Lola Nanding. Good thing you visited me here." She then held my hand and motioned for me to follow her. 

Her legs were a bit slow so I supported her. "Come on, let's go to the kitchen. Do you want coffee, my dear?" She offered, guiding me to the dining room.  

I looked around the mansion. Everything was still...the same. The welcoming atmosphere still lingers.  

I still can see the hardwood floors that surrounded the house, the same floors that I once ran around. The door still creaks whenever someone enters the house.  

I suddenly felt my tears forming as a lump in my throat appeared. Memories replayed in my mind, and I inhaled the inviting scent of it. It's like they didn't do many renovations in the house. They let it stay just like that. And I thank them for that.  

"Are you okay, my dear?" Asked Lola Nanding, noticing my reaction. I smiled at her, wiping the tears in my eyes. "No, everything's fine. I just feel...deja vu."  

"You really love the house." She patted me on the back, comforting me. "Since I personally know your grandfather, the previous owner, I took care of the mansion. I made sure nothing has changed. Well, I just did some renovations but everything is still intact."  

I nodded, "Thank you, Lola Nanding."  

"You're welcome, sweetie." Reaching the dining table of the house, she made me sit at the chair beside her. 

"Phoenix, can you give us some coffee?" she requested and Phoenix appeared from the door, nodded his head, and left to obey his grandmother. Lola Nanding then turned to face me. "Do you need anything, sweetie?" 

I bit my lower lip, feeling tongue-tied. I should have waited for mom! Now what? I couldn't bring myself to say it! "Oh uhm...no, coffee is fine for me, Lola Nanding," I said respectfully.  

She nodded. "Oh, by the way, Phoenix is my grandchild, if you're still confused..." she chuckled. 

Oh, was I really that easy to read? People have kept on reading my mind lately. "Oh, I already guessed about it. Though I'm a bit..."  

"Shocked?" She suggested. I nodded in answer.  

She shook her head, chuckling again. "Well, I get that a lot. Actually, only a few people know that, just some of my friends and a few people I trust in this province."  

Oooh, so that's how it is. I feel stupid, and a bit sad for her. Is Phoenix hiding her from the world because he's embarrassed or something? "I'm sorry about being surprised by it. It's just...you never appeared in the news or any media." 

"Oh yes, yes. Actually, Phoenix decided that. He strictly doesn't want people to know my identity." She responded to me.  

Oooh... so it's not that Phoenix hid him because he's embarrassed, he simply chose that privacy in order to protect her. Well, I can't blame them for that. The life of celebrities is hard enough, what more to their family and friends?  

If I were in Lola Nanding's position, I would also do the same. It's better to live privately than showing the world everything.  

Seems like everything I assume about rich people is not true at all. I shouldn't have judged them.  

And I still couldn't get over the shock I felt knowing that the heir to a billionaire company lives here. What's more, his grandmother just orders him around and he complies without throwing a tantrum or something.  

Instead, I diverted the topic.  

"Thank you for the warm welcome, Lola Nanding," I said respectfully. "But may I know first how you know me? I'm just curious.?" I smiled at her. She has the same aura as my grandmother back when she was still able to walk. 

If Lola Nanding is a grandmother of Phoenix, and she knows me and my family, then does that mean that my family is close to the billionaire? 

Wow. Those times when we were lacking some money, we could have just asked for their help. I have to know more about this from my parents. I'll ask mom tomorrow when she arrives.  

I snapped back from my trance. I have to focus now. 

The wrinkles on her face creased from smiling too much. "Of course I know you, my dear. I took care of you when you were young! That was when you were two years old, I know you can't remember it since you were so young back then. How are your parents by the way?"  

Really? I don't know that. Neither mommy nor grandpa mentioned it to me. 

I returned her smile. "They're doing great, Lola Nanding. I didn't know about that, good thing you mentioned it to me." I said, pausing for a while, before continuing. "Are you the current owner of this mansion?" 

She nodded. "Yes, my dear. Is that why you came here?"  

I paused. "Yes, I...wanted to regain our land. We have a lot of memories here and it would be a waste....grandpa even promised to give this to me and I really looked forward to it..." I explained. 

"To be honest I have already planned everything for this land...but it was only yesterday that I found out that my grandfather sold the land last year So now, I came to talk to you." 

Lola Nanding nodded, hearing my words, then looked at me sadly.  

"Oh...really, my dear? I'm so sorry about that. Your grandfather came to me and I happened to have money at that time.  

I'm sorry, my dear. But I also planned to give this to my grandson...." She trailed off.