The Princess and the Pauper (Arabella and Romeo) novel Chapter 1116

Standing outside the villa, Serena allowed her tears to fall in silence, a melancholy smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

Tonight was Christmas Eve, and she had taken a twelve-hour flight just to reconnect with her family.

She knew her parents had kept a secret from her, bringing Arabella to visit their grandmother and uncle.

She knew she was not welcome here.

She knew everyone would rather not see her.

But she came anyway, driven by an affection built over eighteen years.

She wanted to bridge the gap between her and her parents, her uncle, her grandmother.

But as she rushed to the villa, she heard laughter and the sound of merry songs coming from the garden.

In the distance, a group of Santa Clauses and dozens of elves were singing and dancing around a girl.

There was no need to guess who that girl was!

Serena had planned to let bygones be bygones and join the fun, pretending her heart wasn't breaking.

But then, the fireworks that burst into the night sky, each word they spelled, deeply pierced her heart.

“Welcome home.”

“Merry Christmas Eve.”

“Happy Christmas.”

“Bella, be happy.”