DAYDREAM → PAUL LAHOTE

° 29

It is September now, a month after Mera is twenty-three years of age. She had to admit, The celebration is kind of fun except when Mateo told her about his father's people getting in but besides that, everything went the way she wanted it.

She receives many gifts, and when she said many, it means many like every corner of her room, you can see a lot of wrapped gifts that night. Mera's surprised that the people got her gifts because she's used to Mia saying that it's hard to get someone a gift who already has everything.

Coraline had summoned her to the office, she assumed that it was something important. She is now making her way to the office, her heels loudly tapping on the floor is there something new?

When she arrives there, she saw Coraline patiently waiting at her sit, an envelope tightly clutching at her hand.

"Open it." Coraline said as she hands her an envelope before sitting back down "Aunt Coraline, what's this?" Mera asked, completely puzzled "Open it." Coraline repeated.

Mera sighed before gently opening the envelope, inside the envelope is a bunch of papers which led Mera to be puzzled more but not until she started reading it.

"Oh— I— it's too early." Mera stuttered, unable to speak properly because of how shocked she is. Because in her hand was the title of the house and everything Coraline used to own.

"You are fit for that." Coraline whispered as she smiled "I will be retiring." Coraline sighed "It's your duty now." She added
Mera looked at her, eyes as wide as the window "What if— what if I can't manage it?" Mera asked, palms on her forehead, still shocked by what is happening and what she just read "I believe in you, Hemera and you must believe in yourself too." Coraline smiled and stood up straight before walking towards Mera who looked like a statue in her position while looking at Coraline.

"It's time you full fill your duty, my dear." Mera wanted to say something but she cannot find the right word. It seems like she had forgotten the alphabet and can't utter a single word.

"Well, I must full fill with grace." Mera says at last as she smiled softly to Coraline "I'll be in my room, if you wanted me, just call me." Mera told Caroline before walking out of the room, papers in her hand as she made her way towards her bedroom.

She walked passed a bunch of staff as they bowed to her, including Lip "Mademoiselle." Lip, their butler, said with a smile on his face before doing his job.

Being called Mademoiselle hadn't sunk into her yet, since the day she had arrived here at the manor, people always address her as Miss even though what Mademoiselle means Miss, it's to avoid confusion.

Since Coraline was never wed, she's always addressed as Mademoiselle and it will show confusion about who's being called if Mera was being called Mademoiselle too so they decided that she will be called Miss. They thought of the name Dame Mera which means Lady Mera but they got used to Miss.

Though they can use Mademoiselle Mera, she refused since to her, it's too long.

Arriving here, Mera already has everything, she is the heir of one of the wealthiest families in France, and she has everything she can ask for. Growing up, she already had a wealthy life. She used to live where she came from in a twelve-bedroom house owned by the family of her father. It is her father's land but is renovated by her mother's money.

"Mateo," Mera said, knocking on Mateo's door. Usually, she doesn't knock when she's about to come to his room but she doesn't want to see him fully naked like she did a few months earlier when she walked into his room without knocking first.

Until now, she hasn't fully erased that memory and it continues to haunt her even in her sleep "It's open, you can come in." Mera nodded before opening the door "What is it, now?" Mateo asked even before Mera could fully enter.

"It's all under my name." Mera told him as she sat beside him on his bed."The what?" Mateo asked, totally confused "Business and fortunes, the manor." She explained as she smiled. Mateo's eyes widened, unable to process what Mera had just said: "Holy shit— is that for real?" His reaction is exactly like Mera's though Mera keep the holy shit part to herself and didn't use her vocal.

"Yes, it is." Mera answered, "Does that mean you're finally a billionaire now?" He asked, "I thought so." Mera said and shrugged "Great." Mateo let out a laugh before bouncing into his bed "Why are you so happy?" Mera asked as she furrowed her eyebrows, he can't be this happy for her and the way he acts right now made it look like he was the heir and not her "Because I can finally ask you to buy me a car." Mateo replied.

"I can buy you a car even though I don't have any of Aunt Coraline's money" Mera had a business a few years ago and it went well but she needed to prioritize her study so she stopped it but the business got her a big amount of money.

"You already have a car. Why do you need another one?" Mera asked "I don't know. I just wanted another one." He laughs and Mera rolled her eyes before pushing him off the bed.

She cannot argue with him because she has lots of cars, and the brand is different for each car.

Starting tomorrow, she'll be at the meetings, listening to the same group of people each day. Coraline used to take her to meetings, for her to see what's it like and to get used to people formally talking to her because Coraline thought that no people spoke to her formally and properly back there where she came from.

She'll be sleeping late— like she wasn't used to it— because of countless papers to check tomorrow and tonight she will make sure she gets a lot of sleep because she won't know when she will be getting more sleep after she started working.

Even though they own it, she needed to work because she still has to check what is happening to her own company, if it's doing okay, if the workers are doing okay, being the boss doesn't mean no work. She'll be needing Mateo and Louise by her side starting tomorrow.