Lost Gem

Chapter 16

Standing in front of the table and in a familiar room, Anastasia feels nothing but like a bundle of nerves. The head chair that Adriano occupied that day is taken by Allesandro.

His eyes stares at every single one of them. They are 7 of them standing at the opposite side of him. Anastasia finds herself standing between Stefano and Ermanno.

Arabella is also standing at far opposite of her but sure that she's spurting curses mentally. She still cannot afford to understand about this mute girl's presence here, in her home and the feeling of dread in the dead of her stomach is just scaring her even more.

"Adriano, I would like it if you explain what's going on here." Allesandro lifts his head to look at the tallest and oldest among of these 7.

"Father." Anastasio interrupts and takes a small forward.

"This started with me. So I would like to carry out this conversation first."

Allesandro furrows his brows and nods his head.

"You remember that night when I was attacked and I crashed my car."

Allesandro nods his head again while Arabella is the only one whose eyes widens in shock.

He was attacked? When?

"I was saved by her." He points at Anastasia with her eyes, like making her stand in limelight.

"It isn't just ends here." Stefano takes an opportunity to jump in.

"That night when you sent us to finish that small gang. We both actually met her again. She was the witness but you know, she saved Anastasio's life once so we couldn't just kill her. We were planning on taking her here, in our residence, so you could decide what should we do with her but in between this, someone planned to assassinate me. But she jumped in to save me by taking a bullet that was meant for me." It might be the first time since everyone heard Stefano speaking so much at once. He might even be rambling a little but every word he said by his heart.

Allesandro looks up at Anastasia who is looking at Stefano from the corner of her eyes but her facial expressions give away nothing.

"We took here here and treated her. In between this, Adriano ordered to take a DNA test while she was unconscious because we just couldn't ignore that uncanny resemblance."

This catches Anastasia's attention. Her head snaps at Giovanni, who seemed to be the quietest one among them have suddenly dropped a bomb on top of her. So he already knew too?

She blinks in shock just like Allesandro. Arabella's legs trembles as everything slowly starts making sense.

"The results came out positive." This time, it is Adriano who spoke.

"Those deadbodies are fake. We were tricked."

Anastasia flinches, stepping back as Enraged Allesandro flips the table.

"What the hell did you just say?!" His tone turns menacing and his eyes looks red in anger.

Anastasia slowly watches as Allesandro in front of her slowly converts into the image of Paul.

Her eyes widens in horror. Taking several steps back in fear, her whole body shakes as she falls down on her behind.

"Anastasia!" Ermanno shouts her name in concern and runs to her side.

This pauses Allesandro briefly.

He looks down at Anastasia's face that withholds nothing but pure terror. His heart suddenly starts to bleed in raw pain.

"Take her out of here." The pent up rage and frustrations is still not calmed down.

Adriano knows that his father didn't want to scare her further.

He motions at Anastasio with his eyes who does not waste time in grabbing her trembling form and scoops her up in his arms.

Ermanno follows behind him with a blank look on his face while Arabella storms out of there feeling nothing but panicking from inside.

This is bad!

She should not be here. Her mind plays a familiar image in front of her eyes.

Flashback***

"M-mommy." Arabella whimpered in shock, clutching to Isabella's leg as she noticed a big, scary man who approached Anastasia with a huge needle in his hand. She instantly shut her eyes, her young heart filled with fear while she listened to Anastasia's muffled crying.

When she opened her eyes again, the man had slung Anastasia's small body on his shoulder. Feeling Arabella's eyes on him, he faced her and gave her a sick grin.

Isabella immediately shoved her behind herself.

"Don't look at my daughter!" She hissed at the crazy man.

"Why not? If you didn't give me this girl, I would have taken your daughter as per the deal. You failed to pay me, Remember?" Isabella glared at him but kept quiet wisely for a second.

"Whatever. Is everything ready?" Isabella asked in a worried tone.

He nodded and patted the unconscious girl's back. Whatever he was planning on doing with Anastasia seemed bad.

"M-mommy." Arabella spoke in a fearful tone as her mother led her out of the room.

"Listen dear. I won't meet you for a long time. I'm sacrificing everything for you, my princess. I hope you can forgive me one day for leaving you like this but it needs to be done." She said with a heavy hurt and engulfed her daughter tightly.

"Mommy b-but don't leave me." Arabella whimpered and clutched her mother's leg.

"Arabella. I promise I will meet you one day. But let me leave now, don't make it so hard." Isabella furiously wiped her tears away.

"But Anastasia-" Arabella tried to say but cut herself off after seeing a glare on her mother's name.

"Don't speak that wretch girl's name again. She's the reason why you would have to suffer in future. That's why I'm throwing her out of your life.  Just remember my words Arabella and bury them in your heart, don't say a word to anyone but she needs to go. She should not be here!"

"Be a strong girl for me, Arabella." Isabella hugged her tightly one last time and pushed her in the direction of stairs.

"Now go downstairs."

*************Flashback over

Arabella frowns as she almost collides into one of the pillar. She digs her nails into it and scratches them painfully.

"Anastasia should not be here!"

Wait is finally over and the truth is revealed... Please don't hate Arabella too much... She was just a young child and manipulated by her mother...

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