Lost Gem

Chapter 33 (Evil Influence)

"Die, you fucking disappointment!"

Arabella screams as the knife plunges right through the flesh and blood splatters across Isabella's face.

Gasping, she looks up to see Matteo's back in front of her.

The knife stabbed right through his hand but he does not seems to be caring about this instead he glares coldly at Isabella.

"So you are really alive, huh?" Matteo murmurs, his voice betraying none emotion.

"But not for long." He finishes his sentence as Isabella glares at him and takes a good look at him.

"You are his brother. Aren't you?" Isabella smirks as he freezes.

"What happened? Cat got your tongue?" She mocks him.

"I was there. I was there when she was killed. Bullet straight through her head! All of you will deserve the same fate now!" Her eyes darts to Arabella who shrinks behind Matteo.

"See ya!"

Suddenly smoke fills the entire room.

"She is running away." Arabella whispers quietly. Matteo does not answer. Instead, he grabs Arabella's wrist with his uninjured hand.

"We are leaving too." He announces.

Arabella does not hesitate or tries to stop him. She is still shaken up. Her mother really tried to kill her. It was no threat this time but an attempt.

She quietly glances down at the blood that is rolling down his hand but in the next second, looks away with a bitter look on her face. It was not like she cared at all. 'Matteo is a mere servant. His duty is to protect her always by putting his own life on line'.

As they reach the mansion, Arabella wastes none other second to storm inside.

Her mood sours at the sight of Ermanno and Anastasia together. Jealousy pours in her veins at the sight of Ermanno as he puts a necklace around her neck.

Anastasia's bodyguard Zeus is present there too and he is staring right at Arabella. The other two still seems no aware of her presence.

Suddenly Zeus stands up as Matteo enters the room with a troubled look on his face and his hand bleeding heavily.

"Matteo!" Zeus calls his name and takes long strides towards him.

Twins follow his gaze and finds Matteo and Arabella present.

Anastasia gasps quietly at the sight of blood.

Ermanno's brows furrows and he quickly looks at Arabella to check if she is injured too.

"What happened?" Ermanno demands in a hard tone.

"Nothing!" "Isabella was there!" Both newcomers answers at the same time. Arabella glares at Matteo. He was not supposed to tell her family. She had warned him in the car.

Ermanno's fists clenches. Anastasia freezes, remembering about Isabella, Arabella's mother who sent her away from her family with Paul.

Her soul shudders as faint, dull memories clicks in her mind.

"She tried to kill her." Matteo says calmly.

Ermanno looks at her worried. Arabella's heart warms seeing it. But the bitter feeling comes back again as her eyes falls on Anastasia who is also staring at her with concern.

Her heart pounds in her chest as Ermanno steps towards her, leaving Anastasia's side.

"You are ok, right?" Ermanno asks and places his hand on her shoulder.

Arabella tries hard to maintain a poker face but fails miserably. A smile forms at the end of her lips.

"Yes. I-I'm fine. Just a little shaken up." Arabella answers.

Tears forms in her eyes as Ermanno pulls her into a hug. She hugs him back tightly, cherishing this moment.

"I'm glad that you are ok. She will pay for trying to harm you! And, for everything she did to Anastasia." Her arms goes limp at her side at the mention of Anastasia.

Why can't it be her only? Arabella thinks bitterly. But puts a fake smile on her face and nods.

Matteo gives Zeus a look.

"We will be back, Ermanno." Zeus says as he crushes his cigarette in the ashtray.

Ermanno nods. Anastasia watches Zeus and Matteo worriedly. It seemed to her that they had a silent conversation with their eyes.

*******************

Adriano looks up to see Anastasia standing at the doorway of his office. Her eyes connected to floor and her fingers fiddling nervously.

"Anastasia....Come in." He closes his laptop. The tiredness vanishing from his face at the sight of his little sister.

She nods and steps forward. Sitting in the chair in front of him, she slowly looks up at him.

"What's wrong, Ana?" Adriano asks with none gentleness in his tone but he calls her by her nickname to show her that she doesn't need to fear him. It was all he could do. He was not used to showing softness.

"I-I wanted to s-say something."

Adriano's heart warms as she speaks to him openly.

"Go ahead."

"Y-you should let me g-go back." Anastasia says.

"What do you mean?" Adriano asks her another question, still calm as ever.

"Arabella was attacked by Isabella earlier and I accidentally l-listened to her and Ermanno's c-conversation. Isabella w-wanted me dead. Arabella killed Paul instead of killing me. Now Isabella wants to kill Arabella, her own daughter because she d---" A quiet sob leaves her lips. She shuts her eyes and blurts out again.

"I d-don't w-want anyone t-to suffer b-because of me. E-everything was fine until I came. It's best that you send me away fr---"

She pauses as she feels a hand on top of her head.

She opens her tearful eyes to see Adriano standing above her with his hand on top of her head.

"Shh. Don't say such things, Ana." He tells her.

Anastasia bites the inside of her cheek harshly. She stands up to face him.

"But it is right? Isn't it? I'm the reason why everything bad is happening! I shouldn't have bo--"

Her yelling cuts off as Adriano pulls her into a hug.

"It's ok Ana..."

'What?'

"If that's what you think, then we are ready to suffer. But we are not letting you go and kill something inside us once again."

A cry leaves her lips at his words and she wraps her trembling arms around him tightly.

Allesandro who is standing in the doorway, smiles watching them.