The Possessive Duke

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Annabelle Piccolo's POV

Same night, before Lucas arrived the party

"You look beautiful Bell!", dad cheered as he side hugged me with a huge smile on his face. I gave him a small smile and stood beside him as my step mother glared at me. Mr. Alberto gave a smile as his wife came beside me.

"Yes, you do look so pretty. It's been a while since I have seen you. How have you been dear?", she asked in her kind voice. She really is a kind woman.

"Thank you, Mrs. Alberto. I am good. How are you?".

"I am fine too dear". She replied smiling. "You are so lucky to have a beautiful daughter like her Antonio. I am sure many men here are intended to take her out". She said and I blushed at her comment before looking down. Hope Lucas feels that way about me.

"You know, Gemma is also beautiful. Actually more beautiful than her", Felisa, my stepmother said and all of us know what she meant by that. She didn't like that they are complimenting me. Although I don't mind, cause Gemma is really beautiful to me. Even though she is my step-sister, she was never like her mother. Sure she behaves like she doesn't care about me, but I love her as a sister.

"Sure Gemma is too. I see her all the time. It's only a few times that I meet Annabelle", Mrs Alberto said smiling. I smiled back at her. Felisa rolled her eyes. I everted my gaze down.

"Yeah, yeah. I am sure she dressed like that only to make your son fall in love with her", she said and I looked at her in shock at her bluntness. Normally she does not talk much about me in front of dad.

"Felisa!" dad said angrily.

"Like mother, like daughter", she said arrogantly. At those words, tears pooled in my eyes before they start to fall down.

"How dare you?!" dad shouted loudly and took a step forward furiously to go to her. I stopped him by holding his wrist and pulled him back. By this point, everyone in the room is looking at us, at me.

"What? I didn't say anything wrong. Just because you shout, what I said wouldn't turn false, does it?", she said and folded her hands near her chest. "Also ask your daughter if I am wrong. I never saw her dressing like this. All this is just because she wants to get Lucas's attention and also for his money. There is no hiding in that. She may look all innocent, but we all know wh-".

"Enough!", dad shouted loudly. She looked at dad in shock as he used such loud tone. "Enough! One more word about my Bell and I will forget that you are my wife!". He sounded so angry.

I can't take this anymore. It was not supposed to be like this. I can't bear all this. This is why I don't like attending parties with them. Before a sob can escape my mouth, I put my hand over my mouth and ran away from the big hall to a room the first room I saw and went inside the bathroom before closing the door and locking it.

I can't control the sobs anymore. One by one kept leaving my mouth. Why mom? Why does it have to be like this? Each and every word of her's pierced me. Also what she said is partly right though. Yes, I dressed up well, yes, I want his attention. But no, I don't want his money.

After some time, I stood up and washed my face, cleaning it. I looked at my reflection in the mirror and my eyes are still red and puffy. I shook my head at myself. I am such a stupid.

Opening the bathroom door, I came out and kept walking straight to the door while thinking and looking down, I bumped into someone and gasped. Before I can fall down, that person caught me and I stood straight. I looked up to apologize, but I froze once I looked into the familiar green eyes. I stared back at him in shock and happiness.