Lost Gem (PART 1)

Chapter 38 (Coincidence)

Fast forward, two years later......

Arabella hums a tone under her breath as she scrolls through a social media app. Her eyes snaps up in the direction of door as it opens after two knocks.

"What do you want?" She rolls her eyes, looking at the person in front of her.

"I have no interest in seeing your face, so don't worry. Your father is calling you." Matteo responds and crosses his arms over his chest. Relaxed, he leans his back against the doorframe.

Arabella blinks in surprise before she frantically stands up.

"Papa is back! Why didn't you tell me this at first?!"

He opens his mouth to answer but does not get a chance as she whizzes past him. He sighs, not understanding how he managed to survive with this girl in these last two years. Being her personal bodyguard, Matteo has been with her a lot of time and he is surprised that he did not get crazy.

Not gonna lie, he has been jealous from his brother Zeus a lot. Anastasia is still so kind and caring, completely opposite of the she-devil he is assigned to protect.

There is no doubt that Zeus has grown a lot softer in care of Anastasia. She has made a special place in his heart.

Anastasia looks up from the sketch she is painting as Zeus silently steps into her art gallery. Each and every corner is filled with sketches that Anastasia has painted herself.

"Not bad, kid." He admires the painting that she has been making. Her clothes are covered with paint but she is smiling. There is a little paint on her face too but it is something that is found usual now in her appearance.

"Thank you, Zeus."

Anastasia grins brightly, noticing that he is not reeking of cigarette today.

"Your father is back and he's calling you." Zeus says and gently helps her to walk past her scattered paint brushes and colours.

"Why don't you take a shower first? While I clear this up." He points at the scattered material.

"Really? I do not want to be a bother, Zeus. I can do it m--" He refrains her from finishing this sentence.

"Go and take a shower."

She nods faintly with her arms crossed behind her back.

Zeus hears her pitter patter of her feet as she walks out of there. He crouches down and starts to pack up the material while remembering how things had changed. How he himself had changed? How his views regarding Anastasia changed and how he opened up to her.

How he told her about his past--

He clutches the brushes tightly in his hands before releasing them with a sigh. Spending time with Anastasia is nothing but a therapy to him. Anastasia has done nothing but still healed his old wounds.

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

"Papa! I have missed you a lot!" Arabella mumbles childishly as she keeps clinging to her father's arm tightly.

"I did too, my dear bella."

A moment later, Anastasia arrives at the scene. She pauses, seeing Arabella and Allesandro together.

Just as she is considering about getting out of there as to not interrupt their time together, an arm wraps around her shoulder.

Glancing back, she finds Stefano with a chilling grin on his face.

"Someone is sneaking up on you father!" He calls out loudly, effectively gaining Allesandro and Arabella's attention.

Anastasia's cheeks turn red at this comment.

"I-" She tries to say something in protest but Stefano trudges inside, pushing her in too.

Arabella frowns at Stefano and Anastasia's presence together. Her mood dampens again as Allesandro pulls Anastasia in his warm embrace.

"How have you been, Ana?" He asks with a smile on his face.

"I'm good, papa. How are you? How was your trip? Did you get to meet Nora? How is she?" Anastasia rambles out nervously.

"Everything was fine and I met Nora. She misses you a lot and she has started her classes already."

Arabella, feeling forgotten, remains standing quietly. Her heart burns with an agony of jealousy. She had honestly tried to give a chance to Anastasia, to accept her as family. But it was useless.

"How is everyone here? I can't see others." Allesandro glances in the direction of the door.

"They are on their way back from warehouse. There were some 'complications'." Stefano says the last word with such tone that even both girls understands that there is something more serious than simple complications.

"I see. Ana and Bella, how do you like your university?" Allesandro looks at both of his daughters with a profound gaze.

Both of them answers positively.

"Tomorrow is our first day." Anastasia tells him.

"That's a good news. I'm glad that you both took same subjects. Ermanno will not be here, so try to take care of each other."

Arabella's mood sours at his words. Selecting same subjects was a mere coincidence. Ermanno refused to study more, he wanted to focus on their family business. But Arabella knew how she was going to turn this whole situation into her favour.

Her plan was to break Anastasia and she knew she was going to gain success easily. Seeing that no one would be there to protect her.

There is only one regret in Arabella's mind. She should have killed Anastasia that day instead of Paul. But she wanted to show defiance to her mother, that's why she did opposite, though she also felt pity for Anastasia after hearing about the abuse she went through but this is the reason why Anastasia got more closer to her father and brothers.

Arabella, now wanted nothing but her family to be hers only. That was why it was crucial for her to remove Anastasia out of the way.