Forsaken to Treasured: A Short Story

7. Let's go

Soon after, Theodore Romanov's death became the town's talk.

Aunt Mary and Sophia visit her at home, and they are exceedingly friendly. Their attitude and purpose make Arabella feel vaguely uncomfortable. However, she had never imagined they would resort to such insidious tactics.

Mary hands her a cup of hot chocolate, and she does not notice the difference at first, but soon afterward, intense nausea and dizziness overtake Arabella, causing her to fall into a fuzzy state of consciousness.

Then, Uncle Louis came to visit, apparently to see her with heartfelt sympathy, but in reality, he revealed his ugly intentions.

While Arabella was too weak to resist, they attempted to force her to sign a commission contract to transfer her property and real estate.

Mary and Louis grabbed her shoulders and wrists tightly to force her hand into the contract.

At that moment, Arabella felt more isolated and helpless than ever before.

Suddenly, the door was violently pushed open, and Kay led a couple of swift-moving, strong men into the room, crowding Mary and Louis aside.

She lifted Arabella from the bed and decisively brought her out of the treacherous situation.

This unexpected rescue seemed like a predestined echo, pulling her back from the cliff's edge again.

"It's already afternoon, and you haven't come to the studio yet. I was worried, so I came over to check," Kay whispered. "Mister said that it's better to make a mistake than to be spared, and we must prioritize your safety."

Arabella fainted as she heard these words, and a tear escaped from her eye.

Later, Kay followed the doctor's advice and decisively called the police when she learned that Arabella had been poisoned. The police responded quickly. When Arabella woke up in the hospital, she realized that everything had been taken care of and her uncle and aunt had been taken into custody.

Everyone was again focused on Arabella as the media reported what had happened. This abrupt incident put her at the center of interest.

Despite this being her second time losing her engagement, numerous men were trying to approach her for all sorts of reasons simply because of Princess Lena's regard and the properties in her possession.

Arabella found these men to be all the same, as she didn't need to speak to them, even just glance at them, to see the greed and exploitation in how these men looked at her.

She was money, fame, prestige, and a celebrity to these men. In their eyes, she could be anybody, whether it was Arabella or not.

If Louis and Mary weren't still in custody, they would have already brought the ones who gave the most favors to visit her.

Even the Countess of Cavendish came.

Arabella sat in the living room, gazing out the window with a bemused expression as the raindrops ticked down. This rainy day enveloped the entire house in an atmosphere of serenity, as if it had nothing to do with the chaos of the outside world.

"Arabella, dear," the countess put down the teacup in her hand and said warmly, "I have come to apologize and see how you are doing. So much has happened, and I hope all is well with you."

Arabella nodded her head softly. She knew this visit had to be unusual, or the countess would not have come in person.

The Countess of Cavendish continued with sincerity in her tone, "I understand that we have made mistakes that have inconvenienced and hurt you. My son Samuel has realized he is fond of you, very much indeed."