IN LOVE WITH THE FRENCH BEAUTY

~**~Chapter 17~**~

~**Chapter 17~**

Arabelle was familiar with pain. First her mother, who refused to say who her father was, let her down when she was barely 10 years old because of her drug and alcohol addiction. Then her beloved nana Deb died three years ago, leaving her alone and taking the only family she had with her.

But she’d prefer those past painful memories to what she was feeling right now; It Maybe because the past had nothing to do with her really, choice wise. There is nothing she could’ve done to prevent her mother from abandoning her, or miraculously cure her grandmother of the dreadful disease. So those incidents hurt but she never held it over her head since she knew that it would’ve happened one way or the other

But she chose to fall in love with Dahveed. She chose to give “this” a chance and look where taking chances got her. She wasn’t stupid to even think of hoping for a different outcome. It wouldn’t matter if Dahveed talked to his father because the fact that Daniel announced the engagement without Dahveed’s knowledge meant that that’s exactly what he’d had in mind for his only son.

She was unaware of her actions as she packed her things in her satchel and walked like a zombie out of the office surprisingly without bumping into anyone. She began walking without a destination in mind since going home was out of the question.

“Arabelle! Arabelle, stop! It’s not what you think!” Arabelle heard from afar behind her but she kept walking. That’s all she could do. She couldn’t stop walking even if she wanted to.

“I don’t want to hear anything. Please, don’t give me any explanation.” She kept walking. Dahveed walked faster and planted himself in front of her. She finally stopped and looked up at him. Tears were running down her lovely face, her eyes were red-rimmed and bloodshot, and her nose was running and blocking.

“Please go back inside. Everyone is waiting for you: your dad, your friends, and your Sarah.” This was why she never cried in front of anyone. She transformed and became another person all together when she cried. Her voice was thinning and she could already feel a headache developing. She began walking again, this time aware of Dahveed hot on her heels.

“Arabelle you know that there is nothing between Sarah and I. it’s just a misunderstanding!” he clutched her shoulders in a death grip. She didn’t feel the pain because her entire being was already in more pain than she could endure in one lifetime.

“Misunderstanding?” she fired back untangling herself from his grip. “It was I who misunderstood. I should’ve listened when everyone began talking about you and Sarah in the office. I guess once a dummy is always a dummy.” She started walking again but Dahveed was fast this time.

“Stop being dramatic! I’m telling you that there’s nothing between me and that woman. She’s just Devin’s little sister, that’s it! She means nothing more to me other than that!” Arabelle wondered if there were pills that tricked minds even for a night. She would’ve loved to believe that this was a nightmare that she would soon wake up from.

“You don’t have to explain anything to me, sir. Let it be. Better late than never though, right?” she smiled a cynical smile as the tears continued falling. “I actually finally understand. I have no one and nothing to my name. You on the other hand, are a Messina and have everything to your name. You’re the heir to the Messina Empire and Sarah is the only daughter of the Deramo family. Marriage happens among people of equal status, especially where rich people are concerned.” She hated how her voice sounded. It made her weak and she hated being, even appearing weak more than anything.

“Remember not so long ago, you had me count the problems of us middle class people. Do you know the biggest problem of the middle class?” she asked. She wasn’t waiting for answers though. “The biggest problem of the middle class is that we believe in dreams. We never think of the consequences of when the time to confront to truth arises.” A sob arose in her throat and she turned her face away.