The Beast Inside | ✓

2 | Most Beautiful of All

"Ah, Bella! How lovely to see you here! Did Kaden finally decide to kick you out of the house because he realised what a miserable being you truly are," Cassius taunted, making Arabella frown.

Diana huffed. "You are the miserable one here. Honestly, will you stop being such a child? She rejected your marriage proposal once, get over it! You don't have to insult her at every turn for it," she bit out.

Arabella gave her best friend a grateful look. She was horrible at confrontations and Cassius's insults pinched her heart every time, no matter how much everyone around her tried to remind her that they were not true.

"I am a child?" he scoffed. "Look at her! She can't even say a thing! She needs you to fight her battle, like a baby."

Arabella closed her eyes, fighting the tears building up as she tried to drag Diana away.

"Let's go, Diana. He's not worth our time," she muttered, making him glare at her.

"Yes, leave the conversation like the cowards that you both are!" Muttering to himself, he continued, "Talking to them never fails to ruin my day."

Diana whirled back, Arabella's arm around her stopping her from going to Cassius and punching his face. "Well, looking at your ugly, rotten face has never been good for us either! Gives me the shudders and loads of bad luck!"

Arabella faintly heard Cassius gasp before taking out his mirror and checking his face. "At least I'll still be prettier than you!"

Arabella whispered in Diana's ears. "Calm down, Dee. He is just an idiot. There is one of him in every village. No need to waste your breath on him."

Diana glared at her. "I don't understand why you never say anything to that fool! He insults you, taunts you, makes you feel so horrible, not to mention, pisses everyone around you off, and you say nothing! Why? If I were you, I'd slap him for every word that comes out from that foul mouth of his."

Arabella shook her head, sighing. "Diana, don't think of things like that. Papa always told me that violence is never the answer to anything. And I believe that includes verbal violence too. Just because he insulted me doesn't mean I need to insult him too. If I continue to ignore him, he would soon get tired of me and leave me alone."

"Or he would continue to pester you until you break down and cry," Diana stated.

Arabella gave her a sharp look. "That will never happen."

Shaking her head, she continued, "Let me go get a few things and we'll be back on the way home soon enough."

Diana bit her cheeks but didn't say anything. She wanted to protect Arabella but the stubborn girl was never going to let that happen. There was too much pride in Bella for her own good.

Instead of thinking about her best friend, she decided to plot ways to murder that stupid Cassius. Maybe drowning him in the nearby river? Or burying him in the sand while he was asleep? Or perhaps tricking him into falling from a rooftop?

The possibilities were endless. Perhaps Jennifer could help her with this murder plan, she thought cheekily as she watched Bella haggle over the prices with the stall owners, before sneaking into the bookshop and coming out discreetly with a book.

"You are borrowing another book, Bella?" Diana asked, amused.

Bella sheepishly nodded her head. "I can't help it. These books bring me into a world where everything is just so wonderful. If only I could live there forever."

"Well, you don't. Now, come on! Weren't you in a hurry to get home before?" Diana reminded, chuckling as Bella lightly slapped her forehead for forgetting, and they quickened their pace as they left the area.

----

Bella bid goodbye to her best friend as the sun sank into the horizon. Mentally chiding herself for taking so long, she rushed inside the cottage, ready to make an apology for keeping Kaden and Jennifer waiting.

Once she placed the basket filled with groceries in the kitchen, she approached the living room cautiously.

"I am so sorry for being late- Papa?" she called out, unable to believe her eyes.

Her father was finally home! It had been more than six months since she had last seen him. He was a merchant and travelling around the country was more or less the main part of his job. Despite hardly spending much time together, Arabella had fond memories with her father and loved him dearly.

"My dear Bella, it has been too long," he said, his deep voice flowing over her body and wrapping around her, keeping her warm inside.

She rushed into his open arms, pulling him into a tight hug. "Yes, Papa. It has indeed been too long. How was your trip? When did you come back? Are you tired? Have you had lunch? What new places did you visit this time? Did anything interesting happen? Oh, did you get me any new books? I greatly enjoyed the ones you brought back past time," she went on, pulling away as she sat down right beside him, making her family chuckle.

"Too many questions, love. You might want to slow down," her father playfully said.

"But Papa-" she complained.

Kaden interjected. "Bella, he's tired, dear. How about you get dinner going and we will talk together on the dining table? Let him clean up first, alright?"

Pouting, Arabella nodded as she got up, not before kissing her father's cheeks. She had so much to talk to him about and it was a relief that he was finally home. He always gave her a sense of comfort and somehow, his presence meant that everything will be alright.

----

Thank you so much for the votes, I really, really love you guys for that!!

Question of this chapter: Do you prefer the animated Beauty and The Beast or the one with Emma Watson in it??

Personally, I prefer the animated one (I don't really know why I prefer it more. But, I still love Emma Watson as a person. She is fabulous!!)

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