Chapter 18 – A surprise trip.
“Move the gear selector into its first gear.” Bella ordered and Lillian did as instructed.
“Now, start driving with your foot still fully on the clutch pedal.” Bella instructed again and she obeyed. She drove the car a little and stopped out of nervousness.
“You can do it, Lillian. Just do it again.” Bella encouraged and she drove it again before stopping.
“Now, move it a little longer.” Bella said, and Lillian looked at her with anxiousness.
Bella gave her a reassuring smile as she gave her a go ahead nod. She drove it from where they were to the gate which was a few meters away before she stopped it yet again.
“You’re doing it, girl, a few more times, and you’re good to go.” Bella said loudly in smiles and Lillian giggled.
Rex came out of the house and walked towards them in the car.
“Your brother wants to see you right now.” He said in a slight bow and the ladies turned their attention to him.
“Okay.” Bella replied with a little nod.
“Umm, Lillian, let’s take a break here. We would continue when I’m back.” She said, unlocking her seat belt as she turned to Lillian.
“Alright.” They both got down from the car and Bella followed Rex to Don’s room while Lillian went to hers.
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Fred walked into the dark room with Francisco and a boy behind him. He turned on the light and right in the middle of the room was a man with a few bruises on him tied to the chair, and he had his head bowed.
“Is he awake?” He asked, putting his hands in his pockets.
“I will check, boss.” The boy went to the man and pushed his head backward. The man was now staring at Fred, who was also staring back at him.
“What do you want from me, Fredrick Blake?” The man asked, staring at him in despise.
“I should be asking you that question, Luke.” Fred replied, walking to him with a deep frown.
“Why did you do it? My family trusted you so much to have made you the chief finance officer of the company.” Fred said again as he got to where he was tied.
“Your family were all stupid enough to have trusted me.” Luke said, bursting into laughter. Fred felt pissed at this statement and gave him a hard blow on his stomach.
“Ah!” Luke yelped in pain.
“You bastard, I’ll make you pay for this.” Fred breathed out in fury.
“Your wish.” Luke spatted out with a hostile glare.
“Get me the picana.” Fred said to the boy standing behind him.
“Alright boss.” He replied in a bow and left.
“Fred, remember, don’t kill him.” Francisco warned from where he stood.
“I won’t.” Fred replied, still gazing harshly at the Luke.
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“What took you so long? I’ve been waiting like never.” Lillian said when she saw Bella walking towards her.
“I was having an important discussion with my brother. Sorry, if you waited too much.” She apologized, finally getting to where she was.
“Is it that serious?” Lillian asked with concern.
“Not actually serious, but it was important.” Bella said as she breathed out the last part.
“Lillian, I have something to tell you.” She said slowly and sighed.
“Okay, go ahead, I’m listening.” Lillian said, paying attention to what she had to say.
Bella took a sharp breath, forming a thin line on her lips.
“I would be out for some weeks.” She blurted out, staring intently at her to see her reaction.
“What? Why?” Lillian inquired surprised.
“For, umm, family reasons.” Bella replied with a sigh.
“Oh!” Lillian muttered lowly as her countenance changed.
“I won’t stay for too long, it’s just for a few weeks.” Bella said in attempt to cheer her up, but she still had the sad expression.
“Is it out of this country?” Lillian asked with a small pout.
“Unfortunately yes.” Bella replied with a nod.
“Cheer up, not like I’m not going away forever.” Bella said again as she shook her, and Lillian sighed.
“It’s just that when you go, no one is going to keep me company again.” Lillian said truthfully as her sadness increased.
“And what about your husband? Isn’t that supposed to be his duty?” Bella joked, hoping to take away the sad look on her face, and Lillian scoffed.
“Unfortunately, I got married to a jerk.” Lillian replied, rolling her eyeballs.
“Can you say that in his presence?” Bella whispered, going closer to her.
“Of course I can, if he messes with me.” Lillian whispered the last part and Bella laughed.
“Are you sure?” Bella said smiling.
“Yeah.” Lillian replied plainly, but Bella could still detect she was sad.
“Come on, don’t give me that. I won’t stay long, trust me.” Bella said in a cute pout that made Lillian crack.
“Alright, I’m good now.” Lillian said, trying not to laugh, but Bella still had her a questioning look.
“I’m serious here.” Lillian said in a smile.
“Now, that’s what I want to see.” Bella said, smiling back.
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“What am I doing here?” Eva said, glaring at Bella, who just smiled.
“What do you mean by that? You walked in here yourself, not like I kidnapped you.” Bella joked with an annoying smile and Eva scoffed.
“Did you call me here for your stupid jokes?” Eva asked, getting irritated.
“Chill, Eva, I just called you here to apologize.” Bella replied, raising her hands in surrender.
“Apologize?” Eva repeated with a scoff.
“Yeah, for accusing you wrongly. I mean, it was so wrong of me to have accused you when I wasn’t sure.” Bella replied nonchalantly, taking a sip of her wine.
“You finally realized.” Eva said and rolled her eyes.
“Yeah, and I’m sorry.” Bella said, dropping her glass.
“It’s alright. I’m happy now that you no longer doubt me.” Eva stated in a smile.
“So, we’re good?” Bella asked, raising a brow, and Eva nodded.
“How is Lillian? Is she getting any better?” Eva said, trying hard not to be suspected of anything.
“Nothing was wrong with her in the first place.” Bella replied with a shrug.
“What?!” Eva shouted with her eyes almost popping out of their sockets.
“I… I mean I…. I thought she…..” She tried to justify, but it only came out in a stutter.
“Yeah, she almost got involved in a car accident, but thankfully someone came right in time to save her, and now she is fine.” Bella cut in when she began stuttering too much and this made Eva become angry, but she tried so hard not to show it.
“Oh! I see.” Eva replied plainly as she folded her knuckles tightly under the table.
“More reason why I apologized and again, I prepared something to make up for what I did.” Bella said, bringing out a ticket from her purse as she stretched it out to Eva.
Eva stared at her, a little reluctant, before collecting it to avoid raising suspicions.
“That’s a ticket to Finland, I heard you love the place.” Bella announced in a smile that rendered Eva speechless.
“I prepared a month’s vacation for you over there, like I said, to sum up my apology.” Bella added, resting back on her chair.
“You don’t need to bother, I don’t….” Eva tried saying in defiance.
“Please, don’t reject it. I spent a lot preparing this vacation just for you. Trust me, you would enjoy it.” Bella chipped in immediately before she could finish.
“I would feel so bad if you reject this.” She said again, and Eva thought for a while.
“Alright. So, when do I go?” Eva asked with a sigh that obviously meant she had given in.
“Tomorrow.” Bella blurted out nonchalantly.
“Wait, what? Isn’t it too sudden?” Eva said, a little shocked.
“Pretty, please do this for me.” Bella pleaded with the cutest pout she could come up with, and Eva sighed.
“Tomorrow it is, then.” She said, feigning a smile, and Bella smiled back.
“Cheers!” Bella smiled as she lifted her glass of wine and they made a toast.
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Eva sat in the living room with her friends. She was back already and had narrated everything to her friends.
“So, what are you going to do now?” Aria said as she and Delilah stared intently at Eva.
“Bella is sending me on a month’s vacation, and that gave me a brilliant idea that would put Lillian in great pain.” Eva said in a dangerous smirk.
“Since, she doesn’t want to die yet, why not inflict a great pain that might even kill her?” She asked no one in particular, and the others glanced at each other.
“And what is that, if I may ask?” Delilah said with a small smile.
“You would know when it’s time.” Eva replied, smiling back at her.