TAKEN... AGAIN 3

"Are you sure you don't want to proceed with the treatment?", Gwen said as Arianna bid her goodbye.

Arianna shook her head. "I've made up my mind. After the child is born, I'll find you to try my luck. But right now, I really want my child to grow up healthy more than anything." She replied with a smile.

Gwen Morgan Lee hugged her tightly. Her heart break for this woman who was known as the ice queen. She wondered if she's really alright or if she's just keeping it all in. "Do you want me to tell Mr. Evans anything?"

Again, Arianna shook her head. "You don't have to worry about me. Really. Thanks for coming, Gwen." Gwen has always been a sweet girl. She and her didn't have an intimate friendship. They first met because of a few business collaborations, but eversince then, Gwen kept in touch with her. She's touchy and lively, very much the opposite of her who's cold and aloof, but it didn't deter Gwen from befriending her.

"Take care of yourself, Gwen..." she said. "I'll turn to you if I ever need anything."

Gwen let go of Arianna and walked away with her husband. She wished she could see them leave, but she could only stand from a distance while she waits for them to board the plane. She couldn't even wave goodbye. All of a sudden, her disability is tearing her self confidence. It's frightening to imagine how she's going to live this life alone. Must she stay with Dylan til she gives birth to the child? That doesn't sit well with her but what's her other choice?

A moment later, Arianna heard the airplane hit the runway. She stood there like a statue as the strong wind played with her hair. Behind those shaded glasses, no one would be able to tell that those eyes were empty. "Are you suddenly regretting it?", she heard Dylan ask from behind. Is she? She sighed, refusing to give him an answer. "Let's go now." he added when she remained silent. She heard the car door open next so she turned around and made her way back to the car with the aide of her cane.

This is her turning point. This might be the hardest challenge she'll have to face, and unlike before, she's about to face it without Yago....

***

Arabella opened her eyes and glanced at the window as she awoken from a bad dream. She then turned to the wall clock beside it and saw the time. It's already five in the morning, but it's still dark outside. In two hours, those people will be coming back for her.

Yesterday, a group of people came to her headed by a middle aged man. He wanted to take her with him, but later, Belle was able to convince him to give her more time to think about it, whether she wants to go with him or not. She was anxious the whole day, and had very little sleep last night. She didn't know what to do. She's confused and disoriented.

Even now that she's sitting on the bed after more that 20 hours of thinking, she still wasn't sure of what she should do. She can stay, right? She just needs to call Roy and tell him her circumstances and she wouldn't have to go with him anymore. But.... who is she to ask him something like this? She's just an insignificant mistress. No matter how much she latch on him, there will come a time that Roy will get tired of her. Must she cling to him and wait for that time she gets dumped? She's doesn't have a place in his heart, nor his life. However, that old man....

However, that man handed her a piece of paper yesterday. A DNA paternity report. That piece of paper backed up his claim that he.... is her biological father.

"Who are you?" she remembered asking him when she saw the DNA result. She stared at him without blinking an eye.

"My name is Howard Finn. Don't you remember me anymore?",he replied.

At the mention of that name, Belle instantly remembered the man who frequented their home when she was a child. Sometimes he would come for her dad, and sometimes, when her dad isn't home, he'll come for her mom. They always talk in private; usually in the bedroom. No wonder... no wonder they were sneaky. They were having an affair!

"My dad is Carl Reid. I don't know you at all." She answered. It was a lie though. Just by those childhood memories, she can easily tell that he could really be her biological father. But it was despicable. How could her mother do such a thing? She could understand that her mother conceived her before marriage and her father was not her mother's husband, but cheating on him after marriage, that was really wrong! He thought her mom loved Carl very much and that was the reason Belle have to suffer all these years! Belle needed to be the perfect daughter so Carl won't leave Jane and so they can remain as a happy family but she only realize it that moment that all of those were lies. None of them were true! If Jane loved Carl, he wouldn't cheat on him!

Arabella climbed down the bed and glanced at Roy's framed photo on the table. This man... she too didn't love him. If she stays with him now, then she would be repeating Jane's mistake. If someday, she suddenly finds someone else to love, would she also be cheating on Roy like her mother? That was her greatest fear. That she ends up like Jane someday.

Belle walked towards the table and took the framed photo. She then hugged it close to her heart. Somehow, leaving this man is making her sad...

***

"Belle!", Roy called as he entered the bedroom. It's still early so he thought Arabella was still asleep. He told her he'll be gone for three days but it was cut short to just two, so he thought it'll be good to surprise her. But it looks like, it was him who was in for a big surprise.

"Belle?", he called her again when he found the bed empty. He searched for the bathroom but no one was there, so he went out of the room to look for the butler.

"Madam went out early this morning. She said she's heading for the supermarket to buy some cooking ingridients." the butler answered him when asked.

Satisfied with that answer, Roy nodded and returned to the masters bedroom. He was very exhausted from his flight so he lay down the bed to rest. But as his eyes explored the room, a piece of paper placed under an empty frame on the table caught his attention.

From the moment he entered the room, Roy already felt that something didn't seem right. He tried pushing it to the back of his mind, but seeing that paper, his chest seemed to ache.

Roy stood up, reach for that piece of paper and closed his eyes. He prayed he's only overthinking things due to exhaustion, but things panned out painfully as truth greeted him once he openned his eyes.

Roy,

Thank you for being so good to me. I'm sorry that I have to leave like this, but I think it's time for me to go. My father came looking for me and so I decided to go with him so I could know him better. Truth is, I'm a bit reluctant to leave but... but I don't want to live the rest of my life as a mistress. I'm sorry. I hope you could soon find someone who suits you better. Thank you, and please don't look for me anymore.

Roy was dumbfounded. She left? Belle left him just like that? Because she thinks he's taking her for a mistress?

Roy almost collapsed to the floor. What a big stupidity. He knew he should have proposed marriage to her earlier! Now what? He really wanted to punch himself on the face!

Though heart broken, Roy forced himself to stand up. He checked the closet and found out that all her clothes were still there. She didn't take her luggage. Only her phone and purse were missing, and also...

Roy glanced at the bedside table once more. That empty frame... somehow, it gives him hope that one day, he can get Arabella back again.