This chapter has NOT been edited.
Thank you for coming back to my story. I hope you enjoy this chapter! Also, there's really not long left to this story. I'd say at most 5 chapters.
"You look lovely," Faith repeated for the nth time that night. Turns out, our little Faith had witnessed the whole entire debacle Daniel and I had earlier tonight and took it upon herself to convince me that I was indeed a beautiful human being.
"Thank you, Faith," I sighed. The first few times I was flattered but now that she had repeated it only a billion times, I was getting tired of hearing it.
"No really, you're super gor—"
"Ok, Faith!" I groaned. I placed my hands on her shoulder and gave her a light shake.
"I am a gorgeous person, I know already," I grinned at her. "What you saw earlier was just some sort of mental breakdown. You don't have to worry about me. I'm not self conscious at all so please stop with the compliments. I really appreciate it but I feel like I'm being suffocated now."
Faith's mouth dropped for a slight second before she quickly nodded her head.
"No problem," she grinned. "I was beginning to get a headache thinking of different ways to call you beautiful anyway."
We both giggled at that.
It had been about half an hour since we arrived at the venue of the party and Daniel insisted that we wait outside until his family arrived at the scene. The problem was, they were stuck in traffic and weren't expecting to get here any time soon.
"Can't we just go in?" I sighed as I turned towards the luxury hotel's entrance. I tried not to roll my eyes at the predictability of rich people. I would happily welcome the day they didn't hold their big events in the luxury hotels.
"We could but we're all registered under my father's name so they won't even let us in."
I groaned as I pushed my seat back. I may as well get some sleep if I wasn't going to be doing anything else.
"So what exactly is this event for?" I asked about twenty minutes later, not being able to sleep due to the loud noises coming from the hotel.
Faith looked like she was about to say something but Daniel beat her to it.
"It's an auction," he breathed out, avoiding eye contact with me.
I raised an eyebrow before turning to Faith to ask her if he was telling the truth, but all thoughts escaped my mind as soon as I saw the fallen look on her face again.
I was about to ask what was wrong but there was no need to as it became evident within seconds.
Hope walked towards us hand in hand with a smitten Aiden Clement beside her.
A gasp escaped my lips the moment I saw them and understanding dawned on me. That explained why Faith was so heartbroken earlier that day.
We all exited the car and greeted his family. It was all going great until his mother emerged from their car and saw me.
"What is she doing here?" she asked, her face suddenly looking like she had seen a ghost.
"I knew she was pretending to like me," I whispered to Daniel before turning to Mrs. Sage with a honey sweet smile.
"Why wouldn't I be here?" I said with my eyebrows raised.
"You shouldn't be here," she rushed out, "sweet heart, take her home."
Her husband tried to reason with her and Daniel looked upset at his mother's behavior but before he could say anything, I did.
"Sorry Mrs. Sage, but you're not getting rid of me today."
"Look, now is not the time to be stubborn. Go home," she gritted out.
Now I felt offended, "You're right, I am stubborn. I'm also extremely prideful and the fact that you don't want me here makes me want to stay all the more."
I sent her an even sweeter smile this time before turning my back to her and practically skipping to the hotel.
Daniel was beside me withing seconds.
"I guess she doesn't like me. Looks like we went to all those relationship counselors for no reason," I laughed. Daniel joined in before he took my hand and stopped me.
"I'm sorry about her. I'm sure she'll love you once she gets to know you better."
"Like you?" I winked.
"Like me."
I felt hear rise up my cheeks so I quickly turned away from him to the receptionist.
"Aww are we feeling shy?" Daniel asked as he wrapped his arm around me and pulled me towards him. He dropped a butterfly kiss on the side of my neck, making the bag of butterflies erupt in my stomach.
Someone loudly cleared their throat beside us, making us both turn towards her.
"If you're not going to leave, at least make sure you're not bringing too much attention to yourself," Mrs. Sage said as she glared at us.
"Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed," I rolled my eyes. "She really brings out the rebellious teen in me."
Daniel and Faith chuckled causing Mrs. Sage to sigh before complaining to her husband about us.
Daniel's father gave us a stern look before ushering us all into the room.
The inside of the venue was pretty impressive. I mean, it was still a hotel reception so it wasn't all that great but it was still decorated impeccably. Tables were lined up perfectly around the room to leave space for a dance floor and all the decorations were in white and gold. The overall ambience just screamed money. Men and women were all dressed to impress and the staff looked like robots who were made to please everyone. Nothing was out of place. It was just all too perfect.
"I'm going to greet some business partners," Daniel puled me out of my thoughts. "Would you like to come with me?"
I turned to him with my brows raised, "You're joking right? I'd rather eat coal."
Daniel looked like he wanted to say more but the warning look on my face seemed to have done its job.
"Alright, I'll be right back."
I watched him leave before going back to observing my surroundings. My observation was cut short when I saw Faith standing in a corner, looking miserable. I began to walk towards her but before I could get far, I bumped into someone and fell to the ground.
"I'm so sorry," the man I bumped into said as he began to help me up. I was about to tell him it was fine, but the moment our eyes made contact, we both froze.
"Arabella," the man I once knew as my father gasped. The women that was standing beside him suddenly turned as she heard that name and her eyes widened, crocodile tears automatically began to fill her eyes. "Is that you, baby?"
I pushed his hand off of me and took a step back. I looked for an escape route but there were people covering all the doors. He would easily be able to catch up to me the moment I turned my back to him.
I began to hyperventilate as memories of my past began to resurface in my mind. And as if things couldn't get worse, my husband walked up to me with a large grin on his face.
"There you are," Daniel smiled. He was about to say something but was cut off by John Pierce.
"Arabella, baby, I have been looking everywhere for you!" his face had nothing but desperation and sadness written all over it. He took another step towards me, making me take one back.
Sensing something was wrong with me, Daniel stood in front of me and let me hide behind him. It wasn't a big action, but it automatically made things better. That was until he asked his next question.
"How do you two know each other?" Daniel asked, his body tensing as he looked from John to Stella. "Isbaella?" he asked me, slightly turning to look at me.
I felt a banging pain in my head as the words flew out of his mouth. This was it, this was the end. I always knew I wouldn't be able to keep my secret hidden for too long, but I had been planning to come clean and due to my cowardice, this was how it was all going to end. With all the secrets exposing themselves while I just sat around and watched.
"Isabella?" John repeated, his voice small. His chest began to rise up and down and he looked like he was going to say something but didn't get to because his wife interrupted by pulling me out from behind Daniel and into her own grasp.
I suddenly felt even more sick than ever. I felt like throwing up and tears began to fall down my face without mercy. They just fell, as if desperate to drown me.
"Arabella!" Stella cried, her crocodile tears dropping down her face. "We have been looking everywhere for you. Do you know how worried and stressed your father has been? You ungrateful child!"
She began to shake me as she cried. Daniel gasped as the words left Stella's mouth.
"What is going on?" he asked, his face paling as he put all the pieces together. Other people began to swarm around us too, making me feel more and more suffocated.
"Oh Daniel!" Stella cried, as she hugged him, "Thank you so much for bringing our daughter back to us."
I closed my eyes and tried to take a deep breath. But it didn't work. I slowly opened my eyes and made the mistake of making eye contact with Daniel.
His eyes displayed a mixture of shock, sadness and betrayal.
I wanted to walk towards him but my legs gave way. I had no energy left. My world began to spin and within seconds, my surroundings began to disappear and were replaced with darkness.
This was not how it was all supposed to end.