Episode 4

I went up the stairs with a smile still on my lips.

I followed the map I had made in my head to where my old room was. My room should still be in there. I hope.

I made a lot of turns and saw a lot of doors along the way.

I took another turn to the right and saw my room's door.

Finally! I could rest!

"Mom, they can't get married. We need to do something to stop it. Talk to Papa, please..."

"Why not, don't you think they're suited well for each other? There both of low quality, both bastards."

I stopped in my tracks and frowned deeply when I heard familiar voices.

"But mom, I love him..." the last three words were whispered.

"Oh dear... You don't know that..." The voice said her words gently but I didn't miss the strictness in her voice. "Listen to me my dear child..." She continued her voice was serious. "You can't be with someone like him," she said as though the name of the person was irrelevant and shouldn't be spoken of. "His brother Antonio is someone you're most suitable to be with. He's the legitimate heir the definite successor of the De Santis Corporation, the most powerful and wealthiest in the country." She took a pause. "When you're married to him you'll live in fortune and comfort. Don't you want a life without hardship, my dear?"

"I do want that, but..."

"Then marry Antonio De Santis and you'll live in luxury or, do you want to be with that bastardo and live with burden in your shoulders."

"I, I love him mim. I fell in love at first sight..."

"Love." She uttered the word with a snort, like the word itself was a joke. Meaningless and useless especially to a person like her that only seeks for money and power. "You're still young to understand life, my dear... Love, is nothing when you have neither fortune nor power."

"Isabel..." her word was uttered softly but with warning.

"I'll marry Antonio..." She finally said with resignation.

"Oh dear..." The other said softly, comforting.

"...I saw that girl earlier at the courtyard she was with signore Alfredo but I wouldn't have guessed that she's the illegitimate child."

"I know... Tsk, she's so stupid to even come back here. She should have just stayed wherever she stayed away all those years."

"I bet her life will be as miserable as I heard from the others who knew her way back."

I was startled when I heard voices coming. Moreover, the room where Isabel and Eleonora were talking went silent maybe sensing the people coming.

I panicked and went my way to my room, afraid of getting caught eavesdropping.

I woke up to an incessant knocking at my door.

"Yes?" I said groggily a little irritated from getting woken up from my nap.

Arrgghh!! Jet lag!!!

"Miss Adriana, You're asked to go downstairs to have dinner..." A woman's voice said, that I'm sure to be one of the maids that's behind the door.

"Okay... give me a couple of minutes and I'll be downstairs." I say my voice turning to whisper as I drift back to sleep.

I flinched when the knocking went on again.

"Miss..." And more knocks. " Miss Adriana..."

I frowned so hard my eyes still tightly closed. I was scratching my head out of annoyance even kicking my feet under the covers."Yes... I'll be there in a couple of minutes"

"Also you're asked to come down as soon as possible."

"In 5 minutes." I said frowning irritated of her persistence.

"Miss... Miss..."

"Yes! Yes! I'm up, I'm up!" I even said it in Italian to be more clear.

Annoying! Annoying! Annoying! Can't I just stay here and sleep instead?

A knock went on again, startling me awake when I was about to go back to dream land again.

Oh, come on! Get a life and leave me alone! just go away?!

"Ate... I'm here, Its Ella... Its dinner you need to come down already or you'll get hungry if you won't." Ella's sweet voice said softly and slowly.

My irritation eased a little hearing her sweet voice.

I groggily stood up and went to the door to open it. And there I saw the cute and pretty face of my little sister, Ella. She was blushing while her index finger is playing with her curly blonde locks.

She looked up and her blue eyes instantly met my black ones. Her lips tugged to a beautiful smile showing her cute dimple in her right puffy cheek.

She's really like a doll... so cute and pretty!

"Come in. Wait me in my bed I'll just go and change." I said to her and opened the door wider and stepped aside for her to come inside.

"Okay..." she smiled once again and obediently come inside and gingerly sat down on my bed.

"I'll be quick!" I said and went to my bathroom to wash and change clothes.

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