"Young miss, you've been standing there for a while why not come inside" the butler said staring at Bella. Bella smiled and stepped inside hesitantly " I'm sorry Mr Hadley, I was lost in thought " Bella said awkward " oh you child, don't worry go freshen up and I'll tell the cook to serve your food" the butler said and smiled. Bella nodded and turned to go to her room. " If only your mother was still alive, you wouldn't be going through this hardship at such a young age" the butler said sadly was staring at Bella who had already gone to her room.
It's no secret that Bella's mother Mrs Wilma Phillips came from a prestigious family in the capital, she was a very beautiful woman and it's no secret Bella took after her mother's beauty, if only Wilma didn't die when Bella was 5 years, Bella wouldn't be struggling so much. Everyone knew that the original owner of the Opal company was Wilma, she founded the company when she came to sun city before meeting Theodore Bella's father. After he death, Theodore took over the company, brought his mistress Donna and daughter Claire to the house. Claire is a year older than Bella although Bella is more beautiful than Claire, this makes Claire feel inferior to Bella using every chance to insult and humiliate Bella. Claire was 6 years old when she came to the whitmore family and since then, she has made it her life goal to crush Bella even though Bella has done nothing against her. Everything stems from jealousy, "why is Bella more prettier than her, why was Bella the granddaughter of the Phillips family, why was Bella set to engage Aaron their childhood friend" all of this was not Bella's fault but still Claire hated it.
In the evening, dinner was served and Bella was called to the dining table by the butler. Entering the dining hall, all eyes were on her, mostly Claire's filled with disdain and hatred. " Bella why did you take so long , the food is getting cold" Claire spoke out pretending to be concerned but Bella saw through her pretentious gaze and tone, ignoring her, Bella sat down " Bella is so cold, father why does Bella hate me so much?" Claire said with teary eyes, whoever saw her will think Bella was bullying her. " Bella, Claire was talking to you, why are you filled with so much hatred" Theodore snapped at Bella. " Filled with hatred?, what did I say or do to her to make you say that" Bella tried to defend herself why is she always to blame for what she didn't do. " You..you" Theodore was so angry he didn't even know what to say " such an ungrateful soul, just look at you if we didn't took pity on you and raised you, you'll be on the street now" Donna said disdainly.
"Took pity on me?, it seems you have forgotten that this is my mother's house, you are the one who don't belong here" Bella said looking at Donna.
"Enough!, let's just eat" Theodore said while grabbing his spoon. The topic of his late wife was like a taboo in the house, it's probably his conscience tormenting him for the horrible things he did to his late wife, cheating on her while she was alive and bringing his mistress and their daughter to the same house he shared with his late wife.
" Bella when last did you speak to Aaron? Have you decided to marry him?" Theodore asked
Claire lifted her head gripping her spoon so tightly it could break looking straight at Bella with so much hate " Dad, I don't think Bella wants to marry Aaron let's not force her" Claire said. It was quite obvious Claire likes Aaron but since Bella was promised to Aaron when they were still a child they had to get married.
" I haven't decided yet" Bella said softly, everyone knows Bella doesn't want to marry Aaron but she didn't object to the marriage.
" What do you mean you haven't decided yet?" Theodore snapped
" Honey, why are you wasting your breathe on her, let us get Claire married to him Instead " Donna said
" Sister, we both know you don't want to marry Aaron, please leave him for me" Claire said pitifully
" It's not up to me to decide, I already told you I don't want him, go tell that to Aaron instead, he's the one who wants to marry me " Bella said
"You .. you " Claire stuttering while pointing at Bella.
It's no secret that Aaron likes Bella, when they were still young before Claire came to the family, Bella and Aaron were inseparable
" When we grow up, I'm going to marry you" little Aaron said while holding a rose to Bella but when Wilma died, Bella withdrew into her shell, refusing to play with Aaron, go out or even make friends, it took a while before she became the confident girl she once was .
When Claire and Donna came to the whitmore's household, all of Theodore affection shifted to Claire totally ignoring Bella existence, the duo of both mother and daughter strive to make life difficult for Bella. Before Wilma died, she left a will which says she gave all her properties and the company to Bella when she clocked age 22, but Theodore refused to give her any of the properties nor let her take over the company not that Bella was bothered, all she wanted was her father's love and affection but it seems even that was too difficult to get.
Thinking of all this, Bella glanced at the three people on the dining table and lost her appetite.
" I'm done, I'm going to my room" she said standing up
" Sister, I will come see you when I'm done eating, I want to discuss something with you" Claire said smiling.
"Okay" Bella replied
A while later, Claire opened Bella's door and stepped inside, immediately seeing Bella near the window reading a book
" You can stop the pretense Claire,I have no energy dealing with that" Bella said dropping her book
" Now listen to me, you will call Aaron and tell him you will not marry him" Claire said dropping all the pitiful charade she was displaying in the dining hall
" And why should I listen to you, I'm not the one you should tell, go tell that to Aaron " Bella said smiling softly
" If you don't do this, I'll make sure you regret it don't push me Bella " Claire said with so much venom. " By the way, tomorrow is our uncle's birthday party and father said you should be there too" Claire said then stepped out of Bella's room
Taking out her phone, she made a call "make sure everything is ready by tomorrow " " Bella I'm going to make sure you regret ever been born " Claire said smirking.