<<54>>
* Even if it's difficult, you must try to normalize your life as best as you can. *
****
Gabriella always thought her Dad was the best father and king... Who ruled his people with kindness and love...
But when she grew up, she realized how wrong she was...
Later, she thought he was only like that to his villagers and not to this family...
But this thought of hers changed when...
Unintentionally... She stumbled upon a scene where her dad was abusing one of his concubines...
The scene she saw made it impossible for her to breathe for some minutes.... As her brain literally stopped...
She couldn't believe that her, Dad could do something like that to a lady... Never in her weirdest imagination did she think it to be true...
At first, she tried convincing herself that she was seeing wrongly...
But the truth was right in front of her!
And when she confronted her, Dad about it...
He claimed that the Woman deserved to be treated that way...
He also claimed that, he could do anything to her as he owned her! So he could do practically anything to her including killing her!
All because she was his concubine!
That day, Gabriella's good opinion of her dad changed... She practically lost most of the respect she had for him...

Still, she hoped he'll change for the better as the years roll by... But she kept getting disappointed...
And when she found out that he sold her for, $500m.
All her good opinions about him shattered to pieces...
So all this while that he had been looking after all her needs and showing love for her...
He was actually doing it for a price...
He gave her the best education... Hired about seven language teachers for her...
The teachers made sure she became fluent at all of those languages including Chinese!
Her dad spent, money on getting a beautician for her... So she could improve on her skin...
He made sure she was safe and comfortable...
All this he did so he could sell her at a very high price!
What the level of cruelty!
Did she actually not mean more to him than a property?
Why did it feel as if he had been rearing her for years all for him to sell her off at a very high price?
It sucks really it does!
That day when she found out about the whole thing...
She realized just how unlucky she was.
It would have been better if she had being born into a pauper family... Than in that filthy family.
That day, she couldn't even look into her dad's eyes...
And he too couldn't...
She wished she was able to make him realize just how disappointed she was in him...
How could he?
Was her price not more than $500m?
Didn't he for once think about how she would feel when she found out?
Didn't he think of how she'll survive in the hands of a cruel mafia boss as, Jude?
Or did he not even care about her existence at all?
It's very obvious that he cared only about money and nothing else!
Not even the good life of his daughters!
During this past years... Gabriella found herself thinking over and over again... How a person could be so cruel to his offspring...
Did he never feel guilty for his actions?
Not even for a moment?
Not even for a second?
Nevertheless, she had accepted her fate...
Maybe... She'll be happy someday...
Perhaps it's due to how cruel her father was to her...
But, Gabriella stopped trusting...
She never got close to anyone again and kept all to herself...
She hardly smiled...
She was always in a melancholic mood...
But all of this changed when, Mary entered her life...
The young girl's enthusiasm and kindness broke down those walls she had put around her heart...
Gabriella once again began to hope...
Her smile returned...
And, she found ways to put herself in a better mood...
Most importantly, Gabriella began to believe that there was going to be a light at the end of the tunnel...
Because she realized that even the deepest and darkest tunnels do have lights at the end of them too...
We just have to be patient... And keep believing that there would be a morning in our life...
' cuz there will be.
.....
A/N : What do you think, guys?
<<55>>
* True strength is realizing your true potential. *
****
Unknowingly, a tear fell out from the corner of, Gabriella's eyes...
Mary who was beside her noticed it and simply held her hand tightly...
This small action brought, Gabriella out of her thoughts...
She wipped out her tears before giving, Mary a small smile...
' Indeed, Mary is like a descending angel to me... ' Gabriella unconsciously thought...
****
They all got to one of the most frequent yet private restaurant in town...
There, a private room had been prepared specially for them under the instruction of, Aiden's assistance who was there waiting for them...
There they had a feast in the restaurant...

Aiden paid for all of the expenses without complaints as he knew that it was his duty to...
Afterall, Gabriella was like his sister in law... already.
Though the time, Gabriella got to spend with, Malisa after their reunion that day was short...
Still, she felt thankful... And Happy to see her lovely sister happy and in safe hands...
What more could she ask for?
All those years, she had been praying that, Malisa get a family who would love and cherish her...
And now?
Her prayers and supplications had been granted..
She just prayed that the latter continue to stay happy and smiling like she deserves...
.....
" Sis, What do you think will happen to, Sis Gabi? " Mary probed Malisa on their way back home...
Malisa had to think for a while before she answered as she too wasn't sure of anything yet...
She just hoped, Gabriella would get through what she's going through...
" Not sure, really... But I know, Princess Gabriella would be fine... "
" How could you be so sure, sis? You really have no idea of just how dangerous, Jude is... "
" Well... I believe in miracles and divine intervention..."
" It's obvious you do... " Mary sighed resting her back on the back rest...
" Hm... By the way, how many years have you known, Gabriella for? " Malisa couldn't help asking...
She had been really curious about this for like a long time...
" Well... A year. Though I only got to know recently that she was actually a counselor in our school and not a senior student as I thought she was. "
" Oh... Really? Does she look that young? "
" Yup. You won't be able to tell since you've known her since childhood... " Mary replied...
" Yeah... You are right. At first I too thought we were around the same age..."
" Oh... So yeah.. there was a time when I felt sad and depressed and needed someone to talk to. I went to the school library and that's when I met her. "
" Okay... "
" She was really nice... And caring... At first, I thought she knew me from somewhere judging from how nice and caring she was... But soon I got to realize that it's just her nature. "
" Yeah... I can also recall the first time we met... I had gotten myself injured and rather than instructing the servants to send me out of the palace like other princesses would have done. She brought over the first aid box and tended to my wounds... "
" Oh wow... I can't help but be reminded of, Princess Sushie and Daniella. "
" Yeah... Same. I had always thought kind and compassionate princesses existed in novels only... But my thoughts changed when I met her. "
" Hm... Isn't it funny how we have similar ideas about one person? "
" It is, really... " Malisa smiled.
" I just hope, Princess Gabriella would be fine... "
" I know, she will be... "
Meanwhile, Aiden who had been listening to the duo's conversation couldn't help but sigh...
He didn't know that female's could be do attached to each other to the extent of feeling each other's pain and grievances...
Perhaps it's because he wasn't really close to anyone apart from his personal assistant so he didn't know how it feels really...
Or Maybe it's because, he don't usually let anyone get into his heart as much as others do...
He kept to himself most of the time as he didn't like sharing his thoughts and emotions with others...
All to avoid it being used against him someday...
Nevertheless... Having someone who would be willing to share the pain and grievances Isn't that bad afterall... He thought....
****
On the other side...
Gabriella had just arrived in front of the huge mansion where she lived in with, Jude...
The servants around all bowed down in respect to her while the greeted her... " Salut, Madame... "
She nodded to them in reply as she always does...
One thing, Jude made sure of was that all the servants in the house respected her... Her being his property didn't change that...
Perhaps he did this because she was raised as a princess and wanted her to keep her pride..
Or because he didn't want anyone disrespecting his property as he believed that only he had the right to... And no one else!
She walked into the mansion carefully... She was planning to sneak into her room quietly so he wouldn't know when she arrived.
But her plan failed when she heard his voice from the living room calling out to her. " Little Mouse... "
Somehow, Gabriella had become used to him calling her by this name...
Well, it's been three whole years already! So anyone would have gotten used to it too...
And she was no exception.
Left with no other choice, Gabriella walked to the living room to meet him...
The living room could be similar to a royal king's palace... It was well furnished with gold wares...
The chairs where embedded with precious gems...
The curtains were made out of golden colored silk...
The chalendiers were hung up with great splendor...
The room screamed, Perfection...

Soon, Gabriella arrived right in front of the infamous, mafia boss, Jude Chan..
He was sitting on a couch made out of pure gold... which shone with the lights...
He had the aura of a king around him...
Though he didn't look like a typical one...
He was more like the bad boy type...
Jude unlike other french men looked more Asian...
Though his hair was ink dark in colour... And he was very tall .
He had flower tattoos all over this body.

They tattoos were imprinted on him in such a way that rather then Lessing the beauty of this skin, the made him look more devilishly handsome...
He looked very youthful in a simple blue armless singlet top and jeans ripped jeans trousers...
The way he swirled the glass of red wine in his hands was really admirable...
Anyone who saw him would know that he was well grounded in table manners...
As, Gabriella stood in front of the infamous, Demon king...
She couldn't help but shiver...
Though they've been together for like three years already.
Still, the fear she had for him didn't reduce by even the tiniest bit..
She still felt more scared of him than ever...
Jude who had sensed her presence, spoke up in his usual deep voice... When she didn't speak to a while as she just kept staring at him...
" Are you done staring, Little Mouse? " Though his voice had an hint of playfulness, Gabriella didn't dare let down her guard...
" I... " She stammered.
" So you arrived two minutes past the set time... How do you think I should punish you? "
" I... " Gabriella stammered again...
" Will you speak now or should I make you? "
" I will... "
" Good... So? "
" Please spare me.... " Gabriella pleaded going on her two knees...
" Wrong words. " He tched devilishly...

" Servants! " He called out...
Almost immediately, About three men in Black overalls appeared...
" Lock her up in the dark room! And Don't you men dare release her until I tell you to! " He instructed...
" Okay, Monsieur... " They bowed before going to do as he said.
Gabriella didn't even put up a struggle as she allowed them take her away... She was aware of how futile it will be if she did...
She was no match for any of them not to talk of three of them...
At the end, She was dragged into the dark room and locked up there...
Yet again, She was back to the dark place...
The selfsame place that caused her all the nightmares she had all over the years...
She was back to the dark place, which caused her, her smile and happiness...
She was back there once again!
The hellish place which broke her completely!
What now?
Would she be broken again like she was in the past?
Or won't she?
.....
A/N : What do you think, guys?