Chapter 2 I can't wait to see him again

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Ten years later....

Gabriella woke up that morning in her bed, filled with excitement. She was so thrilled that she could feel her heart racing. And moments later, she went to assist her mom, Elena, in the kitchen.

As she smiled to herself, her mother became curious so she asked what had brought such a radiant smile to her face. "Darling, can you please share with me what is making you so joyful?" Elena inquired.

Gabriella chuckled as she responded . "Mom, do you really want to know?"

"I do Gabriella, please tell me," Elena responded.

" Okay, I will tell you," Gabriella finally agreed.

"Mom," She began. "Richard is returning from London today," Gabriella continued, as she cheek reddened.

However, Elena did not share in her daughter's happiness upon hearing this news as her smile vanished.

"Are you sure he will remember you?" she asked cautiously. Elena knew that this topic was a sensitive one, so she approached it with caution.

"Why would he not remember me, mom?" she asked irritably. Her mother had tried to discourage her from holding onto the promise she made to Richard multiple times, but she refused to give up.

"We made a promise to each other to stay together forever, and I have waited for him this long. I am sure he would do the same. We share an undying love," Gabriella responded.

Elena's bitter explanation followed. "My darling, I want your heart to be safe and unharmed. That is why I asked, and you must understand the reality of our situation compared to theirs. They are billionaires, and we are just servants. That is the honest truth," Elena explained with a hint of bitterness filled in her voice .

As she had witnessed many love stories end because of differences in social status. She was simply concerned for Gabriella, not wanting her to get hurt.

Gabriella gasped. "I know Richard loves me, Mom. He told me so. He doesn't care about our social status differences. He loves me for who I am and he's willing to fight the world for us," she voiced out as tears filled her eyes without her realizing.

And so, with frustrated in her demeanor, she stormed off to her room, as she locked herself inside.

"Oh my God," muttered Elena. She was in pain seeing her daughter so vulnerable, but she had to be honest so Gabriella could be prepared for whatever might happen. "I'm just a mother trying to look out for her only child," Elena mumbled to herself.

Meanwhile, in her room, Gabriella was lost in thoughts about her mother's words. She had her doubts, but she still held onto to her hope that it would be a great night for her because Richard would keep the promise he made to her. He just had to keep his promise!

At the villa, there were numerous lights, which were decorated with the most exquisite colors and designs. Happiness permeated every corners, as laughter echoed everywhere.

Rosella and Roberto were extremely thrilled to hear that their only son was returning home after a decade, so they organized a grand welcome party for him. The party had gained much attention prior to Richard's arrival, as Rosella spared no effort in ensuring the finest quality of everything, from the wine to the cuisine. She hired the best bands and planners, and paid meticulous attention to every detail to make her son's arrival the best possible. She did a double-check on everything for any faults and once she notice even the smallest of flaws, she flares up.

Apart from welcoming their son, Rosella had additional reasons for her painstaking preparations. She had a fondness for being surrounded by elegance and high-quality things, so she dedicated extra time to make the party an unforgettable experience, in order to elevate her social status among her wealthy friends and be unbeatable.

While Rosella was preoccupied with the party, Roberto eagerly anticipated seeing his son after such a long time. He was anxious to learn about the events that had transpired in his son's life, as their communication had been limited since he departed for London with a heart full of pain and anger.

"It's been ten years; that should be in the past," Roberto muttered.

Then he sighed, as he began with a bright smile on his face "I miss our son, Rosella. I can't wait to see him after all these years. I wonder how he looks now,"

"Oh, Roberto, he must look so handsome. After all, he is your son," Rosella replied.

Listening to the words of his wife, Roberto wore a smile on is face and he said "Come here, my beautiful wife," as he embraced her tightly.

Still in his embrace, Rosella continued with her reassuring words "Don't worry, my love. He will be fine,"

Two hours later, Gabriella and her mother arrived at the villa. Immediately Rosella noticed them, she walked towards them with a hateful expression.

"Why are you arriving late, Elena?" Rosella asked in a cold tone.

"I apologize, madam. Gabriella wasn't feeling well," Elena lied. Rosella rolled her eyes at Elena's excuse, still glaring at them both with hatred.

Then she said "Had my husband support my decision towards you, I would have fired you a long time ago,"

"What are you waiting for, Elena? There's plenty to do," she said scornfully.

"Of course, madam," Elena replied with a smile. She was unaffected by Rosella's look, as she had grown accustomed to it after working with them for over twenty-five years.

Elena went off to do her tasks, and as always, Gabriella followed her mother to help. After a few minutes, Rosella approached Gabriella and Elena while they were working as she noticed how evident their happiness was about something.

"What's so funny?" Rosella asked in a scornful manner.

"Why do you want to know?" Gabriella responded in the same tone.

"I see you speak rudely now. Is this the way your mother raised you?" Rosella scolded. She wondered why she hadn't ordered her men to kill Elena yet.

"She apologizes, madam," Elena replied respectfully.

Seeing Elena's apology, Rosella decided to let the matter go.

Then she began looking at Gabriella's dress which made her said, "I see you're all dressed up. Is there an event?"

"My best friend is coming back today, and I dressed up for him," Gabriella replied with excitement.

This made Rosella gave a hysterical laughter as she said, "Oh, your best friend? The same best friend who hasn't bothered to contact you in ten years?"

Gabriella felt hurt by Rosella's statement but consoled herself with thoughts of Richard. She pondered the reason why Rosella hated her so much. It was true that Richard hadn't contacted her throughout the past decade, but she didn't blame him.

He had been incredibly busy with his father's empire abroad, and Gabriella admired his accomplishments. Rosella continued to laugh uncontrollably before saying, "I hope you don't get too broken tonight, sweetheart," she gave a smirk before leaving.

However, little did Gabriella know that she had many challenges ahead.

Despite Rosella's words, Gabriella held onto hope and happiness. Her words caused Gabriella to lose herself in thought, asking, "What does she mean by me getting shattered?"

Elena reassured her, saying, "You don't have to take Rosella's words seriously. You know she will say anything to hurt you because she doesn't want you around."

Filled with anger, Gabriella exclaimed, "I can't understand why she despises me so much."

Elena praised her, as she said, "It's because you are a rare gem, Gabriella."

Hearing her mother words lifted Gabriella's mood once again. As she said with a determination not to let Rosella's words affect her. "Let's get back to our chores,"

She held a strong belief that Richard would rectify everything, and she was prepared to face any ridicule Rosella might throw her way.

Lost in the memories of her love, Gabriella chuckled with excitement. "Oh mum! I can't wait to see him. It's as if my heart is about to burst out of my chest," she daydreamed. Although Elena smiled at her daughter, she felt worried inside, desperately hoping the evening would turn out well for Gabriella. "My love, you will certainly do great tonight," she said, providing her daughter with hope and courage to overcome any obstacles.

Elena was scared for Gabriella due to their social status and the wealth of the Maxwell's family. She believed they would never reach their status even in a thousand decades.

However, she refrained from voicing her thoughts aloud to avoid jinxing her daughter's happiness. It had been a long time since she had seen Gabriella this happy.

So they continued the chores and, amidst the ongoing conversation, they made progress in handling the preparations for the party and cleaning the exquisite antiques around the villa.

Elena smiled silently, anticipating the relaxation she would feel with Rosella's presence, knowing she would no longer be subjected to her constant teasing. However, Gabriella remained unaffected by this and continued to immerse herself in thoughts of her beloved Richard. Suddenly, she remembered she needed to freshen up.

"Mom! I'll be back soon," she exclaimed and ran off happily.

"But Gabby!" Elena smiled, resigning herself to the situation. "That girl can be quite overwhelming at times," she muttered softly. "I will just finish up the remaining chores,"

As Gabriella cleaned up, she was reminded of another tender moment with Richard which was their last kiss before he left. This stirred up her emotions once more.

"I really can't wait to see Richard again," she murmured to herself.

"Or perhaps I'm expressing my feelings too strongly," she pondered, questioning herself. After she finished her clean ups, then she returned to assist her mother with the remaining chores.