"Annabelle…" Julie was visibly hurt by her statement.

She laughed, sweeping her hair back, "You know what? Honestly, I only came home with you last night to have sex. As you said, you're a player and you have so much experience, plus the fact I had a little crush on you, hence you seemed the perfect candidate to pop my cherry,"

"You don't mean that!" Julie refused to believe her, "You're doing this on purpose. I know you are," He tried to grab her hand but Anabelle reached out and struck him in the face.

"Does this now convince you," She cocked a brow at him, "You are not my type, Julie? You are just someone I would have fun with, you know like sin, I'm not supposed to like it but I crave it. But in the end, I'm going to settle for a responsible, gentle guy like Pedro. However, since the fun was over before it began, I had to let go then, Goodbye, Julie" Anabelle took a long deep breath and turned to leave.

However, Anabelle never anticipated that Julie would grab her hand, spun her around, and kiss her. Because it happened too quickly, the strong resolve she built dissipated away with the wind. Her feelings were left in the open and she responded to his kiss in a way she had never done - like she was afraid to lose him.

His soft lips moved against hers causing her heart to pound, while his hands assembled around her waist and the other at the small of her back. Anabelle stood awkwardly, she didn't have the time to position herself.

"I know you don't mean it," Julie whispered into her ears as soon as they broke apart, "I love you, Anabelle,"

Bam!

Her heart broke. He loved her. Julie loved her. Fuck it! She was going with her heart's desire.

"I love you too, Julie," Anabelle threw her arms around him and said the words when she was ripped from him.

"I believe Miss Anabelle was just about to take her leave," George gestured and the man began to drag her away.

"Julie!" She reached for him.

"Anabelle!" he stretched his hand to catch her, their hands barely touching when she was thrown over the man's shoulder and taken away.

"Seriously, let me go!" Julie fought with the guards like a wounded beast. But they overpowered and pressed his head against the bed.

"Grandfather!" he could only glance at him sideways.

"This what you get for making a fool out of me," George said to his men, "Take him away, he must be taught a lesson,"

"No! Let me go!" Julie struggled with fury, but the men were much stronger, they dragged him away.

Meanwhile, Anabelle screamed and squirmed in the man's grasp, but her strength was nothing compared to his. He finally put her down at the entrance. Her legs gave out but Anabelle quickly scrambled up to her feet and went after the guard who locked the gate before she could reach it.

"No! Don't lock it!" Anabelle banged on the large sliding modern gate, yet it didn't budge; she was the one who got hurt instead.

Exhausted, Anabelle slid down against the gate and drew her knees up to her chest, hugged herself, and began to cry. What was she going to do? Julie was in trouble because of her. Had she known, she would have married him that day notwithstanding what Isabella had to say. Maybe things wouldn't have come to this extent? Speaking of Isabella…

Anabelle quickly began to search around and stumbled upon her purse that had been hurled out - alongside her. With trembling hands, she unlocked her password and called Isabella at once. Yes, Isabella could do something. She was the miracle worker.

The girl had sworn not to cry, she had to be calm and make the call. Yet, the instant she heard, "Hello," from the other end, her voice broke

"Isabella help," she managed to say before bursting into tears once more. She hated being this way; weak, pathetic, but there was nothing she could do.

"A-Anabelle! What is it?! Why are you crying?" She sensed the panic in Isabella's voice.

"It's Julie… his grandfather found out about us,"

"Fuck!" Isabella cursed, "Where are you now?"

Anabelle looked around her environment as if realizing for the first time that she was outside, "They threw me out,"

"Alright, wait for me. I'm coming there right now," Isabella added, "And don't try anything stupid. I'll be there right away, okay?"

"Okay?" She promised her, wiping away the tears from her eyes. Isabella would be here soon and everything would be fine, she had to be strong, Anabelle consoled herself.

Thankfully, because the neighborhood was a private one, there were hardly any people passing by and wondering why the girl was sitting outside the mansion like that.

Time passed but what made Annabelle lift her head was the screeching of tires as a car pulled over and Isabella stepped out.

"Anabelle!" Isabella went over to her cousin, "Seriously, get off the floor. You're not a beggar!" She scolded the girl, pulling her up to her feet.

"No, let me be. I can't leave Julie," She refused her help, squatting back down.

Isabella pinched the bridge of her nose, vexed. This was what she hated about Annabelle sometimes, her low self-confidence. Can't the dumb girl see she's more than this.

She glowered at her," And you think Julie's going to appreciate you staying on the ground like a baby? When are you going to grow up, Anabelle?!"

Anabelle shot up to her feet abruptly, saying right at her cousin's face, "Why bother to grow up, when this is all your fault?!"

"What?" Isabella's brow narrowed at her.

"If you hadn't been too meddlesome, George wouldn't have engaged you to Julie in the first place?!"

"Oh really?" Isabella snorted, "Have you forgotten to think that if it wasn't for the fact that I meddled, you and Julie wouldn't have gotten involved the second time. So you should be thanking me,"

Anabelle was stunned by that revelation, realizing that Isabella was indeed right. The first time after Julie broke her heart, she had marked him off and if it wasn't for the fact that Julie began to hang around her again - thanks to the engagement - she wouldn't have ever accommodated him in her life.

Shame filled Anabelle, her head dropped as she realized how shameful that accusation had been, "I'm so sorry, Isabella. I was just so angry that I said whatever came to my mind,"

"I know and it's my responsibility to bring your senses back around. Don't worry," Isabella smoothed her hair, "We'd find a way to deal with George and the engagement, now give me a hug," She opened her arms wide.

Anabelle smiled gratefully, however, something happened the instant she moved. Just as she tried to wrap her arms around Isabella, she threw up a mouthful of blood on her instead.

"Anabelle!"