Chapter 25
Flashback Continues…
Niccolo Point of View
“Why do you look anxious today?” Vald asked relaxing back in chair and looked at me knowingly.
I sighed and gazed at him apprehensively, “You know why. It’s been three days since the Christmas party and I have not been able to get in contact with Phoebe. I – tried to call her but her phone is switched off. I called Rick to know about her but he gave me very vague and short answers telling me that she is not that well.” I rambled out my worries.
This is not the first time for Bella to be out of reach for days. She has been unable to get into contact few times before when her phone was under repair or when she was down with cold or flu. But this time it is different.
She has been aloof and very emotional from past few days who got me very worried. I know there is something that is bothering her and I cannot brush off the shallow feeling of something bad happened to her.
“You should’ve gone to the House and look for her.” Vald provided to which I nodded shortly in despair.
“I did yesterday but Rick said Bella is down with flu and do not want to meet me.” I fisted my hands in nervousness.
There is definitely something going on. The feeling of my Bella being in danger is just getting intensified every passing minute.
“And you think Rick is lying to you?” Vald questioned. I nodded my head and closed my eyes for a moment to get the growing headache under control.
“Rick sounded very depressed over phone, not to mention the look of fear and surprise I saw when I went to meet Bella yesterday. He looked like –”
“Excuse me, Mr. Russo” I was cut of my a knock on my door by my new secretary who is a pretty good at work male. Harry, my new secretary, walked in holding few files along with bunch of envelopes.
“Yes Harry.” I asked politely to which he handed me the files and the envelopes. There is another of a large envelope in his hand which he handed me separately.
“Mr. Russo, I received a letter address to you by Miss Phoebe Smith. Since you ordered me to transfer the calls to you directly if a woman named Phoebe Smith happen to call, so I believed this letter is important to you.” He completed, giving me envelope and setting the other letter on my table.
I snatched it from him in hurry and thanked him before asking him to leave. Vald raised an arrogant eyebrow at me but nonetheless left my office when he realized I need my privacy.
A letter from Bella?
Why a letter?
Why would she send me a letter, that too as big as this?
I tore open the cover and pulled out the purple letter sheets from it. I didn’t know my Bella is a type to like sending love letter but then again, the bad feeling I am getting through this correspondence cannot be ignored.
I still don’t understand why she would not meet me and send a damn letter.
‘Dear Nicco,
Ah, her curvy handwriting is the sweetest script I had ever seen.
‘If you are reading this letter, then it means I love you so much – so much that I was willing to walk away from you for you. Do you remember, once you said you can be away from me if that makes me happy, that is what I am doing now, Nicco.
My contract period in the escort house came to an end and I am leaving you forever.’
Wh-what? No no no no. No she is not leaving. She didn’t!
‘You might think of me as a bad person who took advantage of you for years and left you when my use with you came to an end, but believe me when I tell you, I would be happy if you thought so of me.
I want you to move on in your life, Nicco. I know you love me and I know it makes no difference for you if I am poor escort girl or a rich girl; you love me. But my love, we cannot have future together. We are not just worlds apart, we are poles apart. Just like how sun cannot meet the sea, we cannot have a future together.’
Tears ran through my eyes in a silent revolution. What did she f***ing do? No no this must be a prank to tease me.
Of course it’s a prank. My Bella loves when I fall for her little pranks. She loves to laugh at me. Silly me, I am taking a prank seriously.
‘For months – From months I have been continuous cursing myself for hidden this from you. I was beating myself between telling you and give you a fair goodbye and leaving you without notice. I know you would not let me go if you come to know about the contract expiry and that is the reason I had to take the harsh decision of leaving you without a notice.
I want you to marry and start a family, Nicco; which you cannot have with me. I am not but worst of dirt in the eyes of society and I do not want to bring you down with my reputation. These past thirteen years, I learnt so much from you, mostly love. I had never received so much love from anyone before. You are the first and an only person who like me, loved me without looking at my background.
You just loved me and you did not care who and what I am. That made me fall in love with you so deeply. But our love has no definite destination. You are a person who belongs to an esteemed family with a very high honor which I don’t want to taint with my presence.
Till few days ago, you are the one who paid my debts and I was your mistress. If I stayed with you, what would I be? Your mistress? I don’t mind being your mistress to be with you, Nicco but then what about a family that every man dreams about? How can you have kids and a family if you are with me?
Your love for me will never let you leave me and my love for you will make me greedy every passing moment. That is why I took this decision of going away from you. I really wish you take this as my betrayal towards you and move on with your life without turning back in time.
There are many good girls from good family who are compatible to you in every way. I wish you marry one and have so many kids with her.
Let me tell you one thing my Nic – No, now you are not mine anymore. Let me tell you one thing, Niccolo – You are a rare diamond that any girl wish for. You are understanding, cool and a person who is as pure as an angel; you will be blessed with a great life partner.
Lastly, please do not go after your father for revenge. He is not worth your time or your effort. He was a cruel person and I would not wish to see you in danger. Be careful, Nicco. You do not even eat one time a day when you are on business trips, please eat well. Always carry a set of basic medicines with you; you tend to get affected by hot weather easily.
Don’t you dare go to night clubs without leaving a text to your secretary about your whereabouts and don’t drink too much when your friends force you to. I know you like to keep yourself sober all the time so don’t come into their trap and drink beyond your capacity.
Don’t go obsessed with reading all the twenty five news papers a day. Try to keep yourself free sometimes and please sleep a lot. Don’t sleep in office, even if it’s late, go to your house and take a good nap.
I hate myself to say this to you again, I love you, Nicco. I wish we met each other in any other circumstance. I wish we had a simple life like every other. I wish to be born again in a good family for you and have you all to myself.
Though with a heavy heart, it is time for me to wave a goodbye to you, my Nicco. All these years, you proved your love to me by staying by my side; now I am going to prove my love for you by staying away from you.
I want to tell you so much through this letter but some things cannot be expressed in words.
Farewell Nicco. I wish you a great life. I love you and will always love you. You are the only one for me.
Yours,
Bella.’
For a minute I couldn’t comprehend anything. It was like the world around me stopped, as if the earth lost its air. Only her words of confession and her beautiful laugh is ringing in my ears like a horror movie.
With a thud, I fell on ground on my knees. The tears that started earlier are now gushing out like a dam.
Bella – she – did she really leave me?
No, that can’t be true because she loves me. She promised me that she would never go away from me. She cannot leave me.
Oh God no, Bella where are you, you cannot leave me like this. What am I going to do without you?
How am I going to live without you, how am I even going to breathe without you?
No no, you cannot go away from me. You are my life, how can you take decision to part ways with me on your own?
I need to see her. I need to see her now or I might die. Didn’t she once think about me while taking such a stupid step?
I need her.
I need her with me.
I will not allow her to leave me.
~*~*~*~*~*~