Chapter 16: Avoid

Stockholm, Sweden.

After flying for several hours from their country, Astington, they finally landed at Arlanda International Airport.

This is not Bella’s first time in this country. She has been here often and knows many places in this country well. She didn’t contact anyone to pick her up this time, but she had rented a car.

Bella had rented a car that she would use for a few weeks’ stay in Stockholm before moving to North Sweden’s countryside. She decided to escape the hustle and bustle of the big city, wanting to spend her days in the countryside while enjoying nature and healing her mind and heart.

1

…

After taking out their luggage, Bella and Noora headed out of the airport; however, when they left the terminal, Bella halted her step. She saw two familiar figures at the exit.

“Damn!! Why are they here? Are they coming to pick me up?” Bella muttered softly. But Noora, walking beside Bella while pushing the suitcase trolley, could hear her words.

“Young miss,” Noora glanced worriedly at Bella. “You are pregnant; please use less words like that…”

Bella didn’t hear Noora’s words because she was busy looking for ways to avoid two people she didn’t want to meet. She turned in the opposite direction, pulling Noora to follow her.

She wasn’t ready to meet them, let alone return to the world she had left for so long. Right now, she only needs to live in peace and heal her wounded heart.

But her efforts to avoid them were in vain. The two of them had seen her when she walked out the door.

“Arabella Donovan, stop right there,” called the woman with long, dark brown hair. She was dressed in a red executive office outfit. Despite wearing 7-inch high heels, her steps remained fast and steady as she followed Bella.

Bella pretended not to hear; she quickened her steps, followed by Noora beside her, who was confused and worried when she realized someone recognized them as soon they touched down in this country.

“Young Miss, are they Master’s people… I mean, Tristan’s people?” Noora asked in a whisper, but the tremor in her words clearly showed that she was panicking. “Oh… My… lord… they’ve found us?” she said while glancing at the beautiful woman in the red suit and a handsome, tall man walking a few steps behind them.

Bella didn’t answer Noora. She just shook her head and continued to walk fast.

“Not Tristan? Then who send them!?” Noora was trying to think. Before long, her face turned pale when a face crossed her mind. “Oh, no… they must be Snake Queen’s people, right!? They already found out about your—” Noora didn’t finish her sentence, but her eyes glanced at Bella’s flat belly.

Bella, “…”

She feels amused hearing Noora’s words. “Aunty, you are wrong. They are not from Astington.” Bella answered quickly.

“Huh!? Not from our country?” Noora asked again, but Bella didn’t bother to answer her.

Bella started giving up on running away from them both because she could hear their footsteps approaching. She thought that woman would not catch up with her when wearing such high heels, but she was wrong.

The woman quickened her pace, “Oh, please, Bella… stop it now. We already know you will arrive today and where you will be heading!”

Bella was stunned hearing her words.

‘Damn!!! How do they know?’ She had avoided them for almost four years. And, for this trip, she had ensured they wouldn’t replace out. But they still found it. This confused her.

Bella stopped in her tracks. She turned around to look at the woman and man behind. Her face didn’t show any expression, ignoring the friendly smiles of these two people.

Her gray-light eyes beamed, looking at them, “How did you know I landed today?” Bella asked.

This is not normal; these two people appear in this country. They do not have business in Sweden, let alone live here. They must have flown here on purpose to wait for her.

The woman in the red woman’s suit answered Bella, “Oh my, Bella… even though your appearance changes…” She paused, shaking her head slightly as if she didn’t want to continue her sentence. But her mind betrayed her. “Ugh, well, even you’re a little fat now… I still recognize you, darling.” She grinned, showing her beautiful bunny teeth.

Bella, “…”

‘Damn this woman!! How could she have a vicious tongue!? How could she utter that lightly!?’ Bella could only vent her anger in her mind.

Even though she felt annoyed, she couldn’t be angry. The woman in the red suit was telling the truth. She gained not a little but a lot of weight after getting married. Sometimes, she thought her ex-husband was not interested in her because she was not sexy.

“Ups, sorry, my darling Bella…” The woman in the red suit said while slapping her mouth lightly. Then she continued her words, “And, my darling, you don’t have to hide your beautiful face with that baseball cap. I still recognize you…” she giggled.

Bella rolls her eyes, ignoring the woman in the red suit. She turned her gaze to the man in the black suit.

She couldn’t hold but was stunned looking at his features after so many years. He still looks dashing with his short hair combed neatly, his thin sideburns making him look like a mafia leader.

What surprised Bella even more was that this man’s aura was getting stronger. No one can resist his charm when he is in a public place like this, every woman now staring at him with their jaw-dropping as if they are looking at a treasure but can’t touch it.

However, for Bella, this man was the source of her headache; she wished she would vanish from this place, not ready to talk to him.

“Jack, how do you know I landed here today?” Bella’s voice sounded serious as she looked at Jack Foster’s blue-calm eyes.

“Geez… I’m sad now. My Bella, Ignore me!” The woman in the red suit suddenly chimed in with a pitiful expression.

Bella, “…”

“Ooo, please, Harper Reed!” Bella sighs deeply. Her light-gray eyes slightly narrowed, her lips breaking into a faint smile. “Alright, Alright… you answer my question. I will pay attention to you,” she said, feeling defeated.

Bella has no choice but to talk to these two people — her best friend and the source of her headache.