Stella!

Chapter two hundred and thirty-seven

After Anna ended her call with Vanessa, she went to the rooftop to avoid meeting Xander. As soon as she reached there, she remembered that it was the first place that she'd met Jaden. Anna suddenly felt his absence again and in the next minute, her eyes watered with tears. She let the tears fall freely on her cheeks and she wiped her face with her hands.

"Crying doesn't suit you. You're way too beautiful to look sad. If you don't stop crying, you might just become as ugly as I am," she heard a familiar voice say and she looked beside her to see who it was. Anna's eyes widened in surprise when she saw who it was and her heart danced with joy.

"Stella!" Anna took quick steps toward her and pulled her in tightly for an embrace. Anna was so happy to see her. It felt like she hadn't seen her in years. They weren't friends at all, but Anna was so happy that she forgot about that. The hug was so tight that it almost restricted Stella's airflow.

"My organs might- just start malfunctioning if you- refuse to let go," Stella managed to say amidst the tight squeeze.

"I'm so sorry. I guess I was too excited," Anna folded her lips in embarrassment. It was after Stella spoke that she remembered that they weren't so close and it suddenly dawned on her that she probably overreacted.

"I don't think that you would ever change, Anna," Stella said, chuckling at Anna whose face looked pinkish from embarrassment.

"I've missed you so much. Come here, Anna," said Stella, who hugged Anna very tightly as though her life depended on it.

"Thank you so much, Anna. Thank you for persuading Mr Williams to spare me. I know that it was all your doing. Mr Williams isn't the kind to bring back a sacked employee. Thank you for not treating me the way I did you. Thank you for everything, Anna. I can't even begin to imagine how my life would have turned out without you. I had given up all hope until I got a call from Mr Williams and I knew right there and then that it was you." Stella blurted out. Her eyes were hazy with tears, which rolled down her rosy cheeks.

"You made me know that good people still exist. I owe everything to you, Anna. Thank you so much," Stella continued to cry.

Anna felt a little awkward, she wasn't so used to people thanking her the way Stella was. She wasn't even sure of what to say.

Stella released Anna who gasped for air immediately.

"Are you alright? I'm so sorry, Anna."

"It's- alright, Stella. I'm fine, I just sort of ran out of air," she grinned.

"Anna, I'm so sorry for all the mean things I did to you. I let my jealousy get the better of me. I was so stupid then. All I could see was Mr Williams. I was so blinded by hate that I did those horrible things to you, Anna. I know that I've deeply wronged you and I'm so sorry. Can you please forgive me, Anna?" Fresh tears welled up Stella's eyes again,  she bit her lips in a bid to prevent herself from crying out loud, and she lowered her eyelashes, ashamed to look Anna in the eye.

"I'm so glad that you're back, Stella. That's all that matters. Can we please forget about the past? Thinking about the past only causes hurt. We can't change what has happened in the past. We can only change the future. I'm not mad at you, Stella. We're all humans after all. We all have something that we've done in the past that we aren't proud of. I'm no saint myself. So, can we just forget all about the past and look to the future?" Anna let out a reassuring smile at Stella who was now blushing really hard on her face from tears.

"Thank you so much, Anna. You have a large heart and I'm super grateful that our paths crossed. You are the kindest person I've met. Thank you! Thank you!" Stella hugged Anna again, but this time, the hug wasn't too tight. It wasn't enough to restrict Anna's airflow.

"So, how have you been? I'm sure that Mr Williams wouldn't say this, but the company has missed you so much."

"I would say that the days I spent away from Brookswill and Sons Company were my worst days in my entire life," Stella said truthfully.

"The good thing is that you are back to stay," Anna said with a smile.

"What about you, Anna? How have you been? I saw you crying a while ago. Is everything alright? What about your friend? That guy who stood up for you when I was being such a bitch. I can't remember his name again, but I'm sure that you do." Concern was evident in Stella's voice and Anna could see that they were genuine.