Not Stella Again!

Adrian was both happy and disappointed to see his cousin. He was happy to see her smiling pretty face but felt disappointed at having to postpone his discussion about Stella.

"Alfred, let's talk about Stella later on. In the meantime, get me some grapes from my usual location and send them specifically to my room." Adrian waived his hand dismissively and Alfred left.

"Maria!" Adrian opened up his arms while his cousin happily jumped into them. He spun her around a little before gently putting her down.

"I've missed you so much, cousin." Maria smiled excitedly as she stroked Adrian's clean-shaven chin. "You don't seem to age one bit."

Adrian laughed before replying to Maria.

"I've missed you more, coz. Thanks for the compliment. You also look gorgeous. Anthonio must be spending his fortune on you."

"Well, he does his best. You know I don't go for cheap things." Maria giggled as she scrutinized her cousin from head to toe. "Why do you have grass and dirt on your shirt?"

Her face contoured as if Adrian had bird poop on him.

"I just thought I should get my hands dirty a little," Adrian replied. He nonchalantly removed the dirt and grass on his shoulder before leading his cousin away from the farm."

"Ah, before I forget!" Maria abruptly stopped causing Adrian to do the same. "I have to go back and get Mina some grapes. Also, Grandpa has been waiting for you at the winery. Your mum informed him of your presence and he's eager to see his favorite grandson.

"Alright, run along. I'll see you later." Adrian replied and released his hold on her.

However, it seemed Maria wasn't done talking. She stopped him before he had the chance to leave and said; " I hope you'll be attending the grape treading festival. It going to commence by 4:00 PM and you don't want to miss it."

"Your brother, Raphael, has already told me about it. So, we will both attend together."

"That womanizer!" Maria scoffed. "I know the only reason he will be attending the festival is to hunt for the unfortunate female he is going to ravish."

"Hahaha..." Adrian laughed out loud and started to walk away slowly. "See you later, coz."

"See you," Maria said and happily walked back to the farm.

-

-

Stella carried on with her work as though nothing had upset her mood. She went from row to row inspecting the ongoing work while commending the zealousness of some workers.

However, when she returned to the row she had asked Adrian to work on, she was surprised to see some new set of workers moving the container.

"Hold it right there," Stella accosted one of the workers. "Where is the young man I asked to carry these containers and why are you helping him?"

"The boss asked us to come here and move these containers." The first man replied, unsure of the young man Stella was referring to.

However, a second worker who has seen Alfred talking to a young man interjected. "I saw the boss asking some people to collect the container from the young man. In my opinion, I think the boss was unhappy with the young man."

"Oh no!" Stella whispered in anxiety. "I think Mr. Alfred has finally decided to punish Adrian."

"Huh! Who is Adrian, ma'am?" The first worker asked while staring at the second worker in confusion.

"Get back to work!" Stella snapped angrily and left immediately to look for Alfred. "She was determined to plead on behalf of Adrian and if possible save his job."

Stella was so engrossed in her thoughts while speed walking in the direction she assumed Alfred would be. She didn't notice a luxuriously dressed lady, walk into her path from an adjacent direction until it was too late.

Before Stella could pull the brake to her fast-paced movement, she accidentally collided with the pretty lady and they both fell on the ground.

"Aah!" The lady, who happened to be Maria screamed in horror.

When Maria fell, the bowl of grapes she had taken time to collect flew from her hands and landed on her head, thereby messing up her hair and her expensive designer dress.

Stella wasn't left out of the whole embarrassment as some of the grapes also fell on her. A few of the soft and ripened ones even messed up her white top leaving behind purplish-red stains.

"You low-life stinking farm girl." Maria inflamed eyes narrowed as she rose to her feet and attacked Stella.

However, Stella was no ordinary naive local girl. She had never allowed any of her peers to bully her in the past and she wasn't about to allow the rich lady to do so, now.

"It was an accident ma'am," Stella caught Maria's hand in mid-air as she was about to strike her. "Calm down!"

"Get your filthy hands off me, you dirty pig!" Maria wriggled her hand free from Stella's grip while fuming in rage. "You there lay your disgusting hands on a Dawson? By the time I'm done with you, you will wish you never worked on this farm."

Again, Maria tried to slap Stella but Stella dodge the second slap. Maria, who had leaned forward for a better impact, fell face down on the grass floor.

"Aaaaah!"

Maria's scream of horror and despair rang throughout the vineyard, thereby attracting both workers, supervisors, and Alfred's attention.

"What is it this time!" Alfred lamented as he came running in the direction of the gathering crowd.

Maria tried to wipe the dirt from her face as she spat out some grass from her mouth.

"Look at what you've done to my body and dress." Maria's eyes instantly turned watery with tears as she scowled at the unapologetic face of Stella.

"Not Stella again!" Alfred groaned. 

Some empathic female workers tried to approach Maria to help clean the dirt on her body. However, she pushed them all off and glared dangerously at Stella. "Are you happy now?"

"That serves you right!" Stella wanted to scream into Maria's face. But the presence of Alfred, some other supervisors, and the name Dawson, made her suppress her anger and just apologize through clenched jaws.

"Sorry! Did you tramp just say sorry?" Maria yelled at the top of her voice.

"That's exactly what she said, Maria." Someone spoke from the crowd making everyone turn in the direction of the voice.