The departure

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In a dimly lit room, two individuals, an eighteen-year-old boy and a fifteen-year-old girl, were seated on the floor. The atmosphere was tense and heavy, filled with sorrow. "I do not want you to go, Richard. What am I going to do without you around?" Gabriella said. "Please stay," she pleaded with tears in her eyes. She had thought she would be strong, but she realized that she needed him as the fear of him leaving overwhelmed her.

Richard sighed deeply, feeling the same way about his departure as Gabriella. "I also do not want to leave, but my mom doesn't want me to stay, and she has convinced my dad to send me to London," he explained. "And there is no way I can go against his decision. You know how my father is."

Gabriella sniffed, wiping away her tears and nodded in agreement. Richard was right; his father was the one who had the final say in their family, and once he made a decision, it was difficult to change it. "She doesn't like me, and that's why she is sending you away," she pointed out.

Richard couldn't deny that fact. He was aware that his mother didn't approve of Gabriella and constantly tried to turn him against her. Simply because Gabriella came from a lower-class background, his mother believed she wasn't suitable for him. However, Gabriella needed the assurance that Richard would always stand by her, regardless of what his mother or anyone else said.

He held her hands and gazed deeply into her eyes. "No matter what my mom does, I will never forget you, my sweet Gabriella," he declared. Saying that, he leaned in and passionately kissed her, conveying his every emotion in that moment. Breaking the kiss, he rested his head on her shoulder.

"Promise me you'll wait for me," Richard requested. However, he knew he didn't have to ask Gabriella that. She would always wait for him, no matter how long it took for him to return to her.

"Richard! I promise I'll wait for you, no matter how long it takes for you to come back. I'll wait for you," Gabriella promised. Richard smiled, comforted by Gabriella's words.

"I love you, Gabriella."

"I love you, Richard," she replied and kissed him.

****

Gabriella and Richard grew up together as best friends since they were children. Richard, the son of a billionaire, shared everything with Gabriella. They played together and did everything together. However, as time went on, romantic feelings began to develop between them. The way he stared at her and how she responded to his advances made their feelings obvious. Despite the three-year age difference, Gabriella couldn't help but love him. She cared for him deeply, and he was willing to risk everything for her, even going against his mother's wishes.

Richard's mother, Rosella, detested Gabriella because her mother worked as a helper for Richard's family. Rosella considered associating with the daughter of a helper to be unacceptable. She attempted to separate them several times, even going as far as trying to fire Gabriella's mother. However, her husband refused to allow it, frustrating Rosella. Every effort to come between them failed, and Rosella grew increasingly agitated.

When Rosella witnessed Richard and Gabriella kissing, her suspicions were confirmed and her anger reached its peak. She stormed into the room filled with rage, and the other helpers quickly fled. Concerned, Roberto, Richard's father, left his bedroom and approached Rosella. He tried to calm her down and find out what had upset her so much. However, Rosella remained silent.

Roberto persisted, asking if she wanted to talk about it. Out of nowhere, Rosella demanded that Richard be sent to London. Confused, Roberto questioned her sudden request and asked if their son had done something wrong. Rosella explained that she had caught him being romantic with Gabriella, whom she viewed as beneath their social standing.

Roberto disagreed, believing that one mistake should not result in their only child being sent away. Rosella, stubbornly angry, threatened to take matters into her own hands if he didn't comply. With that, she stormed out of the room, leaving Roberto feeling defeated and sighing heavily.

The following morning arrived, Roberto called Richard into the study room, and they both sat down. "Hey dad, do you want to talk?" Richard asked. "Yes! Can you tell me about your true relationship with your best friend?" Roberto asked, getting straight to the point. "You mean Gabriella?" Richard asked. "Yes, Gabriella," Roberto responded. "She is my girlfriend," Richard answered honestly. There was no point in hiding it. The truth would come out sooner or later.

Roberto sighed deeply. It seemed like his wife was right all along. Richard was in a romantic relationship with Gabriella. "Your girlfriend! Alright then, get ready to leave for London soon," Roberto said. "But dad!" Richard exclaimed. "Do not argue, Richard. You are going, and that's final," Roberto said authoritatively, leaving no room for arguments.

"Fine, DAD. I know this is all mom's doing," Richard said before storming out angrily, leaving Roberto sitting alone.

As the sun rose on the day of his depature, the villa was filled with silence. Sadness overwhelmed Richard instead of joy. He was awakened by his alarm, which he obviously hated. After taking a bath, he reluctantly prepared for his forced journey to London.

Meanwhile, Rosella was in the sitting room, getting everything ready for Richard's departure.

A few minutes later, Richard was fully prepared and he descended the stairs to find that everything was set. This made him sad, as he had to leave behind everything he loved and go to a place where he knew no one.

However, he had no choice but to obey his parents. He gathered his bags and took one last look at the villa, reminiscing on the memories he had there. Thoughts of Gabriella flashed through his mind.

Taking a deep breath, he hugged his parents tightly, wiped away his tears, and got into the car. He knew that one day he would return and make Gabriella his wife, but for now, he had to fulfill his parents' wishes.

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Hello guys, I have tried my best to edit this book but I may have missed a few errors, firstly, If you see the names conwell or gray please ignore it, as I was still getting used to the new characters you will only notice the mistake in the first few chapters........ I promise.

Also don't forget to leave a review and vote as all these keeps me going. And I hope you enjoy reading as I enjoyed writing.

Happy reading!!!!