Becoming The Rich Heroine

CHAPTER 66 : BLUE DRESS

"No, I don't. Why are you crying?" Bella asked while frowning.

"It's because I'm proud of you. You have overcome so many obstacles and you haven't given up even once. I'm sure you will succeed. You're the strongest person I've ever met." Mary said while smiling happily.

"Thanks, Mom. But I still feel like I'm not ready. There's so much to learn." Bella answered while shaking her head.

"There's no rush. You're only sixteen after all. Take your time and enjoy life for a while. You deserve it." Mary said with a loving smile.

"I love you, mom." Bella said while kissing her mother's cheek.

Mary smiled with tears in her eyes. She hugged her daughter and kissed her forehead. Bella could smell her perfume, making her feel loved and safe. She had no idea what was going to happen to her, but she knew that her mother would always be by her side.

"Thank you for coming to my rescue," Bella said with a gentle smile while hugging Mary.

"It was the least I could do." Mary answered with a loving look in her eyes.

"Are you okay?" Sherla asked with concern in her voice.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Bella answered while nodding.

"Do you want to go back home?" Sherla asked with a concerned tone in her voice.

Bella shook her head and sighed deeply.

"I'm sorry for making you worry." Bella said while sighing again.

"It's okay, I understand." Sherla answered with a sad look on her face.

"Where are we going?" Bella asked with a confused look on her face.

"We have something to show you." Sherla answered with a smile on her face.

They walked through the corridors of the apartment until they arrived at the last door. Sherla knocked several times without receiving any answer. Finally, she turned the door handle and entered the room. Bella followed her inside. Sherla closed the door behind them and locked it using her key.

"I hope you don't mind." Sherla said while looking at Bella with a worried expression.

"Not at all." Bella answered while nodding.

"I'm sorry for locking the door." Sherla said while frowning.

"It's alright, I understand." Bella said while smiling.

"I'm glad to see that you're finally feeling better. It's been hard for us to watch you suffer." Sherla said while shaking her head.

Bella smiled and gave her a hug. She thought about how she would have ended up dead if not for these amazing people. She realized that she should thank God every day for having found them. For a moment, she felt a bit guilty for leaving her past life behind. But she quickly understood that there wasn't any point in keeping anything that was a burden for her. Her past life meant nothing now since she had found new friends who cared about her.

Bella opened the second box and took out a pair of shoes.

"These are beautiful! Thank you!" Bella said with gratitude in her voice.

The third box contained a long-sleeved shirt with a green ribbon tied around its neck.

"What's this?" Bella asked while taking out the box.

"It's my present." Sherla answered with a sweet smile.

Bella opened the box and saw a picture inside it. On the photo, Bella was sitting next to Isha and Sherla. They were smiling happily at the camera while holding hands.

"This is my favorite picture!" Bella said while smiling.

"It's ours too." Sherla answered with a happy smile.

Bella put the photograph back into the box and kept it in her closet. She then opened the other small box. Inside was a T-shirt. She took out the shirt and smelled it. It was made of soft material with no stains or tears.

"This smells good!" Bella said with surprise in her voice.

"We've washed it several times already." Isha answered with a smile.

"It looks great on you!" Sherla added while giggling.

Bella smiled at her two new friends. She knew that the only reason why they were treating her kindly was because of the 'book'. She felt guilty for deceiving them. She had lied to them and she didn't know where things would lead from now on.

She opened the last box and took out a dress. The dress was made of a light blue color and had a white pattern on its chest. Its skirt had a dark purple lace design around its waistline.

"How does this look?" Bella asked while looking at herself in the mirror.

"I love it!" Isha said with excitement in her voice.

Bella smiled brightly and tried on the dress. Her face lit up when she saw how well the dress fitted her. She put on the necklace and bracelet that were also included in the package. Bella looked at herself again and sighed.

"Wow, you look gorgeous!" Isha said with a wide smile on her face.

Bella smiled at her friend and thanked her. She then turned to Sherla and kissed her on her cheek.

"Thank you so much!" Bella said while giggling.

"Thank you for the compliment!" Sherla answered with a happy smile.

Bella opened another box and took out a pair of jeans. The jeans were a little bit too big for her, but they still fit perfectly. She put them on and looked in the mirror. She saw a slim, thin body wearing the jeans. Her stomach was flat and her legs were toned and muscular. She smiled while admiring her reflection in the mirror.

Bella opened the third box and took out a black T-shirt with a white pattern on its chest. She put the shirt on and saw that she matched perfectly with the T-shirt.

Bella knew that she was looking better than before due to the changes caused by the 'book'. She was now skinny, toned, muscular and had a flat stomach. Bella was happier than ever and she felt confident. She was sure that nobody could hurt her anymore.

Bella looked at the clock and realized that it was already past noon. She changed into her new clothes and left her room. She headed to the cafeteria where her friends were waiting for her. When she arrived, Bella saw that Sherla and Isha had already finished eating. Both girls were now sitting next to each other, talking about something.

Bella sat down next to Sherla and looked at her two heads. Sherla noticed that Bella looked at her two heads and smiled brightly. The girl seemed very happy and relaxed.

"How are you feeling today?" Sherla asked with a gentle smile.

"I feel great! Thank you for asking." Bella answered with a bright smile.

"Are you happy to have such wonderful friends?" Sherla asked with a tender voice.

"Yes, I am! They're so kind and caring." Bella answered while nodding her head.

"I'm glad that you're happy." Sherla said while smiling.

Bella smiled back and thought about her mother and father. She missed them so much. However, she felt that her life had changed for the better. She was no longer a worthless girl; she was now a beautiful, smart and strong girl. Nobody could hurt her anymore.

***

The next day Bella woke up early and went to the cafeteria. She sat down at the table where her friends were waiting for her. She greeted them and ate her breakfast.

"Good morning!" Bella said with a pleasant smile.

"Morning, Bella!" Sherla answered with a happy smile.

"Hello, Bella!" Isha said with a friendly tone.

Bella smiled at all of them. Then, she walked towards her bedroom.

"Where are you going?" Isha asked curiously.

"I'm going to change my clothes." Bella replied while opening her wardrobe.

"Are you sure you don't want to go somewhere else?" Isha asked again with a worried look.

"I'm fine here. I'm going to wear these." Bella said while taking out a pair of jeans and a black shirt.

After changing her clothes, Bella looked at her reflection in the mirror. She liked what she saw. Bella was wearing a pair of high heels along with long earrings. Her hair was fixed into a ponytail. She examined her hands and noticed that she was now carrying two beautiful rings on each finger.

"What are those?" Bella asked herself with surprise in her voice.

She took off the ring on her left hand and placed it on top of the trolley. The ring was silver, and it had a red stone on its center. After placing the ring on the trolley, Bella closed the lid and placed the trolley next to her bed. She then took a seat on the edge of her bed and started reading the book she found in the trolley.

Bella was engrossed in the book as she continued reading it. Soon, she finished reading it and put it back on the trolley. Bella looked at the contents of the trolley and realized that there were gifts for her parents as well. She sighed with relief thinking that her mother and father would finally allow her to come home.

Bella heard a knock on her door and quickly ran towards her bedroom. When she opened the door, she saw Isha standing outside with a worried expression.

"Hey, Bella!" Isha said while giving a big smile.

"What happened?" Bella asked with concern in her voice.

"I have bad news! Your parents called a doctor." Isha said while looking at Bella with tears in her eyes.

"What? Why?" Bella asked while looking at Isha with shock in her eyes.

"Your mother has been having headaches for months now. She didn't want to worry you, but she knew that she would need to visit a doctor eventually. So, she called the doctor and told him that you were hurt in an accident yesterday." Isha explained while sighing.

"But… but…" Bella stuttered while looking at Isha with disbelief in her eyes.

"How could that happen?" Bella asked with surprise in her voice.

"It's a long story." Isha answered with a serious look on her face.

"Please, sit down!" Bella asked while pointing at a chair.

Bella sat on the bed and waited for her friend to finish telling her the whole story.

"Have you ever heard of the Blue Squares?" Isha asked while looking at Bella with hope in her eyes.

"Yeah, they are a gang of bullies who live in the building next to ours." Bella answered while nodding.

"I'm glad you know about them. They have been bullying me since kindergarten." Isha said while looking at Bella with a sad expression.

"That's awful! Why don't you report it to the police?" Bella asked with concern in her voice.

"My mom doesn't want me to go to the police station because she thinks they won't do anything." Isha answered with a sad look on her face.

"Can't you talk to your mother?" Bella asked while shaking her head.

"She is too busy working to care about my problems." Isha answered while frowning.

"I'm sure that something can be done." Bella said with confidence.

"How?" Isha asked with a worried look on her face.

"This is where I come in." Bella answered with a determined look on her face. "I can take care of this."

The next day, Bella arrived at school wearing a beautiful dress. It was white and had colorful flowers embroidered on it. Her hair was tied into a ponytail and she wore black shoes with golden heels. Bella looked stunning! She walked to the cafeteria and sat down at her usual seat. Everybody stared at her in awe. Bella looked at the trolley and smiled.

"Hi, Bell." Sherla greeted her with a big smile.

"Hello," Bella answered politely while smiling at Sherla.

"I saw you yesterday at the mall and I just had to compliment you. You looked beautiful in that dress. And those shoes are gorgeous!" Sherla said while blushing.

"Thanks." Bella answered with a blush of her own.

"I must confess that I liked you the moment we met. You have such a pure heart and a lovely personality." Sherla said while smiling.

"I like you too, Sherla. I've never met anyone as cool as you before." Bella said with a cheerful voice.

"I'm glad to hear that." Sherla answered with a radiant smile.

"I'm feeling better already." Bella said while smiling happily.

"Good, I'm glad to hear that!" Sherla said with a loving smile.

A few days later, Bella was sitting on her bed in her pajamas. She was reading a book about how to win friends and influence people.

"I don't understand! Why would anybody want to be nice to others?" Bella asked while frowning.

"Because they want to make the world a better place." Sherla answered with a serious look on her face.

"I guess that's not a bad idea." Bella said with a doubtful expression.

The next day, Bella arrived at school wearing a blue dress with yellow flowers embroidered on it. Her hair was tied into a ponytail and she wore a pair of gold shoes with pink heels. Bella was ready for her first day at the new school. She took a deep breath and walked towards her class. Bella looked around with curiosity. The classroom was filled with students of various ages. Most of them were boys, but there were also a few girls too.

"Welcome, Miss Bella!" Mr. Murray said while greeting her with a sweet smile on his face.

"Hello, Mr. Murray." Bella answered with a smile.

"Please, feel free to sit wherever you want." Mr. Murray said while gesturing towards the empty chair in front of him.

"Thanks." Bella said with a joyful voice.

Mr. Murray was a tall man with short brown hair and green eyes. His face was quite handsome and he had a pleasant smile on his lips. Bella was sitting next to Isha. She turned around and saw that Sherla and Sherla were sitting behind her. She smiled at them and they returned the gesture.

"Now, please, start by telling us what happened between you and the Blue Squares." Mr. Murray started with a serious expression on his face.

"Well, I was passing by their territory and they spotted me. They called me a 'dumb blonde'. So, I challenged them to fight. They accepted my challenge." Bella answered with a serious expression on her face.

"Did you beat them?" Isha asked with a surprised look on her face.

"Yep, I did!" Bella answered with confidence in her voice.

"How did you manage to beat them?" Sherla asked while looking at Bella with wonder in her eyes.

"I don't know. It just happened." Bella answered with a serious expression on her face.

"That's so cool!" Isha said happily.

"Yeah, it is. But I still have to deal with their attacks in the future." Bella said with a worried expression.

"We'll help you until then." Sherla said with determination in her voice.

"Thank you. I don't know what I'd do without you guys." Bella said while smiling.

"Don't worry, we'll make sure you're safe." Sherla said with confidence in her voice.

Bella hugged both girls and gave them a kiss each on their cheeks. Before leaving, she thanked them again. She promised herself to be a better person from now on, even though she knew that it wouldn't be easy.

Bella quickly changed her clothes. She put on a white shirt decorated with blue dots and a pair of black shorts. After putting on her shoes, she left her room and went to the cafeteria where she found Isha and Sherla waiting for her.

"Hi, Bell! Did you find your gift?" Sherla asked with a big smile.

"Yeah, I did. Thank you so much, girls!" Bella said while smiling back at them.

"You're welcome." Isha answered with a smile.

"Where's Sherla?" Bella asked while taking off her clothes and changing into one of her new outfits.

"She went home to change." Sherla answered after leaving the cafeteria.

"Okay, I'll go see her later. I'll call her so she knows where I am." Bella said while placing the trolley on the bed.

Bella was about to leave the room when she heard a knock on the door. She opened the door and saw Isha standing in front of her with a worried look on her face.

"What's wrong, Isha?" Bella asked as she closed the door.

"I wanted to apologize. I shouldn't have said those things about you. Please forgive me. I'm really sorry." Isha said while looking at the ground.

"You don't need to worry about that. I know you didn't mean any harm by it. You just said what others thought. Don't feel bad about it." Bella said while smiling.

"Are you sure?" Isha asked while looking at Bella with hope in her eyes.

"Yes, of course. You're a great person, Isha. Now I know that for sure." Bella answered while smiling at Isha.

"Thank you!" Isha said with relief in her voice.

Bella took the clothes out of the trolley and started changing her wardrobe. She was wearing a black T-shirt with a red bow on top. She changed her clothes to a white shirt decorated with blue dots and a pair of black shorts. After putting on her shoes, she left the room and headed to the cafeteria where she found Sherla waiting for her.

"Hey, Sherla!" Bella exclaimed while smiling at her friend.

"Hi, Bell! I'm so glad you're feeling better!" Sherla said while smiling.

Bella sat down next to her and ordered some juice. She then took out a book from the trolley and showed it to Sherla.

"This is a book about relationships. It's called 'The Book of Life'. Do you know what it means?" Bella asked.

"Yeah, it's a book about life." Sherla answered with a confused expression.

"No, it's about how to become popular and rich! What do you know about it?" Bella asked with irritation in her voice.

"I'm sorry. I didn't understand what you meant." Sherla answered while shaking her head.

"Never mind, let's start reading the book." Bella said while taking out the book.

"I'll bring some snacks." Isha said while getting up.

"Thank you!" Bella answered with a smile.

"Do you want to read the introduction? It tells how to use each item." Sherla said while pointing to the book.

Bella nodded and took out the book. She opened it and began reading the introductory part.

***

For thousands of years, mankind has been trying to find ways to make friends and influence people. Despite all their efforts, no one succeeded in this endeavor until recently. Scientists from across the globe discovered a special book that describes the exact process of making new friends and influencing people. In fact, this book was able to give its readers control over the minds of others!