Amid her parents’ constant arguments, Bella finds solace in her drawings. But during a picnic, she’s shocked by her stepmother’s greed and decides to find some solitude. Wandering off, she stumbles upon a mysterious well and discovers something that puts her honesty to the ultimate test.
A family was driving to a picnic. Bella sat in the back seat of their old, rickety car, a sketchbook balanced on her knees and a pencil deftly moving across the page.
The countryside whizzed by, but Bella was lost in her world of lines and shades, creating characters and landscapes only she could see. She had always found solace in drawing, a refuge from the daily tensions that often erupted at home.
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Up front, her father, Thomas, gripped the steering wheel, his knuckles white from the pressure. Next to him, her stepmother, Denise, was in full rant mode. Her voice had that sharp, cutting tone that always made Bella’s stomach churn.
Denise listed, in excruciating detail, all the ways Thomas fell short. His old, beat-up car was an embarrassment, his salary a joke, and compared to her friends’ husbands, he was inferior in every possible way.
Bella tried to shut it out, focusing intensely on her drawing. She sketched a peaceful forest, imagining herself walking through it, far away from the harsh words that filled the car.
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Her imagination was a powerful tool, turning the noise into something distant and insignificant.
“Bella… Bella!” Denise’s voice suddenly pierced through her concentration. Bella flinched, her pencil slipping and leaving an unintended mark on the page.
“Do you hear what I’m saying? Turn to me!”
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Bella looked up, her heart sinking. “What is it, mom?
“Tell your father what you told me this morning,” Denise demanded, her eyes narrowing.
Bella hesitated, glancing at her father, who looked weary and defeated. “I want to go to art school,” she said softly.
Thomas’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “So what?” he asked, genuinely puzzled.
“So what!? You don’t have money for your wife, but you have money for your daughter’s pointless hobbies?” Denise’s voice rose, her anger palpable.
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“Why pointless? She likes to draw, what’s the problem?” Thomas replied, a hint of defiance creeping into his voice.
“If she were Van Gogh, we would have noticed, but this is just a waste of time!” Denise spat back.
Bella felt her cheeks burn with a mix of embarrassment and frustration. She wanted to disappear into her sketchbook, back into the forest she had drawn.
She didn’t understand why her love for drawing caused so much conflict. To her, it was more than a hobby—it was a lifeline.
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Denise’s rant continued, but Bella had already checked out. She let her pencil dance across the paper again, sketching out the details of a fantasy world where her family was happy and supportive.
In this world, there were no harsh words or crushing criticisms, only peace and understanding. Drawing was more than an escape; it was her way of coping, of surviving the emotional storms that often engulfed her home.
Upon arriving at the picnic site, Denise and Thomas started unpacking their things, each moving with jerky, stiff motions that showed they were still upset from the argument in the car.
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Bella could feel the tension in the air, like a dark cloud hanging over them. She looked around, hoping to find something to distract herself from their icy silence.
She noticed bits of trash scattered around the grassy area—cans, wrappers, and paper plates left by previous visitors. She frowned, feeling a mix of annoyance and sadness. How could people be so careless? She decided to clean it up, grabbing a plastic bag from the car.
“Why are you digging through the trash, Bella?” Denise’s sharp voice cut through the quiet. “You’ll ruin your clothes, and we won’t buy you new ones!”
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Bella paused for a moment, feeling a pang of frustration, but then continued. She couldn’t leave the place dirty. If everyone left their trash behind, no one could enjoy the beauty of nature. As she worked, she felt a small sense of satisfaction at making the picnic spot cleaner.
Suddenly, something shiny caught her eye in the grass. She bent down and saw a wallet, partly hidden by leaves. Her curiosity piqued, she picked it up and brushed off the dirt.
It looked like it had been there for a while, but it was still intact. Her heart quickened with excitement as she realized she might have found something important.
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“Look what I found! Someone lost their wallet; we need to return it!” Bella exclaimed, running over to her parents.
Her father, Thomas, looked up and nodded, taking the wallet from her. He opened it and started searching for any identification or a phone number. Denise, always curious, leaned in, her eyes immediately fixating on the cash inside.
Thomas found a note tucked into a pocket of the wallet with a phone number on it. “Found it,” he said, and he pulled out his phone to call the number. As he dialed, Denise took the wallet from him, her fingers lingering on the money.
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Less than half an hour later, a man arrived, looking relieved and grateful. “Thank you so much! This wallet has my documents and bank cards. I thought it was gone forever.”
Denise handed him the wallet, but Bella noticed how the man’s face changed when he checked inside. “Uh, the money I had in here is missing,” he said, confused.
Denise quickly interjected, “We found it like that, without any money.” Her tone was firm, but Bella knew better. She had seen the money before. Denise must have taken it.
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Feeling a surge of anger and shame, Bella couldn’t stand to be part of the deceit. She turned and ran, tears stinging her eyes. She needed to get away, to find a place where honesty and kindness still mattered.
She walked aimlessly through the forest, her feet crunching on the fallen leaves and twigs beneath her. She tried to shake off the anger and disappointment from what had happened with the wallet.
As she wandered, her mind began to clear, and she started to notice the beauty around her. The forest was dense and green, with sunlight streaming through the canopy in soft, golden rays.
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Suddenly, she emerged from the trees and found herself facing a large mansion. The house was grand, with tall, elegant windows and ivy creeping up its walls.
Despite its neglected appearance, there was something beautiful and majestic about it. Bella felt a sense of wonder as she approached, her eyes taking in the details of the architecture and the overgrown gardens.
As she walked around the mansion, she spotted an old stone well in the front yard. Curious, she ran over to it and peered inside.
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The well was deep, and she could barely make out the bottom. Something shiny caught her eye, glinting in the dim light. Her curiosity got the better of her, and she decided to try and retrieve it.
Using the bucket tied to the well, Bella slowly lowered it down, trying to guide it toward the shiny object. She leaned further and further over the edge, her hand gripping the rope tightly.
Suddenly, she lost her balance and tumbled headfirst into the well. The fall was short, and though she wasn’t hurt, she found herself covered in dirt and a bit shaken.
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Bella sat up, checked herself for injuries, and then looked around. She quickly spotted the shiny object—a small, ornate jewelry box. She picked it up, brushing off the dirt, and examined it closely.
The box was beautifully crafted, with intricate designs etched into its surface. She called out for help, but her voice echoed back at her. It was clear that no one could hear her from the bottom of the well.
Determined to get out, Bella put the jewelry box in her backpack and began to climb. She used her feet to push against the walls and her hands to find small footholds.
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It was slow and difficult work, but she was determined. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, she reached the top and pulled herself out, panting and covered in grime.
As soon as she was out, she opened the box to see what she had found. Inside was a small bag, which she quickly opened.
Her eyes widened in amazement as she saw the contents—dozens of jewels, including rings, earrings, and necklaces, all sparkling brightly. Alongside the jewels was an old, yellowed letter. Bella unfolded it carefully and read:
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“These jewels are to be given to my daughter, Rosa. I fear my older son will take everything after my death and leave nothing for his sister, so I’ve hidden these here.”
“What do you have there?” Denise’s voice suddenly cut through the silence, making Bella jump. She turned to see her stepmother standing behind her, eyes fixed on the jewelry box.
“God! Finally, you’ve done something useful, you’ve found us a treasure!” Denise exclaimed, reaching for the box.
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“It’s not ours! This box needs to be returned to its rightful owner in that mansion!” Bella insisted, holding the box tightly to her chest.
“In that mansion? Are you out of your mind? They’re already rich, and we barely survive! We need this money more!” Denise argued, her eyes gleaming with greed.
Bella shook her head fiercely. “It’s not ours!”
“Dear, I promise you, if you give me the box, we’ll pay for your art school,” Denise coaxed, her voice softening.
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Bella hesitated, the temptation of art school tugging at her heart. But she knew what was right.
With a determined look, she turned and ran toward the mansion, clutching the jewelry box tightly. She couldn’t betray the trust of the letter’s author or her own sense of honesty.
After knocking on the heavy wooden door, Bella waited nervously. Moments later, the door creaked open, revealing an elderly woman with kind eyes and a warm smile. “Hello, dear. Can I help you?” the woman asked gently.
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“What is your name?” the girl asked hesitantly.
The woman’s eyes widened in surprise as she saw the box and letter in Bella’s hands. “My name is Rosa,” she said, her voice trembling with emotion.
“Hi, I’m Bella,” she began, holding out the jewelry box and letter. “I found this in the well outside. I think it belongs to you.”
Rosa was shocked, she recognized the box but couldn’t believe her eyes.
“This was my mother’s! I’ve been searching for these jewels for years! Without them, we might have lost this mansion that has been in our family for generations!”
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Rosa opened the letter, tears welling up in her eyes as she read it. “Thank you, Bella. You don’t know how much this means to me,” she said, her voice choked with gratitude. “Is there anything I can do to repay you?”
Bella blushed and shook her head. “No, ma’am. I don’t need anything,” she replied softly. But Rosa’s eyes caught sight of the sketchbook peeking out of Bella’s backpack.
“Do you like drawing?” she asked, gently taking the sketchbook from Bella’s backpack and flipping through the pages.
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“Yes, I do,” Bella answered shyly.
Rosa smiled warmly. “Remember, dear, kindness always comes back to you. You’re a talented artist, and you deserve to follow your dreams.”
Bella returned to her parents, where Denise immediately began yelling at her for giving the box back. “How could you? We needed that money!”
But before Bella could respond, Thomas stepped in, his voice firm. “Enough, Denise. Bella did the right thing. If you can’t accept that, maybe you should find a new family.”
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Denise fell silent, stunned by Thomas’s sudden assertiveness. The tension eased, and the family drove home with a newfound sense of peace.
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