"Don’t say that. I was worried and wanted to talk to you," he replied earnestly.

A bitter laugh escaped her lips. "I don’t need your fake concern." She attempted to walk past him, but he instinctively reached out, grabbing her arm to stop her.

"I’m not faking," he insisted desperately. His eyes were filled with remorse, reflecting the pain he felt for pushing her away. "I was..."

"Really?" she sneered, cutting him short. The anger surged within her, drowning out any lingering affection. "You left me alone in the hospital. Is this how you take care of me? Your mistress bullied me, said hurtful things to me, and tried to slap me. But you supported her. You left with her, not bothering to check if I was okay."

Theodore’s heart sank further with each of Bella’s cutting words. He knew he had failed her, allowing Gina to stir up trouble and not doing anything to stand up for his wife. Now, he was facing the consequences of his inaction.

"I know you are hurt," he mumbled. "I’ll explain to you. Come home with me." He reached out, desperate to take her hand and make amends.

But Bella stepped back, pulling her hand away. "Home?" she scoffed bitterly, emphasizing the word with a mix of pain and anger. "Which home are you talking about? We’re getting divorced, aren’t we? It’s not appropriate for us to stay under the same roof anymore."

Theodore winced at her words. "Bella! Don’t do this here," he urged, lowering his voice in hopes of calming her down. "Come with me. We’ll talk." He extended his hand once more, but Bella swatted it away, her frustration bubbling over.

"I am not going anywhere with you," she snapped, glaring at him. Her voice echoed inside the lobby, catching the attention of a few passersby. "Go away, Mr. Reid. I’m sure your mistress is waiting for you somewhere."

That was it. Theodore’s patience snapped, her constant defiance striking a nerve. "Enough," he growled. He had tried to reason with her, to apologize, but she refused to listen. "Whether you want to or not, I’m taking you with me."

Before she could protest further, Theodore grabbed her wrist and pulled her toward him, closing the distance between them in a heartbeat. Bella gasped, shocked by the suddenness of his move.

"Let go of me," she hissed, twisting her wrist in a futile attempt to free herself. But his grip was firm, unyielding as if he couldn’t bear to let her slip away again.

Theodore’s face was inches from hers, his eyes burning with a mix of anger, desperation, and something more—something that made Bella’s resolve waver for a fleeting second.

Without a word, Theodore hoisted Bella onto his shoulder as if she weighed nothing, striding out of the restaurant with determined, brisk steps.

The curious eyes of onlookers followed them, whispers of intrigue and judgment swirling in the air, but Theodore paid no mind. His focus was solely on Bella.

Bella, stunned, didn’t dare struggle much, fearing the precarious position of being upside down on his shoulder. Her body tensed, her muscles rigid with both shock and fear that he might drop her.

In one swift motion, Theodore shoved her into the back seat of his car and immediately climbed in beside her. Before Bella could even think of escaping from the opposite door, the locks clicked, and the engine roared to life. The car sped off.

Her face twisted in anger as she glared at him. "What’s your problem, Theodore?" she spat with fury and bitterness. "You are now with Gina. What do you want from me?"

Theodore’s jaw clenched. "I am not with Gina." His eyes briefly met hers, filled with a mixture of regret and frustration.

Bella let out a bitter laugh. "Is that so? The photos must be fake then. All the rumors are lies?" Her voice dripped with sarcasm, but beneath it, there was undeniable hurt.

"You questioned my loyalty. You doubted me. And your grandfather—he despises me! He wants us divorced. Aren’t you worried what he’ll do if he finds out you’re with me again?" Her eyes flashed with defiance. "Stop the car and let me go, Theodore."

But Theodore didn’t flinch. His eyes remained locked on her. He had many things to tell her. He had been battling with himself for days, trying to figure out the right course of action. Initially, he had decided to keep his distance from Bella, thinking that would protect her. But after learning about Zack’s dark intentions toward her, he changed his mind.

To protect her from Claudia’s scheme, he couldn’t drive her away from himself; it would only put her in greater danger. However, Bella was too furious to hear him out. It was all because of his actions, and he regretted it.

"I am sorry," he simply apologized. "I wronged you, but I had my reasons. Let me explain everything today."

But Bella wasn’t having it. Her patience had run thin, her heart too bruised to absorb any more excuses. "I am not interested," she snapped, turning her face away from him. "Your family will never accept me, no matter what I do. I’ll always be the girl from a lowly background. I am not fit for your so-called social status. I’m done, Theodore. Let’s end this now. Let’s cancel the contract."

Theodore’s eyes darkened with intensity, the sorrow in them replaced by a sharp, fiery resolve. "What did you say?" he hissed, grabbing her arm. "You want to leave me!"

Bella didn’t back down, her gaze fierce as she met his eyes head-on. "What else should I do?" she retorted, her voice trembling with emotion. "You don’t trust me. You think I’m the reason your grandfather had a heart attack. Aren’t you worried that being with me will make things worse for him?" Her words spilled out in a rush, her chest heaving from overwhelming emotions.

His expression softened as her words sank in. His grip on her arm loosened, the fire in his eyes slowly dimming. He could see the pain behind her anger, and it crushed him. Bella wasn’t just angry—she was broken, and it was his fault.

Bella shoved him away, seizing the opportunity to create distance between them. "I tried, Theodore. I tried to explain everything. Did you even give me the chance?" She threw him a hurtful look, her head tilting to the side. Pain and anger warred within her, making her even more distressed.

"I went to the mansion to clear things up with you and your grandfather, but I was shut out. Your stepmom and your precious mistress humiliated me, and you let them. You didn’t stop them."

Her voice wavered as the pain boiled over. "Now you want to explain. Why? What changed? Your explanations don’t matter anymore, Theodore. I’m done."

"But it matters to me – a lot," he chimed in sincerely. "I know you hate me now, and I deserve that. I know you don’t want to hear me out, but I need to tell you everything. After that, if you want to leave me, you can. I won’t stop you. But before you do, you need to know the truth. You’re not going anywhere until then."

His tone was low yet firm, his resolution palpable.

Bella frowned at him, the fire in her eyes slowly dimming. She remembered Willow’s warning—that Theodore was trapped, that something more was going on. She wasn’t ready to forgive him, not yet, but she did want to know what was forcing him to stay away from her. What kind of game Claudia was playing this time?

Gradually, her anger started to wane as she reflected on his words and the situation they were in. She allowed herself to settle comfortably in the seat, looking outside at the changing scenery. Her mind was too occupied to notice that they had been heading toward the suburb.

"What do you want to say?" she asked, her tone lacking the earlier sharpness.

Realizing Bella was finally open to hearing him, Theodore exhaled, the weight on his chest easing just slightly. But as relief settled in, he found himself struggling to articulate his thoughts. The truth he carried was too dark, too complex, and he wasn’t sure how to unravel it all for her. Could he tell her about what he had done to O’Neil?

Bella threw him a sidelong glance and asked, "Why are you silent now? Is there nothing to explain after all?"

The bite in her words snapped him back to the moment, and he quickly steeled himself. No, he couldn’t tell her about O’Neil yet. That secret had to stay buried until the time was right.

"Claudia is threatening me," he began, his tone grave, each word heavy with tension. "She is holding something over me, something dangerous. And she is using it to manipulate me, to control the situation."

Bella felt a wave of chills crawling up her nape. "What are you talking about? What dangerous thing? What is she forcing you to do?"

Her concern was evident as if all her complaints against him had vanished.

"Claudia has been scheming from the start," Theodore explained. "She lured my father into her trap, using her charm to get him to marry her. But it was never about love. It was always about the Reid fortune. She destroyed my parents’ marriage and then... she caused my father’s death."

He clenched his fists, the memories of his family’s broken past flooding back. "She even tried to have me killed once. That’s how far she’ll go."

Bella stared at him, her own anger dissolving into shock. Theodore’s face twisted with rage as he continued, "And now, she is behind Grandpa’s heart attack. She made him think you’re cheating on me. It’s all her plan. She is growing desperate, and I don’t have any clue against her."

His face contorted in rage. "Now, she caused Grandpa’s heart attack and made him suspect you of cheating on me.