Bella felt as if the ground beneath her had fallen away. Her stomach twisted in knots, her body rigid with shock. Questions flooded her mind, but none could escape her lips, as if she had lost her voice. She stared at Theodore, still trying to process his words, the dread settling deeper in her heart.

"If Claudia’s plan succeeds, the entire Reid family will collapse," Theodore said, his tone grim. "She’ll take everything—power, wealth, control."

"How is that even possible?" Bella couldn’t believe Claudia’s power, surpassing even Theodore’s ability to stop her. "You have the power and influence. You can stop her, can’t you?"

He paused, his gaze meeting hers with an unfamiliar look of helplessness. "I’m working on it, but Claudia has covered her tracks well. To expose her, I need more than just my influence. I need leverage, evidence—anything to bring her down." His grip tightened on her hands.

"And to obtain that evidence," he went on, "I’ve been using Gina. That’s why you’ve seen me with her. It’s all part of my plan to expose Claudia. Don’t think I have developed feelings for her."

"Wait?" Bella’s eyes widened, surprised. "So – you and Gina... you are not together!"

Theodore shook his head firmly. "No. Bella, you’re the only woman I’ve ever loved. Gina is just a pawn in this. The only reason I’m close to her is because she is the only one who can help me expose Claudia. I need to win her trust first to use her against Claudia."

Bella blinked, tears stinging her eyes. A pang of guilt twisted her heart. Without knowing the truth, she had suspected him and had even treated him rudely.

The thought that he had been enduring all the pressure alone made her sadder. On top of that, she had hurt him unknowingly with her harsh words and rude behavior. The sadness in her heart deepened, but just as quickly, it morphed into frustration.

"Why didn’t you tell me sooner?" she snapped, shoving his hands away. "Why did you act like you suspected me? As if you hated me?"

"Bella, listen..."

"No, you listen to me!" she cut him off, her voice rising in emotion. "You talk about having faith in you, but did you ever have faith in me? You kept me in the dark about everything, like I wasn’t strong enough to handle the truth. Do you think I’m that fragile? Theodore, I didn’t hesitate to protect you before—I took that knife for you! And if I had to, I’d do it again."

"No, not anymore." Theodore cupped her face and kissed her. The kiss was fierce, charged with passion and longing, the emotions he had held back for so long finally pouring out. He vowed to himself that he would never let her get hurt again. This was his battle, and he would fight it on his own terms.

"I can’t let you take anymore risks," he murmured against her lips. His thumbs brushed over her tear-streaked cheeks in gentle strokes. "If anything happens to you, I can’t continue fighting. You have to stay safe for me."

"But I want to stand by your side," she urged, clasping his hand desperately. "I don’t want you to fight this battle alone. I can help you. I want to help you fight Claudia."

"No, Bella – not this time," he said firmly, his face hardening. "You have to stay away from me for now. Claudia is dangerous, and I won’t allow you to get caught in her web. You’re the only thing keeping me sane, and I can’t lose you."

His words felt like a punch to her heart. Bella froze, speechless. "Are you sending me away from you?" she asked, her heart sinking at the idea.

Theodore, catching the anguish in her eyes, felt a sharp pain in his own heart. He hated this—hated the idea of being apart from her just as much as she did. But his resolve was firm. He had to execute his plan, and this was the only way.

"Stay with your mother for the time being," he said slowly.

Bella blinked, stunned. The unease that had been brewing inside her suddenly spiked. Something felt off. She glanced out of the car window, and a surge of panic shot through her when she realized they were heading toward the countryside.

"Theodore!" She whipped her head toward him. "You can’t do this to me."

They had just cleared the misunderstandings, and now he was pushing her away again.

"Please try to understand," he urged, his gaze pleading. "To make them believe our marriage is over, we have to stay apart. There is no other way. I’ve even prepared a fake divorce agreement to make it convincing."

Bella shook her head, her heart screaming in protest. "No," she exclaimed desperately, unable to accept this plan. The very idea of staying apart from him, even for a short while, filled her with dread.

"It’s the only way to gain Gina’s trust," Theodore continued, not giving her time to speak. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

Bella sobbed helplessly and buried her face into his chest, her body trembling. She didn’t want to be apart from him, but deep down, she knew that Theodore was doing what he thought was best to expose Claudia.

"I need your support, Bella," he said, grabbing her hands. "Just give me some time. I promise I’ll resolve everything soon, and then I’ll come to take you home."

He rested his forehead against hers, caressing her cheeks.

"I want to be with you," she whispered.

"You are always with me," he murmured, bringing her hand to his chest, pressing it over his heart. "Right here. No one can separate us."

His embrace tightened, his arms wrapping around her as though he could shield her from the pain. Bella held onto him just as tightly, wishing she could stay in his arms forever and that this moment could last.

"Can we talk on the phone?" she asked, her voice breaking.

Theodore nodded, pulling out a phone from his pocket. "Take this," he said, handing it to her. "It’s a private number. No one can trace it. You can call me whenever you want. And if you need anything, Tristan will be there for you."

"Can I come to see you?" She pressed on. She wasn’t ready to leave him.

Theodore’s expression softened, but there was an apology in his eyes. "We can’t meet. I’m so sorry, my love. We have to pretend we’ve broken up, that we hate each other."

Her heart shattered at his words. "But what if I want to see you?" Bella urged.

His resolve, so strong moments ago, wavered as her eyes bore into his. Without thinking, Theodore leaned forward and kissed her, an urgent, fervent kiss that carried all the emotions he couldn’t put into words.

Bella gasped softly against his lips, her fingers threading into his hair as if she might lose him forever.

"I hate this. I hate that we can’t just—" she whispered against his mouth. Her words broke off as Theodore sealed her mouth again.

Her words trailed off as Theodore kissed her again, harder this time, silencing her anguish. His kiss was rough, filled with passion, as though he were trying to pour every unspoken word—every ounce of love—into that one moment.

Bella melted into him, her hands clutching him tightly, unwilling to let go—unwilling to accept that they had to be apart.

The kiss between them grew more intense, their breaths mingling as they clung to each other. A need that had been simmering beneath the surface finally broke free. Theodore’s hands roamed down Bella’s sides, his touch igniting a fire in her that spread through her entire body. She let out a soft moan.

"We are in a running car," Bella whispered breathlessly. But even as she said the words, her actions contradicted them. She tugged him closer, her body craving his warmth, her mind lost in the intensity of the moment. Her words faltered, melting into the heat of his mouth as he kissed her again.

"I can’t let you go. Not yet." Theodore’s hands slipped under Bella’s blouse, his fingers grazing her bare skin, sending a shiver down her spine.

Bella clung to Theodore, her fingers gripping his back, her lips brushing against his ear as she whispered, "I love you, Theodore. I never want to be away from you."

Theodore let out a low groan, his forehead pressing against hers, his breaths heavy. "I love you too. More than anything." His voice was hoarse with emotion.

The air between them was electric, heavy with the weight of everything left unspoken. The pain in their hearts lingered, but now, in this small, intimate space, the dam holding back all their desire was about to break.

Bella’s breathing hitched as she reached for Theodore, her fingers grazing his cheek before sliding down to the back of his neck, pulling him close.

Their lips collided again. There was no hesitation now, no second-guessing. Theodore’s hands gripped Bella’s waist firmly, pulling her onto his lap as if he couldn’t bear the distance between them any longer. His movements were fast, almost frantic. He needed her close, every part of her.