Claudia’s voice, sharp as a knife, cut through the suffocating silence of the car. "His Grandfather’s health disturbed Theodore. When he was sad and lonely, he turned to his childhood friend for solace."
She lifted her chin haughtily as she continued, "They’ve been inseparable since they were children. Now, in this moment of crisis, he finds peace and support in Gina. No matter how much he tries to avoid her, he inevitably finds his way back to her."
Bella’s heart ached. She felt as if someone was ripping her apart. The words felt like icy daggers, piercing her soul. "I don’t believe it," she managed to croak as she shoved the phone back into Claudia’s hands. "Theodore doesn’t like Gina. He told me he had no feelings for her."
A cruel smirk played on Claudia’s lips. "Then why was he in her arms?" she retorted with contempt. "Why didn’t he go back to you when he needed support? Why was he with Gina?"
Tears, hot and relentless, streamed down Bella’s face. Her stomach churned with a sickening twist of pain. Claudia’s words were like a venomous snake, slithering into the deepest recesses of her heart.
Claudia sneered. "Whether you like it or not," she pressed on, "they are undeniably close. You cannot replace Gina in his heart. It’s time to be wise and let go of him."
Bella blinked away the tears, her vision blurred with anguish. Her heart shattered into a million pieces, but she refused to surrender to despair. With a defiant glint in her eyes, she met Claudia’s gaze.
"I will leave him if Theodore asks me to," she declared, her voice trembling slightly. "If he admits he doesn’t love me, I’ll walk away without a word. But I won’t base my decisions on mere suspicions and photographs. Thank you for your concern. Please stop the car."
Claudia’s eyes narrowed in frustration. She had not thought a bumpkin like her to retort with such defiance. Her hands clenched into fists, resting on her knees. The urge to slap this lowly woman was almost overwhelming. But she swallowed her anger. There were far more insidious ways to teach Bella a lesson.
"Driver, pull over," she ordered with a frosty voice.
As soon as those words escaped her mouth, the car screeched to a halt. Without a backward glance, Bella stepped out of the vehicle, her mind a whirlwind of confusion and hurt.
Claudia reached for her phone and dialed Franklin’s number. "It seems our little country bumpkin isn’t listening to reason," she sneered. "We need to teach her a lesson."
Franklin chuckled, cold, calculating words coming out of his mouth, "Why soil our hands, Mother? I know just the person to deliver a more...persuasive lesson. Don’t worry, this matter will be resolved soon enough."
The call ended. Claudia’s expression turned smug, satisfaction curling her lips. She was certain her cunning son would devise a plan far more effective than anything she could concoct.
At the hospital...
The test results were finally in. A nurse handed Gary the thick file. The words on the page confirmed his doubts: traces of a drug capable of triggering a heart attack had been found in Malcolm’s blood.
A low curse escaped his lips. He needed to inform Theodore immediately. With determination in his eyes, his hand reached for his phone, fingers hovering over Theodore’s number.
Before he could dial, the door to his office burst open, startling him. Franklin stood in the doorway, his imposing figure filling the space. The phone in Gary’s hand trembled slightly as he registered the smug look on Franklin’s face. A sense of foreboding washed over him.
"What is it, Franklin?" Gary managed with a tinged annoyance. "Why did you barge into my cabin? I am not an ordinary doctor here. I am the MD of this hospital."
Franklin’s lips curled into a smirk. "This hospital belongs to the Reids, and I am a Reid," he retorted, his voice carrying a distinct threat. "I can come and go as I please." The glint in his eyes was menacing, sending a shiver down Gary’s spine.
"I know what you are up to," Franklin added, sitting down on the chair across from him. His gaze dropped to the file in front of Gary.
Sensing his eyes on it, Gary closed it in haste. "What are you talking about?" he snapped, pretending to be ignorant.
Franklin’s smirk widened. "Don’t play dumb with me, Gary. I know your little game. But before you make your next move, take a look at this." He slid his phone across the table.
Gary hesitated, then took the phone. As he glanced at the screen, his face paled. There she was, his wife, bound and gagged, two menacing figures looming over her. A cold dread seeped into his bones, freezing his very core. Panic surged through him as he snatched the phone, his eyes glued to the horrifying picture. His heart became leaped to his throat.
"Now, now... your house is under our surveillance and your dear wife is our hostage," Franklin said.
Gary’s limbs felt weak, and the phone slipped from his trembling hands. All his defiance crumbled in an instant. "Please, Franklin, don’t hurt her," he pleaded. "She is pregnant."
Franklin’s demeanor shifted to one of mock concern. "Gary, Gary, we grew up together. I wouldn’t hurt my friend’s wife, would I?" But the mask of sympathy dropped instantly. His expression hardened, an eerie light flickering in his eyes. "But you need to keep your mouth shut. Don’t let Theodore suspect anything."
Gary nodded frantically, his spirit crushed. "I promise. I won’t say anything. The report—"
"Uh!" Franklin snatched the file from the desk. "That stays with me. Now, don’t forget your promise. My eyes are on you."
With those chilling words, Franklin rose from the chair and exited the room, leaving a shaken Gary slumped back in his chair, his breath coming in ragged gasps. The weight of the threat and the image of his captive wife loomed over him, leaving him feeling helpless and trapped.
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