Their quiet conversation was interrupted by the sound of the door opening. Theodore turned, surprised to see one of the maids from the mansion coming in.
"What brings you here?" he asked dubiously.
The maid kept her head bowed respectfully as she replied, "Senior Mr. Reid sent some soup for madam." Her tone was polite, almost reverent.
Theodore’s surprise quickly gave way to a warm smile. His grandfather’s gesture touched him deeply. Malcolm’s relationship with Bella had been strained by doubts and reservations, but this simple act of kindness seemed to signal a shift. It was as if Malcolm was beginning to accept Bella into the family, despite his reservations.
"Grandpa is so considerate," Bella mused aloud, drawing Theodore’s attention. "I suddenly feel hungry. I can’t wait to have the soup."
The maid swiftly unpacked the lunch box and handed the bowl of soup to Bella, who took it eagerly. The moment the hot liquid touched her lips and slid down her throat, Bella couldn’t help but let out a satisfied moan.
"Mmm...It’s refreshing," she murmured, savoring the rich flavor. The warmth of the soup seemed to infuse her with new energy, lifting her spirits. She looked at Theodore with a bright smile. "Theodore, why don’t you call him? I want to thank him for this."
Theodore hesitated. He knew his grandfather’s moods all too well, and he wasn’t sure how Malcolm would react to a call from Bella. "Grandpa might have gone to bed," he replied, deflecting the request gently. "I’ll call him tomorrow morning. For now, just enjoy the soup while it’s still hot."
Bella nodded, accepting his reasoning, and focused on finishing the soup. Theodore watched her, his heart swelling with a mixture of relief and affection.
Soon after finishing the soup, Bella drifted into sleep. Theodore remained by her side, his eyes softening as he watched her. Gently, he caressed her hair, a tender smile playing on his lips. She seemed so peaceful as if she had forgotten the torments she had gone through.
Needing to make use of the quiet moment, Theodore took out his phone and snapped a picture of the pendant. He quickly composed a message to Tristan: ’Find out more about this pendant – anything, small or big, any clue about it is important.’
A moment later, his phone rang, the sudden noise cutting through the silence of the room. His heart skipped a beat, worried that it might wake Bella. Moving swiftly, he slipped out of the room and checked the screen. It was Tristan calling back.
"Hello?" Theodore answered, keeping his voice low.
"I was just about to call you when I got your message," Tristan replied. "Isn’t that Madam’s pendant? Why do you need information about it?"
Theodore glanced back at the door, his mind on Bella. "It’s the only connection she has to her biological father," he explained. "Bella wants to find out who he is."
There was a brief silence on the other end before Tristan responded, "I understand."
"You mentioned you had something to tell me?" Theodore prompted, shifting the conversation.
"Yes... Hugo and his team tracked down the sharpshooter," Tristan began. "He was there to kill the gang leader, which he succeeded in doing, but unfortunately, Skyler got caught in the crossfire."
Theodore’s brows furrowed. He had hoped that finding the shooter would lead them to the mastermind behind the attack on Bella. But it seemed more complicated than that. "So, it was gang rivalry?" he speculated aloud.
"It seems that way," Tristan agreed. "But there is more. The shooter’s confession pointed us in a different direction. The person who hired him has connections to the Hill family."
"The Hill family? Are you sure?" Theodore’s expression darkened as he absorbed the information. His eyebrows raised as suspicion coiled in his gut. Only one name surfaced in his mind – Ivy Hill.
"Positive," Tristan confirmed. "It’s not just a small connection either. Whoever’s pulling the strings has some deep ties with them."
Theodore’s mind raced. A part of him was certain Ivy was behind the entire ordeal. Perhaps she had orchestrated Bella’s kidnapping and subsequent humiliation. But the thought of her hiring a hitman to kill a gang leader didn’t make sense. The situation was even more tangled than he had imagined.
"Maybe those goons somehow offended the Hills," Tristan added.
What Tristan had said sounded more convincing, but Theodore couldn’t shake off the nagging doubt. Something about this didn’t feel right. He needed more information.
"Maybe," Theodore replied, though his thoughts were already elsewhere. "This isn’t as straightforward as it seems. There is more beneath the surface. I need you to dig deeper. Find out who paid the sharpshooter, and what the Hills have against that gang."
"Understood, sir."
As the call ended, Theodore stood there, phone in hand, his mind racing. A thoughtful expression settled on his face as he mulled over the possibilities. "What enmity could the Hills have with those goons?" he wondered.
~~~~~~~~~~
Bella’s injuries had healed, and she was finally back at work. She reported to Willow with an enthusiastic grin. "Good morning, Willow. I’m back. And..." She handed Willow a file she had been given that day. "The corrections were done. Sorry, I couldn’t deliver it sooner. Your work was delayed because of me."
Willow scolded her playfully. "Yes, you are right," she said. "My work is delayed because of you. You should get a punishment."
Bella straightened her back, ready to face whatever challenge was thrown her way. "I am ready to take any punishment."
"You should." Willow reached into her drawer and pulled out a file. "Go and meet Joshua. Hand him this file and tell him I need all the designs ready by the next month, okay?"
Bella took the file from her. "That’s all!" she exclaimed, feigning surprise.
Willow stretched her lips into an even wider smile. "I am attending a charity gala tomorrow. Be my partner."
Bella’s expression froze. Theodore had already asked her to accompany him to the same event. How could she possibly go with Willow?
If she agreed to Willow’s request, she would have to turn Theodore down, which she didn’t want to do. But she couldn’t turn Willow down either. She felt trapped, a perfect punishment for her absence.
"What? Are you not interested in coming with me?" Willow’s teasing smile widened as she watched Bella squirm, clearly enjoying the effect her words were having. Bella’s flustered expression only encouraged her to press further.
"Actually...Theodore is also attending the party, and he has already asked me to accompany him," Bella explained innocently. "I agreed to go with him."
Feigning disappointment, Willow pouted, her voice taking on a slightly exaggerated tone of sadness. "Oh, so you’re turning me down? I was really looking forward to going with you, Bella."
"Willow, I..."
"You know, I’m new here and I don’t have many friends yet," Willow said hurriedly, not allowing her to say further, her face drawn. "I thought... well, I thought you’d be my companion. But I guess your husband comes first."
Bella’s heart sank at Willow’s apparent sadness. Willow’s demeanor was so convincing that Bella didn’t realize she was being playfully manipulated.
"I understand your point," Willow continued. "You will definitely choose your husband over me."
"No, no! I’ll choose you, Willow!" Bella blurted out with desperation. The thought of Willow feeling left out tugged at her heartstrings. She didn’t want to hurt her friend, and she didn’t even notice the brief flicker of surprise that crossed Willow’s face at her quick response.
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