The next morning dawned bleak and heavy with rain, the gray skies mirroring Bella’s despondent mood. The events of the previous night weighed heavily on her, sapping her of any enthusiasm she might have had. She sat slumped at her worktable, staring blankly at the empty page before her. The pencil beside the drawing board lay untouched.
Meanwhile, Theodore was in the study, focused on his work. The ringing of his phone interrupted him, and he quickly answered. It was Hugo, delivering news that made Theodore’s jaw tighten with resolve.
"They were trying to escape the country, but we picked them up," Hugo reported with a note of satisfaction in his voice. "Are you coming?"
"I’ll be there shortly," Theodore responded, his voice steely. The thought of those men trying to flee only fueled his anger. He was determined to face them himself, to extract the truth about who had sent them.
Before leaving, Theodore decided to check on Bella. He wanted to see how she was doing this morning. He also intended to share the news, hoping it might bring her some comfort.
When he entered her workspace, he found her sitting quietly, seemingly lost in thought. The pencil she held in her hand moved absently between her fingers, but her eyes were unfocused, locked on some distant point on the opposite wall.
To him, it appeared as though she was deeply engrossed in the concept for her next design, and he allowed himself a brief smile.
With a gentle smile, Theodore approached her. "What keeps you so occupied?"
Bella jumped slightly at Theodore’s sudden presence, the pencil slipping from her fingers and clattering onto the desk. Her gaze met his, confusion flickering in her eyes as she noticed the smile lighting up his face.
Here she was, overwhelmed with the lingering sadness from the previous night, and yet he seemed almost...joyful. It puzzled her, making her wonder what had brightened his mood.
Theodore’s eyes shifted to the blank page before her, his brow furrowing slightly. "You haven’t drawn anything," he observed, "not a single line! What is the matter?"
Bella followed his gaze, the blank page staring back at her, its emptiness only amplifying the void she felt inside.
"If you need some inspiration, I can help you," Theodore offered, his tone light. "How about we go on a long drive in the afternoon?"
His suggestion caught her off guard, but the warmth in his voice and the gentle encouragement in his eyes began to lift the heavy fog that had settled over her. Slowly, a small smile formed on her lips, mirroring his infectious enthusiasm.
"Sounds good," she agreed with a spark of hope. Perhaps a drive would help her clear her mind and shake off the shadows of last night.
"Alright then...It’s fixed." His enthusiasm was palpable in his demeanor. "I have to step out for a bit, but I’ll be back soon. We’ll have lunch together."
"Where are you going?" Bella thought he was going to the office again on Sunday.
His smile faded, replaced by a serious expression. He moved closer, taking her hands gently in his. "I’m going to make sure those men pay for what they did. No one touches my woman and gets away with it. I’ll teach them a lesson they won’t forget this lifetime."
Bella’s breath hitched, her heart racing as the weight of his words settled in. She stood, the sudden news leaving her momentarily speechless. A mix of relief, gratitude, and emotion washed over her, her eyes welling up with tears.
"You found them?" she whispered, the disbelief and hope in her voice palpable.
"Yes," Theodore confirmed, his hands moving to cup her face tenderly. "Now, they’ll face the consequences of their actions."
A tear slid down Bella’s cheek, but it was accompanied by a smile, a true smile that lit up her face despite the tears. She felt cherished, protected, and overwhelmed with gratitude. At that moment, the heaviness in her heart lightened.
"Don’t cry," he murmured, his thumb gently wiping away the tears that streamed down her face. "It’s their time to cry."
Bella leaned into his embrace, finding solace in his warmth. "Thank you."
"Don’t thank me. It’s my duty."
Ding-Dong...
Their moment was interrupted by the sharp sound of the doorbell echoing through the quiet house. They broke apart, exchanging a glance filled with curiosity and slight unease.
"Maybe Willow has come to see you," Theodore guessed.
Bella blinked away the remnants of her tears and forced a small smile, pushing aside the lingering sadness. "Maybe...I’ll go check."
She walked toward the door, her steps slow and deliberate. Opening it, she was greeted not by Willow, but by a stern-looking policeman standing on the doorstep. The smile she had managed to muster vanished instantly.
"Yes, officer?" she asked with a mix of confusion and curiosity. Thoughts of last night’s incident raced through her mind. Had Theodore called the police? Was this about the men who had attacked her?
"Miss Bella Dawn?" the officer asked, his tone professional but grave. "Your father’s body is still in the morgue. If you don’t claim it, it will be declared unclaimed and buried by the authorities."
The words hit Bella like a physical blow. Her knees buckled, and she had to grab the doorframe to steady herself. "What? Fa-father?" she stammered, disbelief and horror warring within her. "You mean Lionel!" 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮
"Yes," the officer confirmed flatly. "The autopsy has been completed. Nothing suspicious was found. He had a pre-existing heart condition, and the stress of the interrogation triggered a fatal attack."
The revelation was nothing less than a shock that hit her in waves. She couldn’t process it, couldn’t reconcile the idea of Lionel dying like that. "How could he have a heart condition? she exclaimed with disbelief. "I never knew about it."
But as the shock gave way to a cold, creeping anger, her thoughts began to twist. She couldn’t accept that this was just a tragic accident. The image of Lionel dying in a cold interrogation room filled her with a fury that bubbled to the surface.
"This is murder," she accused, her voice rising. "He died in your custody. You killed him."
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