"Madam, don’t accuse the police," the officer barked with authority.
"What is going on?" Theodore’s voice boomed, cutting through the tension with a commanding presence.
Bella spun around, her eyes wide and brimming with tears. "Theodore!" she cried, her voice trembling. "Lionel is dead... He died during the interrogation."
Theodore’s expression darkened instantly, his gaze locking onto the officer with a fierce intensity. He hadn’t wanted Bella to find out like this and hadn’t planned to tell her about Lionel’s death until the autopsy report was in his hands.
The officer’s unexpected visit, delivering the news so bluntly, irritated him deeply. But what struck him most was the pain in Bella’s eyes. Lionel, the man who had caused her so much suffering—who had abused her, kidnapped her and even tried to kill her—was now the source of her tears.
Theodore had assumed she hated Lionel, but her reaction revealed a more complex mix of emotions.
"You can’t blame the police," the officer said, his tone defensive but more measured now. "The autopsy report clearly states that he died from heart failure. I’m here to inform you that his body needs to be claimed by the end of the day."
Theodore knew this wasn’t the moment to press further. He would scrutinize the autopsy report himself and continue to dig into the circumstances surrounding Lionel’s death until he was satisfied with the answers. But for now, he needed to calm the situation.
"Thank you, officer," Theodore said. "I apologize for my wife’s words. She is in shock." He wrapped an arm around Bella’s shoulders, pulling her close to him in a protective gesture. "We’ll make arrangements to take the body."
The officer nodded, casting a stern look at Bella before turning to leave.
Bella slumped onto the sofa, her body limp and lifeless. The reality of Lionel’s death was slowly sinking in, and with it came a wave of emotions she hadn’t anticipated.
She had spent her life trying to distance herself from him, despising the man who had made her life a living hell with his violence and cruelty. Yet now, with the knowledge that he was truly gone, a profound sense of loss enveloped her.
Questions swirled in her mind. Why had Lionel never mentioned his heart condition? Why had she never noticed?
An overwhelming sense of loss and regret gnawed at her. Lionel had been far from a good father, but he had still been a presence in her life, someone who had raised her, albeit harshly, after stepping in to help her mother when no one else would.
The realization that she had never once called him "father" cut deep. She had spent so many years locked in a battle of wills with him, never acknowledging the complicated ties that bound them.
Theodore, standing nearby, watched in stunned silence as Bella’s tears flowed freely. He had never imagined she would mourn for Lionel, not after everything the man had done to her. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎
"Are you crying for him?" The words slipped out of Theodore’s mouth before he could stop them, his disbelief evident in his tone.
Bella took a shuddering breath. "He was my stepfather," she began, her words choked with grief. "I know he was cruel, but he raised me—he helped my mother when she had no one else."
She looked up at Theodore, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "I never acknowledged that. I always argued with him, always fought back. I never said a kind word to him."
Her voice trailed off, her throat constricting. "All those years, I only felt hate. But now... now, I feel sad. I never asked him if he was okay. I didn’t even know he had a heart problem."
She broke down, the regrets of a lifetime pouring out as she mourned not just the loss of Lionel, but the loss of any chance at understanding, at reconciliation.
Theodore could do nothing but stand by her, his heart heavy as he witnessed her pain. He held Bella close, offering silent comfort. "It’s alright," he murmured. "Don’t be sad. We will take care of his last rituals."
Bella nodded. "Yes. This is the last thing I can do for him."
Theodore’s phone vibrated in his pocket, a jarring interruption to their somber moment. It was Hugo again. He knew Hugo and the team were waiting for him, expecting him to help deal with the men who had hurt Bella. But seeing the depth of Bella’s grief, he decided to stay with her. He silenced the call and slipped the phone back into his pocket.
"I am right here," he comforted. "Don’t stress out, okay?"
"I want to go and finish the formalities," Bella urged. "He has no one. And..." She choked with emotions. "I need to talk to my mother."
She hadn’t had a conversation with her mother about her biological father. Now was the time to find out everything.
"Alright, let’s go."
Bella wiped her tears away. "I’ll go get my purse." She leaped to her feet and hurried to the bedroom.
As soon as she was out of sight, Theodore pulled out his phone and called Hugo. "Listen, I won’t be able to make it. Something urgent came up," he explained. "Interrogate those men and find out why they targeted Bella."
"Understood, sir," Hugo replied, sensing the urgency in Theodore’s voice. "I’ll get to the bottom of this and let you know."
Theodore ended the call when he noticed Bella coming. He walked over to her. "Shall we go now?"
Bella gave a firm nod. "Let’s go."
Together, they stepped out of the villa.
At the Reid family mansion...
Claudia was a tempest of worry, her mind racing as she processed the unsettling news. Theodore’s men had captured the guards, and the realization sent a chill down her spine. Her fingers felt numb in nervousness.
She quickly dialed Keith’s number, her breath hitching with each ring. When Keith finally answered, she snapped, "I told you to take care of this matter! But Theodore’s men have captured the guards. What are you going to do now? Gina will be in serious trouble! Can’t you even protect your own daughter?"
"I had no choice but to let them get caught." Keith’s response was infuriatingly indifferent as if they were discussing a minor inconvenience rather than a looming disaster.
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