"As I told you, I learned my lesson," Olivia said remorsefully. "I thought if I followed her orders, I’d finally get the recognition I craved. I did everything she asked—sneaking into your desk, taking photos of the designs—hoping she would promote me. But in the end, she betrayed me. She doesn’t care about anyone but herself. She fired me without a second thought, leaving me with nothing."
Bella couldn’t help but scoff inwardly. A sense of justice stirred within her. Olivia, who had been so eager to bring her down, had tasted her own medicine. The ally she had trusted had discarded her the moment she was no longer useful. It was a fitting punishment.
"She didn’t care about the risks I have taken," Olivia continued. "To her, I am just a nobody – a puppet, who follows all her commands. But I won’t let her get away with it."
"What do you want from me now?" Bella asked coldly.
"I want you to make her pay," Olivia hissed, a dangerous gleam in her eyes. "She has crossed too many lines. She is not just trying to ruin your career; she has tried to hurt you. She even hired goons to kidnap you."
Bella’s breath caught in her throat, her blood running cold. "What did you just say?" she exclaimed as a surge of fear and anger welled up inside her. Could Ivy really have been behind that horrifying kidnapping?
The memories flooded back in a rush—being trapped in that desolate house, the gang leader’s sinister smile as he drugged her, the terror as those men closed in, intent on violating her. Bella had barely escaped with her life, and the thought that Ivy might have orchestrated it sent chills down her spine.
"What do you know about it?" Bella demanded fiercely. "Tell me everything."
Bella’s stomach twisted in knots. It was one thing to sabotage her work, but this... this was a whole new level of cruelty. The realization that Ivy had been willing to go so far made her feel sick.
"I don’t know much." Olivia’s voice wavered as she spoke, her thoughts drifting. "But I do know that Ivy hired some goons to kidnap you and ruin your reputation. Luckily, the police rescued you just in time."
Bella’s jaw tightened at the memory. She could vividly recall how close she had come to devastation that day, only to be saved by Theodore’s timely intervention. The thought that Ivy was involved with such a dangerous gang was almost too much to process.
"I’ve told you everything I know," Olivia’s voice interrupted Bella’s thoughts, snapping her back to the present. "You need to figure out how to deal with her, but please... don’t drag me into this."
There was a desperation in Olivia’s eyes, her fear palpable. "Ivy is powerful. My parents work for the Hill family. If she finds out I betrayed her, she’ll ruin us—she’ll kill me and my family."
Bella narrowed her eyes, studying Olivia closely. The fear etched on her face was undeniable, and it made sense why Olivia had taken such precautions to conceal her identity.
Bella was well aware of Ivy’s influential background, but she also knew that the Hills were nothing compared to the power of the Reid family. Theodore had been tirelessly searching for the person responsible for the attack on her, and now, with this new information, Bella was certain that Ivy would face retribution.
"Fine," Bella agreed. "I won’t mention your name." She had already recorded their conversation, and that alone was enough to bring Ivy down. "But you need to stop bothering me."
Olivia’s lips twisted into a bitter smile. "I’m already fired, Bella. How could I possibly trouble you now?"
Bella responded with a cold edge in her voice. "I don’t trust you, Olivia. After all the times you’ve tried to sabotage me, how can I? What if you change your mind someday and come to trouble me?"
Olivia’s sneer deepened. "You’re such a bitch, Bella. Instead of being grateful that I helped you, you’re suspicious of me. I should have just kept my mouth shut."
Bella met her glare with a calm, unyielding expression. "That’s exactly what I expected from you, Olivia—impulsive, haughty, and quick to lash out. But I am not like you – I’m not ungrateful. You helped me, so I’ll keep your secret. But don’t ever cross my path again."
With that, Bella stood up, slipping her phone into her bag. Without a second glance, she strode out of the café, leaving Olivia seething behind her.
Left alone, Olivia slumped in her chair, her hands curling into tight fists. A storm of emotions raged within her
Olivia muttered curses under her breath. "If I wouldn’t have wanted to get even with Ivy, I wouldn’t have approached you."
As Bella walked along the pavement, her mind was still reeling from their confrontation. "I had no idea Ivy was that cruel," she murmured, the realization sinking in. "She wanted to destroy me. and she was almost successful." Her face hardened. "She needs to face the consequences. I need to talk to Theodore."
She paused for a moment, pulling out her phone, ready to dial his number. Just as her finger hovered over the screen, a loud beep startled her. Bella jumped, spinning around to see a car pulling up beside her. Her eyes narrowed as she recognized the figure stepping out.
It was Gina.
Bella’s demeanor instantly shifted to one of cautious defense, her last encounter with Gina crossing her mind. She squared her shoulders, standing firm as Gina approached, her eyes locked on the woman who had caused her so much trouble at that party.
"Bella, what are you doing here?" Gina’s voice dripped with mock concern. "This area isn’t safe to be wandering around. Haven’t you heard about all the crimes reported here? Why would you come to such a dangerous place?"
Bella could see right through Gina’s feigned worry. The act was so transparent it nearly made Bella roll her eyes. Instead, she maintained her composure, refusing to give Gina the satisfaction of seeing her rattled.
"I came to meet a friend," Bella replied, her tone flat and uninterested. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢
"Friend? I see...man or woman?" Gina asked, her curiosity laced with thinly veiled nosiness.
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