Theodore felt a pang of guilt. He returned her embrace, his arms tightening around her. "I’m sorry," he said softly, kissing her head. "Something urgent came up. I had to take care of it first."
Bella looked up at him, her eyes filled with determination and apprehension. "I need to tell you something. I know who leaked the designs. I have proof. And..." Her voice shook slightly. She took a deep breath to steady herself and continued, "I also know who is so desperate to destroy me."
Theodore’s expression grew serious, his gaze narrowing as he asked, "Who?"
"Ivy..." That name hung heavily in the air. Both Bella and Theodore were silent for a moment, letting the revelation sink in.
"She misunderstood the relationship between Mr. Hudson and me," Bella continued, her voice laced with frustration and sadness. "That’s what drove her to this. All the office politics, the schemes to hurt me, and even the kidnapping... it’s all her doing. But wait, let me show you something."
She rushed into the bedroom, leaving Theodore standing on the balcony, his mind racing. A deep scowl formed on his brow. The revelation that Ivy was behind everything, driven by jealousy and a deep misunderstanding, left him both angry and protective.
Everything got clear to him slowly. Ivy had likely paid the gang to kidnap Bella and ruin her reputation. But criminals were unpredictable. Something must have happened between Ivy and the gang leader, leading her to order his death.
The realization that Ivy, a woman of such social standing and a revered family heiress, could stoop to such vile and vicious actions left him both disgusted and enraged. The whole situation was a sordid mess, and Theodore felt a deep loathing for Ivy.
Before he could dwell further on these thoughts, Bella reappeared her expression a mix of determination and unease. "I met with Olivia today," she began. "She confessed everything." She paused, then added, "I sneakily recorded the conversation."
Bella handed him her phone, and without another word, she played the recording. Theodore’s eyes narrowed as Olivia’s voice filled the space, recounting the twisted plot that Ivy had set in motion. As the details unraveled, his grip on the phone tightened, his knuckles turning white with fury.
"So, it’s Ivy behind all this," he muttered with barely restrained anger. The confirmation only fueled the fire of his loathing for Ivy. She had crossed a line that Theodore could not forgive.
"I was shocked too," Bella chimed in. "I never thought she could be so dangerous. Do you remember Mr. Clark trying to violate me in the club? That was also her doing. Olivia was the one who helped her lure me there."
She felt a chill pricking her nape as she recalled the incident. "I rushed back to the office afterward, desperate to report Mr. Clark, and that’s when I overheard Ivy and Olivia’s conversation."
Theodore’s face was a mask of anger and concern as he listened to Bella recount the night of her ordeal. "Why didn’t you tell me sooner?" Theodore grumbled, displeased. "I could have taken action against her a long time ago, and she wouldn’t have dared to plot so much against you."
Bella sighed softly, trying to explain. "Things were complicated between us back then. I didn’t want to burden you with my problems. Besides, I never thought she would go as far as kidnapping me. I assumed she’d stick to office politics, and I could handle that on my own." 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚
"Bella!" Theodore gripped her shoulders. "You will tell me everything from now on, okay? You will not hide anything."
Bella nodded quickly, reassured by his protectiveness.
"And that woman, Ivy—" Theodore continued with a resolute tone, "I’ll make sure the Hills pay for this."
As Bella clung to him, she felt the warmth of his embrace seep into her, easing the tension that had gripped her. Theodore gently stroked her hair, and the two stood together, the tension melting away as they gazed at the starry night above. The silence between them was comforting, the serene beauty of the night offering them a moment of peace and solace in each other’s arms.
Theodore’s satisfaction was evident as he praised Bella for recording Olivia’s confession. "You did a great job, though." Based on Olivia’s nature, she might change her statement at times. That woman couldn’t be trusted.
Bella, however, thought he had heard about her sacrifice of her designs. "I had to do that," she murmured. "The project is more important." Her heart ached as she explained her decision, fearing for the business and Willow’s reputation. "So, I chose to hand over my designed dresses to the project."
Theodore’s reaction was immediate and intense. "What?" he exclaimed, pulling back from their embrace, his expression a mix of disbelief and incredulity.
Bella blinked in surprise, caught off guard by his response. Didn’t he already know? Why was he pretending to be shocked?
"Haven’t you heard it?" she asked. "I’m not participating in the show. My designs are going to be launched as the first collection for the project."
Theodore stared at her, his mouth slightly open, but no words came out. His shock was evident, and it dawned on Bella that she had misinterpreted his words.
"Theodore, please," Bella began, her tone softening as she tried to explain. "No one forced me to do this. I made the decision on my own." She thought he would misunderstand that her team members had made her do that, believing she was the one who had leaked the designs.
"Why? Why did you sacrifice your designs like this? Don’t you have faith in me? I’m already taking legal action against Trina Young."
"The legal process will take time, Theodore," she explained, trying to make him see her reasoning.
Theodore’s frustration was palpable. He couldn’t comprehend why Bella had taken such drastic steps without consulting him first. Bella, on the other hand, felt a pang of regret, realizing that her actions, though well-intentioned, had blindsided him.
She reached out, gently touching his arm. "I did what I thought was best, Theodore. I didn’t want to risk everything we’ve worked for."
However, Theodore was beyond understanding anything. "There might have been other ways."
"This was the best option, Theodore," she countered. "The designs were already leaked on the rival’s site. We couldn’t use them for our launch. And there is no time to create new designs and get them made in such a short period."
She reached out, taking his hands in hers. "This project is important to us. Willow’s reputation is on the line, and you’ve invested so much in this. I couldn’t let you or Willow suffer because of someone’s nasty plan."
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