"Uh!" Ivy choked out, her eyes widening in terror at his sudden burst of violence. She had never seen Zack like this, and the raw anger in his eyes sent a chill down her spine.
"It was you," Zack spat, his grip tightening even more as he leaned closer, his face inches from hers. "You’ve been plotting against Bella this whole time. Why?"
The officer and another policeman intervened, prying Zack away from her. He resisted for a moment, his rage still burning hot, but they managed to pull him back, creating a safe distance between him and Ivy.
Ivy coughed, rubbing her throat. The terror in her eyes slowly morphed into a mixture of defiance and spite.
"Ivy, your game is over," Bella said sternly, stepping forward. "Stop pretending to be the victim here. Admit it—you wanted to see me suffer."
A fierce, almost crazed look flashed on Ivy’s face as she glared up at Bella. "Yes!" she shouted. "I wanted to see you suffer. You stole my boyfriend from me!"
The room was instantly abuzz with shocked murmurs. Heads turned toward Bella, questions swirling in everyone’s minds. What did Ivy mean by that? Did Bella really have an affair with Zack?
Willow, standing close by, tugged at Bella’s arm, her face etched with confusion. "Bella, what is she talking about?" she asked, searching Bella’s eyes for answers.
Bella lifted her chin defiantly. "It’s all in her head. The truth is far from what she is insinuating. Nothing is going on between me and Mr. Hudson. Our relationship is strictly professional—nothing more."
"Hahaha..." A wild, manic laugh escaped Ivy’s lips, echoing through the room. "Professional?" she sneered, her laughter tinged with bitterness. "Bella, don’t you see? Zack is head over heels in love with you! He can’t stop thinking about you, and because of you, he has ignored me—his own fiancée."
"Shut up, Ivy!" Zack roared, his anger flaring up again.
"Why, Zack?" Ivy shot back with a twisted sense of justification. "It’s you—you drove me to this! I told you time and again that she isn’t Rose and that she just looks like her. But you couldn’t stay away. You wanted her, and if you had just stayed away, I wouldn’t have targeted her!"
Zack had reached his breaking point. His hand lashed out, slapping Ivy across the face. "You have no right to hurt anyone," he hissed, seething. "You committed a crime, and you deserve to be punished." He turned to the officer and barked, "Take her away."
Without hesitation, the officer yanked Ivy to her feet and began dragging her out of the room. But even as she was pulled away, Ivy’s rage remained unbridled. "Bella, you bitch!" she screamed. "This isn’t over. I won’t let you get away with this!"
Her furious cries echoed through the corridor, growing fainter with each step until they finally faded into silence. The office fell eerily still, the tension hanging in the air like a thick fog as if the world itself had paused in the wake of Ivy’s departure.
Zack’s heart pounded in his chest as his eyes found Bella. Despite knowing that she was beyond his reach, an overwhelming urge surged within him to rush to her, to hold her close and shield her from all harm. But as their eyes met, Bella quickly looked away, her expression cold and distant.
The rejection stung, and Zack’s confidence crumbled. His head bowed under the weight of guilt and shame, the hope of comforting her slipping away like sand through his fingers. He abandoned any thought of approaching her.
Willow gently turned Bella toward her, concern etched on her face. "Are you okay?"
Bella nodded, but her expression betrayed the turmoil within her. She wasn’t okay—far from it. Though the person who had wronged her was finally facing justice, a deep unease still gnawed at her. The true source of Ivy’s jealousy and hatred had been Zack’s feelings for her.
Bella’s mind churned with unsettling thoughts. It wasn’t just that Zack had feelings for her—those feelings were rooted in something far more disturbing. Just because she resembled his late girlfriend, he had become infatuated with her.
The thought left her feeling creeped out as if her very identity had been reduced to a mere reflection of someone else. It was unsettling, leaving her more disturbed than she cared to admit.
"Let’s get out of here," Bella murmured.
As she and Willow turned to leave, Zack hurried forward, desperation driving him to block their path. "Bella, wait," he pleaded, his face a mask of helplessness. "I’m sorry for everything you’ve had to endure because of Ivy. I had no idea she was scheming against you."
Bella felt oppressed under his unwavering gaze. It made her restless, a surge of energy thrumming through her as she looked away, trying to escape the intensity of the moment.
"Why didn’t you tell me any of this?" Zack continued with disappointment. "You didn’t even mention Olivia. Why did you endure all this injustice in silence? You could have come to me."
Bella lifted her head, meeting his gaze with a steely resolve. "The person who hurt me was your fiancée. How could I trust you?"
Zack’s heart clenched at the sight of the distrust and anger in her eyes. Each word cut deep, leaving him raw and aching. "But I always defended you, no matter what. You know that..."
"What’s done is done," Bella cut him off before he could say more. "Those who wronged me have been punished. I have no intention of dwelling on this any longer."
With that, she turned and walked out, her posture stiff. Zack stood there, frozen in place, his shoulders slumping under the crushing weight of defeat. ’She can never be mine,’ he whispered to himself, sadness clouding his features.
The office slowly returned to normal. With employees dispersing back to their workstations, Zack moved toward his cabin, his mind a jumbled mess. Just as he reached his desk, his phone rang, jolting him from his thoughts.
Without glancing at the caller ID, he answered the call absentmindedly. "Hello?"
"Mr. Hudson?" A female voice rang out on the other end of the line.
Zack frowned in surprise. "Who is this?"
"I am Gina Willis."
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