"Theo, wait a moment!" Willow called out, chasing after him, her face etched with worry. She couldn’t bear the thought of leaving Bella in such a vulnerable state.
Theodore paused, glancing back at his sister. "Go home," he instructed gently yet resolutely. He signaled to Tristan to ensure she was escorted safely.
"But I want to stay with Bella," Willow insisted.
"I’m with her. Don’t worry," Theodore reassured her, his focus remained on getting Bella the care she needed.
"But..."
"Willow!" Theodore’s voice turned cold and commanding, cutting off her protest. "It’s late. You need to go home and rest." The finality in his tone left no room for argument. "Tristan will take you home."
Willow hesitated, clearly torn, but finally nodded in reluctant agreement. "Okay," she murmured, her voice small and resigned. She turned to Bella, her heart filled with worry and guilt. "Stay safe."
Bella managed a weak smile, grateful for her concern but too drained to say much more.
Turning to her brother, Willow requested, "Keep me updated about her condition."
Theodore nodded before walking away with brisk steps.
Meanwhile, the people inside the hall watched the scene with a mix of curiosity and intrigue. The drama that had just unfolded had left them buzzing with speculation and whispered conversations filled the room.
"He saved Bella like a hero," one murmured. "Maybe he likes her."
"But I’ve heard that Mr. Reid is quite close to Willow," another chimed in. "I’m sure Willow is his girlfriend."
The debate continued, voices rising and falling as they argued over who Theodore’s true affections lay. Some were convinced it was Bella, while others were adamant it was Willow. Theories and rumors swirled, fueled by the mysterious nature of Theodore’s relationships with both women.
~~~~~~~~~
They arrived at the hospital in no time. The doctor examined Bella carefully, tending to the small wounds on her cheek and neck. After a thorough check, she offered them a reassuring smile. "These are just scratches. Your wife is alright."
Theodore, still on edge, found it hard to accept so easily. "But the scratches will leave marks on her skin," he insisted, his worry clear in his voice.
The doctor pointed to the prescription she had written out. "Use this cream," she instructed. "The marks will fade and eventually disappear."
Theodore’s gaze shifted to Bella. She looked pale and exhausted, her usual vitality drained by the evening’s harrowing events. His heart clenched with concern.
"Are you sure she is okay?" he asked again, his focus returning to the doctor. "She looks pale. You should run some tests, and make sure she is truly alright. If necessary, she can stay at the hospital."
The doctor chuckled softly, her tone kind but firm. "Mr. Reid, you’re worrying too much. She is just traumatized. What she needs most right now is rest and care. There is no need for her to stay in the hospital. Take her home."
"I’m fine," Bella reassured him gently and managed a small smile despite her weariness. "Let’s go home."
Finally, Theodore relented, his worry easing slightly. He took her hand in his, helping her up from the chair. Together, they left the hospital.
Meanwhile, on the other side of town, a starkly different scene was unfolding. The car carrying Ivy came to a stop on a desolate, darkened street, far from the city lights. The car door swung open, and Ivy was roughly pulled out and shoved to the ground.
"Ah..." she gasped as she hit the cold, hard ground, her body collapsing flat on her face.
Her hands, tied tightly behind her back, offered no protection from the fall. The blindfold over her eyes only heightened her fear and disorientation.
The night air was chilly, and the sound of crickets filled the silence, amplifying the eerie stillness around her. A cold dread seeped into her bones as she scrambled to sit up, panic rising in her throat.
"Where did you bring me? What is this place?" she yelled desperately, quivering with fear.
"This is the place where you will meet your ultimate fate," a familiar voice boomed from the darkness.
The words sent a fresh wave of terror through Ivy. The voice was unmistakable. Ivy felt nothing but chill as she realized it was Zack.
Bound and helpless, she wriggled desperately, the rough rope digging into her wrists. Panic surged through her, but a small flicker of hope clung to the possibility that he might be there to help her.
"Zack! Is that really you?" she asked frantically. "Are you—are you here to rescue me?"
Zack’s response was a dangerous sneer, dripping with contempt. Rescue? The very idea was laughable, especially after what she had done to Bella. The thought that she could expect any mercy from him now only fueled his anger. He crouched beside her, his movements deliberate, and roughly yanked the blindfold from her eyes.
Ivy blinked rapidly, her eyes adjusting to the harsh glare of the car’s headlights. Zack’s face came into focus, illuminated starkly by the light. But in her desperate hope, she failed to see the malice lurking in his eyes. Perhaps she was too blinded by her joy at seeing him, or perhaps she was simply too naive to grasp the true danger she was in.
"You’re finally here," she said with a hopeful smile. "I knew it. I knew you wouldn’t abandon me."
Zack’s lips curled into a smirk, his hand reaching out to stroke her hair with an almost tender gesture. "Look at you—what a mess you’ve become," he murmured, his tone soft and almost sympathetic, as if he pitied her. But beneath the surface, there was nothing but venom.
"You shouldn’t have run away instead of going to the office. But you made a big mistake. You hurt Bella."
In an instant, his demeanor shifted. His hand, which had been gently caressing her hair, suddenly tightened into a fist. He grabbed a handful of her hair and yanked it back with brutal force, causing her head to snap backward.
"Ah!" Ivy cried out in shock, her body tensing as pain shot through her scalp. She stared up at him with disbelief. "It hurts," she whimpered, the sting of betrayal cutting as deep as the physical pain.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
