Skyler was confused, but he said nothing. Clearing his throat, he gathered his thoughts and said, trying to sound steady, "Yes, I’ll attend the meeting. I thought Mr. Reid might have come to see you this morning, so I came here."
Though Theodore’s absence left him with little reason to stay, Skyler could not leave, his gaze lingering on Bella’s pale and weary face. He couldn’t forget the fact that she had risked her life to save Theodore and lost her baby. He felt a deep pang of empathy for her suffering.
"How are you feeling?" he asked, his tone softening.
Bella didn’t reply instantly. She slowly managed a bitter, pained smile that barely touched her lips. "I can’t say I’m doing good," she murmured.
Skyler fell silent, unable to find the right words to say. The enormity of her loss was beyond his grasp, and he felt a profound helplessness in the face of her grief.
"Don’t be sad. This phase of life will pass," he offered softly. "Just don’t lose hope."
As he turned to leave, Bella’s voice stopped him. "Do you hate me, Skyler?"
Skyler froze, taken aback by Bella’s sudden, disarming question. He hadn’t expected her to confront him so directly, and his discomfort was evident. He turned back to her, his expression betraying a nervousness he couldn’t hide.
It wasn’t that he hated her, but his feelings toward her had always been conflicted. He was afraid she would become trouble for Theodore.
"Why did you ask that?" he asked in response, struggling to understand what had prompted her to ask such a question.
Bella maintained a bitter smile as she replied, "I can feel it. The way you speak to me, your reactions... your expression. It was obvious during that meeting with O’Neil."
Skyler’s gaze darted around the room, avoiding hers, guilt creeping up on him. She was right—he had been harsh with her that day, though it stemmed from his own insecurities. His complex feelings toward her had gotten the better of him.
"That wasn’t intentional," he muttered, his words stumbling out awkwardly. "I said some things in the heat of the moment. I didn’t mean to hurt you. You shouldn’t dwell on it—just focus on getting better. I am running late for the meeting. See you later."
Without waiting for a response, Skyler turned abruptly and hurried out of the room, eager to escape the situation before it became more uncomfortable. He feared she might ask more questions, ones he wasn’t ready to answer.
As the door closed behind him, Bella let out a soft, dry chuckle, her eyes filled with a knowing glint. "Escaping, huh? I’ll figure out what your problem with me is, sooner or later."
At the office...
Skyler arrived at the office swiftly, his mind racing with questions as he made his way into Theodore’s cabin. Upon entering, he saw Theodore seated in his chair, speaking on the phone, his tone authoritative and focused. Without a word, Skyler crossed the room and placed the file on the worktable, his movements deliberate and quiet.
Theodore glanced up briefly, signaling for him to sit. Skyler complied, taking his seat.
Theodore continued his phone call, issuing instructions in his usual no-nonsense manner. "Okay, submit the report by the end of the day. I don’t want any mistakes." With a click, he ended the call and turned his attention to the file. His gaze was sharp as he picked it up. "Is everything here in the file?"
"Yes, everything is included," Skyler confirmed. There was a brief pause before he added with a hint of hesitation, "I went to the hospital, hoping to find you. But you weren’t there. I didn’t know you had gone back home. And the documents for the meeting were with me. Why did you lie to Bella? Are you hiding something from me?"
Skyler’s eyes narrowed with skepticism as he studied Theodore, searching for answers. They had known each other since their school days, standing side by side through every challenge.
Theodore had always been more than a boss to him—he was a mentor, someone Skyler looked up to and trusted completely. But for the first time, there was a crack in that trust, a sense that Theodore was keeping something from him.
Was it because he failed him this time? Or was it something else?
Theodore remained silent, his gaze steady as he observed Skyler for a moment. Then, with a calm voice, he broke the silence. "Hugo caught O’Neil last night. I was there."
Skyler felt a shiver crawl up his spine. "You... what?" His voice faltered as he glanced nervously toward the door, making sure it was still locked. Once reassured, he turned back to Theodore, his eyes filled with worry and dread.
"The cops are looking for him everywhere," he muttered, lowering his voice to a whisper. "And you..." His thoughts spiraled as he considered the worst—had Theodore killed O’Neil? "Did you – did you kill him?" Skyler asked, suspicious.
Theodore didn’t hesitate. He nodded.
"Fuck?" Skyler exclaimed instantaneously, but he reminded himself to stay quiet. He leaned in closer to the desk, lowering his voice to a harsh whisper. "What was the need to kill him? There was already a case against him, and the attack on Bella would have locked him up for years. You could have handed him to the cops."
Theodore’s calm exterior cracked, his face contorting with rage. "He killed my child," he hissed, slamming his fist on the table with such force that Skyler flinched. "No logic can undo that. That bastard tried to kidnap Bella, and he murdered my unborn child. How could I let him live?"
Skyler could understand the depth of Theodore’s pain. "I get it. But you could have told me. I could’ve handled this another way."
"Hugo has taken necessary precautions," Theodore said, his voice turning softer this time.
Skyler, however, was not reassured. His shoulders slumped as he let out a sigh. "But you didn’t call me." The hurt was evident in his voice. "Are you still angry with me? Or... have you lost faith in me?"
Skyler had always been Theodore’s confidant, his right-hand man, and now he felt a painful distance growing between them. His heart sank as he awaited Theodore’s answer, a part of him fearing that their bond had been irrevocably damaged.
Theodore sighed as he didn’t want to answer. He stood up from his chair and walked over to the glass wall, his gaze fixed on the sprawling city skyline.
He had indeed been upset with Skyler for not verifying the property at Heritage Avenue and for not dealing with O’Neil properly. That was why he had kept him away from this matter last night and had gone alone to the abandoned factory.
However, deep down, he knew Skyler’s devotion toward him was unwavering. His irritation was personal, a result of feeling let down.
"It’s not like that," Theodore said quietly, his back stiff. "You’re overthinking it. I just wanted to handle that man myself."
Even though he had not said anything disappointing, Skyler understood the meaning of his unspoken words. He felt a pang of guilt, realizing how much he had let his boss down.
"I am sorry if I crossed a line," he apologized, his sincerity evident in his tone. "I’m just concerned about you. You know how dangerous things are right now, with enemies always looking for a chance to strike. Your mission isn’t over yet, and I’m worried that you might make a mistake that could put you in even greater danger."
He paused for a moment before continuing, "I’ll contact Hugo and make sure everything is secure. The meeting starts in an hour, so let me know if you need anything."
Skyler turned and left the room, leaving Theodore alone with his thoughts.
At the hospital...
After meeting Bridget and Joe, Bella was all emotional. Although she had told Bridget not to blame herself for what had happened, she still couldn’t shake off the feeling that she might not have lost her baby if she had not gone to the bar.
Her baby could have been still alive. She, with her husband, could have waited to welcome the child into the world. But that incident had changed everything. The joy turned to misery and she was lying there on a hospital bed, mourning her child.
Tears streamed down her face as she clutched her abdomen. "I’m sorry, I couldn’t protect you," she sobbed.
The sound of the door creaking open jolted Bella from her distress. She looked up to see Zack standing in the doorway, a figure she hadn’t expected to see. Bella was surprised.
"Mr. Hudson!" Bella quickly wiped her tears away, attempting to sit up.
"Be careful," Zack said, hurrying over to help her, gently guiding her into a more comfortable position and supporting her.
Bella flinched at his touch, feeling uneasy. She murmured a quiet "Thank you," while avoiding his gaze.
The discomfort was palpable, and Zack noticed the remnants of tears on her cheeks. His heart ached to see her in pain. Theodore, as her husband, was supposed to be with her, but he was nowhere to be found.
"Why are you alone?" Zack asked with concern. "Why isn’t anyone from the Reids here with you? Don’t they care about their daughter-in-law?"
The absence of Theodore and the lack of support from his family only deepened Zack’s sense of resolve. The Reids’ apparent indifference to Bella’s suffering solidified his determination to take her away with him, believing that she deserved better care and attention than she was receiving.
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