Theodore stood outside the ward, peering in through the small glass window, his heart pounding with relief. Bridget was still by Bella’s side. He had spent the entire night at the hospital, ensuring the nurses and doctors gave Bella the best care, but he had not gone in front of her.
That was part of his plan.
Theodore wanted to resolve the problems as quickly as possible. Once the issues were resolved, he would have a happy life with Bella. But for now, his focus was razor-sharp.
With a heavy exhale, he turned on his heel and marched down the hospital corridor, heading to Gary’s office. He barged into the cabin without even knocking on the door.
Papers rustled on the desk as Gary glanced up from the file before him, his brows knitting in confusion. "Theo! Is everything alright?" He was worried about Malcolm, assuming he was admitted to the hospital again. "How is Grandpa?"
Theodore waved the concern away, his movements terse. "He’s fine," he muttered, sinking into the chair across from Gary. "I’m not here about him. It’s about Bella."
"Bella?" Gary squinted at him curiously. "What’s the matter?"
Theodore let out a deep sigh, running a hand through his hair before launching into a brief explanation of Bella’s current condition. His tone was clipped, betraying the tension bubbling beneath the surface.
"I need you to check on her personally," he added in the end, his gaze pleading. "But she can’t know it was me who asked."
Gary’s frown deepened. "Why?" he asked, confusion lacing his words. "What exactly is going on between you two?"
Theodore didn’t want to share his problems with everyone. The less people knew, the better.
"We have some issues, and she doesn’t want to see me," Theodore murmured with his head bowed.
"I see!" Gary nodded in realization, the rumors from social media flashing through his mind. "Is it because of what’s been going around about you and Gina?"
Theodore’s jaw tightened. He looked at Gary but didn’t answer. He wasn’t ready to address that yet. Instead, he stood abruptly, tugging at the cuffs of his shirt.
"I’ve got to get to the office," he said, sidestepping the topic entirely. "Just make sure you check on her." He turned and left the cabin.
As Theodore strode toward the hospital exit, his steps slowed when he spotted Gina rushing in through the entrance, her head lowered, as if trying not to draw attention. His brow furrowed in suspicion as he wondered what Gina was doing there.
’Is she here to cause trouble for Bella?’ he thought.
Uneasiness crept into his mind, and he wanted to make sure Gina didn’t cause Bella further problems. The rumors on social media might have already disturbed her. The last thing Bella needed was a confrontation with Gina—especially now.
Theodore wanted to stop Gina and followed her. Just as he took a step forward, his phone rang, halting him mid-stride. It was from the office.
He stepped aside to answer the call.
Gina stormed into the ward like a gust of cold wind, her eyes immediately locking onto Bella, who lay resting on the bed with her eyes closed. Her mouth twisted into a sneer as she marched toward her.
"So, you’re just lying here peacefully!" Gina snapped, her voice sharp and cutting.
Startled, Bella sat up instantly. A frown appeared on her brow as she saw Gina.
"Who is going to pay for all of this?" Gina continued to bark. "Are you planning to extort money from Theodore for your treatment?" She snorted, crossing her arms across her chest. "You did that earlier, and you are quite pro in this." Her face darkened as she snapped, "Get up and leave right now!"
Bella didn’t want to argue with her. "What are you doing here?" she snapped back. "Get out of here."
"You have the audacity to talk to me like that," Gina sneered. "You are nothing without Theodore. You can’t even pay the bills of your treatment on your own. And you have the nerve to yell at me."
Gina’s voice grated on her already frayed nerves, making it harder to maintain her composure. "You are too annoying." Bella grimaced.
"You!" Gina, seething with anger, jabbed a finger toward Bella, ready to unleash another verbal attack. But something flickered in her expression, and she lowered her hand, a calculated grin spreading across her face instead.
"Soon enough, Theodore will be mine. He is going to kick you out of his life and marry me. I’ll be the daughter-in-law of the Reid family, while you..." She cast a disdainful glance at Bella. "You’re nothing but trash."
Bella slowly sat up, meeting Gina’s gaze with a steady, defiant look. She climbed down from the bed and squared her shoulders, her demeanor unyielding.
"You really think he’ll marry you?" Her lips curled into a mocking smile.
Gina’s eyes flashed with irritation, but Bella pressed on. "It’s as clear as day that Theodore doesn’t care about you. There is only one woman he loves, and that’s me—his wife. You – humph..."
She curled her lips with a scornful smile as she looked Gina up and down. "You are just another desperate woman trying to crawl into his bed."
Gina’s anger boiled over at her remark. She raised her hand to slap her. But Bella was faster. She caught her wrist mid-air, her grip firm as she glared at her. In one swift motion, Bella shoved her away, causing her to stumble backward.
Gina’s ankle twisted, and she lost her balance, collapsing onto the cold, hard floor with a gasp.
Bella stood tall; her eyes cold as she looked down at Gina. "Don’t ever dare to do that again," she warned.
Meanwhile, the door flew open with a sharp creak, and Theodore barged in, his chest tight with worry that Gina might have been bullying Bella. But the scene before him wasn’t what he had expected.
Gina was sitting on the floor, her face twisted in pain, while Bella stood tall and unbothered, her expression defiant. It looked as though Bella had been the aggressor, not the victim.
"Theodore!" Gina cried out dramatically when she saw him. "My leg—my leg hurts so much."
Theodore froze at the doorstep, his gaze moving to Bella. His instincts screamed to rush to her, to make sure she was alright, but his body moved toward Gina instead. With a sigh, he bent down, wrapping an arm around Gina and helping her to her feet.
"I was worried about her," Gina whined pitifully, clutching onto him as if she couldn’t stand on her own. "I came to check on her, but she yelled at me, said awful things, and then... she pushed me!"
Bella couldn’t help but chuckle bitterly, rolling her eyes. "You’re such a pathetic actress, Gina. You tried to hurt me, and I only defended myself. Stop playing the victim."
"See? She is still attacking me, even now. She is so full of venom." Gina sniveled, tears filling her eyes.
"You shouldn’t have come here," Theodore said, his voice low and cold. But to Bella, it sounded intimate.
She had expected him to stand by her side, to be the one to defend her and throw Gina out. Instead, he was there, holding Gina, comforting her.
"I just wanted to make sure Bella was okay," Gina continued with false concern. "After all, she fainted at the mansion. I was worried, so I came to see if she was receiving the proper care here."
Bella had heard enough. "Stop it, Gina!" she snapped. "Your lies are making me sick. You don’t care about me, and we both know it. You’re just here to stir up trouble."
"Enough, Bella." Before she could say more, Theodore interrupted her gruffly, his cold eyes meeting hers. "You shouldn’t have hurt her."
Bella’s breath caught in her throat. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Her heart clenched painfully in her chest, disbelief flooding her veins.
"She humiliated me first!" Bella shot back, trembling with anger and hurt. "And you—" she swallowed the lump in her throat, "You are taking her side! You didn’t even ask if I was okay."
Theodore was speechless momentarily. He was worried only about her. But he had to pretend that he cared about Gina to gain her trust.
"I saw you push her," he said coldly, his tone clipped and distant. "You should apologize."
"Apologize?" Bella sneered. "You want me to apologize to your mistress!"
"Bella?" Theodore roared, displeased at her remark.
But Bella wasn’t backing down. "No, Theodore, don’t give me that look," she barked. "She came here to humiliate me, and when I defended myself, she tried to slap me. If anyone should be apologizing, it’s her!"
"Bella, you are so mean," Gina chimed in. "Why are you making things up?". She grabbed his hands desperately, her gaze pleading. "Theodore, you have to believe me. I didn’t humiliate her. I swear."
"It’s okay, Gina. Let’s not waste time here." Glancing at Bella for the last time, Theodore led Gina out of the ward.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
