Theodore hung his head down, letting out a deep sigh. He remained silent, unsure of where he should start.
Willow’s frown deepened as she waited for his answer. Her frustration bubbled inside her as she didn’t get his answer.
"Why aren’t you saying anything?" she asked impatiently, approaching the worktable. "Did you argue with her?"
Theodore looked at his hands, the ache in his heart growing. Silence enveloped him, the weight of his turmoil making it hard to find the right words.
"Is it because of that old hag?" Willow hissed, her annoyance now fully bubbling to the surface. "Why is he still interfering in your life? Can’t he let you live freely? Why does he insist on controlling everything? I’m so sick of that old man!"
"Willow," Theodore interjected sharply, his expression stern. "He is our elder – our grandpa. Show some respect."
"Respect? Humph!" Willow scoffed, her eyes rolling in exasperation. "For what? All the elders in the Reid family are pathetic. They ruined Mom’s life, and that so-called grandfather of yours chose Claudia over his own daughter-in-law! He could have stopped Dad from marrying her, but no—he let it happen. He stood by and did nothing! Now, he is trying to ruin your life in the same way. What’s his problem?"
"That’s enough, Willow," Theodore growled, his voice cold and commanding. "I won’t tolerate any more insults toward Grandpa."
Willow blinked, stunned by his reaction. "I can’t believe this," she muttered, shaking her head in disbelief. "You’re still defending him? He was the reason Mom and Dad divorced! He was the one who had supported Dad’s affair with Claudia. How can you just forget that?"
Her body trembled in anger and helplessness, her voice rising as her emotions got the best of her. "And now, he wants to push Bella away from you. How could you let him control your life like this?"
"I haven’t forgotten anything," Theodore grumbled, his tone low but filled with bitterness. "But Mom and Dad’s relationship was already falling apart long before Grandpa got involved. Their marriage was a lost cause. Grandpa gave Mom the freedom she needed. He didn’t want her stuck in a toxic, loveless relationship. It wasn’t about siding with Claudia—it was about giving her a chance to escape."
Willow rolled her eyes and turned aside, not willing to believe that. The pain of the past haunted her. The anger for Malcolm in her heart seemed to intensify.
"You were too young back then," Theodore continued, the painful memories resurfacing. "You didn’t see what I saw. Mom was in pain, night after night, waiting for Dad to come home. Every time he didn’t, she cried herself to sleep. It was torture for her. She didn’t deserve that pain."
"Grandpa could have stopped him," Willow retorted, still blaming Malcolm for her mother’s broken marriage. "He could have done something to keep Dad from letting Claudia into our lives, but he just stood by and watched! He let that woman enter the family, ruining everything."
"It’s because of our father; Grandpa has nothing to do with it," Theodore explained. He let out a deep breath and brushed his fingers through his hair. "In public, Claudia is the Reids’ mistress, but Grandpa hasn’t accepted her fully yet," he revealed. "He hasn’t given her or Franklin a single piece of the family’s fortune. To him, Franklin is an illegitimate son—unworthy of inheriting anything from the Reids."
This information was new to Willow. She didn’t know Claudia and Franklin hadn’t gotten anything from the family yet.
"Are you serious?" she asked curiously, sitting down on the chair across from him. Her anger seemed to simmer down a little.
"This is the truth I know since I was a child," Theodore said. "This is what makes Claudia and Franklin desperate. They want the family fortune, and they can do anything for that, even kill me."
Willow covered her mouth instantly with her trembling hands, chills pricking her skin. She didn’t know her brother was in such a danger.
"I suspect they plotted my accident," Theodore revealed that he had not told her before. "And I wouldn’t be surprised if they had something to do with Dad’s sudden heart attack."
The room felt colder now, Willow’s shock turning into terror. She had known Claudia was manipulative and conniving, but to think her brother’s life had been in danger all this time—and that their father’s death might have been no accident—was too much to bear. She shuddered, fear and concern evident in her expression.
She had the sensation that the walls were closing on her. ’They killed Dad! And plotted Theodore’s accident!’ Her mind screamed, but she remained frozen in her place, her eyes wide in horror.
"But I don’t have any solid evidence," Theodore snarled, his fists tightening on the table. "Now, they’ve stooped even lower. They are using Grandpa to drive a wedge between Bella and me. They showed him photos of Bella and Zack, convincing him she was cheating on me."
Willow’s mouth fell open in disbelief. "What? And Grandpa believed them?"
Theodore gave a grim nod. "The photos seemed quite convincing. Grandpa always thinks that Bella is a gold digger and has married me for my money. So, it’s quite easy for Claudia to manipulate him."
He sighed and added, "It caused him so much stress that he had a heart attack. He is vulnerable now, and the slightest worry or strain could kill him. I can’t let that happen. I don’t want to lose him, too."
Willow’s shock morphed into confusion and frustration. "So, you’re telling me you’re going to divorce Bella just to keep Grandpa happy!" She couldn’t understand why Theodore would sacrifice his happiness.
Theodore let out a long, weary sigh, his shoulders sagging under the weight of his dilemma. "Right now, my only concern is keeping Grandpa alive. His health is hanging by a thread. I can’t risk it."
"But what about Bella?" Willow pressed, her frustration bubbling over. "You love her, Theodore! How can you just abandon her like this?"
"I don’t want to," he snapped, "but I have no choice." Helplessness and irritation battled for dominance inside him. "First of all, I need to find evidence against Claudia and Franklin. Without putting them behind bars, I can’t think about having a peaceful life with Bella. They won’t stop scheming against us."
Willow blinked, speechless.
Theodore’s voice wavered as he added, "Besides, Bella will be safe if she stays away from me. Claudia won’t stop targeting her if we’re together. I have to make them believe that it’s over between us."
"But you can protect Bella, can’t you?" Willow urged. "You should talk to her. Tell her everything. She will understand."
"Not now..." He pinched his brow. He had not told Willow the whole truth yet, not revealing the incriminating video Claudia held over him. "I’ll make up to her once I resolve the issues."
"I don’t know, Theo. I don’t think this is a good idea," Willow said dejectedly. "Breaking her heart like this won’t be easy to fix. You should talk to her before it’s too late. If you don’t, I will."
"No," he snapped instantly, interrupting her. "You won’t say anything to her. She already risked her life to save me. I can’t let her be in danger again. Let her hate me. If it keeps her safe, I’ll endure that. I’ll find a way to get her back later, but not now." 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢
"Theodore..." Willow’s gaze softened, sympathy filling her eyes as she saw the conflict tearing her brother apart. She was desperate to help him, but she didn’t know what to do.
"Please, Willow," Theodore pleaded. "Don’t let her get entangled in this family mess. I’ll handle it. Just let me do this my way."
She reluctantly nodded, feeling powerless. "Alright, I won’t say anything. But Theo, you need to know—it’ll be very hard to win her back once she is gone."
"I know," he murmured, his head hanging down.
"No, you are not aware of the seriousness of the situation," she pressed. "Bella is beautiful. Many want to date her, and Zack Hudson is one of them."
Theodore’s heart clenched at the mention of Zack Hudson. His mind whirled as he stared at Willow, trying to process her words.
Willow continued, "Zack is crazy about her. He can do anything to get her. But it’s not out of love. It’s because Bella looks like his dead girlfriend."
The information hit him like a punch to his gut. "Dead girlfriend?" he echoed with disbelief. "How did you know?"
"Bella told me."
"Bella told you!" Theodore repeated, his voice rising in both surprise and frustration. Why hadn’t Bella shared this with him? His mind raced as he struggled to comprehend why Bella hadn’t mentioned this to him but told everything to Willow.
He narrowed his eyes as he tried to process the information. ’Zack’s dead girlfriend looks like Bella,’ he thought to himself. ’Is this just a coincidence? Or is there more to it?’
"Yes. Bella told me that Zack’s girlfriend, Rose, resembled her." Willow’s voice brought him back to reality. "That woman died in an accident. Zack’s obsession with Bella is twisted. He is more dangerous than you think. And as soon as he knows she is single, he’ll stop at nothing to make her his. So, you need to reconsider your decision, Theo. If you push Bella away now, she’ll be vulnerable."
Her words left a chill in the air, a warning Theodore couldn’t ignore. His pulse quickened, the weight of his choices bearing down on him. He felt as though the ground had been pulled from beneath his feet. He hadn’t thought about the danger hanging precariously over Bella’s head in Zack’s form.
Willow rose from the chair, the folder in her hand. "I am leaving now. I hope you make the right decision." She turned on her heels and walked out, leaving Theodore alone with his spiraling thoughts.
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