Ginna’s words added to his fury, but Theodore kept his face blank. He reminded himself he couldn’t let her suspicious of him. "I don’t care what she does, who she meets, or where she works. Don’t bring her up again," he said, keeping his expression cold, masking his fury. "By the way, Grandpa mentioned you were at the mansion last night. He was impressed with your help."
He changed the topic and praised her to make her happy. This was a part of his plan he was going to execute.
Gina smiled gleefully as she took a seat, diving eagerly into the details of how she had spent the evening. Her chest swelled with pride as she continued speaking, but Theodore was not interested in all this. Gina’s voice sounded annoying to his ears, grating on his patience. He reached up, rubbing the back of his head in an attempt to conceal his irritation.
Gina’s voice dropped to a murmur the next minute, sparking curiosity in Theodore. "I wasn’t there for dinner with Claudia." She leaned forward and added, "I went to find that footage she has holding onto."
Theodore, who had not been paying attention, listened to her intently, but his expression was guarded.
Gina then told him how she had administered Claudia the sleeping pills. "I searched her room, every drawer and cabinet, but it was nowhere. She must have hidden it somewhere else," she admitted, frustration lacing her voice. "I’m going to keep an eye on her, follow her. Eventually, I’ll find it."
Theodore narrowed his eyes as he took in her words. He had never expected Gina to go to such lengths to aid him. A stab of shame wrenched his gut for a second. He had been using her and manipulating her emotions. But he remained silent, quickly brushing the thought away.
This was his war against Claudia, and he was too close to expose her. He couldn’t let anything distract him at this moment. Bella’s absence gnawed at him every day, intensifying his drive to end things swiftly.
"Gina, maybe we should leave this alone for a bit. It’s exhausting. My life is a mess, and sometimes I just want to disappear from all of it," he murmured, rubbing his forehead as if burdened by helplessness.
"I do want to think about us—about a future together. But with Claudia’s constant threats, I feel trapped. I don’t want to drag you into this. You deserve better."
"I am happy with you," Gina said, cutting him short. "There is no one else for me but you. I won’t be happy with anyone else. Don’t worry about Claudia. I’ll deal with her. Just have faith in me."
Theodore softened his expression, giving her a grateful nod. "Thank you, Gina. I need your support more than ever."
"I am always with you." Gina stepped forward, wrapping her arms around him in a reassuring hug.
He held her, his hand stroking her hair gently. In a discreet motion, he plucked a few strands and slipped them into his pocket, a glint of satisfaction flickering in his eyes.
’This is the start of your downfall, Claudia,’ Theodore thought. A sly smile curled on his lips as he hugged her back.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When Philip returned to his hotel, he found Alan by the floor-to-ceiling window.
"Dad!" He was surprised to see him. "When did you come?"
Alan turned his wheelchair and faced Philip, pulling a welcoming smile over his lips. But his expression immediately clouded with worry when he saw Philip’s bruised, swollen face, his smile vanishing altogether. "Did you fight?" he asked as he rolled his wheelchair toward him. "What’s the matter?"
Philip forced a casual shrug, attempting to downplay his injuries. "It’s nothing, really. Don’t worry. I’m fine." He had no intention of telling his father about the altercation with Zack; Alan was already under too much strain.
But Alan wasn’t so easily convinced. "How can you say that when your face looks like this?" he said, already reaching for his phone. "Let me call a doctor."
Philip quickly squatted in front of him and grabbed his hand, stopping him. "I don’t need a doctor. I’ll be fine." He gave him a reassuring smile.
Alan searched his son’s face, a mixture of doubt and worry etched in his features. "Philip, you’re not the type to pick fights over nothing. Tell me the truth—what happened?"
Philip sighed, his shoulders slumping as he dropped his gaze. Could he really keep this from his father? After a moment’s hesitation, he looked up, his face hardened with frustration.
"I went to the fashion house to speak with Kate, to make sure Bella’s work there wouldn’t face any issues. But when I got there, I ran into Zack outside." He gritted his teeth as he muttered the name. "He was trying to stop Bella."
"Zack?" Alan exclaimed, the tension on his face unmistakable. "You mean Cole’s son, Zack?"
"Yes," Philip grumbled.
"What was he doing with Isabella? That man isn’t good. Philip, you have to keep him away from her. I can’t bear to lose another daughter because of him."
"Dad," Philip said gently, giving his father’s hand a reassuring squeeze. "I won’t let anything happen to Bella. I’ll protect her. But...why did you come all this way? I told you not to."
"I couldn’t control the urge to see Selena and Isabella," Alan said helplessly. "Take me to them, Philip. I want to apologize to them face-to-face, to ask them to come home with me. I’m sure Selena will understand if she hears me out."
Philip’s face tightened, remembering Bella’s anger. He sighed, shaking his head slowly. "It won’t be that simple, Dad. Bella is too furious to listen to anything. She didn’t give me a chance to explain. You shouldn’t go there. If you go now, she might say something... something that could hurt you deeply. Let me try to talk to them slowly."
But Alan’s expression remained resolute. "I’ve wronged them both. I’m prepared to face their anger. It’s long overdue, and I won’t delay it any longer. I have to try."
Philip’s shoulders slumped in reluctant acceptance, knowing his father’s unyielding determination all too well—a trait Bella had inherited as well. Like father, like daughter.
"Alright," he said at last, exhaling. "We’ll go see them but give me a few days. Let me wrap up some things first."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bella arrived home dejectedly, her heart heavy, her mind replaying the shocking revelation. It turned out that her biological father was one of the richest men in the country. But why was he looking for them after so many years? What kind of game he was playing this time?
Her mind was in a mess. ’Should I talk to Theodore?’ she thought.
"Bella, you are home," Selena’s gentle voice broke through her thoughts.
Bella looked up to see her mother’s warm smile, and for a moment, the tension in her chest eased, replaced by a quiet comfort. She managed a smile, pushing aside her worries. "Yes, I’m home. But you’re back early too. Is the bakery closed for the day?"
"I came home to make your favorite dishes tonight," Selena replied, her smile lingering. "After all, you have got your dream job. You can now fulfill your desire to be a designer. How was the meeting? When do you start?" Her face shone with pride and curiosity.
"Everything went smoothly," Bella replied, instilling cheerfulness in her tone. "I signed the contract and am going to start working from tomorrow."
Selena’s face lit up with joy. "That’s wonderful! I’m so proud of you. You should also talk to Briget soon and start looking for a place to live."
"Don’t worry, mamma, everything will be taken care of," Bella said reassuringly. She had a big house that Theodore had purchased for her. She had nothing to worry about where to stay.
The loud chime of the doorbell interrupted Bella and Selena’s conversation.
"I’ll go check." Bella went to answer it, and when she opened the door, she found a man standing there. He looked vaguely familiar, though she couldn’t quite place him. He gave her a polite smile, adjusting his glasses with a smooth motion.
Before Bella could ask anything, her eyes drifted past him to a brand-new car standing in the courtyard, her jaw dropping in surprise.
"Hello, ma’am. This is a gift from Mr. Reid," the man said, handing her the car keys with a slight bow. "Your car. And I’ll be your driver from now on, at your service."
Bella’s mind spun as she took in the scene, her eyes shifting between the car and the man standing in front of her. Theodore had mentioned a surprise gift, but she hadn’t expected anything like this. ’He bought me a car!’
Still dazed, she looked back at the man, her brow furrowing as she tried to recall where she had seen him. The familiarity was nagging at her. "Wait...have we met before?"
The man’s eyes sparkled with a mischievous glint as he looked at her over the rim of his glasses. "You don’t recognize me? It’s Tristan."
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