"Tristan?" Bella exclaimed, taking a closer look. She finally recognized the familiar face beneath the disguise—a false beard and those oversized glasses that had thrown her off. Unable to hold back her amusement, she stifled a laugh. "So, you’re my driver now! I guess Theodore has officially demoted you from secretary to chauffeur."
Tristan gave a dramatic sigh, shrugging with a playfully defeated expression. "What can I say? Orders are orders. But ma’am," he lowered his voice, "please keep my identity a secret. It’s essential for Mr. Reid’s plan. I hope you understand me."
Bella nodded, catching onto the humor and sensing its seriousness. "Understood. Come on in." She stepped aside, allowing Tristan to enter, and closed the door behind them.
Selena was surprised to see him. "Who is this?"
"He...is Tristan," Bella explained, still amused. "Theodore bought me a car, and Tristan is here to deliver it."
"Oh, how nice! You bought a car!" Selena’s face brightened in joy and amazement.
Bella’s smile faltered a bit as she didn’t like lying to her mother, but she couldn’t tell her the truth now. "Yes," she replied shortly.
"Is this an apology?" Selena asked hopefully. "You should call him and thank him. I think you should go back to him. An argument shouldn’t stretch long."
Bella lowered her head and hummed shortly.
"Well, Tristan, make yourself comfortable. I’ll get you some coffee." With a warm smile, Selena disappeared into the kitchen, leaving Bella and Tristan to share a grin over the unexpected turn of events.
Tristan sat down, his gaze shifting to Bella with a hint of skepticism. "Did you tell her everything about the plan?"
Bella sighed as she sat down beside him. Bella exhaled softly, sinking into the sofa beside him. "No, she doesn’t know anything about it. I just told her that I had an argument with Theodore and that I’d be staying here for a few days. That’s all."
Tristan gave a slow nod, his expression thoughtful. "Probably for the best," he murmured.
Bella offered him a small, weary smile. But the next minute, she pulled an enthusiastic look on her face. "It’s good to see you, Tristan," she said earnestly. "I’m desperate to get back to Theodore. How is he? Has he made any progress with...everything?"
Tristan’s face grew serious. "Honestly, I don’t know much. He is keeping things close to his chest—he only discusses it with Skyler. But knowing him, he’ll figure it out soon. He always does."
Bella’s shoulders slumped with a mixture of relief and anxiety as she released a shaky breath. She kept reminding herself that Theodore would find a way, that this separation wouldn’t last forever.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Two days had slipped by. Based on the driver’s confession, Franklin was taken for interrogation for bribing an officer to kill Lionel. The footage of his argument with O’Neil was also with the cops, and Franklin automatically became the prime suspect in the long investigating missing case.
Officer Steward’s suspicion turned to him squarely, and he started interrogating him. But Franklin was a tough nut to crack. He wouldn’t say anything and kept demanding to speak with his lawyer.
Officer Steward, however, was growing visibly frustrated, his patience fraying with every passing moment. He slammed his palm on the table.
"Your crime is already proven," he snarled. "Your driver and the officer you bribed have both confessed. It was you who wanted Lionel dead. And I’m willing to bet you’re also behind O’Neil’s disappearance. We have footage of your heated argument with him at the bar, Franklin. Several witnesses gave statements—you threatened to kill him."
He leaned forward, his tone turning even deeper. "So tell me: did you kill him?"
Franklin’s face tightened, but he refused to flinch. "I told you before: I didn’t kill him," he shouted. "I don’t know who did."
"Enough with the lies," Steward snapped back. "You had every reason to want him dead. He owed you millions, and you were furious. When O’Neil attacked Theodore’s wife and then tried to run, you saw your chance. You thought the blame would fall on Theodore and no one would suspect you. But the truth always comes out, Franklin."
Franklin clenched his fists, his voice rising in defiance. "I’m not hiding anything. I didn’t kill O’Neil, and I haven’t seen him since that argument."
Steward stood up abruptly, his chair scraping loudly against the floor, signaling the end of the interrogation—for now. He fixed Franklin with a cold, penetrating stare. "For conspiring to kill Lionel while he was in police custody, you’re looking at a long sentence," he said icily. "And trust me, I’ll get to the bottom of whether you killed O’Neil or not."
He turned to leave, but Franklin’s words stopped him.
"I want to speak to my lawyer."
Steward paused, glancing back with a mocking smirk. "Lawyer or not, no one is going to save you from what’s coming." With that, he strode out, leaving the door to clang shut.
At the mansion...
Claudia paced back and forth, her steps quick and uneven as the lawyer detailed Franklin’s dire situation. Nervous energy radiated from her, her fingers twisting in agitation while her palms grew clammy. She struggled to absorb the lawyer’s every word, her mind refusing to accept what was unfolding.
The lawyer let out a heavy sigh, with a hint of resignation. "The evidence against Franklin is overwhelming. Both the driver and the officer confirmed his involvement. I may be able to appeal for a reduced sentence, but the odds aren’t in our favor."
Claudia rubbed her fist, her anxiety growing. This wasn’t the outcome she wanted. She had planned a bright future for her children. How could she let her son go to jail?
"I don’t care what it takes—get him out!" she demanded. "I want my son back. Do whatever it takes."
The middle-aged man gaped at her, speechless. What had he been explaining for so long? It seemed as if she had heard nothing.
"I’ll do my best," he replied cautiously. "But I can’t say for sure how long it will take to bail him out. There is more. The police now suspect him in a second case."
Claudia’s gaze sharpened as she stopped pacing, looking directly at him. "What case?"
"The authorities believe Franklin might be involved in O’Neil’s disappearance."
Her face paled, and her voice shook with disbelief. "That’s impossible. He didn’t kill that man."
The man’s eyes narrowed, his brows drawing together in suspicion. "Is O’Neil dead?" he asked with surprise and a growing wariness. The police indeed suspected that O’Neil was no longer alive, but it wasn’t confirmed yet. "Are you saying he was killed? How would you know that?"
Claudia’s expression froze, words eluding her momentarily. She immediately realized she had said something she shouldn’t have. "I know nothing," she snapped, pretending to be annoyed and trying to hide her anxiety. "But I am sure whether Franklin is not involved in O’Neil’s case. Think about how to bring him out and start working on it. You can leave now."
The lawyer gave her a curt nod before leaving.
Claudia’s expression darkened as soon as the door closed behind him. She couldn’t ignore the nagging suspicion that Theodore was behind this. "Theodore!" Her fists trembled on her sides. "If you are behind this, you’ll regret it. I’ll make you pay for crossing me."
She stormed out of the house.
Malcolm watched her leave, a flicker of curiosity mixed with suspicion sparking in his gaze. He remembered his recent conversation with Theodore two days ago, every word ringing fresh in his mind.
Flashback... 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮
Malcolm came to the hospital for a regular check-up and found Theodore waiting for him. "Theodore!" He was a bit surprised, and at the same time, he was worried. "Are you okay?"
"I am here for you," Theodore said with a reassuring smile. "These days, I’ve been busy with work and haven’t gone to see you. I thought I would accompany you in your check-up."
Malcolm’s initial surprise softened into a warm smile. "You did a great job. "I’ve been missing you and was thinking of asking you over for dinner."
"We’ll have dinner after the check-up. Come on, let’s get these tests done."
The nurse took Malcolm away for the tests. Theodore turned to the family butler, nodding his thanks. "Thank you for bringing him. I’ll stay with him from here. You’re free to go." He had planned to discuss something serious with his grandpa and didn’t want a third person’s presence.
The butler nodded and took his leave.
When the tests wrapped up, they met with Gary in his office. Gary reviewed the results, his expression relaxing into a smile as he met Malcolm’s gaze. "Not bad, Grandpa," he smiled. "You are doing well. Keep taking your medicines, and you’ll be just fine. Just remember to stay happy."
"Thanks, Gary. I’ll take care of that. We’ll talk later." Theodore helped his grandfather rise from the chair, his hand steady and supportive. "Come on, Grandpa. Let’s go."
He led him out of the chamber. His hurried demeanor caught Malcolm by surprise.
"Why are you in such a hurry?" Malcolm asked. "I thought I would clear some doubts with Gary, but you pulled me out. Are you that hungry?"
Theodore stopped, turning to face his grandfather, his expression grave. "I need to talk to you—about Claudia."
Malcolm’s confusion turned into curiosity. Observing Theodore’s serious demeanor, he also grew solemn. "What is it?"
Theodore gently urged him toward the exit. "Let’s get somewhere private first. I’ll explain everything."
Once in the car, Theodore took the wheel, driving in silence as Malcolm watched him, sensing that whatever his grandson had to say was no trivial matter.
Minutes later, they arrived at an upscale restaurant, where Theodore led him to a secluded chamber. As they settled in, Theodore began recounting everything he’d uncovered about Claudia’s lies and manipulation, each revelation hitting Malcolm like a fresh blow.
Malcolm’s face grew dark with fury, his jaw tightening. "That woman," he muttered. "She deceived my son and tore his family apart. I’ll throw her out myself!"
Theodore reached across the table, grasping Malcolm’s hands. "Please, Grandpa, stay calm," he urged. "I have everything documented. Just give me a little more time. Pretend you know nothing—for now. Let me handle this."
End of flashback...
Malcolm had been watching her activities sneakily since his last conversation with Theodore. He couldn’t wait to see her behind the bars.
"Claudia," he muttered under his breath, his fists tightening at his sides. "Your game is almost over."
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