Several days later...
Theodore had rented an apartment in the locality where Zack’s house was with fake ID and changed appearance. He had been observing Zack, but nothing suspicious had been noted yet.
Every day, he observed the man’s mundane routine—leaving for the office in the morning, returning in the evening—without any sign of suspicious activity. His mother’s occasional errands were equally uneventful. Yet Theodore couldn’t shake the feeling that something was amiss.
It was frustrating. It seemed that all his efforts to find Bella had been wasted. But the nagging doubts that Zack was hiding something lingered in his heart.
Zack’s mother’s behavior only deepened his doubts. Unlike most neighbors who mingled and exchanged pleasantries, she kept to herself. Her errands were hurried, her demeanor skittish, as though she were perpetually on edge. She avoided the local garden where the elderly gathered, never indulging in the casual strolls common to the neighborhood. The secrecy that enveloped her movements gnawed at Theodore’s resolve.
Several days of relentless surveillance had left Theodore drained and irritable. His urge to barge into the house intensified to see if Bella was there. "This isn’t getting me anywhere. I can’t wait any longer. I need to find out if Bella’s in that house." His heart thudded in his chest as he strode toward the door.
Skyler stepped in, blocking his path. "Hold on. We’ve waited this long for a reason. If Bella is in there, barging in recklessly could end her in danger. Think about it—Zack’s guards won’t let you step inside, and if he suspects we are onto him, he could panic. He might hurt her or disappear with her again."
Theodore clenched his fists as he processed Skyler’s words, the helplessness etched onto his face. He hated the thought of sitting idly by while Bella could be suffering or in danger. "Then what do we do?" he asked through gritted teeth. "Waiting is frustrating now."
Skyler placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "We stick to the plan. Keep watching. Find a way to get inside without tipping him off. I have a plan."
Theodore’s flickered with hope and curiosity. "What plan?"
Skyler’s lips curved into a sly smile. "It’s simple. When Zack’s mother comes out for her usual grocery run, we stage a robbery. Someone snatches her purse. Then you swoop in like a hero, help her recover it, and offer to escort her back home. The guards won’t stop you if you’re with her. Once inside, you’ll have a chance to look around and see if Bella is there."
Theodore’s face lit up. He liked the idea. "Not bad. Let’s do it."
Inside Zack’s house...
Hazel stepped into Bella’s room, carrying a bowl of fruit salad. She paused, noticing Bella standing motionless by the window, her gaze distant and unfocused. Forcing a warm smile, Hazel approached her.
"Rose, dear, I brought you some fruit salad," she said brightly. "Come and eat."
Bella didn’t move, her shoulders slumped in defeat. She had thought her mother’s presence would help her remember her past, but the days had only deepened her despair.
"I don’t feel like eating," she murmured dejectedly.
Hazel’s smile faded. "You must eat, sweetheart. You need to take your medicine," she coaxed gently. Taking Bella’s hand, she guided her toward the recliner near the window. "Come now, sit down. At least have a little."
Placing the bowl in Bella’s hands, Hazel’s tone grew firmer. "Finish this first, okay?"
She turned to leave.
"Mom?" Bella’s voice was hesitant but searching. "Can you show me some photos from my childhood? Maybe they’ll help me remember."
Hazel’s face turned pale at her request, her smile stiffening into something brittle. Her pulse quickened, but she forced herself to turn back slowly, smiling nervously. "Oh, um... I don’t have the album with me right now. But I’ll bring it next time, I promise."
"Then, can I come home with you? Maybe being there will help me remember something." Bella looked at her hopefully.
The request sent a shiver down Hazel’s spine. Her hands grew clammy as she fumbled for a response. "Y-yes, of course, you can," she managed. "But... you’ll need to ask Zack first. You know he has been so protective since the accident."
Hazel forced a nervous smile. "I’ll, uh... go run some errands now. Finish it quickly and don’t forget your medicine, alright?"
With that, she turned and left in a hurry as if escaping.
"Wait, Mom!" Bella called out desperately, but Hazel was already gone, her hurried footsteps fading into silence. Her shoulders slumped as she stared down at the untouched bowl in her hands. "Why is she acting like she doesn’t want me to come home with her? What’s going on?"
After some time, the sound of the front door opening and closing reached her ears. Bella’s heart sank as she realized Hazel had left the house. Rising from her chair, she placed the bowl aside and hurried toward the door. She reached for the doorknob and twisted it, only to find it unyielding. The door was locked from the outside.
Her stomach dropped. "Why would she lock the door from the outside?" she wondered aloud and stared at the door in disbelief.
Her mind raced back over the past week she had spent in the house. She had never noticed Hazel locking the door when she left before.
"Why is she doing this? I might have lost my memory, but I haven’t lost my sanity." Bella’s uneasiness grew.
Questions began swirling in her mind. Hazel’s warm demeanor had initially put her at ease, but now her actions seemed suspicious. Was her so-called mother hiding something from her?
Feeling trapped, Bella turned and walked to the living room, her movements heavy with a mix of anxiety and frustration. She sank into the sofa and grabbed the remote, turning on the TV in an attempt to distract herself.
The screen flickered to life, displaying a news channel. A poised reporter was delivering the day’s top stories. Bella stared at the screen blankly, her thoughts elsewhere.
She had no friends, no phone, no way to reach out to anyone. She had asked Hazel multiple times to let her accompany her on errands, just to get out of the house, but every time she was met with the same answer: "You need to focus on your recovery first."
At first, Bella hadn’t thought much of it. But now, sitting there with the door locked, she felt suffocated, her doubts multiplying. "Why are they treating me like this?" she whispered with anger and despair. "Why won’t they let me go outside?"
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