Willow, sensing the tension lingering in the air, mustered a small smile and spoke up. "Bella is awake."
Relief flickered across Alan and Selena’s faces, their rigid postures easing slightly.
"The doctor visited her just now," Willow continued, then carefully relayed everything the doctor had said.
Hearing that Bella had lost her memory hit them like a brutal blow. Their hopeful expressions darkened, and their faces paled. Selena pressed a trembling hand to her lips, while Alan clenched his fists.
"But," Willow quickly added, "the doctor said Bella will slowly regain her memory. We just need to remind her of the past, little by little. Maybe staying with you will help. Perhaps visiting places she once loved could trigger her memories."
"Yes, you’re right." Selena blinked away her tears, straightening her shoulders. "Bella can forget everything—but she won’t forget me. She won’t forget the place where she grew up. I’ll take her home. I’m sure she’ll remember everything soon."
She turned to Alan with a silent plea in her gaze. Alan reached up and held her hand. A quiet reassurance passed between them.
"Let’s go see her," Alan said. Together, they stepped into the room, Willow trailing behind them.
Bella lifted her head as she heard the sound of the door opening. Her heart pounded with anticipation as she sat up, her eyes immediately locking onto the three figures entering the room. But it was the man in the wheelchair who captured her attention.
A jolt of recognition struck her. It was her father. She had seen him before—on the television. But now, he was in front of her.
"Dad," she exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with hope. She had been anxiously waiting to reach her father, and here he was. "You are my father, aren’t you?"
Alan’s eyes turned misty as he saw Bella. The moment he had longed for, feared, and dreamed of was finally here. Seeing Bella stirred a storm of emotions within him—agony for the time lost, longing for the daughter he had once been estranged from, and pure, unfiltered joy at finally being near her.
His hands trembled as he moved his wheelchair closer to her. "It’s me, sweetheart – your father," he rasped as he reached for her hands. The warmth of her touch sent a surge of relief through him.
Bella let out a relieved sigh, her lips curving into a soft smile. In the chaos of her lost memories, she had finally found someone she could trust completely—someone she didn’t have to fear, someone who wouldn’t deceive her.
Alan couldn’t look away from her. She was Bella, but in that moment, he also saw Rose—so much of Rose. It was as if, after all these years, a part of her had returned to him through Bella. His heart ached, yet it swelled with love.
"My precious daughter," he murmured, "I finally found you." With gentle reverence, he reached out and caressed her hair.
Bella had once turned away from him and resented him for leaving her mother. But now, she was looking at him with nothing but acceptance. The weight of the past—the bitterness and anger—had been wiped away along with her memories. And perhaps, in some way, this was a second chance.
Alan blinked away his tears, then turned to Selena, his expression softening. "Your mother has been so worried about you," he said, extending a hand toward her. "She hasn’t stopped crying for you."
"Mamma," Bella murmured.
She didn’t remember her face, yet there was something inexplicably familiar about her. A warmth, a pull—an invisible thread connecting them. And when the word "Mamma" slipped from her lips, it felt so natural, so effortless, as if her soul had known the truth even when her mind had forgotten.
Tears welled up in Selena’s eyes. "Bella, my dear," she choked, before pulling Bella into her embrace.
Standing in the corner of the room, Willow felt an overwhelming rush of emotions. A lump formed in her throat, her eyes stinging as she witnessed the reunion.
But just as quickly as Bella had accepted the embrace, she stiffened. Her smile faded, her expression twisting in confusion. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶
"Bella?" she echoed, pulling back slightly. "Is this my name?"
Selena cupped her face in her trembling hands, nodding as tears streamed down her cheeks. "Yes, sweetheart," she whispered hoarsely. "Your name is Isabella—my Bella."
Alan also nodded in agreement.
Bella’s gaze darted between her parents, her mind spinning. If what they were saying was true, why had Zack told her the wrong name?
He had told her that she was Rose, his fiancée. He had shown her pictures of their engagement, and the woman in the photo was certainly similar to her. Could it be that the photo was fake?
Questions flooded her thoughts. "Then... who is Rose?" she asked hesitantly. "Zack told me I was his fiancée. He even showed me pictures."
"Rose is..." The color drained from Selena’s face at the mention of Rose. Her lips trembled, but no words came out. Pain clutched her heart, squeezing the breath from her lungs.
Alan inhaled sharply. "Rose..." He swallowed. "Rose was also my daughter. Your twin sister."
"My twin..." Bella whispered.
Alan’s face darkened. "She died in an accident," he continued, his hands gripping the arms of his wheelchair. "And Zack... Zack was her boyfriend."
"What?" Bella exclaimed. Her entire body went rigid.
The revelation struck her like a bolt of lightning, sending a sharp, searing pain through her head. Suddenly, blurred images flashed in her mind—fragments of memories she couldn’t fully grasp.
A car skidding. A scream. A figure reaching for her.
"Ugh," she gasped as the pain intensified, clutching her head.
"Bella," both Alex and Selena exclaimed in unison, panicking.
"Doctor..." Sensing the seriousness, Willow rushed out to call the doctor.
Bella curled into the bed, her fingers pressing against her temples as if trying to hold back the searing pain in her head. Her groans filled the room. Selena’s hands hovered over her daughter, trembling, desperate to help, but there was nothing she could do. Alex watched the scene helplessly, not knowing what to do.
Just then, a doctor and a nurse rushed in, swiftly preparing an injection. "Hold her still," he instructed.
The nurse held Bella’s arm while the doctor administered the shot. Within moments, Bella’s tense body softened, her erratic breathing slowing as the sedative took effect. Her groans quieted, and her eyes fluttered shut.
"What happened to her?" Alan asked worriedly.
The doctor let out a small sigh before turning to face them. "She has just come out of a coma. Forcing her to remember, can put immense strain on her brain. If we push too hard, it may cause further damage. Let her recover at her own pace."
"I get it." Alan nodded understandingly. "We’ll be careful."
The doctor nodded and left, the nurse trailing behind.
Selena slowly sank into the chair beside the bed. She reached out, gently brushing away the strands of hair sticking to Bella’s face. "Just a few words, and she was like this. How are we supposed to help her remember without hurting her?"
Alan placed a steady hand on her shoulder. "We need to stay strong."
Selena turned to him, her eyes shimmering with tears. "I’m scared, Alan," she whispered. "What if she never remembers?"
Alan’s chest ached at her words, but he refused to let fear consume him. "She will be fine," he reassured her. "It will take time, but I believe she will remember everything eventually. We have to be patient."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
