Bella immediately drew her attention back to the kitchen. With a deep breath, she forced a smile onto her face. "Let me help you, Mrs. Carter."
Mrs. Carter waved a dismissive hand. "No, no, madam. You shouldn’t trouble yourself. Everything is nearly finished. Why don’t you join the master in the hall?"
Mrs. Carter’s smile remained unfazed. "Very well, then. Perhaps you could brew Mr. Theodore a cup of coffee?"
Bella conceded with a curt nod, the bitterness in her heart mirroring the dark roast she poured into the coffee maker. As the rich aroma filled the air, she carefully transferred the brew to a mug.
Bella walked out of the kitchen with the mug in her hand. Her gaze darted towards the hall, where Theodore sat perched on the sofa, his voice a low murmur as he spoke on the phone.
Placing the mug on the coffee table with a soft clink, she turned to leave. But before she could take another step, Theodore held up his hand, signaling for her to come to him.
She hesitated, her body stiff with reluctance, but ultimately, she obeyed and sat down next to him.
"Okay, keep looking into it." He swiped the screen off and turned to Bella, his hand reaching out. A gentle touch brushed her cheek as he tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear.
With that, Theodore ended the call and turned to her. Stretching his hand, he pushed the locks of her hair away from her face. "My sister is kind and sweet. I know you will like her and become good friends."
Bella really hoped for this marriage to work. She wouldn’t want to part with him, but she couldn’t accept him keeping a mistress. If he promised her to be loyal to her, she would develop a good relationship with his sister. Otherwise, all were just meaningless.
"Let me show you something." Theodore scrolled through his phone. "This is my mom," he said, finally stopping at a photograph.
Bella leaned closer, her eyes scanning the image. The woman in the picture was undeniably beautiful, her features strikingly similar to those of Theodore.
"She is beautiful," she murmured.
"And that’s my sister," Theodore said, his finger tapping a small figure nestled in his mother’s lap. The girl couldn’t have been more than three or four.
A flicker of sadness darkened his eyes. "She was only three when my parents divorced. Mom took her, and I stayed with Dad." He paused, a heavy silence settling between them. "I missed the chance to be with my mom and..." He trailed off, lost in the weight of his unspoken grief. "Now, I can’t be with her anymore."
Bella’s heart ached for him. In a swift, instinctive gesture, she reached out and squeezed his arm. "You have your sister now," she said softly.
Theodore looked at her, a smile crossing his face. "She means the world to me. Promise me you’ll be good to her. If she says something wrong, just forgive her."
Bella nodded, a tentative smile forming on her lips as she tried to reassure him. The sincerity in his eyes, coupled with the raw emotion in his voice, touched her deeply. Despite her own reservations and the unresolved tensions between them, she found herself wanting to bridge the gap, to find a way to make this work. 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂
Theodore caressed her cheek, and the air suddenly became charged. His gaze smoldered, desire flickering in its depths. His fingers grazed the corners of her lips.
Bella, sensing his intentions, stumbled back awkwardly. "Your coffee," she stammered, desperate for a distraction. "It’s getting cold."
She rose to leave, but his hand snaked out, capturing her wrist. The yearning in his eyes sent a jolt through her. A battle raged within Bella. A part of her yearned to tear down the wall she had built, to let go and melt into him. But the other part, still raw and wounded, clung to her grudge.
No.
Forgiveness remained beyond her reach, not until he promised to sever ties with Willow.
Ding-Dong...
She flinched when the doorbell suddenly chimed, breaking the spell between them.
"Ah, that must be my sister!" Theodore exclaimed, a touch too eagerly. "Why don’t you go welcome her?"
Bella took a deep, steadying breath before moving towards the door. She was oblivious to the sly smile that played on Theodore’s lips.
Bella reached the door, her thoughts swirling. She plastered on a polite smile, determined to make a good impression, and opened the door.
The sight that greeted her felt like a ton of bricks crashing down. Willow stood on the doorstep, her expression a mixture of curiosity and warmth.
Why was she here? Had Theodore invited her as well? The very thought churned Bella’s stomach with a fresh wave of uneasiness.
Willow was surprised, too. Clearly, she hadn’t expected to see her.
"You!" they both exclaimed in unison.
"Hah..." Willow broke the stunned silence with a surprised laugh. "I had no idea Theo invited you too."
’Theo!’ Bella’s mind screamed in outrage. Her fists clenched at her sides. This was supposed to be a dinner with his sister. Why did he ask his mistress to join? Her anger simmered, threatening to boil over.
"We were expecting Theodore’s sister," Bella managed, struggling to keep her voice low. "I didn’t expect to see you here."
Willow stifled laughter. "Oh, Bella, didn’t he tell you yet? I am his sister."
The revelation slammed into Bella like a bomb, leaving her reeling. Her jaw slackened, and a flush of humiliation crept up her neck.
"You... you’re his sister?" she stammered.
Willow’s grin widened in confirmation. "That’s right."
The room seemed to spin around Bella as she processed this information. Her mind raced, trying to reconcile the image of Willow as Theodore’s sister with all her previous assumptions. The anger that had been building up within her was suddenly replaced by a flood of confusion, disbelief, and overwhelming embarrassment.
Shamefaced, Bella wanted to disappear into the thin air. How wrong she had been! She even started hating them without knowing the truth. She shouldn’t have assumed things. Shame burned hot on her cheeks as she chastised herself for jumping to conclusions.
"Bella? Hello?" Willow’s voice cut through Bella’s mortification. Her hand fluttered in front of Bella’s face. "Come on back, wherever you wandered off to."
Theodore chose this moment to step in, his face alight with amusement at Bella’s reaction. He wrapped his arm around Bella’s waist. "Dare to tease my wife; I’ll punish you."
Willow’s eyes widened in surprise. "Wife?" she exclaimed. "You’re married?"
Theodore grinned, pulling Bella closer. "Indeed, I am. To the most beautiful, most wonderful woman in the world. My savior, my angel, my life..." Theodore smirked.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
