CHAPTER 6

Bella POV

The nostalgia I had felt when I landed was immediately overshadowed. My thoughts were consumed by the presence of Lucas.

I had hoped to run into him after all this time, but I didn’t expect his face to be the first familiar one I saw as soon as I stepped off the plane.

“Are you still worried about seeing him back at the airport?” Derek asked as we drove away from the airport, his hand on the steering wheel.

“No,” I said, forcing the calm into my voice. “I’m here to focus on settling in and on my family.”

That was a white lie. I wasn’t just here for them. Seeing Lucas was one of the main reasons I had returned.

Derek, perceptive as he was, didn’t pick up on the truth. I wasn’t ready to let anyone know that my return wasn’t merely sentimental—it was strategic.

He sighed, glancing at me. “You looked startled back there. If anyone gives you trouble, you let me handle it, okay?”

Such a caring, protective man—so unlike the father of my son.

“Thanks, baby,” I said, giving his hand a quick squeeze. “No one can mess with me with you around.”

We weren’t just visiting this time. We were moving. A fresh start in the city—closer to my family, closer to what I needed to set my plans in motion.

“I’m glad we made this move,” Derek said, a smile tugging at his lips as he navigated through traffic.

I hadn’t hesitated when I suggested relocating. I was no longer the woman who had fled years ago. Now, I returned with confidence, with purpose.

When we pulled into the driveway of our new home—a leased property for the foreseeable future—I felt a mix of pride and anticipation.

“The house is beautiful,” my son remarked from the backseat.

Even so, I could sense he wasn’t as excited as I was. His happiness mattered most to me; everything I did was for him. My life had always revolved around giving him the best I could—education, comfort, stability. Meeting Derek had lifted part of that burden from me. Finally, Henry had someone to call father.

“That’s not the only beautiful thing here,” I said gently to Derek, who had been quiet since we arrived. “The neighborhood’s great, too. And you’re going to make a lot of new friends.”

Henry frowned from the backseat. “But… they’re not like my friends back home.”

I smiled softly, reaching back to brush a strand of hair from his forehead. “I know, baby. Change is always hard at first. But I promise you’ll like it here once you get used to it. And who knows—you might even make friends better than the ones you had before.”

I waited until Derek stepped out to grab our luggage, attempting to connect with Henry, who ignored him. I unbuckled my seatbelt, crawled to the back, and pulled my son close.

“Don’t worry, Henry. We’re going to make this place our home. Once things are settled, we’ll figure out what comes next.”

“Promise?” he asked, his eyes wide and searching.

“Yes, I promise. Go on inside. I’ll get the chef to make your favorite.”

A small smile formed, but worry lingered in his gaze.

“I have a question, mother,” he said after a moment.

“What is it?” I asked, intrigued.

“That man back at the airport—who was he?”

I hadn’t expected that. “What man?”

“The one I bumped into at the station. I just… I want to know how you know him. He seemed really nice.”

I froze, suddenly aware of how much he might sense. “Son, that man is part of my past. A memory we shouldn’t revisit.”

“But he was friendly…”

“Don’t ask again, Henry!” I snapped, unable to contain my frustration.

He bowed his head and went inside.

Watching him go, I muttered under my breath, “You better not go near that cheater.”

I looked into my phone and it was my assistant calling. I hissed before picking it up. She went on with some pleasantries about me having a good flight but I cut her off sharply.

“You better have something to say or I'll end this call right now.” She had been calling me for days now asking silly and unnecessary questions.

“Ma’am, everything is set up as you requested. Your schedule for tomorrow is ready.”

“Tomorrow?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Yes, ma’am. And there’s someone on the list I think you’ll be interested in.”

“Who is that?”

“Lucas Fernandez.”