BELLAI took in a deep breath, let it out slowly, and stepped through the classroom like I hadn’t been missing for days that felt like lifetimes.“Bella!”Carmen’s voice hit me like a slap, and I nearly turned right back around. Her tone was sharp and when I saw her storming toward me with a face full of rage, I knew I was in for it.“Hi,” I said weakly, offering a sheepish smile that didn’t stand a chance against her glare.“Where the hell have you been? And what happened to your phone?” she snapped, voice rising with every word.“I…”“You have no idea how worried I was! I called you, like, a billion times, Bella. Nothing. I couldn’t reach you. I had no idea where you were or if you were even okay.” Her hands flew through the air as she spoke, frustration practically radiating off her. “You scared the shit out of me. And now you just show up saying ‘hi’ like you didn’t vanish into thin air?”I looked down, guilt crawling up my spine.“I haven’t heard from you in over a week,” she wen
BELLAShe came back in five minutes later, and I looked up from my screen.“Do you need something else?” I asked.“Mr. Castello said it would be best for you to get on your feet or he’ll make you stand for a week,” Amira said.I chuckled dryly. “Tell him I said he can do whatever the fuck he wants, but I’m not going to eat.”Amira nodded and left my room.She came back again, and I sighed.“He said if you don’t come downstairs, you’re never going to school again,” Amira said, and I was taken aback.I had just gotten the chance to start going to school. I couldn’t ruin it over a petty argument. I hated how he tried to control everything about my life. I hated how mean he was to me.I groaned and followed her down the stairs. When I got to the dining table, Vincent was already seated along with the girl.They both looked at me, and she gasped dramatically. “Oh my goodness! Your eyes are so puffy and red. What happened? Is it an allergic reaction? Were you crying?” she asked.Of course,
BELLA“You can go in now, Mr. Castello,” the nurse said with a professional smile.Vincent and I stood, silent but in sync, and followed her down the quiet hallway into the doctor’s office. My heart beat a little faster with each step.“Good morning, Mr. and Mrs. Castello,” the doctor greeted, looking up from his desk with a warm expression.“Good morning,” we both replied, our voices overlapping slightly.“Please, have a seat while I briefly check your file,” he said with a small nod, already flipping through the pages.We sat side by side, the silence between us heavy but not uncomfortable. He skimmed through the notes, humming lightly.“From what I’m seeing here, everything looks great. You’re eating well, sleeping enough… that’s exactly what I like to see,” he said, glancing up at me with a nod of approval.I smiled politely, but in my head I laughed. Why wouldn’t I be fine? Amira had practically made it her full-time job to hover over me like a mother hen. Miss one meal, and she
BELLAI was pissed.Vincent stood there like a statue, letting her spin her ridiculous story while I stood accused. He didn’t interrupt. He didn’t defend me. He just watched, jaw clenched, eyes burning with some emotion I couldn’t read, and I didn’t want to.She sat there on the couch, voice all sweet and broken, like she wasn’t the same woman who just threatened to kill me and my unborn child. She looked like a wounded little puppy. And Vincent, like a fool, was falling for it.I hated her.“Bella, why…” he started, but I shot to my feet, not giving him the satisfaction of finishing whatever garbage he had to say.I stormed out of the living room, rage pulsing in my veins. I knew what he was going to say, and I refused to sit there and be scolded like a child while the real manipulator sat pretty, playing her twisted game.“Bella! Get back here!” Vincent’s voice boomed behind me.I didn’t stop. I moved faster, my feet pounding against the stairs, my heartbeat matching the thunder in
BELLA“He slapped my butt!” I yelled for the upteenth time since everybody was forgetting that fact and acting like I was the wrong one for slapping him, “he has no right to do that.”“I know Bella but you work at a bar, these type of things happen with the job and you just have to be reasonable, besides he is a VIP client.” A colleague at work responded.I was taken aback! What did they expect me to do? Stand there and let him touch me even after I had warned him twice to keep his hands to himself. It was bad enough that this was the only job I could find and I had to work my ass off to make enough money to pay for the rent and at the same time settle some of dad’s debts. That was the only thing keeping us alive because the kind of people he got involved with were always the dangerous kind that did not understand the word, please.I was standing beside the bar and waiting for my boss to step out of the VIP’s lounge. He had gone in there to pacify the customer I had slapped since he
BELLA I groaned softly as my eyelids fluttered open slowly. I winced in pain as the slight throbbing in my head turned serious and I couldn’t move as fast as I wanted to.It took a few seconds before I was able to keep my eyes open and take a good look around my surroundings. I was in an unfamiliar room and it wasn’t bright enough for me to take everything in but I knew one thing for sure, I wasn’t in my room.“Where am I?” I whispered to myself as I tried to sit up but something pulled me back down and that was when I noticed the chain and the fact that I had been tied to the bedpost.My heart skipped a beat as I struggled against the chain. I knew it was useless but I was panicking and unable to keep calm any longer. What was going on? I glanced around in fear just as the memories of what had happened earlier began to pop up in my mind.Dad was with some strange men, they had beaten him up badly and when I tried to stand up for him, Dad said something really odd and there was this
BELLAHe really had me locked up in the room like some animal. An entire day went by and he didn’t show up, the maids came up frequently with food but I simply refused to eat or touch anything.All I wanted was for them to just let me go. So when they brought breakfast the next day, I grabbed the table knife in the tray and held it out to them as I yelled at them to stay back.“I don’t want to hurt anyone, I just want to go home. I don’t belong here so let me out.”“You can’t just keep me in here like this when I didn’t do anything wrong. I won’t stop until you let me out.” I kept pleading with them to let me go but the maids kept saying the same thing: that it was their boss’s order that I wasn’t allowed to leave the room.I was so angry! Who did he think he was to take away my freedom like that?They tried to take the knife from me but were unsuccessful so one of the two maids slipped out to get help. I was certain he was going to show up and that was exactly what I wanted. “Let m
BELLA“There’s an event tonight and you’re coming with me,” I stated in an authoritative manner.“And why would I do that?” She shot me a glare.“You’re holding me here against my wish so why on earth would I go anywhere with you?” She clapped back at me angrily.“Because I said so.” I hissed, she opened her mouth to say something again and I just knew she was about to counter me so I grabbed her arm and pulled her closer to me.She tried to shake me off but I held her still by grabbing her chin roughly,“Don’t get me wrong, that wasn’t a request and for your own safety, when I say something, you fucking do it without making a single sound.”I had lost a drug shipment for a client and was not in the right frame of mind at that time plus I hated how she always fought back, she was supposed to be submissive. For a man like me that was used to people being afraid of me, she was definitely different.“So what am I to you? Some kind of puppet or what?” She countered. I scoffed in disbelie
BELLAI was pissed.Vincent stood there like a statue, letting her spin her ridiculous story while I stood accused. He didn’t interrupt. He didn’t defend me. He just watched, jaw clenched, eyes burning with some emotion I couldn’t read, and I didn’t want to.She sat there on the couch, voice all sweet and broken, like she wasn’t the same woman who just threatened to kill me and my unborn child. She looked like a wounded little puppy. And Vincent, like a fool, was falling for it.I hated her.“Bella, why…” he started, but I shot to my feet, not giving him the satisfaction of finishing whatever garbage he had to say.I stormed out of the living room, rage pulsing in my veins. I knew what he was going to say, and I refused to sit there and be scolded like a child while the real manipulator sat pretty, playing her twisted game.“Bella! Get back here!” Vincent’s voice boomed behind me.I didn’t stop. I moved faster, my feet pounding against the stairs, my heartbeat matching the thunder in
BELLA“You can go in now, Mr. Castello,” the nurse said with a professional smile.Vincent and I stood, silent but in sync, and followed her down the quiet hallway into the doctor’s office. My heart beat a little faster with each step.“Good morning, Mr. and Mrs. Castello,” the doctor greeted, looking up from his desk with a warm expression.“Good morning,” we both replied, our voices overlapping slightly.“Please, have a seat while I briefly check your file,” he said with a small nod, already flipping through the pages.We sat side by side, the silence between us heavy but not uncomfortable. He skimmed through the notes, humming lightly.“From what I’m seeing here, everything looks great. You’re eating well, sleeping enough… that’s exactly what I like to see,” he said, glancing up at me with a nod of approval.I smiled politely, but in my head I laughed. Why wouldn’t I be fine? Amira had practically made it her full-time job to hover over me like a mother hen. Miss one meal, and she
BELLAShe came back in five minutes later, and I looked up from my screen.“Do you need something else?” I asked.“Mr. Castello said it would be best for you to get on your feet or he’ll make you stand for a week,” Amira said.I chuckled dryly. “Tell him I said he can do whatever the fuck he wants, but I’m not going to eat.”Amira nodded and left my room.She came back again, and I sighed.“He said if you don’t come downstairs, you’re never going to school again,” Amira said, and I was taken aback.I had just gotten the chance to start going to school. I couldn’t ruin it over a petty argument. I hated how he tried to control everything about my life. I hated how mean he was to me.I groaned and followed her down the stairs. When I got to the dining table, Vincent was already seated along with the girl.They both looked at me, and she gasped dramatically. “Oh my goodness! Your eyes are so puffy and red. What happened? Is it an allergic reaction? Were you crying?” she asked.Of course,
BELLAI took in a deep breath, let it out slowly, and stepped through the classroom like I hadn’t been missing for days that felt like lifetimes.“Bella!”Carmen’s voice hit me like a slap, and I nearly turned right back around. Her tone was sharp and when I saw her storming toward me with a face full of rage, I knew I was in for it.“Hi,” I said weakly, offering a sheepish smile that didn’t stand a chance against her glare.“Where the hell have you been? And what happened to your phone?” she snapped, voice rising with every word.“I…”“You have no idea how worried I was! I called you, like, a billion times, Bella. Nothing. I couldn’t reach you. I had no idea where you were or if you were even okay.” Her hands flew through the air as she spoke, frustration practically radiating off her. “You scared the shit out of me. And now you just show up saying ‘hi’ like you didn’t vanish into thin air?”I looked down, guilt crawling up my spine.“I haven’t heard from you in over a week,” she wen
BELLAI freeze, completely stunned. I can’t believe what I’m seeing.Vincent, he’s here, in this house. After I’ve been waiting for hours, pacing and hoping. It feels like I’m looking at him for the first time in years, not just a week.I try to speak, but nothing comes out. My lips part, but the words, where are they? How do you speak to someone who once knew your heart and now looks like a stranger?He’s staring at me too, eyes wide, caught off guard. But just as quickly, his expression hardens. The softness vanishes, replaced by something cold. Distant.“What are you doing here? Who told you to come in?” His voice was sharp and void of any emotion as he stared at me.That voice.“I just… I wanted to see you. I need to talk to you,” I say, my voice small, and aching.“I have nothing to say to you. You should leave.” His words hit like stones. Hard. Unmoved.Still, I don’t back down. “I’m not going anywhere until we talk.”He lets out a bitter snort like I’m some pathetic joke. “I to
BELLA“I’m tired,” I whispered, stretching out on the couch, my arms falling limply to my sides as my gaze drifted to the ceiling.For the past week, I have been a prisoner in this house. An abandoned criminal who didn’t even manage to catch a glimpse of her captor.I hadn’t seen Vincent once, not a glimpse. He’d been avoiding me like I carried some infectious disease, and the sting of that rejection cut deeper than I wanted to admit. I wasn’t just lonely, I was hurting.Each day blurred into the next. I slept. I ate. I went on a slow morning run around the estate with Amira, who tried to lift my spirits with gentle talks and pregnancy lessons. She meant well, and I appreciated her kindness, but it wasn’t enough.She talked about body changes, mood swings, nutrition, prenatal exercises, things that made it feel all too real, while the father of my child acted like I didn’t exist.No school. No fresh air beyond the garden. No freedom.I was bored. There is basically nothing going on in
BELLABianchi led me to the mansion, and the moment I stepped inside, a tight knot twisted in my chest. My eyes instinctively searched the living room, half-expecting to see Vincent lounging on the couch, flipping through documents with that quiet focus he always wore. But he wasn’t there. The room was still.Bianchi came to a halt, turning just slightly as if he were making sure I followed. I wanted so badly to ask him where Vincent was, to break the heavy silence between us, but I couldn’t. He’d already warned me. He’d made it painfully clear that he couldn’t stand the sight of me.And honestly, I couldn’t blame him. His hatred was earned. I destroyed the one person who meant the world to both of us. I broke Vincent. I broke us.Even now, knowing I deserved every bit of Bianchi’s loathing, it still burned. It burned that I couldn’t say I’m sorry. That I couldn’t explain or try to make it right. I’d shattered Vincent’s trust and wounded him in the most unforgivable way. And what did
VINCENT“You can’t seriously be considering this, right?” Bianchi’s voice cut through the silence like a blade, his eyes locked on mine with a mixture of disbelief and fury.I let out a long, weary sigh, dragging a hand down my face. I was tired, tired of thinking, tired of feeling, tired of the war inside my head.“You have got to be kidding me,” he snapped, stepping closer. “After everything that’s happened, after what she did, you really believe that child is yours? She’s been working with Santiago. Santiago!” he exclaimed.“How the hell can you be sure they haven’t been screwing behind your back the entire time?”His words were sharp, like shards of glass, cutting through my thoughts with brutal precision.“She’s a liar,” he continued, voice rising with frustration. “You know that. Even if she is pregnant, that doesn’t make it your problem. Just because you slept with her doesn’t make you the damn father.”I stared at the floor, jaw clenched. Every word he said echoed the fears I
BELLAA searing cold shock slammed into my chest and I gasped, the scream catching in my throat as the freezing water drenched me in an instant. My body jerked forward, but the ropes bit deeper into my wrists and ankles, holding me firm against the wooden chair. My heart was beating rapidly, my breath coming in sharp pants, teeth chattering before I could even open my eyes.“What the hell!” I rasped, voice hoarse and shaking. Water clung to my lashes, and when I blinked it away, Santiago stood there calmly staring at me, like he hadn’t just dumped a bucket of ice water on me like I was some prisoner of war.His dark eyes flicked over me, with annoyance in them. “Time to wake up, Bella.”I glared at him, hatred burning in every part of my body. “You could’ve just said my name.”He crouched in front of me, the corner of his mouth twitching. “You don’t get comfort anymore. You lost that privilege the second you allowed Vincent to find out our plan. You failed and now you will spend the r