All Chapters of It’s Your Loss, Ex, Your Uncle Is Mine: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

Bella’s POVThe grand ballroom of the Grandview Hotel shone with massive crystal chandeliers. Soft violin music floated through the air, mixing with the gentle clinking of champagne flutes and the muffled chatter of Ohio's wealthiest business leaders.I stood near the edge of the polished dance floor, taking a small sip of sparkling water. I wore a fitted emerald-green silk dress with simple gold earrings, my dark hair pinned up in an elegant bun. Garvin stood beside me in a sharp black tuxedo, his hair neatly combed to cover the slight yellowing bruise above his left eyebrow.We were here for one reason: Mr. Richard Sterling, the owner of Sterling Department Stores. He controlled the largest clothing distribution network in the Midwest. If he signed a deal to buy fabric from the Riley-Ross Textile Mill, our financial future would be safe for years."He is standing near the fountain with two board members," Garvin whispered, leaning closer to me. "We should approach him while he is al

Bella’s POVThe white walls of the Willow Creek Community Hospital were cold and silent.I opened my eyes to the steady, rhythmic beep of a heart monitor. A cool plastic mask was pressed firmly over my nose and mouth, pumping fresh air into my chest. My throat burned like hot coals every time I swallowed, and soft white gauze bandages covered my hands to protect minor burns.Garvin sat in a small chair near the window, resting his face in his calloused hands. When he heard the rustle of my hospital sheets, he stood up quickly and rushed to my bedside. His eyes were red and full of tears."Bella," he breathed softly, touching my blanketed shoulder with trembling fingers. "Thank God. You are going to be okay. The doctor said your lungs will heal in a few days.""The... the mill?" I rasped out from behind the heavy mask. My voice sounded weak and broken."Warehouse B is completely gone," Garvin said quietly, a heavy shadow falling over his face. "The cotton rolls burned to ash. But your

Bella’s POVThe high-rise glass building of Sterling Enterprises towered over downtown Columbus. The morning sun reflected sharply off the windows, blinding me for a second as I pulled the car into the underground parking garage.I adjusted the collar of my dark blue blazer in the rearview mirror. My reflection looked tired, but my eyes were cold and sharp. The echo of Victoria's voice still rang in my ears from yesterday morning. Husband snatcher. Whore. She had stood at my factory gates, screaming lies in front of my workers, trying to drag me back down into the mud. She had reminded me of the night she pushed me down those concrete stairs two years ago, leaving me broken and bleeding on the cold ground.My hands shook slightly against the leather steering wheel."Bella," Garvin said softly from the passenger seat, setting his leather briefcase on his lap. "Are you sure you are ready for this? We can ask Mr. Sterling to reschedule the meeting for next week.""No," I said, my voice f

Maximo’s POVI stood inside my private security office, staring at a large digital map displayed on the wall. Red dots marked the properties owned by the Kingsley family and the financial firms tied to Victoria’s father.My chief security officer, Anton, stepped into the room. He held a thin black tablet, his face grim as he tapped the screen to show me a series of fresh surveillance photographs."They met two hours ago, sir," Anton reported, his voice low and precise. "At a private club on the west side of town."I took the tablet from his hands, my gray eyes narrowing as I swiped through the images.The first photo showed Victoria stepping out of a dark luxury sedan, her face pale and twisted with bitterness. The second photo showed Josh Kingsley staggering through the side entrance of the club. His face was still swollen and discolored from the beating I had delivered to him in the alley. His jaw was wrapped in thick medical tape, and he walked with a heavy limp.The third photo sh

Bella’s POVThe rain poured down in heavy, freezing sheets. The twin headlights of my sedan cut through the thick darkness of Route 4, illuminating the two massive flatbed trucks driving in front of me. Loaded on those trucks were forty heavy bales of raw Indiana cotton.Garvin sat in the passenger seat beside me, clutching his briefcase against his chest. We had spent the entire time bargaining with the stubborn Indiana farmers. We had paid cash, loaded the trucks, and started our long trek back toward Ohio. It was past midnight, and we were only twenty miles from the state line."We are going to make it, Bella," Garvin said, his voice filled with exhaustion and relief."Do not celebrate yet, Garvin," I replied softly, my hands gripping the steering wheel tight. "We are still on empty back roads."My heart hammered a slow, heavy rhythm against my ribs. My eyes flicked constantly to the rearview mirror. The two trucks ahead were moving slow because of the heavy load, their red taillig