Chapter 13

Bella's POV

I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw him standing there, a familiar face from my past. It had been years since I last saw Max, my childhood friend from the poverty-stricken neighborhood we grew up in. His arrival sent a jolt of both excitement and apprehension through me, stirring up memories I had long buried.

"Max?" I called out, my voice barely a whisper as I approached him cautiously. He turned towards me, his eyes filled with a mixture of surprise and regret. "Bella, is it really you?" he asked, his voice tinged with emotion.

I nodded, my heart pounding in my chest. "It's me, Max. What are you doing here? How did you find me?" I questioned, my mind racing with a thousand thoughts.

Max took a deep breath, his gaze shifting as he struggled to find the right words. "I've been searching for you, Bella. I need to talk to you, but not here. It's too dangerous," he said cryptically.

My curiosity piqued, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of worry. What could he possibly know