Chapter 4

Bella's POV

I could feel the weight of impending doom settling over me as I stood in Sophia's lavish apartment, her words echoing in my mind. She had just confessed her true intentions, revealing a shocking truth that had remained hidden for years. Sophia, my supposed best friend, had been in love with Xander all along. The betrayal cut deep, leaving me reeling with a mixture of disbelief and anger.

"So, this whole time... you've been scheming against me?" I asked, my voice laced with a mix of hurt and accusation.

Sophia's eyes flickered with a hint of remorse, but it was quickly replaced by a steely resolve. "Bella, you have to understand. I've loved him for years. I thought if I could just get close to him, he would see how perfect we are for each other."

My heart shattered into a million pieces as I processed her words. The betrayal was two-fold—both from Xander and from the person I had trusted with my deepest secrets. "You were my best friend, Sophia. How could you do this to me?"

Her gaze hardened, the once familiar warmth in her eyes replaced by a coldness I had never seen before. "You were always in the way, Bella. A distraction. But now that Xander knows the truth about your deception, it's only a matter of time before he realizes who he truly belongs with."

A surge of anger fueled my voice as I confronted her. "And what makes you think he'll choose you? You've been deceiving him just as much as I have. Your love for him doesn't justify your actions."

Sophia's lips curled into a triumphant smile. "Oh, Bella, you underestimate the power of love. Xander and I have a connection that goes beyond any contract marriage. He'll see that soon enough."

My mind raced, desperately searching for a way to protect my crumbling relationship with Xander from Sophia's malicious schemes. But before I could gather my thoughts, my phone buzzed with an incoming call. It was Victoria, Xander's manipulative mother.

Heart pounding, I answered the call, bracing myself for the storm that was about to hit. "Hello, Victoria."

Her voice dripped with icy disdain. "Isabella, I must say, I am thoroughly disappointed in you. How could you think you could hide your humble background from someone like Xander? I always knew there was something off about you."

Dread settled in the pit of my stomach as I realized the gravity of her words. Victoria had discovered my secret past, a past I had fought so hard to leave behind. The fear of exposure loomed over me, threatening to unravel everything I had worked for.

"What do you want, Victoria?" I asked, my voice trembling.

A sinister chuckle escaped her lips. "Oh, my dear, you underestimate my power. I could ruin your little charade with just one phone call to the media. Imagine the headlines: 'Billionaire Playboy Duped by a Poor Girl.' It would be quite the scandal, wouldn't it?"

Panic coursed through my veins as I desperately searched for a way to protect not only myself but also Xander from the devastating consequences of Victoria's blackmail. "You can't do this, Victoria. It will destroy Xander as much as it will destroy me."

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line, and I held my breath, hoping against hope that she would reconsider. Finally, she spoke, her voice dripping with malice. "I'll give you a chance, Isabella. Break off your contract marriage with Xander, disappear from his life, and I'll keep your secret hidden. But know this, if you cross me again, I won't hesitate to expose you."

The weight of Victoria's threat pressed heavily upon me. I had come too far to let everything crumble now, to let the truth of my past destroy the fragile love that had begun to bloom between Xander and me. But at that moment, I knew I had no choice. I had to protect Xander, even if it meant sacrificing my own happiness.

With a heavy heart, I ended the call and turned to face Sophia, the person I had once trusted with my life. "You win, Sophia. I'll do whatever it takes to protect Xander, even if it means leaving him."

A triumphant smile curled her lips as she reveled in her victory. "Good. It's for the best, Bella. Xander and I are meant to be together. Don't worry, I'll take good care of him."

I swallowed the bitterness that threatened to consume me, my resolve hardening. "You may have won this battle, Sophia, but the war isn't over. I won't let you destroy everything I've fought for."

As I walked away from Sophia's apartment, the weight of my choices settled heavily upon my shoulders. The road ahead was treacherous and uncertain, but I refused to let despair consume me. In the face of betrayal, manipulation, and blackmail, I would find the strength to fight for the love I believed in. And if it meant uncovering the truth, exposing the lies, and proving that true love could triumph over the darkest of intentions, then I would face whatever challenges lay ahead with unwavering determination.