The sky had already turned dark when Harry finally realized Arabella hadn’t come home. A wave of irritation rose in his chest—she had broken her promise. Again.She said she wouldn’t come home late. Yet here they were.Dinner time rolled around. Still no sign of her.The dining room was painfully quiet. Harry ate alone, the clinking of silverware against his plate the only sound in the room.Jimmy, noticing the tension on his master's face, finally gathered the courage to approach.“Sir Harry, should I give Miss Arabella a call?” he asked cautiously.Harry didn’t answer. His grip on the spoon tightened, veins bulging visibly on the back of his hand.He wanted to call her. But his pride held him back. Even so, a growing unease gnawed at him. She hadn’t even sent a message.As the minutes ticked by, thunder rumbled in the distance. Rain was coming.With a frustrated sigh, Harry dropped the spoon and reached for his phone. He couldn’t take it anymore.[Bella, where are you?]His voice wa
“What do you mean, Doctor? Poison?”Arabella’s voice trembled, rising almost into a shout as the words flew from her lips. Her eyes widened, locked onto the stern-faced middle-aged doctor standing in the hospital’s consultation room.“We detected a harmful substance in Mr. Edwin’s bloodstream. We can’t identify it yet, but the toxicology team is running further tests,” the doctor explained calmly.Luna shut her eyes tightly, her left hand gripping the edge of her shawl. Helena stood stiffly in the corner, arms folded, jaw clenched.Arabella turned to face them, her breath uneven. “So... Dad was poisoned? This wasn’t just a regular heart attack?”“The heart attack may have been triggered by the substance,” the doctor replied cautiously. “We’ll need to wait for the full results. In the meantime, we advise the family to remain alert.”As soon as the doctor exited, a tense silence took over the room. Arabella stood still for a moment, then turned sharply toward Luna.“Was it you?”Her acc
“Let me go, Mike!” Arabella’s voice cracked down the hospital hallway. She shoved his chest with all her strength, causing Mike to stumble back, nearly losing his balance.Her eyes were blazing, her breath uneven. She stared at him with a mixture of fury and disbelief. Her body still trembled from the unwanted embrace—an embrace that, unfortunately, had been witnessed by the one person who should never have misunderstood: her husband, Harry.“Are you insane?! Harry saw us! He walked away without a word!” she snapped, her voice raw with pain.Mike looked down, fists clenched. “I didn’t know he was here, Bella. I just… I saw you crying alone. I was worried.”“You always bring trouble, Mike. You shattered me once, and now you’ve made my husband think I—” Arabella bit her lip. Tears threatened to fall again, but she forced them back.“I’m sorry. I truly am,” Mike said softly. “If I could turn back time, I’d never—”“—cheat with Helena?” Arabella cut him off, her glare piercing. “You cheat
After the conversation with Harry, Arabella dragged herself into her room, her steps heavy and drained of strength. She didn’t say another word to Harry, who remained in the living room, eyes fixed blankly on the television he wasn’t really watching.Without glancing back, Arabella headed straight to the bathroom. She needed time—time to breathe, to calm the storm inside her chest. Time to find a moment of peace from the heartache that had yet to fade.Warm water cascaded over her face and body, washing away both exhaustion and the tears she had held back for hours. When she stepped out, she changed into a gray T-shirt and loose pants, pulling on a jacket to brace for the chill outside. Her hair was still damp when she emerged from her room.Harry glanced at her briefly from the corner of his eye, then quickly looked away—pretending not to care. Yet, his fingers curled tighter around the armrest of his wheelchair.Arabella paused and looked at him.“I’m going to the hospital again. It
After leaving her father’s house, Arabella went straight to the forensic laboratory owned by her old friend, Tom—a toxicologist working at an independent research institute. They had been close during college, and now, he was one of the few people she could still trust.Tom studied the wine bottle, now wrapped in cloth, sitting on the table before him. He raised an eyebrow and glanced at Arabella with curiosity.“This wine... are you sure there’s something wrong with it?” he asked while slipping on a pair of latex gloves.“My father collapsed a few hours after drinking it. He was rushed to the hospital. I thought it was just exhaustion…” Arabella replied softly. “Please check. Whatever you find—I need to know.”Tom nodded, his expression turning serious. “I’ll treat this like a personal case. If I pull an all-nighter, you’ll get the results by tomorrow morning.”“Thank you, Tom,” Arabella said sincerely, her eyes reflecting her weariness. “I don’t know who else I can trust right now.”
The civil registry office was quiet that morning, filled only with the sound of footsteps echoing against the cold marble floor and the occasional murmur of officials speaking in a formal tone. The air smelled of paper, ink, and aged wood, mixed with faint traces of perfume from those who had come to settle important matters of their lives.The registrar, a middle-aged man with thick glasses, opened his official record book. He looked at the couple before him with a professional smile, seemingly oblivious to the tension between them.“Mr. Harry and Miss Arabella, before we proceed, I will explain the steps we will take together. This ceremony is brief, but its meaning is profound,” he spoke calmly but firmly.Arabella swallowed hard, her hands clasped tightly together. She stole a quick glance at Harry, who remained staring straight ahead, his jaw clenched.“First, I will read the legal articles regarding marriage. It is important that you both understand your rights and responsibilit
Upon arriving at Harry’s residence, a grand yet eerily silent mansion, Arabella was greeted by an elderly maid named Mrs. Mia. The woman bowed politely, but there was something odd in her gaze, as if she wanted to say something yet held herself back.As Arabella stepped into Harry Anderson’s mansion, her eyes widened in awe at the opulence before her. Towering ceilings adorned with shimmering crystal chandeliers cast soft, golden reflections against the intricately carved walls. The air carried the rich scent of polished wood, mingled with the faint fragrance of white lilies arranged meticulously in porcelain vases along the corridor.The cold marble floor gleamed beneath her feet, each step echoing through the vast, quiet space. Her gaze traveled to the sweeping red-carpeted staircase spiraling toward the upper floors, elegant and imposing, as if holding the weight of history in every step. To her right, she noticed an elevator, a modern addition amidst the mansion’s timeless grandeu
“I just wanted to—” Arabella’s voice trembled, barely audible. She was still in shock at Harry’s temper. “Stop! I don’t need your explanation,” Harry cut her off with a low growl. Arabella clenched her hands tightly, trying to suppress the ache in her chest. She knew this marriage had never been about love, but she never expected Harry’s hatred toward her to run so deep. Without another word, she crouched down and began picking up the shattered pieces of the cup with trembling hands. She bit her lip, holding back the sob threatening to escape. She wanted to leave, to give up, but for some reason, her heart refused to. Going back to her father’s house was not an option either. She felt like an object, discarded so easily. From his wheelchair, Harry merely watched her in silence. Something inside him felt strange seeing her act so gently after what had happened last night. Arabella took a deep breath, trying to quell the storm brewing within her. Her hands still trembled as sh
After leaving her father’s house, Arabella went straight to the forensic laboratory owned by her old friend, Tom—a toxicologist working at an independent research institute. They had been close during college, and now, he was one of the few people she could still trust.Tom studied the wine bottle, now wrapped in cloth, sitting on the table before him. He raised an eyebrow and glanced at Arabella with curiosity.“This wine... are you sure there’s something wrong with it?” he asked while slipping on a pair of latex gloves.“My father collapsed a few hours after drinking it. He was rushed to the hospital. I thought it was just exhaustion…” Arabella replied softly. “Please check. Whatever you find—I need to know.”Tom nodded, his expression turning serious. “I’ll treat this like a personal case. If I pull an all-nighter, you’ll get the results by tomorrow morning.”“Thank you, Tom,” Arabella said sincerely, her eyes reflecting her weariness. “I don’t know who else I can trust right now.”
After the conversation with Harry, Arabella dragged herself into her room, her steps heavy and drained of strength. She didn’t say another word to Harry, who remained in the living room, eyes fixed blankly on the television he wasn’t really watching.Without glancing back, Arabella headed straight to the bathroom. She needed time—time to breathe, to calm the storm inside her chest. Time to find a moment of peace from the heartache that had yet to fade.Warm water cascaded over her face and body, washing away both exhaustion and the tears she had held back for hours. When she stepped out, she changed into a gray T-shirt and loose pants, pulling on a jacket to brace for the chill outside. Her hair was still damp when she emerged from her room.Harry glanced at her briefly from the corner of his eye, then quickly looked away—pretending not to care. Yet, his fingers curled tighter around the armrest of his wheelchair.Arabella paused and looked at him.“I’m going to the hospital again. It
“Let me go, Mike!” Arabella’s voice cracked down the hospital hallway. She shoved his chest with all her strength, causing Mike to stumble back, nearly losing his balance.Her eyes were blazing, her breath uneven. She stared at him with a mixture of fury and disbelief. Her body still trembled from the unwanted embrace—an embrace that, unfortunately, had been witnessed by the one person who should never have misunderstood: her husband, Harry.“Are you insane?! Harry saw us! He walked away without a word!” she snapped, her voice raw with pain.Mike looked down, fists clenched. “I didn’t know he was here, Bella. I just… I saw you crying alone. I was worried.”“You always bring trouble, Mike. You shattered me once, and now you’ve made my husband think I—” Arabella bit her lip. Tears threatened to fall again, but she forced them back.“I’m sorry. I truly am,” Mike said softly. “If I could turn back time, I’d never—”“—cheat with Helena?” Arabella cut him off, her glare piercing. “You cheat
“What do you mean, Doctor? Poison?”Arabella’s voice trembled, rising almost into a shout as the words flew from her lips. Her eyes widened, locked onto the stern-faced middle-aged doctor standing in the hospital’s consultation room.“We detected a harmful substance in Mr. Edwin’s bloodstream. We can’t identify it yet, but the toxicology team is running further tests,” the doctor explained calmly.Luna shut her eyes tightly, her left hand gripping the edge of her shawl. Helena stood stiffly in the corner, arms folded, jaw clenched.Arabella turned to face them, her breath uneven. “So... Dad was poisoned? This wasn’t just a regular heart attack?”“The heart attack may have been triggered by the substance,” the doctor replied cautiously. “We’ll need to wait for the full results. In the meantime, we advise the family to remain alert.”As soon as the doctor exited, a tense silence took over the room. Arabella stood still for a moment, then turned sharply toward Luna.“Was it you?”Her acc
The sky had already turned dark when Harry finally realized Arabella hadn’t come home. A wave of irritation rose in his chest—she had broken her promise. Again.She said she wouldn’t come home late. Yet here they were.Dinner time rolled around. Still no sign of her.The dining room was painfully quiet. Harry ate alone, the clinking of silverware against his plate the only sound in the room.Jimmy, noticing the tension on his master's face, finally gathered the courage to approach.“Sir Harry, should I give Miss Arabella a call?” he asked cautiously.Harry didn’t answer. His grip on the spoon tightened, veins bulging visibly on the back of his hand.He wanted to call her. But his pride held him back. Even so, a growing unease gnawed at him. She hadn’t even sent a message.As the minutes ticked by, thunder rumbled in the distance. Rain was coming.With a frustrated sigh, Harry dropped the spoon and reached for his phone. He couldn’t take it anymore.[Bella, where are you?]His voice wa
The morning sky was painted in muted gray as Arabella stepped into the boutique where she worked. She let out a deep breath, bracing herself. It had been a week since she recovered from a serious illness, and today was her first day back on duty.The clothes racks were perfectly aligned, the air thick with the scent of luxury perfume and fresh fabric. The boutique was elegant, exclusive, and harbored tensions invisible to the customers.“Well, look who just rose from the grave,” came a shrill voice from behind the cashier counter.Arabella didn’t need to look. That had to be Mira—her ever-annoying coworker.“I heard you were sick. But honestly? Didn’t seem physical. More like... heartbreak?” another colleague chimed in with a fake, sugary smile.Arabella offered a faint smile, hanging her coat on the back hook before quietly straightening a rack. “Good morning to you too,” she replied calmly.Mira and the others exchanged glances before giggling under their breaths, as if Arabella was
The air in the living room hung heavy with tension, like fog that refused to lift after a storm. The remnants of the heated argument between Arabella and Celine still lingered in the silence. Celine sat gracefully, betraying no sign that she had just taken a fall. Her long legs were elegantly crossed, but her fingers fidgeted restlessly with the small ring on her hand.Across from her, Harry maneuvered his wheelchair until he faced her directly. He looked at her—expressionless, cold.“Celine. What’s your reason for coming here?”Harry didn’t waste time with pleasantries. He had told her before—never show up unless it was strictly business.“It’s been a year, Harry,” Celine replied softly, her voice tinged with pain. “You’ve changed so much. You don’t even worry about me anymore.”She winced slightly, as if still in pain from her earlier fall.“If you're hurt, let Dr. Tania take a look,” Harry said, his voice sharp and unbending.Celine forced a stiff smile. “Forget it. It’s nothing se
The night air carried with it the scent of damp earth and rain-soaked leaves. Upstairs, the room on the second floor seemed to absorb the gloom of the weather—its lights dimmed to a somber glow. The mingled smell of balm and rubbing alcohol hung gently in the air, a soft reminder of how fragile the human body could be.Arabella lay weak beneath the blanket. Her body shivered despite the layers wrapped tightly around her. Cold sweat traced down her temples, leaving wet trails across a face as pale as the sky before a storm. Her breaths came short and heavy, like her body was fighting to stay tethered to life.By the edge of the bed, Harry sat rigid and silent. He didn’t speak, only watched her face as if trying to memorize every line, every subtle twitch that might signal a change. In his hand, a damp towel—he gently dabbed her forehead with it, movements slow and cautious, like he was afraid he might hurt her.The door creaked open, and light from the hallway seeped into the room. Dr.
“Next time, don’t make me worry like that again,” Harry said, his voice unusually gentle, laced with a tenderness Arabella rarely heard from him.Arabella glanced at him, her gaze slightly hazy, but a faint smile tugged at her lips. Instead of replying to his concern, she dropped a comment that instantly made him stiffen.“Jealous, huh?”Harry let out a long breath. “I just... hate seeing him next to you. The same way you hated seeing Celine by my side—well, I can’t stand your ex being anywhere near you. Not after what he did to you.”“He’s the doctor treating me, Harry,” Arabella grumbled softly, blinking a few times. “How do you even know so much about my love life?”Thump.Harry froze like a schoolboy caught cheating.“You’re the one who told me, remember? That your fiancé cheated on you with your own sister?” Harry shot back, unwilling to lose ground. His pride was far too high to admit he'd been secretly having someone tail Arabella and report everything about her life.Arabella