"What did I just hear? Son, Zara what's going on here? What did you mean by your wife only on paper?" Clara asked and he didn't know what to answer his mother with. He's speechless right now and doubts if there's any way for him to explain what's happening. Zara, on the other hand, was already crying; she couldn't believe this was happening to her. She didn't think it was going to happen like this; she looked at Bella, who had a smirk on her face.She wishes she could walk up to her now and tear down that face of hers; how dare she do this to them? Fred, however, was also very angry; he was trying to understand how she was able to record that. He remembers the day they had this conservation so well, but what he can't remember now is how this happened. She wasn't even holding her phone that day or was she? He asked himself with no answers."Can you see that I'm telling the truth, Clara? They never met each other before. The day he brought her to this house was the day they met and quic
Clara felt like her world was crumbling around her. She couldn't believe that her son and his wife had been deceiving her for so long. She thought she knew them, but now she realized she didn't know them at all."Why?" she asked, her voice shaking with emotion. "Why would you do this to me? Why would you lie to me and make a fool out of me?"Fred took a deep breath and tried to explain. "Mom, I know this is hard to understand, but I did it for the company. I did it to protect our family's legacy. And Zara. she was in a difficult situation, and I wanted to help her.""I was pregnant, Clara. I didn't know what to do. Fred offered to help me, and I took the offer. I know it was wrong, fooling you like that, but I was desperate."Clara followed it all. Anger, sadness, disappointment—all of them mixed in her face. She didn't know what to say or do.Up to this time, Bella was silent. "You see, Clara, I told you they were lying to you. I told you they were using you."Clara wheeled around to
Zara felt a wave of despair wash over her as she watched Fred walk away. She knew she had to do something, but what? She couldn't just stand there and let everything fall apart.She took a deep breath and tried to compose herself, wiping away her tears. She needed to think, to come up with a plan to fix this mess.She just stood there, trying to collect her thoughts, when she felt a touch on her shoulder. That was Clara, whose look in the eyes oozed compassion."Zara, I believe you," Clara said softly. "I know you're telling the truth. We'll get through this together, okay?"Zara nodded, a small spark of hope. Maybe, just maybe, she could repair this after all.Then she scanned the place and saw Bella with that cunning smile on her face. Zara knew she had to go to her to make her pay for it."Bella," Zara spoke, in a firm voice. "We need to talk."Bella raised an eyebrow; Zara could catch that little chink of fear in her eyes."Oh, I'm shaking in my boots," Bella said, but she took a
Bella's eyes turned desperate as she tried to turn the tables on Zara. "This is all a setup, Fred! Zara is framing me!"But Fred's face was inflexible. "I am calling the police, Bella. This is over."Bella's face contorted with fear and anger as she reached to touch Fred's arm, but Clara stepped forward, flashing her angry eyes."Don't touch my son with this filth you call a hand," Clara spat, her words dripping with venom.Bella's hand jerked back as if singed, as she took a step backward, her eyes darting quickly between Fred and Clara."Oh, you'll pay for this," she snarled, her words quivering with malice. "I'll make you pay for this."But Fred just shook his head, the phone already in his hand. "I'm done playing your games, Bella. It's over."As Fred dialed the police, the mask of innocence and charm fell to pieces, showing the ugliness underneath. She knew she had been caught red-handed, and there was no getting out.Sirens were wailing distantly, the pitch growing louder with e
Fred came to the police station, his heart very heavy in his chest. The whole day before had been an emotional rollercoaster while working through the DNA test and the declaratory fact that his children were not biologically his. Today, though, was another matter."Mr. Fred?" The detective called over, looking off his desk."Can I talk to her?" he asked of the detective.The detective nodded toward the cell, having Fred follow him to the cell. "Be careful, Mr. Fred; she has been known to manipulate people."Fred's eyes locked onto the detective. "I am not afraid of her," he firmly said.The detective's words still hovered in the air as Fred asked in a near-whisper, "What do you mean?The detective was white as a ghost. "We have been digging into the past of Bella, and it looks like over the years, she has been screwing with your relationships. She comes into your life, charming and beautiful, gets your confidence, then sabotages your relationships when she is through with you."Appall
Fred's eyes never left Bella's face and a mixture of shock and sadness was written all over his face. "Everyone, please leave us alone for a minute," he said in a whispered tone.The detective had looked indecisive but nodded, gesturing to his officers to leave the room. "We'll be right outside, Mr. Fred," he said.As the door shut behind them, Fred turned back to Bella. "What do you mean?" he asked, his voice trembling. "How can you say that?"Bella laughed coldly and mirthlessly. "You don't get it, do you?" she spat. "You never have. You've always been so blind, so oblivious to everything around you."He took a step closer, his hands extending toward her. "Bella, please. just tell me what's wrong. What have I done to hurt you so?"Bella's eyes suddenly flashed with anger, and she rose to her feet, her body etched with tension. "You want to know what you have done?" she repeated. "You want to know the worst thing you've ever done to me?"Fred nodded, his heart beating in his chest in
Fred asked the detective, "Is there a way to protect her? I don't want anything to happen to her."Detective Mathew's eyes became wide with shock. "Protect her? Mr. Fred, she's the one who has been causing harm to others. Why would you want to protect her?"Fred's expression turned grave. "She's like a sister to me," he said. "I am responsible for her, and I don't want anything to happen to her."The surprise on the detective's face slowly gave way to comprehension. "I see," he said. "Well, Mr. Fred, I can offer her protection while she's in custody, but once she's released. I'm not sure what we can do."Fred nodded, his eyes full of concern. "I understand. Just do what you can, please."The detective nodded. He looked so contemplative. "I'll see what we can do, Mr. Fred. But I have to ask, are you sure you want to do this? She's caused a lot of harm to people you care about."Fred's jaw clamped down tightly, his eyes flashing with determination. "Positive," he said. "She's like a sis
Fred trudged up the walkway, his feet heavy with the weight of his conversation with the detective. He had been hoping to find some way to help Bella, but now he wasn't so sure. As he reached the front door, it swung open and Zara stood before him, a look of concern etched on her face."Hey," she said standing aside to let him in. "How did it go?"Fred sighed, rubbing his temples. He didn't know how to summarize the complicated emotions swirling inside him.A seemingly sympathetic frown was creasing Zara's face. "That bad, huh?"Fred nodded, and he felt an immense weight being lifted, just being near Zara made things better.Zara softly closed the door as he entered inside, then leaned back against it, crossing her arms. "So, did you get to speak to her?" she asked softly.Fred's eyes dropped, his mind flashing back to the conversation with Bella. He hadn't expected her to be so. unrepentant. So uncaring."Yeah," he said at last, voice barely above a whisper. "She was vile like always