Xavier~"What nonsense they were talking about!" Dad's shocked reaction prevented me from finishing my lunch. Bella tried to switch off the TV immediately, but because Dad had already heard the news, there was no point in keeping anything from him. Bella, James, Victor, and I exchanged shocked glances, none ready to answer Dad's questions."Bella, could you please explain what's going on?" Dad demanded an explanation from Bella because he hadn't spoken to any of us except her.Bella raked her saliva down her throat in an attempt to summon the courage to respond to Dad's question, but she refrained from doing so because of her growing fear of his reaction."A...act...actually...da...Dad." Her words faltered as she observed a flicker of anger in Dad's eyes."Bella, please respond to my query immediately if you want me to continue to have faith in you." He demanded an explanation with full authority in his voice.Despite my initial lack of confidence in defending Victor in this case, I a
Isabella~"Xavier, all the best." A wide smile spread across my lips as I observed him dressed in his lawyer's attire."Bella, I am nervous. I don't know how I will stand up against my Jorawar uncle in court." His voice was filled with uncertainty."Don't worry about that; I have full faith in you. You will surely bring justice to Victor." I gave him a hug to boost his confidence."Bella, are you not coming with us?" Victor's voice broke our embrace."No, I have my court session to attend today." I shook my head."What am I going to do without you, Bella? The only thing that motivates me to appear in court is your encouragement, but how will I handle things without you?" Xavier's eyes grew intensely needy for me.It made me feel good to see my worth and importance in his life, but when I realized that his desperation in my presence was not due to love but rather to his fear of facing the courtroom as a lawyer, it filled me with sadness. He was seeking my assistance in presenting his c
Xavier~"My lord, my client did not pressure John to enter a relationship with him; John was willingly involved with Victor." I began my argument to defend Victor in the courtroom after the court session began. I was so nervous while leaving the house, and now, in the absence of Bella, I feel helpless. My dad's doubt-filled gaze still haunts me, as if he is trying to mock me for showing the confidence that I will defend Victor."Xavier, the court is not focused on accusations alone; it requires proof, so please present your evidence to the court." Jorawar Uncle mocked me. He observed my nervousness and exploited it to heighten my anxiety.I discovered some evidence, but my nervousness prevented me from properly presenting it in court. The ongoing argument in the court is not fully occupying my mind. Rather, I have many questions and doubts running through my head. I feel uncomfortable arguing with my uncle to defend my younger brother. Jorawar Uncle holds a special place in my heart,
Isabella~"I'm proud of you, Bella." As soon as we entered the hall, Dad's proud-filled arms were ready to embrace me."Thank you, Dad." His warm embrace relaxed me as I hugged him."Did you take medicine?" After resting in his arms for a few minutes, I questioned him."Of course, you left your assistant behind, who ensured that the medication was taken on schedule." His eyes were full of complaints as he gazed at Alan."Grandpa wasn't taking his medications, but when I told him that I would put him in jail for breaking the rules, he started taking them. He also assured me that if I placed him in jail, he would hire you as his attorney, and you would then release him from jail." Alan also started to gripe about his grandfather."Bella, tell him that you will free me from his prison." Dad exhibited childlike behavior while playing with Alan."My mama only defends those who didn't commit any crime and those who are innocent. Am I right, Mama?" Alan's voice of innocence and trust stirred
Xavier~"Dinner is ready, Bella." I gently knocked on my dad's door, inviting him to join us for dinner. "Give me just a few minutes; we will be there." She motioned for me to leave immediately. I found her behavior very strange. what she is hiding from me. After we met Jordan Lucas today, she looked so worried. I tried to find out the cause of her concern, but she didn't want to discuss it with me. Upon seeing her in my dad's room, my suspicions about her intensified. She told me she was tired and needed some rest, but when I went into her room to call her for dinner, I didn't find her there. I could tell they were talking about something serious by the solemn expressions on Bella's and Dad's faces. However, what were they talking about?"Call your grandfather for dinner, Alan." Victor was excitedly setting the dining table for today's dinner. "All right, Dad." Alan stopped helping Victor and walked towards Dad's room. "Alan, you don't need to call your grandpa; Bella takes him.
Isabella~"Bella, I am exhausted now; I need to get some sleep." With a yawn, he rose from his seat. The abrupt change in his behavior heightened my suspicion. He seemed uncomfortable, which made it obvious to me that he didn't want to discuss Laila."Good night, Xavier." I got up from the couch and walked toward my room. I discovered a substantial barrier separating us even after he admitted his love for me. He still did not fully trust me with his secrets, and in truth, I wasn’t being entirely honest with him either.As I lay on my bed, I couldn’t shake the weight of guilt pressing on my chest. Hiding my decision to meet Uncle Jorawar from Xavier felt like a betrayal, but I had no choice. His faith in me and his hope for our future made it even harder to keep secrets, but what choice did I have? If he knew, it could unravel everything I was trying to protect.I returned to my desk and resumed working on the Jordan Lucas puzzle. I needed to figure out his next move before he presente
Xavier~"Bella, when will you return?" I waited for her for the past three hours, but she didn't arrive at the scheduled time, so I texted her instead. I don't understand what important thing she discussed with James; she ignored my calls. Alan was also upset with her, as she had once again betrayed her commitment."Xavier, don't take stress; she will come back." Victor comforted me by giving me a shoulder pat after noticing how stressed I was."What important discussion is she having with James because she is ignoring my calls?" I tightened my fist to keep my boiling rage under control. Her growing friendship with James has now become the source of my anger. Even though James and I were good friends, I didn't want to share Bella with anyone. Seeing James with her was like salt in a wound I couldn’t heal. I hated that he had access to a part of Bella’s life that felt closed off to me. Was I imagining it, or did she look happier around him than she did with me?Jordan Lucas created su
Isabella~"How's my acting, Mama? In this courtroom drama, I played the role of a judge." Alan rushed to embrace my knees as soon as he saw me."You were amazing. Alan, I wish you would become a judge in the future." I took him in my arms and kissed his forehead."No, Mama, I want to be a police officer." He rubbed his cheek, trying to erase the imprints of my kiss."Bella, to fulfill your dream, you should plan another kid because Alan didn’t seem interested in becoming a judge." James made fun of me when he learned that Alan wanted to become a police officer."James, not again." Since I was finding it more difficult to hide my blush, I asked him to refrain from making fun of me in front of my family."What are you saying in my wife's ear, James, that she can't hide her blush?" Xavier approached us and wrapped his arms around me in a possessive manner. His sudden possessiveness surprised me. I felt uncomfortable experiencing his closeness in front of Dad because he still did not appr
Xavier~"Please don't give me to the police. I'll tell you everything." That boy held my hand and pleaded with me, desperation dripping from every word."Tell me the truth, or I will report you to the police." I threatened him again. Although I was thankful for him saving my life, my mind was filled with doubts after seeing him living in this deserted place. Because of the unexpected flood, the government had strictly forbidden people from residing close to the river. Those who disobeyed faced severe penalties and fines for violating the regulation."Tell me, what’s your connection with Jordan Lucas?" Seeing his quietness, I threatened him once again."Jordan Lucas?" He gave me a perplexed expression, genuinely confused."Don't lie. I know he sent you here to keep your eye on us." I narrowed my eyes and gave him a doubtful glance, every nerve on edge."Sir, I don't have any idea who you’re talking about. I’m a student doing my research on submarine life." He quickly handed me his iden
Isabella~The cold water felt like an ointment to my burned skin, but soon I found myself flowing with the river's current. My hands felt numb in the chilly water as I attempted to swim against the stream. I had trouble breathing as water began to fill my nose. I looked around in search of Xavier, but I was unable to find him in the violent current.My body was still in shock from witnessing the car blast. I had never been this close to death before—never felt it breathe against my neck the way it did now. I made every attempt to locate the riverbank so that I could escape the current, but I was unable to do so since my hands and feet were not functioning properly.I heard the roar of the rushing water grow louder, and my swimming became more desperate. I was about to plunge into the waterfall ahead if I didn't exit the river's grip. This river would plummet vertically off the edge. If I didn't get out now, I would tumble down the cliff and that would be the end.I fought the river wi
Xavier~“Bella, what did you do? I am now sure he will not show any mercy to us.” Jordan Lucas' threats rattled my body. His eyes blazed with anger and retaliation. The moment he saw us in the court, he was fuming with anger. I am well aware of Jordan Lucas' nature. Once he decides something, he will not back out of it, no matter how far he has to go to achieve the desired outcome.“Bella, why did you discuss another case in this court when we already have difficulty handling Victor's murder case?” I looked at her with a complaint-filled gaze. I am well aware that she is not doing anything wrong, but I don't think messing with Jordan Lucas in every situation is a good idea.“Xavier, I didn't have any choice at that time. Can't you see how Andrew argued with us in today’s court session? He is one step ahead of us. He came here well prepared, and we would have lost this case in today's hearing if I hadn't diverted the court's attention to the recent crimes of Jordan Lucas.” She sits on
Isabella~“My lord, Jordan Lucas not only killed Victor Thompson but he also killed two of my staff by burning them alive. He not only took the lives of those two innocent people but he also burned my costly property.” I turned to look at Jordan Lucas with hate-filled eyes. Now he has to pay a high price for his sins. I waited for the perfect opportunity to enter the court so that I could see this fear-filled expression on his face. When I saw Jordan Lucas, I felt retaliation and rage in every cell of my body. How could he burn those two innocent individuals so viciously? I saw no trace of regret in his eyes. His brutality went beyond all bounds.“Objection, my lord, Mrs. Thompson is trying to mislead the case. She is attempting to squander the court's valuable time by involving my client in her latest baseless charges, even though we are here to discuss Victor's case.” Andrew rose from his seat and gave me a furious glare.“Andrew is correct, Mrs. Thompson; your statements seemed un
Xavier~"Bella, what are we going to find in this dusty area?" I looked at her with confusion. The house was covered with black dust. A shiver ran down my spine as I saw the state of the house. We would have been buried under the ground by now if we hadn't left this house on time. I am afraid of losing Bella while trying to send Jordan Lucas to jail."Take off your shoes and don't touch anything in the home, Xavier." She handed me the gloves after removing them from her suitcase."What are you saying, Bella? How am I supposed to remove my shoes on this dusty floor?" I gave her a perplexed look."Xavier, do what I am saying."I removed my shoes and shook my head in disappointment when I saw her demanding gaze. "Bella, please stop using the magnifying glass; we are not detectives." She took the magnifying glass out of her bag and then began to look at the burned items available in the house.I don't understand what new hobby she developed as a detective. She carries everything with he
Isabella~"What are you going to do now, Bella?" Xavier's eyes brimmed with curiosity. "I don't know, Xavier; I only have to win Victor's case by hook or crook." I sighed deeply and fixed my gaze on the laptop screen. My attention was drawn to my phone's buzzing sound. "Are you okay, Bella?" I heard James' anxious voice on the call. "Yeah, we are all right, but why did you sound so worried?" I asked him. "I watched the news on TV." After listening to him, I became aware of the impact this news had on my family. They had no idea what was going on here. "Don't worry about us, James; everything is OK." His worry is evident in the weight of his voice. "I feared we lost you both, Bella." I heard him sobbing. "It was part of my plan, James. I am well aware of Jordan Lucas' cruelty. That's why I have already moved out of that house. I don't want any of you to get into problems, so please don't contact me again." I cautioned him once more. "Bella, everyone is concerned about you and
Xavier~"What are you doing here, Bella?" I got up from my bed when I didn't find her in our bedroom. I looked for her in the kitchen but she's not there. Where has she gone on such a late night? I looked in the study room, the hall, the terrace, and the balcony, but she wasn't there. My worry increased about her even more when she did not receive her phone. She is so upset because of Jordan Lucas' case. He destroyed all the evidence of his crime, and the next court hearing is in one week. I am afraid that she didn't take any dangerous steps due to depression. "Xavier, why do you look so tense? Is everything okay?" She put her file inside and looked at me casually as if nothing had happened. Upon seeing her in the old file storage room, I felt a sense of relief. "What are you doing in this room?" I turned my face to look at that dirt-filled room with confusion. "Xavier, we were worried about the evidence, but we forgot that we had the hidden treasure in this house." She got up f
Isabella~"Bella, why are you so silent? You know I'm scared of your silence."Xavier stopped the car in front of our house and looked at me, concern evident in his eyes."I can't live in this house, Xavier. We have to find some other place to live," I unbuckled my seatbelt and turned to face him.His brows furrowed in confusion. "What's wrong with this house, Bella?""He will attack us at any time to remove us from his path. I don't want to take any risks." My heartbeat was still erratic from the near-fatal accident earlier. The image of the truck speeding toward us replayed in my mind like a nightmare.Xavier let out a frustrated sigh. "Sometimes I don't understand you, Bella. On one hand, you're so brave—boldly challenging Jordan Lucas, standing firm in court—and on the other, you're terrified of him?" He held my hand, searching my eyes for an answer.I tightened my grip on his fingers. "No, Xavier. I am not afraid of him. I am afraid of losing you." My voice cracked with emotion.
Xavier~"Bella, let's go." I held her hand and gestured for her to leave the courtroom."I will kill this man," she seethed, clenching her fist as she locked eyes with Andrew."Calm down. Avoid wasting your time on him." I held her wrist tightly, stopping her from following him."Xavier, you surprised me today. Why didn't you tell me about this proof before?" As we sat in the car, she arched a brow at me, suspicion flickering in her eyes."Bella, I didn't hide anything from you. I was also unaware of this evidence; it was a last-minute idea, and I'm pleased it succeeded." I shrugged my shoulders, watching her reaction."Xavier, what are you saying? How is this possible? I saw your confidence in the courtroom—no one could tell this was last-minute." Her eyes widened in disbelief."Mrs. Thompson, Andrew was the one who inspired me to provide this evidence." A small smirk played on my lips."Andrew? How?" She crossed her arms over her chest, demanding an explanation."My blood was boilin