Bella’s love for Leo has always overshadowed the affection for his step sister, until the day of her wedding, she realizes how unimportant she is to the Rathore family, when the man she cares for the most, treats her like her she is the bane of his existence. Now Bella shows up years later, and Leo can’t look past one thing, the man by her side.
view moreThe door closed softly behind us. I locked it without thinking, then turned and saw her sit down, slow and careful, on the edge of the bed. She bent her leg with a wince, pressing her hand lightly against her ankle as if even breathing on it hurt. I crossed the room without speaking, grabbed the cold pack from the minibar, wrapped it in a small towel, and knelt in front of her.She didn’t stop me.Her leg trembled when I touched it, but she let me slide off her shoe and lift her foot into my lap. I was gentle, more than I’d ever been with anything in my life. Her sock was damp from sweat, probably pain too. She hissed quietly when I rolled it down, and I slowed my hands.The swelling was worse now. Purple already setting in. I adjusted the towel, pressed the cold gently against the side of her ankle, and held it there with one hand while the other braced her knee.She didn’t look at me, but she didn’t pull away either.Her breath was shallow. She leaned back slightly, resting her palm
I didn’t notice right away because I knew she was avoiding me and so I was trying not to look at her but Bella was missing from the group. She had been walking ahead the whole time and I had been stealing glances at her. The trail curved left, the group slowed behind me, and I looked up expecting to see her, but there was nothing. No gray shirt. No tied-back hair. No Bella.My stomach dropped.I quickened my pace, eyes scanning the narrow path. I called her name, quietly at first, hoping she’d turn around and roll her eyes the way she always did when I sounded too concerned. But there was no answer.The trees thickened. I pushed forward faster, ignoring the chatter behind me, ignoring the twisting in my gut that told me this wasn’t just her trying to avoid me again.I called her name louder. Still nothing.She was gone.I broke into a full sprint. My breath came hard, my legs cut through the brush, and the only thing in my head was her face. The last time I saw it. The way she hadn’
Bella’s POVBella stood at the edge of the conference room, arms folded, watching the client enthusiastically pitch the itinerary. Her jaw ached from keeping it tight all morning.“This is a very exclusive part of the campaign,” the client said, practically glowing with excitement. “A nature immersion. Overnight lodge in the jungle, guided trek, gourmet meals, all five-star. We’ve prepared private cabins for both of you. You’ll be the face of the campaign launch.”Leo stood across the room, nodding politely, but his eyes kept drifting to her.Bella didn’t meet them. She had no intention of letting him read anything off her face.“This is non-negotiable,” the brand coordinator added, smiling. “We’ve booked everything in your names.”She gave a small nod. It wasn’t like she could back out. She just hoped the jungle was dense enough to lose him in.Later that morning, they gathered at the hotel entrance, staff helping them into the waiting van. Leo arrived right on time. Bella had been s
Leo’s POVLeo’s phone buzzed for the fifth time, but it wasn’t her. Another meeting reminder. Another notification that didn’t matter. He tossed it on the desk and leaned back in the chair, staring up at the ceiling like it might give him answers.“She won’t talk to me,” he muttered.“Sir?” Dennis’s voice came through the speakerphone.Leo rubbed his face. “She moved to another floor. Won’t take my calls. Only responds to work texts—and barely.”There was a pause.“What would you like me to do?”He didn’t answer right away. He stood up, walked to the minibar, opened it, then shut it again without grabbing anything. He paced twice before stopping beside the chair.“I need you to look into something. Bella… she told me something the other day. About the wedding. About losing a baby.”Dennis went quiet.“She was pregnant,” Leo said. “And I didn’t know. I didn’t even notice anything was wrong. I left her that night. You remember?”“I do.”“She said she went to the hospital. Walked there.
B ella’s POVThe hallway outside the emergency room buzzed with fluorescent light. I sat motionless in a stiff plastic chair, arms folded, trying to slow my breathing. A nurse had promised to update me when they could, but it had already been over twenty minutes. I didn’t care about the time. I wasn’t leaving until I knew she and her baby were safe.Leo had been pacing nonstop. His dress shoes tapped rhythmically against the linoleum floor, each step sharper than the last. He wasn’t subtle about his frustration. But I stayed where I was, watching the emergency doors like they might open with answers.Eventually, his patience snapped.“This is ridiculous,” he muttered, stepping closer. “We’ve done our part. We brought her here. They’ve taken over. What more do you want to do?”“I’m staying,” I said calmly.“Why?” His voice rose slightly. “You don’t even know her. You gave up an important meeting, Bella. You’re acting like this is your child—”“I know what it feels like,” I said, standi
Bella’s POVThe silence in the car was heavy.I sat with my arms crossed, staring out the window, pretending Leo wasn’t just inches away from me. He hadn’t said a word since we got in. Neither had I. The air between us was cold enough to choke on.The driver kept glancing in the rearview mirror like he could feel it too.I kept my eyes fixed outside. We were heading to the client meeting Leo had been hyping up for days. Some luxury firm with international reach, the kind of partnership that would keep his company at the top of its game. I was supposed to care. I didn’t.Not after that lobby scene.Not after the look in his eyes when he said he knew.My fingers dug into my sleeves. I still didn’t know how he found out. It didn’t matter now. The damage was done.We turned a corner, and the car slowed unexpectedly.“What is it?” Leo asked the driver, his first words since we left the hotel.“There’s someone on the road,” the driver replied, braking fully.I looked ahead and saw her.A pr
Bella’s POVI saw him the second I stepped off the elevator. He was standing by the front desk, talking to someone, but his eyes flicked to me the moment I walked into view. Of course they did. Leo always looked for me like I was something he owned, something he lost but still expected to find again.I kept walking. Not too fast. Not slow enough to be noticed. Just… unaffected. That’s what I wanted him to see. Me, in control. Me, composed. Me, completely untouched by last night.“Bella,” he called out behind me. His voice was calm, but there was a warning in it. Like he knew I’d ignore him, and he wasn’t going to let it slide this time.I stopped near the lobby’s coffee stand. I didn’t turn. I let him come to me.“Tell me the truth,” he said, just close enough for only me to hear. “Is it real? You and Ryan.”His question startled me, and I furrowed my eyebrows. My heart racing in my chest but then I turned, slowly, arms folded, face blank. His jaw was tense. His eyes looked like they
Bella was gone again.Just like that. Like last night didn’t matter. Like I didn’t watch her fall apart in my arms and whisper my name like it still meant something.The bed was a mess. Her perfume still lingered in the room. But she left behind nothing. Not even a damn goodbye.I sat at the edge of the bed, jaw clenched, my fingers gripping the sheet so tight I thought it might tear. I should have gotten used to this by now. But it still hit the same.A knock came from the door. Room service. Breakfast for two. I didn’t even remember ordering it. It didn’t matter now.I didn’t touch it.I just sat there, chest tight, anger building in a place I didn’t know how to reach.My phone buzzed. Dennis.I snatched it up. “Talk.”His voice came in calm, like he didn’t just have answers I’d been chasing for months. “I’ve finished the research you asked for. I confirmed it. Bella and Ryan’s marriage… it’s not real.”I froze.“What?” My voice cracked in the middle.Dennis cleared his throat. “The
LeoThe water hit my back, hot and steady.I stood under the stream for too long, hoping it would rinse away the mess of last night. But it didn’t. It only made the silence louder. The steam filled the bathroom, but I still felt cold where she used to be.Bella was gone when I woke up. No note. No sound. Just the hollow space beside me that still smelled like her.She ran.Again.I pressed my palms against the tile wall and let out a breath. She wanted to pretend it meant nothing. That it was just sex. That I didn’t feel her trembling when I touched her or hear the way she whispered my name like she had forgotten it could ever belong to me again.But I remembered. I remembered every second. And so did she.When I stepped out of the shower, I grabbed a towel and looked around the room. The bed was a mess. Sheets tangled. Her side cold.I picked up my phone and ordered breakfast for two.I didn’t care if she came back or not. I wasn’t going to let her act like I didn’t know her better t
Bella's POV I may be the bride at this wedding, but I’m definitely not the center of attention. Stella stood out, wearing a stunning white gown. White. Everyone knew the first rule of attending a wedding was to not wear white but Stella didn't care. I stared at her as she walked into the wedding, her head glancing left and right, I knew who she was looking for, my soon-to-be husband, and her brother who treated her like she was the whole world, Leo. Sensing my gaze on her, she started to walk our way. I closed my eyes tight, my fist in a ball beside me. It had been three years since Leo and I got together, and since I started living with him in his family's mansion. No one had taken me in after losing my parents in that wretched accident sixteen years ago but Leo was the first to keep me by his side. He was my Mr. Perfect, if I could forget Stella, his adopted sister, existed . She was like a barnacle that clung stubbornly to him, popping up during our every crucial...
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