I resumed walking slowly and my confusion soon turned to dread as I reached the door and peered inside. My hands fell limp to my side and the color drained from my face.
Stella’s laughter reached my ears first. She was lying on the hospital bed, she didn’t look sick one bit but she smiled as Leo fussed over her. He adjusted her blanket, brushed her hair away from her face, and spoke to her in a low, tender voice. So he was here this whole time, while I cried alone, and wanted to die, he was here with her, ignoring my calls, my messages, leaving me in the dense forest alone struggling to live. Tears stung at my eyes and I couldn't bring my feet to move. My heart sank further when I saw what he held in his hand—the ruby necklace. My grandmother’s heirloom. He placed it gently around her neck, his fingers lingering just long enough to make my stomach twist. Stella’s face lit up with joy, and she touched the necklace like it was a treasure. The way they looked at each other—it wasn’t just concern. It was something else. I couldn’t help but watch, frozen in place, my chest tightening. But then Stella’s eyes flicked to me, and her smile turned knowing, almost mischievous. She turned to Leo, her voice sweet as honey, though there was an edge to it. “You know I like it. I’ve always loved how you take care of me,” she said, her fingers grazing his arm as she spoke, her gaze lingering a second longer than necessary. “No one else has ever been as thoughtful.” Her words sliced through the air, She was doing it on purpose, making sure I heard every word. And Leo? He didn’t even seem to notice. "What do you think you're doing?" I raised my voice, causing both of them to turn their heads my way, Stella flinching from being startled. "Bella, what are you doing here?" Leo's eyebrows pulled together, his eyes not leaving mine as I pushed the door open, making my way into the room. “Didn't you say that she is just your sister? Why are you giving her that necklace?” I demanded, my voice trembling. Leo turned to me, startled. “Bella, it’s not what you think—” “I know what I’m seeing,” I snapped, cutting him off. My gaze shifted to Stella, who sat up straighter, her smile calm and sweet, too sweet. “Why don’t you tell him the truth, Stella?” Stella tilted her head, her voice soft and forgiving. “Bella, I understand. You’ve been through a lot today. I forgive you for feeling this way.” “Forgive me?” I repeated, my voice rising. “For what? For being upset that my husband is treating you like his wife?” I had a lump that was growing in my throat as I struggled to hold back my tears. I could already picture the devilish grin on her face if I dared cry out loud. The last person I wanted to cry in front of was Stella. "You're giving her my fucking necklace! you know how much we searched for it, you know how much it means to me -" “Bella, stop,” Leo said firmly, cutting me off. He stepped between us, his hands raised like he was trying to calm a storm. “This isn’t helping anyone. I gave Stella the necklace to make up for what she went through. She nearly died because of you. If she likes it, why can't...” “It’s all her tricks. Why can't you trust me, even just once?" I couldn't believe my ears. Leo sighed, his tone shifting to one of irritation. “Bella, you’re overreacting. I’ll buy you another necklace, identical to this one. Let’s just end this argument. Stella needs rest, she-” “Stella, Stella…And what about me?” I shot back, my voice breaking. “I just lost—” I stopped myself, my chest tightening. “Do I mean that little to you?” Stella spoke again, her voice dripping with kindness. “I’ll keep away from Leo if that’s what you want, Bella. I only stayed because I thought it would make things easier for you.” I laughed bitterly, shaking my head. “How hypocritical can you get? You’ve done nothing but insert yourself between us since the day I met you!” “Enough!” Leo snapped, his voice sharp. He turned to me, his eyes cold. “Stella isn’t the problem. She’s been nothing but kind. She even persuaded me to look after you, knowing you had a slight injury while she just escaped death.” I froze, his words hitting me like a slap. A slight injury? My hands clenched at my sides as I stared at him, the man I thought I knew. “A slight injury?” I repeated, my voice barely above a whisper. I inched closer to him, completely breaching the distance between us. I stood at only five feet-five so he easily towered over me but his intimidating height did nothing to scare me. My chest started to rise and fall at a pace I didn't think was healthy for me, by now the tears had fallen at their will, “You left me at the wedding, you leave me at that forest with no people, you never bother to get someone to help me, and even come to see me though you know what I went through…Do I mean that little to you?” I raised my voice, slapping at his chest with all of me, but it barely did anything to make him budge. His silence was deafening. Tears burned my eyes as I looked at him. He didn't care about me. He was never going to. I looked away from him, sniffing and wiping my nose aggressively with the back of my palm. I turned around on my heels to leave and despite the storm inside of me, I told him in a steady voice, “I want a divorce.”As I walked out of the ward, I expected to hear his voice, to listen to him call me back, to hold my wrist and stop me, to ask me what bullshit I was doing.But he didn't.He let me walk out of that room without looking back.Once I was out of the ward, a sarcastic smile spread across my lips as the tears continued to pour down my cheeks, "what were you expecting?" I almost laughed at myself.I wasn't Stella, so why would he pull at me like I mattered?*I flinched at the loud thunder rumbling as soon as I stepped outside the hospital room.The rain pouring right after was soaking me to the bone.The nurses had pleaded with me to stay, citing my condition, but I couldn’t. Not with Stella just down the hall, basking in Leo’s attention. Not with Leo’s indifference cutting me deeper than any physical pain.I signed the discharge papers, ignoring the doctor’s concerned look, and stepped into the storm. Looking like a lunatic in a hospital gown and barefoot in the rain.None of the taxis
Two years later Leo pov Dennis knocked softly on my office door, peeking in. He cleared his throat as if he was trying to announce his presence. “Mr. Rathore, it’s time for the business banquet. The car is ready.” I adjusted the cufflinks on my shirt. “I’ll be down in five," I said, without looking up. "Yes sir," my assistant nodded before taking his leave. I slipped my suit on, got to my feet after closing the laptop on the desk and headed towards the door. The secretary—her name escaped me—followed me as I stepped out of the office. She walked quickly, her heels clicking against the floor with every step. Her dress was bright red, tight, and it showed off her curves. It looked like she was trying a little too hard for an office outfit. Her lips were painted the same bold shade, matching her dress perfectly. She kept her expression focused, but there was something off about it. Her eyes flicked over me, not just looking at my face but taking in everything else, too. As she
Bella pov My eyes were fixed on the man I thought I would never see again, his assistant guiding me through the crowd at the banquet. His eyes were locked on mine, I couldn't read what his expression was, but I knew he was astonished. He looked the same as the last time I'd seen him, if anything he looked more handsome than I remembered. My eyes were locked on him but just before I reached his side, I saw her. Stella. Stella stepped in front of Leo, smiling brightly, she seemed to have aged in such a short time. Stella turned to me and froze. Her eyes went wide, and she took a step back, like she couldn’t believe what she was seeing. “Bella?” she whispered. Her mouth opened like she wanted to say more, but nothing came out. She didn’t hesitate. Her hand rested on his arm, and she looked at me with that same smug, condescending smile. "Leo, I was waiting for you to join me," Stella said, her voice dripping with sweetness, her gaze never leaving mine. I couldn’t stop
The shock on Stella's face is something I wish I could capture. Her jaw dropped opened, her eyes shot open wide and her face paled. Leo didn't peel his eyes off me as he left her side, leading the way. Her piercing eyes followed our steps until we were completely out of sight. Even I was taken aback by Leo's behaviour. His assistant attempted to follow us but he clarified, "alone," causing his assistant to nod and step back. I turned to Ryan, mouthing a 'I will be back'. "Okay dear," he said with his intense gaze fixed on Leo, "Jack and I will be waiting in the car." With that, Leo took me all the way to his office in the banquet. We were barely a few steps in, when he shut the door, grabbing me by my wrists, and pinning me to the wall next to the door, holding my hands by the sides of my head. I was surprised but did well to conceal it. I tilted my head to the side, raising one eyebrow, "what do you think you're doing Mr Rathore?" I raised a brow at him. "Where were
I stared at Leo, my knees still planted on the cold ground beside my grandmother’s tombstone. My eyes widened in shock, did he hear everything?I swallowed hard, pushing myself to my feet. “What are you doing here?” My voice came out colder than I intended.Leo crossed his arms, his suit pristine despite the damp air. “I could ask you the same thing, Bella.” His tone was low, calm even, but I could hear the edge in it. His confusion gave me a sense of relief, he definitely hadn't heard me."Why would you be at my grandmother's.." I trailed off, I didn't want to get any further involved with him.I brushed the dirt off my hands, my heart hammering against my ribs. “I don’t owe you an explanation," I turned to leave but he immediately grabbed my arm, stopping me and forcing me to face him.“Don’t you?” His eyes narrowed. “You disappear for two years, and now you show up with a child and a man. Were you ever planning to explain any of this?”"Explain? To you?" I stared at him like he had
The silence between us stretched thin, I was frozen in place, Leo’s words sinking in like ice. All those months ago, I walked out of there, leaving the lawyer to deal with the finalising of the divorce.I hadn't wanted to encounter Leo in any way and thought that was the perfect solution.“We’re still married,” he said again like he wanted to carve it into stone.Shocked, I could barely breathe, let alone speak. Then anger started to simmer under my skin. He had the audacity to say that after everything?“Stop this nonsense, Leo.” My voice came out sharp, trembling with restrained fury. “You’re just trying to mess with me. I’ve moved on. I remarried, I have a child—”“And I’m supposed to believe that?” His eyes darkened, his voice dripping with disdain. “Tell me, Bella. Do you even love him?”“That’s none of your business,” I snapped, folding my arms to keep myself steady. “What I do or who I’m with isn’t your concern anymore. You don’t get to ask me questions about my life.”Leo step
I stared blankly at him. I didn’t spend all my time working this hard just for him to attempt to threaten me. This time, I inched closer to him, a smirk on my face. I ran my fingers through his hair. “Mr. Rathore? I’m not your sister, I’m not something you can own.” I reduced my voice to a whisper. “Wake up from your dreams.” I turned around to leave, driving off without looking back once. When I walked into Ryan’s house, Jack was sitting on the floor surrounded by his toys. His head was down, and he was fiddling with a toy car, but his usual cheerful humming was missing. “Jack?” I crouched beside him, placing a hand on his small shoulder. “What’s wrong, sweetheart?” He looked up, his big brown eyes filled with worry. “Mummy Bella, Daddy looked sad.” I frowned, brushing a strand of hair out of his face. “Sad? Why, baby?” Jack shifted uncomfortably, his lip trembling. “He was talking to Grandpa. And then he looked sad.” My heart squeezed. Jack was sensitive to emotions, and it u
I watched as Bella drove off in her car, raking my angry fingers through my hair. The thought of another man even breathing close to her was driving me insane, let alone, touching her enough to-"Fuck!" I cussed at the top of my voice, my breathing pattern slowly changing. I hated the way things were going. I kicked a stone out of my way.Ever since she left, I showed up at her grandmother's tombstone almost every other night, hoping I would meet her here. I knew how much she had loved her grandmother, but I never once saw her here.I thought it was a dream when I saw her today and now she had to rub it in my fucking face.I closed my eyes tight, there was only one way to go tonight.As I got in my car, my phone beeped multiple times, calls from my mother that I ignored, I was still upset by how she had treated Bella earlier and then Stella's endless text messages kept my phone going off. Frustrated, I turned the phone off, not wanting to have to talk to anyone at all.I stopped at th
Leo povI checked my phone for the sixth time that morning, there was till nothing.The screen lit up, but it was just another calendar alert, not her, not even a text. I turned it off, waited, then turned it back on again like that would change something.Bella hadn’t called.Had something happened? Was she avoiding me? Was this her way of pulling away after what she said?My chest tightened. I hated this feeling. My phone buzzed again. I grabbed it without thinking, already bracing for disappointment.It wasn’t her.Stella.I answered, jaw tight. “What?”“Leo,” she said like she had been rehearsing it, soft and breathy, “I’ve been trying to reach you. It’s important. I haven’t been able to access you these days and...”“I’ll let you know when I’m free,” I cut in.“But I really need to...”I hung up and tossed the phone back on the desk and leaned back in my chair. The silence felt heavier now like it was sitting on my chest.I stared at the screen then at the window and then back a
The airport buzzed with quiet tension. The kind of tired that settles in your chest after too many days of pretending everything is fine. We had said our goodbyes to the client hours ago. We’d packed up, handed off the last of the materials, and smiled for one final photo. The trip was over.Leo didn’t speak much. He just walked beside me. He carried my bag through the terminal without offering or asking. He simply reached for it when I shifted my weight, like he already knew it was getting too heavy.He was calm. Collected. Gentle in all the ways that used to make me suspicious. Now I just let it be what it was.We got through security without much delay. He kept checking the signs like he wasn’t used to waiting in lines. I stayed close, quiet. We didn’t talk about what would happen once we landed. We didn’t talk about what we were now. We just moved.At the gate, I sat by the window. He sat next to me. He didn’t scroll through his phone. He didn’t check his email. He just sat back,
The papers were already on the table when I walked in. A pale folder, two pens, and silence.Ryan was sitting on the other side, dressed neatly, the same calm expression he always wore when things got heavy. His tie was slightly loose, like he’d taken a deep breath before I arrived. He looked up when I stepped in.“Hey,” he said quietly.“Hey.”I sat down across from him. The room was private, not too cold. Neutral tones, thick carpet, tall windows. A space designed to make final things feel manageable.We didn’t rush.The lawyer explained everything, but we barely listened. We already knew. There was no fight over assets, no long arguments over rights or blame. There had never been any mess between us—just a quiet arrangement, born from need.I flipped through the pages slowly. It felt strange, how easy it was. How quickly things ended when there was no damage to undo.I reached the signature line.He’d already signed.I picked up the pen.My fingers hesitated for just a second. Not
knew something was different the moment the client pulled me aside. He looked like he had something to say that couldn’t be said in front of cameras. He waited until the end of the panel, after the last flash faded and Bella had stepped aside to speak with one of the stylists.“Mr. Rathore,” he said quietly, hand on my shoulder. “Can we talk for a moment?”“Of course.”We stepped into the shade beneath one of the trees lining the venue courtyard. The crowd was still buzzing behind us, photographers packing up, reporters chatting among themselves. Bella stood in the center of it all—tall, calm, a little flushed from the attention but holding her own effortlessly.He gestured toward her. “You didn’t know, did you?”“Know what?” I asked, my attention snapping back.“That the woman you and Miss Delano helped last week—the one in the parking lot—was my daughter.”I stilled.He nodded slowly. “She never told the hospital who she was. She’s stubborn. Wanted to keep things quiet while she sor
he call came just after midnight. I was sitting alone at the small desk in our suite, answering emails, pretending I wasn’t listening for her soft footsteps from the other room. I didn’t expect to see her tonight. She had been quieter than usual during dinner, not cold—but pensive. I didn’t push.My phone lit up with her name. Mother. I stared at the screen for a moment before answering. I knew what this was.“Leo.”Her voice was sharp, not angry yet, but on the edge. Controlled. Intentional.“Mother.”“I don’t like what I’m hearing.”I didn’t say anything.“People are talking,” she continued. “The board, the press, your aunt, your uncle—do you know how many calls I’ve taken in the last two days?”“I can imagine.”“You’re embarrassing yourself,” she said. “You’re embarrassing this family.”The words didn’t hit like they used to. There was a time I would’ve flinched. Not anymore.“Is that what you think I’m doing?”“I think you’re letting emotion cloud your judgment. Again. You’re atta
We were back on the couch again, wine glasses half-full, legs curled loosely beneath us, the dim lamplight softening everything around us. There was something about the way Leo sat—relaxed, patient, dangerously close—that made the air between us buzz, even when we weren’t saying anything important.“Are you ever going to stop looking at me like that?”“Like what?”“Like you’re trying to memorize me.”“Maybe I am.”“You already know what I look like, Leo.”“Not like this. Not after everything. Not when you’re actually letting me near you again.”“I’m not letting you near me. You just keep showing up.”“And you’re letting me stay.”“I didn’t say you could stay.”“You didn’t say I couldn’t.”“…You’re impossible.”“And you’re not saying no.”“Don’t push it.”“I’m not. I’m just sitting here. Drinking wine. Staring at the most beautiful woman I’ve ever known.”I rolled my eyes, but my lips fought a smile. He leaned forward just slightly, resting his elbow on the back of the couch like he ha
T he next few days passed like a quiet breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding for years. There were no confessions. No apologies repeated. No grand displays of love. Just small, careful gestures that lingered longer than they should have.Leo didn’t crowd me. He didn’t follow me too closely or fill the air with words just to hear himself speak. He simply stayed close. In step. In sync.When we walked to meetings or down quiet hallways with our clients, he carried my samples without needing to be asked. Not in a way that said he thought I couldn’t, but in a way that said he noticed the way my ankle still bent awkwardly if I put too much pressure on it. He reached for the heavier bags with ease, his hand brushing mine only briefly, and then let the moment pass without making it more than what it was.When we stood beside each other at tables or inside crowded booths, he never touched me first. But if my fingers grazed his, he didn’t move away. Sometimes, without thinking, his hand wo
The air was cooler by the time I stepped out of bed. The curtains swayed gently from the breeze sneaking in through the open balcony door. I didn’t hear him, but I could feel that I wasn’t alone. The night had that charged stillness, like something was waiting to be said.I walked across the room, barefoot, careful not to put weight on my sore ankle. The ache had dulled to a throb. I reached the doorway and saw him.Leo stood with his back to me, leaning slightly on the railing, one hand resting flat on the cold metal, the other holding a glass he hadn’t taken a sip from. His sleeves were rolled up. His shirt clung gently to his back, just loose enough to move with the breeze.He didn’t turn when I stepped onto the balcony. I think he knew I was there the whole time.“You don’t sleep much, do you?” I asked.His shoulders lifted in a quiet shrug. “Not when I feel like I missed something.”The stars were brighter out here. The sky stretched above us, open and wide, but his voice pulled
H e came quickly, like he hadn’t hesitated for a second. I didn’t even remember what I sounded like on the phone. Maybe I hadn’t said anything clearly. Maybe all he heard was my voice breaking. But it was enough.The door opened and closed gently behind him. He didn’t ask questions. He just walked to where I stood near the window, eyes red, the necklace still resting against my collarbone.He didn’t say a word.He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around me, slow and careful, like he was afraid I might fall apart if he moved too fast.I melted into him. For once, I didn’t pull away.His hand slid up my back, the other resting lightly on the back of my head. He didn’t press me or kiss me or try to fix it all in one moment. He just held me like he was making space for the sadness I couldn’t carry alone anymore.We stayed that way for a long time.Eventually, he guided me toward the bed, pulled back the covers, and helped me lie down.He didn’t leave.He slid in beside me, fully cloth