Umm two more slaps Bella from my side...
For the next couple of days, life was pleasantly boring for Anne and Nicholas. They found themselves growing closer with each passing day. Ellora and Nikolai had returned to California, and Leon was becoming busy with school, leaving more time for just the two of them.One morning, as was his habit, Nicholas was at her place but she was nowhere to be seen. However, when he went to check on Anne, he found her still asleep. Instead of waking her, he couldn't resist the temptation to join her. He slipped into bed beside her, wrapping his arms around her in a warm embrace. Despite having slept well himself, being close to her made him crave a nap. The softness of her scent was so comforting and babyish that it pulled him in even more urge to get closer and closer to the woman he loved.Anne hummed as she felt him beside her, her body instinctively turning towards his without even opening her eyes. She wrapped her arms around him and held him tightly as if she had been waiting for him.“Wh
“You look great,” Anne said with a warm smile. “And welcome to my café!”Bella returned the smile. “I have been meaning to visit, but I just couldn’t find the time. I had to see what your daughter’s always raving about. She says you make the best desserts in the world.”Anne laughed. “My baby’s not wrong!” She added, “Let me get you a table.” Anne was thrilled to see Bella here and quickly suggested the best desserts on the menu after knowing Bella had a sweet tooth.A few minutes later, Bella exclaimed, “Oh my God! These blueberry tarts are to die for!”Anne grinned. “I’ll pack some desserts for you to take home. And don’t forget to share with my baby.”Bella was too busy devouring the plate of desserts to respond at first and when the words settled in her head, her face glowed with happiness. Noticing the change in Bella’s demeanour, Anne asked gently, “How are you?”Bella looked up, her expression softer. “I took your advice and hashed things out with my husband. I talked, and he ju
While at school, Leon waited anxiously for his mother, who was supposed to pick him up. Coco had stayed with him for an hour trying to keep him company before leaving due to Sabrina’s relentless calls. Leon had reassured Coco, saying, “You go. Mommy will come soon.”But as the hours ticked by, his calmness started to disappear.. What was supposed to be a short wait turned into an a long one. One hour stretched into two, then three, and finally four. His mother still hadn’t arrived. Leon's calls went unanswered and the worry in his chest grew heavier with each passing minute.In the end, he dialed his father’s number, hoping to find an answer. But the call went straight to voicemail. Panic set inside him and he quickly reached out to his father's assistant who was listed as the emergency contact in case of such situations. He should have called sooner but he just waited for his mother who still had not come back. “Uncle, where is my daddy?” Leon’s voice filled with concern.“Mr. Leon
A few moments later, the psychologist emerged from Anne’s room. He scanned the faces in the hallway before asking, “Who is the patient’s family?”Everyone instinctively stepped forward. Nicholas who was holding Leon close, said, “I’m her husband. Nicholas Hart.”The psychologist nodded, signaling for Nicholas to step aside for a private conversation.“Mr. Hart,” the psychologist began, “Your wife’s condition is more concerning than it may appear. Although she insists that she’s not stressed, it's clear she’s unaware of the extent of her stress. She’s not only dealing with overwhelming stress but also trauma. It seems that she is been trying to avoid by keeping herself constantly busy.”Nicholas felt a cold wave of dread wash over him as he listened. “What do you mean by trauma?”The psychologist continued, “It seems that she has been using various activities as a way to distract herself from her deeper issues. She is trying to avoid addressing the root of her problems because she belie
Coco returned home with a troubled heart, her anxiety growing with each unanswered call. She tried reaching Leon, but his phone wouldn't connect. Desperately, she dialed Nicholas, but he didn't pick up either. She called everyone she could think of, but no one could connect her to Leon. For two days, Leon was absent from school, and Coco's worry deepened. When she came home from school on the second day, Sabrina greeted her with a warm, "Charlotte, how was your school?"But Coco, overwhelmed and frustrated, threw her schoolbag on the floor and dashed to her room. Sabrina, shocked by this uncharacteristic outburst, quickly followed. Before she could reach her, Coco locked the door from the inside, shutting herself off from the world.The entire household noticed something was wrong. They tried talking to her, knocking on the door, but Coco didn't respond. After a tense period of silence, they decided to unlock the door with the emergency key, fearing something might have happened. Insi
The nanny who had sensed the gravity of the situation, gently urged, “Miss Taylor, please call Mrs. Taylor. We cannot calm Miss Charlotte down. She won't tolerate seeing you right now. Only Mrs. Taylor can help her.”Sabrina’s heart sank at the suggestion. The memory of her last encounter with Bella flashed before her eyes. A heated argument that had ended in bitter words and actions. They hadn’t spoken since and the thought of reaching out to Bella now filled her with dread. Yet, for Coco’s sake, Sabrina knew she had no choice. Reluctantly, she picked up the phone and dialled Bella’s number.The call rang several times but Bella didn’t answer. Frustration and anxiety gnawed at Sabrina as she left a voicemail, her voice filled with desperation. “Bella, it’s Sabrina. I need your help. Coco needs you. Please call me back.” She hung up and stared at the phone. There was no reply, no acknowledgement that Bella had even received the message. Desperation mounting, Sabrina made another call
Sabrina’s voice trembling with desperation as she stepped out of Coco’s room and called Nicholas again. “Nicholas, please come. She’ll listen to you. Please, just come,” she begged, tears choking her words.She was ready to put her pride down and beg everyone who could help her daughter. She had never been as scared in her entire life as she was at this moment. But Nicholas’s response was cold even though his pain was evident even through the phone. “No.”“She will die!” Sabrina cried out, her voice filled with terror. “Do you want to see her dead? Please, save my daughter! Please!”Nicholas’s voice was steady but there was a deep and simmering resentment about her that he did not bother to hide. “As a mother, it’s up to you to decide how to save your daughter.”Sabrina’s voice broke as she pleaded, her fear overwhelming her. “Please, she will die…”There was a long pause and then Nicholas spoke laced with bitterness. “I know. My Rose is dying too each day. I want you to feel the los
Bella’s response was unexpected. “No, Coco. I’m not here to convince you. I’m here to support you.” Coco looked up, surprised and a little confused. “I want you to end your protest but only after you put down your demands,” Bella continued. “Shall I call my lawyer for you to frame an agreement?” Coco blinked, taken aback. “What?” She thought Bella would not understand her feelings like everyone else. They think that she was just a stubborn child throwing a tantrum against her mother. “You’re protesting against Sabrina, right?” Bella asked calmly. Coco hesitated but then nodded. “And where did you get the idea to do this?” Bella inquired, her voice gentler now. She knew that she could not treat Coco like a small child with no reason or rationality. “Gandhi,” Coco explained. “I heard his story from my teacher. He said we can achieve anything through Satyagraha. I’m using his technique. He said with that we can change anyone’s heart. I’m trying to do that.” Bella couldn’t help