' He's An Abuser. He Cheats. Check The Cameras '
What? It was clear that she was the one who had written this, but who was she referencing? Who was the abuser? This was something Bella just couldn't ignore. Bella rose to her feet and scurried out of the room. She walked down to the very end of the hallways ontil she got to the security room. Mark, who was the guy that oversaw the security Cameras hadn't come yet, it was still early in rge day. Bella hesitantly walked in and went directly for the monitors. She scrolled through vidoes after vidoes of boring everyday activity. She was almost tempted to leave after not finding anything, but that was ontil she came upon the footage of her and Vaughn fighting. At first she thought it was just a minor disagreement. But that was ontil she saw Vaughn grab her by her hair and slam her face on the wall. She saw the half naked woman, Vaughn's assistant who had always been kind to Bella snickering as her injured body was flung to the ground. ' The only Good thing about you is, No matter what I do to you, You'll always love me the next day. My perfect Wife ' Bella buried out of the Security room and went to grab her phone. With shaky hands, she dialled her mother's number. Bella broke into a sob when she heard her Mind voice from the other end of the line. " Mom! Vaughn...he's abusing me. He's the reason I'm always injured " " Shh, It's alright Sweetie " Rebecca tried to calm her daughter down. " Vaughn was wrong, I'm sure he knows it, he will appologize to you when he get's the chance. Just don't make a big deal out of it " " I...did you not hear the part about him beating me up? I...I think I want to come home. I don't feel safe " " You can't. Do you know what people would say if they find out? Vaughn has been very good to us since you married him, he gave your dad a good job, and Jessica is a successful Model now because of his connection " " Mom, what are you saying?" " I'm saying you should forgive him. He probably didn't mean to hurt him, you must have angered him. How about this, when he comes back go and appologize to him, and pretend you don't know anything. You'll forget all about it tomorrow, so there's nothing to worry about. " Bella could hardly believe what her mother was saying. Could it be the woman had been brainwashed by Vaughn? Why else would she advice her own daughter to remain with a man that was violent. " Bella?...Hello " Bella cut off the call. She stared down at her phone for a long time wondering who else to call. She didn't have any friends, only her parents, sister and husband. And if even her mom wasn't willing to help her, then no one would. Bella thought about it for a very long time and finally decided that she would have to get away from here first. She grabbed a key to one of the dozens of cars Vaughn had gotten her and left the house. " We can drive you to him " Three of Vaughn's men had seen her leave the house and they weren't willing to let her drive off alone. " It's too dangerous to go alone " " I'm only going to his office. I just remembered that today was our anniversary, and Vaughn is probably too busy to come home early today. I wanted to surprise him. " The men exchanged uncertain looks, then one of them asked her. " Do you Remember how to get to the company?" " Of course I do. Don't worry about it " They still looked hesitant, but didn't try to stop her as she got into the car and drove off. Bella's heart was beating fast throughout the interaction, she had been afraid they wouldn't let her leave. The moment she was out of the compound, she switched off her phone and took a turn that would lead her to the nearest airport. * * * Vaughn received a call from one of his men, and it had him leaving his place of work and hurrying back home. He found Molly, the nurse he had employed for Bella tied up and gagged. She had tear stains on her cheeks. " What the fuck did you tell her?" Vaughn growled, the woman shrank back and whimpered in fear " The Security footage has been tampered with boss. And we've traced the Mrs location, she's going to the airport." " And none of you could stop that bitch from leaving?!" " We are sorry. She said she was going to see you boss, we didn't think anything of it " " Of course you didn't. Bunch of Idiots! Connect me to her speakers " The man hurriedly did as he was told and connected the call with the speaker and Bella's car. He handed the phone to Vaughn. Vaughn took the phone. " Bella, baby, I know you can here me. You need to come back home right now. Whatever the issue is, we can resolve it " ' You Bastard. I'm never coming back to you ' " I'm wrong, I am very sorry, baby. But you need to come back. It's dangerous out there, remember? " ' I'm not coming back just so you can take advantage of me again! I don't let you break me again Vaughn. The moment I get away, you can expect the divorce papers emailed to you ' Vaughn rolled his eyes. So fucking dramatic. " Come on, I didn't hit you that bad " ' I hate you Vaughn, you are...' The sound of a collision and the screeching of tires cut Bella short. " Baby?" Vaughn frowned at the lack of response " Bella, what's happening? Bella!" " Boss! Her car isn't moving anymore " " What the fuck does that mean?" The man hesitated. " She's been hit. An accident " Vaughn's eyes widened, his body went still. " Shit "Vaughn was stunned at the news of Bella's accident, but he quickly recovered. With a scowl, he tossed the phone away. "Send an ambulance to her location."The men exchanged glances, and one of them summoned the courage to ask, "Won't you be going to check on her?""Why the hell should I?" Vaughn glared at him. "She got herself into this mess, she can get herself out." He turned around and walked upstairs to his room.Vaughn stripped off his clothes and went to take a shower. Afterward, he lay on his bed, preparing to sleep. But before he could doze off, his phone started ringing. He groaned in irritation as he picked it up. It was his secretary. "What?""Mr. McCoy, Bella is—""Yes, I know. She got into an accident.""You need to be at the hospital, sir! The media already got wind of what happened. If you don’t go now, they’ll start suspecting something. It’ll be bad for your reputation!"Vaughn wanted to refuse, but he knew his secretary had a point. He valued his reputation above all
It was a miracle from God that she had overcome her mental condition, but Bella feared this freedom wouldn’t last long. And she couldn’t go to any hospital to get herself tested because she just knew Vaughn would get wind of it. The whole world seemed to worship the very ground he walked on; everyone was so eager to please him.This was why Bella hadn’t told him about her recovery. If her husband knew that she remembered all the abuse he had put her through, he might get rid of her. She feared he would hurt or kill her. So, she kept her mouth shut and pretended to still be mentally ill. Vaughn treated her kindly, like she was the most precious thing in the world. It was hard to imagine that this was the same man who had hurt her countless times.“Home sweet home,” Vaughn said as he wheeled her into the house. It was the fourth day after she had awakened from her coma. Vaughn had demanded she be brought home despite the hospital’s protest. He had told her not to worry, that the best nu
The next day, Bella woke up early to cook breakfast for Vaughn. She greeted him with a smile when he came downstairs. "Good morning, dear.""Morning, baby." Vaughn placed a soft kiss on her lips. He eyed the food on the table with surprise. "You cooked?""Yeah. Anna told me about the accident this morning. I felt bad for making you worried, so I wanted to make it up to you.""I appreciate the sentiment, baby, but you know you don’t have to do all this. We have the maids for a reason.""I know. But this is like a thank you for being such an amazing husband to me."Vaughn smiled at her and didn’t bother protesting further. He took a seat and dug into the food. His eyes widened in surprise at the delicious taste. Although it was just a simple breakfast, it was far better than what the cooks made. In all the years he had been with Bella, this was the first time she had cooked something so delicious."This is so good, baby. I didn’t know you could cook.""I’m not that good. I just spent ho
"What is this?"Bella kept her head bowed. Despite hearing the anger in his voice, she didn’t respond; she had nothing to say. Her silence only angered him more."Isabella, what the fuck is that necklace doing in your bag if you didn’t pay for it?!"She raised her head, stunned at the use of her full name. Vaughn had never referred to her by her full name before, and they’d been together for years. It seemed she had successfully managed to piss him off, and this was only phase two of her plan. She was very content with herself.Bella spoke with a nonchalant voice, "I guess I forgot to pay for it."Vaughn was so angry that even the staff became terrified. The manager quickly stepped forward to help resolve the issue. "Mr. McCoy, the fault is ours. Your wife was clearly tired; she truly forgot to pay for the necklace. It’s just a misunderstanding.""Step aside," Vaughn told him coldly. The older man shuffled away. The billionaire advanced toward his wife, and the fact that she seemed un
Westbridge Academy of Music and Arts was one of the most well-known universities in the country. It boasted a large number of celebrity graduates each year, including some of the most famous artists in the world. It was the place to be for anyone seeking connections or looking to boost their fame further.It was safe to say that the school's criteria were very high, and it was extremely difficult to gain admission. For someone like Bella, who had no talent in art, it would have been nearly impossible to be accepted. But here she was, a first-year student of music and dance, something she didn't even have an interest in.But it was alright because she wasn't actually here to study. Bella had enrolled at Westbridge because it was the only way she could meet a certain person without raising Vaughn's suspicion. This person would be her key to escaping her abusive marriage and exacting revenge on her husband.Bella had to move out of the mansion due to her new college being a three-hour dr
“Boss?” Vaughn’s attention was diverted back to his bodyguard, who had also noticed Bella’s fleeing figure. “Should we go after her?”“No need. I doubt she’s the one.” If that had indeed been his wife, why would she have run away after seeing him? Just now, it was as if she had seen a monster. No, that couldn’t possibly be his Bella. Vaughn walked forward, ignoring the crowd that was gradually forming.As someone famous, he always caused a stir wherever he went, which was why he had his security team with him at all times. He hated interacting with people he regarded as beneath him.“Mr. McCoy, welcome,” the Vice-Chancellor of the school, Mr. Adams, greeted him. They shook hands, and he led the young billionaire to his office. “I want to state what an honor it is to have you at our institution.”“Sure, but I’m sure you know the real reason I’m here.”“Of course. Your wife…” Mr. Adams shuffled through a stack of papers until he found what he was looking for—Bella’s schedule, which had
"Indeed," Damien said simply. He accepted Vaughn's outstretched hand, but the handshake only lasted a moment. Both of them were too disgusted with each other to continue touching.Their mutual disdain was palpable; no one could ever guess the deep hatred that ran between the two men. Bella had overheard Vaughn complaining about Damien and his family on countless occasions. While Vaughn's father, Stephen McCoy, was a gold merchant with his main company in South Africa, the Beriosova family had a dark history.There had been speculations that Luciano Beriosova was a drug lord who used his legitimate business as a cover-up. It might have been just rumors, but Vaughn had said the same thing, and Bella didn’t believe he was making it up.“While I would love to catch up, I was just about to take Bella home,” Vaughn said.“Wasn’t she supposed to start classes today?” Damien asked.“She’s tired, aren’t you, baby?”That voice... there was no way she could say otherwise. Vaughn's harsh gaze pro
Her shock was evident on her face. Bella pondered over the question carefully; it was the first time someone had asked her about the abuse. Her parents knew about it, but to remain in her husband's favor, they never brought it up.Damien didn't want to repeat himself. "I suspected this." His heartless cousin, who only seemed to care about himself, wouldn't be able to stand living with another human being.Vaughn's marriage had come as a shock to their family. Luciano Beriosova had even joked that whoever was unfortunate enough to marry the little devil wouldn't live past the honeymoon before getting herself killed. Damien hadn't gone to the wedding, but he'd seen it in the media. It was all the internet gushed about for months.His cousin was a very good actor. He played the role of a perfect husband in public to the point of deceiving the whole world. But Damien knew that Vaughn was only putting on an act, and now his suspicions were confirmed.His lips curled into a dismissive smile
The drive back to the villa is silent. While Kyouka is probably thinking of more ways to convince his sister to come back home, Bella is preoccupied with how she would face Vaughn. If she’d known that calling him at that time wouldn’t have helped her, she would have just relied on Eric—despite how useless the billionaire had been as well.She wonders how the scene would play out: Eric and Vaughn in the same room, breathing the same air. How entertaining that would be. When the car finally pulls up in front of Kyouka’s residence, Bella hesitates for a moment before stepping out and following the Yakuza leader inside.Eric and Vaughn are settled in the living room. Vaughn sits with his legs crossed, taking slow drags from a cigarette, while Eric signs a few papers under Ayato’s watchful eye. Bella is more surprised to see the two coexisting peacefully than by her ex-husband’s smoking. Vaughn didn’t smoke; he couldn’t stand the smell and was always quick to lecture about how harmful it w
Even though no one had made a move to hurt her or force her into anything, Bella was still uneasy. The further Kyouka led her through the house, the more she became aware of just how many people lived there. All were strong men clad in Japanese-style outfits; some even carried katanas. It was the kind of scene one only saw in movies—too unreal. Bella might have been fascinated by the entire setup if her life weren’t hanging by a thread. One wrong move, and she might just cease to exist.Kyouka was clearly the youngest, yet he commanded the most respect. The men bowed to him, offering a chorused greeting. The young man, already accustomed to this, hardly reacted. He led Bella through a set of double doors into a bare room. A futon was laid on the ground, and a table and stool sat in one corner.“This is my sister's room,” Kyouka said. How that had anything to do with Bella, she didn’t know.“It’s... pretty.”“There used to be more here—a dresser, photos on the wall. My sister loved art
Bella was thrown roughly into the backseat of a Jeep. A piece of cloth had been stuffed into her mouth while in the elevator. Strangely enough, nobody made a move to rescue her as she was taken out of the hotel.They drove for two hours straight, and Bella counted down every agonizing minute. The Jeep pulled up in front of a Japanese-style villa. She was brought to her feet and led forward. The house had few furnishings, mostly carved from expensive wood. Instead of chairs, they had stools and low tables. Bella hardly had time to admire the decor before she was shoved in front of a door.Akira whispered to her in a low tone, "If you want to get through this with your limbs intact, you better behave. Speak only when spoken to."This guy clearly wasn't joking. Feeling afraid for her limbs, Bella obediently kept quiet even as the gag was taken out of her mouth.Three men dressed in black kimonos with dragon patterns approached. Akira bowed to one of them and whispered something in Japane
"So, what you're telling me is, your life is currently in grave danger, and Eric is responsible?"Bella was certain she hadn't explicitly blamed Eric for what happened, though it was indeed his fault. Vaughn had always been hateful toward the other billionaire. They shared a mutual dislike and found any reason to go at each other's throats. She couldn’t be bothered with it. "Tell Silas about it. He’ll come get me.""I can come get you. I’ll have the jet ready—it’ll only be a few hours.""Vaughn, for the last time, I don’t want you here! Stay away!""Then why did you call me if you—""Are you stupid?! I already said I don’t know any other number except yours. I left my phone back at my place, so I have no means of reaching out to Silas by myself. Do me one favor: tell Silas about it. I’ll repay you."Bella was almost certain Vaughn was rolling his eyes at her words. He was always dismissive of her like this, and it pissed her off to no end. Honestly, she’d planned to never have anythin
Bella woke up in a boat—a goddamn boat! She stared at the water below in astonishment. Eric, who was propelling the boat toward the island already coming into view, took notice of her."Finally awake?""What the fuck?!""Wow, very classy.""You!... Where the hell are you taking me?! What's going on?!""See that island over there? It's mine. We'll be spending a few days there, at least until my men take care of this whole mess."By "mess," he probably meant the men who had been trying to kill him—a deadly situation Eric had successfully managed to drag her into. The whole thing was unbelievable. To think she had come to Tokyo to enjoy some peace and quiet, an escape from her once dramatic life. The last thing she'd expected was to encounter Eric here, let alone have him drag her along to some stupid island without her permission."Who told you to do this?! Why didn't you drop me off at a police station?"Eric scoffed, thinking to himself that this woman was not as smart as he had given
Bella was uncertain at first, but by the second day, she was actually excited about being in Tokyo. The people were friendly, already used to seeing tourists around, so she didn’t get any stares or rude comments. The language barrier was the only hitch, but Bella wasn’t that social anyway. She was just here for the fun of it.For the first time in weeks, she actually felt relaxed. Knowing she was far away from her past, even if only for a few weeks, made her feel at ease. She had rented an apartment in a nice neighborhood. She’d had to deposit rent for three months, but with some consideration, she might just settle here for a longer period than she’d initially thought. She was certain Ethan Walker wouldn’t mind, and even if he did, it wasn’t like Bella owed him much. She was now a free woman and could do whatever she wanted.Freedom came with eating whatever she wanted to her heart’s content. She no longer had the nagging fear of what Vaughn might think of her figure if she started g
The big day finally came. The whole city was shaken by it. All TV channels and media outlets were lined up outside the courtroom, all eager to be the first to broadcast the biggest breakup of the year. If only they could interview the couple and get some juicy inside details—it would be even better. But, funny enough, Vaughn didn't even show up in court. He had his lawyers handle the case, and they were willing to give Bella whatever assets she might ask for. Millions of dollars were set out in the open for her taking. And Bella thought it was just Vaughn's last means of mocking her. Even at a time like this, he was showing his good side for the world to see. Clearly, she was the one who filed for the divorce, and Vaughn, being the kind and benevolent husband he was, seemed willing to give her whatever she desired. Truly, she appeared like a true gold digger in court. This was one of the most embarrassing moments of her life. The case was finalized within an hour, and their marri
Jessica's life had never been more challenging than it was at this moment. Don’t get her wrong; she’d always wanted her sister to get divorced, but what’s the point of that anymore when Vaughn didn’t even give her a second look? She’d never seen the man so obsessed before.The news of the divorce had taken the world by storm. Many people were in disbelief as Vaughn and Bella were viewed as the perfect couple. They’d been seen together acting all loved-up, and now they were separating?While Bella seemed to have disappeared completely from the public eye, Vaughn, unfortunately, was left to deal with the aftermath of the divorce. The paparazzi followed him like a second shadow. The blinding flash of their cameras and the inappropriate questions they threw at him pissed him off to no end. At this point, he might just work directly from home.But even while at home, there were still some people who came to bother him from time to time. Damien blamed him for his split with Bella, like Vaug
Bella met with the lawyer the next day. He was a middle-aged man who had been working with the Walker family for almost a decade. According to Ethan, he was one of the best lawyers money could buy."Ms. Page, you need to understand, if you insist on not filing for domestic violence, you'll likely end up with very little after the divorce. Your husband has such a good reputation in the public eye. Also, since you filed for the divorce, he has more advantage in this case.""It doesn't matter. I didn’t want anything to begin with. I want a smooth parting if that's possible."The man hummed in understanding. "We'll still have to meet up with your husband's lawyer. Your husband has asked that you speak to him in person.""Fine. Where?" Vaughn was probably going to try to convince her not to go through with the divorce. However, her mind was made up. If he came all the way to China for that, then she'd like to see the disappointment on his face when she rejected him. Also, she had some thin