Belle had several theories formed in her head. Hearing it out loud and from Leo himself still came as a surprise.
Her lips slightly parted in surprise. It was even clearer now, all those similarities that he shared with Nikolai.“You're really brothers?” She wanted to confirm once more.“Half-brothers… allegedly. It was never confirmed. Nobody really dared to confirm. Those who knew the truth never bothered to speak out, those suspicious never asked.To say that she was curious was an understatement. She wants to hear everything, from start to end. This was big news! The anticlimactic bored face from Leo isn't stopping her from wanting to hear the story.“But… but how?”“I don't think I should be the one telling you this. If you want the drama, the whole plot, go ask your husband.”“Soon-to-be ex-husband,” she corrected.Leo smirked. “Nah. I doubt so.” He crossed his arm that were filled with bruises.Someone knocked on her door late in the evening. The lights on her room were still and he must have figured out that she was still awake.They have never slept in the same room since the confrontation. It was hard enough for her to stay in the same house and eat breakfast at the same table as Nikolai. All this she did for Liam.Belle unlocked the door, and Nikolai was standing outside. She would always avoid looking in his eyes and this is the first time she's seen the stress reflect on his face.“Can we talk now?” He gently said. It was the first time he asked.“Okay.”Instead of letting him in, she took a step outside and led the way to the nearest lounge area. Her room was a mess. Aside from that, it would be safer to talk somewhere far away from a bed where ‘talking’ can be translated into something else.“Let's talk here.” Belle took a seat and signaled Nikolai to sit, too. She's much more calm now than she was days before.
“Is that why you are here?”Belle nodded.Everything she needed and more was in Houston… but how can she stay silent and live in peace knowing that someone who wants her dead was breathing the same air? There was no turning back after knowing this.Before they get her, she should get them first. “I need to do something here.”“What do you mean?” Bonnie asked, but gasped soon after. “This is about the accident, isn't it?”“It wasn't an accident, Bon. Someone tried and failed to kill me.”“I was already suspecting it.” Bonnie worriedly held Belle's hand. “I knew even back then that something was off with your letter.”The letter. Right. The one that she was forced to write. Every letter she wrote was like digging into her own skin.It was the time Liam needed her the most. Why would she leave suddenly?It was an easy conclusion that maybe things went too much for her and she left. Wors
“Finally, we're alone!” Belle gushed after Stella closed the door in her own house.It was a little unfair to see her live a rather good life in her two-storey mansion. Living this glamorous life, she doesn't deserve it.“What are you doing here, Belle?”“Of course you would ask that. What am I doing here when I'm supposed to be buried six feet under, you mean?” She raised an eyebrow. “I don't know what you mean.”“You know exactly what I mean.”Stella wanted her gone. She couldn't stomach the fact that even when Belle wants nothing to do with Nikolai, he would still choose to be with him.Theirs was a complicated history of rejection and love.“You were pretending to be another person all this time.”Belle scoffed in disbelief. If there was a glass of water near her, she'd throw it ruthlessly right in front of Stella's face. Like those scenes in the movie. “I wasn't pretending, Stella. You almost kill
The silence was so loud, Belle could already read what was running in Nikolai's head.She was wearing the same clothes; she had the same haircut. She was the same woman who left, but something must have changed.Even Belle could feel it. It was hard to point out exactly what it could be.“I've been gone for a while and now that I'm back… really back, you won't say anything?” She raised an eyebrow.“Isobelle…”‘Isobelle.’ He really had to call her differently.If only Nikolai called her like anyone else. If only he hadn't made her feel a bit special. If only she didn't fall for his charm, it wouldn't be this way.She blamed herself alone for falling in love with him, but it was him who would always look at her longingly.If only he looked the other way, they wouldn't be standing this close to one another. With all the problems and complications that surround them.“I rushed here with all that emotions, some scripted movie-type of script to ask you questions and now that I'm here-” yet
“I thought you wanted a break.” “I do.” Belle held her breath to prevent heaving a deep sigh. “I still want to, but I'm busy right now with work.” “Just a weekend?” Of course, she had the weekend off. Sadly for her case, rest from work doesn't automatically mean a rest for her mind. Her head was all over the place after Leo told her to be careful. She is taking his advice, but it was almost to the point of being obnoxious. “I know about how you'd constantly contact Emily.” “Of course she told you.” She isn't their boss, after all. In the end, every employee in the company and their house has to promise their full loyalty to Nikolai. “I asked her not to tell you because I don't want you to think there's a need to worry.” “Exactly why she told me. She's getting worried about you, too.” “I don't want Liam to be in danger.” “Of course. I'll make sure of that as well.” “So, are you ready for this vacation?” She needed a breather, and so did Nikolai. “Are we finally going to th
“Because I love you, Isobelle.”This wasn’t the first time she heard Nikolai say it. Her dream was filled with romance and sweet gestures. Most especially, of declaration of love. The thought of Nikolai saying those words lived in her dreams and, for the longest of time, she allowed to have that sense of delusion. It was her own way of coming to terms with knowing she might never get the chance to hear him say it in person.She has waited all her life to hear Nikolai say those words and now that he did; she didn’t expect that her initial reaction would be… doubt.“It’s okay, Nikolai. I already believe you are trying to do your best for this family. I told you. That’s already enough for me.”“Isobelle, this isn’t just a spur of the moment. I’m saying this because it is really what I feel. I love-”“Please don’t tell me lies. I already believed everything you have been saying, and that was too much at stake already. So, that’s enough for me
“We got a lead. I know it came as a shock, but we’re lucky that we got a hold of this news before the media finds out.”Nikolai sighed. One moment, he was brimming with happiness with his family and in just a glimpse of an eye, everything was at risk. Not just his family, but everything that he worked hard for all his life.There are already articles written. Some whistleblowers have spoken. The little people that know about the issue have been monitoring how they are doing in the stock market. It’s hopeless. Nikolai and those who know the truth are waiting for their ship to finally sink while they are still inside.‘Data Deception Exposed: Corruption in the Energy Sector’The media are playing games on them. Even sending them anonymously a copy of what they will release on the internet tomorrow, which was even a date written with a tiny font below the title. That means they have less than twenty-four hours to fix an issue that would cause irrepar
Another sigh of frustration escaped Belle’s mouth for what it seemed like the hundredth time today.‘I have to leave for an emergency. Don’t worry about it. I just need to fix this now. Will explain it to you soon.’That was the last text that Nikolai sent before leaving. It was still Sunday, and they were supposed to stay in the hotel until Wednesday and so far, it has been going well until Nikolai received that message.He must have left at midnight. No matter what problem it was from work, how urgent was it that he really had to leave that early in the morning?It wasn’t helping that Nikolai hadn’t been answering any of her messages or calls.“Mommy, is Daddy in his office?” Liam asked.She stopped looking at her phone screen and relaxed her face to show her son a sincere smile. It was hard to hide the panic and worry, but for Liam’s sake, she has to pull her shit together.“Yes.” she answered shortly, so he wouldn’t ask so much. “Why don’t you fall asleep for now and I’ll wake you