27. Bella
TWENTY-SEVEN
Bella
The early afternoon sun filters through the windows, casting a warm glow over the luxurious penthouse. I’m curled up on the plush sofa, absently flipping through a magazine, but my thoughts are elsewhere.
The events of the past days swirl in my mind like a storm, leaving me restless and uneasy.
Suddenly, the shrill ring of the phone on the wall pierces the silence. I jump, my heart racing. Who could be calling? Alex? No, he would use the cell he got me. I reach for the receiver, hesitating for a moment before answering.
“Hello?”
“Bella, it’s me.” The voice on the other end is unmistakable. My father. Relief floods through me, but it’s quickly overshadowed by a hundred questions.
“Dad? How did you find me? How did you get this number?”
He sighs, a weary sound that makes my heart ache. “Tracker on your husband’s car. Is he there?”
My grip tightens on the phone. “Why does it matter, Dad? And why did you disappear?”
He ignores my questions. “Bella, the only reason Alex married you is to get to me. He doesn’t have feelings. He’s a sociopath who hides behind realistic but fake emotions. Don’t believe anything he says.”
I shake my head, even though he can’t see me. “No, Dad, that’s not true.”
His voice turns cold. “See what happens when you tell him where the thing is he’s looking for. Let’s see how deep his feelings go then.”
“What do you mean?” I ask, my heart pounding louder in my chest.
“It’s just a job to him. He’s using you to get to me. Not even for himself. He’s just a hired hand, in it for the money.”
“He gave me a million bucks, Dad.”
“Peanuts to a guy like him. I can’t believe you fell for his shit.”
“He’s kept me safe, Dad, which is more than I can say for you. People have tried to kill me, did you know that?”
He sounds on the verge of tears. “I’m sorry, I should never have taken the damned thing.”
“What thing?”
He gives me an address, a location I don’t recognize. “That’s where you’ll find it. See for yourself. You can go get it and give it to the cops, destroy it, or give it to him. God, I wish I’d never gotten involved in all this; it’s caused me nothing but trouble.”
“Dad, what is it? What is everyone trying to find?”
He sighs again, a sound full of regret. “You tell him where it is, and he lets you live, I’ll apologize and give my blessing to the marriage. Goodbye, Bella.” His tone is final, as if he expects this to be the last time we speak.
“Dad, wait—” But the line goes dead. I stare at the receiver, my mind racing. What was he talking about? What could Alex want so badly?
I quickly text Alex the location my dad gave me, my fingers trembling as I type. “My dad called. He gave me a location. Here it is.” I hit send and wait, my anxiety growing with each passing second.
The silence is deafening. Minutes tick by, and still no response from Alex. Doubt creeps into my mind, mingling with the fear and confusion. Was my dad right? Is Alex really just using me to get to him? My heart aches at the thought.
I sink back onto the sofa, my thoughts a whirlwind of emotions. I want to believe Alex, to trust the feelings that have been growing between us.
But my father’s words echo in my mind, casting a shadow over everything. I check my bank account. The money’s real, even if the relationship isn’t. But what is going on?
Uncertainty gnaws at me. What if Alex never replies? What if he’s been playing me all along? The thought is unbearable, and tears prick at the corners of my eyes.
I clutch the phone tightly, staring at the screen, willing it to light up with a response. But it remains stubbornly silent, leaving me to wonder if my father’s grim prediction is coming true.
I can’t wait any longer. I type in his number and call him, listening, praying he’ll answer.