Chapter 36: The reason for his dislike.
A storm of tears ravaged Gina’s face.
"Gina! Stop crying." Claudia, perched beside her on the bed, patted Gina’s head. "Look, your beautiful eyes will be swollen shut if you keep this up."
"I don’t care," Gina snapped with despair. "Theodore won’t even glance my way. All this effort, this makeover... for nothing. He is married now – to an ordinary woman. What could he possibly see in her?"
Fresh sobs threatened to erupt, but Claudia cut her off with a firm, "If you continue to cry like a banshee, you will look ugly. Then Theodore wouldn’t even spare you a pitying look."
Gina’s sobs died in her throat, replaced by a mixture of surprise and a flicker of fear that darted across her tear-streaked face.
Sensing she was successful in stopping her cry, Claudia moved on to the next step. "We fight back. For your love, Gina. No more moping. Theodore means to be yours, and I’ll help you win him back."
A watery grin peeked through Gina’s tears. "Really, Aunty?" she choked out, hope blooming in her eyes. "You’ll help me."
Claudia’s gaze softened considerably as she reached out to stroke Gina’s hair. "Of course, darling," she murmured. "You are the only one worthy of being his wife, not an ordinary woman. We’ll figure out how to remove her from Theo’s life. Just be patient and follow my instructions."
Gina blinked back her remaining tears, a determined glint replacing the sorrow. "Okay," she whispered, nodding. "I’ll do whatever you say."
"That’s my good girl." Claudia pulled Gina into a hug, the brief smile on her face fading entirely. Her lips formed a thin, grim line. She would stop at nothing to see Bella disappear from the Reid family picture.
Inside Theodore’s bedroom...
Bella stood on the balcony, her gaze drifting over the sprawling courtyard. The meticulously pruned hedges and pine trees created a serene and orderly landscape, while the imposing mountain in the backdrop lent a majestic touch to the scene.