Chapter 222: Forced to stay apart
Bella felt as if the ground beneath her had fallen away. Her stomach twisted in knots, her body rigid with shock. Questions flooded her mind, but none could escape her lips, as if she had lost her voice. She stared at Theodore, still trying to process his words, the dread settling deeper in her heart.
"If Claudia’s plan succeeds, the entire Reid family will collapse," Theodore said, his tone grim. "She’ll take everything—power, wealth, control."
"How is that even possible?" Bella couldn’t believe Claudia’s power, surpassing even Theodore’s ability to stop her. "You have the power and influence. You can stop her, can’t you?"
He paused, his gaze meeting hers with an unfamiliar look of helplessness. "I’m working on it, but Claudia has covered her tracks well. To expose her, I need more than just my influence. I need leverage, evidence—anything to bring her down." His grip tightened on her hands.
"And to obtain that evidence," he went on, "I’ve been using Gina. That’s why you’ve seen me with her. It’s all part of my plan to expose Claudia. Don’t think I have developed feelings for her."
"Wait?" Bella’s eyes widened, surprised. "So – you and Gina... you are not together!"
Theodore shook his head firmly. "No. Bella, you’re the only woman I’ve ever loved. Gina is just a pawn in this. The only reason I’m close to her is because she is the only one who can help me expose Claudia. I need to win her trust first to use her against Claudia."
Bella blinked, tears stinging her eyes. A pang of guilt twisted her heart. Without knowing the truth, she had suspected him and had even treated him rudely.
The thought that he had been enduring all the pressure alone made her sadder. On top of that, she had hurt him unknowingly with her harsh words and rude behavior. The sadness in her heart deepened, but just as quickly, it morphed into frustration.
"Why didn’t you tell me sooner?" she snapped, shoving his hands away. "Why did you act like you suspected me? As if you hated me?"
"Bella, listen..."
"No, you listen to me!" she cut him off, her voice rising in emotion. "You talk about having faith in you, but did you ever have faith in me? You kept me in the dark about everything, like I wasn’t strong enough to handle the truth. Do you think I’m that fragile? Theodore, I didn’t hesitate to protect you before—I took that knife for you! And if I had to, I’d do it again."