Chapter 202

Zane's POV

The streets of Brixton blurred past me as I sped through the near-empty roads. The engine of my car roared in protest, but I didn't let up. My foot pressed harder against the pedal, heart hammering in my chest. Belle's call had come through only minutes ago, but instead of her voice, I heard the chaos of her family in the background. The tension, the shouting-it was enough to make my stomach twist. What made me bolt from Zeke and Fletcher's meeting wasn't just that. It was the sound of her mother accusing her-blaming Belle for everything her family was going through.

But the real kicker, the thing that set me off, was hearing Belle throw up. The sound echoed through the phone, making my blood run cold. Something was wrong. Something was terribly wrong.

I had to get to her. And fast.

The Perri mansion was beautiful, elegant enough for doctors of their status and nothing out of the ordinary. But right now, all it felt like was a prison Belle couldn't escape from.

I slammed the brakes hard, skidding to a stop just outside the iron gates. Midnight was closing in, the moon casting eerie shadows over the perfectly manicured lawns, but I wasn't in the mood to admire the scenery.

I stepped out of the car, with enough anger to electrocute anyone who set the current in motion. Without hesitation, I walked straight to the door and pressed the bell, my jaw clenched tight as I waited. Seconds felt like hours, each tick of the clock amplifying my eagerness to get to Belle.

Finally, the heavy door creaked open, revealing Elijah Perri. His eyes met mine, and for a moment, we just stood there, sizing each other up.

"I need to see Belle," I said, my voice sharper than I intended.

Elijah frowned, blocking the doorway with his broad frame. "Now's not a good time. My parents don't want any visitors, especially not you."

I could feel the anger bubbling up, hot and relentless, but I kept my voice steady. "I don't give a fuck what your parents want, Elijah. I'm not here for them. I'm here for Belle. Either you let me in, or I'll make my way in myself."

His eyes narrowed, the tension between us thickening. "You don't understand. It's-"

Before he could finish, Ben Perri appeared behind him, his face tight with stress. "Elijah, leave it. Mom's in shock. She's furious, and it's getting worse."

Elijah turned to him, rolling his eyes. "And what about Belle? Is she-"

"That's the problem," Ben interrupted.

That was all I needed to hear. My patience snapped, and before either of them could stop me, I pushed past Elijah, storming into the house.

He tried to grab my arm, but I yanked it free, my mind racing. The echoes of angry voices grew louder as I made my way toward the living room.

And then I heard it-Belle's mother, her voice shrill with rage, cutting through the air like a blade.

"How could you, Belle? How could you be pregnant?"

I stopped dead in my tracks, the words hitting me like a freight train. Pregnant? Belle... pregnant?

For a moment, I couldn't move, couldn't breathe. My mind reeled, trying to process what I had just heard. Every muscle in my body tensed, shock locked me in place.

"Pregnant?" The word echoed in my head.

Elijah came up behind me, his voice low, almost apologetic. "Now you understand why this isn't a good time."

But I barely heard him. My gaze was fixed on the doorway leading into the living room where Belle's mother continued her tirade.

"Do you even know who the father is?" she demanded, her voice laced with venom. "Or is this just another one of your reckless mistakes?"

I felt a surge of anger rise within me, hot and uncontrollable. How dare she speak to Belle like that? How dare she blame her when I could only imagine the kind of pressure and pain Belle had been under, especially being stuck in this goddamn house.

I took a step forward, but Elijah's hand shot out, grabbing my arm. "Don't," he warned. "This isn't your fight, Zane."

I shook him off, my chest heaving with frustration. "The hell it's not. Belle doesn't deserve this."

"You don't know the half of it," Ben chimed in. "She's been through more than any of us can understand."

"I know all I need to know." I replied coldly.

My feet moved on their own, carrying me into the room where Belle stood, her face pale and her eyes wide with fear. Her mother stood opposite her, arms crossed, looking like a woman on the verge of breaking.

Belle's father sat silently in the corner, his expression grim, as if he didn't have the energy to engage.

She turned to me, her eyes locking onto mine, and in that moment, I could see it- The pain, the fear, the guilt. My heart broke for her.

Her mother, however, had not noticed me and continued raining her frustration on Belle. "You've shamed this family, Belle. You've ruined everything we've worked for."

"Stop," I snapped, stepping further into the room, my hands clenched into fists. "You don't get to talk to her like that."

Her mother's eyes flared with indignation. "This is a family matter, who the hell are you to interfere."

"I'm here for Belle," I said firmly, meeting her gaze without flinching. "And I'm not going anywhere until she's okay."

The room fell into an uneasy silence, everyone's attention now on me. Belle's mother seemed ready to argue, but something in my expression must have stopped her, because she backed down, muttering something under her breath.

I took another step toward Belle, my voice softening as I reached out to her. "Are you okay?"

Belle didn't answer right away. She just stared at me, her hands trembling slightly at her sides. Finally, she shook her head, her voice barely above a whisper. "I... I don't know."

I wanted to pull her into my arms, to tell her that everything would be okay, that we'd figure this out together. But I didn't know how much damage had already been done, how deep her wounds went.

Before I could say anything more, her father cleared his throat, drawing our attention.

"You should go, Mr Caruso," he said, his tone weary. "This is something we need to handle as a family."

I shook my head, refusing to accept that. "She needs support. And if you're not going to give it to her, then I will."

"Great! Since you are here, you might as well make her tell us who the baby's father is since it's not Dave!" Her mother said angrily.

I turned my attention to Belle, slowly smile spread across my face it seemed to help her. I didn't have to ask who was the father.

I already knew the answer.