Chapter 59 A Choice She Can't Escape

Chapter 59 A Choice She Can't Escape
Bellatrix rested against Blake's bare chest, listening to the steady, soothing rhythm of his breathing. His arm was draped over her, and she snuggled closer. It was their nightly routine on the island. Yet, as much as she cherished these quiet moments, a bitter truth lingered in the back of her mind: none of this was real. She was incredibly grateful for this time with him, but she couldn't ignore the heartbreak waiting for her on the horizon. The looming pain haunted her, casting a shadow over her happiness and leaving her constantly on the verge of tears.

Gently kissing his chin, she nudged his chest to roll him over. She slipped out of bed, pulled on her nightgown and robe, and stepped quietly as a mouse into the hallway. The grandfather clock near the stairs read midnight. Creeping downstairs, she peered into the living room and spotted the back of Dalton's head over the sofa.

"Hey," she whispered to announce herself.

When he didn’t move, she walked around to the front of the couch. A soft smile touched her lips. Mayzie and Dalton were fast asleep, curled up together. Bellatrix grabbed a throw blanket from a nearby armchair and gently draped it over them.

"Yeah, you really hate him, Mayzie," she teased under her breath, shaking her head as she headed toward the kitchen for a glass of water. But she froze in the doorway. Ember was already inside, pouring herself some cranberry juice.

"Hi," Ember said, offering a bright smile. "Want some before I put the bottle away?"

"Um, sure. Thanks."

Ember grabbed a clean glass from the cupboard, filled it, and slid the juice back into the fridge. "Can't sleep?"

Bellatrix shook her head. "No. Just have a lot on my mind."

"Oh? You mean Clyde and Blake?" When Bellatrix didn't answer, Ember gave her a sympathetic look. "Don't worry. I know what's going on."

"Oh." Bellatrix took a slow sip of the tart drink.

"I’m keeping Clyde," Ember said flatly.

Bellatrix stared at her, caught completely off guard. "Excuse me?"

"He thinks this is just a temporary thing, and that I'll let him run right back to you in a couple of months. But you can forget about that," Ember said, her tone sweet but sharp. "After what you did, you deserve to be alone. Clyde is wonderful, and you don’t deserve him. I’m not going to let him go back to a girl who treats him like a backup plan until someone wealthier shows up." She smiled and finished her drink in one long gulp.

"I think that will be Clyde's choice, not yours," Bellatrix replied, keeping her voice steady.

Ember laughed. "Please! You know how he is. He’s incredibly easy to sway, and you're the only girl he's ever known. But now there’s someone else in the picture, and I have much more access to him than you do. By the end of these two months, he’ll be wrapped around my finger. There’s nothing you can say to win him back."

Bellatrix swallowed her anger, determined to keep her composure. "If that’s what you think of Clyde, you’re going to fail. He’s much smarter than you think, and he can spot a fake a mile away. He won’t let you talk trash about me."

"Maybe not at first," Ember chuckled. "But the more I point out what you and Blake are up to, the quicker he’ll see the truth. We saw your little performance on the balcony tonight, by the way. How do you get your leg that high?"

Heat rushed to Bellatrix's face, though she wasn't sure if it was from embarrassment or pure rage. "Ember, I don't have a problem with you. I don't know why you've decided to target me, but I'm not going to play your games."

"You don't know why? Because I actually care about Clyde. I’m not going to sit back and watch you string him along until a rich guy catches your eye."

"I didn't leave him for money. I happen to be—"

"What, in love with Blake?" Ember sneered. "Do you honestly think your feelings are so unique? You only went to him because you wanted a wealthy man to spoil you. It’s not Blake you want — it’s his bank account."

"If that were true, why didn't I go after Dalton, or Arking and Ariel? They have even more money."

"Because you're smart enough to know you didn't stand a chance. The twins are players, and they're picky about who they use. Blake, on the other hand, takes whatever is handed to him. He doesn't feel anything for you but lust. Once he's bored, I just hope you actually were after his money."

Bellatrix swallowed hard. "And why is that?"

"Because then, when he tosses some cash your way and tells you to leave, you won't care. But if you actually love him? You're going to be absolutely crushed." Ember's sneer softened into a pitying frown. "In a weird way, I almost feel sorry for you. If your feelings are real, that is."

"Keep your pity. I knew exactly what I was doing." Bellatrix set her glass down with a loud clatter. "And you don't have what it takes to keep Clyde anyway. Let me remind you that he has followed me around his entire life. If you think you can replace me that easily, you're dreaming."

"You had a head start, sure," Ember countered. "But I haven't broken his heart twice. When it comes to trust, we're on a level playing field now."

"Do your worst," Bellatrix snapped, turning on her heel and marching back to her bedroom.

Inside, she shut the door and tried to slow her racing heart. She looked at Blake sleeping peacefully, and then her thoughts drifted to Clyde. Everything was already a mess, and now Ember was threatening to take away her safety net. She winced at her own thought. Safety net. Is that really all Clyde was to her?

Maybe she should just let Ember have him. She had hurt Clyde so many times, and he always forgave her. What was stopping her from hurting him again? But her feelings for Blake weren't about money or status. She had wanted Blake long before they even met, risking getting caught just to catch a glimpse of him.

She had to make a choice. If she didn't love Clyde, she needed to let him go. Ember was right about one thing: she had to be honest with herself. Underneath the confusion, all Bellatrix felt was a heavy weight of guilt. She felt terrible for what she had done to Clyde, and she knew she wouldn't find peace until she cleared the air.

Yet, she couldn't bring herself to walk away from Blake — not when she finally had what she wanted, even if it was temporary. The thought of losing Blake hurt, but the thought of Clyde moving on with Ember hurt just as much. She was torn between two futures, but time was running out. Soon, she would lose Clyde to Ember, and Blake would return to his normal life. The latter was inevitable, but Clyde was a choice she still had to make.

· · ─────── · 𓅪 · ─────── · ·

"Are they still out?" Gustav asked the next morning, peering around the corner into the living room where Dalton and Mayzie were still asleep.

Blake nodded, checking his watch. "We have to leave in an hour."

"Oh, honestly, you two," Bellatrix sighed, joining them. "Just wake them up." She started toward the living room, but Blake caught her arm and pulled her back.

"No," Gustav whispered quickly. "When we caught them holding hands, it nearly started a war. If they find out we saw them like this, all hell will break loose."

Blake wrapped his arm around Bellatrix's shoulders, keeping her close.

"Then what are you going to do?" she asked.

"Throw potato chips at them."

Bellatrix looked up at Blake and rolled her eyes. "You guys are idiots. Here’s what we do: make a loud noise down here, and then run back to our rooms like nothing happened."

"Let's break this," Gustav suggested, pointing to a large decorative vase on the side table. "We can drop it from the stairs."

"Won't Dalton be mad if we break his stuff?" Bellatrix asked.

The two men exchanged a shrug and headed up the steps anyway.

Bellatrix shook her head, muttering to herself, "So childish. We should have just woken them up."

· · ─────── · 𓅪 · ─────── · ·

Downstairs, Mayzie stirred as a loud crash echoed through the house. She blinked, her mind slowly waking up. Snuggling closer into what she thought was a pillow, she suddenly realized the "pillow" was breathing, and a steady heartbeat was thumping against her cheek.

She froze. Slowly looking up, she saw Dalton's face. His head was tilted back, his mouth slightly open as he slept. Panic and embarrassment washed over her.

Mayzie scrambled up, throwing the blanket aside. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, only to freeze when she looked at Dalton's gray shirt. There was a damp circle right on his shoulder. Flushing red, she tried to pat the wet spot dry with her sleeve, only to make it worse.

"Dammit," she muttered. "Well, I’m definitely not blowing on it to dry it."

Clearing her throat, she stood up and smoothed down her clothes. "Hey," she said, giving his shin a sharp kick with her foot. "Wake up. We have to go."

Dalton groaned, barely moving.

She kicked him again, harder this time. "Get up!" she demanded, before quickly retreating from the room.

Dalton sat up with a start, rubbing the back of his stiff neck. "I need some aspirin. My neck is killing me," he grumbled, not realizing Mayzie had already left. When no one answered, he looked around the empty room.

He stretched, trying to shake off the grogginess. As he looked down, his eyes caught the dark, wet spot on his shoulder. He touched it, squinting in disgust.

"What the... she drooled on me," he muttered, shaking his head as he stood up.

Heading upstairs, he stopped outside Mayzie's room and pounded on the door. "Hurry up! We still need to grab breakfast!"

"I'm packing! I'll be right out!" Mayzie called back. She stared at her luggage, which the staff had already packed for her. After a quick double-check to make sure she had everything, she zipped it closed.

After a quick change of clothes, Mayzie headed down to the dining room where the rest of the group was waiting. She offered a polite smile as she sat down, but the heavy tension in the room was impossible to ignore.

It wasn't just Mayzie, Arking, and Dalton who were feeling uncomfortable. Clyde, Blake, Ember, and Bellatrix were all trapped in their own silent dramas. Even Thelma felt a wave of anxiety sitting near Dalton, knowing she was still working for Arking but unsure how to handle her assignment. Ember seemed to be having better luck with her own plans, even though she was starting to realize how complicated things were about to get.