Chapter 67

Daniel.

"I apologize, sir. I tried my best to stop her, but she wouldn't listen," my assistant began to explain, but I interrupted her.

"You may leave," I instructed her, and she bowed slightly before hurriedly exiting the office.

I didn't expect Christina to show up in my office like this and cause a scene. I didn't even know how to react because if I were to respond honestly, I might have personally escorted Christina out by dragging her.

"Have you completely lost your sanity, Christina?" I asked, genuinely curious if she was still in her right mind.

"Is that the question you ask your fiancée in the presence of a stranger?" she retorted, and I scoffed.

"Don't tell me you came all the way here to act like a fool. I don't have time to entertain your immaturity and foolishness right now. If you have no valid reason for being here, then I must insist you leave because I have more important matters to attend to," I snapped at her sharply.

I simply didn't have the patience to deal with her on a day like today, and I certainly didn't want to engage in any kind of conversation with her present, especially with Bella here. I didn't want Bella to witness that side of me.

"You must be out of your mind, Daniel, if you think I'm going to leave. You don't even consider the fact that you're speaking this way to me in front of a stranger, when everyone already knows we're supposed to be engaged. Or wait, do you think that pathetic interview you gave is going to make it seem like we're not engaged?" she questioned, and I shook my head in disbelief.

"First of all, the person in front of you is not just some random individual, and I would appreciate it if you showed her some respect. You are the intruder here, not her. Furthermore, there is no relationship between you and me, and I do not acknowledge you as my fiancée. I suggest you leave before you push me to lose my temper," I warned firmly.

While Christina and I exchanged heated words, I made sure to glance at Bella's expression a few times, ensuring that she wasn't feeling uncomfortable. Judging by the look on her face, she appeared observant and didn't seem to be discomforted in any way.

"I don't know who you are, lady, but don't you think it's appropriate for you to leave instead of eavesdropping on a private conversation? Were you not taught basic courtesy?" Christina retorted, directly addressing Bella, and my anger surged.

"Shut up, Christina, and get out of here before I call security to drag you out!" I repeated my warning, but she showed no sign of budging.

"You have no right to dictate what I should do, and feel free to call security if you wish. But I won't leave until you and I have a proper conversation, and you finally agree to stop your foolish behavior," she fired back, and I clenched my fists in frustration.

"May I ask in what way he is behaving foolishly?" Bella unexpectedly interjected, and I wasn't expecting her involvement in this discussion at all.

I didn't want a confrontation between her and Christina because I genuinely believed Christina wasn't worth it, and I also didn't want our interaction to begin on such a negative note. Bella was already complicated enough, and she seemed like the kind of person who disliked being entangled in such situations. I didn't want her to be insulted or made to feel embarrassed because of me.

"It's none of your business, and as I mentioned earlier, you really should leave if you have any courtesy," Christina retorted, and Bella scoffed in response.

"You know, when you walked in here, I actually thought you would have the sense to inquire about who I am before going off like a crazy woman. But seeing as you lack any semblance of sensibility, I have no intentions of indulging you for much longer," Bella calmly replied.

"The only thing I'll say to you is to reflect on yourself and then take a good look at Daniel once again. Now, think about it and be honest with yourself about who appears more foolish between the two of you," Bella retorted, shocking me beyond measure.

I hadn't expected her to respond in that manner, and now that she had, I could only anticipate the situation escalating further. It was why I felt the need to call security promptly and have Christina escorted out.

As I reached for the landline to make the call, Bella suddenly halted me, and I stared back at her, perplexed.

"I don't want you to call security just yet. Let me finish this conversation with this rude brat who needs to be put in her place," she instructed, and although I was bewildered, I complied, simply observing to see how this exchange would unfold.

"Did you just call me a rude brat, or did I mishear? Who do you think you are to hurl insults at me? What gives you the right to even speak to me, and why are you still lingering here?" Christina questioned, clearly bewildered.

"Even if you don't respect me as your fiancé, Daniel, shouldn't you at least defend me against this woman who knows nothing about us? Is she even supposed to be present during our conversation?" she continued, and I let out a weary sigh.

"I'm pretty sure you met her when you entered, and I don't believe you have any grounds to demand her to leave. If anyone should be leaving, it's you, not her," I retorted.

"I can't believe you're capable of embarrassing me like this in front of this woman. Listen, lady, you may feel bold because Daniel seems to be standing up for you, but I couldn't care less about who you are. I'll ask you one more time to leave if you don't want things to escalate further between us," Christina snapped, to which Bella shook her head.

"As I stated before, if you had an ounce of intelligence, the first thing you would have inquired about is my relationship with Daniel instead of shouting and treating me as an outsider. You're the one who doesn't belong here. I know very well that you have no genuine connection with Daniel and that you're merely trying to force a relationship. If you don't want me to embarrass you further, do what's necessary and get the hell out of here," Bella calmly responded.

I despised being caught in such confrontations, and the only reason I hadn't called security to remove Christina was because Bella had asked me not to. But if it were up to me, I would have summoned security without a second thought. I disliked the direction this conversation was taking and loathed being caught up in such situations.

"The only reason I didn't bother asking about your relationship with Daniel is because I couldn't care less about whatever connection you two claim to have. Don't attempt to portray yourself as someone special when Daniel is not committed to anyone, and you're probably just one of the many girls he casually spends time with. Don't try to inflate your importance when you're a nobody," Christina hissed.

"Well, my dear, I'm unsure how to break this news to you, but given your hobby of thoughtlessly running your mouth, it seems I must be the bearer of bad news. I am not one of the many girls Daniel fools around with. Just so you know, he and I share the relationship that you so desperately desire but can never have," Bella retorted, and though I felt perplexed, I masked my confusion.

The situation had become utterly bewildering, and Bella's unexpected defense of me left me speechless. I never anticipated her level of protectiveness, nor did I imagine she would insinuate a romantic connection between us in front of Christina.

"Don't resort to deceitful tactics, my dear. Your crude lies won't faze me," Christina retorted with a scoff.

"Lies, you say? Well, watch this then," Bella shot back. Without warning, she pulled me closer, and our lips met in a sudden kiss.

What was happening?