Chapter 127 Her Mother's Daughter
BELLA
I stared at Elowen, my heart pounding against my chest. Her face, once familiar and warm, now seemed like the face of a stranger. “Let’s see how you plan to redeem yourself, Elowen. But for now… I can’t trust you. I’m sorry, but I really can’t.”
Her lips trembled as tears spilled down her cheeks. “I understand. You have every right not to trust me. I’m the daughter of the man who killed your father. But Bella…” she looked up, her voice shaking, “I’m not my father.”
A bitter laugh escaped my throat. “If you weren’t your father, you wouldn’t have lied to me! The moment my dad told me I was adopted, I had suspicions. I asked you, Elowen. I came to you. And what did you say? You told me my parents were dead. I believed you! I stopped looking for them because of you! It was all a lie. You lied to me, Elowen!” My voice cracked as I screamed the words.
The baby kicked, a sharp pain slicing through my belly, cutting off my breath. I grabbed my stomach and staggered back.
“Bella!” Elowen reached for me, her eyes wide with panic.
“Don’t you dare touch me!” I snapped, shaking her hand off as I glared at her.
I couldn’t believe myself—this rage, this venom in my voice. But she deserved it. She had shattered everything I thought was real. Elowen’s tears fell freely, her shoulders shaking as she sobbed silently.
“I’m sorry, Bella,” she whispered, her voice breaking. “Please… don’t push me away. Remember all the years we’ve spent together…”
“Spent together because you feel guilty about what your father did to me?” I spat. “Your friendship was a lie, Elowen. A big, fat lie.” I turned away, the words burning my tongue. “I need to go.”
I didn’t wait for her reply. My heels clicked against the rooftop tiles as I walked away, leaving her sobs echoing behind me.
Back at my desk, the weight of it all pressed down on me. I couldn’t focus on anything. Papers blurred before my eyes, and my hands shook every time I tried to type. I glanced at Elowen’s desk, only to find her looking back at me with the same lost expression. It was unbearable.
By noon, I couldn’t take it anymore. I grabbed my bag and walked out of the office, the driver waiting by the curb as usual.
“Ma’am?” he asked, holding the car door open.
“I’m fine,” I lied, sliding into the seat. As the city blurred past the window, my thoughts spun. If Elowen had truly wanted me dead, I’d be dead already. But she had saved me. Why? Was it guilt? Or was there some part of her that still cared?
The car slowed to a stop. “Ma’am, we’re home,” the driver said gently.
I nodded, stepping out of the car. The mansion loomed ahead, its grandeur doing little to soothe the storm inside me. I walked in, my heels clicking against the marble floor.
David was in the sitting room, his laptop open on the coffee table. His eyes immediately locked on mine, concern etching lines across his forehead.
“Bella? What’s wrong?”
I dropped my bag on the couch and sat across from him. “Do you believe I was almost poisoned today?”
His jaw tightened, and he set his laptop aside. “What? By who?”
“Elowen,” I said, watching his reaction. “But… she also saved me.”
His expression darkened. “Like father, like daughter,” he muttered.
“No,” I said quickly, shaking my head. “Elowen isn’t like her father. She told me she’s ready to give us evidence to destroy him completely.”
David leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “And you believe her?”
I met his gaze, my voice firm. “I do. She looked me in the eye and told me the truth. She found out I was Desmond Williams’ daughter when we were in school. Since then, she’s been by my side. I think… I think she’s sincere.”
David sighed, reaching out to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. “My Bella,” he said softly, “you’re so innocent. You’re still defending someone who tried to kill you.”
“She didn’t mean it,” I insisted. “She’s a victim of her father’s manipulations, just like I am.”
David’s eyes searched mine, and he exhaled deeply. “What do you think about meeting your biological mother?”
I froze, the question hitting me like a punch to the gut. I pulled away, my hands curling into fists.
“I… I’ve never thought about it,” I admitted. “How would I even tell her? What if she thinks I’m lying? Or that I’m after her money? Mrs. Williams is kind, but wealthy people… they think they’re above the world. What if she doesn’t believe me?”
David reached for my hand, but I pulled away, my thoughts racing.
“It’s better if I keep it to myself,” I said. “I’d rather just know I have a mother than risk being rejected. I don’t even know how to say the word ‘mother’ out loud.”
A voice interrupted us from behind.
“But you just said it now,” the voice said, soft yet firm. “And I deserve to know you, my baby.”
I turned, my heart stopping. Mrs. Williams sat opposite us, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.
How hadn’t I noticed her presence?