Chapter 30 A Storm in the House
BELLA
I could feel the fear in Mrs. Thalassa's eyes, her discomfort palpable as Eden’s presence hung in the air like a storm cloud. His sudden return had everyone on edge, and as I tried to steady myself, my thoughts kept circling back to one question: Was Eden really David's brother? Was he truly her son? My heart raced as Grandpa’s voice cut through the silence.
“What are you doing here?” Grandpa's voice thundered through the room, his displeasure evident.
Eden smirked, unfazed by the harsh greeting. “Is this how you welcome your grandson, after all this time?” He looked over at Mrs. Thalassa. “Besides, this is my home now, right, Mom?”
“Have a seat, son,” Mrs. Thalassa said, her tone soothing, trying to defuse the tension.
Eden’s gaze turned to me then, lingering for a moment before he spoke again. “So, we have a new wife here. You look beautiful,” he said, his voice smooth, but there was something sharp in the way he said it, like a hidden jab.
“Thank you,” I replied, my eyes briefly meeting David’s. A chill ran through me. The way David’s jaw clenched told me everything I needed to know. Eden was his brother, but there was no love between them.
“Why don’t you tell me you married a woman from the slums?” Eden’s words cut through the air like a knife.
Slums? My blood boiled. I could feel the anger building up inside of me, threatening to spill over. I stood up, my fists clenched, and without thinking, I let the words fly.
“Eden, or whatever the hell you call yourself, I don’t give a damn about you. But if you ever insult me again, I’ll make you eat dirt. Who the hell do you think you are? You come in here and start ruining everyone’s mood. What, are you trying to get sympathy, because you didn’t get enough attention as a kid?” My voice shook with fury, but I didn’t care. “I won’t take that from you, not now, not ever.”
I could feel the eyes of everyone in the room on me. The silence that followed was thick, oppressive. I could hear the collective breath of the room as they waited for the storm to pass.
I slowly sat down, my heart pounding in my chest. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Grandpa give me a thumbs-up, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
Did I really just say that? The panic hit me a second too late. What if he decides to escalate this? What if Eden doesn’t let this go? I could feel my stomach twist into knots. But one thing was clear: I wouldn’t let anyone walk all over me.
DAVID
I’d never seen anyone talk to Eden like that. Not even close. The smug look on his face faltered for just a second, and I couldn’t help but feel a rush of pride. Bella had just stood up to him.
“That's my girl,” I thought to myself with a grin.
As we left Grandpa’s house, I checked my phone. A message from him. My smile widened when I saw the text: Tell Bella to visit my farm house.
Seems like my little rabbit had already won over Grandpa. That was a good sign.
The drive back home was silent, but the air between us was thick with unspoken words. I knew Bella had questions, and I wasn’t sure I was ready to answer them all. As soon as we stepped into the house, I gave her a moment before speaking.
“My grandpa wants you to meet him at his farmhouse,” I told her.
She raised an eyebrow. “When?”
“On the weekend,” I replied, but before she could walk off, I stopped her. “Is there anything you want to ask me?”
She hesitated, her eyes flicking away from mine. “Why don’t you tell me that Vivian isn’t your blood sister?”
It took me a moment to process her words. Was that really the thing that was bothering her? Not Eden, not the tension in the room? I’d expected her to ask more about my brother, not about Vivian.
I looked at her, my tone a little more serious than usual. “You didn’t ask who she is to me.”
She just nodded. “Okay.” And with that, she walked off.
I watched her retreat to her room, but my thoughts didn’t follow. I was still reeling from the events of the night, trying to piece together what was really going on. It wasn’t until I felt a tug on my sleeve that I looked down and saw Jasper, his little eyes wide with concern.
“Dad, you should apologize to her,” he said, his voice quiet but firm.
“I thought you were asleep,” I said, surprised.
“No, I wasn’t,” he replied, crossing his arms. “You made her cry. You should apologize.”
It hit me like a ton of bricks. My son, the little demon, was more aware than I gave him credit for. I chuckled softly, lifting him in my arms. “Okay, buddy. I will. Promise.”
He smiled, his small hands holding onto my neck as I carried him to his room. As I tucked him in, he looked up at me, his eyes serious.
“Dad, promise me you’ll apologize to her,” he said again, his voice unwavering.
I had to smile at that. “I promise.”
As I left his room, I could feel the weight of the day pressing down on me. But before I could get too lost in my thoughts, I dialed the head of my security team.
“I need everyone here in five minutes. We’ve got to tighten up the security. Eden and Lizzy are back in town, and I won’t let anyone hurt my family,” I said, my voice low and commanding.
When they assembled in front of me, I gave my orders with a calm that belied the tension building in my chest. “No outsiders are allowed near the house. If you see either of them, Eden or Lizzy, anywhere near this place, inform me immediately.”
The bodyguards nodded in unison. “Yes, sir.”
When they left, I turned to the head of my security detail. “I want you to keep an eye on Bella. Do it quietly. I know she won’t like it, but I want four men watching her at all times. And make sure Jasper is safe. I’ll deal with Eden myself.”
He nodded. “What about you, sir? Aren’t you worried about Eden?”
I narrowed my eyes. “Eden knows he can’t get to me directly. But he’ll try to use my weaknesses. Just do your job.”
I was about to leave when my phone buzzed again. A message from Lizzy popped up on the screen: I miss you, Dd.
Lizzy. I gritted my teeth as I read the text. What did she want?