Chapter 78 My Memories Are Back
BELLA
I had to pretend. I had to play dumb like the clueless fool David believed I was. Every fiber of my being screamed for justice, for confrontation, but I couldn’t let him know. Not yet. My child didn’t deserve to grow up in the chaos of this twisted contract marriage. And now, Lizzy claimed she was carrying David’s child too? My stomach churned at the thought. How could I have fallen for him, even for a moment?
Standing from the bedroom floor, my legs trembled, but my resolve hardened. The first step was retrieving my phone. David wasn’t home; I’d made sure of that before even entertaining the idea. I moved cautiously down the hall, each step deliberate, my ears straining for any sound. Julie had said the phone was in his desk drawer.
I hesitated at the door to his room, my hand hovering over the handle. What if he came back early? What if one of the staff saw me? But I didn’t have time for doubts. I opened the door and slipped inside, shutting it softly behind me.
His room smelled like him woodsy cologne with a faint trace of something darker, almost suffocating. The atmosphere was heavy, oppressive, like the man himself. I crossed the room quickly, avoiding his neatly made bed and the leather chair that seemed to loom like a sentinel.
The desk drawer was locked. Of course, it was. But I’d prepared for this. Sliding a pin from my hair, I knelt and worked at the lock. My heart pounded in my chest, each second feeling like an eternity. Finally, with a soft click, the drawer slid open.
There it was my phone. I snatched it up and closed the drawer, leaving no trace I had been there. I rushed back to my room, locking the door behind me.
The screen lit up as I pressed the power button. My hands trembled as I dialed the one person I knew I could trust: Elowen.
“Babe, is that you?” Her voice came through immediately, relief and worry tangled together.
“Yes, it’s me,” I whispered, my voice barely steady.
“Oh my God, Bella! I’ve been trying to reach you for weeks. Your phone’s been off, and the guards wouldn’t let me in. I thought something terrible had happened!”
“It did,” I said, my voice cracking. “I... I lost my memories.”
“What?” she exclaimed, her voice rising. “How? How is that possible?”
I closed my eyes, the memory flashing back like a cruel movie reel. “David was with Lizzy,” I said, my voice trembling. “I walked in on them... together. And when I ran out, I..” My throat tightened. “I got hit by a car.”
There was silence on the line, followed by a string of curses. “That bastard. I thought he loved you, Bella. How could he do this? Does he know you’ve remembered?”
“No,” I said firmly. “And I don’t want him to. Not yet. I’m calling you now to let you know what happened, but I’ll only call when he’s not around. I need time to figure out what to do.”
“Bella,” she said, her voice softening, “just be careful, okay? I know I’ve made mistakes in the past, but I swear I’m here for you. I’ll always be your sister.”
Her words stirred something inside me memories of her betrayal, yes, but also of her loyalty when it mattered most. “Thank you,” I said quietly.
“By the way,” she added, her tone shifting, “Vivian’s back at the office.”
My grip on the phone tightened. Vivian. Of course, she hadn’t been fired. Expelled, yes, but not gone. She was like a cockroach, always crawling back.
“How’s the project going?” I asked, trying to focus on something productive.
“We’ve finished the script, and it’s been approved. Now they’re casting for the leads,” she said. “But, Bella... promise me you’ll be okay.”
“I will,” I said, glancing out the window. My heart stopped. David’s car was pulling into the driveway. “I have to go.”
I ended the call, my hands moving on autopilot as I rushed back to his room. The phone had to go back, exactly as I’d found it. My footsteps were silent, my breathing controlled, but my heart was a runaway train.
I slid the phone into the drawer and relocked it just as I heard the front door open. A deep voice filtered through the mansion, sending shivers down my spine.
Then came a soft knock at the door. The sound echoed in the silence, making my heart leap into my throat.
The handle turned, creaking slightly, and the door opened just enough for a shadow to stretch across the floor. I froze, my pulse hammering in my ears.
David stood there, his piercing eyes scanning the room, lingering on me for a moment too long.
“What are you doing in here?” he asked, his tone dangerously calm.
I forced a smile, my heart racing as I played the part of the clueless wife. “I thought I left something in here earlier,” I said, my voice steady. “I was just checking.”
He raised an eyebrow, his gaze sharp and assessing, but he said nothing. Instead, he stepped aside, gesturing for me to leave.
As I passed him, his presence loomed, suffocating. But I kept my head high, my expression neutral.
Back in my room, I collapsed onto the bed, my hands shaking. Pretending was going to be harder than I thought. But I had no choice. For now, I had to play his game until I could figure out how to win.