Chapter 83 The Trap
LIZZY
The phone felt cold against my ear as I waited for him to pick up. Finally, Michael’s voice, sharp and impatient, came through.
“I’m busy. What do you want?”
A slow smile crept across my lips. “Busy? You’ll want to hear this.”
There was silence, the kind that told me I had his attention.
“What is it?” he asked.
I paced my room, my heels clicking against the hardwood floor. “David Copperfield is throwing a party. At his mansion.”
“How do you even know that?” His voice was laced with suspicion.
I twirled a strand of my hair around my finger, enjoying the power of the moment. “I have my ways. And I have a plan one that benefits us both. All I need is for you to do one thing.” I paused, savoring the anticipation. “You’ll sleep with Bella.”
“What?” His voice shot through the line like a bullet. “That’s insane. How….”
“Relax,” I interrupted, rolling my eyes. “During the party, we’ll slip her a drink. Something... special. It’ll make her lose control, and then, well, you’ll finally have what you’ve always wanted your Bella.”
A deep breath crackled over the phone. “And how does that help me in the long run? Sure, I’ll have her, but do you think David’s just going to hand over his shares to her?”
Greedy bastard, I thought, biting back a sigh. “David will have no choice. Think about it. This isn’t just about you getting Bella it’s about humiliating her. Making her unworthy of his name, his wealth. And when she falls, we rise.”
There was a pause, and then his voice softened, almost as if he were smiling. “You’ve thought this through.”
“Of course I have.” My grin stretched wide. “When the banquet is full, we’ll arrive as guests. My spy will ensure Bella gets the drink. She’ll be taken to a private room, cameras rolling. Every. Single. Detail. And when it’s time...” I let the rest hang in the air, knowing he was imagining it.
“I’m in,” he said, his voice tinged with anticipation. “Let’s see how this plays out.”
The call ended, and I stared at the blank screen, a slow, satisfied laugh bubbling from my throat. “Let’s see how Bella handles being exposed.”
BELLA
The sunlight was too bright, stabbing through the curtains and piercing my tired eyes. I groaned, rolling over in bed, the weight of the day pressing down on me. Today. My father’s surgery.
Dragging myself up, I shuffled to the bathroom. The shower washed away some of the heaviness, but as I stepped out, my heart nearly stopped.
David was sitting on my bed.
“What are you doing here?” My voice came out sharper than I intended.
He didn’t flinch, just smiled that infuriating, knowing smile of his. “Checking on my wife.”
I gripped my towel tighter, heat creeping up my neck. “I’m fine. I don’t need you to check on me. Now, can you leave? I need to get dressed.”
His smile widened as he stood, stepping closer. “I can help you with that.”
My heart raced as he reached out, brushing a damp strand of hair from my face. The warmth of his fingers sent a shiver down my spine, but I pushed him back, quickly changing the subject. “When does the surgery start?”
“In three hours,” he said, his voice softening. “I’ll wait for you downstairs.” He leaned in, his lips brushing my forehead before he left, leaving the scent of his cologne lingering in the room.
I exhaled, my pulse still erratic. His touch always did this to me, leaving me weak and confused. Shaking the thought away, I pulled on a gown that concealed my growing belly, the fabric hugging my curves in all the right places.
Downstairs, David’s eyes flicked over me, a glimmer of admiration in them.
“You look beautiful,” he said.
“Thank you,” I murmured, letting him take my hand as we walked to the car.
The Lamborghini purred as we drove to the hospital, the city blurring past us. My chest tightened with every passing minute. “Please, let my father survive this,” I whispered, the fear gripping me so tightly it was hard to breathe.