Free Web NovelChapter 126: Chapter 126 Deception Revealed
Bella’s POV
The locked terrace door rattled violently against the storm’s fury. Through the trembling windows, I could see the mansion’s solid construction withstanding nature’s assault.
"Not bad?" Hugo’s voice carried amusement mixed with disbelief.
"You were absolutely terrible. Don’t pretend you’ve forgotten how you made our lives difficult. Every time another woman approached us, your face would darken like a thundercloud. You’d glare at her until she practically ran away." His laughter filled the room as he painted this picture of my younger self.
The memories crashed back like waves against the shore. I had been consumed with jealousy whenever anyone showed him attention. I would literally position myself between him and other women, desperate to reclaim his focus.
As the full weight of my past behavior hit me, I covered my face with both hands and groaned.
"God, I was mortifying," I mumbled through my fingers, wishing the floor would swallow me whole.
The soft clink of glass made me peek through my hands. He had poured me wine and placed it within reach.
I accepted the glass gratefully, stealing a glance at him. My embarrassment seemed to delight him, and surprisingly, I didn’t mind his amusement.
"I thought it was charming," he said, making me lift my head sharply.
"Really?" The question escaped before I could stop it. He nodded with certainty.
I shifted restlessly on the couch. Case files cluttered my desk, each one a reminder of our stalled investigation. We had hit another dead end.
Here we sat, drinking wine and watching the storm rage outside. The open office door framed the view of the terrace and its shaking windows perfectly.
"Absolutely charming," he confirmed.
"If you never sent me those messages, who was pretending to be you, Bella?" His voice dropped to a whisper, but the question hung heavy between us.
"I hate to state the obvious, but isn’t it clear?" I settled back into the couch and sipped the wine. It burned initially, then mellowed into something warm and soothing. The bitter undertones somehow made my muscles relax.
I watched him struggle with the uncomfortable truth.
"My half-sister," I finished his unspoken thought. His eyes dropped to his glass before he drained it completely and refilled it immediately.
"Could she really have done that?" he asked, though we both knew the answer. freёwebnovel.com
"My phone was left behind when I disappeared. Someone used it to respond to you. It had to be someone with access to the house," I explained logically. He nodded slowly, processing this.
"That’s ancient history, Hugo," I tried to dismiss it, but he shook his head violently and raked his fingers through his hair.
"No, it’s not ancient. You don’t grasp how this affects everything," he said through gritted teeth.
"What’s so complicated? I wasn’t there to text you anyway. Maybe whoever responded actually helped you forget about me," I suggested, though the words tasted bitter. ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm
The reality was I had already vanished by the time someone answered his messages. Yet this revelation clearly tormented him beyond reason.
"You’re missing the point, Bella. Someone deceived me about your feelings. Someone I’m supposed to marry, and I still don’t know what else they’re capable of," he hissed, and finally I understood his dilemma.
"I suppose you have valid concerns," I conceded quietly.
"Would you have forgiven Vance for something like this?" he pressed.
My grip tightened around the wine glass as his intense gaze held mine.
"Marriage isn’t a game, Bella. You don’t commit to someone just because circumstances demand it. When deception is involved, it poisons everything," he explained, and his words made me feel insignificant.
My own marriage had never been rooted in love. It was purely transactional.
Hugo must have interpreted my silence correctly because he continued his interrogation.
"How did you meet Vance?" He downed another glass quickly. "And does he know the children aren’t biologically his?"
"I was employed as his housekeeper when he discovered my pregnancy," I answered honestly. His head jerked up, and I saw tears gathering in his eyes.
"But it worked out fine, Hugo. The arrangement wasn’t degrading. Being a housekeeper didn’t diminish my worth, at least not in my opinion. I never felt ashamed," I rushed to explain, alarmed by his emotional response.
"So you were carrying a child while working in domestic service?" he asked, identifying what disturbed him most.
"Countless women work throughout their pregnancies, Hugo, even married ones right up until delivery," I attempted to normalize the situation.
Understanding his tendency toward emotional spirals, I wanted to prevent that. Knowing his past behavior had been calculated rather than cruel made me less resentful toward him.
While Derek and Parker had their own issues, their problems were fundamentally different. They shouldn’t have been intimate with me if they couldn’t handle their families’ expectations.
Derek should have warned me about his father’s interference. Parker had plenty of time to decide. If he could accept an alpha’s daughter, why not me?
"You’re drifting again," Hugo observed with a frustrated grunt that carried deeper meaning.
"I was considering what you said about pretending because you didn’t want them to take me again. What exactly did you mean?" I pushed, noticing his resigned nods as he realized I wouldn’t relent.
"They discovered my feelings for you." He paused here, consuming another glass before continuing. "After reading the diary, they suddenly declared their interest too. They claimed they were being fair by giving you options, despite knowing I had loved you silently for years. It felt like betrayal, but they justified it by saying you wanted their attention." His words were slightly slurred now, and something clenched painfully in my chest.
"Do you believe their justifications were sincere?" I continued pressing, knowing his friendship with them provided insights they hadn’t shared with me.
A bitter smile crossed his features.
