Free Web NovelChapter 63: Chapter 63 Hidden Feelings Revealed
Bella’s POV
"Have you lost your mind? What exactly are you trying to pull here?"
Camilla’s sharp voice cut through the café’s ambient noise as she glared at me.
But the instant her eyes landed on Derek standing behind me, her entire demeanor transformed. Her shoulders relaxed, her spine straightened, and she cleared her throat delicately. freēwēbnovel.com
"Oh, sister! What brings you here?" she asked, rising gracefully from her chair.
Her voice had shifted to that sickeningly sweet tone she reserved for public performances. She moved as if to embrace me across the small table, but I stepped backward, raising my hand to maintain distance. freewёbnoνel.com
"Is everything alright? You seem upset about something," she continued, her gaze sliding past me to focus on Derek. "Alpha Derek, what a pleasant surprise to see you here."
The false warmth in her greeting confirmed my suspicions entirely.
All those years I’d questioned myself for feeling envious of her, wondering if I was being petty and unreasonable. Now the truth stood crystal clear before me. She remained exactly the same manipulative person she’d always been.
"Beth." I turned away from my sister completely, crossing my arms as I addressed the reporter directly.
Beth’s hand crept toward her coffee cup in a futile attempt to take a casual sip, but I snatched the beverage away and placed it on the far side of the table. Her arm fell limply to her side.
"Well, hello there. Look who it is, our local heroes," she said with forced brightness, acting as though she’d only just noticed our presence. Then, dropping her voice to match Camilla’s artificial sweetness, she added awkwardly, "What brings you two here today?"
"Enough with the charade."
Derek’s authoritative voice silenced both women as he stepped forward and took charge of the situation. Their faces immediately fell when they realized he wasn’t going to tolerate their performance.
"That conveniently timed interruption at the cabin was orchestrated, wasn’t it?" he demanded, crossing his arms over his chest.
His expression radiated authority and barely contained anger. The deep lines etched across his brow made him appear genuinely intimidating.
"I’m sorry, what are you implying?" Camilla responded, maintaining her facade of innocent confusion.
"I’m certain Beth has the answers we’re looking for. What are the odds that she just happened to appear at the exact same location where Derek and I were staying, at the precise moment we were there, and coincidentally happens to be your personal friend?" I challenged them, making it clear we’d already seen through their scheme.
Camilla’s practiced smile wavered momentarily before she turned back to Derek, forcing another innocent expression across her features.
"The truth is, I’m planning to announce my engagement to your closest friend, and I needed media coverage for the story. That’s why I contacted Beth. We actually met when she interviewed you previously," Camilla explained smoothly.
Her explanation felt hollow and rehearsed, regardless of how confidently she delivered it.
Derek’s arms gradually lowered from their defensive position, whether due to the mention of Hugo’s name or because he was considering her story.
"What other reason would I have for such behavior? Besides, how could I possibly have known you were spending time at that cabin with my sister?" she continued in that soft, persuasive tone she’d perfected over the years.
"Are you claiming you have no connections to Hugo’s royal beta, his management team, or anyone else who might have informed you of our whereabouts?" I pressed, noting how Derek’s arms crossed defensively once again.
"I was simply trying to—" she began, but Derek raised his palm, cutting her off mid-sentence.
"Camilla, I may not have concrete evidence at this moment, but if I discover you’re manipulating situations behind the scenes, understand this clearly: I am not Hugo. I won’t overlook your destructive behavior or ignore how much you despise Bella just to maintain harmony. Consider this your only warning. Stay away from her affairs and leave her alone," he stated with unwavering firmness.
His tone made it abundantly clear that he tolerated her presence solely because of his friendship with Hugo. Otherwise, he remembered perfectly well how cruelly she’d treated me in the past.
Camilla’s discomfort was palpable. She glanced around nervously, assessing whether other patrons had overheard the confrontation.
I understood how desperately she needed to protect her carefully crafted public image. She’d built her entire identity around appearing innocent after committing the most calculated acts of cruelty.
"We’re leaving, Bella," Derek announced, gesturing for me to move ahead of him.
I followed without protest, and within minutes we’d exited the café and were walking back toward our hotel.
"What exactly did you mean earlier? You mentioned the reporter was planted to spread rumors about our relationship so that..." I began, pausing just as he had done before.
The moment we entered the hotel lobby and approached the elevator bank, the unfinished thought returned to haunt me.
He pressed the call button and pretended he hadn’t heard my question.
"Derek, I asked you something," I repeated, allowing my frustration to show.
My patience had reached its limit.
"So that your reputation would be destroyed," he finally answered, looking down at me with obvious reluctance.
His voice carried exhaustion, but I knew that wasn’t the complete truth he’d intended to share earlier.
"Don’t give me half-answers, Derek. What were you really going to say? Do you know something I should be aware of? I’d genuinely appreciate some honesty here." My annoyance was unmistakable now.
I was beyond tired of everyone keeping secrets from me.
"Alright," he conceded with a heavy sigh. The elevator doors chose that exact moment to open, interrupting him once again.
"Tell me now," I demanded, planting myself firmly in place as we stepped out onto our floor.
I knew that once we entered the suite, the others and the children would be there with questions and distractions, giving him another excuse to avoid the conversation.
"You’re incredibly stubborn," he said with a slight laugh. When I remained motionless and kept staring at him expectantly, he realized I wouldn’t be deterred.
"Fine," he said again. "I believe she orchestrated this to ensure Hugo doesn’t get an opportunity with you."
"What?" Confusion clouded my thoughts as my eyebrows drew together. "Why would she even consider that a possibility?"
He hesitated, studying my face intently as though every word caused him physical pain.
"Because he used to have feelings for you," he finally confessed after rolling his shoulders tensely.
Those words struck me like a physical blow. They weren’t casual or insignificant. They crashed into me and dragged me back to that time when I’d harbored feelings for him too.
"That’s completely false," I responded quickly. "Who fed you such nonsense?" I dismissed the notion immediately.
The reason was straightforward: he’d had his opportunity in the past and destroyed it completely.
"Do you want it to be false?" Derek asked quietly, his eyes searching my face as if seeking some hidden answer.
"What I want is irrelevant. What matters is the truth," I replied firmly.
His jaw tightened, and his expression hardened.
"He told us himself," Derek stated simply.
His revelation sent chills across my skin and filled my mind with racing questions.
If Hugo had genuinely cared for me back then, why did he abandon me after that night? Why had he reacted so badly to news of my pregnancy? And why had he been the one suggesting I terminate it?
