Free Web NovelChapter 79: Chapter 79 Haunted Return
Bella’s POV
I chose brown because it was the color that made me look my best.
The dress had flowing sleeves made of delicate mesh fabric, and the neckline dipped just low enough to be elegant without crossing any lines.
I kept my jewelry simple with a single diamond pendant and matching earrings, while my makeup highlighted my features perfectly.
Chloe was helping the children get ready. Little Zack looked adorable in his miniature brown suit, while the girls wore matching brown and white dresses.
They insisted on coordinating with me, which melted my heart completely.
I slipped on my white heels and walked out of the bedroom, only to find Hugo stepping into our suite.
The sight of him made me stop breathing for a second. His black suit fit him like it was custom made, emphasizing every sharp angle of his face and broad line of his shoulders.
I despised how effortlessly handsome he was. His presence filled the room in a way that could steal anyone’s attention.
And by anyone, I meant literally everyone. When I glanced around, I caught Chloe stealing looks at him before quickly turning back to fix Zack’s hair.
"Uncle Hugo is here!" Zack shouted, abandoning Chloe to throw his little arms around Hugo’s legs.
Hugo scooped him up without hesitation, his face softening with genuine affection. The way he treated my children always made them worship him completely.
"Look at you, little man. You clean up nice," Hugo said, holding Zack securely before lifting him high above his head.
Zack shrieked with laughter as Hugo made it look effortless, even though Zack appeared so small in his strong arms.
Tara came running next, and Hugo set Zack down to give her the same treatment, tossing her gently into the air before catching her as she giggled uncontrollably.
Leah demanded her turn too. All three children monopolized his attention for several minutes while I fumbled with the clasp on my bracelet.
Once the kids scattered to collect their favorite toys, Hugo approached me.
His dark eyebrows lifted slightly as his gaze traveled from my face down to my shoes and back up again, like he was memorizing every detail.
The intensity of his stare made me look down, pretending the bracelet required all my concentration. fɾēewebnσveℓ.com
He moved closer without warning, stopping just inches away, and reached for the jewelry in my hands.
Before I could object, he was already wrapping it around my wrist and working the clasp.
His fingers barely touched my skin, but the contact sent waves of heat shooting up my arm.
The moment he finished, I yanked my hand away and took a shaky breath.
"I invited you to dinner, not to steal the spotlight," he murmured quietly, his voice so low I wondered if I had misheard him.
"What time are the others getting here?" I asked, desperate to change the subject and break the tension crackling between us.
"What?" Hugo seemed confused.
He had been staring too intently again.
"The other people. You mentioned they were coming tonight. When should we expect them?" I repeated, standing straighter and meeting his eyes directly.
He went quiet for several long seconds, then cleared his throat, and I already knew exactly what he was about to tell me.
"Please tell me you’re joking," I said flatly before he could even begin his excuse.
He shifted his weight uncomfortably.
"My mother thought it would be better to keep tonight just for family. She suggested we arrange something separate with friends later."
I rolled my eyes at him dramatically.
"You specifically said other people would be there," I accused him.
"I know what I said, but does it really matter? I’ll be right there with you. Everyone’s already dressed and ready, so can we please not make this a big deal?" he shot back, acting like I was being unreasonable and ruining his evening.
The problem was, I absolutely hated being lied to.
It was obvious he had orchestrated this whole thing just to manipulate me into coming to dinner.
"Hugo, if this goes badly or if my children get hurt in any way, you’re going to regret it," I warned him seriously.
He shook his head and rolled his eyes like I was being dramatic.
"Looking beautiful doesn’t give you the right to threaten me," he muttered under his breath, refusing to look at me.
His unexpected compliment caught me completely off guard.
My children followed Hugo, and I followed them down to his car.
We made our way through the lobby and out into the parking area.
The kids climbed into the backseat while I took the passenger seat beside him.
"Stop worrying so much. I already promised I’d handle everything," he said again, trying to reassure me.
I stayed silent. I had no desire to talk to him right now.
If the choice had been mine alone, I would never have returned to that place.
But he claimed that as their father, he wanted the children to be included in his family celebrations.
Honestly, I had still planned to refuse his invitation.
The only reason I eventually agreed was because I thought maybe, while he was busy managing everything else, I could finally get some answers from my father about what happened to my mother. freёwebnovel.com
We drove the rest of the way without speaking.
When we pulled up to the house, I realized this dinner wasn’t happening at some restaurant.
We were at my childhood home. Or more accurately, we were at Camilla’s house, because I was never really considered the daughter of that family.
Flashback:
"Stop it, you’re hurting me!" I cried as my stepmother grabbed my arm and dragged me toward the front door.
I was just a small child. I didn’t understand what I had done wrong.
I was terrified of being alone in the dark, but she was going to punish me by making me stay outside all night.
I could already hear wild animals howling and stray dogs barking somewhere in the distance.
I looked around desperately for my father, but I knew he wouldn’t intervene.
Debra pulled me to the doorway and shoved me hard in the back, sending me tumbling onto the cold porch.
My small hands scraped against the rough concrete as I hit the ground.
The second I caught my breath and tried to scramble back inside, she slammed the door in my face.
Her voice echoed from inside the house.
"If you want to live under my roof, you need to learn how to behave properly. Tonight you can stay out there and think about what you did wrong," Debra yelled.
I wrapped my arms around myself, my whole body shaking as my eyes darted through the darkness, searching for anything that might hurt me.
I kept trying to figure out what she meant by behaving properly.
All that had happened was Camilla had been hitting me and calling me names.
For the first time ever, I had gone to my father and asked him to make her stop.
That was my mistake. That was why I was being punished.
I never felt like this place was my home. That night, I understood it never would be.
End of Flashback.
