Chapter 9
Three days. That was all Arthur needed to make up his mind. He had finally resolved to accept Bella’s heartfelt confession. But when he arrived to give her his answer, he was greeted with a cold shock. Her parents, Gilbert and Penelope, informed him that Bella had already been sent abroad to study.
The memory was still fresh, a bitter wound that had never fully healed. Arthur could still picture Gilbert‘ s disdainful expression as he explained his reasoning.
“Your Findley Family‘ s business has been declining in recent years,” Gilbert had said with a biting tone. “I won’t let my daughter tie her future to a family with such an uncertain path.”
That day, Arthur felt disillusioned and humiliated. But he didn’t let his despair consume him. Instead, he turned it into fuel. From that moment on, he swore to
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rebuild the Findley Family name, to rise so high that Gilbert would one day regret his decision. He poured his energy into his studies, his work and his ambition, determined to make the Findley Family empire stronger than ever.
In losing Bella, he found clarity in his relationship with Lilly. She wasn’t just his childhood friend or a close confidante. She was his lover–his future. Despite the heartbreak, Arthur threw himself fully into loving Lilly. He embraced their bond with such devotion that he earned the nickname “wife protector” among Birmingham‘ s elite.
But fate had its own plans. Years later, just as Arthur believed his life was settled, Bella returned, stirring up emotions he had buried long ago. Her reappearance was like. a spark, reigniting the fire he thought had long since burned out.
Now, Arthur was no longer the young man Gilbert had dismissed. He had transformed
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into a powerful and respected figure, the commanding head of the revitalized Findley Family empire. His world, however, was far from peaceful.
***
When Arthur arrived at the hospital that day, the sight of Bella and her parents by his injured parents‘ bedside filled him with an icy disdain. He barely masked his irritation as the couple greeted him warmly.
“Arthur, you’ve come!” Gilbert said, forcing a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.
“What are you doing here?” Arthur‘ s tone was clipped, his gaze cold.
Gilbert faltered for a moment, his expression tinged with discomfort. “Well, Arthur, I admit that back then I was shortsighted. That was my mistake. But time has passed and it’s clear you‘ ve always held Bella in your heart. Now that she’s back, I thought it might be time to
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discuss the marriage between our families.”
Arthur‘ s jaw tightened. His voice was firm, laced with indignation. “Gilbert, you should know that Lilly and I were about to be married. Even if she’s gone now, our engagement still stands. I can’t just turn my back on that and suddenly marry Bella.”
Penelope chimed in, her tone overly sweet.
“But Lilly has done unspeakable things. Even if she’s found, do you truly still intend to marry her?”
For a moment, Arthur froze. His resolve wavered as doubt crept into his mind. He had always believed that no matter what mistakes Lilly made, as long as she returned and sought his forgiveness, he would grant it. But now, as he glanced at his parents lying in hospital beds with broken legs, a sliver of uncertainty began
to grow.
His father, Michael, noticed the conflict in
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his son‘ s eyes. “Let’s set this discussion aside for now,” he said, waving a hand dismissively. “Lilly is missing and the police haven’t made any real progress. We can‘ t even confirm she’s responsible for the attack. Let’s find her first before deciding anything.”
“As for the engagement,” Michael continued, “Arthur, that’s your decision. In this day and age, no one should force a marriage against their will.”
The conversation came to a close, but tension lingered in the room. Bella‘ s expression soured and a pang of guilt twisted in Arthur’s chest. He turned to her, his voice softening. “Bella, I‘ m sorry. My frustration isn’t with you. It’s just… there’s so much happening right now. I can’t think clearly.”
Bella gave him a reassuring smile, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I
understand, Arthur. Take your time. I’ll
be here for you, no matter what. These past
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few days, you‘ ve looked so worn out. Your dark circles are so obvious and you‘ ve lost weight. Let me take care of you. I’ve been learning to make a medicinal soup–I‘ 11 cook it for you.”
Her words were kind, but they only added to the turmoil in Arthur’s heart. Torn between the shadows of his past and the chaos of his present, he found himself spiraling deeper into a storm he wasn’t sure he could escape.
