The morning light spilled through Romero's tall windows, casting soft gold across the living room. Bella sat stiffly on the couch, Jessy cradled in her lap. Her eyes burned from the night before, but her chest carried a new fire.
She heard soft footsteps and lifted her head. Arabella walked in slowly, her hair still tousled from sleep, clutching the stuffed rabbit Bella had given her weeks ago.
"Morning," the little girl whispered shyly, her violet eyes searching Bella's face.
Bella's throat tightened. Her hands shook as she reached out. "Come here, sweetheart."
Arabella hesitated only a moment before climbing up beside her. Bella wrapped her free arm around the girl, pressing her close. The warmth of her small body, the way she smelled faintly of strawberry shampoo, made Bella's chest ache.
Jessy gurgled, waving his tiny hands, and Arabella giggled softly. "He likes me," she said, leaning forward to stroke his hair gently.
Bella's lips trembled into a smile. "Of course he does. You're his elder sister."
The words slipped out before she could stop them. Her heart thundered. Arabella blinked at her, her head tilting curiously, but she only hugged Jessy carefully.
Bella shut her eyes tight, biting back tears. She wanted to scream the truth. To tell Arabella, I'm your mother. I never stopped loving you. I never even had the chance to hold you.
But instead, she whispered into the crown of the girl's hair, "I'll never let anyone hurt you again."
Later that day, Chris found Bella in the office, the DNA file spread across the desk. Her eyes were steady now, no longer just broken.
"I want to press charges," she said firmly. "Cassandra ordered them to steal my baby. She tried to erase me from Arabella's life. She tried ordered mine and Jessy's kidnap and possible death. That's a crime, Chris. She doesn't get to keep walking free."
Chris's jaw flexed. He had expected this. "If we move too fast without lining up the evidence, she'll slip through the cracks. My father's lawyers will protect her."
Bella stood, her voice sharp. "Then line it all up. Whatever you have to do, do it. But I won't sit here in this house knowing the woman who took my daughter from the NICU when she was just days old and almost killed my son when he was barely a month old is still breathing air like she did nothing wrong."
Her hands shook, but her eyes were steel. "She stole Arabella from me. She stole seven years of my life with her. If you don't put her behind bars, I will."
Chris stepped closer, his eyes locking onto hers. "Then we'll do it together. But Bella when we move, it won't just be Cassandra who falls. The Fredericks will burn too."
"Good," Bella snapped. "Let them burn."
Her chest heaved as she turned away, looking out the window toward the gardens where Arabella now played under Elliot's watch. "I'll fight for her, Chris. I'll fight for both of them."
Chris's voice dropped lower, steady and raw. "And I'll fight with you. To the end."
Bella closed her eyes. For once, she believed him.
Clinton's trial was over before it even began.
Chris made sure of that.
Every thread Elliot's men had pulled the payments to mercenaries in Canada, the falsified travel documents, the weapons cache, the testimonies from those who had once worked under him came crashing down in court like a wall of bricks. Clinton Reyes, Cassandra's most trusted shadow, stood shackled before the judge, his usual arrogance stripped away.
"Life imprisonment without parole," the gavel fell, echoing like thunder. "For attempted murder, kidnapping, conspiracy, and aiding and abetting international crime."
Bella wasn't there. She couldn't bear to sit in that courtroom, couldn't stand to see his face again. But when Elliot returned to Romero with the news, she collapsed onto the nearest chair, her hands over her face, her body shaking with relief.
"One down," Chris said grimly, his hand on her shoulder. His tone was cold steel. "Now for the one who gave the order."
The lawyers met Bella two days later in Chris's private conference room. The long mahogany table was stacked with files, photographs, and evidence tags. Bella sat at the head, Jessy's stroller parked beside her. He slept peacefully while his mother fought wars for him.
"You are aware of what this means?" the lead attorney asked carefully, sliding a file across to her. "Pressing charges against Cassandra Hampson will ignite a legal and public war. She still has her name tied to several foundations and board seats. Hampson International will be dragged through the mud. Are you prepared for that?"
Bella's fingers trembled as she opened the folder, but her voice did not waver. "She stole my daughter from the NICU. She almost had me and my son killed. She paid for mercenaries to hunt me down in Canada while I held a newborn in my arms. She does not get to hide behind power or money. Yes, I am prepared."
Chris sat beside her, silent until now. His gaze was fixed on the lawyer, his tone sharp as a blade when he finally spoke. "She's not standing alone. I'll stand beside her. And anyone who tries to silence Bella will answer to me."
The legal team exchanged uneasy glances. They had worked with Chris for years, but this was different. His resolve was absolute.
That evening, Bella found herself restless. She slipped out into the garden, Jessy cradled against her chest. The boy gurgled softly, curling his tiny fists around the fabric of her blouse.
The garden lamps glowed faintly, the air cool with the night breeze. She thought she heard footsteps beyond the gates and paused.
There he was again.
The tall man in the long coat, standing under the dim lamplight of the street. She had seen him before she went to Toronto twice, and now here again.
Her chest tightened. His profile was striking, his shoulders broad, his jawline sharp. Even from a distance, something about him unsettled her. His face... it felt like a memory she couldn't place.
Jessy whimpered, and she instinctively rocked him, whispering, "Shh, baby, it's okay."
The man tilted his head slightly, as though listening. The faint light caught the curve of his eyes, the shape of his mouth and Bella's blood ran cold. It was like looking at her own reflection, aged and masculine.
Her knees weakened.
Before she could move closer, headlights flashed across the road. A car turned the corner, and just like that, the man was gone.
"Bella?" Chris's voice carried from the terrace. He walked toward her, Arabella holding his hand, the little girl's violet eyes curious and watchful.
Bella blinked hard, forcing her breath even. "Nothing," she whispered. "It was nothing."
But deep inside, she knew she hadn't imagined him. That was the third time. And each time, he looked closer. Realer.
Later that night, Bella sat in the study again, documents spread before her. She traced her finger over Cassandra's name printed across legal documents.
For so long, she had only thought of herself as the girl who had survived scandal. Now she felt something deeper: a mother fighting for her children, ready to drag monsters into the light.
"I'll see you in court," she whispered fiercely.
Chris leaned against the doorway, watching her, his arms folded. His gaze was steady, unreadable, but his nod was slow and deliberate. "We'll see her there. Together."
Bella exhaled, her hand brushing over Jessy's sleeping head in his crib beside her desk.
For the first time in months, she felt power return to her bones. She wasn't running anymore. She wasn't hiding.
Cassandra Hampson would face the law.
And the shadow of the man she had seen the one who looked like her blood would have to wait.
Because Bella was ready for war.
Clinton's trial was over before it even began.
Chris made sure of that.
Every thread Elliot's men had pulled the payments to mercenaries in Canada, the falsified travel documents, the weapons cache, the testimonies from those who had once worked under him came crashing down in court like a wall of bricks. Clinton Reyes, Cassandra's most trusted shadow, stood shackled before the judge, his usual arrogance stripped away.
"Life imprisonment without parole," the gavel fell, echoing like thunder. "For attempted murder, kidnapping, conspiracy, and aiding and abetting international crime."
Bella wasn't there. She couldn't bear to sit in that courtroom, couldn't stand to see his face again. But when Elliot returned to Romero with the news, she collapsed onto the nearest chair, her hands over her face, her body shaking with relief.
"One down," Chris said grimly, his hand on her shoulder. His tone was cold steel. "Now for the one who gave the order."
The lawyers met Bella two days later in Chris's private conference room. The long mahogany table was stacked with files, photographs, and evidence tags. Bella sat at the head, Jessy's stroller parked beside her. He slept peacefully while his mother fought wars for him.
"You are aware of what this means?" the lead attorney asked carefully, sliding a file across to her. "Pressing charges against Cassandra Hampson will ignite a legal and public war. She still has her name tied to several foundations and board seats. Hampson International will be dragged through the mud. Are you prepared for that?"
Bella's fingers trembled as she opened the folder, but her voice did not waver. "She stole my daughter from the NICU. She almost had me and my son killed. She paid for mercenaries to hunt me down in Canada while I held a newborn in my arms. She does not get to hide behind power or money. Yes, I am prepared."
Chris sat beside her, silent until now. His gaze was fixed on the lawyer, his tone sharp as a blade when he finally spoke. "She's not standing alone. I'll stand beside her. And anyone who tries to silence Bella will answer to me."
The legal team exchanged uneasy glances. They had worked with Chris for years, but this was different. His resolve was absolute.
That evening, Bella found herself restless. She slipped out into the garden, Jessy cradled against her chest. The boy gurgled softly, curling his tiny fists around the fabric of her blouse.
The garden lamps glowed faintly, the air cool with the night breeze. She thought she heard footsteps beyond the gates and paused.
There he was again.
The tall man in the long coat, standing under the dim lamplight of the street. She had seen him before she went to Toronto twice, and now here again.
Her chest tightened. His profile was striking, his shoulders broad, his jawline sharp. Even from a distance, something about him unsettled her. His face... it felt like a memory she couldn't place.
Jessy whimpered, and she instinctively rocked him, whispering, "Shh, baby, it's okay."
The man tilted his head slightly, as though listening. The faint light caught the curve of his eyes, the shape of his mouth and Bella's blood ran cold. It was like looking at her own reflection, aged and masculine.
Her knees weakened.
Before she could move closer, headlights flashed across the road. A car turned the corner, and just like that, the man was gone.
"Bella?" Chris's voice carried from the terrace. He walked toward her, Arabella holding his hand, the little girl's violet eyes curious and watchful.
Bella blinked hard, forcing her breath even. "Nothing," she whispered. "It was nothing."
But deep inside, she knew she hadn't imagined him. That was the third time. And each time, he looked closer. Realer.
Later that night, Bella sat in the study again, documents spread before her. She traced her finger over Cassandra's name printed across legal documents.
For so long, she had only thought of herself as the girl who had survived scandal. Now she felt something deeper: a mother fighting for her children, ready to drag monsters into the light.
"I'll see you in court," she whispered fiercely.
Chris leaned against the doorway, watching her, his arms folded. His gaze was steady, unreadable, but his nod was slow and deliberate. "We'll see her there. Together."
Bella exhaled, her hand brushing over Jessy's sleeping head in his crib beside her desk.
For the first time in months, she felt power return to her bones. She wasn't running anymore. She wasn't hiding.
Cassandra Hampson would face the law.
And the shadow of the man she had seen the one who looked like her blood would have to wait.
Because Bella was ready for war.