Her words hung in the air, deliberate and heavy.
Bella's heart clenched. Future heir. The term always sounded like a chain around her neck — a title she didn't want, tied to a legacy she never asked for.
She swallowed, her throat dry. "Mum, I'm sorry," she began, her voice low but firm. "But I don't think I can."
Adrian's chair scraped against the marble floor as he stood. The sudden sound was sharp enough to make Luna flinch. His tone cut through the air like a whip.
"You dare not move out of this place while your mother still talks."
Bella froze mid-step, her hand halfway to her pocket. Slowly, she turned — meeting her father's glare with weary eyes.
Adrian's face was a storm of anger barely contained. "You will come with us, girl," he said through clenched teeth. "And make sure you come with a straight head and a fixed life. You've embarrassed us enough."
Luna's eyes widened, her chest tightening at his words. She could feel Bella's tension beside her — the way her hand trembled slightly before curling into a fist.
Bella shook her head slowly. "I don't have the strength for another argument, Dad." Her voice cracked just a little, enough to betray the exhaustion underneath.
She turned to her mother instead, forcing a small, sad smile. "Mum… I'll leave now."
Claire's brows pinched together. She reached out a hand, frail but filled with grace. "Bella, please stay," she said gently. "I'll make them prepare a room for your friend too."
The air shifted.
Both Claire and Adrian turned their attention toward Luna — who froze completely under their gaze. Her heart pounded so loudly she thought they could hear it. She straightened awkwardly, her hands clasped in front of her, every inch of her body stiff.
It was the first time both parents had met her properly. She had visited the hospital twice with Bella before, but those visits had been chaotic — full of shouting, tears, and slammed doors. And at the Catholic school when they came to pick Bella up. Now, there was no noise. Only judgment.
Adrian's stare was sharp and unrelenting, his eyes dark with disgust and disbelief. "Is that her girlfriend or her friend?" he asked finally, his voice like venom.
No one answered.
The silence felt suffocating.
He took a step closer to Luna, his gaze cutting her apart piece by piece. "Are you also one of those confused children who shame their families while pretending to be different? You think my daughter is capable of being your man?"
Luna's lips parted, but no words came. She felt her knees weaken — shame, fear, and anger twisting inside her like a knot she couldn't untangle.
"Dad." Bella's voice was calm but cold now — like glass about to shatter. "Whatever she is to me is my business."
Adrian turned sharply toward her, eyes narrowing.
"And I don't intend to be a man because I love women," Bella continued before he could interrupt. "I'm still a woman. A woman who knows what she wants. And who she loves."
Her words fell heavy between them. The kind of truth that burned more than it healed.
Adrian's chest rose and fell fast. His fists clenched at his sides. "You—"
"Enough." Claire's voice, though quiet, carried weight. It wasn't a plea. It was a command.
Adrian stopped, jaw tightening, eyes flicking toward his wife. Claire looked pale but composed — her hands resting calmly on the arms of the sofa.
"We will not do this again," she said firmly. "Not here. Not now."
Bella's eyes softened for a moment as she looked at her mother — that frail woman who was somehow the only thing still holding this family together.
"Let's go," Bella said to Luna, her tone leaving no room for argument.
She took Luna's trembling hand and walked toward the door.
"Bella," Claire called gently. "Ruth will go with you."
Behind her, Ruth stepped forward silently, already reaching for her coat.
Adrian's glare followed them all the way to the door, fury pulsing in his veins. He wanted to shout — to forbid Bella from walking out again, from choosing love over legacy — but Claire's eyes warned him not to.
The sound of the front door closing echoed through the grand hall like the end of a storm.
---
The ride to the mansion was painfully quiet.
Outside, the world moved — streetlights blurring past the tinted windows, rain starting to fall in thin silver streaks. Inside, tension filled every inch of space.
Bella stared out the window, her reflection faint against the glass. Her jaw was tight, her thoughts miles away.
Luna sat beside her, her hands clasped tightly on her lap. She could feel the weight of Adrian's presence even though he wasn't in the car. His glare, his words, the way he'd looked at her — as if she were filth.
She glanced at Bella, wanting to say something comforting, but words felt useless. How could she fix something this broken?
Ruth sat at the front beside the driver, her face unreadable. Every so often, she looked back at the two young women through the rearview mirror — protective, but quiet.
Finally, Bella sighed and leaned back against the seat. "You okay?"
Luna gave a small nod, forcing a shaky smile. "Yeah. Just… didn't expect all that."
Bella's lips twitched into a humorless smirk. "Welcome to the Harts' family drama."
Luna looked at her for a long second. "He hates me."
Bella turned her head. Their eyes met. "He hates what he doesn't understand."
For a moment, silence returned — not awkward, but heavy.
"You shouldn't have to deal with that every time you go home."
Bella's lips pressed together. "Home stopped feeling like home a long time ago."
The sadness in her tone made Luna's chest tighten. She hesitated, then reached out slowly — her hand hovering near Bella's before she finally placed it gently over hers.
Bella didn't pull away. She didn't return the touch either. She just stared ahead, quiet.
"You don't have to fight him," Luna said softly. "Not for anyone's approval."
Bella turned to her, her gaze calm but distant. "I'm not fighting him for approval." She paused, eyes lowering. "I'm fighting him because I'm tired of pretending."
Luna's throat tightened. There was so much she wanted to say — that she admired her strength, that she loved her for being real even when it hurt — but the words stayed trapped behind her lips.
Outside, thunder rolled in the distance. The rain had stopped, but the air was heavy — charged, like a storm that hadn't quite passed.
By the time they reached Bella's mansion, the city was wrapped in evening mist.
The gates opened silently as the car pulled into the wide driveway.
Ruth stepped out first, holding an umbrella open as the driver opened the back door. "We're here," she said softly.
Bella nodded, stepping out. Luna followed, adjusting her jacket as a gust of cool air brushed past.
As they entered the mansion, the soft scent of vanilla and jasmine filled the air. The house felt peaceful — the kind of peace Bella desperately needed.
But the moment they stepped into the living room, Becca shot up from the couch.
"Finally!" she exclaimed, eyes wide with worry. "You guys took forever."
Her gaze moved from Bella to Luna, reading the tension instantly. "Let me guess — the trip was hell?"