Chapter 14
By the time Seth arrived at Greendale Village in the back of a four–wheeled delivery truck, he could hardly believe his eyes.
Even during his military days, he’d never seen conditions this rough. Mud passed for roads, and everything around him looked like it had been forgotten by time. He couldn’t understand why Bella would come to a place like this–to suffer like this.
But when he reached the village’s small school, for the first time, he found himself looking at Bella like a stranger.
The Bella he remembered had been pampered from childhood–an heiress who never lifted a finger. A girl born to live a good life.
But now, through the classroom window, he saw her standing at the front of the room, speaking with quiet confidence. Her eyes were bright. Her clothes were plain and coarse, the kind you’d find on a market stall. But her words were crisp, beautiful, flowing–turning dull textbook prose into something living.
He stared at her, dazed. It felt like he was seeing her for the first time.
The bell rang, pulling him from his trance. He took a step toward the classroom–but before he could reach her, a young man beat him to it.
Just a glance at the boy’s profile, and Seth recognized him immediately.
Danny. The notorious playboy from Bella’s school. The one who had once pursued Bella
with relentless determination.
What was he doing here? Had he followed her?
Still caught in his confusion, Seth watched Danny reach out and gently pat Bella’s head.
His jaw clenched. The veins in his neck stood out. He stormed forward and shoved himself between them, his finger pointed squarely at Danny.
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“Danny,” he barked. “Isn’t there enough debutantes for you to ruin back in the city? You had to come all the way here to mess with someone from the Rogen family? I’m warning you–stay away from Bella.”
Danny met his eyes calmly, then turned to Bella with a quiet question, “Bella, are you part of the Rogen family?”
She glanced at Seth, then answered coldly, “No.”
The tone of her voice–so distant, so unfamiliar–left him speechless.
Danny smiled faintly and shot him a look of deliberate challenge. “Did you hear that? The
one who needs to stay away from her… is you.”
Seth’s eyes dimmed. He looked at Bella, his voice low and soft, like he was afraid she’d disappear again.
“Bella… I’m sorry,” he said. “I know I hurt you. But I never meant to abandon you. In my
heart, you’ve always been part of the Rogen family. The Rogen family is your home.”
Bella let out a dry, humorless laugh.
“I don’t have a family,” she said. “My family died a long time ago.”
Once, she had treated Seth like her only kin. But how had he repaid that?
She didn’t want to remember. She didn’t want to bring it up again.
Seth felt his chest tighten. Right. How dare he say she was his family?
He’d fought over her father’s belongings. He’d accused her of theft. What right did he have to say those words now?
His throat burned. He wanted to explain, to say something–anything–but the words
never came.
Danny stepped in again.
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“If I were you, Seth, I’d be too ashamed to show my face in front of Bella,” he said. “Have you forgotten how you treated her? You don’t just get to slap someone and hand them candy to make it right. She’s my girlfriend now. I suggest you respect that.”
Seth froze, unable to hide the shock in his eyes. He turned to Bella, disbelief etched across
his face.
“Bella… is it true? Are you really… with
him?”
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