Chapter 119
She could barely hear herself. Her thoughts were a mess, colliding, tangled, and scattered.
What if Jake had already seen it?
What if he thought p>
Her stomach dropped at the thought.
Rachel was watching her anxiously. “Bella?” she said softly. “You’re shaking p>
Bella’s throat felt tight. “Because this can’t be happening,” she whispered. “This… this could ruin me. And Jake. And Timothy—oh God, Timmy.” She looked at the photo again, her eyes glassy. “He’s just a child. Why would anyone drag him into something like this? Who could this be and how the hell did he or she know p>
“Can you think of anyone you might have told about Timothy? Anyone at all,” Chloe asked, looking equally worried for her friend.
“I can’t p>
“Or maybe it’s someone from his school. Look at the picture, it was taken when you were in school so it has to be someone from the school,” Rachel said and both Chloe and Bella turned to her.
Bella nodded. “You’re right. Jake stood up to the school authorities and told them if Timothy gets bullied again, they’d have him to deal with. I’m sure one of the kids parents must’ve done this. They know Timothy doesn’t have a father. Oh my God! This is all messed up,” Bella said, pacing around.
Chloe leaned forward, her face pale. “What are you going to do?” she asked carefully. “What if Jake’s seen it already? You know how fast news spreads. He might have even gotten a call about it or something. What are you going to do now p>
Bella pressed a trembling hand against her forehead. “I don’t know. Do you think he’ll believe it? I told him Timothy’s Rachel’s child but what if he sees it and starts thinking otherwise p>
Rachel bit her lip, tears welling in her eyes both from her own pain and her sisters. Things were just starting to fall in place for Bella. So having it all fall apart now was tearing her apart, making her think neither she or her sister deserve to be happy.
“Bell, I think you should call him,” Rachel said suddenly. “You have to call him now. Before he hears it from someone else or starts suspecting, you have to tell him the truth. The truth about everything. That Timothy’s not just your son but his too. You can tell him you didn’t mean to hide it or whatever excuse you can use but you just… have to tell him, Bell p>
Bella looked up sharply, fear flashing in her eyes. “You think that’s going to fix this? What if he reacts badly? What if he hates me for lying? Or what if he thinks I really used him? What if he thinks I posted this to ruin his reputation? God, no. I p>
Chloe reached out, her tone firm but calm, cutting Bella off. “Bella, listen to me. How he reacts shouldn’t even be your main concern right now. The world is already running wild with this and you don’t expect him to react calmly after seeing all of that and confirming the truth from you. But you shouldn’t let it stop you from telling him. The only thing that matters is your truth. Tell him before he sees it and start figuring things out himself p>
“But p>
“No ’buts,’” Chloe cut in gently. “You’ve always told us to face problems head-on, remember? So do the same now. You don’t want him finding out on his own and thinking you never trusted him with your child despite how much he’s been there for Timmy in just this short while of knowing him. Remember they met without your knowledge. It’s his fate to reunite with his child. You have to tell him, now p>
Bella looked torn, her fingers tightening around the phone. She could still see Jake’s face in her mind. That easy smile when he’d handed Timothy ice cream, the calm way he’d spoken about going to see his parents. Everything had felt so peaceful earlier, like for once, her world wasn’t complicated.
Now, that peace had shattered in a single headline.
Bella opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Her throat felt dry, her hands shaking too much to even hold the phone steady.
“I can’t,” she said at last, her voice small. “I can’t face him. Not like this p>
“Bella p>
“I can’t!” she burst out suddenly, her voice cracking. Tears filled her eyes. “You don’t understand. He trusted me. He opened up to me, Rachel. And I lied to him. Maybe not with my words, but by keeping the truth hidden. He’ll never forgive me for this. Not when the whole world’s saying I used him. If I tell him now, he’s just going to believe I used him too. He might think I actually came to Sweliss to drag him down. I mean, imagine what would happen to his reputation if it’s confirmed that he’s truly Timothy’s father p>
Silence followed her words. Heavy. Sharp.
Rachel and Chloe exchanged a glance, both unsure what else to say.
Then Chloe rose from the couch, moving to kneel beside Bella, her tone softer now. “He deserves to hear it from you, Bella. Not from a headline. And no matter what happens, you need to know that you did nothing wrong by protecting your son. You were scared. You had your reasons. No matter how he reacts or how it affects him later, you still have to tell him now p>
Bella’s lips trembled. “I just wanted to give him a normal life,” she whispered. “Without anyone judging him for who his father is. If I had known, I would’ve quit the moment I realized he was my boss. Maybe none of this would be happening now p>
Rachel’s eyes softened with sympathy. “And that’s understandable,” she said quietly. “But if Jake finds out on his own he might think you didn’t trust him at all p>
“If you love him, Bell, you’ll tell him. What’s the worse that can happen? He already sees Timmy as a son, knowing Timmy is actually his son will make him happy. With the love he has for you, don’t you think he’ll be happy he has a child with you? You’re thinking about the internet? Jake is influential and he can always do a damage control or whatever it is rich people do. Just don’t lie to him about it now, it’ll do you more harm than good,” Chloe said, taking Bella’s hands, their gaze locked on each other.
Bella nodded slowly, her hands gripping the phone tighter as she thought of all Chloe and Rachel had said. “You’re right,” she whispered. “I have to tell him p>
She took a shaky breath, her thumb hovering over his name in her contact list. Just as she was about to press call, a sudden knock sounded at the door and she froze.
The sound came again, firm, steady, familiar.
Bella’s breath caught. No. It couldn’t be.
Rachel looked at her, eyes wide. “You don’t think p>
But Bella already knew. The sound of his knock was something she could recognize even in her sleep. Besides, he was the only one that’d ever come to the house at that time of the day.
Chloe stood slowly, glancing between the two sisters. “Bell she whispered. “What if it’s him p>
Bella’s heart thudded violently in her chest. Her palms felt clammy. “No… no, it can’t be him,” she muttered, rising to her feet on shaky legs. “It’s too soon. I’m not yet prepared p>
But then came the voice, cutting Bella off.
“Bella p>
It was calm, deep, and unmistakably Jake’s voice.
Her heart stopped.
Rachel and Chloe exchanged a nervous glance as Bella stood rooted to the spot, her face pale.
He knew. He must have seen it.
“Bella, open the door,” Jake called again, his tone firmer this time.
Her stomach twisted. The phone slipped from her fingers and hit the couch with a dull thud. Every muscle in her body felt frozen.
“Bell Chloe whispered cautiously.
Bella swallowed hard, her throat burning. “I can’t,” she said hoarsely. “I can’t open that door p>
“But you have to,” Rachel said gently. “You owe him that much p>
Bella turned toward the door slowly, her heartbeat echoing in her ears. She could already imagine the look on Jake’s face when she’d tell him—disappointment, anger, hurt.
Each step she took toward the door felt heavier than the last. Tʜe source of this ᴄontent ɪs.net
When she finally reached it, she paused, her trembling hand hovering over the handle.
For a long moment, she didn’t move. She just stood there, trying to steady her breathing, willing her heart to stop racing.
Behind her, Chloe and Rachel waited in tense silence.
Then, with a small, unsteady breath, Bella turned the handle.
The door opened and there he was.
Jake stood on the porch, the night breeze ruffling his hair, his expression unreadable. His phone was still in his hand — and on the screen, faintly visible in the reflection of the porch light, was the same image that had wrecked her peace moments ago.
For a moment, neither of them spoke. The silence between them said everything.