Elizabeth clung to Bella’s arm, her touch gentle yet filled with an emotional plea. “Mom, I can’t help it. I truly love him. He saved me during my darkest times.”
“Elizabeth…”
Before Bella could finish, Elizabeth covered her ears, adamantly refusing to listen. “I don’t care what it takes. I must have him!”
“Elizabeth…”
Bella tried again, but her words fell on deaf ears as Elizabeth continued to block out her mother’s counsel.
Bella’s face was etched with helplessness, and she fell silent.
Having struggled with fertility issues before Elizabeth’s birth, Bella cherished her only child deeply, perhaps to the point of overindulgence.
This, in turn, had shaped Elizabeth into a somewhat spoiled and headstrong individual.
Despite this, Bella held on to the hope that Elizabeth would eventually see reason and avoid the dangerous path of pursuing a married man.
Seeing that her daughter was not in a state to listen, Bella tactfully changed the subject. “Did you encounter Stella at the banquet? How is she? Were you two able to get along?”
Elizabeth, lowering her hands, replied with a hint of disdain, “Not really. She seemed to carry herself with an air of superiority and had quite an attitude.”
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This revelation caused Bella to frown. “That’s surprising. Luther had spoken quite favorably of her. I had a positive impression and was even considering a collaboration. Perhaps I need to rethink that decision.”
Late at night, Matthew retreated to his study. He quietly turned on his computer, making sure Stella was sound asleep.
The screen lit up with files on Bella, which Matthew examined closely before calling Fernando with instructions. “Keep digging into Bella’s past, particularly her time in Bysea. We need to find anything useful.”
Matthew’s suspicion that Bella could be Stella’s real mother had only grown after his encounter with Elizabeth.
Fernando had been assisting in the investigation, but the progress was slow.
Fernando responded to Matthew’s directive, saying, “Our Dorburn contact reports Bella has just one daughter, Elizabeth. She married once, to a man who runs a major trading business in Dorburn. Our investigations keep hitting roadblocks, hinting there might be secrets buried deep.”
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Matthew’s brow creased with concern. “What do we know about Bella before her marriage?”
Fernando paused before answering, “It’s a dead end. Records show she’s always been in Dorburn. Her parents died early, and she’s lost touch with her brother for many years. There’s nothing on her in the local records.”
With a sigh, Matthew turned away from the computer, massaging his temples. He realized observing Bella’s reactions around Stella might be the key to unraveling the truth.
Matthew gave Fernando an order. “Keep Bella in Seamarsh for a bit longer. See if you can talk to her and maybe set up a meeting.”
“Understood, Sir.” With that, Fernando hung up.
Matthew set his phone down and sat at his desk, deep in thought.
Stella had always wanted to find her real parents. It was something that troubled her a lot.