Chapter 428 No Guts
Bella vividly remembered how Lucas had always been there for her, raising her single-handedly without a word of complaint or a hint of neglect. From the first rays of dawn to the last glimmer of twilight, Lucas tirelessly prepared her meals, ensuring she grew up healthy and strong. Through the changing seasons, his love never waned; it only grew deeper with time.
Maybe because Mira left too soon, Lucas felt an even greater responsibility. He worried Bella might feel inferior due to the lack of maternal love, or worse, feel different from other kids. So, he did everything he could to make up for that missing love, to make her feel the warmth of home.
But despite being such a wonderful person, Lucas died in a plane crash, wrongly blamed as a scapegoat. Every time Bella thought about it, her heart felt like it was being pierced by a thousand needles.
What was even harder to accept was that the real culprit behind the crash was the man who raised her and whom she once thought she could spend her life with—Sterling. This truth weighed on her like a mountain, suffocating her.
She asked herself countless times how she could possibly live with the man who killed her father. In the quiet of the night, this question cut her heart like a sharp knife. She couldn't forget Lucas's hopeful eyes, nor could she forgive herself for loving the man responsible for his death.
Sterling's kindness wasn't lost on her. His gentleness, his care, his efforts—they all warmed her deeply. After ten years together, it was impossible to just let go. But every time she tried to accept his love, Lucas's shadow would appear in her mind, reminding her of the deep-seated hatred.
Whenever she tried to get closer to Sterling, guilt and pain would flood her, drowning her. Bella felt sinful for loving Sterling. This love was like an insurmountable chasm, separating her from him. She couldn't forgive herself, nor could she accept this love.
So now, with Sterling handling Debra and Dash's issues, she felt uneasy. This favor was too heavy for her to bear. She was no longer the naive, helpless girl she once was. After Lucas's death and Sterling's lies, she had become strong and independent, her defenses fortified.
Dash and Debra's harassment had once left her feeling helpless and lost, but now she knew how to protect herself. Sterling's actions, though seemingly an attempt to right past wrongs, only made her feel more uncomfortable and conflicted. She didn't want any more ties with him, nor did she want to accept his kindness.
Since she couldn't accept his love or hate him, what she wanted was a clean break, complete liberation. With this in mind, Bella took out her phone and sent Sterling a message, her fingers tapping lightly on the keyboard, each word revealing her determination and distance.
"Mira reached out to me. I know you put Dash and Debra in jail. While they deserved it, this favor is too heavy for me to bear. I don't want to be connected to you because of it. From now on, no matter what difficulties I face, please don't intervene. Let me handle and resolve them myself."
After sending the message, Bella waited quietly for a reply, feeling both anxious and relieved. She knew this message marked a severance between her and Sterling. She both wanted and didn't want his reply.
Bella felt like a very conflicted person.
Soon, her phone screen lit up again, and Sterling's message arrived, carrying his usual assertiveness: "As long as you're my woman, I'll handle your affairs. You have the guts to send me a message expressing your dissatisfaction but not the courage to face me and say it in person? Our issues can't be resolved with a few messages."
Bella looked at the message, a bitter smile tugging at her lips. She had experienced Sterling's domineering and persistence countless times.
She turned off her phone, took a deep breath, and decided not to reply. Sterling was right; she didn't have the courage to face him and say those decisive words in person. After all, the past, those intertwined memories of sweetness and pain, were like invisible shackles binding her heart. Ten years couldn't be easily erased.
Bella's message to Sterling wasn't to ask for forgiveness for Dash and Debra. She knew their crimes were unforgivable. Her true intention was to make Sterling understand her feelings and stop interfering in her life. She longed for complete liberation, a life where she could breathe freely and make her own choices, unburdened by their fractured relationship.
She also knew Sterling wasn't one to give up easily. His persistence and dominance made her feel both warmth and pressure. She feared that if they continued this ambiguous relationship, she might fall back into the emotional turmoil, unable to escape.
So, she chose to avoid, to respond to Sterling's message with silence. She hoped that through this, Sterling would gradually understand her resolve.
Harborvale.
Anna dragged her weary steps, having visited several companies without success. She looked up at the gray sky; just moments ago, the sun was shining brightly, but now a few clouds drifted leisurely, seemingly oblivious to human troubles.
Finally, as she pushed open the door to her home, it felt like stepping into a completely different world. The cool breeze from the air conditioner greeted her, bringing a sense of refreshment and tranquility, instantly dispelling her fatigue and heat. She couldn't help but take a deep breath, as if to permanently store this rare coolness in her heart.
"This feels amazing!" Anna couldn't help but exclaim, kicking off her blister-inducing high heels.
They had accompanied her through too many steps, bearing too much exhaustion. At this moment, she just wanted them to rest, and herself to relax.
Anna, like a tired little bird, flew towards the couch, which now seemed like the most wonderful haven in the world. But before she could sit down, her mother, Qiana, grabbed her from behind.
"Anna, we need to talk," Qiana said, her voice serious.
Anna sighed, knowing that her moment of relaxation would have to wait. She turned to face her mother, trying to muster the energy for whatever conversation was about to unfold.
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