Chapter 37: First interaction!

Bella could hardly believe that she was in her lover's arms again and, thinking that she might wake up from a crazy dream, she chose to keep her eyes closed for a while longer, but that didn't stop her from saying:

"Forgive me, Dylan!"

"Let's not talk about it now."

"Thank you for coming to rescue us."

"Make no mistake, I came for Théo and I didn't know you were in captivity with him."

"Somehow, I had to try and protect my son."

"And how would you do that? By dying together with him or by putting yourself before him to die first and risk leaving the boy traumatized forever?"

"A desperate mother is capable of anything and yet that would be better than having to live with the regret of not having tried anything to save him."

"If you say so." Dylan replies without looking at his ex-girlfriend.

"I'm fine now. You can put me down."

Dylan looks at Bella's bare feet and even thinks about resisting her request, but ends up accepting because he really didn't want to mind. In the moving car, Bella asks where they're taking her and her son, DK just replies:

Kicher Mansion"

The beautiful brunette is worried because the other time she was there she wasn't treated well by Alexander and Bella snuggles a little closer to Théo, but her beautiful green eyes are fixed on Dylan admiring his imposing presence, he notices and tries to reprimand her:

"Stop staring at me or I'll tear your eyes out".

"Don't talk to my mother like that. Who do you think you are?" Théo confronts DK

"Kid, stay out of adult conversations."

"Son, it's all right. Lean on me again. Let's go!" Bella pulls her son into her arms and Théo questions her

"Who is this guy? And why are we going to the Kicher house? They're enemies, Mom.

"My love, right now, if we want to live, the Kicher house is the best place to stay for now. Trust me." Bella looks into the boy's eyes and hears a laugh from Dylan

"Why are you smiling?"

"I just thought it was funny when you mentioned the word... trust. How you relativize that word. You want your son to take your word for it and not trust the one who loved him so much."

Bella remains silent until they reach their destination. At the mansion, Jacob opens the door on Bella's side, holding out his hand to help her, but is completely ignored. Théo came down soon after, gripping his mother's hand tightly and looking around; it was clear that the normally brave boy was afraid. However, Bella bent down a little to look her son in the eye and said:

"It's going to be okay. Mommy's here with you. Théo just nodded and Dylan, trying to remain neutral, asked them both to follow him. DK barely sets foot in the living room and is greeted with a very warm hug from Deanne:

"You took your time! I missed you," she says, still clinging to DK's tanned and well-defined body, who joins in the fun when he notices Bella's curious eyes.

"Missed me? That's great!" DK wraps his hands around Deanne's waist and gives her an intense kiss. And then he makes the revelation:

"This is Deanne Webster, my girlfriend and bride-to-be.

Bella feels as if the world is going to come crashing down on her, her heart squeezing in her chest. But what could she do? Until a few minutes ago, she didn't even know Dylan was alive, he was just showing her that he had moved on. But the love she felt for Dylan was still intact in her heart and that's why it hurt so much to see him with someone else and not even be able to complain.

"Hi, I'm Bella Hahn!" the brunette introduced herself without all her usual glamor, but she still made a big impact.

"Are you Anthony Hahn's daughter by any chance?"

"Yes, with great pride."

"But aren't Kicher and Hahn enemies? What are you doing here?" Deanne looks at Bella from head to toe and, before the beautiful brunette can answer, DK steps forward.

"This is Théo, my son, and Bella is his mother."

"You were very bold." Deanne marveled.

"I know. But I paid with my life for that daring, luckily I have seven lives." Dylan smiles, making Bella feel even guiltier and the worst is yet to come, when Théo enters the conversation;

"What do you mean, he's my father and Johnny?" The boy looks strangely at his mother, waiting for an answer.

"Oh my God! You weren't supposed to know like that (Bella grumbles and turns to her son). Yes, Dylan Kicher is your father, we had a relationship almost 11 years ago, but because of Alexander Kicher, he left me and I had to go back home and the condition for me to be accepted back was to marry someone I didn't love. However, in the meantime, I found out that I was pregnant with you and your grandfather Anthony arranged my marriage to Johnny, who was my childhood friend. I thought it wouldn't be a problem because we already knew each other, but it became my worst nightmare and now we're here. I'm sorry, son!"

Mom, it's okay. You did your best and thank you for not giving up on me. Knowing Grandpa, he must have put a lot of pressure on you, didn't he?"

"Théo, you were the best thing that ever happened in my life, I've never regretted choosing you despite everything and you know that your grandfather loved you too."

"I know." Théo smiles

"Are you really 10? Sometimes I think you're more mature than me."

"Mom, I'm also the son of the mafia, I have to understand things too, despite my young age."

Meanwhile, Dylan tries to get closer to his son, since he now knows the whole truth.

"Son, I am too..."

"Stop right there. I don't even know you and, if you haven't noticed, all this mess is because 10 years ago you were a coward and abandoned my mother." Théo hides behind Bella

"I understand, son. It must be difficult for you to process so much information at once and you must also be tired. I'll send one of the maids to find you a room."

"Thanks, Dylan!"

"No need to thank me, I'm doing this for my son."

"Don't talk to my mother like that." Théo stands in front of Bella

"It's all right. Just remember that it's temporary."

Just then, Alexander enters the room and sees Bella and Théo:

"Are you here again?" He looks at Bella

"I brought you here. By the way, I'd like you to meet someone special... Dad, this is your grandson Théo and Théo, this is your grandfather Alexander. "