Chapter 215

~ Bella ~

The article popped up on my phone while I was sitting in my apartment in Newark, drinking cold coffee and staring at nothing. I was beginning to loose my shit hiding here.

I, a lead developer is hiding in this rat hole that smells of pee. What a disgusting thing. Which was Octavia and Franklin’s fault.

I felt my phone vibrate. I checked if it was a message from Roderigo. But apparently, what I would see would fuel the rage in me.

"Franklin Flemington and Octavia Herman Renew Their Vows in Intimate Ceremony."

Vow renewal.

They’d gotten married again. As if the first time wasn’t enough. As if the fake marriage, the contract, the desperation of it all hadn’t been enough. They’d decided to do it again. To stand in front of people and promise each other forever.

The photos made my stomach turn.

Franklin looked happy. Genuinely happy. The kind of happy I’d never been able to give him, apparently. And Octavia, of course she looked radiant even if she doesn’t deserve it. She was wearing white, her hand in his like he was the only thing keeping her tethered to earth.

I thought it was some kind of mistake. But there it was, in black and white, documented by every major news outlet.

They were married. Actually married.

After everything. After I’d given him my time, my attention, my love. After I’d stood by him when no one else would. After I’d sacrificed my own reputation by being seen with him, by being associated with Dorian through him.

And he’d chosen her.

The rage that bubbled up in my chest was so intense I had to set the phone down before I threw it across the room. My hands were shaking. My vision was blurry. I could barely breathe.

I was angry, I was enraged. I made him obsessed with me and thought I had him under my control. That stupid Rufus too, he stole from me and left, what a dick, running away. Like it was nothing. He could not even try to reach out.

Men are stupid.

I wonder if the cops get him, is he going to rat me out? I am sure he knows I am not dead. But he is not my major concern now.

I’d waited so long. So patiently. I’d stayed hidden, stayed quiet, stayed out of their way while they played house and pretended their love story was some great romance.

The waiting was over.

I grabbed my burner phone and dialed the number I’d memorized months ago. The phone rang three times before she picked up.

"Hello?" Her voice was low.

"It’s me," I said quietly. "We need to talk."

There was a pause. I could almost hear her pulse spike through the phone.

"Bella? Oh my God, I thought—"

"I know what you thought," I interrupted. "Everyone thinks I’m dead. And that’s exactly how I need it to stay. But I need you. I need your help."

"Bella, I don’t know..." She was nervous now. Good. Nervous meant she was taking this seriously. "This is risky. You know that. If anyone finds out I’ve been in contact with you—"

"I need information on Octavia," I said, cutting through her hesitation. "And I need you to help me."

"Bella, no. I can’t. I already told you when we last spoke, I’m done with all of this. I have a life. I have things to lose."

"So did I," I said coldly. "But here we are. And you owe me. You owe me more than you could ever repay."

She was quiet for a long moment. I could hear her breathing, could almost see her face, conflicted, scared, but ultimately too indebted to say no.

"What do you need?" she finally asked, her voice small.

"Everything. Her schedule. Her routines. Her vulnerabilities. Who she sees. Where she goes. What she does. I need to know her life inside and out."

"Bella, this is crazy. You’re talking about—"

"I’m not talking about anything," I interrupted. "I’m asking for information. That’s all."

Another long pause. Then: "Okay. Okay, I’ll do it. But Bella, be careful. Please. Whatever you’re planning, just... be careful."

I smiled at that. Careful. How thoughtful of her to be concerned.

"Thank you," I said, and I meant it. "You have no idea how much this means to me."

I ended the call before she could respond. Before she could hear the satisfaction in my voice. Before she could change her mind.

I set the burner phone down and leaned back in my chair, staring up at the ceiling.

Good thing I still have someone on the inside, I thought to myself. Someone who was willing to betray her for the right motivation. Someone who had everything to lose if their involvement came to light. Someone who was already in too deep to back out now.

I had someone close to Octavia. Close enough to watch. Close enough to report. Close enough to help me destroy everything she’d built.

Then suddenly, her message entered. "I heard they are going on their honeymoon tomorrow in Greece."

My hand moved down to my stomach, and smiled.

"Mama’s got plans for you," I whispered to the nothing inside me. "Big plans."

I closed my eyes and let myself imagine it. The looks on their faces when they realized what was happening. The way Franklin would finally understand what it meant to lose everything. The way Octavia would crumble when she understood that her perfect life was built on sand.

They thought they’d won. They thought the trial was the end, that Dorian and Kieran and Anthony behind bars meant they were safe.

They had no idea.

The game wasn’t over. It had only just begun.

And this time, they won’t know what hit them.

I opened my eyes and looked out the window at the city beyond. Somewhere out there, Franklin and Octavia were celebrating their vow renewal. They were probably planning their future, dreaming about their life together, believing they were untouchable.

Let them believe it.

Let them have this moment of peace.

Because I was coming.

And when I did, I was going to burn it all down.