Chapter 1
1272 Words
“Bella… I don’t know what to do anymore.”
Isabella’s mother’s voice trembled as she placed the stack of bank notices on the kitchen counter. The letters were crisp, official, final. Each one seemed to scream the same thing: Your family’s fortune is gone.
Bella’s stomach dropped, a heavy, sinking weight that made it hard to breathe. She picked up the top envelope, her fingers brushing the embossed letters. She didn’t even need to read it—she already knew.
Her father rubbed his temples, pacing behind her with slow, weary steps. “We’re running out of time,” he said quietly. “The gallery, the estate… it’s all at risk. Every last bit of what we’ve built—vanishing.”
Bella’s hands tightened around the envelope until the paper crumpled slightly. “Then we do something. We can’t just… wait for it to get worse. I’ll talk to Lucas. He’ll help. He promised me he’d always be there.”
Her mother sank into the nearest chair, fingers twisting in her lap. “We can’t rely on him entirely, Bella. There’s… someone else. Alexander Blackwood.”
Isabella froze. The words echoed in her mind, each one like a hammer strike. “Alexander Blackwood? You want me to… what? Marry him?”
Her father’s gaze softened but stayed firm. “Not for love, Bella. Just… for security. He’s wealthy, influential… he can secure everything for us before it’s too late.”
Bella shook her head violently. “No. I can’t. Lucas will help. He cares about us—I know he does. I trust him. Always him.”
Her mother reached out, placing a trembling hand over hers. “We’re not asking you to love him. Just… consider it, if there’s no other way. Please.”
Bella’s chest tightened. The weight of the world pressed down on her shoulders, making her feel smaller than she’d ever felt in her life. Could she really consider this? Marry a man she didn’t love—just to save the family? And what about Lucas? She couldn’t—she wouldn’t—turn to someone else while she still trusted him.
Swallowing hard, she forced a smile she didn’t feel. “I’ll try Lucas first. Always Lucas.”
Her father gave a faint nod, trying to read the flicker of determination on her face. “Do what you must, Bella. But don’t wait too long.”
Bella retreated to her room, the envelope clutched to her chest like a lifeline. She sank onto the edge of her bed, staring at the floorboards, imagining every way this could go wrong. She thought of her parents, their weary faces, the silent panic in her father’s eyes. And then she thought of Lucas, her friend, her confidant, the one constant she could rely on.
She shouldn’t have to ask him for help. He had promised. But a small, stubborn part of her hesitated. What if she was asking too much? What if he had his own life, his own problems? What if he couldn’t save them?
The thought made her stomach twist. No. He will help. He had to.
Bella spent the next hour pacing, rehearsing what she would say. She could practically see the words in her mind: Lucas, we need you. Please. She bit her lip. It sounded too desperate, too weak. She couldn’t sound weak. Not now.
By the time the sky outside turned to twilight, she had resolved herself. She would go to him, speak plainly, and hope he could find a solution. The family’s legacy depended on it. And yet, a tiny voice in the back of her mind whispered something she didn’t want to admit: What if Lucas isn’t enough?
The dinner that night was quiet, almost painfully so. Her parents spoke little, the air heavy with unspoken fears. Bella picked at her food, barely tasting it, eyes fixed on the darkening sky outside the window. Her mother’s glances were frequent, laden with worry, but Bella pretended not to notice.
Afterward, she returned to her room, checked her phone for the fifth time, and finally sent a text: Lucas, can we meet? I need your help.
As she pressed send, a sense of dread settled over her. She had no idea how her life—and her family’s future—was about to change.
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