Hugo’s POV
Hours had passed since I witnessed little Tara asking Bella those innocent questions about . The mory refused to leave my thoughts as I remained seated in my room, replaying every expression that crossed Bella’s face during that conversation.
Her reaction had been telling. She believed I was unsuitable as a mate, as a husband, certainly as a father figure. Yet her daughter saw sothing entirely different in , and that contrast sparked a curiosity I couldn’t shake.
My original plan had been simple. Wait a few more hours, then use the children as a perfect excuse to suggest dinner sowhere nice. Just the four of us. No Derek, no Parker interfering with what could be a peaceful evening together.
The sharp ring of my phone shattered those thoughts completely.
One glance at the caller ID made straighten imdiately, every muscle in my body going tense.
"Hello?" My voice ca out harsher than I’d intended.
"Please, can you co over?" Camilla’s voice was barely recognizable through her broken sobs and desperate hiccups.
I was on my feet before I could think twice.
"You’re crying. What happened?" The question was unnecessary given the obvious distress in her voice.
Her sobs grew louder, more uncontrolled.
"Tell what’s wrong. Did soone hurt you? What the hell happened?" My demand was sharp, urgent.
"Sothing terrible happened today. I’m completely devastated," she managed between her tears, making my jaw clench with growing concern.
This wasn’t like her. Camilla had never called in such a state before.
"At least give so idea of what I’m walking into," I pressed, already grabbing my keys and heading for the door.
"Just co. I’ll explain everything when you arrive."
True to her stubborn nature, she ended the call abruptly, leaving with no choice but to abandon my evening plans entirely. Whatever fantasy I’d been entertaining about a quiet dinner with Bella and the kids evaporated completely.
Within minutes, I was pulling up outside Camilla’s family ho.
Her mother stood in the doorway, tears streaming down her weathered face, imdiately putting on high alert.
"What’s going on here? Why is everyone falling apart?" I demanded, completely bewildered by the scene.
"My daughter isn’t a terrible person," her mother said with a shaky voice, her words carrying a defensive edge that confused further.
"Has soone been saying otherwise?" I asked, my frown deepening as I stepped into their living room.
Camilla sat curled on the couch, her face completely hidden behind her hands, her entire body shaking with quiet sobs.
"Hugo!" Her voice cracked as she spotted .
She launched herself from the couch and crashed into my arms, clinging to with desperate intensity.
"What’s happening here? Why are you falling apart like this?" I asked, still completely lost.
"I didn’t do anything wrong, but they started attacking with horrible accusations. They humiliated in front of everyone."
She pressed closer against my chest, her tears soaking through my shirt.
Her words hit like ice water. I carefully broke her grip, holding her shoulders so I could see her face properly.
"Who did this? Who had the nerve to disrespect you?" The growl in my voice was unmistakable.
"See? I told you to tell him everything," her mother chid in from behind us. "He loves you. He’ll make them pay for this."
Camilla finally looked up at , wiping at her tear-stained cheeks with trembling hands.
"Derek threatened ."
Those three words made my entire body go rigid.
"Derek? How did you even encounter him?" My hands tightened involuntarily around her shoulders.
"I was at the coffee shop, eting with that reporter I ntioned before. Derek showed up with Bella, and they both started attacking with accusations."
The ntion of Bella’s na sent another wave of tension through my spine.
"They were together?" The question ca out sharper than I’d planned.
Camilla nodded quietly.
"I think that’s what set them off. They assud we’d witnessed them together, and with the reporter sitting right there, they probably thought I was planning to expose whatever they were hiding."
She continued explaining the day’s events, but sothing felt off about the whole situation.
Earlier, when we’d questioned them directly, both Derek and Bella had claid they’d spent their ti in the hotel lobby. If their eting was innocent, why had they lied about it?
What had they really been doing outside that hotel room?
"You know what hurts the most? I approached my sister with nothing but love, and she turned around and humiliated . She accused of deliberately sending that reporter to the cabin that day just to catch them together," Camilla continued, her voice breaking again as fresh tears appeared.
I stared at her, trying to piece together the logic of their accusations.
"Wait, back up. They saw you with a reporter and imdiately assud you’d set them up? Is that really what happened?" My expression hardened as I processed this.
My anger wasn’t directed at Bella, she’d probably been manipulated by Derek’s influence. But I couldn’t understand his motivations.
Why would Derek feel entitled to threaten my fiancée?
What had happened to the mutual respect we’d always maintained?
"There was actually a misunderstanding in all of this. Rember when I told you about finding that high-profile reporter, Beth?" Camilla said, her hands moving to my chest, absently smoothing my shirt while she spoke.
"Well, it turns out she’s the exact sa reporter who walked in on them the other day," she explained wearily.
Suddenly everything clicked into place.
"Why would you choose to work with her specifically?" I asked, my frown deepening.
The situation still felt strange sohow.
I couldn’t understand their assumption that she’d hired Beth to expose them, when the tiline clearly showed she’d hired the reporter afterward.
"That’s exactly my point, but they didn’t bother asking for explanations. They just ca at aggressively, shouting accusations.
Everyone in that coffee shop was staring, including the reporter herself. Now imagine if she decides to write about this incident, describing conflict between the human researcher and one of the Alpha’s fiancées. What kind of damage would that cause?"
Camilla stepped back, crossing her arms over her chest.
She looked genuinely angry now, probably because instead of imdiately taking her side, I’d been trying to analyze all the facts objectively.
"Don’t worry about it. I’ll have a conversation with Bella, she’ll understand once I explain everything. With all the stress she’s been under lately, and considering your history together, she probably just jumped to the wrong conclusions. But I definitely need to have words with Derek. He had absolutely no right to speak to you that way," I assured her.
She moved back into my arms, embracing tightly again.
Her mother remained nearby, still pouting with obvious disapproval.
I’d never particularly liked the woman, especially after witnessing how she used to treat Bella. My engagent to Camilla had forced to be more civil, but that didn’t an my opinion of her had improved.
"Please just be gentle with them when you talk to them. I don’t want you saying anything harsh that might make them think I ca running to you with complaints. I was just really upset and needed soone to talk to. Thank you for dropping everything to co here."
She pulled back from our embrace, speaking softly with that forgiving, gentle tone that reminded why I’d fallen for her.
She’d truly transford into a kind, beautiful woman, sothing Bella stubbornly refused to acknowledge.
User Comments
0 comments from readers