The way Chris held on to Bella, even when she resisted, meant more to her than she wanted to admit. She had been furious hurt to the point of breaking but the way he kept whispering apologies, the way his hand stroked her hair, made her realise he hadn't meant to wound her. Not really.
Still, her tears embarrassed her. I must look like such a crybaby, she thought. Crying when I'm too angry, crying when I'm too happy. He must think I'm weak.
Chris finally eased her back, wiped her cheeks with his thumb, and lifted her box from the bed. Sitting down, he motioned for her to perch on his lap, ignoring the fact that she was still only in lace panties and a thin top.
"Talk to me, Bella," he said softly, tilting her chin until she met his eyes. "Why are you so angry with me?"
Her cheeks warmed; she couldn't hold his gaze. She said nothing.
"Then let me ask you," Chris pressed gently. "What did you mean earlier, when you said you were just business to me?"
Bella stayed silent, her lips pressed tight.
Chris sighed, brushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "Babe, listen to me. I never had anything to do with your scholarship. That was you. All you. Every achievement you've earned is yours and yours alone. None of the lies the media is spreading came from me."
Bella's chest tightened. Deep down she had known he was telling the truth, but shame washed over her for doubting herself and him. She had let fear convince her that everything she worked for was fake. Her disappointment in herself was heavier than any anger toward him.
"I didn't mean the things I said this morning," she whispered. "I'm sorry."
Relief flooded Chris's face, his shoulders relaxing. "When I called Mrs. Henshaw, I told her not to tell anyone I'd phoned. She's too professional to spread it. I only did it because I was worried about you."
Bella shook her head. "It doesn't matter anymore. If anyone at work still can't see I earned my place after a year of proving myself, then they're stupid. And I don't care."
Chris smiled and kissed her cheek. "Yes, babe. It's their loss if they can't see how amazing you are."
Her phone rang, interrupting the moment. Alexia's name flashed on the screen.
"Hey baby girl!" Alexia's bright voice filled the line.
"Hi, doll," Bella answered, forcing a smile.
"How are you holding up with the scandal? We're worried sick," Alexia said.
In the background, Bella heard familiar voices. "We miss you!" Nadia and Lilian chimed.
"Hi Nadia, hi Lilian. I miss you guys too," Bella said warmly.
"Don't mind those paparazzi," Lilian said firmly. "They'll always find something to twist. But seriously how did they get those pictures?"
"I was wondering the same," Nadia added. "We were literally with you in New York."
"The ones from Westbengal shocked me," Alexia said. "Like, how?"
"You have to be careful, babe," Nadia warned. "Creeps like that are dangerous."
"I'm getting chills just thinking about it," Lilian muttered.
Alexia's tone grew sharper. "But you didn't tell us you were going out with Neil. You two looked... intimate."
Bella sighed. "I'm not going out with Neil. Whoever took those shots used angles to make it look bad. He was whispering something in my ear at the restaurant. That's it. Hours later boom, it's online."
"That's insane," Lilian muttered.
"And on board," Nadia added. "He was kissing you"
"He wasn't!" Bella interrupted quickly. "He was blowing on my bruises."
The line went quiet for a beat.
"FaceTime," Nadia demanded.
Bella hesitated but agreed. She balanced the phone between her shoulder and ear as she slipped into the shorts Chris had left for her. He watched her closely.
"What do you mean, bruises?" Chris asked, but Bella ignored him, answering the call.
Her friends' faces appeared, their uniforms crisp, their voices bursting with excitement. "Girl!!" they screamed together.
Bella laughed. "Hi, guys."
"Wait you look sick. Are you okay? Did they hurt you again?" Alexia asked, eyes narrowing.
Bella tried to shake her head, sending signals with her eyes, but her friends missed it.
"Your eyes are puffy," Lilian observed. "Were you stuck with those bitches again?"
Chris's expression sharpened instantly. He caught Bella's wrist when she tried to walk to the bathroom, blocking her path.
"Babe, did you cry? Did they hit you again?" Nadia demanded.
"I swear I'll kill them if they touched you," Alexia fumed.
Bella's chest tightened. She could feel Chris's grip on her hand, the fury radiating from him. She had to stop this before it got worse.
"No, girls. I'm fine. Just caught a flu," Bella lied quickly.
But Alexia's eyes blazed. "I'm reporting them when we land in London."
"Me too," Nadia added. "I've got picture evidence of your bruises."
Bella froze. "Picture... evidence?"
Alexia flipped her camera, showing Bella's bruises on her phone screen. Chris's eyes darted to it, his jaw clenching. His face darkened with a fury Bella had never seen before.