The weight of the choices Arabella had made pressed heavily on her chest as she stood in front of the tall mirror in her room, the morning light barely filtering through the drawn curtains. Her reflection stared back at her—poised, composed, unyielding—but beneath that calm façade, a storm was raging.
Everything had changed since the night she exposed Helena at the gala. Nathaniel had grown colder, his silence more brutal than his anger. Arabella could feel the invisible line drawn between them—a boundary neither of them dared cross. She was his wife on paper, but in reality, they were nothing more than two strangers entangled in a web of secrets and silent wounds.
Yet, what haunted her most was not Nathaniel's silence—it was the growing presence of Liam Bennett in her life.
Liam had become a constant shadow, always near but never overbearing. His eyes held understanding where Nathaniel's held suspicion. He offered safety, but also temptation. Arabella hated herself for noticing him—for the way her pulse quickened when he was close, for how his voice lingered in her thoughts longer than it should.
She didn't love him. At least, that's what she kept telling herself.
But the truth was—she didn't know what love was anymore.
A soft knock interrupted her thoughts.
"Come in," she said, forcing her voice steady.
Elina stepped in, her expression cautious. "You have a visitor downstairs. It's Liam."
Arabella's stomach twisted. "Here?"
Elina nodded. "He said it's urgent."
"I'll be right down," Arabella replied.
As Elina left, Arabella's fingers clenched the edge of the dresser. She wasn't ready for this. She didn't want another complication, not now. Not when she was barely keeping her balance on the tightrope of her dual life.
Downstairs, Liam stood by the window, his posture relaxed but his eyes sharp. When he turned and saw her, his expression softened.
"I'm sorry to show up unannounced," he said.
Arabella crossed her arms. "You're lucky Nathaniel isn't here."
"I know," Liam admitted. "That's partly why I came now."
She sighed and gestured toward the sofa. "Talk."
Liam sat but didn't relax. "Arabella… I need to know. Do you trust Nathaniel?"
She blinked. "What kind of question is that?"
"A serious one. Because I've been digging, and there are things you need to know. About his company. About Helena. About the deals they've made."
Arabella felt her pulse spike. "Why are you doing this?"
"Because I care about you," Liam said bluntly. "And because you're walking blind into something dangerous. Nathaniel might be protecting you, or he might be using you. Either way, you deserve to know the truth."
She sat down slowly, her voice low. "Then tell me."
Liam reached into his coat and pulled out a thin file. "This is a copy of a contract Helena signed with a foreign investment firm—illegally. Under Nathaniel's name. If this comes to light, it won't just ruin Helena—it could bring down King Enterprises. And Nathaniel's been hiding it. He's trying to cover it up."
Arabella took the file, her hands trembling slightly as she scanned the documents. It was all there—signed, sealed, damning.
Her heart ached. Had Nathaniel really known about this? Had he been protecting Helena all this time while keeping her in the dark?
But the man she knew—the man she was beginning to understand—didn't seem capable of such betrayal.
Still… could she be sure?
"Why are you giving me this?" she asked softly.
"Because you need to make a choice," Liam said. "And you can't make it in the dark."
"A choice between what?"
"Between loyalty to a man who's never given you the full truth," Liam said, standing. "Or the path that gives you control over your own fate."
He stepped closer. "If you ever decide you're ready to leave him, to fight for something that's truly yours—I'll be here."
Arabella didn't respond. She couldn't. Her throat was tight, her mind in chaos.
After Liam left, she sat with the file in her lap for what felt like hours. The lines on the paper blurred together as doubt seeped into her thoughts.
Later that night, when Nathaniel returned home, he found her sitting by the fireplace, unusually quiet.
He dropped his briefcase and walked to her. "You're still up."
"I couldn't sleep," she said without looking up.
He hesitated. "Arabella…"
She looked up at him then, her eyes unreadable. "Can I ask you something, and I want an honest answer?"
He nodded warily. "Always."
"Did you know what Helena did with the foreign firm? The fake contracts? Did you know she used your name?"
Nathaniel stiffened.
So he did know.
"I did," he said after a moment. "But it wasn't what you think. I've been trying to handle it quietly, to protect the company—and you."
"You didn't think I deserved to know?" she asked, voice sharp with disbelief.
"I didn't want to drag you into it."
"You didn't want me involved, or you didn't trust me enough?" she snapped.
He took a step back, his jaw clenched. "This isn't about trust."
"It's always been about trust, Nathaniel!" she shouted. "You hide things from me, you shut me out, and then you expect me to just go along with it all like I'm some pawn in your game!"
"I never saw you as a pawn," he said quietly.
"Then why do I feel like I'm caught between your world and the truth I deserve?" Her voice cracked. "I don't know who to believe anymore. You or Liam."
He flinched at the name.
"So it's Liam now?" he said bitterly.
"It's not like that," she replied, but even she wasn't sure what 'that' meant anymore.
Silence fell between them, thick and painful.
Finally, Nathaniel turned away. "I'll sleep in the guest room tonight."
She watched him go, the distance between them growing with every step he took. She was caught between two worlds—one of truth and one of silence. And no matter what choice she made, someone would get hurt.
But this time… it wouldn't be her.
Not anymore.
Arabella remained seated for a long time after Nathaniel left the room, the quiet hum of the house pressing heavily on her shoulders. The fire in the hearth had long since died out, but the heat still lingered—like the echoes of words spoken that couldn't be taken back.
The folder Liam had handed her lay on the coffee table, its damning contents still fresh in her mind. It felt like the universe had dropped a cruel ultimatum in her lap. Nathaniel had admitted to knowing what Helena had done—yet instead of confronting her, he'd tried to handle it quietly, alone. Was that an act of protection… or of control?
She stood slowly and walked toward the window, parting the curtains just enough to look out at the garden. The night air looked still, yet it mirrored the storm churning inside her. She was Arabella now, not Isabella. She had fought for this second chance at life. But at this moment, she felt more lost than she ever had.
A soft knock came at the door. She turned, expecting it to be a maid—but instead, Elina peeked inside, her face filled with concern.
"Hey," she said gently. "Are you okay?"
Arabella shook her head, her lips pressing into a tight line. "No. Not really."
Elina came in and sat beside her on the couch. "Do you want to talk about it?"
Arabella exhaled, forcing herself not to cry. "I don't know who to trust, Elina. Liam brought me something—proof of a deal Helena made using Nathaniel's name. Illegal and dangerous. And when I asked Nathaniel, he admitted he knew. He said he was trying to protect me, to protect the company. But... he still kept it from me."
Elina frowned. "And Liam? Why is he getting involved like this?"
"That's the thing. He says he's doing it to help me. But what if he's using me too? What if I'm just a pawn to both of them?"
Elina was silent for a moment. Then she placed her hand on Arabella's. "You're not a pawn, Bella. You're stronger than that. You've come too far to let anyone treat you that way again."
"I just don't know what to believe," Arabella whispered.
"Then believe in yourself," Elina said. "Trust your instincts. You're the only one who knows what's best for you."
Arabella gave her friend a tired smile. "Thank you, Elina."
"You don't have to thank me. I've got your back, always."
As Elina left, Arabella turned back to the fireless hearth. The folder still sat on the table, its presence like a ticking time bomb. She picked it up and stared at it once more.
There had to be more. More than just what Liam had given her. If she wanted answers, she couldn't sit around waiting for someone else to feed them to her. She needed to take action—quietly, carefully.
And she knew exactly where to start.
---
The next morning, Arabella woke early. Nathaniel had already left for the office, as she expected. She dressed in a simple beige blouse and tailored trousers, tying her hair back into a sleek ponytail before slipping into a pair of low heels. Her destination wasn't the office or a café—it was King Enterprises.
But this time, she wasn't going as Nathaniel King's wife.
She was going as a woman on a mission.
When she arrived at the towering glass building, the receptionist seemed startled to see her.
"Mrs. King—"
"I'm here to see Mr. Daniel Hayes," she interrupted firmly. "Tell him Arabella Wright is requesting a private meeting."
Daniel, Nathaniel's longtime legal adviser, was one of the few people who knew both about the company's internal dealings and the legal boundaries Nathaniel refused to cross. If anyone could give her the truth, it was him.
After a few minutes, she was escorted to Daniel's office. The older man stood to greet her, his expression puzzled.
"Arabella. This is… unexpected."
"I won't take much of your time, Daniel. I just need you to answer one question—off the record."
He nodded slowly. "All right."
She pulled out the folder and placed it on the table. "Is this real?"
Daniel's eyes flickered as he opened the file. He scanned the pages in silence, and his face darkened with every line he read. When he finally looked up, there was no denial in his eyes.
"It's real," he confirmed. "Helena forged those contracts using Nathaniel's proxy signature months ago. She used an international shell company to funnel the money. Nathaniel discovered it late, but instead of going public, he's been trying to contain the fallout. Quietly. Discreetly."
"Why?" Arabella asked. "Why would he risk everything for her?"
Daniel hesitated. "Because if the scandal leaks, not only would Helena be ruined—but so would the company. Investors would flee. Stocks would crash. And Nathaniel... he's not protecting Helena. He's protecting the empire his father built—and everyone who depends on it."
Arabella sat back, her heart pounding.
"So he is keeping things from me."
"Yes," Daniel admitted. "But not out of malice. He's trying to shield you. Whether that's the right choice… only you can decide."
She nodded slowly. "Thank you for your honesty."
As she walked out of the office, her thoughts swirled like a hurricane. She didn't doubt Nathaniel cared—perhaps even loved in his own guarded way—but love without truth was no foundation for a life.
When she returned home that evening, she found Nathaniel sitting in his private study, his tie loosened, a tumbler of whiskey in his hand.
She didn't wait for him to speak.
"I saw Daniel today."
His hand froze mid-sip. "I see."
"So it's all true," she continued. "Everything Liam said. But what hurts me the most… is that you didn't tell me. You decided to bear the weight of it alone. Again."
"I thought I was protecting you."
"No," she said, walking to him. "You were protecting yourself—from being vulnerable. From sharing the burden."
Nathaniel stood, his expression guarded. "And now?"
"Now I know I can't keep waiting for you to let me in," Arabella whispered. "I can't be stuck between your world and the one I came from. I need to choose who I want to be."
He reached out. "And who do you want to be, Arabella?"
She looked up at him, her heart in turmoil. "Someone who knows the truth. Who isn't caught between two men, two lives, two masks."
His jaw tightened. "Is there someone else?"
She hesitated. "There's someone who wants to be… but I haven't given him that right."
Nathaniel stepped back, pain flickering in his eyes. "Then tell me there's still a place for me."
"I don't know," she admitted. "But I want to find out—if you're willing to stop hiding behind silence and start telling me everything. No more lies. No more masks."
Silence stretched between them again. But this time, it wasn't the cold silence of distance. It was the heavy silence of something fragile, slowly starting to mend.
"I'll tell you everything," Nathaniel said quietly. "But you have to promise not to walk away when it gets ugly."
She nodded. "Only if you promise not to shut me out."
Their eyes locked, the air thick with unspoken truths and the promise of something more. Arabella wasn't sure what tomorrow would bring, but for the first time in a long while, she was ready to stop running from the war within her.
She was done being caught between two worlds.
Now… she would build her own.