In her mind, Tyler was howling, writhing in unbearable pain, unable to withstand the torment. Bella’s phone slipped from her trembling hands, clattering to the kitchen floor. Somewhere in the distance, she heard her children crying and yelling, their voices thick with fear, but she was powerless to respond.
Her body staggered under the overwhelming wave of pain. It coursed through her like fire, obliterating every thought except the unbearable sensation. She dropped to her knees, tears streaming down her face as she clutched her chest, gasping for air.
“Bella!” Nina’s voice was sharp with alarm as she crouched beside her. “What’s happening? Are you okay?” She shouted for her husband and Dani to come quickly, her voice rising with urgency.
The truth struck Bella like a lightning bolt through her pain: the ache she and Tyler had been feeling all morning—it wasn’t theirs. It was her mother’s pain, the bond they shared tearing apart as Vera’s life slipped away. Her mother was dying, and the connection they had was breaking.
Sobs wracked Bella’s body as her gaze fell to the phone lying on the floor. The video had stopped, its screen frozen on the haunting image of Vera’s wounded body. Bella’s hands shook uncontrollably as tears blurred her vision. She was too far away, helpless to do anything.
How could this happen? she thought through her anguish. Her father was the highest-ranking warrior—why hadn’t he been able to protect her? Why hadn’t he gone to her aid?
Her grief overwhelmed her, pulling her deeper into despair. There was no escape from the helplessness consuming her as the bond she shared with her mother continued to break.
Bella’s sobs transformed into anguished howls, raw and uncontainable. She was losing her mother, truly losing her, and she was too far away to reach her. Too far to say goodbye.
The weight of regret crushed her—her mother had never known about her grandchildren, never seen their faces, never smiled at them, played with them, or held them close. That thought burned inside her, compounding the pain and guilt until it felt unbearable. What had she done? What choices had led her here, to this moment of utter helplessness?
Through tear-blurred vision, she saw Nina reach for the phone on the floor. Instinctively, Bella lashed out, grief and desperation guiding her movements. She couldn’t lose sight of her mother’s image, as painful as it was. Vera’s bloodied, wounded body and Jody’s devastated expression were burned into her mind. She couldn’t look away—but neither could she bear to keep staring. The pain was overwhelming, her distress mounting with every passing second.
Why hadn’t I believed Brad? The question echoed in her mind. She had dismissed him, called him a liar, but what if he had just been numb with grief? What if he hadn’t known how to express the pain of losing their mother? The realization only deepened her guilt.
She felt like a terrible daughter. She had made so many mistakes—getting banished, hiding her pregnancy, keeping the triplets a secret. A single phone call would have changed everything. Surely her parents would have kept her secret, but she hadn’t even given them the chance. She had chosen to stay away, to hide.
Guilt consumed her, adding fuel to the fire of her sorrow. Every thought, every memory, felt like a blade cutting into her soul. The weight of it all crushed her, leaving her sobbing on the floor, unable to cope with the storm raging inside her.
Her phone started ringing again. She stared at the number through her tears, her trembling hand reaching out, but she couldn’t bring herself to answer it. Her fingers hovered over the screen, but her vision was too blurred to focus, and her body felt paralyzed by grief.
“Hello?” Nina’s voice broke through the chaos. Bella barely registered that Nina had answered the call for her. She was too lost in her pain, arms wrapped tightly around her body as if holding herself together was the only thing keeping her from completely falling apart.
At some point, the phone was pressed to her ear, and she heard Benzy’s voice. His tone was laced with worry and urgency. “Bella. Where are you? You can still make it. I’ll come and get you.”
“It… it’s too late,” Bella stammered through her sobs. Her words were fractured and broken, her voice trembling under the weight of her emotions.
Tears streamed down her face in relentless rivers, dripping onto the floor. Her entire body shook, her teeth chattering as waves of grief and guilt crashed over her. It was too much to bear—too much pain, too much regret.
She wanted to be strong, but instead, she felt weak and useless. The overwhelming sorrow hollowed her out, leaving her utterly broken.
“It’s not too late, Bella,” Benzy said, his voice calm and soft. “Let me help you. Tell me where you are.”
But Bella couldn’t respond. Deep down, she felt it was already too late. She knew it in the core of her being.
Her body gave way entirely, and she collapsed to the floor, gasping for breath as she curled into a tight ball. The pain was unbearable, a torment she had never experienced before. She hyperventilated, her sobs choking her as she tried in vain to contain the tidal wave of grief. Benzy’s voice on the line grew distant, and though she vaguely heard him yell an order, it didn’t register. She was too far gone, consumed entirely by her sorrow and guilt.
Time became meaningless as she lay there, trembling and sobbing. Her thoughts spiraled: Why did I move so far away? Why does my life have to be so hard? Why did I let this happen? The pain and guilt were her only companions.
Then, gentle hands touched her—one on her arm, the other brushing against her tear-streaked face. Bella opened her eyes, still blurred with tears, and looked up. She met pale grey eyes filled with worry, and her lips trembled before a name escaped her in a desperate, broken howl: “Benzy!”
She reached for him, needing his strength, his comfort, his presence. He had been her childhood friend, and now, in the depths of her grief, he was the only person who could anchor her.
Benzy pulled her into his arms, cradling her tightly against his chest. “Get her children,” he barked at someone nearby, his tone sharp and commanding. Then he was moving, carrying her swiftly out of the house.
