Seven months had passed since that night in Toronto.
Jessy was no longer the fragile newborn Bella had carried through the dark streets. He was eight months now bright-eyed, full of soft babbles, rolling on the rug, reaching out with tiny hands. His hair had grown into soft curls, and he had a habit of giggling when Arabella played peekaboo with him.
Life at Romero had become a rhythm. Elliot and Chris's men still guarded the gates, though less visibly. Bella was slowly settling into a quiet existence, though the shadows of what had happened never fully left her. She stayed close to Jessy and Arabella, building a little bubble of warmth inside the cold, stone mansion.
Every morning, Bella found herself in the same spot sitting on the floor while Jessy crawled toward Arabella's toys. Arabella often mirrored Bella's mannerisms without realising tilting her head the same way, biting her lip when she thought, laughing in short bursts. Sometimes Bella caught herself staring at the little girl, feeling a pull she couldn't explain.
Chris watched them both often, though he rarely said much. He carried Jessy in the evenings, tossing him gently in the air until the baby's giggles filled the room. Sometimes he held Arabella too, pulling her onto his lap as he read them a story. Those were the only moments Bella saw his walls lower, the only moments she glimpsed the man she had once loved his laughter unguarded, his eyes soft.
She wanted to talk to him. To ask about the DNA test. About the truths they were both dancing around. But every time she opened her mouth, the words stuck.
One rainy morning, the quiet was shattered.
Thelma stormed into Romero's courtyard, her hair wild, her coat dripping. Two of Chris's guards tried to hold her back, but her screams carried into the house.
"You stole my daughter! Give me Arabella!" she shrieked.
Bella froze in the hallway, Jessy on her hip. Arabella clung to her leg, frightened.
Chris was already moving. He stepped outside, his voice like steel. "Arabella is not yours. You lost custody months ago, Thelma. And if you ever set foot on my property again, I'll make sure the law buries you."
Thelma's eyes darted wildly, fury twisting her face. "You think you can erase me? That child is mine!"
"She's a child, not your trophy," Chris snapped. "And she will never suffer your hands again."
The guards pulled Thelma back as she fought, screaming curses until her voice cracked. Bella held Arabella tighter, whispering soft words until the girl calmed.
When the gates finally closed again, Bella realized she was trembling. She hated Thelma. Hated the way the woman's presence had unsettled Arabella, leaving her small body rigid with fear.
Later that night, Bella sat by Jessy's crib, watching him sleep. Arabella curled beside her, thumb in her mouth, refusing to leave her side. Chris stood in the doorway, silent, his eyes on them both.
Bella looked up at him, her voice low but firm. "I can't stay in this house forever, Chris. I need to live. I need to work again. For me. For them." She glanced at the children.
His jaw tightened. "It's not safe."
"It will never be safe. But I can't keep hiding behind these walls. I'm not fragile anymore." Her hand stroked Arabella's hair. "They need to see me strong. Not afraid."
Chris stepped inside slowly, his gaze unreadable. He looked down at Jessy, then at Arabella, and finally at Bella. For the first time in months, he didn't argue. He only nodded once.
"Then we'll do it your way," he said softly. "But I'll make sure you're protected. Always."
Something in Bella's chest loosened. For the first time since returning to London, she felt like she could breathe.
But she also knew if she stepped back into the world, the lies and truths waiting in the shadows would come for her. And sooner or later, she'd have to face them all.
The morning after Thelma's outburst, Bella paced her room, Jessy gurgling on the rug while Arabella stacked blocks beside him. Chris had left early for meetings, but his men lingered outside like silent guards.
Her chest ached with a need she had ignored for months, her family. She hadn't seen her siblings or her mum since coming back from Toronto. Jessy was eight months old now, and she wanted them to know him, to know her life hadn't ended despite everything.
At the Walter residence in London, the house was full of noise. The twins, Jayden and Kayden, were home on break, preparing for their third year and residency placements. They were already arguing about which hospital would be closer to home so they could live with their mum, Raquel, and Joe.
Raquel, now nineteen, rushed through the living room with her textbooks, complaining about exams while Vera hummed in the kitchen. For all the chaos, there was warmth.
When the doorbell rang, Vera went to answer, wiping her hands on her apron.
She froze.
"Bella."
Her daughter stood there, Jessy cradled against her chest. For a heartbeat, Vera couldn't breathe. Then she pulled Bella into her arms, holding her so tightly Jessy squealed at the pressure.
"My baby... my baby girl. You came home." Tears spilled down her cheeks.
"Mum," Bella whispered, her own voice cracking. "I missed you so much."
The sound of footsteps thundered down the stairs. Jayden and Kayden skidded into the hallway, stopping dead when they saw her.
"BELLA!" they shouted in unison, rushing forward.
Jayden grabbed her in a fierce hug "You....you really came back..." Kayden muttered, voice trembling.
Raquel peeked from behind them, her eyes wide. Then she launched herself at Bella, hugging her waist. "You didn't tell me! You didn't say you were back!"
Bella laughed through tears, kissing the top of her sister's head. "I wanted to surprise you."
Jayden's gaze drifted to Jessy. "And... this?"
Bella looked down at her son, brushing her lips against his hair. "This is Jessy. My son."
The twins exchanged stunned looks.
Vera wiped her eyes, her voice steady but soft. "Your nephew."
Kayden stared at Jessy's violet eyes. "He looks... wow. He looks like..." He stopped himself quickly, but everyone knew what he was about to say.
"Like his father," Vera finished. She didn't explain further, and Bella looked away, hugging Jessy closer.
The day filled with laughter, arguments, and tears. Vera cooked more food than anyone could eat. Raquel wouldn't stop fussing over Jessy, while Jayden and Kayden teased Bella about how she had become a "strict mum."
For a while, Bella felt normal. She was a sister again, a daughter again. Not just the woman running from shadows.
But that night, when everyone else was asleep, she stood in the garden, Jessy asleep against her chest.
The stars stretched above her, and she thought of Romero. Of Chris. Of Arabella.
She loved being here. She loved her family. But she couldn't hide forever.
The storm at Romero, the truth about Arabella, about Thelma, about everything was still waiting.
And Bella knew her peace here was only temporary.