Bella's POV
"I want to thank everyone for their support," I addressed the crowd of reporters. "This research represents a collaborative effort from an incredible team. Most importantly, I want to recognize the mothers who are fighting tirelessly for their children every single day. My hope is that we can set aside our personal conflicts and unite in this battle against this devastating illness. These children deserve our best efforts to end their suffering and give them the future they deserve."
The media had descended upon the hotel like vultures after our argument earlier. We had no choice but to clean ourselves up and face them professionally.
Derek sat beside me in the hotel lobby while Hugo remained upstairs with the children. Every camera flash reminded me of how these same people had violated our privacy just days ago. Yet here I was, pretending everything was perfectly normal.
I refused to let them see me break.
