Lucas frowned as he studied the file Mark had handed him about Bella.
"She is twenty-five this year and already has a child," Lucas said, his voice low.
"Yes, sir," Mark replied. "She adopted a child four years ago who has turned five this year. Her name is Rachel."
"Okay… you can leave now. And also, find that bastard soon. I need to finish him."
"Yes, sir."
With that, Mark left the room, leaving Lucas alone with the file in his hands. He leaned back in his chair, his brow furrowed.
"Interesting," he muttered. "She adopted a child when she herself wasn't settled. Her income was low at the time, too. This girl is really daring."
Meanwhile, Bella reached home and quickly closed the door behind her. She tossed the coat onto the couch and made her way to the bathroom.
She stopped in front of the mirror, staring at her reflection. Her chest and neck still bore the faint traces of her wild night. It was a good thing she had been wearing his coat, or she wouldn't have been able to avoid people's stares.
"What's done is done," she murmured to herself. "It's no use regretting now. Besides… that man helped me. If he hadn't come on time… who knows what would have happened."
Her face was pale, and she was grateful her daughter wasn't at home. If Rachel had been there, she would never have been able to escape her questions.
Bella took a quick bath, then decided to go grocery shopping to prepare lunch. Walking was difficult, but she pushed through and eventually finished her shopping.
She made spaghetti — Rachel's favorite — and, glancing at the clock, realized it was already time to fetch her.
On the way, she greeted some neighbors. Her life was simple, but with her daughter by her side, she was content.
She reached the school just as the gates opened. Rachel's school had organized a sleepover, which was why Bella had been able to attend the party the night before.
Soon, she spotted her daughter in her cute little uniform, running toward her with a bright smile — a sight Bella always loved. Bella returned the smile, scooped her into her arms, and showered her face with kisses. Rachel giggled and returned the affection.
"I missed you, Mumma," Rachel said softly.
"I missed you too, baby. Now tell me, how was your sleepover?"
"It was fun, but I love sleeping with you. I also missed your food."
They walked home together, chatting about their day — a routine they both treasured. As soon as they reached home, Rachel ran to the kitchen.
"You made spaghetti! Thank you, Mumma!" she said, giggling.
"I knew you'd love it. Now go change your clothes, then we'll eat."
"Okay, Mumma!"
Rachel ran to her room, quickly changing while Bella set the table. Moments later, they sat together, laughing over Rachel's stories.
Since Bella had no work that weekend, they decided to watch a movie and spend the day together.
Three weeks passed after that night. Life returned to its routine. Bella had asked her boss for permission to work online after the incident at the party. Her boss, a kind woman, agreed — and even reprimanded the supervisor involved.
One afternoon, while Bella was working on her laptop, her phone rang. The caller ID showed Mrs. Allen, Rachel's teacher. Thinking it was a small matter, Bella answered cheerfully.
"Hello, Mrs. Allen."
"Ms. Bella," the teacher's voice was tense. "Rachel has passed out during class. We've taken her to City Hospital. Please come quickly."
"What? How did this happen?"
"She was sitting in class, and suddenly she put her head down. At first, I thought she was sleeping, but when I tried to wake her, she wouldn't respond."
"How is she now? Has she woken up?"
"She's still unconscious. She's in the emergency room right now."
"I'm coming right away."
Bella hung up, grabbed her purse, locked the door, and hailed a taxi. At the hospital, she followed the directions to the emergency room, where she found Mrs. Allen waiting.
"Mrs. Allen, has the doctor said anything? What happened to her?"
"They haven't come out yet," Mrs. Allen replied. "Let's wait for the doctor first."
They sat together on the bench, trying to reassure each other. Bella's heart was heavy — she knew Rachel had been weak since birth, but lately she'd seemed fine.
"Mrs. Allen, thank you for your help. If you need to leave, you can. I'll take care of her now."
"Yes, I need to return to school. Ms. Bella, if you need any help, please let me know. And keep me updated on her condition. Let's hope nothing serious happens."
Bella nodded faintly. After Mrs. Allen left, Bella stared at the emergency room door. She wanted to cry but forced herself to stay strong for her daughter.
Nearly half an hour later, the door opened and a doctor stepped out.
"Where is the miss who came with the child?" he asked.
"She was her teacher — she left a few minutes ago. I'm her mother. What happened, doctor?"
"Miss, we need to prepare for her surgery as soon as possible. She has a brain tumor. But don't worry — it's still in the initial stage. It can be cured with surgery."
The words shattered her. Tears streamed down her face as she forced herself to speak.
"How much does the surgery cost, doctor?"
"It's three hundred thousand dollars. Please settle the payment quickly so we can begin."
"I… I need some time to arrange the money."
"You need to hurry. If you have any questions about the surgery, you can speak to me directly."
With that, the doctor left. Bella sank onto the bench, sobbing. She had no idea how this had happened — or how she would find such a huge amount of money.