Bella's POV
After some quiet bonding time, the children pitched in to help me tidy up the disheveled hotel room. I refused to burden the housekeeping staff with such chaos. Since we had time to spare anyway, I tackled the worst of the mess while the kids gathered scattered items and straightened furniture.
Chloe's arrival brought immediate relief. The children adored her gentle nature, and I knew she could maintain their calm energy while I handled more pressing matters.
I made my way to the hotel lobby to meet Derek. We needed to dissect every detail of our encounter with that mysterious elderly man. Too many questions remained unanswered, and we couldn't afford to miss any crucial information that might explain what had transpired.
Initially, Derek had proposed meeting in my suite, but I firmly insisted on the lobby instead. The last thing I wanted was another confrontation with Serena or any unnecessary drama that might overshadow our investigation.
