CHAPTER 389: CHAPTER 389 I KNOW YOUR SECRET

After finishing her meal, Bella wiped her lips gently with a napkin and pushed her chair back, feeling light and warm from both the food and the affection behind it. As she stood, she suddenly remembered Scarlett and pulled out her phone, dialing without thinking. The call rang once... twice...

Then the automated voice came.

"The person you’re trying to reach is currently busy."

Bella froze, eyes widening in immediate guilt.

"Oh no..." she whispered, clutching her phone with both hands. "She told me she had a meeting today... why did I call without thinking?" Scarlett had messaged her yesterday, asking her to call only when she was free and to avoid the window between 10 and 5, as she would be in meetings.

Bella’s heart squeezed. She quickly opened their chat and typed:

Bella: Scarlett I’m so sorry!!! I forgot you had a meeting!

She sent it and stared at the screen anxiously, chewing the inside of her cheek. A familiar heaviness settled in her chest.

"I should have remembered... I always mess up like this..." she muttered, pacing toward the living room. "She must be so busy, and I just disturbed her..."

Guilt pressed down on her shoulders like a soft, sad blanket, and she hugged herself lightly, wishing she could take the call back.

Bella forced herself to stop staring at her phone, inhaling deeply until the knot in her chest loosened just a little. "It’s okay... she’ll reply later," she whispered, trying to calm her anxious heart. "I shouldn’t ruin my whole day over this."

So she shook her head, almost physically tossing the guilt away, and walked toward her room with purposeful little steps. She took her guitar from its stand and hugged it close to her chest. Then she peeked into the kitchen, grabbed a packet of nuts, and tucked it under her arm before heading outside.

The garden greeted her with warm late afternoon light, the air smelling lightly of soil and fresh grass. She always loved how peaceful this corner of the mansion felt.

"Long time no seeeee," she chimed as she stepped onto the lawn.

Almost instantly, tiny rustles broke out across the bushes. Little heads peeked out—two chipmunks first, their cheeks puffed adorably, their tails twitching in excitement. Then a third one scurried forward boldly, standing on its hind legs as if demanding an explanation for why their human had been missing so long.

Bella crouched down, placing her guitar gently beside her. "Did you miss me?" she whispered, tearing open the nuts packet.

The chipmunks scampered closer, their tiny paws reaching, their bright eyes shining with glee. Seeing them made her whole heart melt. She sprinkled nuts in small piles for each one, smiling as they chattered excitedly, their soft squeaks mixing with the faint rustle of the wind.

She sat down on the grass, the guitar settling comfortably on her lap, sunlight warming her sleeves, her little friends circling around her feet like playful angels of the garden.

She cherished her time alone, feeling the sunlight warm her face and the soft grass beneath her. The clear blue sky was vast and empty, and the only sounds were the cheerful chirps of birds foraging in the bushes. It was a peace so complete it felt like its own little world. After some time, the call of a bird or the simple need for a glass of water broke the spell. With a final, deep breath of fresh air, she got to her feet and went back inside.

Bella had barely taken two steps into the main hall when she spotted Jay on the opposite side of the room, frozen stiff on the staircase like a startled flamingo. His eyes were huge—comically huge—locked onto her as if she had just appeared out of thin air.

"You came back and didn’t even tell me???" he demanded, his voice full of betrayal.

Bella blinked, confused. "I—I literally just woke up an hour ago..."

Jay wasn’t listening. He walked right up to her, grabbed her wrist, and pulled her over to the couch like he had something huge to say. He was so excited you could almost feel it. He sat her down, took her guitar and put it on the other couch, then leaned in close.

"Bella Bell," he said, gripping her shoulders, "tell me the truth if I ask you any question!!"

She stared at him, baffled. "Okay..."

He glanced left. He glanced right. Then he leaned so close their foreheads nearly touched.

"I know your secret," he whispered.

Bella blinked. "...Which one?"

Jay’s expression cracked instantly as he moved away.

"WHICH ONE?? HOW MANY DO YOU HAVE??" he whisper-shouted, his eyes widening in horror.

Bella waved her hands quickly. "No no!! I meant—I don’t know which one YOU mean!!"

Jay narrowed his eyes suspiciously, then leaned in again, voice dropping to a dramatic whisper.

"Are you... a hacker?"

Bella’s eyes flew open. "How do you know?" she gasped.

"Hahahaha!!" Jay stood up, puffing his chest out like a detective who’d just solved the biggest case of the year. "I know everything," he announced, folding his arms over his chest.

He looked incredibly pleased with himself until his eyes dropped. Just for a second. They landed on the soft, faint red marks on Bella’s neck.

His soul left his body.

His face twisted like he had swallowed an entire lemon.

Oh no.

NO NO NO.

He absolutely did not mean to see that.

Bella, oblivious, leaned forward with desperate curiosity. "What’s wrong, Jay?! Tell me how you know!!"

But Jay jerked upright so fast he nearly fell backward.

"I—I—I gotta go—important thing—urgent—BYE!"

He darted toward the stairs.

"Jay?? JAY!!!" Bella chased after him, her footsteps echoing through the hall, her voice full of confusion and panic.

Jay, meanwhile, sprinted like a man trying to outrun trauma.

He was not having this conversation.

Not today.

The door slammed shut so loudly the whole hallway trembled, and Bella froze, staring at the wooden panel as if Jay might magically pop back out. Her mind spun in confusion. One moment he was excited, whispering about secrets, and the next—he ran like he saw a demon behind her.

She stood there helplessly until she heard soft footsteps from the opposite side.

Jace stepped out of his room, still adjusting his sleeves, his blond hair slightly messy from sleep. His calm blue eyes landed on Bella’s troubled face with gentle curiosity.

"What’s wrong?" he asked, walking closer.