Chapter 787
Chapter 787:
Startled, John stammered, “M-Mrs. Barton… I’m just bringing wine to Austin p>
Maggie shook her head firmly. “Not now. He’s busy.” Without waiting for an answer, she tugged him away.
John hesitated, his brow furrowing in confusion. Busy? What could Austin possibly be busy with at this hour? Curiosity gnawed at him, and as Maggie tugged him away, John couldn’t resist a furtive glance toward the deck. In the dim light, he caught sight of two figures. The woman beside Austin was cloaked in his jacket, but the distance blurred the details of her face.
The realization soon struck him like a bolt of lightning. The only woman Austin would spend such a quiet, intimate moment with had to be Yelena.
“Alright, alright, I’m coming,” John relented.
Maggie let out a quiet sigh of relief, her grip on his arm easing as they moved away quickly.
Neither of them noticed another shadowy figure lurking in the corner. Hidden in the darkness, someone’s gaze burned with an intensity that seemed to pierce through the night, fixed unwaveringly on Austin. Monica clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms as if trying to anchor her growing fury.
Her eyes burned with indignation as she watched Yelena and Austin draw closer, their connection deepening with every passing moment. Her jaw tightened, her resolve hardening. She couldn’t—no, wouldn’t—let this continue.
As her mind churned, her gaze flitted to Bella, standing not far away. A cunning smile crept across her face as an idea bloomed, sly and calculated.
“Bella,” she called, her voice dripping with false casualness.
Startled, Bella turned toward her. “Monica? What are you doing here?” Monica smirked. “That’s not important. But you can’t go over there,” she said, pointing in Yelena and Austin’s direction.
𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙛𝙡𝙤𝙬 𝙗𝙚𝙜𝙖𝙣 𝙖𝙩 𝙜𝗮𝗅𝗇𝗈ν𝘦𝗅𝘀⧸ⅽ𝗈𝗺
Bella’s brow furrowed. Suspicion flickered in her eyes. “Why not p>
Feigning irritation, Monica huffed. “I said you can’t, so you can’t. Why are you asking so many questions p>
Monica was a master manipulator, her tactics as subtle as a spider weaving a web. She knew that outright mentioning Yelena and Austin might give Bella pause. But a vague warning? That would ignite Bella’s curiosity like a spark to dry tinder.
“Trust me,” Monica added, her tone dripping with feigned sincerity. “Going over there won’t do you any good p>
Bella’s curiosity flared, fanned by Monica’s cryptic remarks. The more Monica tried to dissuade her, the stronger Bella’s resolve grew. “Don’t even try to stop me,” Bella declared, her tone defiant. “I’ve already made up my mind p>
Monica sighed dramatically, pretending to give up. “Fine. Suit yourself. But don’t say I didn’t warn you,” she said, her voice tinged with mock annoyance.
She turned her wheelchair as if to leave but lingered just out of sight, her plan unfolding perfectly.
Bella, fueled by defiance and curiosity, hurried toward the deck, her steps quick and determined.
When she arrived, her breath caught in her throat. There, bathed in the soft glow of starlight, stood Austin and Yelena.
Realization dawned on her like a slap to the face—she had been played by Monica again. The memory of Monica’s previous schemes flashed through Bella’s mind, from the incident that had turned Bernice against her to this fresh humiliation. Monica’s cunning was as sharp as ever, and Bella cursed herself for falling into her trap again.