Isabella~
"I'm proud of you, Bella." As soon as we entered the hall, Dad's proud-filled arms were ready to embrace me.
"Thank you, Dad." His warm embrace relaxed me as I hugged him.
"Did you take medicine?" After resting in his arms for a few minutes, I questioned him.
"Of course, you left your assistant behind, who ensured that the medication was taken on schedule." His eyes were full of complaints as he gazed at Alan.
"Grandpa wasn't taking his medications, but when I told him that I would put him in jail for breaking the rules, he started taking them. He also assured me that if I placed him in jail, he would hire you as his attorney, and you would then release him from jail." Alan also started to gripe about his grandfather.
"Bella, tell him that you will free me from his prison." Dad exhibited childlike behavior while playing with Alan.
"My mama only defends those who didn't commit any crime and those who are innocent. Am I right, Mama?" Alan's voice of innocence and trust stirred something deeper within me.
"Indeed." I nodded silently and turned my gaze to Xavier and Victor, who stood in the corner of the hall like culprits, watching the amusing conversation between Grandpa and grandson.
"Dad, Xavier also argued well in today's court session. Uncle Jorawar becomes nervous after listening to Xavier's argument." I tried once again to build their connection by telling Dad about today's court session.
"Call me when dinner is ready, Bella. I'm heading to my room." He looked at Xavier's face with anger and then walked toward his room.
I stood in the center of the hall, looking at Xavier and Victor with apologetic glances. I made every effort to reunite my family, but it seemed quite tough to do so because of the shattered father-son bond. With a disappointed sigh, I took a seat on the couch.Alan discussed the new things he had learned at school and showed me his schoolwork. I nodded in agreement with his statements, but in truth, my thoughts were elsewhere. I'm exhausted, depressed, and internally broken.
I felt like everything was slipping away from me the harder I tried to hold on to it. My profession and my family are the driving forces in my life.The unresolved conflict in my family always gave reason to Jordan Lucas to harm us. Today, he wasn't there to mock us, but his motives are more dangerous than we realize. Since he was the one who sent him to prison, Xavier believed that Jordan was exacting revenge on him, but I can see sinister intent in his eyes today.
He had a purpose beyond just seeking revenge on Xavier. His nasty laugh indicated that he had already planned his next move to give us another surprise. Jordan Lucas was about to blow another bomb on us, and we hadn't even dealt with Victor's case yet. Who might be the next victim of his game of revenge?
"Are you even paying attention to me, Mama?" I snapped out of my reverie when Alan shook my hand.
"Sorry, kiddo, I am so tired today; I need to rest sometime." Xavier and Victor looked at me with concern as they noticed worry and tension clouding my face.Victor motioned for Xavier to accompany me inside my room while assisting Alan with his school assignment.
"Are you concerned about Jordan Lucas, Bella?" Xavier knelt in front of me and held my hand as I sat on the bed.Should I tell him the real reason for my concern? I gazed into his gorgeous blue eyes and contemplated whether or not to express my deepest dread.
Victor's case has already put him under a lot of stress, so I don't want to trouble him anymore.
I'm also concerned about the way he looks for his lost confidence in my presence. I don't want to become the source of his confidence and compensate for his lack of it. In actuality, I want him to be as whole and self-assured as he was before. Before I can truly welcome him into my life, I want to see him acknowledge his value and potential.
"Xavier, I need to sleep; please order food for dinner." To gather my thoughts and answer my racing questions, I asked him to leave my room.
"Take a rest, Bella. And then be ready for a surprise. " He kissed my forehead and then left my room.
What type of surprise is he talking about?
Before I could question him, he had already closed my door from outside.
I took out a chart paper and jotted down every name and case involving Jordan Lucas that our family was associated with. After creating a family hierarchy, I attempted to figure out the intricate puzzle of Jordan Lucas's role in our family relations. I uncovered a pivotal element linking our father, Uncle Jorawar, and Jordan Lucas.
It goes beyond what we can imagine and isn't just about Xavier. I have to tell Dad about this. Only after I discovered the cause of Uncle Jorawar and Dad's rivalry will I be able to go to the next level of this puzzle. To keep Xavier and everyone else in the house from seeing it, I wrapped up that chart paper and concealed it inside my cupboard.
When I knocked on Dad's door, he was in his room watching television. When he saw me in his room, a warm smile spread across his face. I started our conversation by asking him about the weather and other topics, as I was anxious about delving into a subject I desperately wanted to hear the answer to.
"Bella, what do you want to ask?" As soon as he recognized my apprehension, his tone abruptly turned serious.
"Dad..." I trembled nervously, unsure of how to approach him with any inquiries.
"You don't need to hesitate with me; you can ask me anything." His confidence gave me the courage to question him about his rivalry with Uncle Jorawar.
As I asked him about his enmity with Uncle Jorawar, his expression shifted from serious to enraged