Divorced CEO's Forgotten Wife Strikes Back (Riley and Bryce) novel Chapter 180

180 /288

**Chapter 180: A Public Confession**

Bryce stood there, utterly paralyzed, as if the very air around him had solidified into an unbreakable barrier. His heart raced, pounding against his ribcage like a trapped bird desperate for freedom.

Riley, her eyes narrowed and sharp as daggers, lifted her gaze to the enormous screen dominating the studio. “Besides,” she began, her tone laced with an unmistakable skepticism, “we don’t even know if Bella is genuinely innocent in this kidnapping scenario.” The words dripped from her lips like poison, each syllable calculated to provoke.

“Bella? Of course she is!” Bryce shot back, his voice rising in pitch and intensity, a tempest of emotion swirling within him. “She’s the kindest person I know, selfless to a fault, always willing to put herself in harm’s way for others. There’s absolutely no way she would stand by and let someone die! There has to be a reason for all of this madness!” His voice cracked slightly, revealing the underlying fear that gripped him.

Riley’s lips twisted into a cold, sardonic smile, a glimmer of satisfaction flickering in her eyes. “Is that so?” she retorted, her expression a mask of condescension.

The guilt that had washed over Bella’s face when she first heard that recording haunted Bryce. It was an unmistakable testament to her turmoil, a silent admission that spoke volumes.

So, the recording played by the kidnapper was likely authentic. The implication was chilling—Bella had probably stood by and done nothing while someone perished in flames.

11:20

But what was the kidnapper’s ultimate goal? Was he truly planning to burn Bella alive as a twisted form of vengeance, or was there something deeper, more insidious at play?

On the screen, Bella’s body convulsed violently, her desperate cries echoing through the room. “No! Please, don’t! Who hired you to do this? I can pay you! Do you know I’m from the Sinclair family? My family has money! My fiancé—he’s wealthy too! Bryce, from Murphy Tech—you know him, right? He’s a rising star in the tech world, and his company just went public. He has the means, and he loves me! Name your price; he’ll pay it!” Her voice was frantic, a mixture of terror and desperation.

“Money?” The kidnapper’s laughter was a dry, mocking sound that sent shivers down Bryce’s spine. “I don’t want your money. You claim he was just hallucinating from the flames when he called your name? Fine. Let’s conduct a little experiment—let’s see if you start hallucinating when I set you on fire.” As he spoke, a lighter appeared in his hand, glinting ominously under the harsh lights.

With a sharp click, the flame erupted, a tiny flicker of danger that danced provocatively in the air.

Bella’s trembling escalated, her fear palpable as she realized the peril she was in. One errant spark igniting the gasoline-soaked floor, and she would be engulfed in a raging inferno, burned alive.

11:20

The memory of a co-pilot, consumed by flames right before her eyes, surged back to her. Terror clawed at her chest, a visceral reminder of her helplessness.

“What’s the matter? Scared, murderer?” The kidnapper taunted, inching closer, the flickering flame swaying dangerously in his hand.

Bella’s complexion turned ashen, her eyes tightly shut as the flame hovered ominously before her.

“I’m not a murderer! This has nothing to do with me!” she whimpered, her voice trembling like a fragile leaf caught in a storm.

“Nothing to do with you?” The kidnapper’s voice morphed into something sinister, dripping with malevolence. “Are you seriously claiming you weren’t there that day? Bella, he mentored you, treated you like family, and this is how you repay him? He was burning, begging for your help. You could have grabbed the extinguisher. You could have extinguished the flames!”

“No! It’s not like that! The fire was too intense—what could I have done? One extinguisher wouldn’t have made a difference!” Bella’s voice cracked under the strain of her emotions, desperation spilling out in a frantic shout.