The Rejected True Heiress (Liora and Callum) novel Chapter 239

“But Zane—”

“Zane would make a horrible father,” Bella laughed. “I mean, look at him. He’s still got his head up his ass. He just thinks I should abort it. He doesn’t understand.”

“He said he regretted the way he spoke to you,” I said quietly.

Bella sighed. “I’m sure he does. But it doesn’t matter now. If there was one thing I learned in that awful, stinking rogue camp, it was that I never loved him nearly as much as I thought I did. I didn’t think about him once while I was there—I only thought about my baby.”

“So when you were separated from Marissa…” I began, but my voice trailed off. I wasn’t sure what to say.

“Don’t worry. I didn’t give them any information about you.” Bella waved her hand. “I only told them I knew who you were so they would spare Marissa and me. I used my information as a bargaining chip; made them promise to keep her alive. And me alive. I couldn’t bear it if my baby died because of this.”

I let out a breath I didn’t know I’d been holding. “Thank you. Keeping the information secret—it must have resulted in a lot of pain for you.”

She snorted, gesturing to the bruises on her face. “You think?” She let her hand drop back to the mattress. “But it’s over now. And I’m kind of glad I kept my mouth shut. It all worked out in the end, I guess, right?”

I couldn’t really agree with that. This was still all my fault. If I hadn’t kept my identity a secret all this time, then Marissa and Bella might never have been taken. Bella’s baby might never have been in danger.

“There must be something I can do for you,” I said. “Something to make up for what happened to you.”

Bella paused for a long moment, thinking. Finally, she admitted, “I am a little short on cash…”

“I’ll give you money. Whatever you need.” I straightened. “I’ve got jewels back home. They’re worth way more than my brooch.”

Her eyes widened. “You’d really do that?”

“Of course.” I was already standing, counting the ones I could give her in my head. I certainly didn’t need them, but Bella… She wanted to start over as a single mother. She definitely needed them more than I did. “Just focus on recovery for now. I’ll help you out when it comes time for you to leave. All I ask in return is that you keep my identity a secret. Even from Zane.”

I wanted to be angry with her. But mostly, I was just mad at Callum. Mad at him for always jumping to her side when he knew fully well what she really was. A backstabber.

Bianca didn’t speak to me as I passed. I lifted my chin and planned to ignore her, too. But my footsteps faltered. If I wanted to get those jewels for Bella, then I’d have to make a trip back to the palace.

And what better time to finally humiliate Bianca, ending this charade of hers once and for all?

“Bianca,” I said, turning on my heel to look at her. She stiffened, but I smiled sweetly. “Now that the rogue problem has been dealt with, our school could really use a morale boost from the princess.”

She narrowed her eyes. “What are you talking about?”

I shrugged, already walking away. “I don’t know.” I raised my voice just enough so the nearby students could hear. “But a party at the palace sounds kind of fun, don’t you think?”