Bella was already suspicious when she hadn't even received a call from Nathan Wilford since the dinner. Because, that wasn't normal. Shouldn't Nathan have called her to confirm Bella's lie in front of Reef? Nathan wasn't one to play games, he was the one who invented games. Yet, strangely, that didn't happen. It was as if their dinner at Alexandra's Gourmet never happened. It occurred to Bella that Nathan might call Carter and tell him about that night. However, it was the same. No call from Carter. That should have alerted Bella, but her preoccupation with preparing a surprise birthday for Reef made her forget that.
Therefore, seeing Nathan standing in the backyard of the Red House, joining his friends who are about to celebrate Reef's birthday, makes Bella shocked to death.
