"Madam, don't accuse the police," the officer barked with authority.
"What is going on?" Theodore's voice boomed, cutting through the tension with a commanding presence.
Bella spun around, her eyes wide and brimming with tears. "Theodore!" she cried, her voice trembling. "Lionel is dead… He died during the interrogation."
Theodore's expression darkened instantly, his gaze locking onto the officer with a fierce intensity. He hadn't wanted Bella to find out like this and hadn't planned to tell her about Lionel's death until the autopsy report was in his hands.
The officer's unexpected visit, delivering the news so bluntly, irritated him deeply. But what struck him most was the pain in Bella's eyes. Lionel, the man who had caused her so much suffering—who had abused her, kidnapped her and even tried to kill her—was now the source of her tears.
Theodore had assumed she hated Lionel, but her reaction revealed a more complex mix of emotions.
