Bella felt as if the ground beneath her had fallen away. Her stomach twisted in knots, her body rigid with shock. Questions flooded her mind, but none could escape her lips, as if she had lost her voice. She stared at Theodore, still trying to process his words, the dread settling deeper in her heart.
"If Claudia's plan succeeds, the entire Reid family will collapse," Theodore said, his tone grim. "She'll take everything—power, wealth, control."
"How is that even possible?" Bella couldn't believe Claudia's power, surpassing even Theodore's ability to stop her. "You have the power and influence. You can stop her, can't you?"
He paused, his gaze meeting hers with an unfamiliar look of helplessness. "I'm working on it, but Claudia has covered her tracks well. To expose her, I need more than just my influence. I need leverage, evidence—anything to bring her down." His grip tightened on her hands.
