Chapter 389 Texting

“Rebecca ended up destroyed because she wasn’t strong enough.

“People like her always fall apart sooner or later.

“If you think my grandfather would ever defend Rebecca, then you couldn’t be more wrong.”

Tilda cleared her throat and gave a crooked smile.

“I’ll admit it feels a little strange to say this, but I am curious about your grandfather.

“Fine, I’ll go meet him.”

Since Abram had asked her to come himself, Tilda wanted to see what kind of games he planned to play. It was better to face him directly than wait for some hidden blow to strike. The fact that she made up her mind to upload the video to ruin Rebecca meant she wasn’t scared of the Bells.

Two days passed in a flash. That morning, Jude came to her apartment and picked her up himself. He sat in the backseat, watching her in plain clothes, his lips curving into a smile.

“Don’t feel any pressure, Tilly. Though I know telling you that is useless.”

“It is useless.

“I told you before, Jude.

“The only one in the Bells whose opinion matters to me is yours.

“The rest of them don’t even register.”

She was the Queen of the dark web, the most feared hacker alive, and she had every right to say it. Behind her stood not one, not two, but three seniors the entire world respected. If the Bells touched her even slightly, Jude would fight, and her seniors would fight too.

“Tilly…”

Jude’s chest tightened like something had pierced it. Instead of pain, a sweet warmth spread through him. He reached out and held her hand, his thumb moving gently against her skin.

The joy in his eyes could not be hidden.

“Don’t look at me like that, Jude. I’ve always believed love has to go both ways.

“You give to me, I give to you. That’s the only way it works.”

She squeezed his cheek with a grin that lit up her whole face. When she first got her second chance at life, she never thought love would be part of it. Being able to rebuild real friendship and family already felt like a gift. But this time, love had come as well. She didn’t turn away from it. If destiny wanted her and Jude together, she would take what was given. The storms waiting for them weren’t hers alone to carry. They belonged to both of them.

The Bells’ estate came into view when they arrived. The mansion stretched across an entire mountain, its design so grand it left people in awe. Even though it stood outside Slosa in the countryside, its size stunned the eye. It looked less like a house and more like the domain of a king. The Bells could have built something this massive in the city.

Yes, they could.

But… but there, it would lose its meaning. Out here they had open land, green trees, clean air, and quiet far from the noise.

The iron gates creaked wide. A butler stepped forward and bowed deeply.

“Mr. Jude, Ms. Tilda.

“Mr. Bell has ordered a special place prepared for you to watch from.”

Behind his polished monocle, sharp old eyes measured Tilda with silence.

“Alright,” Tilda said evenly.

Side by side, she and Jude followed the butler to a bell tower beside the mansion. They climbed to the second floor, where a tall window looked straight down into the family chapel.

“If you need anything, I’ll be right outside,” the butler said with a nod. He then stepped out and closed the door behind him.

Tilda sat down, the air laced with the faint scent of lavender.

“Jude, did your grandfather really bring me here just to watch Rebecca fall?”

“There are times I don’t even understand what’s in his heart,” Jude murmured, pressing his lips together. Abram had once ruled the Bells, and age had turned him into something more than a man. Even Jude, his own blood, could never fully see through him. And his grandfather was the one who handed the family’s reins to Jude himself. That mystery made him dangerous. In the Bells family, warmth didn’t exist. If survival was the goal, then even a grandfather or a parent had to be treated like an enemy.

“Then we’ll see what he plans to show us,” Tilda said quietly.

And the stage was being set up fast. Abram entered soon after. He wore a sharp black suit, his hair slicked back, one hand toying with the ring on his thumb. His face carried an easy smile. His presence was full of energy, as though this was nothing more than a pleasant meeting. They were doing it at a sacred place too. But Tilda could feel the weight of his menace pressing down like a shadow.