Chapter 7

“Chloe, why don’t you feel like you hate Kyle and Belle more than you do?”

Chloe’s face faltered, but she quickly forced a light laugh, brushing it off. “Belle, come on, I’m just looking out for you. I know better than anyone what you’ve been through. I can’t stand the thought of Kyle ruining your future.”

She leaned in conspiratorially. “Oh, by the way, Belle, Mr. Cole will be in Rendonia in a couple of days. If you don’t deal with Kyle soon, what will happen if he causes trouble? Or worse, if Mr. Cole gets upset?”

Chloe’s voice turned sharper. “We need to control Kyle now and make sure everything stays under control. We could even get him thrown back in jail for a bit. That way, everything will go smoothly, and honestly, it’s for his own protection.”

Belle tilted her head in thought, then gave a slow, reluctant nod.

“Looks like we don’t have much of a choice,” she murmured. “I just want to keep Kyle alive. If he crosses Mr. Cole, he’s done for. Honestly, I’ve done everything I can for him. It’s not my fault he’s so mediocre.”

She sighed, shaking her head. “I’m ashamed he’ll never understand that I’m trying to protect him. He probably curses me behind my back. Not that it matters. We’re done. I don’t need his gratitude. I just hope he leaves me alone from now on.”

With that decision made, Belle exhaled heavily, as if she’d made some great sacrifice.

Across town, in another part of Rendonia, Faith stood frozen, staring at her phone. She clutched it tightly, looking at the address and number on the screen, torn with indecision.

Dressed in a cream-colored dress, her delicate, graceful features were shadowed by pain. Tears shimmered in her eyes, betraying the heartache she couldn’t suppress. Her life was spinning out of control.

“Belle,” Faith whispered, her voice trembling. “Why are you like this? You don’t understand how lucky you were to have Kyle’s love. I’d give anything to cherish him, but I don’t even have the right to love him anymore.”

A tear slipped down her cheek as Faith bowed her head. She knew she shouldn’t go. It was reckless, dangerous even. But her heart screamed otherwise. The thought of him abandoned, hopeless, and suffering alone was unbearable.

A woman approached from behind as she stood there, lost in her emotions. It was her mother, Maria McLain.

Seeing Faith’s tears, Maria sighed deeply.

“Faith, don’t blame me for this. If I had a choice, I wouldn’t want you to marry Peter either. He’s nothing but a spoiled playboy who chases women and has no redeeming qualities. But the Curtis family needs you. We need the Russo family’s support to survive.”

Maria’s voice softened. “I know it’s unfair, and I’ll do everything I can to make it up to you someday.”

Faith wiped her tears and shook her head. “Mom, it’s okay. Don’t worry about me. This is my fate, and whether I accept it or not doesn’t matter. The family needs me, and I’ll do what’s best for them, no matter how much it hurts.”

The Curtis family had once been prominent in Rendonia, but now they were clinging to survival. A marriage alliance was their last hope, and even then, the match was far from ideal. Yet, they didn’t dare refuse.

Faith had resisted at first, but when she saw her grandfather, once so proud and strong, bending his knee to plead with her, she knew she had no choice. Her life, from that moment on, was no longer her own.

“I’m stepping out for a bit,” Faith said quietly. “If anything comes up, just call me.”

Despite the risks, she had made up her mind. She had to see Kyle, even if she no longer had the right to care for him.

Meanwhile, Kyle stood in the dimly lit living room of his old house, staring at the chaos around him. The place was a mess, and the air felt heavy with neglect. He sighed deeply, his shoulders slumping. He’d been out of prison for the past two hours, but the life he had dreamed of while locked up couldn’t have felt further away. He’d envisioned a fresh start, a happy life waiting for him. Instead, he was met with this—a broken home and shattered hopes. Could misery really change people this much?

As he stood there in despair, the doorbell rang. He swung the door open, expecting the worst, but his breath caught.

Faith stood there, looking as pristine and pure as a white lily rising from the mud.

“Faith? What are you doing here?”

Her lips curled into a soft smile—seeing him out of prison grimly made her happy—but her eyes quickly clouded with concern. “Kyle, you’ve lost so much weight,” she said, her voice trembling. “You look terrible.”

“Undeniably,” Kyle said with a tired smile. “Prison food and accommodations are exactly five-star, but I managed. Come on in; no point standing out here.”

He stepped aside, letting her in.

Faith glanced around, her heart aching at the state of the house. The mess, the despair—it all spoke volumes. She bit her lip, trying to control her emotions.

“Was it Belle?” she asked softly. “Did she force you to sign the divorce papers?”

Kyle blinked, caught off guard. “Oh, right. You two were close friends, weren’t you? Well, it’s not like that. There’s been a lot of misunderstandings.”

Faith frowned. “We haven’t spoken in six years, not since you went to prison. We’re not friends anymore.”

She hesitated before asking, “Kyle, do you regret it? Everything you did for her?”

Her question hung in the air.

Kyle stayed silent, the weight of her words pressing down on him. Did he regret it? Did he regret falling for Belle, sacrificing everything for her, even taking the fall that landed him in prison?

He let out a bitter laugh. “Faith, regret won’t change anything. What’s done is done.”

He forced a smile. “Enough about me. What about you? How’s life been treating you? Married yet?”

At that, Faith’s face fell, a deep sadness overtaking her features.

“So, even now, you don’t see it, do you?” she whispered. “Kyle, I’ve always loved you. Why was I never enough? Why couldn’t you see that?”

Kyle shifted uncomfortably, unsure of what to say. He had always known about Faith’s feelings, but his heart had belonged to Belle. To him, love was about loyalty, and he’d never considered betraying the woman he was committed to.

But at that point, Faith seemed unwilling to hold back any longer.