Theodore Reid is the mysterious man?

The office grew almost empty after the twilight. Ivy was still working, papers scattered across her desk. Her phone vibrated shattering the silence with a jolt.

The caller ID flickered, a familiar number sending a spark through her. She answered with a snap, urgency lacing her voice, "Did you find anything about her?"

Across the line, a deep, gravelly voice responded. "Miss Bella Dawn has been running from the moneylenders to avoid repaying debts. Her ancestral home is mortgaged as well. To escape the loan sharks and her abusive stepfather, she moved to the city. Interestingly, she has urgently gone back to her hometown. The moneylenders are demanding she repay the debts, or she will lose her house."

The words were like a cruel melody to Ivy's ears. A smile crept across her face. "Well, well… It seems she's in quite the predicament."

A malevolent glint flickered in her eyes as a wicked plan began to take shape. This was her opportunity, a chance to erase Bella from Zack's life forever.

"Contact those people who are after her, and..." Leaning in further, she lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper, relaying instructions to the person on the other end.

"I want to see her ruined. I want to hear her cries." Her features twisted in a mask of fury and hatred. "Make sure she suffers. She dares to think she can steal my fiancé. She has to pay for it."

A chilling silence followed, then the voice on the other end spoke, a dark promise echoing down the line, "Get it, madam. Your wish will be fulfilled."

As she ended the call, Ivy smiled dangerously. "With your ruined dignity, you'll never face Zack again," she hissed with vicious pleasure.

~~~~~~~~~~

Bella spent a restless night at Mrs. Green's house, worry gnawing at her every thought. As promised, the moneylender materialized at the doorstep. A greasy smile stretched across his face.

"Miss Bella Dawn," he boomed with a false cheer. "Did you bring the money?"

Bella lifted her chin, forcing a semblance of composure. "Yes," she replied, clutching a brown envelope tightly in her hand. "Give me the key to the house."

"Money first." The man's smile widened, revealing a disturbing glint in his eyes.

Bella let out a sigh as she handed him the brown envelope full of cash. "Now hand me the key."

The man ignored her plea, his focus solely on the envelope in his hand. He counted the bills with a practiced hand, his eyes gleaming with avarice.

Bella squinted at him, her patience wearing thin with each passing second. "I gave you the money. Now hand me the key."

"What's the hurry?" he smirked with malice. Stuffing the cash in his coat pocket, he added, "The key is not with me. You need to come to my office and complete the paperwork first."

Bella gritted her teeth. Shouldn't he bring the key and the necessary documents?

Every fiber of her being screamed at her to lash out, to demand the key and her freedom. However, a cold logic settled over her anger. These men were predators and antagonizing them would be akin to poking a sleeping bear.

Swallowing her rising ire, she ground out, "Okay, I am coming with you." 

"Very well," he said, gesturing grandly towards the car parked outside the gate. "Lead the way then."

Bella set her jaw, determined to see this through. Stepping past him, she walked out into the unforgiving sunlight.

"Bella!" A firm grip clamped onto her wrist, halting her movement. "Don't go with him," Mrs. Green pleaded, her voice a low whisper. "I have a bad feeling. He seems to have some vile intention in his eyes."

Bella acknowledged the inherent danger these men posed. She wasn't naive. Yet, a sliver of misplaced confidence flickered within her. She had paid them the money. What more could they possibly want?

"Don't worry, Mrs. Green," she offered in a soothing tone, patting the older woman's hand. "It'll be alright. I just need to finish this and get the house back."

Mrs. Green, however, wasn't easily swayed. "If you insist on going, I'm coming with you," she declared, not willing to let her go alone with that man.

"No, you can't," Bella protested. A wave of concern washed over her as she noticed the flush on Mrs. Green's cheeks. "You're still feverish. Rest here. I promise I'll be back quickly."

Mrs. Green's lips pursed as she tried to counter Bella's argument, but the young woman was adamant. With a sigh of resignation, she let go of Bella's hand, her eyes filled with trepidation as she watched her leave.

Bella couldn't deny the disquiet gnawing at her own gut. A bad premonition, cold and unwelcome, coiled around her heart. Yet, she pushed it down and got into the sleek black car, silencing the warning echoes of her inner voice.

"Where is your office?" she asked, trying to sound casual despite the rising fear in her mind.

"You'll see," he replied cryptically. "By the way, how is your stepfather? When is he coming out of jail?"

Bella's jaw clenched. The question was like a tangled web she was trapped in. She shot him a scathing look, her reply clipped and emotionless. "I don't know."

Bella's mind churned with thoughts of her stepfather, the man who had been the root of so many of their problems. She had no desire to maintain any contact with him.

All those years, her mother had endured his torture because he had once helped her when she needed it the most. But they didn't have to carry the burden of that favor throughout their lives.

Bella believed they had already repaid it many times over.

Twit-Twit…

The phone screen blinked to life, a notification announcing an incoming message. An unfamiliar number pulsed on the display, piquing Bella's curiosity. With a hesitant tap, she unlocked the phone.

'Miss Isabella, I'm Tristan, Mr. Reid's secretary. My boss wants me to give you the pendant. Shall we meet this afternoon?'

The words swam before her eyes. Mr. Reid? Theodore Reid?

Bella squeezed her eyes shut, willing away the impossible. She was confused.

'What? Theodore Reid is the mysterious man I saved that night!'

A scoff escaped her lips as she muttered under her breath, 'How could that be possible? It's just a coincidence.'

Yet, a sliver of doubt remained, a question mark flickering in the back of her mind. Pushing the thought aside, she forced herself to focus on the more pressing issue.

A large number of people shared the surname 'Reid.' Theodore was not the only one. The memory of the mysterious man that night was hazy. Since his face was covered with blood, she had not seen it properly. But Bella believed it was not him. The man appeared leaner, a stark contrast to the stocky Theodore.

The weight difference was notable, too—Theodore had been significantly heavier when she had driven him home from the club, compared to the man she had pulled from the wrecked car.

Moreover, it made no sense for a man like Theodore to be in a small, remote town in the west district. It was just a coincidence that they shared the same surname. As much as the idea intrigued her, it was implausible.

'No, he is not Theodore,' she concluded firmly.