Bella heard the whispers as soon as she entered the office, some of the staff were gathered in groups and some even dared to point fingers at her "She is definitely the boss' mistress, he even took her to yesterday's function" she heard someone whispered and she frowned in confusion, "what are they talking about? They think she is a mistress to their boss?" She thought, angry that they would even think such a thing about her.
She battled with herself whether to confront them or not and decided not to, let them think whatever they want
"Bella, I need you in my office now" Ollie called her, his voice was somehow cold towards her and his eyes were lacking the usual warmth each time they greeted her. She stood up and followed him into his office.
"I can't believe what I am hearing Isabella, you're sleeping with the boss? I thought you were married?"
"How can you even believe what they are saying about me? Yes, I am married and no I am not sleeping with the boss"
"How do I believe you? The boss had never taken anyone to a function but he took you along, don't think I don't notice how he gives you preference over everyone"
"You don't know what you are talking about, I am treated as everyone else"
"False, you're lying and you know it. You knew I was interested in you and you used that marriage facade to put me off"
"I am married and it's fact, not a facade" Bella replied exasperatedly, she never knew that the day would come when she would have to defend her marriage and convince anyone that she was married
Ollie eyed her doubtfully, "Where then is your marriage ring?" He asked as he stared at her empty fingers
"Well, I took it off, it's a little bit bigger than my fingers so I kept it safe at home so as not to lose it"
"Okay, do you have any pictures from your wedding day?"
Damn, with the circumstances surrounding her marriage, taking a picture that day was the last thing on her mind. She shrugged
"Well, I don't but..."
"Oh please stop Isabella, if you don't like me just say so and stop using being married as an excuse moreover, if you are truly married, I don't suppose that you'll be sleeping with the boss. You are not who I thought you were"
Bella felt a pang of anger at his insulting words, "What the hell had come over you, don't talk to me that way besides, I told you from the onset that we could be just friends"
"Just friends" he scoffed, "I wanted more than that"
"Well, I am sorry but I can't give you what you want"
"Why, because it's true that you're the boss' mistress?"
"Ollie..." Bella lost it and her palms connected with his cheeks
Anger flared in his eyes and he pulled her to him, his lips snatched hers and she struggled against him
"I knew that you were nothing but a slut, sleeping with the boss isn't enough, you dare to seduce my man?" Keisha's voice rang out angrily and hot coffee hit Bella's hands and she hissed in pain but Keisha didn't stop there, she pulled Bella's hair painfully, venting out all the anger and hatred she had for her, if it was possible, she would have murdered Bella right then and there. The other staff gathered to watch the drama unfold but none did anything to intervene
"I didn't do anything, let go of my hair, he kissed me"
"You are such a slut, slutty married woman" Keisha ranted and Bella glared at Ollie who stood aside looking confused and agitated
Bella felt dizzy from the constant hair pulling, her scalded hands hurt like hell and Keisha wasn't letting her go either, colors swarmed before her eyes and her head felt light, she felt herself going weak and limp.
"What's going on here?" She heard a raspy voice ask and there was complete silence.
The last thing she remembered was the masked face of Nikolai Klaus taking her into the comfort of his arms, she was lifted and carried in his powerful arms and she let go and allowed the darkness to take over, safe in the arms of her king of the underworld.
*******************************************
Daniel was beyond furious as he carried Bella in his arms to the hospital, he had called the hospital to inform them of his coming and he was sure that she would get the best treatment in his private hospital.
She was attended to immediately after he got there and while they were attending to her, he put a phone call through to Aaron
"Make sure that those who are involved in this pay in the worst possible way" he ordered and snapped his phone shut. He had been watching her through the CCTV camera that was installed and had seen when she was called into the office by her superior, they argued about something and he had kissed her, Daniel's expression became murderous at the thought of that bastard kissing his wife and just when he had stood up to go to her, Keisha had entered and even dared to slap his wife. His fingers were fisted as the rage within him bubbled.
Someone tapped his shoulder and he turned to see Doctor Silas, he was the doctor attending to her, "how is she?"
"She will be fine, she just needs a lot of rest" he replied and Daniel nodded
"I want to see her"
"Of course you can Sir, this way sir" the doctor replied and led Daniel to her room. Daniel paused before entering and stared at the doctor
"She should not know that I own this hospital" Doctor Silas quickly nodded in understanding and Daniel went inside.
She was sleeping when he entered the room and he sat down beside her bed and stared at her, he felt a fierce protective feeling rising within him.
"Daniel..." she whispered in her sleep and for some reason, Daniel felt glad that she was calling out to her husband instead of Nikolai, he would have granted her wish by being beside her as Daniel but he was too expensively dressed and she would question him because Daniel would not have money to dress in Italian designer cloth and shoes. He has a meeting to attend with an Italian mob and had already dressed up as Nikolai Klaus before her incident.
Her eyes slowly opened and she stared at him, "Nikolai? What are you doing here?"
"I brought you to the hospital and I want to make sure that you're fine" he rasped and without warning, bent and placed a kiss on her lips
"You shouldn't be doing that," she murmured and her blue eyes mirrored that confusion she gets each time she kisses her
"I know, I just can't help it" he rasped, his heart was filled with so many emotions and he fought to clamp them down
She sighed, "Will you ever show me your face? I want to know what you look like"
Daniel paused and stared at her for a moment, "someday I will but not now"
"Are you that ashamed of your scar?"
"What?" He asked in confusion
"The scar on your face, you said you wore a mask because of the scar on your face remember?"
"Oh! Yes I did and I don't want you to be repulsed by it, especially now that I am sure that I like you very much and need you by my side"
She paused for a moment and stared at him, "Nikolai, I can't deny that I like you too and I am beginning to feel something for you but I can't be with you"
"Why?"
"I am married and I feel the same way about my husband, I think that I am even starting to fall in love with my husband, I am sorry but this thing between us can't work"
"But..."
"Please Mr. Nikolai, don't take umbrage but I won't be seeing you anymore. The only man I want to be with right now is Daniel Calvin, my husband"
"He has nothing to offer you, he works for me and I pay him, how can you leave someone who can give you everything for someone who has limitations, he is a bastard and illegitimate son of Nicholas Calvin "
Bella frowned and stared at him, she didn't remember telling him that her husband was an illegitimate son, "I don't remember telling you that, how did you know?"
"Well, I looked him up to see what kind of man he was and I found out that he has no penny to his name"
"I don't care about that, I don't care whether he is rich or not, legitimate or illegitimate, all I know is that I am falling in love with him and I choose to be with him".
Daniel paused and stared at her quietly, "are you certain that it's what you want?"
"Absolutely" she replied without hesitation and he stood up
"Very well then, I'll let him visit you. Goodbye Bella" he placed a kiss on her forehead and left quietly.
Bella watched him leave with a pang, his stride was so much like Daniel's, he always gave her this strange feeling that she knew him but she shook it off, that's impossible because the only explanation coming to her head was that he was Daniel. She must be going nuts, Daniel can't be the king of the underworld, he is even living in his friend's house because he has no penny to his name, she has to stop thinking too much.
She can't deny that she likes Nikolai also but she has made her decision, she is staying with Daniel and will give what she feels for him a chance.