Bella's POV
If Vance had been present, I would have chosen him without hesitation. But he wasn't there when I needed him most.
That left me with Hugo as my only viable option.
I understood he bore responsibility for this mess, yet a small voice in my head, Astra's influence perhaps, whispered that any reasonable man wouldn't have pursued a relationship with my abusive half-sister in the first place.
But I had no alternatives. His name had to be my answer.
Derek was completely out of the question. He had already chosen his father's side in exchange for promises about keeping me in his life. As for Parker, his true allegiances remained a mystery to me.
Moon's reputation for cruelty was well-established, and since Parker hadn't bothered checking on the children for days, Hugo seemed like the safest choice.
The moment his name left my lips, Lord Morris's expression shifted, and he shook his head dismissively.
