After a few days of contemplating whether she should search Rico's study or not, Bella finally gave in.
The silence in the mansion felt heavier than usual.
Bella stood alone in Rico's study, her fingers trembling slightly as she shut the door behind her. The faint scent of his cologne still lingered in the air, making her chest tighten.
He had left.
Again.
A bitter smile touched her lips.
"Of course you did…"
Her eyes wandered around the room—the same room she had entered the very first day she stepped into this house. The same room her father had warned her about.
"Find the document. That's all that matters."
Her heart pounded.
Slowly, she walked toward the desk.
⸻
At first, she hesitated.
Then, with a deep breath, she pulled open the drawer.
Nothing.
Another one.
Still nothing.
Frustration crept in as she bit her lip. "Where the hell did he hide it…"
Her gaze shifted.
The bookshelf.
Something about it felt… off.
⸻
Bella moved closer, her fingers brushing against the neatly arranged books. She pushed one.
Nothing.
Another.
Click.
Her breath hitched.
A soft mechanical sound echoed as a hidden compartment slid open.
"Oh my God…"
Inside was a flash drive.
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Her hands shook as she picked it up.
This was it.
This was what her father wanted.
This was the key to everything.
⸻
Minutes later, she sat in front of Rico's laptop.
The screen glowed in the dim room as she inserted the flash drive.
A folder popped up.
"CONFIDENTIAL."
Her throat went dry.
She clicked it.
⸻
The first video started playing.
At first, it was blurry… shaky…
Then it became clear.
Bella's heart stopped.
"No… no… no…"
It was her house.
Years ago.
⸻
Her mother stood in the living room, her voice raised in anger.
"You can't keep doing this! These people—these children—they're not goods!"
A man stood opposite her.
Bella's breath caught.
Her father.
⸻
The argument escalated.
Her mother cried.
Her father's face darkened.
And then—
A gun.
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Bella gasped, covering her mouth.
"Stop… please stop…"
But the video didn't stop.
The gunshot echoed.
Her mother's body dropped.
⸻
Bella's scream was silent, trapped in her throat as tears streamed down her face.
"No… this isn't real…"
⸻
The next file opened automatically.
Screenshots.
Messages.
Transactions.
Lists.
Names.
Children.
Women.
Prices.
⸻
Bella's hands began to shake uncontrollably.
Her father…
He wasn't just a bad man.
He was a monster.
⸻
Then something else caught her eye.
A paused frame.
She leaned closer.
Her breath froze.
Two identical women.
Same face.
Same features.
Same… as her mother.
⸻
"What…?"
Her mind spun.
"That's not possible…"
⸻
Suddenly—
The door creaked open.
Bella froze.
Her heart slammed violently against her chest.
A shadow stretched across the floor.
⸻
A deep, dangerous voice filled the room.
"Curiosity is a dangerous thing, Bella."
⸻
She turned slowly.
And there he was.
Rico.
⸻
His eyes were dark.
Cold.
And locked on the laptop.
⸻
Her lips trembled.
"You knew…"
⸻
Rico stepped closer, his gaze unreadable.
"I warned you to stay out of my study."
⸻
Tears streamed down her face as she stood up.
"My father… he—he killed my mother… he traffics people… and you—"
Her voice broke.
"—you had this all along?!"
⸻
Rico's jaw tightened.
"I was waiting for the right time."
⸻
Bella shook her head, stepping back.
"No… no, you're lying… You're all the same!"
⸻
In a flash, Rico grabbed her wrist, pulling her toward him.
"You think I'm like him?" his voice dropped, deadly.
⸻
Bella met his gaze, pain and betrayal burning in her eyes.
"I don't know what you are anymore…"
⸻
For a moment, silence.
Heavy.
Explosive.
⸻
Then Rico's grip softened slightly.
"But now you know the truth," he said quietly.
⸻
Bella's voice was barely a whisper.
"Then tell me…"
She swallowed hard.
"Who are those women that look like my mother?"
⸻
Rico's expression darkened.
"That," he said,
"…is a story you're not ready for."