"I was watching a cartoon, and then Daddy's phone rang. I quickly unplugged it from the wall socket and dashed to give him the phone. When he received it, he greeted and then he said, 'My goods? How?' And then he fell to the floor alongside his phone and the coffee he had in his hands."

"Did anyone call Mum?" Bella queried.

"No, we didn't want her to start worrying. We had to make sure she focuses on her job. That was Olivia's plan, by the way," Nicholas explained.

"Okay, quickly change into comfortable clothes; let's head out." As Nicholas climbed up to his room to get dressed.

Bella sank into her seat. She wasn't sure of what was happening again in her life.

Her father had been having heart issues lately, and everyone had been suspecting it had something to do with his business.

But Mr. Sterling was a proud man and quite secretive; he hated to be considered weak. He never sought counsel or believed he needed help.

"I'm ready; let's go," Nicholas announced, and quickly they headed to the hospital.

"Dad!" Isabella ran to her dad, glad he was conscious. "Thank goodness you're okay." She wiped off the little drops of tears that ran down her cheek.

"I'm so glad you're okay, Dad," Nicholas smiled.

"Dad, where's Olivia?" Bella asked, as she didn't see any trace of Olivia.

"She left with a guy, he had blonde hair and blue eyes, with a British accent."

"And you didn't bother knowing his name?" Bella continued.

"He introduced himself, but I was half awake when he did," her father answered softly.

"Dad, what really happened?" Bella changed the subject; her dad was much too important to her at that moment.

"I just had heart issues..."

"Dad, I know you too well, besides, Nick said you fell immediately after you answered a call. So, Dad, please speak to me."

"We just lost everything, Bella." Her father's voice quivered.

"Lost everything? How?"

"I've been battling with finances lately. Little did I know that the savior I thought I saw was my biggest downfall."

"Savior, downfall, Daddy, I don't understand," Bella asked.

"I invested in a project that was meant to give me triple of my investment, and to cut the entire story short, it crashed. It was a full scam. I even had to get loans from the bank, using our house as collateral."

Mr. Charles Sterling, Bella's father, was drawn into a high-yield real estate investment opportunity. He invested a substantial portion of his savings in a development project that promised luxurious condominiums in Manhattan, New York City.

The enticing sales pitch and glossy brochures convinced him that this was a secure path to expand his business.

As time went on, Charles became increasingly suspicious. Construction delays and excuses piled up, and the promised updates about the project's progress were vague at best.

Charles confronted the developer, Veronica Sings, but she kept giving him assurances, telling him stories he wanted to hear.

Then, news articles began to surface, exposing the developer's history of financial mismanagement and legal troubles.

Charles's initial excitement turned into dread as he realized the investment was a sham. The luxurious condos he had hoped to profit from remained unbuilt.

Mr. Shags, Charles's secretary, had to call Charles and let him in on what had happened, and the news resulted in his admission to the hospital.

"Omg! Daddy, why didn't you tell us?"

"I didn't want you guys to worry if it was legit or not, plus I wanted to surprise you with the profits I had made."

"We are going to survive this; maybe I can get a loan from my boss..." Bella suggested.

"Don't worry, I've always been good friends with Mr. Richard Gentry. I just pray he assists me a little until I get back on my feet." Charles wouldn't want his daughter to fix his mess.

"It's okay, Dad." A text message came to her phone, and for the first time, with his private number and not the organization's line, Alexander sent her a message.

Curious to see what he sent, she was shocked to the bone marrow when she read the annoying texts he sent her and, out of rage, replied to him and poured her heart out.

Just a few minutes after she had replied to Alexander's text, Sebastian called her line, and at that moment, she remembered she was meant to be on a date with him.

"Hello, I'm so sorry, it was a family emer..."

"Catherine has filled me in on everything; I'm in front of your hospital if you'd like to talk about your family problem."

"That's nice; let me quickly settle things. I'll be with you in a sec." She hung up.

"Dad, a friend of mine is outside; I'll see you later. Will you be okay?"

"Yeah, don't pause your life because of me; you can go," her father assured her.

"Nick," she turned to her brother, who was barely awake, "Take care of Dad; I'll be back before midnight."

And she headed off to meet Sebastian. Reaching the exit of the hospital, she froze in awe; his appearance was a sensory delight. He was wearing a vibrant red tuxedo that made him instantly stand out. Its bold color, combined with the tailored fit, accentuated his youthful charm. He looked like he had stepped out of a classic Hollywood movie.

While she didn't touch the tuxedo, its impeccable craftsmanship was evident in the way it draped over his shoulders and hugged his frame, suggesting a texture that was as smooth as it was stylish.

As he approached, his confident stride resonated with a quiet assurance, a rhythmic beat to the excitement building within her.

A subtle, enticing cologne trailed in his wake, leaving a lingering fragrance that hinted at sophistication and elegance.

Although she couldn't taste anything, the visual feast of his striking attire whet her appetite for the evening's adventure, making her heart race with anticipation.

It was as if he had been preparing for a day like this. He reached out his hands, and once she placed her soft, cold palms in his, he lowered a kiss on her hands that made her tummy somersault.

"You ready?" He finally spoke.

Still in shock, she nodded, "Yes." A barely audible whisper.

As he opened the door to his Amancio Ortega – Audi A8, Mercedes GL, they both received a link in their private inbox by Catherine, "You have to view this."

And to their greatest surprise, caught in a bar and dancing with strippers was their very own Alexander Gentry.

Chapter 3 A Shocking Discovery

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