BELLA MARTIN 13

BELLA

After I abandoned Martin's house, the first thing I did was call Abuela and ask her to consider taking Yzee for the night. “Ai! Finally," she exclaimed. "It's past time you allowed yourself to be with a man." "No, Abuela. That isn't it. I have to go to work tonight." “Work? You stated that you were going on a date with your doctor." "I was," I couldn't justify it to her. My throat tightened just a little bit. I wasn't about to cry. It was still too fresh, too painful. I resolved not to even attempt to explain it to her. What was the point of telling one more lie? "I was summoned to work. I have to...follow someone." I was afraid that wouldn't be a lie by the end of the night. Abuela sighed, dissatisfied. "Oh, well, that's a shame. "I thought you were in love with your doctor." I started laughing, or wished she heard me laugh, because it felt more like a sob. "I just have to get to work. Nothing like that..." my voice trailed off. "Of course," says Mija. You know I'll always keep an eye on Yzee. S he's my favorite great-granddaughter." "I know that," I said, and I did. It's always been just an excuse I'd given Martin, and said I couldn't spend the night away from Yzee because I was afraid of being alone with him. I was scared to acknowledge how I truly felt. Frightened of the truth being revealed. I was afraid of how everything would fall apart if those truths were revealed. It didn't matter how hard I tried to guard my heart or what kind of roadblocks I erected in our path; I loved him, and it had all turned into a shambles. Everything had gone horribly wrong tonight, and I didn't know which way to go. I said my goodbyes, but her voice softened before she hung up. "I would like you to know, Bella, that you are permitted to get something for yourself. Just because you're a single mother struggling to raise your daughter on your own doesn't mean you don't deserve to be loved and to be happy. This man, I believe, makes you feel happy. You don't have to run away from him." It was difficult to hold back the tears, but I did, and I thanked her and told her I would keep in mind that advice of hers. But I had a bad impression that things were about to get much worse for me up in that penthouse, and I needed to get to work. With a sinking feeling in my stomach, I found a doorway to stand in and took out my phone. I knew that no matter what actually occurred with this investigation, and that I was possibly going to be taken away from the case, I wanted to make sure Martin was innocent beyond a shadow of a doubt, before his father suck him in even deeper. I launched the app I was looking for and connected in my earbuds to listen. Because I lacked trustworthiness. I couldn't stop spying on Martin for the sake of keeping him safe and alive. I'd put some other bug inside Martin's phone case before I got dressed, before I left his room and tried saying goodbye, before I decided to take the elevator and left his life. It'd be capable of recording him as well as monitor him, because I'd seen how agitated he was, and it wasn't just me. He was enraged at his father, and I had an impression he was going to interrogate him. I was even happier I hadn't told him his father had ordered a hit on his mother. Martin couldn't have faced him and stayed safe with that knowledge, in my opinion. Mr. Metzger might even kill him if he told his father he knew that. My stomach twisted into a knot. When I told him I only had the recording device on me and in his office, I wasn't lying. I was being completely honest. Then. But even before I left, I made sure to plant one again, because the truth was only good if he was safe. If I could just finish this business, I'd lie to him and deceive his trust. His heart had already been broken. Mine was, too. I'd never be forgiven by him. My heart pounded because, now that it was over, I suddenly realised how much I had cared for him and how much I had wanted to do more with him. I came to the realization that somewhere deep down, I had wished for the thing between us to be real, to be permanent. I really wanted to keep him. Forever. I'd never had the chance to make him mine, and now I wouldn't be able to. As the app downloaded and commuters passed by on the street, I started laughing bitterly. I'd never had a chance with Martin, and it was the funniest thing ever. He would've never ended up with a single mom like me if I hadn't consented to spy on him. He was a stunning billionaire doctor. He could have had whoever he wanted. To top it all off, I had probably squandered any chance of getting that federal agent job. I was a lousy agent. I didn't think I'd enjoy working as a private detective. I was hoping to salvage something out of the case I'd compensated for with this empty, bleeding feeling in my chest.I wanted to prove Martin's innocence and keep him safe from his abusive father. So, what was the first thing I have heard when I started listening to Martin's phone's device? Martin dialing his father's number. Terror pounded in my ears as Martin drove right towards his creepy father rather than just staying safe and away from him. I was aware of it. The honourable, stupid idiot. "Dad," he said, his voice cold and uncaring like his father's, so different from how he'd been with me, at least till he discovered who I was and what I'd done. "I have an urgent need to see you. We have to talk." "Oh no, Martin, no," I whined into the recording device, knowing he couldn't hear me because a recording device where you decided to give yourself away by talking back to the subject was absolutely worthless and was actually called a "telephone," not a listening device at all. "Why would you do such a thing? Please don't go see him, Martin; it's not safe. You can't rely on him. You know you can't rely on him."You know," I begged, but it didn't work because I wasn't talking to him, only to a one-way bug. I'd done nothing to help him. In fact, what I did was put his life in jeopardy. I should not have said anything to him. When I told him about his father's plans, he decided it would be a good idea to interrogate the criminal that was his father and reveal his criminal deeds. "Martin, you're a pediatrician! You're not cut out for this! Please do not do this! " On the city streets, my voice was raised, and pedestrians looked at me as if I were insane. How could it still be so early? There were a lot of people on the streets. We'd had dinner and made love, and my life had crumbled, and I couldn't fully comprehend how the city could keep going as though everything is normal. Nothing was typical. My heart breaks, and the man I'd fallen in love with was putting his life in danger. I screamed at the phone. Again and again. The commuters stared at me and walked in a wide circle around me, but they otherwise ignored me. After all, it was Manila. People who were insane were the norm. I hailed a cab and asked it to take me to the detective shop. The storefront's lights were turned off. Everyone must have left. That was fortunate, I thought, because the rest of our detective squad frequently opted to stay late to work on a case or just hang out. But it was pitch dark and quiet tonight, so I went to the back of the store to my desk, which was still mine because I was still a private detective, albeit one hired out to the FBI for a special project. I took out my shoulder bag from the bottom drawer. I kept it in case I needed to go on a job unexpectantly, and I ended up needing it today. It managed to hold a set of clothes and a camera and snacks and other things I could need if I had a follow job where I’d have to sit in a car and observe a mark for a client. I hadn’t used it for a while, but today I’d need it. I took off my "Ara" date clothes and settled into jeans, a sweatshirt, and sneakers in black, gray, and shadows. I wore the ball cap and tied my hair hair into a ponytail. I decided to listen to the bug I'd planted on Martin, but he wasn't saying anything. I could hear movement on the other end of the line. I had no idea what he was up to, where he was going, or what he had planned. He was still in his apartment when I tracked the device. Where I'd been with him just an hour before, in his arms. I crashed into my desk chair, placed my head on my folded arms, and sobbed. What had I gotten myself into? How could I have done such a thing to him? All I would want to do was be in his arms, but instead I'd torn open his life and put it in jeopardy. "What exactly is this? I came in to turn off the lights, and you're weeping? ” I yelped and took a look, trying to wipe my tears away, to see a tall, blonde girl wearing sweat pants and a t-shirt. “Pia! " I sobbed. She lived in one of the apartments above the shop, purchased by our boss, whom, is her brother. "Bella, I have never seen you in a long time, and I don't recall ever seeing you crying hysterically in the office. What transpired? ” "Oh, Pia, I'm not cut out for being a federal agent." Why did I agree to this job in the first place? ” Before I could finish my sentence, she swept over to me and drew me into her arms for a much-needed hug. "You're under no obligation to do much of anything you don't want to, sweetheart, but you really should and definitely tell me what's going on because I'm dying to know." I'd been unable to talk to anybody about what's been going on in my life for so long that I just let it all out. "Well, honey, you're not meant to fall in love with the people you're investigating. This is what you did wrong, and I'm sure you already know it by now." Pia was like a mom and a sister rolled into one. It was probably because she was so tall that she felt she owed it to every woman who was relatively smaller than her. She managed to wipe away my tears. "I am very much aware of that. I really did try not to be, but I think I was already half in love with him before the feds started to confront me. Pia," I said quietly, even though no one could hear me. "I hadn't had sex in ten years before him." "Wow, that's a long time." It's about time you got laid." She nodded, unflappable, despite the fact that I thought my lack of a sex life was such a closely guarded secret. It takes a lot of guts to say something like that. She didn't seem surprised in the least. "I'm sure you couldn't help yourself with this guy." "I'm sure you couldn't help yourself with this guy." "I couldn't do it!" How did you find out? ” "Because he's your soulmate," she explained, as if it were obvious. "What are you saying now?" "Was she really going to lay some romantic nonsense on me? "I see it in you. You did transformed. It is more than just a new job. It's not just about getting laid. Something in you is... finally whole now." "You can't really say that to me now, Pia." You can't possibly be this romantic and dreamlike. You honeytrap swindlers. You're well aware that love isn't real." "Because all those men are betraying your love, Bella. Because they are causing harm to the women they have promised to care for. I'm attempting to right a wrong, honey. Love is genuine. And when I see it, I say, Go for it." She comforted me by patting my shoulder. "I say go ahead and do it, Bella." "You can't do it. You have to be a realist if you're a detective." "I don't know what I'm doing. I am a believer in love. And I strongly feel you've found true love with him. Love is unconcerned about awkward situations or criminal fathers. Bella, he's a pediatrician! And you've got a daughter? And you tracked him down the next day? That's destiny-level love, honey. Well. That's all." "Wait, what? " I asked. Because I needed some clarity on the situation. I needed my feelings for him to mean more than just anguish, loss, and longing. She got to her feet and dusted her hands on her jeans. "You're not letting this man get away." "He despises me, Pia. I betrayed him," I sniffed, wiping my eyes. "There isn't any hope." “Nope. He's in love with you, there's no doubt about it. And when there's love, there's hope," she said, flashing that wide smile that made all the dirtbag cheaters fall all over her. "But you've definitely thrown him for a loop. You need to give him some space to process it, but you can't wait for him to be done with it. You're going to track him down and bring him back." "I'm sorry, but I don't have time for that." The moron intends to meet with his father. Only I'm not sure where. What if he executes a hit on Martin like he did on his wife? Martin could be brutally killed," I said and the app on my phone dinged. "He's on the move, Pia." “See? The solution to your dilemma. You decide to follow him. I told you it was destiny." I told you it was destiny." "It's not fate, Pia; I put a tracker in his phone." "Well, it's fate that you're a detective with tracking devices, going after the man you love so he can't escape you." "You're insane!" "You're a pessimist. He's your soulmate, and this is fate, and you'll set him free from his evil and cruel father, and he'll take you away and make you incredibly happy, and all your years alone will be because you waited for him." I couldn't help but stare at her. "In real life, that doesn't happen." "Fate moves in mysterious ways, honey," she said and the tracker dinged once more. He was now moving very quickly. In the car. "Are you ready to chase him down and reclaim him right now?" ” I laughed a sad little laugh. "Of course I am," she says. "There she is, my good girl." "Pia, I need a car." I'd come here anyway to get the car. I had intended to steal it – borrow it – my morality were suffering as a result, but now that Pia was here, I had a good alternative. "May I have Jason's car keys?" "If you ask Jason for his car, he'll wonder why and won't let you go." "I know that Pia, which is why I'm asking you instead of him. You have trust in me, don't you? I'll simply keep an eye on things. I'm not going into that room. I'm in contact with the authorities. I don't want my boss to treat me like a baby, which you know he will." "Of course I do, he's my younger brother." He tends to treat us all as if we are infants. I've got you covered. We need to stick together as women." My phone buzzed with a notification. Martin was on the move, his blinking dot making its way onto the highway. I pressed my lips together, attempting to keep the fear at bay. It was none other than his own father. He really shouldn't be in danger, but I really can not shake the feeling that he should have not gone out to see his father in the first place, that it was risky. "I need it right now. I'm going to go after him." Pia shook her head and winced at me. "I love you, sweetie, but you're insane," I shrugged, feeling insane indeed. "Are you armed, babe?" I lifted my shirt to reveal her the gun I was carrying in my back holster. "You're a smart woman. Okay, fine. I know you can handle yourself; you always manage to bring me down in hand to hand combat, despite the fact that I'm twice your height, and you always catch the big macho men off guard. You're clever, and you've got a gun..." She went to her desk on the other side of the room and rummaged around through the drawer for a moment. I actually know where she kept those keys, but it was far preferable to have her give them to me rather than steal them. "Here are Jason's car keys." He's always misplacing them and relies on me to keep a spare. I ain't telling him unless he asks, but if you don't text me every half-hour, I'll come after you." "You got it, Pia," I said, taking the keys and grabbing her wrist in thanks. "I can't let him get hurt." "I adore him." "I know that that’s why I am actually helping you, honey; go get him." I climbed into Jason Cuervo's unassuming sedan, which he kept parked on the street. I'd driven it before, most often when we were on a follow job and Jason would like to catch up on sleep before we started to work, so I decided to open the glove compartment to get a packet of Jason's favorite mints. They weren't necessary, but they gave me a sense of normalcy. Back in the car, I sucked on Jason's mints while dressed in my dark surveillance gear. This was the task. Tonight nothing out of the ordinary. The mark I was trying to follow was nothing out of the ordinary. But as I tried to follow the blinking dot further into Manila, the streets became more deserted and darker, and I couldn't lie to myself any longer. I was following Martin because I needed to atone for my actions. I had no idea how to go about doing it. I'd considered I should just let him go, let him live his life alone without the intervention of a woman who deceived him and snuck into his life under false pretenses, whether Pia's belief that we were fated sweethearts was correct or not. I knew I'd made a mistake, but I couldn't stop myself. I couldn't simply walk away. And I couldn't abandon him when I could have gotten him in serious trouble. I caught up with him near the waterfront in his car, a gorgeous little BMW convertible that told me he never needed to be unremarkable. We slid through the dark streets behind him, keeping a safe distance so he didn't realize he was being followed. But then he came to a halt in front of a lurking hulk of a dark warehouse. He ended up getting out of his car as I pulled into a spot a block away, without even looking to see if anybody was looking. He didn't even bother to look. He was supposed to be dubious, I thought. My heart was tensed with concern. I wished he'd turn around and see me. I wanted to accompany him into the room, as if I could protect him. But he wasn't mine to guard any longer. If he had ever been mine. I'd kept my distance from him for reasons that had seemed wise at the time but no longer seemed to matter. He walked over to the warehouse and rapped on the heavily loaded metal door. The sound echoed through the deserted streets until the door screeched open. "I'm here to see my father," the bug said, his voice clear and bright. He must've had his phone in his hand. In his pocket, it wasn't even garbled. I can really hear the other person grunting and going upstairs. From what I could tell, there were two flights. My binoculars were raised. Another door swung open and then slammed shut. The one lit window on the second floor, faintly noticeable through some sort of paint coated over the glass. That's exactly where he was. That was the location of my heart outside of my body. "So you've finally agreed to terms, Martin," Mr. Metzger said sternly. "It's about time you eventually join the family," he said, his previous mockery and humour gone. This man was solely concerned with his work. He was angry. "Dad, no. We have completed our task. I've come to inform you that I will no longer be involved in this family's business." I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised. Martin despised his father and had told me how much he despised him, and yet here I was. He just said it, plain and simple. It was no surprise that he was so disappointed by my deception; he'd spent his entire life living with his father's lies, which he despised. Everything he did was genuine and honest. Because his father was not, he was a great man. The recording device picked up on a deep, booming laugh. "Dad, this isn't a joke. I'm done. I'm going to dissolve the foundation and returning to Quezon province," I exclaimed. Was he going to leave? A sharp jabbing pain pierced my body. There will be no more possibilities to make amends for my deception of him. When did I chose to make amends to him? When did I decide that he was worth the fight for and that I was not going to let him go? I didn't know, but the idea of him leaving convinced me. I couldn't abandon him. That is not the case. I had to go to war for him. Mr. Metzger laughed. "You can't do it. You're far too sensitive. You'd never abandon all those children and simply close your foundation." "You're correct; I wouldn't. That is why I will separate the various charities and donate the funds to other institutions. Completely free and clear. The Friendship That Lasts Forever Foundation will, indeed, be a Friend to everyone." “Nonsense. The Friendship That Lasts Forever Foundation was established to be world-class. This would have made us well-known. You'd never do that." "You have underestimated me. You've always done so. I've never aspired to be world-class at something. I never aspired to be renowned, wealthy, or influential. And I've never shied away from standing on my own feet. Do you think I'm stupid? You trained me not to put my trust in anyone. Did you think I'd just go along with the Metzger plan and come home just because you waved a foundation at my face?” "Just a little? This foundation has a monetary value of hundreds of thousands of dollars. I would never have agreed that our money being used in this manner if it wasn't worth a ton in distribution and temporary shelter." "Is that correct, Dad? Provides shelter and distribution. That's what you're looking for from me. So t TShat is true. It was obvious to me. It's nice to hear it from your own mouth, though. Everything is completely corrupt." Martin growled like a tiger. "It was the last chance I was giving the Metzgers, and I only approved because of Mom. Even with the foundation, it's no longer worth it. Our family is a complete disaster.And I'm not going to be a part of it. Before I came to an agreement to this, I had a plan in place with my lawyers to dissolve the entire organization and disseminate its funds to a hundred deserving causes. And all I had to do was plan beforehand with my lawyers. All I had to do was signal them. And the disintegration would begin to work." "You're lying. That equates to hundreds of millions of dollars. You couldn't potentially be so careless." "What difference does it make who gives the money away? Should it be me or a hundred various boards? I never gave a damn. I did not enter medicine for the money or the prestige. I got into it to help people, which you will never understand, Dad. The funds will be distributed to deserving individuals in need of assistance. And I'm delighted to do it." "You'd never do something like that. "You remain a Metzger." "Ahh, that's where you're mistaken. I'm a Metzger, but I disagree with what it means to be a Metzger. I've already started the process. The Friendship That Lasts Forever Foundation is no longer associated with the Metzger family in any way. I'm actually surprised, being a Metzger, that you didn't bother to find out anything when you were hacking my computer in my office. My exit strategy file was right there. It wasn't even concealed." The entire room fell silent. "So you're aware." “Yes. I am very much aware and have found it. I'm displeased, but not astounded. However, good has been done. I've taken nearly a billion dollars out of the Metzgers' hands. I'm happy to leave you behind." "You, like your mother, are a fool." "I'm sure I am. She was the one who warned me about you since I was a child. She taught me to judge a person based on what they did rather than what they said, to look beneath the surface to discover the true nature of their character. And I saw a criminal beneath your surface when I looked beneath your surface." "You are your mother's son," she says. Fortunately, I have two more that are worth twice as much as you. "Please take him." There was a fight. My heart was in my throat as I realized there's nothing I could ever do. "How can you think of yourself as a father?" How can you be such a man?"Martin's tone was cruel and frustrated. "You have no idea what it means to be a man, Martin. I gave you to your mom because you're the youngest and liked books and school. I figured there would be time to bring you up to speed, but you never did. You've never started acting like a real man who knows how the world really works. Instead, you always had this fantasy about doing good and being good. I mean, you couldn't possibly be a doctor. A surgeon or other high-level specialist. You were required to work with children. What kind of guy works with kids? ” "A good man," I defended him in the car. I really would like to love him. "Scan him for weapons." Martin burst out laughing. "Are there weapons, Dad? I am a healer. A doctor. I never cause harm to others." "What is this?" I asked after a minute. ” "That's a phone," Martin said angrily and sarcastically. "No way! This!" he yelled. "I'm not sure." "Are you trying to bug and record me? Are you cooperating with anyone? ” "I– didn't..." "Let me guess," Mr. Metzger said, his voice full of malice. And there was a loud slam followed by static. "Oh, no. Oh no," they'd discovered my bug. I'd put Martin in danger once more. I managed to reach for my phone and my gun at the same time, but my window shattered in a blast of glass and sound. I had to be pulled out of the car. A big lumbering man in a cheap grey suit who did smell like garlic pressed me to the concrete with his knee in my back as he patted me down for firearms, his hands creeping into places he shouldn't touch. "What exactly are you doing here?" The man grunted. He'd discovered my gun. The car was strewn with surveillance devices. When he started opening my wallet, he found my detective's license. I guessed the jig was up, but not the entire jig. So I'll just come out and say it. Half-empty. "I'm a private investigator who has been hired to gather evidence of Anthony Metzger's infidelities." “Infedelities?" He was perplexed. “Cheating.” "I understand what it means," he hissed as he tried to drag me to my feet. “Mr. Metzger will be interested in speaking with you. Maybe he'll be gentle with you. You're exactly his type." That was obvious to me. That's how I'd gotten myself into this situation in the first place.