The Contract Bride of Mr. Reid-Chapter 91: We found a suitable donor.

The next day...

Theodore greeted the morning with a cheerful demeanor, pushing the curtains aside and inviting the bright sunlight to flood the room. It was Saturday, and he had let her sleep a little longer.

"Good morning, sleepy head," Theodore chirped with affection.

Bella cracked open her eyes, offering a sleepy smile. "Good morning," she mumbled, burrowing deeper into the pillow. Reluctance tugged at her, making it difficult to leave the warmth of the bed.

Theodore gently prodded her. "Wake up. How much longer are you planning to sleep?"

"Just a bit more," she replied, her voice rough with sleep.

He chuckled. "Then sleep. I need to go to work."

Her drowsiness evaporated instantly. "On Saturday?" she exclaimed, surprised, sitting up abruptly.

"Yes, my dear wife. Even Sundays if necessary," he explained, leaning down to brush his nose against hers. "We are going to the mansion this afternoon, so be prepared."

A shadow crossed Bella’s face at the mention of the Reid family mansion. Claudia’s hostile demeanor flashed through her mind, and apprehension tightened her heart. The thought of facing her filled her with dread.

Her mind raced to find an excuse to avoid going there. "I want to stay with Mamma. You also promised to visit her," she reminded him, hoping he would relent and spare her from the visit to the mansion.

Theodore seemed to understand her hesitation. He sat beside her, taking her hands in his. "Listen, Bella," he began gently. "Grandpa is important to me, and I promised to visit him on the weekend. I know you are uncomfortable there, but trust me, I won’t let anyone bully you. As long as I’m with you, there is nothing to fear."

Bella smiled weakly. His words carried a reassurance that she found difficult to resist. Despite her lingering unease, she knew Theodore was sincere in his promise to protect her. She understood she couldn’t deny him. Disappointing Theodore or upsetting Malcolm were not options.

"And for your mother – we’ll go see her before heading to the mansion," Theodore said, smiling reassuringly.

"Thank you," she replied softly.

Theodore’s heart swelled with affection as he looked at her. Her smile was something he cherished deeply. He caressed her cheek, unable to resist the urge to express his admiration. "You look beautiful when you smile," he whispered, his eyes lingering on her.

At this moment, he wanted to abandon everything and start worshiping her. But the nagging urgency to reach the office quickly held him back.

"Now get up and have breakfast," he said, pushing his desire deep down. "I’m running late for work. I have to go now. Take care." Cupping her face, he pressed a soft kiss to her brow before turning to leave.

Bella watched him leave with a fond smile, her fingers lingering on her forehead where his lips had touched. The faint scent of his musky citrus cologne lingered around her, comforting and familiar. She hugged herself, feeling a rush of warmth spread through her.

"Oh God... I can’t believe I’m falling for him so deeply," she murmured, her heart fluttering with both excitement and affection.

Left alone, Bella found herself lost in thoughts of him. His caring gestures, his protective nature—they were slowly weaving their way into her heart

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As soon as Theodore arrived at the office, Tristan promptly approached him with a file in hand.

"Good morning, sir," Tristan greeted respectfully, extending the file to Theodore. "Hugo delivered the file this morning. All the information you need is there." He then slid a pen drive across the desk. "Here is the surveillance footage of the Moonlit bar."

Theodore took the pen drive, his curiosity piqued. He inserted it into his laptop, and a video began playing, though without any audio.

"What the hell is this?" he growled. "What about the audio?"

Tristan swallowed nervously. "There is no audio," he admitted regretfully. "According to Marcus, two men are visible at the next table. One of them resembles your brother, Franklin. He is handing something wrapped in an envelope to the other man. In my view, it seemed like a stack of cash. I can’t say it for sure."

Focusing intently on the screen, Theodore scrutinized the footage. Indeed, a figure resembling Franklin was visible, but the camera angle obscured his face.

"His face isn’t clear due to the distance," Tristan explained. "And without audio, we can’t determine the nature of their conversation."

Theodore paused the video, pointing at the unidentified man. "I need to find out who this man is. Locate him."

Tristan nodded briskly. "Hugo is already on it. He’ll update you as soon as there is any progress."

Theodore turned thoughtful, his gaze fixed on the screen as he continued to analyze the footage for any clue that could lead him closer to uncovering the truth.

The tranquility of the office was abruptly shattered by the insistent ringing of Tristan’s phone.

"Excuse me, sir. I need to take this call." With a quick apologetic glance, Tristan sought permission from Theodore to take the call.

Theodore gestured with a wave of his hand for him to proceed.

Tristan answered the call, his demeanor shifting as he listened intently to the voice on the other end. Theodore observed him closely, his curiosity growing with each passing second.

Ending the call, Tristan looked at his boss with a smile and announced delightfully, "There is good news. We found a suitable donor."

A wave of relief washed over Theodore, dispelling the gloom that had clouded his thoughts just moments ago. "That’s awesome," he responded, his grin mirroring Tristan’s enthusiasm. "Contact the hospital immediately and arrange Mrs. Dawn’s surgery."

"Sure, sir," Tristan acknowledged, nodding in affirmation. "Anything else, sir?" he asked before leaving.

"What about Skyler? Has he been discharged from the hospital?" Theodore inquired. His smile disappeared, and concern etched his features.

"Yes," Tristan confirmed promptly. "He was discharged yesterday and has returned to his hometown. He took two weeks off to recover."

"That’s good to hear. He deserves the rest. Check-in with him and make sure he has everything he needs," Theodore instructed.

His expression then turned more serious as he broached another pressing issue. "There’s been no update about the shooter. What’s the status?"

It was surprising. There had been no progress from our end or from the police.

Tristan felt a surge of nervous energy under Theodore’s intense scrutiny. There was no new information to report. "We thought Skyler could shed some light on it, but he had not seen anyone. This investigation has come to a dead end. We have no clues."

Frustration and helplessness warred within Theodore. He leaned back in his chair, contemplating their next steps.

After a moment of silence, he spoke thoughtfully, "It’s a small town. Outsiders would stand out. Keep digging. Talk to people in bars, cafes, and bakeries and find out if they know anything about the incident. Ask them if they have noticed something odd before or after the incident."

"Noted, sir."

"And most importantly, there is only one hospital in the area," Theodore continued. "If the shooter was injured, he might have sought treatment there."

"I understand, sir," Tristan said. "We’ll check the hospital as well."

"Good. Get back to work," Theodore concluded firmly, dismissing Tristan with a wave of his hand.