CHAPTER 92: I CAN’T LET YOU GO

Jake sat behind his desk, staring at the papers that lay scattered before him, yet, he wasn’t really seeing any of it. Chloe’s words echoed in his head, looping like a broken record. "She wants to resign."

Resign.

The one word that drained the color from his day. Bella wanted to leave. After everything. Just like she’d left five years ago, she was planning to leave again.

After the times they’d spent in the office working and days they’d spent, having fun like normal families. After the way her laughter had slowly become the thing that made his office feel less like a cage. She wanted to walk away.

His chest tightened painfully. He leaned back, running both hands down his face. You did this. Whether you meant to or not... you did this.

Because of he had been carelessness.

If he hadn’t been careless at the lounge, none of what was happening now would be happening.

He thought of calling her again, but his thumb froze over her name on his phone screen. What was the point? She wouldn’t pick and even if she did, she’d come inside the office to sound all professional.

Still, he couldn’t let her go — not yet. Not until he knew who had done this to them. Before then, he needed to make sure she remained in the company.

Without wasting time, he hit the intercom. "Send HR to my office. Now."

Within minutes, a knock sounded, and the HR manager, Mr. Lewis, stepped in — a mild-mannered man in his forties, adjusting his glasses nervously as he entered. "You asked to see me, sir?"

Jake straightened, slipping into the familiar armor of authority. "Yes. Sit."

Lewis obeyed, setting his tablet on his lap.

Jake clasped his hands together. "I want you to process a department transfer. Effective immediately."

Lewis blinked. "A transfer? For whom?"

"Isabella Howells," Jake said, the name almost catching in his throat. "She’s to be moved to another unit. Anywhere that doesn’t require her being around my office. She won’t be working under me anymore."

The HR manager hesitated. "May I ask why, sir?"

Jake’s eyes flickered briefly, but his tone stayed calm. "Personal reasons. She needs space. Consider it... a temporary restructuring."

Lewis nodded slowly, still uncertain. "Alright, Mr. Stone. I’ll draft the paperwork and bring it in for approval."

"In twenty minutes," Jake added firmly.

"Yes, sir." Lewis rose and left quickly.

The door closed, and silence returned. Jake stared at the spot where the HR manager had stood, his thoughts a storm.

This wasn’t how he wanted things to go, separating himself from Bella like this, but at least it would keep her here, keep her until he figured out who had turned their lives into this twisted mess.

He leaned back again, staring at the ceiling, exhaustion pulling at his bones. His mind drifted to last night. He’d thought he would be confessing his love and make Bella his and the next thing he’d known, he was waking up to Helena’s smug smile and Bella’s heartbreak.

Could Raymond really have done it?

He wanted to reject the thought immediately. He wanted to remind himself that Raymond was his brother, his blood and that he couldn’t have done something like that. But something about the way everything had unfolded was too clean, too deliberate. Like it had been planned.

Jake rubbed the back of his neck. "No," he muttered to himself. "He wouldn’t..."

But his voice didn’t sound convincing even to his own ears.

Meanwhile, in the HR office... Lewis typed hurriedly at his computer, double-checking the formatting on the transfer request. He’d just finalized the document when a voice came from the doorway.

"Mr. Lewis."

He looked up. "Oh, Raymond. What are you doing here?"

Raymond smiled, his usual easy charm in place. "Ehrr... I just saw you leaving earlier. Everything alright?"

"Yes. The CEO requested for me. He needed a transfer request for one of the employees," Lewis said distractedly, hitting save.

Raymond’s brows lifted. "A transfer? Who?"

Lewis hesitated — but Raymond was family, and besides, Jake hardly kept secrets from him. "Isabella Howells. He asked that she be moved out of his office immediately. I don’t know why though."

Lewis couldn’t help but wonder why Jake had needed to transfer Isabella. Had she probably made advances at him?

Raymond’s expression flickered slightly before he forced a thoughtful hum. "Really? That’s surprising. You know what, maybe I can help. Jake’s been... under a lot of stress lately. It might help if Bella worked under me for a while. She’s competent, organized. I could use that in my division."

Lewis hesitated again. "Are you sure Mr. Stone would approve?"

Raymond’s smile deepened, smooth and practiced. "Jake trusts my judgment. I’ll handle the rest."

"Alright then." Lewis nodded, making the adjustment on the form. "I’ll take this up to him for a signature."

"Perfect," Raymond said, his tone light but his eyes dark with satisfaction. "Thank you, Lewis. I owe you one."

When the HR manager left, Raymond leaned against the doorframe for a moment, the faintest smirk curving his lips.

Isabella Howells, welcome to my world.

Jake was staring at his computer screen, but the words on it refused to make sense. He’d reread the same line of an email five times before realizing he hadn’t processed a single word.

A knock came. "Come in," he said, expecting Lewis.

The HR manager entered, holding the papers. "Here’s the transfer form you requested, Mr. Stone."

Jake took the document, scanning through it quickly — and froze.

"Wait." His eyes narrowed at the last section. "She’s being transfered as Raymond’s secretary?"

He looked up sharply. "Why is she being transferred to Raymond?"

Lewis blinked, caught off guard. "Your brother requested it, sir. Said he could use her expertise and that you wouldn’t object."

Jake’s jaw tightened. "I see."

He signed it anyway — because arguing now would raise suspicion, and he needed time to think. "You can go."

As the HR manager left, Jake exhaled slowly, setting the pen down.

Raymond.

Every instinct in him told him something wasn’t right. But first, he had to face Bella.

He pressed the intercom and once Bella received it, he said, "Ms. Howells come to my office."

Bella walked in ten minutes later, poised but cold. The dark circles under her eyes betrayed that she hadn’t slept much. Jake stood as she entered, but she didn’t look at him.

"You called for me?" Her voice was quiet, polite and distant.

"Yes." Jake motioned toward the chair across from his desk. "Please, sit."

"I’d rather stand," she said simply.

Jake swallowed hard and nodded. "Fine. I wanted to talk to you about your transfer."

She blinked. "My what?"

"You’ve been moved to another unit," he explained carefully. "Effective immediately. You’ll be reporting to Raymond for now. I thought... some space might be good for both of us."

Bella’s lips parted slightly, her expression unreadable. "Whatever you thought isn’t my business. I want to resign."

He held her gaze, though his stomach twisted. "Bella, I don’t want you to resign."

She laughed bitterly. "Well, I already drafted my resignation letter, Mr. Stone. You’ll get it before the day ends."

"Bella—" he began.

"I can’t do this," she cut in sharply. "Every corner of this place reminds me of you. Of that night. I can’t even breathe in here without feeling sick."

Jake took a slow breath. "I understand that. I do. But you can’t quit."

Her eyes snapped up. "I can, and I will."

"No," Jake said firmly. "You can’t. Unless you have ten thousand dollars ready to pay."

Her eyes widened. "What?"

"It’s in the company’s terms and conditions," Jake lied smoothly, though his chest ached at the deceit. "Any employee resigning without three months’ notice must compensate the company. You signed the digital acknowledgment form when you resumed here "

Bella stared at him, stunned. "That’s ridiculous."

"Maybe," he admitted softly. "But it’s policy."

She was speechless for a moment, her anger warring with disbelief. "You really won’t let me go, will you?"

He met her glare. "Not until I’ve made things right."

Bella’s voice trembled with fury. "Made things right? Jake, there’s nothing to fix! I saw you with her! You don’t need to make excuses."

"I’m not making excuses," he said quietly. "I just need time. I’ll find out what happened, and when I do, I’ll come to you with proof. Until then, I’ll give you space. You won’t have to see me unless necessary."

She folded her arms tightly, her jaw trembling. "You think this makes you noble? Forcing me to stay?"

"No," Jake said. "It makes me desperate. Because I can’t lose you like this, Bella. Not when I know something isn’t right."

Her chest rose and fell rapidly. "You’re unbelievable," she whispered. "But you know what? Fine. I’ll stay. And I’m glad you transferred me away from you. I can’t stand your face anyway."

Jake flinched but nodded. "Fair enough."

When she turned to leave, he said softly, "For what it’s worth... I’m sorry."

Bella paused briefly but didn’t look back. "Don’t be. You got what you wanted."

And then she walked out.

Jake stood there for a long moment, staring at the door she’d just closed. The silence pressed on him like a weight.

Finally, he reached for his keys.

If he wanted answers, he needed to start from where it all began—the lounge.