I whip around.
Bella.
Chapter 24
Soren
Iflookscouldkill,Bella would eviscerate me.
“I’m telling my mom.” She turns on her heel and speeds toward the hall.
“No, wait. Let me explain.” How do I help her understand?
She stops running to turn around, folding her arms, and jutting her chin in a pout. “I knew you weren’t here to hang out.”
“Of course not. Do your parents typically allow you to hang out with strangers?”
She rolls her eyes.
I stand straighter, facing this child with the kind of respect and honesty I wish I’d seen even once as a child. “That painting that was in your dad’s office was stolen from my client, and your dad bought it illegally.”
Her eyes narrow, and for a nine-year-old, the look is fairly intimidating. “I know.”
I blink. “What?”
Her gaze darts to the wall, anger marring her innocent features. “I heard him talking about it with someone when I was hiding in the library. He didn’t see me.”
It’s a rough time as a child to realize your parents aren’t as perfect as you thought.
“I need to take it to the rightful owners,” I say, softer, gentler. But now that Bella knows my plan, how will I ever be able to accomplish it?
“You lied,” she says, her voice barely a whisper.
“I did.” I drop to a knee beside her, catching her eye. “And I’m sorry.”
“Do you still want the painting?” she asks, looking up at me with her innocent, hopeful eyes.
“There’s nothing I want less right now.”
“But you’re still going to take it.” Her eyebrows furrow. “Ifyou find it.”
Wait…“Do you know where it is?”
She zips her lips and throws away the key.
“Bella, I have to find that painting.”
“Technically,you don’t have to do anything.”
Spoken like a true daughter of millionaires with no consequences.
“Life isn’t that simple, and our choices aren’t always black and white. There are a lot of gray areas we have to try to interpret ourselves. People are counting on me. This painting will help them.”
“Who?”
“Two little girls about your age.”
Her face scrunches. “How will a painting help? My parents have lots, and they haven’t done anything for me.”
