Chapter 17
At the Zoo
Sunny sent Bella the location where they were supposed to meet. Excited for the day, Bella made her way through the entrance, scanning the crowd for her friend. When she finally spotted Sunny near the giraffe enclosure, she smiled and quickened her pace. But before she could reach her, a familiar voice spoke from behind.
"Enjoying your weekend?"
Bella froze mid-step. That voice—she knew it too well. Turning around, she found herself face-to-face with Chris.
Her brows furrowed as she turned to Sunny. "Did you invite him here?"
Sunny shook her head in confusion. "No, I didn't. I have no idea how he got here."
Bella crossed her arms and shot Chris a skeptical look. "Then how did you know we were here?"
Chris smirked, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Bella, this is a zoo—open to everyone. And since it's the weekend, I thought I'd come to relax. But what a coincidence! When I saw you both here, I figured—why not enjoy the day together?"
Bella scoffed. "No, we won't. This is my and Sunny's day. We made plans first."
Without waiting for a response, she grabbed Sunny's hand and marched away, determined to enjoy her time without his interference.
They wandered through the zoo, stopping to admire the different animals. Bella was beginning to enjoy herself again, but Chris trailed behind, throwing in playful comments and teasing remarks every now and then.
"You know, Bella, you should really loosen up," he said with a smirk. "I make great company."
Bella rolled her eyes. "More like annoying company."
Chris chuckled. "You wound me."
Finally, she had enough. She turned abruptly to face him. "Can you please leave me alone? I just want some peace!"
Chris raised his hands in surrender. "Okay, okay. I won't follow you. I don't want to stress you out."
Just as he turned to walk away, a sudden commotion erupted. A loud, deep roar echoed through the zoo.
Screams followed as people scattered in all directions.
A gorilla had escaped from its enclosure.
Panic surged through Bella's veins as she grabbed Sunny's hand. They both turned and ran as fast as they could. But amidst the chaos, Bella's foot got caught in the uneven pavement, and she stumbled forward, landing hard on the ground.
"Bella!" Sunny cried, trying to help her up.
Bella winced, clutching her ankle. "My leg... I can't move!"
The gorilla was getting closer, its massive figure looming over her.
Before Bella could even process what was happening, Chris sprang into action. He spotted a tranquilizer gun that had fallen from a panicked security guard's hands. Without hesitation, he grabbed it, aimed, and fired.
The dart struck the gorilla with precision. It roared once more before its strength wavered, and soon, it collapsed to the ground.
The crowd let out relieved sighs as zookeepers rushed in to secure the situation.
Chris immediately turned to Bella and scooped her up in his arms. "Let's get you to a hospital."
---
At the Hospital
Bella sat on the hospital bed while a doctor wrapped her ankle. The sprain wasn't serious, but she would need to rest for a few days.
Just then, the door burst open.
Jay stormed in, his expression filled with worry. "Bella, are you—"
His concern turned to anger the moment he saw Chris standing there.
"Why is it that every time there's trouble, you're always there?" Jay growled.
Chris crossed his arms and smirked. "Are you sure every problem happens because I'm around? Or is it just convenient for you to blame me?"
Bella, frustrated by their constant bickering, intervened. "Stop it, Jay! Chris didn't do anything wrong today. In fact, he saved me. If he hadn't been there, that gorilla could have attacked me!"
Sunny, sensing the rising tension, quickly changed the subject. "Doctor, is Bella okay? Can she be discharged?"
The doctor nodded. "She has a minor sprain, but with rest, she'll be fine."
---
At Home
Jay brought Bella home and made sure she was comfortable. As he adjusted the pillows behind her, Bella studied his face.
"Jay, what really happened between you and Chris in the past?"
Jay stiffened. "Bella, I told you before—when the time is right, I'll tell you."
Bella sighed. "You always say that."
---
The Next Day at the Office
Chan, Bella, and Jay were busy trying to uncover who had reported their store. However, the ID used for the complaint was untraceable—it had been created illegally.
Suddenly, the office doors burst open, and a man entered with a confident, almost heroic stride.
"Missed me?" he smirked.
Chan's face lit up with recognition. "Ash!"
Without hesitation, Chan rushed forward and hugged him. Then he turned to Jay with a knowing look. "Ohh, so this is the guy you called to solve the problem!"
Jay nodded. "Now that he's here, all the technical work is in his hands."
Ash grinned. "Consider it done, boss."
Bella crossed her arms and looked at him curiously. "Where have you been all this time? You just disappeared! And why didn't you contact us?"
Ash scratched the back of his head. "I needed a break after... everything that happened. I started my own business, and Jay helped me get it up and running."
Chan raised an eyebrow at Jay. "You knew where he was this whole time?"
"Not at first," Jay admitted. "I found out a few months later."
Bella smiled. "Well, now that you're back, let's work together and fix this mess."
Chan chuckled. "Yep! And now that Ash is here, we might actually get things done faster. The guy's a genius with technology."
They all laughed, feeling a sense of unity they hadn't felt in a long time.
But just as Bella was about to get back to work, her phone buzzed.
She glanced at the screen and froze.
A message.
"Hi, Bella. How are you? I want to meet you."
Her fingers trembled slightly as she stared at the unknown number.
Jay noticed Bella's expression tense up and followed her gaze to the phone screen. As soon as he saw the message, his expression darkened, and his eyes filled with surprise.