He Chose Her, The Desert Chose Me - Chapter 8: Chapter 8
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Arthur could still picture that night with painful clarity—the night he'd returned from Dungeness, deliberately leaving Lilly behind. He'd expected her to throw a fit, then call him in tears, begging him to come back for her.
But the call never came.
At first, he waited, smugly convinced she was just dragging out her punishment. But as hours bled into days, unease crept in. Her phone went straight to voicemail, and the search teams found nothing in the desert—no tracks, no signs of her.
Fear twisted in his gut, but so did anger.
How could she take it this far? he seethed. He refused to believe she was really gone. No, she was hiding, playing some twisted game to punish him.
It wasn't until weeks later, when every lead turned to dust, that doubt took root. Had he pushed too hard? Was leaving her there a mistake?
Still, his pride wouldn't let him admit it—especially not to Bella.
One bleak morning, he visited his parents in the hospital, only to find Bella and her parents, Gilbert and Penelope Moan, hovering at their bedside like vultures.
His jaw tightened at the sight of them. The Moans had spent years looking down on his family, and now here they were, all smiles.
"Arthur!" Gilbert greeted him with a slimy grin. "Long time no see."
Arthur didn't bother hiding his disdain. "What are you doing here?"
Gilbert cleared his throat. "Well, Arthur... I may have misjudged your family in the past. But now that the Findleys have risen so high, perhaps it's time to unite our families—through marriage."
Arthur's stare turned glacial. "Lilly and I are still engaged. Even if she's gone, the contract stands. I'm not suddenly marrying someone else—least of all Bella."
Penelope's sickly-sweet voice cut in. "But Lilly's behavior... it's brought nothing but disgrace to your family. Even if she turns up, would you really still want her?"
The question hit like a punch. He'd always told himself he'd forgive Lilly, no matter what. But now, with his parents injured and scandal looming, uncertainty gnawed at him.
Michael stepped in before he could answer. "Let's not rush this. Finding Lilly comes first. The engagement can wait."
The conversation died there, but Bella's frustration was obvious. As they left, she clung to Arthur's arm, her voice dripping with fake sympathy.
"Arthur, I know this is hard," she murmured, eyes glistening. "I'll wait for you, no matter how long it takes. Let me take care of you—you've lost weight, and you look exhausted. I'll make you some herbal soup. It'll help."
Arthur forced a thin smile, guilt flickering behind his eyes. "Thanks, Bella... I appreciate it."
But the call never came.
At first, he waited, smugly convinced she was just dragging out her punishment. But as hours bled into days, unease crept in. Her phone went straight to voicemail, and the search teams found nothing in the desert—no tracks, no signs of her.
Fear twisted in his gut, but so did anger.
How could she take it this far? he seethed. He refused to believe she was really gone. No, she was hiding, playing some twisted game to punish him.
It wasn't until weeks later, when every lead turned to dust, that doubt took root. Had he pushed too hard? Was leaving her there a mistake?
Still, his pride wouldn't let him admit it—especially not to Bella.
One bleak morning, he visited his parents in the hospital, only to find Bella and her parents, Gilbert and Penelope Moan, hovering at their bedside like vultures.
His jaw tightened at the sight of them. The Moans had spent years looking down on his family, and now here they were, all smiles.
"Arthur!" Gilbert greeted him with a slimy grin. "Long time no see."
Arthur didn't bother hiding his disdain. "What are you doing here?"
Gilbert cleared his throat. "Well, Arthur... I may have misjudged your family in the past. But now that the Findleys have risen so high, perhaps it's time to unite our families—through marriage."
Arthur's stare turned glacial. "Lilly and I are still engaged. Even if she's gone, the contract stands. I'm not suddenly marrying someone else—least of all Bella."
Penelope's sickly-sweet voice cut in. "But Lilly's behavior... it's brought nothing but disgrace to your family. Even if she turns up, would you really still want her?"
The question hit like a punch. He'd always told himself he'd forgive Lilly, no matter what. But now, with his parents injured and scandal looming, uncertainty gnawed at him.
Michael stepped in before he could answer. "Let's not rush this. Finding Lilly comes first. The engagement can wait."
The conversation died there, but Bella's frustration was obvious. As they left, she clung to Arthur's arm, her voice dripping with fake sympathy.
"Arthur, I know this is hard," she murmured, eyes glistening. "I'll wait for you, no matter how long it takes. Let me take care of you—you've lost weight, and you look exhausted. I'll make you some herbal soup. It'll help."
Arthur forced a thin smile, guilt flickering behind his eyes. "Thanks, Bella... I appreciate it."
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