He Chose Her, The Desert Chose Me - Chapter 9: Chapter 9

Three days. That was all it took for Arthur to make his decision. He'd finally mustered the courage to accept Bella's heartfelt confession—only to be met with a crushing blow. When he arrived to give her his answer, her parents, Gilbert and Penelope, delivered the news like a slap to the face: Bella had already been shipped off abroad to study.
The memory still stung, a raw wound that never quite closed. Arthur could still see Gilbert's sneer as he laid out his reasoning.
"Your family's business has been floundering for years," Gilbert had said, voice dripping with condescension. "I won't let my daughter chain herself to a sinking ship."
That day, Arthur tasted humiliation like never before. But instead of letting it break him, he let it fuel him. From that moment on, he swore to rebuild the Findley name—to rise so high that Gilbert would choke on his regret. He threw himself into his studies, his work, his ambition, determined to forge an empire stronger than ever.
Losing Bella had one unexpected silver lining: it clarified things with Lilly. She wasn't just his childhood friend or his confidante. She was his future. And so, despite the heartbreak, Arthur loved her fiercely, so much so that Birmingham's elite had taken to calling him "the wife protector."
But fate had other plans. Just when Arthur thought his life was settled, Bella reappeared—dragging up emotions he'd buried years ago. Her return was like a spark to dry tinder, reigniting a fire he'd sworn was long dead.
Now, Arthur was no longer the naive boy Gilbert had dismissed. He was a force—a commanding figure at the helm of the revitalized Findley empire. Yet peace remained frustratingly out of reach.
The sight that greeted Arthur at the hospital sent a chill through him. Bella and her parents stood by his injured parents' bedside, all smiles—as if they hadn't shattered his world years ago. He barely kept the ice out of his voice when Gilbert greeted him.
"Arthur! You're here!" Gilbert's smile didn't reach his eyes.
"What are you doing here?" Arthur's tone was sharp, his gaze colder.
Gilbert faltered, discomfort flickering across his face. "Look, Arthur… I'll admit I was shortsighted back then. That was my mistake. But time has a way of revealing the truth, and it's clear you've never stopped caring for Bella. Now that she's back… perhaps it's time we discussed uniting our families."
Arthur's jaw clenched. "You know Lilly and I were engaged. Even if she's gone now, that promise still stands. I won't just toss it aside and marry Bella like none of it mattered."
Penelope cut in, her voice saccharine. "But after everything Lilly's done? Even if she's found, could you really still marry her?"
For a heartbeat, Arthur froze. Doubt slithered in. He'd always believed that no matter what mistakes Lilly made, if she came back seeking forgiveness, he'd grant it. But now, staring at his parents—broken, battered—something inside him wavered.
His father, Michael, caught the conflict in his eyes. "Let's table this for now," he said, waving a dismissive hand. "Lilly's missing, and the police haven't turned up anything concrete. We don't even know if she's responsible. Find her first—then decide."
He turned to Arthur, firm. "As for the engagement… that's your call. No one should be forced into a marriage they don't want."
The conversation ended, but the tension clung to the air. Bella's smile dimmed, and guilt twisted in Arthur's chest. He softened his voice. "Bella… I'm sorry. My anger isn't at you. It's just—everything's a mess right now."
Bella forced a reassuring smile, though her eyes stayed dull. "I understand. Take your time. I'll be here." She reached for his hand. "You look exhausted. Dark circles, weight loss… Let me take care of you. I've been learning to make medicinal soup—I'll cook it for you."
Her kindness only deepened the storm inside him. Torn between past ghosts and present chaos, Arthur felt himself spiraling—trapped in a tempest with no clear way out.