TAINTED LOVE

DEVASTATING TRUTH

BELLA'S POV

I tried my best to hold in the tears that were threatening to drop from my eyes, while I lay on the bed thinking of everything that had been going on in my life.

I was grown and beginning to understand some things. I knew my parents were doing the best they could do for me as their only child, they wanted to give me only the best in everything, I wasn't even allowed to get a job when I insisted that I wanted to help them, they believed they should be the ones providing for me.

I'll be starting college next month and I found out that my dad told Uncle Noah to help him borrow some money from the bank for my college tuition, my uncle was the only sibling my dad had and my dad trusted him with his life.

I overheard their discussion in Dad's study room, but I pretended that I didn't know anything about it.

We were a middle-class family living in the city of San Francisco but my parents made me go to an elite school for the rich. And my dad insisted that I study business education in college, which they believed would be best for me because my dad was planning to open his own company and he was going to hand it over to me once I graduate from college. My dream was to be an engineer, but that said it's for men. I complained to my mom once but she said dad was trying to do his best for me so I wouldn't suffer in the future. I know they had my best interest at heart so I never questioned any of their decisions.

My dad worked in a small hospital as a manager and my mom was a baker, she owned a bakery just across the street from where we lived.

I was closer to my mom than my dad because she was always cheerful and carefree, and always ready to listen to whatever I had to say.

Even when she was very busy, she was still able to make time for me. Dad on the other hand was a bit distant, he was a man of few words and only talked when necessary, like during a meal or when he needed to ask me a question. He always provided for me, that was his way of showing he cared.

I was in my room, sprawled out on my bed, I couldn't seem to focus on anything. Just then, I heard a soft knock on my door. "Bella?" my mother called. "Dinner's ready. Come on down." I took a deep breath, trying to push away my worries. I got up and went to the door. As I opened it, I gave my mother a weak smile. "I'll be down in a minute," I said. She nodded and walked away, but I could tell she was worried about me.

As I took my seat at the dinner table, I could feel my heart racing. My father sat at the head of the table, his expression unreadable. My mother looked at me, but I just shrugged, trying to pretend that everything was fine. My father cleared his throat and said, "So, Bella, how was your day?" I tried to sound casual as I replied, "It was okay, nothing too exciting." I replied.

As we sat down to eat, my mother began to talk about her day at the bakery. She was always excited to share her stories about the customers and the cakes she made. I could barely focus on what she was saying, but I could tell she was happy.

I kept an eye on my father as we ate. He barely spoke, only grunting in response to my mother's stories as usual. His face was unreadable, and I couldn't tell if he was angry or sad.

My mother had been talking animatedly about her day, but suddenly, she stopped mid-sentence. A deep, hacking cough erupted from her throat, and she reached for her water glass, her face turning red. I jumped up from my chair, my heart racing. "Mom, are you okay?" I asked, my voice trembling. She managed to take a few sips of water, but the coughing continued. "I'm okay, I just swallowed wrong," she said, but her voice sounded strained.

My mother coughed again, and I saw a small splatter of red on her hand. My blood ran cold, and I felt panic rising in my chest. "Mom, you're bleeding!" I cried. "We need to call a doctor!" She waved me off, still coughing. "I'm sure it's nothing," she said, her voice weak. But I could tell she was in pain, and I was terrified.