ELLA.
I couldn't wait to finish eating and yet, at the same time, I couldn't stop. It was confusing, this strange pull between urgency and need. My body craved the food in front of me with an intensity I couldn't ignore, each bite disappearing faster than I intended. Still, a part of me wanted it all to end, to escape the suffocating presence around the table, the weight of their gazes, the tension I could neither understand nor shake off.
At short, unconscious intervals, my hand drifted to my stomach. I rubbed it gently, almost instinctively, as though trying to soothe something deeper than hunger. The movement was subtle, barely noticeable, but it grounded me, reminding me of the reason I had to keep going, no matter how uncomfortable everything felt.
Across from me, Lawrence kept staring.
I could feel it even without looking up. His gaze lingered, steady and unreadable, and the longer it stayed, the more uncomfortable I became.
It wasn't harsh, but it wasn't light either. It was… searching. Like he was trying to find something in me that simply wasn't there. Or maybe something he believed I was hiding.
I shifted slightly in my seat, my fingers tightening around the cutlery. Though my stomach was still far from satisfied, the awareness of his eyes on me slowly chipped away at my appetite.
The food began to taste different.
I lowered my fork.
"I'm full," I said quietly, the words slipping out more to myself than to anyone else. My voice felt small in the large room. "If you will, please excuse me…"
Before I could move, Bella's voice cut in immediately.
"Come on, Theresa, I just got here."
I looked up.
She had already turned toward me, her expression bright, almost pleading, her tone light but carrying a softness that made it hard to ignore.
"Don't you miss me?" she asked sweetly.
I stilled.
Miss her?
The question caught me off guard, leaving me momentarily speechless. My mind scrambled, trying to find the right response, trying to understand what I was supposed to feel.
Why should I miss her?
Or… was I supposed to?
Was Theresa supposed to?
The silence stretched just a second too long.
"Well, if you don't," Bella continued, her smile faltering slightly, "I actually have."
Her face shifted subtly, the brightness dimming, her expression turning pale in a way that made the room feel heavier again.
Guilt pricked faintly at my chest, though I didn't fully understand why. Before I could respond, Lawrence cleared his throat.
The sound was quiet but deliberate, cutting through the tension.
"Bella, don't take it to heart," he said calmly. "Theresa is still trying to adapt." His voice was steady, controlled, as though smoothing over something fragile, then he turned his attention back to me. "Theresa," he added, softer now, "why don't you eat more?"
Without waiting for an answer, he reached forward and placed a shrimp gently onto my plate.
The action was simple, almost casual, but it made me pause.
"You used to like eating shrimps a lot," he continued, a faint smile forming on his lips. "I hope you still do."
I stared at the shrimp for a moment, my thoughts tangled once again.
Used to.
Everything about them spoke of a past I didn't remember… and a version of myself I couldn't recognize.
Somebody help me.
The thought came unbidden, desperate and silent, echoing loudly in my mind as I struggled to keep my composure. The sudden care, the way they spoke to me, the way they looked at me, it was all too much. It felt suffocating, like I was being pulled into a life that didn't belong to me, forced into an identity I couldn't recognize.
Everything was getting more confusing.
And Bella… I still didn't know how to address her.
Was she a friend? Something more? The ease with which she moved around them, the intimacy she shared with the triplets, it unsettled me deeply. My thoughts tangled as I tried to make sense of it.
Who was she to them exactly?
And more importantly…who was she to Theresa?
"Thank you, Lawrence," I muttered softly, pulling myself back to the present.
My gaze shifted briefly from Leonard to Lurgard, and I immediately noticed it.
Lurgard had stopped eating. His eyes were fixed on me, sharp and observant, as though he had been watching me for a while now.
It made my chest tighten.
"But I'm really full," I added quickly, forcing calm into my voice. "I would love to go to my room now."
"Theresa, are you feeling unwell?" Lurgard's voice cut through instantly, his tone slightly raised, laced with something that made my stomach drop. "You seem to be rubbing your stomach a lot," he continued.
I froze.
Completely.
Oh no.
Panic surged through me, cold and immediate. My heart began to race as his words echoed in my head. Had he noticed? Had I been that obvious?
No.
I couldn't let them know.
Not about the baby.
Not yet. Not ever, if I could help it.
"I'm really fine, Lurgard," I said quickly, my voice steadier than I felt. "Thank you. I will take my leave now."
Before anyone could say anything else, I pushed my chair back and stood up. My movements were careful, controlled, though my legs felt slightly unsteady beneath me.
"Wait!"
Bella's voice stopped me mid-step and I turned slowly.
"Let me accompany you, Theresa," she said with a gentle smile. "Since you're trying to adapt to the environment."
There was no need for that.
The words sat at the edge of my lips. I opened my mouth, ready to refuse politely, to tell her I could manage on my own, but before I could speak, she had already stood.
Her hand slipped into mine, firm, warm and certain. And just like that, she began to lead me away.
I had no choice but to follow.
We walked in silence, her grip never loosening as she guided me toward the stairs. My mind raced the entire time, unease building with every step.
Something about this felt wrong, but I couldn't place exactly what it was.
By the time we reached my bedroom door, my heart was pounding again. I turned slightly, about to thank her, to end this interaction and retreat into the safety of my room…But her voice stopped me.
"Why exactly did you come back?"
The softness in her tone was gone. I turned to look at her fully and what I saw made my breath hitch.
Her expression had changed completely.
The warmth, the sweetness, the welcoming smile…it was all gone.
In its place was something cold filled with unmistakable disgust.