Extramarital Affair

Rockwave City

 Three sleek, high-tech choppers descended in unison, their rotors slicing through the crisp air as they touched down on the helipad.

 As the doors of the middle chopper slid open, Charlie stepped out, flanked by guards. Moments later, Bella emerged gracefully, her presence commanding attention.

 Akshat was already waiting, his demeanor poised yet eager, ready to receive her.

 Walking toward him, Bella glanced at Charlie and asked in a composed yet firm tone, “Any updates on the mastermind who sent Josepher to kill Emma?”

 Charlie shook his head, his expression grave. “Not yet, Sister Bella. I deployed my team to investigate overnight, but so far, there’s no trace of the culprit. Whoever it is, they’re exceptionally clever—there’s not a single clue left behind. Frankly, if you hadn’t urged me to dig deeper, I would’ve assumed, like everyone else, that Josepher acted out of ego and greed. But this… this is far more deliberate.”

 Bella’s sharp gaze hardened. “Charlie, the world knows Emma is my cousin. No ordinary person would dare harm her. On the surface, her murder may seem straightforward, but I assure you, it’s anything but. Find the mastermind, and do it quickly. I want them at my feet before they even think of striking again. And one more thing—Uncle must not learn of this.”

 Charlie nodded resolutely. “Understood. I’ll ensure Mr. Luke Richard remains unaware. You have my word.”

 By now, they had reached Akshat, who greeted Bella with a warm smile. “Congratulations, Sister-in-law!”

  Bella raised an eyebrow, her voice tinged with curiosity. “Congratulations? For what?”

  “For your pregnancy, of course,” Akshat replied with a knowing grin.

  Bella’s expression softened as she responded, “Oh! Thank you. By the way, where have you been, Akshat? It’s been weeks since we’ve seen you. It seems that ever since your wife returned, you’ve forgotten all about us.”

  Akshat blushed faintly, scratching the back of his head. “No, no, Sister-in-law, it’s not like that. Work here has been relentless lately. There’s hardly been a moment to breathe. And… some strange things have been happening around here.”

  Bella’s curiosity piqued. “Strange things? What do you mean?”

  Akshat exhaled deeply, his expression growing serious. “A few days ago, one of our cargo ships vanished without a trace in the Pacific Ocean. The last signal from the ship indicated it was caught in a cyclone in the southern region. When the ship disappeared from the radar, we assumed it had sunk. But when our divers went to investigate, they couldn’t find even a fragment of the wreckage.”

  As the elevator doors slid open, Akshat escorted Bella and Charlie inside, continuing his explanation. “It gets stranger. Not only did we fail to locate the ship, but the divers themselves vanished without a trace during their search. No one can explain what’s happening. Some are speculating that there’s something akin to the Bermuda Triangle in the southern Pacific. Of course, we don’t know for certain. The ocean holds secrets far beyond our understanding—its depths conceal mysteries no one has fully explored.”

 Bella listened intently, her expression thoughtful. “This is indeed troubling. Perhaps this is why Kartik left Grandmother’s funeral so abruptly to come here.”

 Akshat nodded in agreement, his silence acknowledging the weight of her words.

 Once Bella reached the Chairman’s cabin, Akshat turned to Charlie, his tone lighter but insistent. “Come on, you’re coming with me to the training base.” Without waiting for a response, he led Charlie away, leaving Bella to handle matters in the cabin.

 Bella knocked on the cabin door. A deep, cold voice responded from inside, “Come in, Mrs. Shreya Kartik Kapoor.”

 Hearing this, Bella entered the cabin.

 Kartik stood by the glass wall, gazing far off into the distance. His hands were casually tucked into his pants pockets, his back profile as striking as his charming face.

 Even in a simple white shirt, tie, and pants, Kartik appeared almost divine.

 Bella walked up to him, noticing that he was intently staring at the sea.

 With a soft smile, Bella asked, “Is the sea more beautiful than me?”

 Upon hearing her words, Kartik extended his hand, pulling her toward him by the waist. Bella found herself entwined in his strong embrace, her hands instinctively resting on his firm chest.

  Bending slightly, Kartik brushed his nose against hers and whispered in a low voice, “Nothing is more beautiful than you, your soul, and your body to me, wifey.”

  At his words, Bella’s face flushed with a deep crimson. The closeness between them made their breaths intertwine.

  Bella playfully tapped his shoulder and said, “I was just joking, Kartik! But you, on the other hand, got all serious and started spouting those shameless romantic lines like Romeo.”

 In response, Kartik pushed her back against the wall, his hands now gripping her slender waist.

 He leaned closer, his voice growing more serious, “I’m not quoting anyone else, wifey. Truly, nothing is more beautiful to me than you, your soul, and your body.”

  His seductive voice had turned intense, as if he meant every word he said.

  Bella's heart raced, a strange flutter rising in her stomach.

  Shifting the topic, she said, “Alright! I need to meet Sameer and Neha. How are they doing now?”

  Kartik placed his forehead gently against hers and replied, “Sameer’s condition has improved significantly; he’ll be released soon. As for Neha… she will never fully recover. According to the rules, she’ll be executed by the next anniversary.”

  Bella’s expression changed dramatically at his words, her grip on his shirt tightening.

  With surprise, she asked, “But Vansh and Sameer are fine. Why can't Neha recover?”

  Kartik responded calmly, “Wifey, Vansh has always been mentally strong. Tarun couldn’t fully hypnotize him. Sameer was in a similar situation. Both were mentally strong, but Neha is not. She’s too weak to be fixed. Keeping her alive would be like giving birth to a new Tarun. That's why she must die.”

  Bella's heart sank at his explanation.

  Though Neha wasn't Bella's biological sister, Bella didn’t wish for her death. After her father’s passing, Neha’s death would break their mother, who considered Neha her own daughter.

  With hopeful eyes, Bella asked, “Is there no way to save Neha, Kartik?”

  After a long silence, Kartik finally said, “There is one last way, wifey.”

  “What way? Tell me, Kartik, what is it?”

  Bella was desperate to know.

  Kartik leaned in and kissed the corner of her lips, saying, “You must rejoin Rockwave, wifey. That’s the only way. If you join, Neha will not be killed. Instead, she’ll be kept alive as a prisoner with all the comforts. Otherwise, she’ll be executed by the next anniversary.”

  Upon hearing this, Bella's eyes narrowed in suspicion, doubt clouding her beautiful gaze.

  She glared at Kartik and asked, “Kartik! Are you using Neha to force me to rejoin Rockwave?”

  Kartik, maintaining a cold expression, responded, “Wifey, if I wanted to force you, I would have used Sameer, not Neha. I’m telling you the truth. The final decision is yours. But, don't think too much about Neha. She’s not your real sister. In fact, because of her parents, you suffered so much in your childhood. Let her die.”

  “You're so cruel, Kartik,” Bella murmured.

  “I know, wifey,” he replied, a wicked smile playing on his lips.

  Seeing this, Bella sighed deeply and said, “I’m going to meet them. Will you come with me, or should I go alone?”

  “No! I’m coming too. Wait,” Kartik replied. He retrieved a small device from his desk drawer, attaching it between his neck and ear and clicking it once.

  As he did, a black digital mask appeared around his handsome face, obscuring his identity while allowing him to see clearly.

  Bella noticed and remarked, “This mask is better than the previous one. The design is nice.”

  Kartik grasped her wrist and replied, “Hmm, Akshat designed it. He didn’t like the old one.”

  Bella said nothing more, as they headed for the secret elevator in the cabin to go to the Rehab center. Just then, the door knocked again.

  Kartik gave permission to enter, and Li Hua stepped inside.

  Kartik still hadn’t let go of Bella’s hand.

  Li Hua’s gaze immediately fell on their entwined hands. Her beautiful, dark complexion darkened, and her eyes lingered on their hands for a moment.

  However, with their faces hidden by the masks, neither Kartik nor Bella could read her emotions.

  Kartik, coldly, asked, “Any problem?”

  Li Hua regained her composure and replied, “Chairman Sir, I came to inform you about Madam Richard. But she’s already here.”

  Kartik, in a stern tone, said, “You go and handle the other matters; I’ll take care of her.”

  Li Hua nodded and, after one last glance at their hands, left the room.

  Once she was gone, Bella glared at Kartik and said, “Kartik! Why are you trying to ruin my reputation?”

  Kartik, puzzled, responded, “What do you mean, wifey? When did I tarnish your reputation?”

  Bella, pointing at their hands, explained, “If the Chairman of Rockwave is holding my hand in public like this, what will people think? Not everyone knows that my husband is the Chairman of Rockwave. People will assume I’m cheating on my husband and having an extramarital affair with the Chairman. Both of us will be ruined.”

  Hearing this, Kartik smirked and pulled her closer, wrapping his arms around her waist. “Wifey! Your husband doesn’t mind your so-called extramarital affair, and I don’t mind being disgraced with you. I’m ready to be ruined alongside you.”

  Bella was speechless. She had no words. Her husband was the only person in the world who didn’t mind her having an extramarital affair.

  ---

  Vice President's Cabin

  As soon as Li Hua entered the cabin, she began smashing everything in sight in a fit of rage.

  Her eyes were red with fury.

  Her father, already present in the cabin, stopped her. “Hua! What’s wrong? Why are you so angry?”

  Li Hua kicked the work desk, sending it flying across the room, and said, “Dad! I want to kill Bella Richard. Can you do that for me? Without the Chairman noticing?”

  Her father’s eyes widened in shock.

  _______________________________

  What will happen next?

  To know…

  To Be Continued...

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***