The Rose He Killed novel Chapter 261

Chapter 232: Sebastien Meets Caleb

Bella POV

We walked into the hotel, our shoes clicking softly against the polished marble floor. I could feel the tension radiating off the man beside me. Caleb was walking a little too straight, his shoulders locked tight, his usual easy confidence completely replaced by an intense, quiet focus.

As we neared the entrance of the private dining room, he stopped me, pulling gently on my hand. He reached up with his other hand, adjusting his tie for what felt like the tenth time since we left the house.

“Bella,” Caleb said, his voice unusually low. He looked down at me, his eyes scanning my face with total seriousness. “Be honest with me. Do I look okay? Is the suit right?”

I stared at him for a second, completely caught off guard, and then I laughed. It was a bright, genuine sound that echoed in the quiet hallway. I couldn’t help it. For the past twenty-four hours, I had been the one pacing, checking monitors, and babbling out of pure nerves.

“Yes, Caleb,” I said, reaching up to smooth down his lapels, my fingers resting against his chest. “For the hundredth time, you look absolutely perfect. You are completely put together.”

“I just want to make a good impression,” he muttered, looking past my shoulder toward the door. “He is your father, Bella. I want him to see that you are in good hands.”

“He will,” I whispered, squeezing his hand. “Now come on.”

It was highly amusing to watch the roles reverse. It was officially Caleb’s turn to be nervous, and seeing this side of him-this fiercely protective, anxious desire to please the father I had just found-warmed me from the inside out.

I turned and led him into the room. I had chosen a private dining room at a hotel neither of them had a connection to. Neutral ground, which mattered when you were putting two powerful men in a room together for the first time and asking them to be civil about a woman they both loved in completely different ways.

Sebastien arrived first, which I had expected. When Caleb and walked through the door, he stood up from the long mahogany table.

“Bella,” Sebastien said, a soft warmth breaking through his formal tone. He stepped forward, taking my hand in his, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “It is wonderful to see you again.”

“It is good to see you too, Sebastien,” I said, offering him a genuine smile.

He released my hand and turned his full attention to Caleb. The two of them looked at each other across the table for a moment.

“Sebastien Marchetti,” my father said, extending his hand toward my husband.

“Caleb Black,” Caleb replied, stepping forward to meet him.

The handshake was correct. It was brief and firm.

Sebastien let his hand drop, his sharp eyes scanning Caleb’s face for a brief second before he spoke.

13

لما

< Chapter 232 Sebastien Meets Caleb

Claim

“Bella has told me a great deal about you, Caleb. But I must say, seeing you in person, you are a very handsome man.

Caleb blinked, completely caught off guard by the sudden compliment. He cleared his throat, a subtle smile tugging at his Tips “Thank-you, sir. That is very kind of you to say”

I crossed my arms, looking between the two of them, and pouted playfully. “Now am envious, you know. I am standing right here, and my own father is flirting with my husband.”

Sebastien let out a low, dry chuckle, shaking his head. “Do not be envious, Bella. You look beautiful, as always. You simply chose a partner who matches you well.”

“I will take that as a win,” Caleb said, looking at me with a soft, amused glint in his eyes.

“Please, sit down,” Sebastien ‘said, gesturing to the heavy leather chairs.

We sat down, and the waiters served the first course in complete silence. It wasn’t a tense or angry quiet, but rather the cautious silence of two people sizing each other up before making a move.

I watched them and chose to say nothing. I hadn’t brought Caleb along to smooth things over for them. I brought him to make a point: he is mine, Sebastien needs to accept it, and I am finally done keeping my two worlds apart.

Sebastien leaned back slightly, his expression turning serious as he looked at me. “Before we discuss anything else, Bella, I must ask. How are you holding up? I heard about the second incident with the stalker last weekend. Is everyone safe?”

“Yes,” I said, my voice firm and steady. “Marcus Webb was arrested on our property last Saturday afternoon. He is back in a secure facility now, under heavy guard. The local police handled it completely. We are all fine, and the estate is entirely secure.”

“Good,” Sebastien said, his jaw tightening slightly. “When I was told what happened, I wanted to fly out immediately. A man like that is a pathogen. He belongs in a cage.”

“He is in one,” Caleb added, his tone hard and protective. “I have doubled our personal security team, and we have legal measures in place to ensure he never sees the light of day near my family again.”

Sebastien nodded once, satisfied with the answer. “Excellent. A family must be protected at all costs.” He then paused, his expression softening as he looked back at me. “I am just glad Tom and the little one were not harmed.”

“Tom was actually inside the pool house playing when it happened,” I said, trying to lighten the heavy mood. “He had no idea anything was wrong until the police cars arrived.”

“Ah, Tom,” Sebastien said, a genuine smile replacing his stern look. “He is a very remarkable boy. The voice messages he sends me are truly something else.”

“He loves talking to you,” I smiled. “But you have only met Tom so far.”

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify