The Bride Widow
Chapter 160: Her help - Part 1

Chapter 160: 160: Her help - Part 1

Daniel strode out of the loan shark’s office clutching a briefcase filled with cash, a newfound sense of confidence surging through him. This is it, he thought. The turning point. I’ll rebuild my company, my reputation, and my life.

The funds were deployed swiftly. Daniel poured money into overdue contracts, employee salaries, and operational needs, all with the aim of stabilizing his crumbling empire. At first, it seemed to work.

The phone calls from creditors stopped, his employees were placated, and for the first time in months, Daniel slept soundly.

But his relief was short-lived.

Within days, strange anomalies began surfacing in his accounts. Payments he had authorized didn’t reach their destinations. A supplier who had been paid in full claimed to have received nothing.

And then, more alarming: his bank accounts began bleeding funds without explanation. Daniel’s initial confidence gave way to a frantic need to uncover the problem. He called his financial advisors, accountants, and even hired a forensic auditor.

"It’s like someone’s siphoning off your money through the shadows," the auditor finally admitted, shaking his head. "Whoever’s doing this is an expert."

Daniel couldn’t accept it. His plans were failing, and the briefcase of money he’d borrowed was already empty. Worse yet, the interest on his loan was growing by the day. The loan shark’s words echoed in his mind: There will be consequences.

But what truly gnawed at Daniel was the suspicion that someone was orchestrating his downfall.

He couldn’t shake the memory of Clair and Noah—the way they had whisked Anabella away, their uncanny influence over her, and their disdain for him. Could they be involved?

Sitting alone in his dimly lit office late at night, Daniel brooded over his options. The walls felt as though they were closing in, and his once-flawless suit now hung loosely on his frame. The loan had failed to save him. His employees were losing faith, and his investors had all but abandoned him. His gaze fell on a photograph of James on his desk, smiling brightly. The sight twisted his heart, reminding him of his responsibility as a father.

It was then that a stray thought struck him: Anabella’s inheritance.

Daniel remembered the hefty sum Anabella had received from her late father. Though she had always been careful about how she used it, Daniel was certain that the funds were still intact.

If he could access that money, it might be enough to bail him out, at least temporarily. But the only way to tap into those funds was with Anabella’s consent.

He sat back, the wheels in his mind turning. She’ll help me if I approach her the right way. She has to. For James’s sake.

The next morning, Daniel dressed in his sharpest suit, hoping to project the confidence he no longer felt. Armed with documents that would allow him access to Anabella’s funds, he drove to her address. His nerves were frayed, but he forced himself to remain calm. He told himself he wasn’t being manipulative—it was survival.

When he arrived at her apartment complex, he hesitated for a moment before knocking on her door. Anabella answered, her face tightening as she saw him.

"What do you want, Daniel?" she asked, her tone wary. She made no effort to hide her discomfort.

"I need to talk to you," he said, holding his hands up in a gesture of peace. "It’s important."

She hesitated before stepping aside to let him in. Daniel noted how the apartment was cozy but modest, a stark contrast to the luxurious lifestyle she once had with him. Clair and Noah’s influence was evident in the comfortable warmth of the space, and the thought irritated him.

"What is it?" Anabella asked, crossing her arms.

Daniel launched into his prepared speech, carefully choosing his words. "Anabella, I’ve made mistakes. I’ll admit that. But I’m trying to make things right—for James, for myself. My company is struggling, and I’m on the brink of losing everything."

Anabella raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "And this concerns me how?"

"I need your help," he admitted, pulling the documents from his briefcase. "You have funds that could save my company. I just need your signature to access them."

Her eyes narrowed as she glanced at the papers. "You’ve got to be kidding me."

"Anabella, please." His voice cracked, and he took a step toward her. "Think about James. If I go under, it’ll affect him too. I’m not asking for a handout. I’ll pay it all back."

Her expression hardened, and she folded her arms tighter. "You mean to tell me that after everything, you have the audacity to come here and ask me for money?"

"This isn’t about us!" Daniel exclaimed. "This is about survival. About James."

Anabella shook her head, her voice rising. "No, Daniel, this is about you and your inability to take responsibility for your actions. You’ve made your bed, and now you want me to fix it for you? I’m not your safety net anymore."

Her refusal hit Daniel like a punch to the gut. He stared at her, disbelief etched across his face. "You’re really going to let James suffer because of your pride?"

"That’s rich coming from you," she shot back, her voice icy. "If you were truly thinking about James, you wouldn’t have let things get to this point in the first place."

For a moment, they stood in silence, the air between them thick with tension. Then Anabella stepped forward and opened the door. "Leave, Daniel. And don’t come back."

As Daniel drove away, his mind churned with anger and humiliation. He couldn’t believe that Anabella had turned him away, that she had refused to help when he was at his lowest. The desperation that had been simmering inside him boiled over into rage.

She’s changed. Clair and Noah have poisoned her mind.

But as much as he wanted to blame her, deep down, he knew that his own actions had driven her to this point. Still, he wasn’t ready to give up. If he couldn’t persuade her, he would find another way to get what he needed.

Meanwhile, Anabella leaned against the closed door, trembling. The encounter had rattled her more than she cared to admit, but she refused to let Daniel drag her back into his chaos. She was determined to protect the new life she was building for herself, no matter how difficult it might be.

Her phone buzzed, and she saw a message from Clair. "Checking in—are you okay?"

Anabella smiled faintly, typing a quick reply. "I’m fine. Thanks."

For the first time in a long while, she felt secure knowing she wasn’t facing her battles alone.