Page 73 of Knot Happening

The staff member consults her clipboard, flipping through several pages. "Chen... yes, he left about three hours ago with his companion. They were among the first to be evacuated when the weather warnings started."

I feel Belle go very still beside me, and I can smell the hurt and disappointment radiating from her scent. Three hours ago. Adam left three hours ago, which means he evacuated right after the first tornado sirens started, and long before the worst of the storm hit, long before Belle would have had a chance to get back to the palace even if she'd tried.

"He didn't wait," Belle says quietly, and the pain in her voice makes my chest ache. "My supposed date didn't even wait to see if I was okay."

"Miss, I'm sure he tried to find you," the staff member says gently. "But when the emergency evacuation began, we had to move quickly. Perhaps he assumed you'd already left?"

"Perhaps," Belle agrees, but I can hear the hurt she's trying to hide. "It's fine. I'm sure he and Seraphina are safe, and that's what matters."

Adam Chen left without making sure his date was safe, without waiting to see if she needed help or protection. He prioritized his new romantic interest over his best friend's safety, and the betrayal is written across Belle's face even as she tries to pretend it doesn't matter.

"Let's get you home," I say quietly, placing a gentle hand on her back. "It's been a long night."

Belle nods, suddenly looking exhausted in a way that goes beyond physical tiredness. The adrenaline of the storm and the emotional intensity of our conversation are catching up with her, and I can see her beginning to shut down as the reality of Adam's abandonment sinks in.

The drive back to Belle's apartment is conducted in near-silence. She sits in the passenger seat of my car while Felix and Theo follow behind us, staring out the window at the storm damage visible even in the dark. Downed power lines, debris scattered across the roads, the occasional emergency vehicle responding to weather-related incidents.

"I can't believe he just left," Belle says suddenly, her voice small and hurt. "Twenty years of friendship, and he didn't even check to see if I was okay before running off with someone he met five hours ago."

"I'm sorry," I say, and I mean it completely. "That must feel like a betrayal."

"It does," she admits. "I mean, I'm happy he found someone. Seraphina seems perfect for him, and they clearly have a connection. But I thought our friendship meant more than that."

"Maybe he tried to find you," I suggest, though I don't really believe it.

"Marcus," Belle interrupts gently. "You don't have to make excuses for him. We both know he was so caught up in his new romance that he forgot I existed."

There's no anger in her voice, just hurt and disappointment and the kind of resignation that comes from being let down by people you trust.

"His loss," I say firmly. "Adam Chen is an idiot if he doesn't realize what an incredible friend he's throwing away."

"Maybe," Belle says softly. "Or maybe this is just how it goes. People find their person and everything else becomes secondary."

"That's not how it has to be," I tell her. "Belle, when you find your person, they don't replace your other relationships. They enhance them. They make you better at being a friend, a daughter, a member of your community."

"Is that how it works for you three?"

"Yes," I say without hesitation. "Felix and Theo make me better at everything I do. Better businessman, better friend, better man. Love doesn't diminish your capacity for other relationships, but expands it."

We're pulling up to her apartment building now, and I can see Felix and Theo parking behind us. The building looks exactly the same as it did before, unchanged by the night's revelations. It's strange how the world can look identical when everything inside it has shifted so fundamentally.

"Thank you," Belle says as I put the car in park. "For tonight, for the conversation, for... everything."

"Thank you for giving us a chance," I reply. "For being brave enough to try something new."

Felix and Theo approach the car as Belle and I get out, and I can see them both taking in her subdued mood, the way she's holding herself like she's been bruised in places that don't show.

"Are you okay?" Felix asks gently.

"I will be," Belle says, and there's determination in her voice despite the hurt. "I just need some time to process everything that's happened tonight."

"Of course," Theo says. "Take all the time you need."

"When can we see you again?" I ask, and then immediately worry that I'm pushing too hard too fast. "I mean, when you're ready. No pressure."

Belle considers this, her head tilted slightly as she thinks. "Give me a few days to wrap my head around everything. Then maybe we can start with something simple. Coffee, or lunch, or..."

"Chocolate," Felix suggests with a slight smile. "We could explore that chocolate fountain theory you mentioned."

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