"Bella," she said.

"...Hmm?"

"My name is Bella." Arabella spoke her name seriously and solemnly. "I'm called Bella."

The heartbeat Frederick had missed returned to its place.

He let out a soft chuckle and gently squeezed the back of her neck. "Alright, Bella." He liked this adorable name very much.

"Can you say it one more time..." Arabella felt an emptiness in her heart. 

"Bella. Bella. Bella." His magnetic voice was captivating, making those two simple syllables sound like sweet nothings from a romantic film.

Arabella grew quiet and nuzzled against his chest once more.

"Are you still scared?"

"No."

"Good girl." Frederick exhaled a long breath into the chilling forest air. It was now 2:00 AM; the long night was finally drawing to a close. "We're going back. We won't stay here tonight. I'm taking you somewhere wonderful."

Arabella nodded, then anxiously asked about Black's condition. "Is his leg badly hurt? Can he be cured? I promised Black he would get better."

"I promise you as well—within a month, Black will be bouncing around again."

"Great! Oh, and—" Arabella remembered something even more important. She had been so muddled she'd forgotten. "Minnie! Daisy is still looking for her. I need to call her. I wonder if there's a signal now..."

She reached for her phone, but Frederick caught her hand, stopping her. She tilted her head. "What's wrong?"

Frederick smiled. "The driver has already taken her away."

"What? Daisy left?"

Arabella was stunned, feeling an indescribable surge of anger and grievance. Tears welled up again. "How can she be so irresponsible? Does she have any idea the price we paid to save Minnie? Minnie is her dog; how could she just leave?

Frederick sighed inwardly. Knowing her distress, he decided not to tell her the cruel truth. 

"Don't cry for someone who isn't worth it, Bella. Let's leave this place first, shall we? You can think about everything tomorrow. You've had a shock tonight; you need a warm drink and a hot bath."

Arabella's face flushed. For some reason, hearing Frederick call her name made her shy. She wiped her eyes. "...Let's go back."

She wanted to leave this hellish place too, craving a cup of hot chocolate milk, a hot bath, and a cozy bed. It would be even better if she could sleep in Frederick's arms. If... if there could be one more reward...

Arabella lowered her head.

Frederick buttoned the coat he had draped over her. His overcoat completely swallowed her, the hem dragging on the ground like a silken cocoon.

"It's a long way back. I'll carry you."

Coming here, the forest had been a pitch-black labyrinth, freezing her fingers. On the way back, everything was lit. Frederick's embrace provided a steady stream of warmth.

Arabella no longer needed to look around warily or shout until her throat burned. Closing her eyes, she leaned against his chest. Inhaling the warm, mature scent of the man, she allowed herself to drift off.

A massive black Mercedes-Benz SUV was parked at the forest entrance. Its modified headlights were brighter than high-wattage bulbs. The rear aviation seats had been reclined into a bed, with a cup of perfectly tempered black tea hot cocoa waiting within reach.

This was Harold's thoughtful deed; the kitchen had prepared it to replace plain tea, and it certainly won Arabella's heart.

Harold: "If you like it, please have more. There is also your favorite chocolate cake in the armrest refrigerator."

The heater was cranked high. Frederick removed her heavy coat and replaced it with a soft cashmere blanket, making her much more comfortable. They soon left the outskirts, hit the highway, crossed bridges, and headed toward the glittering city center.

With Christmas approaching, the markets were adorned with decorations, and massive trees shone brilliantly in the night. The shifting lights filtered into the car, dancing across Arabella's faintly flushed cheeks. She slept soundly and peacefully, unaware that the man beside her never took his eyes off her for a single second.

From now on, Frederick would never let her leave his protection again. Not by day, and certainly not by night.

Arabella was deep in sleep, making tiny, cat-like purring sounds.

In the quiet cabin, the sound was clear. Frederick smiled and raised the soundproof partition; now, only he could hear those subtle breaths. He leaned over, kissing the tip of her nose before moving to her lips. Initially light, the kiss deepened as he lost control, his tongue invading to tangle with hers.

She tasted of hot cocoa and sweetness. His breathing grew heavy and ragged, his grip tightening on her jaw as he succumbed to a violent urge to possess. He ground his lips against hers until the pain woke her.

"Daddy is biting me..." she murmured, her eyes out of focus as she looked at him.

With that one murmur, Frederick stopped abruptly. The haze in his eyes cleared as he realized he had lost control. The drug's effect hadn't passed; it had merely been suppressed by his frayed nerves.

Now that he was relaxed and in a warm, cozy space, it had returned with a vengeance. He apologized softly, "I'm sorry, Aerona."

Arabella reminded him in a small voice, "My name is Bella."

A flash of darkness crossed Frederick's eyes. He nodded. "Alright, Bella."

So, now that she had her own name, the one he gave her was to be discarded. She preferred her own identity. Frederick very, very much disliked this feeling. 

"Where are we going? Not to Grandmother's villa?" She looked out the window at the long riverfront where yachts were moored at the docks.

"To my house."

"Just us?" Her eyes brightened as she sat up, grabbing the handle.

"Yes. Just the two of us." Frederick smiled, subtly shifting his position and draping his coat over his lap.

Arabella bit her lip, a giggle of secret delight escaping before she composed herself and stared out the window.