Chapter 17

Bella's pov

Upon receiving the news of Theresa's death, I let out a faint sigh. The madness of that woman had finally come to an end, bringing peace to both herself and others.

Today, my mate Haydn was set to duel Barnett. Haydn intended to teach Barnett a lesson, but Barnett's attitude was somewhat strange. Since the day I woke up, his gaze towards me had become inscrutable—not filled with hatred, but rather a complex mixture of sorrow and regret. It seemed like he had something to say to me, but I had no desire to share the same space with him; I turned away whenever I encountered him.

I entered Haydn's room; he had just finished changing into his warrior attire. Part of his body was encased in tough leather armor, but not all of it. Many of Haydn's muscles remained exposed. I reached out and squeezed the bicep on his arm; it was firm, much harder than mine. Haydn chuckled lightly, intentionally relaxing his muscles for my touch. Annoyed, I delivered a punch to his chest.

"Keep this