Chris decided to leave Bella at the hospital with Bianca and her family, knowing she needed to be by her best friend's side. He, however, had a war to fight.
On the drive back, he stopped at his penthouse to change. He chose a three-piece royal blue striped suit, crisp white shirt, and a light brown tie. His shoes were polished leather, his socks perfectly matched, and his hair restyled to perfection. If he was going to face the world, he'd face it as the untouchable Chris Hampson.
At Hampson International, by 2:55 p.m., the company's grand conference hall was packed to the brim. Every chair was filled. Reporters clutched phones and cameras; microphones from every major network stood clustered at the podium. The backdrop loomed large the iconic "H" logo of Hampson International, black and commanding.
At exactly 3:00 p.m., Chris walked in.
The atmosphere shifted instantly. Conversations died. Flashbulbs erupted. The aura he carried demanded silence, demanded respect. With his head held high, he strode to the stage, every step echoing authority.
At Precidal Hospital, Bianca stirred awake not long after Chris left. The oxygen mask was removed; her breathing was steady again. Austin and her family hovered near her bed, relief written on their faces.
Bianca's first instinct was to clutch Bella's hand tightly, refusing to let go. She didn't need words to know her best friend was carrying the weight of the world.
Bella, remembering the broadcast, asked Austin to switch on the TV. They all turned their attention to the screen, hearts pounding.
At the Walter residence, Vera, Joe, Raquel, and the twins were already gathered in the living room, TV blaring. They'd been waiting for nearly an hour. Joe and Raquel had rushed over after the scandal broke, unwilling to leave Vera and the boys alone.
At the Fredrick residence, Lillian, Thelma, Cindy, and Leonard sat like predators watching their prey. They leaned forward in anticipation, hoping no, praying that Chris would admit the relationship publicly. It was the only way their trap would spring perfectly.
At Hampson residence, Fred and Cassandra watched from their master suite.
Fred hoped his son would do the right thing: claim Bella, protect her, shield her from the wolves. He'd done his homework on Bella her grades, her work ethic, her resilience. She was more than worthy.
But Cassandra? Her lips were pressed thin with disdain. To her, Bella's family was far too ordinary. A mere project manager for a mother, siblings barely making names for themselves. Chris, the only son she had left, should have a bride of pedigree, of wealth, of status. Bella might be beautiful and intelligent, but she was not the woman Cassandra wanted.
At the airport, Nadia and Liam streamed the event live on their phones, ears plugged, eyes fixed. Even here, people whispered, "Chris Hampson press conference" with bated breath.
Back in the hall, Chris reached the podium. He gripped one microphone and spoke, his voice deep and steady.
"Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for attending this press conference."
He paused, letting silence weigh heavy in the room. Every lens focused on him. Typists' fingers raced. Spotlights beamed down.
"I will be addressing three matters today. Listen carefully."
A ripple of tension spread.
"The first issue is workplace bullying. Many of you ignored this story because you weren't sure of the truth. Let me be clear the instigator, Miss Tracy Xavier, has been terminated and handed over to the police. With video evidence."
He motioned, and Nelly, the PR director, played the clips of Tracy's cruelty on the large screen. Gasps rippled through the crowd. Flashbulbs popped furiously.
Chris had made his point. Bullying would not be tolerated and anyone thinking of targeting Bella had been issued a warning.
"The second matter," he continued, his voice tightening, "is cyberbullying and the physical harassment of Miss Christabella Walter. I went online and read the comments myself. Vile. Cruel. Dehumanizing. All of this over what? A rumour. A rumour not even confirmed. And I ask you why do you always attack the weaker side? Why not confront me directly, since I am also involved?"
His tone sharpened. "Why? Because cowards always pick on the vulnerable."
The words cut like steel.
Cameras clicked. Pens scribbled. The hall was tense, every ear straining.
Chris straightened, adjusting his tie. His eyes swept the room, piercing.
"And now," he said, "to the final matter the one you've all been waiting for."
The room collectively held its breath.
"Many of you want to know my relationship with Miss Walter. I'm going to tell you."
Chris's voice filled the hall, calm and deliberate.
"Bella and I go way back. We knew each other before Hampson International became what it is today. The reason a lot of you haven't seen us together is because she lost her memory in a car accident almost seven years ago. If you search the 2015 truck-driver case, you'll understand what happened and how she lost her memory."
A murmur ran through the room as cameras panned to his face.
"Fate brought us back together, and we clicked. Bella is the first woman I've ever loved. I still love and appreciate her, and I'm certain she feels the same."
He paused, eyes sweeping the crowd.
"Christabella Walter is my girlfriend. Anything against her is against me. Any hateful speech, any bullying against her, her friends, or her family that's against me."
He tapped a stack of envelopes on the podium.
"By now our lawyers will have issued letters to several cyberbullies. On behalf of Miss Walter, I will be suing everyone who went to her residence this morning to harass her family."
When he stepped down from the stage, the city exploded. Social feeds flooded with the clip. People began tagging friends who'd been at the Walter residence. Old photos from the 2015 gala Bella and Chris smiling across a crowded room, wine glasses raised spread like wildfire.
At Precisdale Hospital, Bianca squealed and squeezed Bella's hand.
"Aww, your boyfriend is so romantic," she laughed, eyes bright. "He just announced he loves you on live TV!"
Tatiana beamed. "I never knew you two were serious," she said, delighted.
"Just tell him not to try anything funny or I'll throw my fist in his nose again," Austin joked, remembering an old scrap. Bella laughed through the fatigue.
At the Frederick house, excitement pulsed through Thelma and Cindy. Their plan had worked and now phase two could begin.
Back at the Walter home, Raquel hopped up and down.
"Oppa is so romantic! He professed his love on national TV!" she gushed, clutching her throat dramatically. Kayden and Jayden teased and laughed; Joe kissed Vera's neck and squeezed her hand. The family smiled through the lingering sting of the day, grateful for the shelter Chris's statement provided.
At Hampson residence, Fred was proud. Cassandra, however, was furious.
"I'll never accept that woman into our family," she snapped. "Does Chris want my friends mocking me?"
"Let him be happy," Fred said, wrapping an arm around her. "We can't choose their hearts for them."
Cassandra didn't answer. She dialed one of her bodyguards. "Find out where Bella is and bring her to me," she said, voice clipped. "I need to understand what's so special about her."
Back at Hampson International, Chris returned to his office and went straight to work. He ordered the legal team on standby. He told Cyrus to pull CCTV from the Walter residence and A.J. Law Firm. He had experts crawling through footage and facial-scan data, determined to expose anyone who'd crossed the line.
By six o'clock they had enough evidence of physical assault against several aggressors. Chris handed the files to Elliot with terse thanks.
"Send these to Joe," he said. "I want him to use them."
Elliot nodded, already tapping the keyboard. Chris watched the screen for a beat, then called off the meeting there would be more to do tonight.