Ch 37
The air inside the arena was tense, the fallout from King of the Ring still fresh. The Corporate Ministry had made their presence known, and tonight, The Undertaker was set to defend against Stone Cold Steve Austin for the WWF Championship. Austin had secured himself a new contract in the company. But while he and the others took care of business in the ring, Bella remained in his locker room.
She leaned against the couch, absently tracing patterns on the leather armrest as she listened to the muffled sounds of the crowd. She should've been watching the screen, but she was too lost in her own thoughts.
A sudden creak from the door snapped her out of it. Before she could react, she felt an unmistakable presence.
"You should've listened to me the first time."
Bella turned sharply, her breath catching at the sight of Kane standing in the doorway. His massive frame filled the space, his red and black mask concealing his emotions, but she could feel the intensity radiating off him.
"What are you doing here?" she asked, standing up straighter, trying not to let him see the way his presence unsettled her.
Kane took a slow step forward. "I came to warn you again."
Bella rolled her eyes. "This again?"
Kane's voice dropped, his tone heavy with something almost desperate. "I know about the deal you made with my brother, Bella. You need to stop trusting him."
Bella's expression hardened. "I don't know what you think you know, but I don't need saving, Kane."
"You do, Bella. I know the deal you made," he moved close to her leaning down whispering in her ear making her tremble as her eyes went wide.
"Did he tell you our deal? How did you know?"
"He didn't need to tell me. I told you I know my brother very well," Kane exhaled sharply. "You don't see it yet, but if you go through with the deal—if you stay by his side—it will bring you nothing but misery."
Bella clenched her jaw, refusing to let his words shake her. "I'm exactly where I want to be."
Kane stared at her for a long moment before shaking his head. "I hope, for your sake, that's true." He stepped back toward the door. "Because once my brother has you completely, there won't be an escape. You will be his forever whether you like it or not."
And with that, he was gone, leaving Bella alone with his warning echoing in her mind as the camera faded out.
A few matches passed before the camera cut to The Undertaker returning to the locker room.
The moment he walked in, Bella saw the amusement in his eyes, as if he already knew what she was going to say.
"Let me guess," he drawled, shutting the door behind him. "Kane paid you a visit?"
Bella crossed her arms. "He thinks I should stop trusting you. He knows our deal."
The Undertaker chuckled darkly. "Of course, he does." He stepped closer, his gloved fingers reaching up to brush a stray strand of hair from her face. "My brother has always been afraid of what he doesn't understand."
Bella swallowed hard, her mind still reeling from Kane's warning. "He said if I go through with this, it'll bring me nothing but misery."
The Undertaker tilted his head, studying her with those piercing, knowing eyes. Then, with a smirk, he leaned in slightly. "Tell me… do you feel miserable? Are you unhappy with me? Am I forcing you to do anything?"
Bella didn't answer right away. She knew what he was doing—challenging her to acknowledge the truth. That she enjoyed being by his side.
Finally, she lifted her chin, her eyes meeting his. "No, I don't feel miserable. I'm happy. I'm not doing anything I don't want to do."
His smirk widened. "Good angel, finish getting ready. I'll be back shortly to get you to accompany me to the ring for my match," he kissed her softly before leaving her as the camera faded out.
When the camera came back, The Undertaker found Kane lurking backstage, his arms crossed as if he had been waiting.
"Kane," The Undertaker growled, stepping into his brother's space. "Stay away from Bella."
Kane stared at him, unflinching. "I'm just looking out for her. Someone has to. You took Hunter out of your way. You have her controlling Rock so he can't stop you. You can't stop me from helping her."
"She doesn't need your help," The Undertaker shot back. "And I won't warn you again. Stay out of this."
Kane's expression remained calm, but his words carried a weight that hung in the air. "You always think you're in control, don't you, brother? But we both know how this ends for her."
The Undertaker's glare intensified, but Kane simply turned and walked away, his silence more unsettling than any threat.
The energy in the arena was electric. The Undertaker and Austin were tearing each other apart in the ring, their rivalry reaching a fever pitch. The Corporate Ministry had already tried interfering, but the referee managed to hold some order.
At ringside, Bella stood with her arms crossed, a satisfied smirk playing on her lips as she watched her Dark Lord take control. She loved being out here with him, loved the chaos he brought.
But then—everything changed.
Austin suddenly rolled out of the ring… and turned his attention to her.
Bella's smirk faltered slightly as she met his intense gaze. This wasn't part of the show.
The crowd erupted as Austin grabbed her arm and pulled her closer. Before she could react, he kicked her in the gut and—
STUNNER!
The impact sent her crashing to the floor, her head bouncing off the mat. A sharp pain exploded through her skull, and for a moment, the world spun. She wasn't prepared for Austin to come after her.
The crowd roared, but backstage, Kane saw everything.
Without hesitation, he stormed down the ramp, rushing to her. He didn't hesitate—he scooped Bella into his arms and carried her up the ramp.
In the ring, The Undertaker was still down, recovering from Austin's relentless assault. But when he looked up and saw Kane carrying Bella backstage, something inside him snapped.
The match continued, but The Undertaker's focus was gone. He lost his championship to Austin, but the moment the bell rang, he didn't stay down like he was supposed to. He rolled out of the ring and stormed up the ramp, shoving past anyone that got in his way.