Bella's mind was preoccupied with thoughts of their future. How would they ever leave the forest? Where would they go? The uncertainty was daunting, and she couldn't shake the feeling that they were taking a huge risk by even considering it.
As she wandered through the forest, collecting fruits and berries, Bella's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of voices. She looked up to see a group of people in the distance, armed with rifles and accompanied by guards.
Bella's heart skipped a beat as she recognized some of the faces. There was Hampton Jr., Alex, and Joshua, whom she had seen before. But there were others she didn't know, including an older man who looked like an older version of Hampton Jr.
She also noticed four ladies, who seemed to be around the same age as Hemester. They were all dressed in fancy clothing, and Bella couldn't help but wonder what they were doing in the forest.
As she watched from a safe distance, Bella heard snippets of their conversation. They were talking about the forest, and how it belonged to the Hampton family. Bella's eyes widened in surprise - she had no idea that the forest was owned by anyone, by other old man's Family.
Just as she was about to slip away, Bella caught Hampton Jr.'s eye. He looked up, seemingly startled, and their eyes met for a brief moment. But before he could react, Bella quickly ducked behind a tree, holding her breath.
Hampton Jr. looked around, confused, and asked Alex and Joshua if they had seen anything. They shook their heads, and one of them joked that the forest must be playing tricks on him.
Bella let out a sigh of relief as the group continued on their way, unaware of her presence. She realized that she needed to be more careful, especially now that she knew the forest belonged to the Hemester's family.
As she made her way back to the girls, Bella couldn't shake the feeling that their lives were about to become even more complicated.