Lahat ng Kabanata ng Owned by the Fighter: Kabanata 51 - Kabanata 60

Coming to the gym had been a terrible idea. At least, that was what Belle thought.Still, she wasn’t about to give up so easily. She forced herself to focus on her new routine.Boxing.The dull thud of gloved fists hitting the heavy bag echoed pitifully through the empty gym that morning.Thud. Thud. Smack.Belle let out a frustrated breath. Her breathing was ragged, sweat sliding down her temples and soaking into the oversized T-shirt she had borrowed from Anthony.She had been there for two hours, punching a lifeless object hanging from the ceiling, all while picturing the faces of people who made her sick.The guests from last night’s party.Bastian’s face.And especially Renee’s.“That’s not how you do it, Belle.”Anthony’s voice rose halfway into a shout, irritation clear. Belle turned, locking eyes with her brother’s scowling face. This time, she didn’t back down.“I did exactly what you taught me!” Belle snapped.Anthony growled and dragged a hand through his hair in frustratio

“You’re insane. Completely insane, Belle.”That was the fifth time Eve had said it since they walked out of the engineering building. Eve moved fast, her steps hitting the campus pavement with visible frustration. Every few seconds, she shook her head in disbelief.“I told you, I just want to learn self-defense,” Belle argued, trying to keep up.A flicker of regret tugged at her. She shouldn’t have told Eve the full truth about yesterday. About Renee showing up at the gym. About how the air had turned electric the second she walked in.Renee hadn’t said much after that. Bastian had left almost immediately, pulled away by her as if she was afraid of losing him. But Belle couldn’t forget the way Renee had looked at her. Cold. Sharp. Condescending.That was all Belle had meant to share.Instead, Eve was now putting herself on trial for choosing to train at that gym. For choosing boxing.Belle hadn’t wanted to lie. Eve was her best friend. There was nothing she wanted to hide from her.Sh

The Eastborough pier wasn’t beautiful at night. The lighting was poor, relying only on a dying streetlamp flickering at the entrance. But for Belle, that only made her adrenaline spike.At least it was safe. And it offered one thing no other place did: privacy.Belle walked carefully, pulling her hoodie tighter against the sharp ocean wind that cut through her bones. As she moved farther down the dock, fear began creeping into her thoughts.Eve would kill her if she knew Belle had actually come. Anthony would explode if he found out she’d slipped out of the house.But her feet kept moving on their own. Guided by a compass whose needle always pointed to one name:Bastian.And he was already there.Bastian sat on a rusted iron bollard at the end of the pier, his legs dangling over the dark water. Cigarette smoke curled around his head, forming a sad gray halo. He wasn’t wearing a jacket, just a thin white T-shirt that now looked wrinkled.When he heard Belle’s footsteps on the creaking

The creak of the heavy bag chains and the dull thud of gloves colliding filled the air that afternoon. The gym smelled like sweat and damp rubber, an odd scent, but one that made Belle feel strangely at home. Today, though, the gym felt more like an interrogation room.Belle sat on a chair at the edge of the ring, her arms folded. Her eyes were fixed on the stained canvas, refusing to look up.In front of her stood her brother, still catching his breath. Anthony’s sleeveless shirt was soaked with sweat. He had just finished a sparring session.But instead of resting, he poured whatever energy he had left into scolding his sister.“You’ve been acting weird lately, Belle,” Anthony’s voice echoed through the gym. “You cause trouble with Dad, I’m the one who pays for it. And now? You come here, sit down, and don’t say a single word. What the hell is going on with you?”Belle clenched her jaw and looked away. Her gaze dropped to the boxing gloves lying on the floor. The truth was, she didn

“I don’t want to talk about this anymore,” Belle muttered, already reaching for the door handle. “Thanks for the ride, Bastian.”But before she could open the door, she noticed someone hurrying out from the yard toward the street. Belle froze.Her father.Mr. Watson had stepped out of the house, still dressed neatly in his work shirt. He walked toward the mailbox by the sidewalk and opened it, gathering the mail into one hand.“Dad!” Belle whispered in panic.If Mr. Watson saw her sitting in a car with Bastian, in the dark no less, it would be a disaster. Another war would explode. She was already grounded.Bastian reacted faster than she did. His large hand grabbed Belle’s arm and pulled her down, forcing both of them to crouch behind the dashboard.At the same time, Mr. Watson began scanning the quiet residential street. He had a habit of watching unfamiliar cars parked near the house, especially ever since Anthony had moved out years ago.“Dad’s out there. What if he comes over?” B