Chloe hurried downstairs after freshening up, leaving Isabella alone upstairs. Moment later, Isabella descended and was immediately captivated by a striking figure leaning casually against the marble column. He had bright, piercing blue eyes that sparkled when he smiled. He was tall and lean, with broad shoulders. Dressed in an impeccably tailored black suit—no tie, the top buttons of his shirt undone—he radiated wealth, power, and danger. A Rolex glinted on his wrist, and his mere presence seemed to command the room.
She was stunned. She hasn't paid attention to his appearance and didn't notice he was this handsome.
Isabella's gaze softened as she approached him."Thank you so much," she murmured, her voice tinged with gratitude.
The man offered a warm smile before turning to leave. Chloe, who had been observing intently, gasped in awe."I think he likes you," she remarked,her voice filled with wonder.
Isabella chuckled softly,a playful glint in her eyes "I'm not sure," she replied and for some reason, she remembered the kiss. Her smile grew wider.
After some chit-chat with Chloe, Isabella decided to go home. When she stepped into the house, it was as if no one noticed she hadn't slept at home the night before.
A few minutes later, she angrily stormed into her room. In less than five minutes, Aunty Sophia rushed in.
"What happened, dear?"
"Are you hurt?"
"Are you feeling okay?"
"Did something bad happen?"
Aunty Sophia flooded her with questions out of concern.
Isabella managed a faint, bittersweet smile. "Aunty, I'm fine," she reassured her, appreciating the genuine care but not wishing to delve into the complexities of her feelings.
Aunty Sophia had been the family nanny for a long time—even for her father, Francis. She truly cared for Isabella, and that's why Isabella loved her most.
"Okay, come and have something to eat," she said with a warm, worried smile.
As always, Aunty Sophia piled Isabella's plate with food. Isabella couldn't resist. One thing she loved most—was food.
Just then, her mother walked in and sat beside her, smiling.
That stupid, fake smile always made Isabella angry.
"So, are you ready for Charlie's birthday party?" she asked.
At the mention of Charlie's name, Isabella immediately frowned. She knew Charlie had been behind last night's stunt.
"Why should I go?" Isabella said, ignoring her mother and focusing on her food.
"You will go," Clara snapped, her voice sharp.
"Look at me while I'm talking to you," she added, fuming.
"Why?" Isabella muttered, lifting her head.
"Because I'm your mother."
"Don't fool yourself. You stopped being my mother twelve years ago," Isabella laughed bitterly.
"But I'll go," she added, her voice low and sharp. "Because I know you'll run to Dad, report me, and since you know how much I love him, you expect him to convince me, right? So instead of wasting time, I'll just go to that stupid, lousy birthday."
She returned her attention to her food, the weight of family dynamics pressing heavily on her
An hour later, Isabella descended the stairs in a simple blue gown.
"Your dad went out with his friends last night and hasn't returned yet," Aunty Sophia told her gently.
She knew Isabella was upset about her father not calling her yesterday night when she hasn't returned, so she tried to explain.
Isabella nodded, her emotions a tangled mix of disappointment and acceptance. " Aunty it's okay" she replied, her voice betraying none of her inner turmoil.
Just like yesterday, Clara and Isabella stepped out of the car a few minutes later into a large gathering.
They walked straight to Charlie's father, Mr. Michael. He owned the company where Clara worked. She held a high position there, so they were well acquainted.
Isabella glanced at Charlie, who smiled sweetly at her.
She hated that fake smile. If you looked closely, you could practically see the venom behind it. Isabella scoffed and walked over to the pool area.
Suddenly, she felt a small hand shove her—and she fell into the pool along with the person. It was obvious who it was—Charlie.
A boy from their school named Justin dove in to save Charlie. He was the boy who once dated Isabella—thanks to Chloe—even though Isabella never really liked him. She had always been kind to him.
But he cheated on her with Charlie. She didn't fight for him. She simply let him go. A sex tape of Justin and Charlie had even spread across the internet.
Maybe that was why Charlie drugged her. So that's means that they would have been camera in that room.
Still lost in thought, Isabella didn't notice when Leonardo dived into the pool and pulled her out.
Charlie was burning with rage.
Isabella walked over to Charlie. To everyone's shock, she slapped her. The blow made blood gush from Charlie's nose and mouth.
She slapped her again. And again.
Leonardo quickly stepped in and tried to pull Isabella away.
"Let go of me!" she shouted, struggling in his grip.
In the commotion, she didn't even realize she had struck him in the abdomen. He groaned slightly.
She froze, meeting his eyes. Her large, sparkling brown eyes were soft and delicate—but full of quiet strength.
Leonardo was lost in them.
She lowered her gaze, covered her face with her hands, and let him carry her away.
He brought her to his car and drove off. The ride was quiet, slow. She gazed out the window, clearly deep in thought.
"Was there any camera in that room?" she finally asked, still looking outside.
"And who was supposed to come in?"
"Yes. I found some hidden cameras and disconnected them," Leonardo replied sincerely. "And as I walked out of the room, five men were about to enter."
Her head turned toward him.
"Five?" she repeated, stunned.
Charlie hated her that much?