Italy, VERONA CITYIsabella's POVAlejandro was there to welcome me immediately after I deplaned and got my suitcase.He was there with two hefty bodyguards who don't speak English at all but have sunshades on to hide their eye colors.He was holding a crafted paper that had my name on it. The moment I saw the name, my heart swells with joy.He was grinning from ear to ear and it is obvious that he is extremely glad that I stuck to my promise. I am also happy to be finally here.I didn't bother to ask Jayden to come with me anymore because I know he is busy and since he rejected the offer the other day I asked if we could go together.I hope to enjoy my stay here, even though I miss home already.Alexandro pulls me into a tight hug while his men take my suitcase."La moglie del mio amico è qu", he mutters before releasing me while I pout."What does that word mean?" I ask out of curiosity with a big grin on my face."My friend's wife is here!" He spread his arms out wide as he transla
Isabella's POVAfter putting on a logo bodycon dress, Alejandro's driver got me and we drove to the villa with my heart thumping wild in excitement.We couldn't visit the villa yesterday because Alejandro said so. He only took me around the surrounding areas for sightseeing and in just one day, I have seen a lot. But it wasn't enough.I have been awake since the break of dawn in anticipation of today's tour. Alejandro said it would be best to visit the villa in the morning or late afternoon which is why he asked me to go back to my hotel yesterday.We get there within minutes of driving and the driver opens the car door for me. I jump down, wondering where Alejandro is when he appears from nowhere with a big wide grin on his face."Il Mio Amore", he spread his arm out and I hug him, paying a deaf ear to the way he called me his love.When I release myself from the hug, I know I should have rolled my eyes at him instead.Before I can say anything, he grabs my hand. "Let's go visit Rom
Jayden's POVBella's fashion house is boldly written in front of the transparent door leading to the beautiful fashion house.A sense of fulfillment fills me up and I feel the sudden need to talk to her.Isn't it high time I swallow my ego and call her? It's been a week already and I won't deny that I miss her.The thought of coming back from work every day for the past 7 days now to meet the absence of someone I have already gotten used to makes me miss her more.It has always been like an inconvenience having her around in my room, when I am eating, sleeping, or bathing but now I don't even care about going to the bathroom with a towel tightly wrapped around me.I haven't called her. All I did on the day she arrived was to text her.I waited impatiently for her reply which came very late in the night but I still couldn't bring myself to call her.Instead, I called Alejandro who attacked me for not coming along with my bride. I couldn't ask about Isabella in order not to arouse suspi
Isabella's POVI could barely sleep a wink throughout the night. I can't place how I feel about this or why I didn't sleep.Am I worried about Jayden? Why did he suddenly inform me that he is coming to Verona? Is he coming for a business meeting? Is he coming to see me?He clearly rejected my offer for us to come together so I shouldn't raise my hopes high.Am I scared of him? Why should I be scared? Am I scared that he will ruin what is between Romeo and me? He doesn't seem to like the fact that I was with Romeo last night and laughing. Romeo is a clown and he makes me laugh but he is just a friend.Even if I want to be in a relationship, I know it isn't the right time to do this. I am married to someone else and it will be so bad of me to go into a relationship with a man I just met. I might actually consider him in the future if he asks me out. He hasn't said anything yet but I know he likes me just as much as I like him.I will probably tell him what is happening. I actually lie
Jayden's POVIt wasn't easy to control my rage when I saw that bunny-looking boy pecking my wife on her forehead after hugging her petite body to his.I didn't want to interrupt the moment because I wanted to see Isabella's reaction but she fucking allowed him.She allowed him to have access to her body and it fucking pissed me off. I couldn't wait any longer.She pushed him away and asked him to leave.Isabella and I stand watching each other till she finally looks up to meet my intense gaze.Chuckling nervously, she asks. "How was your trip?"Instead of scolding her for what she has just done, I look down. I won't stoop so low to do that. As much as I want to show my anger, I can't."Where is your hotel?" I ask calmly, lifting my head.I know this is her hotel but I want to remind her of the courtesy of inviting a guest into your place. Alejandro had told me the hotel name and I know it.I have been here once during a business summit that lasted for two days."Oh, here. Let's go", s
Isabella's POVI push him away, not because I don't want this but because I don't want to get confused with all of these kisses which aren't defined.He refused to talk about the first kiss and faked the second one. Now he is giving it to me again with no genuine reason.Who the hell does he take me for?I know I shouldn't have said sorry to him but I had to because I know he helped me out when I needed help. I wanted to regret why I accepted the offer in the first place but I can't.I already conclude within myself that I won't regret it no matter what.I like Romeo but not the same way I like him. I might consider Romeo but not with him in the picture, lurking around and monitoring my every movement.Surprises flash across his expression. Before I can say anything, he grabs me again and kisses me, holding the back of my head firmly.I want to struggle with him but I know I can't win this over.I want this too. I just don't want this to go on. I don't want to get confused anymore abo
Jayden's POVI stir in my sleep, my lips parted and my eyes eventually fly open to see the darkness around me.Someone must have turned off the light, I think to myself as I stretch my hand towards the bedside.There is no bedside and it clicks. I am not in my mansion but the Academia hotel in Italy.Hurriedly, I sit upright and search for my phone on the bed. I remember going downstairs to get coffee for myself and breakfast for Isabella which I don't even know if she ate or not.When I came back up, I took a hot bath before jumping into bed and working on my laptop, expecting her to come out so we could talk but she stayed indoors till I fell asleep.How long have I been sleeping? I ask within myself as I find my phone and press the button to check the time.It is 6 pm which means I have been out for more than 5 hours.Wow! I can't remember how long I have slept this way before, even at night. I guess my exhaustion from the flight and my recent sleepless nights are responsible.I f
Isabella's POVJayden reeks of alcohol as his breath fans my entire face. When he wraps his hands around my waist, I stare at his handsome face while he continues to blink rapidly.I have been out with Romeo and I was damn worried Jayden would do something rash like leaving for New York without letting me know or something unexpected.My mind was divided and I had to plead with Romeo to let me go home early so I could rest well.He didn't think twice about letting me come back to the hotel. He is such a perfect gentleman and I am more than confused now on what to do with his request tonight.For the past 3 days that we have been going out and for 6 days since we bumped into each other, I was so sure that he liked me and that I liked him too and now that he has eventually confessed his feelings to me, I do not feel anything in me but numbness.This is the reason why I wanted to come back to the hotel so I could think things through and come to a decision.Romeo isn't giving me enough t
Jayden's POVAfter collapsing for the third time, I was sent out of the ward where Isabella was wheeled into.My mind is in disarray. My heart is racing and my head is spinning.This anticipation in me is killing me slowly. Isn't collapsing better than being left off hanging without knowing if Isabella is fine or not or if she is giving her best in pushing out our baby?I don't want fate to repeat itself. I want mother and child to be fine. I might not survive another disaster. Isabella means the world to me, and so does the baby.For the first time in my entire life, I look up to the heavens, gradually becoming conscious of my surroundings.I am still looking up, praying deep in my heart for the Almighty to perform a miracle; to make this easy for Isabella, and let the baby and mother survive this.Before I can finish up with my prayer, I see my mother rushing toward someone who turns out to be the doctor.I run over to him. "Doctor, doctor?" I chant breathlessly. "How is she?"Gabri
Isabella's POVCries, giggles, adult laughter, and chattering were the sound coming from the dining area the moment Jayden and I stepped into his parent's mansion.It is still as huge as I could remember with antique furniture and high chandeliers with artistry paintings.It is a mixture of old and modern and I would say this is the largest mansion I have ever seen. Jayden's home is next in line.When we approached the dining area, the noises became louder, it dawned on me that this dinner is not only for us but for other members of the family.Jayden is leading me in with his hand on my back instead of the entwined arms locked together the first time we were here and I am glad he has agreed to take things slow.I still haven't let go of everything totally because I am not done with my course titled "Jayden 101."He needs to be thoroughly studied before I give in. We have shared a few kisses but I haven't agreed to move back to the mansion yet.We are taking things slow.To be honest,
Isabella's POVPretending has never been an easy task for me. But Jayden taught me that. He taught me to learn how to pretend. He taught me how to hide my emotions. He taught me how to pretend as if I don't feel anything towards him again. But I do.Yes, I still do.And I rejected him. When he knelt on the floor with a diamond ring in his hand to promise me eternity, I rejected him. Not because I don't love him. I still do. I rejected him because I still have my doubts. I rejected him because I want to take my time to know if this is true or not. To know if his feelings for me won't change a bit.The first mistake I made was making decisions in a hurry and I don't want that to repeat itself. I want to take my time to study him, ponder deeply and decide on what is best for me and my baby.Jayden and I have been through a lot. I watch him each time he comes visiting. I can still see the hurt in his eyes and how hard he is pushing to move past the healing process.All of a sudden, I be
Jayden's POVThe ride to the lake house is in complete silence. At a point, I believe Isabella wasn't only giving me the silent treatment but was dozing off to even know that we are headed to the lake house.When I skipped work today, I was hoping it would be worth it. I visited her and told her I wanted to take her somewhere.She was reluctant but I could see that Isabella had gone past that stage. The stage of despair, anger, betrayal, and frustration.I was hoping my letters to her will reveal all that she needed to know and I was hoping it will help heal her just like it healed my wounds.I guess it worked. But I don't want to be over-excited about it. I am going to take one step at a time till everything is cleared off, even though I doubt if she would ever trust me again.I doubt if she would trust me with her heart like she once did. I trampled upon it, breaking it into pieces and she is still trying to fix up the pieces back in their place.She asked me where we were going and
Isabella's POVBefore I can let out the tears threatening to fall down my eyes, the doorbell rings and my eyes fly to the door which Jayden took out a few minutes ago.I can't believe I actually stood up to him that way. I said I wasn't going to ever cry because of him but here I am on the verge of crying again.Why does it feel like everyone is up against me and in support of him? Is it because he was traumatized by the experience of the accident?I was traumatized too and I got out of it alone, without anyone's help. Why should it be so difficult for him?The doorbell rings again and I stalk towards the door, throw it open, about to shout at him in anger not to ever come here again when I see a familiar face I haven't seen in months.Jude."Jude?" I can't hide my surprise. When his gaze falls on my belly, he smiles."Good day, ma'am", he bows slightly in greeting, stretching some things to me. I take them without hesitation. It's a white box, a bonquest, and a package.I don't need
Jayden's POVFinally, the car halts in front of Isabella's place after three stops away from here before I could summon up the courage to ask Jude to drive me here.Those stops were for two reasons; to get some gift for her and to muster up the courage to come here to see her after several months of being apart.I still don't know what I am here to say but I feel it's high time we talked. It's time I stopped being a coward and talk to her about it, about everything.Writing all my thoughts and mistakes down for her to read won't solve anything. I need to be man enough to face her, accept my mistake, and apologize for all I have done.Staring down at the box, the flower, and the package beside me, I come down from the car with them to go in with it as a present for Isabella.On second thought, I feel it is wrong for me to do this when I haven't apologized to her properly. I turn back to Jude and stretch the things towards him."You will take it inside when I am back, ok?" I say to him
Isabella's POVI watch his car drive away even before Sabrina could point that to me. Grandma and I were discussing in the sitting room when the doorbell rang and Safina isn't around to answer the door.To be honest, I thought it was Jayden and I didn't want to answer the door until Grandma ordered me to.I am sure she must have thought he was the one too.But seeing him drive away now makes me feel disappointed. Even though the question of whether he is back in America or not has been answered."Look at you, pregnancy looks good on you", Sabrina comments, making me remember that she was a few months pregnant before I left America."Thank you. How is the baby?" I ask her as I step away from the door for her to come in. I wish she is here with the baby but now that she isn't, I will make sure to visit her and the baby very soon.I really appreciate the fact that she is here to visit me this late in the night. It means a lot to me. And it makes me realize how much I have missed her.Aft
Jayden's POVI knew that Adrianna Vineyard would do the trick. That was the only way I could make Isabella know that I have been the one behind all those strange gifts and notes on her doorknob.Grandma's insistence for me to give her more time before showing up in front of her, coupled with my lack of courage, I had to keep low till she is back in America.Now that she is back, I want to finally see her but today is definitely not that day.I didn't book the same plane with Grandma. My plane took off after theirs and this is done on purpose so that she won't bump into me somewhere.I hope she has read the note I left behind this morning and I hope it will explain everything.I have realized my mistake and I want to make amends if only she would give me a chance to do that.By the time my plane landed in America, it was already getting dark because of the time difference and Jude was already waiting for me at the airport. I asked him and Fred to come back yesterday since we have found
Isabella's POVA knock pulls me out of my thoughts and I get down immediately from the bed to answer the door.It must be Grandma. I know she can't stay angry with me for too long. I have been waiting for days for her to come back since I don't know where she is staying in Paris.We cried. We both cried. And she left.It is high time she came back so we could talk and I can tell her the real reason why I did what I did.I didn't do that for no reason. I did it for a good reason.I get to the door and turn the doorknob but surprisingly, there is no one in front of the door. I step out and look around but everywhere is silent and empty.My neighbor has gone to work already. I heard her muttering some French words as she locked her door before taking the staircase down.She isn't the one.Who could it be? Is it Grandma? Did she change her mind about coming to see me so we could talk?Realizing that Grandma must still be mad at me, I sigh and step back inside. The moment to close the door