ISABELLA POV “Breathe Bella breathe!!” Dominic says calmly but filled with panic, his eyes looking around the bunker but he knows we can't get help while we are in here it just me and him. I hear another round of gunshots, this time closer and my heart nearly jumps out of my chest, the panic breathing continues and my breaths come out in bits “We are going to Die Dominic” I panic, “I don’t want to die, please” I shake my head tears streaming down my face His eyes turn to me intensely, panic on his face, he does the single thing I didn't expect him to do. He kisses me His lips mesh with mine, blowing air into my mouth and into my lungs, calming me down immediately, he removes his lips from mine as my breaths stabilize. “You-” I say but the words are halted by another round of gunshots My hands flag out in fear and I grab a hold of him, he doesn't push me away or show his usual annoyance at me, his fingers grip my waist pulling me closer to him as the gunshot intensifies. “If
ISABELLA POV We spend the night in the bunker, submerged in darkness, neither of us can sleep, there are loud sounds of gunshots every now and then but they start to calm down around 2 am. I turn my body to the edge, Dominic sleeping right beside me since there is no couch available here. By morning we hear a loud bang on the hatch door. “Wait!!” I stop Dominic before he can open it “What if it's one of the bad guys?” I raise a brow at him, my heart pounding in my chest, as I adjust my dress from last night “I am the bad guy Isabella” he whispers turning his head away and opening the hatch In fear, I grab the gun on the nightstand and stand pointing it to the entrance, Dominic sends me a coy smirk a head pops down, one of our guards i recognize. “Mr. Deluca, Mrs. Deluca” he nods, “The coast is clear sir” My racing heart calms down and I quickly drop the gun to the floor in haste “Are you sure you dont want to keep that one? For your protection, you seem pretty ready to use
ISABELLA POV “The Deluca’s and their arrogance” I roll my eyes “What did we do this time around?” Dominic cold voice fills my ears as he walks into the living room, a new black suit gracing his features “Nothing of your concern” I stand up, “Is it safe to go out? Or am I stuck here for the next few days?” I confirm with him, fear from the night before still having a hold on me. “I will take care of the people who did that last night, you may go out,” he says his tone dismissive as he walks towards the living room but he stops “Where are you going to anyway? He raises a brow at me “Your sister for some reason wants to see me, so I am going to attend to the princess of the Deluca’s” I fake bow with a roll of my eyes walking out through the entrance. The driver is set already and he pulls the car door open allowing me to slide into the car easily. “The La rouge restaurant please,” I tell him and he starts the drive In a few minutes, we make it to the restaurant. “Tab
ISABELLA POV “Where to Mam?” The driver says to me as I slide into the car “The boutique,” I say first having an idea in mind, there is no way I will barge into the office and ask and he will immediately give it to me. There was a different look I needed to achieve. The car comes to a stop In front of the boutique but I find it closed. “Closed!! It is 10 am in the morning, how is mom keeping her boutique closed by this time?” I frown deeply worried. I slide back into the car instructing the driver to take me home as I still had a full batch of clothing from the last time I went shopping with Dominic’s card The car comes to a stop In front of the house, I don’t spot his cars, “Great he’s not in” I walk up the entrance but I’m surprised to find a figure there already. “Rafaelle?” I frown walking towards him, “What are you doing here?” I say but pull him into a half-hug “Well, it’s been a while since we hung out so I thought I could come see you and take you out” He smiles movi
ISABELLA POV “What?” I pause not turning around to listen to him. “Turn around,” he says his voice deep and smooth I turn around my eyes meeting with him, “I never really see you on some mornings recently but is this what you wear around and for your errands?” He raises a brow at me moving forward, his face filled in anticipation of hearing my answer I look down at my dress, nervously patting it down, “No, I had an outing with Bianca” I lie. There is no way he will know I did all of this for him. “I thought Bianca was in Dubai?” He says with a coy smile on his face. I don’t even know how he knows that but I don’t answer him, quickly turning around I push the doors open, walking out into the receptionists still gossiping about me and probably Grace's appearance here today at almost the same time. “Such coincidence” I shake my head heading back home. I quickly send Rachel the message and she decides she will tell me at the party then. I sigh looking down at the lump of work I h
ISABELLA POV “Bella!!” She says in surprise standing up, her lips quivering and the tears running down her face. “You are trembling, oh my gosh” I walk forward gripping her and seating her back down on the floor. I spot the piece of paper she was looking down at, I turn my head to her phone in her palm with a call ending immediately at the sound of the closeness of my voice. I sigh heavily looking at the test strip as she breaks down in my arms. “You are pregnant” I sigh shaking my head at her recklessness but I don’t say anything. “Rachel, you have to tell me what’s wrong okay?” I turn to her holding her upright, her teary eyes meeting with mine. She swallows sitting back down on the marble floors. Okay, this is happening, I take a seat along with her, grabbing a piece of towel to wipe her face. “What’s wrong Rachel?” I hold her chin wiping her face, the mascara staining the white towel. “I think-“ she hiccups “I think I am pregnant,” she says and the waterworks start again
ISABELLA POV “What.was.that?” Rachel asks with wide eyes “Bang!!” We hear another gunshot making us scramble to the corner in shock. “I have to lock the door,” I whisper turning to Rachel. “No No no, don’t go!!” She whispers and yells, I calm her down, turning back to the doors, I click the door quietly, my fingers trembling and sweat dripping down my back. “Urgh” I hear Rachel moan In pain, I turn back to her to find her now on her knees, vomiting her guts into the toilet bowl I rush towards her pulling her hair into my trembling fingers but I stop them trying not to show my fear around her. “Rachel, where is your phone?” I turn to her, “we need to call Dom,” I whisper, “We have to get to him immediately if we want to get out of this safely.” I heave a heavy sigh She pulls her hair up wiping her mouth with the back of her Palm, her eyes widen at the question In shock. “It’s in the bathroom Bella,” she says her voice trembling and her lips quivering in fear, her eyes immedi
ISABELLA POV “Sir?” A deep voice filled with worry calls from the open door, a piece of envelope in his grasp “I think they came for Mrs De-Luca Sir,” he says with a frown “We will discuss this later,” Dominic says through his teeth turning around to the man and grabbing the envelope “Are you all okay??” We hear a loud screech “Francesca,” I say my eyes meeting with hers. I don’t expect her to thank me for calling Dominic and saving our lives. So when she runs towards Rachel only making sure she’s alright I don’t mind. “Did you receive a letter before this Bella!!” Dominic turns to me, his nose flaring and eyes narrowed at me in anger. My mouth dries up, the answer hangs in my throat “Well say something? You ruined Rachel’s party and now you suddenly can’t speak!!” Francesca goes off behind me. “She actually saved us” Rachel mumbles but under her older sister’s gaze, she retreats into the shadow. “Can we talk about this when we get home?” I say quietly my eyes m
ISABELLA POVRafaelle grabs my arm roughly pulling me out of the car, Bianca following.I stumble forward, my eyes brimming with tears, I turn back to Bianca to see she has a similar expression on her face “You both are very important to us, in fact, because of the both of you, we have been able to secure a deal” he smirks pushing us forwardA few steps later and we land in front of Francesca and the older man.“I didn't believe you could do this Francesca but it's real” he laughs, his baritone voice filling our ears, causing goosebumps to cover my skinMy eyes rise to meet his, “Dominic would never forgive you for this” I spit out my eyes blazing in furyHe laughs, his head upturned, “Dominic will never find out about this, and even if he does” his voice lowers, his eyes trained on me like some prey.“It will be too late” he finishes the sentence, turning back to Francesca, “Bring them in, they can stay here for a few days till you can figure out Dominic”“That will be happening soo
ISABELLA POV “Hey you two, it’s time to leave!!” One of the men Rafaelle had introduced me to on the ship earlier yells at us from the doors His heavy footsteps hit the floorboards and he walks towards us with contempt in his eyes, he unties us swiftly and ties us together leading us through the doors. “Where are we going?” I turn my eyes up at him as he kicks us through the decks leading us to the entrance of the ship “That you will find out soon enough” he laughs to himself pushing us further towards the entrance. My eyes land on Rafaelle who is standing beside a car, he looks neater than I’ve been seeing him this past few days, now dressed in a suit, and a sneaky smirk on his face. “What’s going on?” Bianca turns to me, face in a grimace I shrug, our feet landing on the sand. “I told you ladies soon we would leave the ship” he smiles widely pulling open the back door of the SUV “What’s going on Rafaelle? Where are you taking us?” I spit at him, my expression filled with qu
GRACE POV I gasp turning to the person behind me as I stand in the darkness of Dominic’s room. “Madam DeLuca,” I say turning to her and holding on to my chest. “What are you doing inside here?” She narrows her eyes at me as we enter She frowns at the state of the room, turning her nose up in disgust at the sight of the drinks “I know, I’m worried too” I shake my head with fake disappointment walking towards her I grip her arm, my face displaying my best-worried expression, “Dominic has not been the same since Bella’s disappearance” I say in hushed tones She sighs her eyes moving around the dark room, “I know, it’s been such a week, he has been filled with so much tension that I don’t know what to do about it anymore” She shakes her head her eyes reflecting concern I bit my lip, “I think I have an idea, Madam DeLuca, let’s talk in the garden” I grip her wrist pulling her out of the bedroom. She follows me all the way to the garden where the maid is placing the last plate of f
GRACE POV “Hello Grace” a voice calls out from the other side of the phone I immediately reduce my voice, “Madam DeLuca, it’s so nice to speak to you again” I say standing up from the couch as I pour myself a drink. “It’s nice to speak to you dear, even despite everything happening at the moment” she sighs heavily seeming to sink herself into a bad mood at the thought of it. “Oh love, I heard, I was also attacked!!” I yell, pacing the room trying to curry favor from her “Oh,” she says, “And where are you?” She asks her tone concerned “At Dom’s, he asked me to stay here, you know how he loves to fuss over me” I giggle to myself, a wide smile on my face. “I will be down to see you in a few, I am at the office right now trying to fill in for my son” she coughs, her tone changing Bingo, I smile, “That’s what I wanted to speak to you about Madam DeLuca,” I say with a heavy sigh. “I will be there in a few hours Grace, thank you,” she says ending the call immediately I s
GRACE POV “And this man?” He clicks on the screen, the projector displaying a man I have never seen before “No” I shake my head, my acting top-notch as tears fill my eyes “That’s the 35th No you’ve had for us Grace” Dominic turns his narrowed eyes at me I pout, trying to appear more pitiful, “But it was truly none of these men who threatened me at my house that day Dom” I whisper turning my eyes to him He shares a look with Luca, his second in command, turning back to me, his eyes burning with an icy intensity that I have not been able to subdue for two days now. I gulp at least after wasting their time so much for two days Rafaelle was able to escape by sea along with that bitch Bella and Bianca on the ship. By now they should be in Vegas executing the next part of our plan, the part that belongs to Francesca. I smile to myself, I know Rafaelle and Francesca have their separate plans. I’m not as dumb as they think, I know they will try and eliminate me or even Dominic who is
ISABELLA POV “Why do you think so? They have been working together for a long time now?” She raises a brow at me. “If she is as crazy as you have explained, she is going to kill them, she will kill everyone to get what she wants which is taking Dominic’s position” I continue as her plan starts to form in my head “She wouldn’t want any loose ends Bianca” I say urgently looking around us. She gulps, breathing hard she turns her eyes to meet mine, “I’m just glad you are here B” she says shaking her head slightly “I mean I’m not happy you’re kidnapped but-“ she pauses when I laugh next to her Her eyes light up just like the former Bianca i know, she pulls closer to me, but we can’t hug due to us being tied down to our individual chairs. “It’s okay B” I smile softly at her, “We have to make a plan though” I whisper “Plan what?” A loud annoying voice calls from the entrance. We both halt, my heart jumping in my chest as i turn to the entrance. “I can see Rafaelle has finally show
ISABELLA POV “Surprise, surprise!!” Rafaelle sings mockingly into my ears behind me. My heart stops and her cracked lips break into a smile, her eyes light up at the sight of me, “Bella” she whispers coughing heavily right after My heart accelerates, my features scrunching up in a deep frown, “I can’t believe this” I say turning my wide eyes to Rafaelle, “This has to be some sick joke right? You brought in someone to pretend to be her to get me to do your bidding” I shake my head wildly, tears filling them “B” she whispers her eyes filling with tears, there’s a new scar at the top of her forehead, one hand is tied to the chair and the other allows her to munch on the food like she has not eaten for ages. “It’s me B, it’s me, Bianca,” she says, tears dripping down her eyes. I want to rush to her immediately at the sound of her soft voice but Rafaelle grabs my shirt pulling me back “Hey..hey..hey” he smirks whistling slightly, “Who said you can go to her?” His eyes move bet
ISABELLA POV “Urggh” I groan rising up from the bed Rafaelle probably placed me on after Francesca knocked me out. My mind reels back to what happened right before she punched me. Tears gather in my eyes and I shake my head at the thought of it, they killed all those people, just to make sure I don’t escape. My arms hold onto my belly “I wonder what else they could do to keep me with them.”I try to wipe away my tears but more tears flow down my cheeks, my thoughts occupied by Dominic.They will do everything to make sure Dominic forgets me but I know him, I know he won’t stop till he finds me.I finally wipe the last of my tears away, they said we were going to land in a few days so I’ll wait till then, I will spend the rest of my time plotting my escape.“They have no idea who they are dealing with” I whisper to myself in the cold room.Before I can roll back into the bed, the door is pushed open, a dark figure moves closer, and my eyes pulling open in shock.“Well…well…well” hi
GRACE POVHe turns back to the guard“Call the boss” he sighs heavily turning back at meI smile widely, “That’s good, you can explain to Dominic himself why you are treating me like this,” I say with confidence.I hear the phone ring in the background and I immediately take that as my clue.“Ahhhh, it hurts!!” I yell out my voice over the top“It hurt so bad!! Aaaahhh” I continue to yellThe guard turns to me with wide eyes, “you can’t do that mam” he says shaking his head.“I can and I will, let’s see who Dominic will defend!!” I smirk looking up at him.The other guards nod at him, a worried look on his face.“Don’t you think we should just let her in? Is she really worth all this trouble?” He whispers next to him, his hard expression falters filling me with hope “You should really listen to your friend, just let me in and we can all go on our merry way” I smile sheepishly from the floor.“I mean what do you have to lose? I will even consider not firing you when Dominic and I marry