“You what now?” Caleb’s face wore the utmost surprise on his face. Isabella gave a small smile followed by a little shrug as though she didn’t just tell him she was married already.
“Are you being serious? Is that why you-?” His eyes roamed her body and even her sudden change took him by surprise even more.
“I got married yesterday.” His eyes darted to her left hand and there it was, the ring that bound her to Charles. Even Isabella found it strange.
She never wore a ring while she was with Gabriel. If she did, Isabella was certain she would have felt more suffocated just by looking at it.
As she studied the simple art on the small ring that had Isabella wondering when Charles ever had the time to pick it, Caleb said, “How come I wasn’t invited then?”
It hit Isabella. She instantly felt bad. She had been too occupied with readying herself for
As he closed the laptop in front of him after a two hour meeting with some folks who had ideas to improve things in one of his many acquired companies, Charles caught a glimpse of the silver band on his left hand.It was still like a dream that he was finally married to the one woman who occupied his mind ever since he first met her during his company’s annual boat cruise. As a lucky winner of one of the few tickets given out that period, she seemed like she was making good use of the sea view to relax herself.Without knowing her personally, he could tell she was a quiet person. But she wasn’t when he walked up to her. Perhaps it was caused by the effect he had on ladies, he wasn’t sure. But Charles thanked whatever made Isabella not so withdrawn when he came up to her.Within a short period of time, they had gotten closer and Charles could not stop wondering what she would feel like naked in his arms.
“Wow, so cool.” An excited Isabella rushed to the window side which displayed a beautiful scene of the city ahead. “It would be nice to sit by this view, don’t you think?”Who could have ever thought such a simple thing would make him see Isabella’s spark again even for a moment? Charles wondered as he watched the woman stare dreamily at the faraway lights like they were unusually beautiful stars.“Do you stare out of this place often?” she asked the man who stood in a corner just beside a guitar like shaped artwork, his eyes watching her as she eagerly leaned further.Closing his eyes as he finally saw it coming together, Charles let out a small sound of satisfaction. It really was coming together. Things were beginning to seem as they should have always been.Him and his lovely woman, finally alone, away from their troubles, in his home wh
Isabella could still not get a proper grip of herself. His words earlier… they shifted a lot within her and then his crazy touch came after, lighting her skin up. And he hadn’t used his hands yet.As Charles nibbled at the skin of her neck again, she let out another small moan and as her hands went to grab a mass of his hair, she recalled his words again. He had said he loved her.It was not the first time he would be saying it to her, but like the first time, it felt surreal to hear him say those heart aching words. But she was glad. Everything within her danced crazily as she recalled his words all over again. Her whole body yearned for him even more.And Charles did not miss the message she was sending as she raised her lower waist slightly, almost bumping his groin.“You’ll have to be patient baby girl.” The slight roughness of his chin rubbed through her neck, his
"Ohh..." Isabella groaned as sleep disappeared from her system. Hugging the sheets against her some more, she realized Charles was not in the room with her. After grudgingly sitting up, she scanned the room she was in. And as her eyes fell on an artefact on the floor, she recalled how crazy they went the previous night.After a quick meal in each other's arms, Charles had initiated a kiss which led to him exploring her insides with his long fingers. Then, she pleasured him before he dragged the session to the bed reluctantly where he took her as amazingly as the first time.Smiling, Isabella wondered where Charles could have gone. She was actually missing his face. And... his touch. Isabella wore a even bigger smile as she recalled the words they shared the previous night when they reached peaks of pleasure.Contrary to what she used to think, Isabella was starting to see how much of a lucky woman she was. She went
Charles interrupted her thoughts as he tried to push a fork carrying a piece of caramel drizzled pancake through her mouth. Giving him a small smile, she opened her mouth and munched on the delicious food but her mind could not stop pondering and cursing slightly.Uncle Ben? Of all people?"Charles?" Isabella faced her husband who was focused on dishing another plate."Yeah?""I need to know everything." Her eyes wore a hard look like she was telling him there was no way he would be able to dissuade her. "I want to know all that you know.""What do you plan to do when you know everything?" He gently set the plate in front of her, his hands tucking beneath into each other after, his eyes watching her as gently as it could."I don't know." She shifted and faced him fully. "I just want to know.""I guess you should. I didn'
Watching the man as he scanned the room like he were some surveying officer, Charles wondered why Rodrigo Ordinaz would send a man who reeked of danger to his house that too when Isabella was there. Then, after that thought, he pondered on what the reason for the sudden drop by could be.According to the letter, he was meant to contact Rodrigo. Or was it the other way round? Charles pocketed his free hand as his eyes squinted as he tried to recall what the contents of the earlier sent letter was."Like I said..." The man's voice cut through the silence. "Mr. Ordinaz has sent me here." He had his seat on the black couch closest to the huge polished wooden door which was part of a four set couch which were arranged in a u-shaped way."What is this message he wants to send?" Charles asked, he and Isabella finding their own seat adjacent to the man.The man wore a big smirk as he leaned forward, his elbo
It was too quiet in there. Not that Charles expected chairs to be flying out of the room already, but it was really too quiet. No one would be able to suspect the duo behind the doors are discussing a really intense topic.Already pacing with restlessness, Charles began to contemplate entering the room already. Isabella wouldn't be surprised if he did it anyway. So he might as well do it. But something told him to stay back for a minute or more.So he did, restlessness still in his steps. As he decided to take a break from the seemingly endless pacing, he heard a familiar feminine voice call him. "Miss Sands." Her name rolled out of his tongue like it was pure poison."Good day Mr. Oxford." Shyly, she stood in front of him, her hands clutching the mini purse in her hand whose off whiteness matched her blue outfit."You haven't left." It was taking Charles every nerve within him to not lash out
"Okay, this is getting creepy," Isabella blurted as Charles ordered her steps since she had a blindfold on in accordance to the request he made when she entered the car."We are almost there. And I've got you, you won't fall," his thick voice said and she could not help but smile a bit."We have been walking forever.""We are here." She heard a creaky sound, most probably from a door and she had to wonder where they were exactly. "Here, come in." He grabbed her hand again and led her like he had been doing for the past minutes."Can I get rid of this fold now?""Hmm... Wait a second." Isabella could not wait to see what the deal was. "Okay, you can remove it now."Sighing as though she just escaped from a cage, her eyes were soon scanning the room and she could not help but feel connected to the place. Facing Charles who was seated on the huge bed which
Among mixed feelings after the news of Gabriel's death, Isabella found something new. Something indescribable. Perhaps it was relief or better put, the peace she had so much yearned for, she really couldn't say.All she knew was that something had changed within her.It was already eight months after Gabriel's mysterious death. No one really knew what happened and nothing could be concluded except for the fact that he was severely roasted and ridiculously, the investigators think he did it to himself.Isabella took a deep sigh and looked around the quiet place with headstones and neat grasses giving her eyes something to feast on. In her hand was a piece of paper which contained the most exciting news she had ever had. But no one was around yet for her to share the good news with.So, strangely, after realizing how boring it would be to stay in the hotel in anticipation of Charles's arrival, she chose to wander. And her reckless legs took her into a cemet
Charles could have chuckled hard but something else stopped him. The audacity of the man who supposedly is his biological father certainly couldn't be ignored. What annoyed the man most was the fact that a gun was pulled when Isabella was there. She didn't show any kind of fear, but he didn't want her exposed to such dangers.Charles knew he had to act fast and get them both out of there without Rodrigo Ordinaz getting anything from him. He stole a look at the man who had a smile on his face. His mother was right, he was not a man with good intentions. But that didn't sadden Charles. He had already sort of believed his mother's statement about Ordinaz, so he wasn't too surprised.But the part he totally didn't see coming was where his real father would openly say he wants to use his company and how wife's as some kind of leverage."Are you going to sit down or not?" Ordinaz asked, an impatient grin now etched in his bold face.Charles who was already work
Claire confirmed it again. Gabriel was on his way to her son's house and he definitely wasn't going there for some merriment. According to the security personnel she had employed, Gabriel had purchased from a black market, explosives after he had trailed his way to Charles's house and the very hangar his private aircraft was usually kept whenever his work made him remain within London.One thing was crystal clear though, Gabriel wasn't aware that Charles and Isabella weren't home and that made it all easy for her. She would be able to get a hold of the careless, vengeance driven man without much being lost.In preparation, she had used her connection to evacuate the occupants around to a more conducive environment which happened without much complaint because, who doesn't like to have a taste of a better life once in a while?From a safe distance with a walkie talkie on her laps that danced with impatience, Mrs. Oxford wondered if Charles was at that moment face
Charles was beyond baffled.That his mother would go even as far as that surprised him really. But then, she attempted to get rid of his father, should he really be so shocked?"Charles..." Isabella softly called him and he felt so guilty. He felt terrible that Isabella suffered a bruise on her heart when Daphne showed up at their door. The woman's presence took her back to a time she was pregnant with his child, the time she suffered a loss. And it was his fault. His mother just had to be the crazy type.Not wanting her to see how guilty he felt, he faced the other side of the room and heaved a deep sigh. Truthfully a part of him was relieved. Relieved that he wasn't the father to Daphne's unborn child. That could have messed up everything."Charles talk to me." His wife's hands went around his waist and her head rested gently against his firm back and he shook once again with guilt.His head hung, he whispered, "What could I possibly say Bella? B
Charles chuckled and that surprised his mother. "Is that what you came all this way to say?" he asked, grabbing Isabella's hand after as though he intended to ignite his mother's rage."Did you hear what I said Charles? Your wife is incapable of giving birth!""So?" He laughed again and faced the woman beside him who was trying to keep a blank face. Claire wondered why Charles was acting like it was no big deal. She knew how particular he was about having a child or two when finally married."How is this funny Charles? I am trying to tell you that-""I already knew Mother. And it is not her fault. So, I don't really see the point you are trying to make here."Claire Oxford scoffed and decided to take a different route. "I heard Ordinaz wants a grandchild from you."He instantly frowned and asked cautiously, " How do you know about that?"Shrugging, the woman who was now wearing a sly smile adjusted the jacket sprawled over her shoulde
Claire Oxford was smiling so unusually, it made the women around her very curious and a bit worried as they heard she was left out of her son’s wedding to a divorcee.But the woman had no care in the world about what they all thought. They were looking for a topic for gossip anyway. So, she excused herself and made for her room, making sure to tell the housekeeper to entertain her guests well.As soon as she closed the door of her huge, plainly decorated room which held more of her clothes and accessories in a way that irked her husband but comforted her, she became even more relaxed.Taking out her phone to call Charles, Mrs. Oxford wondered if he would be with Isabella Shade. She then wondered if he knew that she had a thing or two she was keeping from him. The woman wore a smile.She knew her son well. When he learns about the secret, he would feel betrayed and he will certainly see how the woman was not the one for him. And he would finally foll
“What?”Isabella never saw herself telling Charles that part of her past so soon. In fact, if she had a way, she would have made sure that he never finds out. But then… she just told him he was once a father.Rather, she just informed him that he would have been a father if not for the situationsurroundingher life then.“You were carrying my child?” A visibly angry Charles asked as though wanting to be certain he had not heard the wrong thing. She gave a short nod to his question. “What happened then? Wait a minute…”His head tilted to the side, his fingers danced in the air in eccentric circles as he seemed to reason something. “Isabella?”“Yes Charles?” She wasn’t surprised that tearswere already falling from her eyes. She took a second to wipe her face before looking his way again.“What you are trying to tell me is that, you were aware
It seemed like his head had somehow exploded in reaction to what the woman in front of him just spilled. Extremely taken aback, Charles's eyes darted towards Isabella whose arms were crossed with a little frown on her forehead. He wasn't ready to wonder what she could be feeling after that crazy bomb Daphne just dropped.So, he just faced the pregnant woman again and asked, "What are you talking about?"She gave her little chuckle which he always felt had a tone of evil behind it anytime it rang in his ears. Slowly, she got up and she was soon leveled in stance with him, their eyes on the same plane. "What?" She looked oddly amused. "Are you going to deny sleeping with me?"Charles almost held his hair in anguish. What kind of thing was happening to him? Daphne was just a fling and that was all she ever was. After a week, he broke all ties with her and she had no issues with it. But now..."Daphne... Are you certain this child is mine?"She scoffed
After a blissful night in each other's arms, Isabella and Charles were soon on their way back home. They were presently driving along the route that led to the hangar where Charles's private aircraft was being kept. Looking out the window as the breeze that the trees juggled attracted her, Isabella wondered how it would feel to be in the air again.It had been so long since she traveled. It was not like she ever had a reason to. A vacation never even crossed her mind while she was married to Gabriel.Wearing a small smile instantly, she began to reason her life some more.She asked herself questions. Like why she never deemed it fit to take a break from running the hotel. Or why she never thought of going for a long drive after a long week of Gabriel's terrible nagging.Definitely, she would have felt less worked up if she had done those little things.Isabella sighed. There was no cause for regrets. Another chance was in front of her t