ISABELLA POVAs we continued to hold each other, I sensed a shift in the room. My father and the others were watching us.All of them are going completely silent. Their eyes, though touched by the moment, were also asking questions. Their faces were a bit puzzled by the strong emotion I was displaying for what was supposed to be a normal family meetup. When I finally pulled away from my mother's embrace. Her eyes—those deep hazel gloves of hers, locked onto mine. They saw the little streaks of tears hiding inside them; they almost saw the pain I was nursing.I looked away. “What’s wrong, Bella?” She asked, her voice soft and searching.I opened my mouth to say what I had planned to say an hour ago, but it was too heavy. My mouth bowed to the
ISABELLA'S POVI couldn’t keep my eyes off Lilian, studying every line of her face for a clue, a hint of what she was about to say. Her lips were pressed tightly together, and her eyes darted back and forth as if she were second-guessing the decision.My patience was wearing thin; the silence stretched unbearably.“What is it, Lilian? What did Scarlett do?”I asked, my voice sharper than I intended. My heart thumped a little too loudly. Wondering if she was somehow in trouble, I just saw her about an hour ago, with my family, crying out loud.Lilian took a deep breath, glancing away for a moment before her gaze locked back onto mine. "I saw Scarlett... with another guy," she finally said, her words slow and careful."I saw her in the club. They were... close in a romantic way. This was just minutes after Scarlett confronted Nathan and me at the restaurant."My facial rumpled on their own accord, and my shoulders fell.The world seemed to tilt for a second. “Scarlett?” I whispered.
ISABELLA'S POVLilian’s suggestion was like a punch in the face, an insolent slap.I tilted my head to the side, trying to process it, but the more I thought about it, the worse it sounded. “No way.” I shook my head firmly, my resolve hardening with every passing second.“That's impossible,” I said aloud, my voice sharp and definitive.“I won’t do it.”I could feel my hands gripping the edge of my chair, my legs holding firmly to the ground.Go back to James? Seduce him? Even if he were just a normal ex, it would be humiliating enough, let alone after what his family had put me through. After the way they had thrown me out of my matrimonial home like some piece of garbage?I could still hear their voices in my head, the cruel words they had hurled at me. "You’re not good enough! Hopeless beggar! Eating James's wealth! Parasite!" They had cursed and cried, their faces twisted with disdain. “Never!”I muttered again, almost choking on the word.“I’d rather die than go back to him.
ISABELLA'S POV Three days after learning about the poison, I made my way to the meeting with the research team, just as I had told Evelyn. The room was modest but functional, filled with a long oval table where several researchers were seated. They were all dressed in various shades of white and blue. I could feel the weight of their gazes on me. It had been close to an hour since I came, and a lot of helpful connotations were being made. "We’ve reviewed all the data we have so far, and there are several theories on how the poisoning could have occurred.” Dr. Patel, the lead researcher in the room, was saying. "We believe it could have been administered through inhalation, perhaps in a confined space." he suggested, with his hands hanging halfway. I nodded, keeping my face neutral, though my ears were literally standing. "And what about ingestion?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. A woman with a short blonde bob and a sharp face who sat across from me chimed in.
ISABELLA'S POV I turned away from Amanda, my stomach knotting with disgust at the arrogance in her tone, and glanced back at Sarah, still on her knees in the middle of the restaurant floor. Her face was still wet with tears, her breaths hitching as if each one might be her last. Around us, the murmurs grew louder, a wave of whispers and speculative glances sweeping through the room. Lilian's eyes met mine across the table, her expression clouded with confusion. She seemed to be silently asking "What is going on here?" But I barely had time to acknowledge her gaze before Amanda's voice boomed again, her words filled with venom and self-righteousness. "If you don't compensate me immediately," Amanda ranted, "I swear, I will see you in court! You won't get away with this. None of you will!" Her voice cut through the air like a blade. I wanted to laugh at the absurdity, but the scene was too surreal for humor. Finally, she revealed the cause of all this drama:
Isabella's POV I pedaled faster, feeling the tension slowly ease from my muscles. Morning rides were becoming a new ritual I had grown fond of lately; it reminded me of the uncomplicated days of my early adulthood. Those days when I would look forward to my mother's criticism and instead of remorse I would feel pride, I smiled again. And as time progressed, I found myself thinking about how the past few days; I was mostly at home, wrapped in silence, save for these kinds of rides, and the nights were mostly spent with Lilian. We would sip wine and vent endlessly about work, about the stress and pressures that came with hospital and office hours. But then there were the things I didn’t talk about with anyone yet. Like how I had been avoiding Michael, dodging his calls and messages, even changing my route to avoid the restaurants we used to visit together. I knew he must be feeling the sudden distance between us, but I couldn't let myself dwell on his hurt. I knew I needed
ISABELLA'S POVI sat across from James in the restaurant. The place was another of such cozy corners with dim lighting and delicious aromas in town that I was new to.The chatter around us was soft.James sat up straight, his hair neatly combed to the side, a small smile playing on his lips. He was literally dressed in a suit; he had prepared for this like it were our first date all over again, something he had not even done on our anniversary, but that was, by the way.His eyes darted toward me every few moments, as if trying to read my mood.I tried to relax, forcing a smile, hoping it looked genuine. My fingers fiddled with the edge of the linen napkin on my lap. Being here with him felt strange, almost surreal.I could feel the weight of his gaze, and I shifted in my seat, trying hard to look more at ease than I actually felt.James leaned forward, his brows drawing together in concern. "Hey… Are you okay?" He asked softly, his voice lined with an unexpected sincerity. His ey
ISABELLA'S POV Scarlett continued to stare, her expression caught somewhere between disbelief and bewilderment. She watched as James’s car disappeared from view. And as I pressed the remote in my hand, the sound of the automated gate closing filled the space where words should have been. The gate swung shut, locking us into a silence I wasn't quite ready for. Our eyes met across the distance. Scarlett’s lifted her brows, her mouth hanging open as if she were searching for the right words. Finally, she made a gesture with her hand, repeating herself. "Together? You're really back together?" Her voice shook as she pointed sharply toward the gate where James had just driven out of "What was the meaning of all that, Bella?" I forced a casual smile, feeling my shoulders tighten despite my best efforts. “Nothing much; James just dropped me from work, that’s all.” I replied, trying to brush it off with a wave of my hand. Scarlett's expression didn’t change. She leaned cl