ISABELLA’S POVEven though the incident happened the night before, I still couldn't get my mind off it as I sat in the office. It was the second auction, and I tried to think straight. After this, I had three more to go, and then I would return to France. The term for this auction was love. Drawings that reflected love. Trust me, I had stayed on a painting for about a week, yet I still felt it wasn't conveying enough. Maybe because I had no idea what love felt like anymore. However, I was glad many paintings were present, drawn by artists wide and near. Everyone was busy with the setup, and my boss wouldn't stop calling to ask how it was going. Soon, the message was in the back of my mind.Not until I saw him sitting in the auction room, too. Alaric. His eyes caught mine for a second, and I uncomfortably looked away. To think I had believed he wouldn't come back. I had thought the first time we met had to be an accident. I tried to pay full attention as each painting was called and
ALARIC’S POV“This doesn't seem like a smart money move, Sir,” Henry informed as he ridiculously stared at the painting. “We are going broke and…”“Henry!”“But sir, we need this money.”“And we are talking about my wife here. Drive.” I ordered, clenching my teeth. He looked at me from the rearview mirror but knew better than to push the matter. Even if we go bankrupt, I will spend my last cash supporting her. This was the only one to atone for letting her do this all alone when she had spent years supporting my dreams. Most of the ideas she gave me in high school, worked and earned me a lot of cash. Isabella might not be all that, but she was smart and intelligent. She was quick to analyse loss and profit and always knew how I could avoid the loss or lessen it. She helped me a lot after Father informed me that I was taking over the business when I was twenty-eight. I tapped my feet against the floorboard as nervousness coursed through me. Elena had said my Mother fell off the stair
ISABELLA’S POVI was still sitting in my office when the auction’s manager dashed in at high speed. Angel had left minutes ago after bombarding me with questions on who Alaric really was. She found him way too attractive to resist and even when I avoided every one of her talk about my ex-husband, I could still feel my blood foaming. I no longer loved Alaric but I also didn't fancy hearing someone gush over him in that manner. Luckily I was able to get her to eventually focus on the auction, and how she needed to create more masterpiece for sale.“Miss!! We have a problem.” He was panting hard with fear written all over his face. I pressed my thumb against my head. “What is the issue, Mr Grave?” “A client…someone outside claims our paintings are fake. She is screaming and the others are scared, Miss. You need to attend to this please.”My pain rose and my heart started to pound. Not because the paintings were really fake but because a little lie like this might ruin our reputation.
VALERIA’S POV“What do you mean you failed?” Elena yelled and threw the vase in my direction but I dodged in time to protect me.My heart was racing so fast. I could feel how angry she was. She was such a brat but the money she was offering would do a lot for me at the moment. What I still didn't understand was why she was so interested in my shitty little sister. Or why anyone would like her? She was barely half as pretty as I was. If I had known she would end up in bed with the mighty Mr Wolfe, I would have been in that bed instead, and maybe by now I wouldn't have to take Elena’s unending tantrums.“Mr Wolfe showed up. I couldn't push forward. It was up to you to get him away from her.” I finally voiced out and watched her lunge forward. I screamed in pain as she dragged my hair.“You poor stricken thing. You should be glad I am letting you do this job and you dare question me??? I am the reason your Mother and you have somewhere to stay. You should be grateful I am paying your deb
ISABELLA’S POVI was drowning in a pile of work. The boss wouldn't stop calling me after the fake painting rumour. He had informed me that most clients called him complaining and now I had to call them one after another to clear the air. To inform them that my sister was only throwing a tantrum that my parents could have stopped when we were growing up.Well I didn't put it that way. I just had to explain that it was Valeria’s misunderstanding and nothing more. I even volunteered to have their paintings checked by an expert.“You hid the fact that you were married, Miss Isabella. I am sure you had your reasons but please keep your personal life away from your business life.” He paused. I could hear him fiddling with something on the other side of the call. “I’m turning a blind eye because you have sacrificed a lot for this company. Don’t let it repeat itself.” He had said before hanging up, and all I could do was stare into the empty space in front of me. After my confrontation with
ALARIC’S POVShe was still shaken. I could tell by the way she stared absentmindedly as everything. There was an hint of sadness in her eyes, and it made my heart hurt to see her broken again. It made wish that I could take all her pain away. I felt my phone vibrate against my pocket but I ignored it. I knew it had to be Henry calling me since I had left in the middle of an important meeting. A meeting that took us days of pleading to secure, but yet nothing was worth more than she was. Soon she dozed off. I stole glances of her over and over again, checking at interval to see if she was still breathing. She looked so peaceful, so innocent even with her puffy eyes. My heart fluttered as I realized all that I had missed out on. Now that she was back, I was never letting her go.Driving with my left hand, I placed the right palm over her forehead and she was burning up a little. I let out a sigh. Isabella would always put everyone else’s welfare above herself. She was the type to love
ISABELLA’S POVTheir smiling faces were engraved in my mind. Their voices echoed in my head, and every single time my heart would thud. I couldn't stop crying because I knew how much death took from people. I guess at least glad that the lady who had attended to me at the hotel’s lobby didn't judge me for walking around looking like this. Puffy eyes. Scattered hair. Running nose. It was at this point that I realized I had a pair of slippers on. It looked bigger than my size, and that only meant it was his. There were cream colored slides and they felt so comfy.Now I have to return this. Good, another reason to see him again.I rolled my eyes, threw my hands in the air, and smiled. I was standing inside my hotel room, thinking of the best thing to do as I hadn't even come with clean clothes. That meant I had to sleep in a robe or naked.Overwhelmed with everything, my legs gave in, and I cuddled myself, for once I craved the comfort being in Alaric’s arms earlier today had given me.
ISABELLA’S POVI was dressed in a black gown, and jacket with a black shade to hide my red eyes. As I watched their bodies being lowered, I felt nothing but numbness. The conversations that followed with their family members weren't much. Mostly tears and more tears. And as much as I would have to love to be of great help, I could only give them some money. My voice was croaked from crying all night, and after hugging them, I headed back to my car. I could feel Enzo’s presence because he was watching me from afar. He was driving the car behind me. I knew I should have called Alaric to fire him but I just didn't have the strength too.Our car was parked at the building soon, and I wrapped a scarf above my head as I walked in. I could hear their murmurs, which I ignored. Barely minutes later, my landphone rang.“A man who claims to be your husband is here to see you.” The lady informed.I squeezed my eyes for a second before telling her to let him in. It was time I put him in his place.
ISABELLA’S POV“You sing so well.” I complimented, gazing at him as he sat. The singing part was over, and I was impressed. His tone was gentle, and each word sounded genuine. It was a song about longing for love, to be held and seen.“You like it?” He smiled sheepishly, and I nodded.Kelvin was two years younger than me, so I saw him as a brother.“I will sing you to bed every night then, " he teased. I laughed and jokingly ruffled his hair as I wondered how it would feel to have a sibling. Ever since I found out the truth, I had not attempted to find my birth parents. Maybe because I believed they had abandoned me, I wasn't ready to relive the hurt.Mr Neil walked into the container, sweat clinging to his forehead.“It is time for the meet and greet with fans. Then, your lunch with Ava Spring.” He announced.Kelvin rolled his eyes. “Must I? I don't even like her.” “The fans like you two together. We do this to stay relevant, boy, " he reminded Kelvin, and he shrugged his shoulders
THIRD PERSON’S POVWhatever Isabella thought a tour would contain, this was far from it. From the nauseous feeling to the unending noise to the fans occupying everywhere, this was the first time she would be among a crowd of this quantity, and now she was hiding in the van, hoping for a break from this. The first day had passed since they got to Columbia, and she had not seen Kelvin since he walked out of this van, telling Mina, one of his assistants, to attend to her every need. Her accommodation and food were sorted out.“K. Sol!!!” The distant voices echoed as she flicked through her phone, hoping for something to pull her out of this boredom. Would it be right if she requested to leave?She was deep in thought when there was a knock on the window, and she opened the door to let Mina in.“K,” She paused, breathing heavily. “He ran off stage mid-performance and has refused to let anyone in. I don’t know what to do, and Mr Neil…”Isabella’s heart started to pound fast as she thought
ISABELLA’S POV“I’m afraid it is a family matter, Miss. We can't invade his home for that. Just go home and talk to your husband.” The plump policeman said again as he stroked his beard, the ring on his finger evident. “You seem not to understand, sir. I have been there, but he won’t let me in.” I informed him, irritation seeping in. I did. I went back there the second I got the papers, and Elena had instructed them not to answer me or let me in, not even when I banged the gate and screamed at the top of my lungs.“Then keep trying, Miss. Please leave. I have other cases to attend to. Someone could be dying somewhere right now.” He sounded displeased and tired.I let out a low groan, annoyed and eager to punch him in the face.My case was just as important as any other one.Before I could speak, he got up and walked towards his partner. I watched as they exchanged pleasantries.“Who is she?”The other policeman asked, and the plump man’s eyes darted over him with disgust.“Just some
ELENA’S POV“Just one fucking thing, and you can't even get that done!” My father roared, and the next, the vase was sent crashing against the wall above my head, with the pieces cascading over my body.I trembled in fear as tears stung my eyes. This was just like him. There was nothing I ever did that he was pleased with. At first, he despised my pursuit of Alaric until his company gradually went bankrupt, and now he needed this major partnership to stir the company back to the right path.“You are useless. So useless.” He slammed his fist into the wall in annoyance.We were standing in my father’s sitting room. His jacket was now off, and he was pacing up and down the room, and all my mom could do was watch.“I tried, father. I…” My words trailed off when another vase came crashing against my forehead and hitting the floor with a loud thud followed by shattering glass. Pain shot through me, and I bit on my lower lip, clutching the edge of my skirt tightly.It would soon be over, I t
THIRD PERSON POVAlaric had spent all night wondering if his wife had been an evil woman. Maybe that was why his mother was trying to protect him from her or the hurtful memories. He exhaled for the hundredth time as he awaited daybreak, then finally headed straight to the locked room with the keys and a hammer in case that didn’t work.It was funny how the door opened the second he turned the handle. He heaved a sigh of relief, and the full sight came into view. Female dresses were scattered over the bed, and unused makeup was at different angles. Shoes and bags looked outdated. Did he make his wife suffer? Maybe work multiple jobs like other men do? Did he treat her so poorly? Was that why she never showed up?He picked the first dress, taking a sniff of each, but there was no scent on them, nothing that reminded him of her, not the shoes or bags. And worse, most of them still had their tags on.Frustrated, he rampaged the whole room, hoping to find the painting, but it was nowher
ALARIC’S POVThe other night, somehow, he detected something in the water—not from the look but from the smell—and it made him wonder what type of person he used to be. Did he used to have a lot of enemies? Has he ever been poisoned?Deep down, he didn't feel bad that he didn't give in to her sexual urge because he saw her as a sister, which was weird. As he walked into his company, he took a deep breath. He had been away for too long and almost didn’t know it existed until Mr Henry, who claimed to be his assistant, called and said they had a project to handle. “Mr Alaric. The meeting starts in twenty minutes. Is there anything you would like me to do?” An average-height man walked over to him, a glass on the brink of his nose, making him look like a nerd.“Remind me of your name,” Alaric said, watching the man’s expression change.“Is this a joke, sir? It’s me, Henry.” He adjusted his glass again.“Oh! Of course, I know who you are. I was joking.” He lied, then chuckled dryly befo
ELENA’S POVHis question had thrown me off board because I couldn’t tell how much of his memory he had gotten back. Even when I switched his drugs to vitamin C, that way, we would live together as one. I tilted my head, hiding my fear behind the smile I had on. “Of course, babe. That was before the accident.” I lied and awaited anything else, but weirdly, he didn’t say anything.He tried the other two, and I finally chose one. Somehow, it felt like he wasn’t involved in the planning of our wedding, but I was at least glad Mother had been able to convince him not to push it off until he regained his memory.Something I would make sure never happened.As we drove home, my mind kept returning to the room, and I immediately knew I had to get rid of everything in it. ****Night had slowly crept in, and finally, the tension had subsided. The feeling that he was suspecting me had drifted off. “Here,” I said, stretching the drugged water towards him while he sat on the new laptop we had go
ALARIC’S POVI popped the drug out of the white container and then gulped it down with some warm water. Days had passed since the accident, and although the Doctor had suggested that staying in a familiar environment would trigger something in my memory, nothing happened. Everything still seemed void and blank. Still, I could tell something was missing deep down. My routine had been almost the same lately. Sleep, eat, and read the news, all hoping that something would come up to put all the puzzles together.The drug tasted off today, but I shrugged it off as my body was getting used to it. My fiancee wasn't home yet. She had gone to see my mother. They seemed pretty close, and they had been a great help in telling me all that I needed to know about my past and my relationship with Elena. It was weird how we didn't have any pictures together except when we were younger. She had said I didn’t like taking pictures.I walked around the house one more time, tracing my fingers over everyt
ISABELLA’S POVBy the time Kelvin arrived, my legs were soaked by my tears. It seemed he could tell how hurt I was because he didn’t bother to ask any questions as he helped me into his car. Throughout the drive, all I could do was stare outside the window, hoping and wishing that this was a dream.But it wasn't. Because when the moment I pulled my eyes apart the following day, all I could see was the room that looked nothing like mine. I had been too drained last night to insist on being moved to a hotel. All I just wanted was some peace.My head throbbed hard from all the crying, and as I strode through the house, I caught sight of Kelvin.“You up early. How do you feel?” He asked, dressed in a brown leather jacket, black singlet and black pants with a black belt with silver buckle. He had a sunshade on with light orange-like glasses. “I have a meeting with a company in thirty minutes.” He explained. I nodded, my throat clogged. “What would you love to eat so I can get Anna to make