Heartbroken

Isobella's POV

A gasp escaped my lips. Given the tumultuous circumstances I had faced today, my head spun.

"What the hell are you doing, Isobella?" Brady, my boyfriend asked in shock as he strode my way however Artemis's men blocked him.

"Who is he?" A look of confusion clouded his face as Artemis questioned me.

"I'm sorry I didn't know bringing him along would cause trouble. He was with me when you called." Jhena explained.

 "You may allow him." Artemis instructed his men and immediately they moved to do his bidding.

"Brady." I whispered as tears brimmed in my eyes and Brady approached me.

"Is that a ring I see?" 

"Brady ple-please, I had no choice." I tried explaining.

"What about me? What about us? Was this the reason you asked for a break? Just so you could spring your wedding on me?" He scoffed.

I shook my head searching for the right words to say to ease the tension but nothing came. I was neck deep in this abyss and there was no way for me to escape.

"Say the words, Bella and I will walk out of here without looking back." Brady said.

"I-"

"No you don't get to-"

"Now that's enough." Artemis interrupted him.

"If I ever see you around my woman again," Artemis' left hand wound around my waist, pulling me closer to himself as he continued "I won't be this benevolent with you, now leave." 

Brady swirled around and strode out of the courthouse. I shut my eyes tight but that didn't stop the pain that ravaged me.

It felt like an invisible fist was wrapped around my lungs and was dragging me deeper into the darkness, deeper to the abyss and I felt emptiness. The throbbing ache was too much for me to handle. My chest hurt even more when I inhaled, as though it were being crushed under an invisible weight.  

And when I opened my eyes, it dawned on me that I had lost someone good again and it was because of no one else but Griffith Black, my father.

At that moment, Artemis pulled me into his hands and hugged me tight. I was grateful he did that because everything was too much for me to handle alone.

  ** **   

"We are here." The driver informed me as he rode into a huge compound with tall iron wrought gates that shielded a gigantic mansion.

I shook away the last dregs of sleep from my eyes and sat upright. I gaped at the beauty of the house. 

The exterior was all dark polished marble and elegant white moldings with golden accents on the windows and doors. The grounds were beautiful with manicured bushes, trees, stone paths, and an abundance of flowers in every conceivable color imaginable. 

The windows glittered with the reflection of the evening setting sun in the sky. My heart was racing, and my palms had begun to sweat. After a long moment, I took deep breaths and pushed down my fears to embrace my new life.

Standing on the asphalt driveway for a second, I looked up at the mansion painted in white. It practically glinted in the evening sun as if it were some ice palace from a fairy tale but I knew the owner was no prince charming.

He had made that clear before going to his meeting after we went shopping. To my left was a garage, I didn't need to be told that it would be filled with many cars. Just then a young woman dressed in a dark uniform strode out of the house pulling me out of my daydream.

Hi,” I smiled shyly.

"Welcome." She smiled back and helped me with my bags.

Although I was not used to this preferential treatment, I nodded and traipsed towards the house behind her. She shut the door after me.

"Feel at home, I will take this to your room."

"Thank you." 

I exhaled as I darted my eyes around the house which had now become mine. Would I ever get used to this type of life? It screamed wealth and everything I ever wished to have.

I sighed and plopped on one of the cream sofas hoping to catch some sleep when a loud voice burst through my thoughts.

"Where is she? " A female voice shouted atop her lungs outside. I strode to the door to open it since the help had not come down yet.

Her lips curled upward as the scent of her feminine perfume drifted into my nose, announcing her presence. 

The woman's lips were pulled back over white teeth that shone like daggers and her face was distorted in an unpleasant grimace.

She stared at me with piercing eyes, which made me uncomfortable.

"Did my dear Artemis really think that he could double cross me this way?" She sized me up in one look that sent shivers down my spine as her sharp emerald eyes looked right into mine.

I was confused. Utterly confused.

I wrapped my hand around my frame looking lost and wishing that Artemis was here to unravel this riddle.

"Who are you?" I muttered.

She laughed mockingly, the tinkling sound sending my stomach turning in knots. She tsked with a dismissive curl of her lip as a sinister sneer creased her face.

"You'll know me soon enough. And when you do, I hope you know you're ready." She hissed and swirled around in anger.

As I watched the woman stride away, I wondered who she was and what her words meant which begged the question - Why exactly did Artemis marry me?