CHAPTER 4

           She was there, in the doorway. Isabelle was still a wonderful vision in ivory, but all the excitement from before had turned into... pain. She was holding in one hand an envelope and on the other, a couple of... photos. Her gaze was filled with painful, silent questions. She shook her head in total disbelief.

‘Belle!’ Shawn said getting up and coming towards her. ‘My darling, what is going on? Are you alright?’

         Isabelle didn’t say a word. She just stood there and stared at him. After a few minutes that seemed an eternity, she threw the photos she was holding in her hand right in his face. Shawn picked them up and their mere sight made the blood in his veins freeze. This can’t be! No fucking way! Disgusted, Shawn threw the photos away. He watched Isabelle carefully while she took the glass of champagne, drank it in one breath, then sat on the couch.

‘My love, listen to me, please… There is a good explanation for this… This isn’t like it seems…’

          In that instant, with those words, Shawn broke her heart. She felt like a fool all over again. Isabelle believed that her man truly loved her, but none of what he had said to her in the last days, in the last hours, was true. And now she could see that. Every word, every promise was just a big, fat lie… nothing more. Seeing the photos of him naked, in Danielle's bed, making love to her, was the coup de grace. Isabelle felt the earth open up and swallow her. Those filthy images practically burned her soul.

‘No...’ she whispered after a while.

          Isabelle didn’t raise her voice; she didn’t even look him in the eye. She just stared blankly into space, trying hard not to go insane because of the pain. What she had to tell him was very important, so Isabelle needed to stay calm.

‘I am afraid that this time you can’t explain and frankly, I don’t need you to do it. Whether you did this before or after asking me to marry you, it makes no difference. I’m not stupid, Shawn, it just took me a little longer than expected to understand you and your game. You chose to marry me because you felt pressured, or because you wanted to put your conscience to rest. I don’t care what was the real reason you did it. Going to bed with your ex was your way of punishing me for ruining your life since day one. This showed me that you didn’t change.’

          He approached Isabelle, but she pulled away from him almost immediately and went to the room’s opposite side. She mustn’t allow him to touch her, otherwise, she could break into a thousand pieces, like a piece of glass. Isabelle knew she couldn’t crumble in front of him. No, she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction to see her falling apart.

‘Belle... It’s not what you think. Nothing happened between her and me. Besides, I don’t want Danielle, I want only you. Believe me, my love, these photos aren’t real.’

‘Hmm... Not real, you say…’ she replied dryly. ‘To me, they are too real, maybe… How could you do it? How could you marry me when it’s crystal clear who you want in your bed?! Is seeing me like this satisfying enough for you?’

          With two strides, Shawn was near her and he forced Isabelle to look at him, but Isabelle closed her eyes. She thought that with him she was safe, but Shawn had pushed her right back into the flames of hell.

‘I would’ve followed you to the ends of the universe, even beyond this life... I would’ve done anything for you because, unlike you, I know how to love and my love doesn’t last five minutes, but a lifetime, because it’s real.’ She lost her voice for a while. ‘I love you so much, but I won’t allow you to keep hurting me. I can't fight you anymore... You won… you’re free.’

‘You have to listen to me, Belle!’ he exclaimed shaking her slightly. ‘I was drunk and angry. After drinking a whole bottle of whiskey, I fell asleep in a bed in one of the guests’ rooms. I swear to you that nothing happened with Danielle, I didn’t touch her. I love only you, baby! I want only you! Please, open your eyes and look at me!’

‘No...’ Isabelle yanked herself from his grasp. She needed to take off the wedding dress, it was suffocating her. ‘Don’t touch me, please! I will stay here tonight because I don’t have a place to go right now. But starting tomorrow morning, I promise you that you will never see me again. We will meet again on the day you decide to divorce me.’ She slightly turned to him. ‘You made me believe that together we were invincible... How stupid of me to think that! You know, I would’ve respected you more if you’d came to me and tell all in my face. But you went behind my back... well, that is on me! I chose to love you with my eyes closed... Do what you want, from now on, you're bound to me no more!’

          Isabelle pushed him and walked towards the bedroom, and closed the door behind her. Even if her hands were trembling, she managed to get off the dress. She sat down on the edge of the bed, trying hard not to cry. But, eventually, the tears began to roll down her cheeks and Isabelle felt all the anger, the despair pulling her under.

          The main door slam shut, a sign that Shawn just went away. Without a doubt, he was going to see Danielle and give her the good news. Hurt and incredulous, Isabelle shook her head, got up from the bed, and took her cell phone from the nightstand. She called the only person she knew it will help her. After a couple of seconds, she heard the person’s voice.

‘Can you come to Shawn's apartment? I don’t know what to do... Please, I need you. Alright, thank you.’

          Isabelle hung up and just allow pain and tears to swallow her up. This time it was over. Although he hurt her greatly, she still loved Shawn very much. But she also had to face the harsh reality. The two of them weren't meant to be together.

          Slowly and silently, she put on a pair of jeans and a shirt, closed her suitcase and carried it near the main door. Then she opened the window, letting the night breeze calm her down. And she started waiting.