Isabel’s POVThe darkness seemed endless, pressing in on me from all sides. My breath came in short, panicked gasps. It felt as if the walls were closing in tighter with every second. The small, enclosed space felt like it was crushing me. Squeezing out any last bit of hope. My head throbbed painfully, each pulse of my heartbeat sending sharp pains through my temples. Was this how I would die? Trapped, alone, and suffocated by my own terror?The memories came rushing back, as vivid as the day they happened. Falling down those stairs. Lilith’s wicked smile. The sickening crack of bone against stone. Until there was only darkness. I had lost my baby in that darkness. The same darkness that surrounded me now.The fear that had taken root inside me was growing like a dark vine, swallowing me whole. I couldn’t move, couldn’t scream. The overwhelming dread was too much.But then, through the suffocating silence, I heard it—a loud crash. And then another. My head jolted upright. What was ha
Isabel’s POVEmerson's words and reactions were unsettling. The way he’d pinpointed my claustrophobia, even tracing it back to when it began, left me bewildered. How had he known? And why did he look so sorrowful? His usually cold blue eyes held an unusual softness as he sat there. His hands were tangled in his hair. He was staring up at me with an expression that almost made me falter.Almost.But I couldn’t let myself be swayed by him. Not again. Emerson had hurt me too deeply. He had cut me in ways that left permanent scars. The look in his eyes might have touched me once. But now, I felt nothing more than a fleeting shadow of what I had once felt for him. I couldn't afford to let down my walls. Not again. Not with the man who had shattered my heart beyond repair.I ignored his question, refusing to give him the satisfaction of prying into my pain. All I wanted was to leave, to put as much distance between us as possible. But as I sat up and started gathering my things, Emerson w
Isabel’s POVI stared at Emerson in disbelief, my heart pounding in my chest. What did he mean? The ruby necklace my mother had left me—how could it be on the auction list? My mind struggled to process the words that had just come out of his mouth.I shook my head, refusing to believe it. “That can’t be right,” I whispered, my voice barely audible. “I never sold it… I would never…” My words trailed off as memories of my father’s bankruptcy hit me hard. So many things had been taken, sold off. But not that necklace. It was the only thing I had left of her.I clenched my fists, trying to control the wave of emotions that surged through me. "The break-in at my father's house," I muttered to myself, piecing it together. “It must’ve been stolen then.”Just a few days ago, the police had called me about a break-in. “Ma'am, I’m sorry, the thief ran away, but nothing valuable seemed to have been stolen.” the police said. There wasn’t much left since the bankruptcy. But I totally forgot about
Isabel’s POVEmerson’s words hit me like a hammer. The realization of what he was saying made my heart sink. If I wanted to reclaim my mother’s necklace, I would have to go through bankruptcy all over again.The thought made my stomach twist with anxiety. “I need to think,” I murmured. My voice was barely audible, as if speaking louder would make the situation more real.Emerson nodded, his expression unreadable. “Take your time. But remember, the auction won’t wait forever.”As he left the room, I sank into the chair, feeling the exhaustion wash over me. My mind raced with possibilities. Each one seemed more futile than the last.My mind was a storm of thoughts.
Isabel’s POVIt was absurd. Show him weakness? Why would I ever do that again? Emerson's question echoed in my mind, stirring a mix of anger and disbelief. Were my worries about money not enough to satisfy his cruel heart?I had begged him for help before. Each time had only deepened the wounds he’d already inflicted. How could he even ask such a question now? How could he expect me to show weakness, after everything that happened?I took a deep breath, trying to steady the tumult of emotions swirling inside me. I had to keep my walls up. I had to protect myself from his twisted mind games. I couldn’t give him any power over my heart ever again.“I may not be as rich as you,” I began, my voice trembling with the effort to keep
Emerson’s POVI was at the hospital with Isabel, again. Isabel was sitting on the bed. Her eyes were distant. She was clearly lost in thought.I watched her for a moment, the way her fingers absentmindedly traced the edge of the blanket. I couldn’t help but feel a pang of something—guilt? Regret?It was hard to tell these days. My emotions were a tangled mess whenever I was around her.I decided we could both use a cup of coffee, so I stepped outside into the hallway. While I waited at the coffee machine, I reached into my pocket. I pulled out my phone and sighed as I saw the screen light up with missed calls and messages.Most of them were from Lilith. I could almost hear the ange
Isabel’s POVSeeing Emerson leave so decisively, my heart ached in a way that felt all too familiar. The pain was sharp, as if he had driven a knife deeper into a wound that never seemed to heal.Why did he keep hurting me? Why did I let him?I tried to stand. But as I put weight on my ankle, a sharp pain shot through me. I fell again. I must’ve sprained my ankle.The cold pavement stung against my skin, and the humiliation burned in my chest. I was about to try getting up once more when I heard hurried footsteps approaching."Isabel!" Emma's voice broke through the haze of pain and despair. She knelt beside me, her face etched with worry. "What happened? Are you okay?"
Isabel’s POVI tried to comfort Emma, but my words felt hollow. I told her I was just preparing for the worst, trying to make sense of it all in advance. No one could predict the future, I reminded her. It was a flimsy shield against the gnawing fear that clung to me. I knew she could see through my brave front. But she nodded, her eyes heavy with concern."Isabel, don't talk like that," Emma said, her voice trembling. "You’re not going anywhere. We’ll figure this out together."I forced a smile, though it felt like a thin mask. "I just want to be prepared, Emma. If anything happens to me, I want you to sell the house I got from the divorce. The money should be enough to support my father for the rest of his life."Her face crumpled at my words, but she nodded again. "You know I’ll take care of him. But please, don’t give up. You have to keep fighting."I reached out, squeezing her hand. "I’ll try, Emma. But I need to do this my way."Later, I contacted the auction organizer. My finge
Isabel’s POVTime seemed to slow as I sprinted toward the house, my heart hammering against my ribs. The image of Elena dangling from the second-floor window was seared into my mind, an unbearable nightmare unfolding in real time. My arms were outstretched, ready to catch her if she fell. But a sudden movement at the window made me freeze.Margot.She was there, gripping Elena tightly. Her entire body strained as she pulled the little girl with all her might. My breath hitched. Margot? How? What was she doing here? And how had Elena even ended up in such a dangerous position? The questions swirled in my mind, but there was no time for answers. All that mattered was that Margot had a firm hold on my darling niece.A final tug, and then—a heavy thud. They had landed safely on the floor. Relief flooded me. But I didn't allow myself to hesitate any longer. I turned on my heel and bolted up the stairs, my legs burning as I took two steps at a time. Emerson was already ahead of me, his
Isabel’s POVThe fog had finally lifted.After days of treatment under the guidance of medical experts, the poison’s grip on my mind had loosened. My thoughts were clearer. My body, once sluggish and foreign, was finally my own again. Emerson had been a pillar through it all. His quiet elation was evident in the way his gaze lingered on me. In the way his fingers often ‘accidentally’ brushed against mine. As if to reassure himself that I was still here—still me.I still couldn’t bring myself to truly look in the mirror—not after the last time, when the reflection staring back at me had been a hollow, broken version of myself. But as I moved past, my eyes flickered to the glass, catching a glimpse. For the first time in what felt like forever, I didn’t just see the damage—the dark circles, the lingering weariness in my expression. No, beneath all that, there was something else. A spark. A glimmer of the woman I used to be. The one who had returned to Rivermont not as a victim, but a
Sebastian/Elias’s POVThe air in the dimly lit chamber grew thick with tension as Alistair Montrose stepped even closer. His breath reeked of cigars and an attempt at mint to mask the stench, but it only made it worse. A nauseating mix of indulgence and decay. The closer he got, the stronger the sickening combination became, making my empty stomach churn.I yanked against the chains binding my wrists, the metal digging deeper into my raw skin. My muscles screamed in protest. But I refused to stay still, to give him the satisfaction of seeing me accept my fate. I met his gaze with unflinching defiance."Calm down, young man," Alistair cooed, mockingly, as if soothing a wayward child. His voice dripped with condescension, his lips curling into a cruel smirk. "What’s wrong? Are you not satisfied with my… hospitality?"My blood boiled. The sound of his voice alone ignited a fresh wave of fury inside me. I gathered the metallic tang of blood in my mouth and spat. A dark satisfaction cu
Sebastian/Elias’s POV“Ugh,” I groaned, my voice raw and low with sleepless surrender. A sliver of sunlight slipped through a crack in the wall. A thin, mocking reminder that another morning had arrived.The cold bit into my skin like the sharp edge of a blade. The pain of the chains holding my arms overhead was relentless. They had cut into my wrists until the skin had been rubbed raw. Blood had dried and cracked along my forearms. The dull ache merged with the bruises and gashes that covered my body. I no longer knew how long I had been here. Days? Weeks? It could have been months.Time stretched endlessly in the dim chamber, swallowed by the darkness that pressed in from all sides.My last clear memory before waking in this hellhole was the mission. A simple retrieval, or so I had thought. I had been careful, thorough—yet somehow, I had walked right into an ambush. A sharp pain at the base of my skull told me they had knocked me out. I had awoken in chains. Disoriented, aching,
Isabel’s POV“We’ve got to get hold of those candles.” Emerson’s voice was firm, his expression grim. He turned to Michael. “Stop the garbage truck before it leaves the estate. Make sure we recover any candles that were thrown away.”Michael nodded and pulled out his phone, issuing rapid instructions to his team. Meanwhile, Emerson was already making another call, his voice clipped and urgent. “I need a rushed toxicology report. Priority level one. Have your team ready to test a sample as soon as we retrieve it.”I clenched my hands into fists, my nails digging into my palms. A cold dread curled in my stomach. If our suspicions were true, if those candles had truly been poisoning me for weeks… Lila had been doing this right under my nose. Right under Emerson’s nose. How?More importantly—why?“I can’t believe this,” I muttered, shaking my head as a shudder ran through me. “It means she had planned this all along. She wasn’t just lurking, waiting for a moment of opportunity—she was a
Isabel’s POV“Oh, you’re back! How are you feeling, ma’am?”Marianne’s warm voice greeted us the moment we stepped inside the villa. She stood in the foyer, her hands clasped neatly in front of her apron, her eyes filled with familiar concern. Normally, I would have felt comforted by her presence—Marianne had worked for this family for years, and I had always trusted her like a second mother. But now, that trust was riddled with cracks.Emerson and I exchanged a look. There was something heavy in the air between us. An unspoken understanding that everything had changed.“I’m... okay,” I said, though my voice felt hollow. “Thanks.”Marianne smiled, but there was a flicker of something in her eyes—uncertainty, perhaps? Or was I just imagining it? “I was just about to go out to buy groceries, but Michael disagreed. Did something happen?” she asked.I hesitated. Emerson didn’t.“Marianne, we need to ask you about the scented candles you’ve been bringing into the house.” His tone was fir
Isabel’s POVThe morning light cast a soft glow on my room. I sat up, my limbs heavy from days spent in bed. My mind was still clouded with fragments of confusion and dread. I needed to shake this off. A long shower seemed like the best place to start.As the warm water cascaded over me, I felt the tension in my shoulders slowly unravel. I scrubbed away the sweat and exhaustion, hoping to wash away the uncertainty as well. But even as the steam enveloped me, I couldn’t escape the lingering unease in the pit of my stomach. The memory of the reporters, the Lilith-Lila confusion, the eerie feeling that someone was orchestrating my downfall—it all remained just beneath the surface.When I finally stepped out, I wrapped myself in a fresh towel. I took a deep breath. This was a step forward. No more hiding.Downstairs, the moment my feet touched the floor, a blur of movement shot toward me. "Mommy!" Elena and Liam's voices rang out in unison before their small arms wrapped around me.El
Isabel’s POVSince that mob of unscrupulous reporters had forced their way into my life, I had barely left my room. The world outside felt hostile, filled with prying eyes and whispered accusations. My mind was a battlefield—one I was rapidly losing control over. Were the things I remembered even real? Were my memories just fragments of paranoia and stress? I didn’t know anymore.But the worst part was the guilt. The guilt at my inability to be the mother Liam needed, the support for Elena. They were left to the maids when Emerson was at work. I couldn’t even fulfill my duties at work. Though uncle Eric was understanding and told me to take all the time I needed. Still, I felt like I was failing every single person I cared about.I sat on the edge of my bed, staring at the dark and motionless wall. The silence in my room pressed in on me, thick and suffocating. I should have felt safe here. But instead, every second alone with my own thoughts was another moment of torment.The sudde
Isabel’s POVThe drive home was excruciating. The air between us was thick with unspoken words. The weight of my mistake pressed heavily on my chest. I had leaned in, kissed his cheek, touched him like nothing had changed—like we were still together. But we weren’t. How could I have forgotten something so fundamental? My mind had been slipping more and more lately, but this? This was a whole new level of terrifying.I stole a glance at Emerson. His hands gripped the steering wheel tightly, knuckles paling under the pressure. His jaw was tense, the faintest muscle twitch betraying his emotions. I could feel his stolen glances too, hesitant, worried, as if he wasn’t sure what to say to me. Maybe he thought I’d shatter if he said the wrong thing.And, to be honest, I just might.I clenched my fists in my lap. Was I really losing it? Had I imagined everything about Lila—Lilith? The flickering images in my head, the strange certainty that she wasn’t who she claimed to be… Was my mind p