Chapter Three

Weston strode into her room looking quite displeased as always. Isabella who was sitting at her favorite place by her window was instantly on alert. She knew instinctively that he wouldn't ever come into her room to do small talk. He was rude and would remain so till she left his house.

"Why are you behaving like I'm the bl**dy villain here? Do you want sympathy from my parents so badly? You have already sneaked into our house, into their hearts. What more do you want?" He growled at her.

"I don't know what you're talking about. You don't want me around so I'm staying away," she mumbled, feeling a bit hurt by his allegations.

"Of course I don't want you in this house but what was the need to put up an act at the dinner table? I don't give a sh*t if you starve yourself to death but my parents would land up in prison if you do," he hissed, angrily. Isabella felt her eyes prick with tears.

"I just wasn't hungry but don't worry. It won't happen again," she told him, looking back out of the window.

"Who are you watching so intently?" He growled, walking up to her and peering out of her window at all their neighboring houses. Intense jealousy coursed through his whole body just at the thought of her watching the guys in his neighborhood. There was crazy Jack Graham living opposite them who was the infamous Casanova. Then there was the slithery snake, Timothy Drew living diagonally opposite them. He could talk sweet and easily charm into any girl's pants. Last but not least was the nerdy and very handsome Phil who was three years younger than him and could win this girl's heart quite easily. He felt all the more furious thinking about them watching her. He carefully scanned their houses but found no one.

Isabella's breath stuck in her throat at his nearness. With him leaning almost to her level, his face was inches away from hers. She could get the tingling fresh smell of his cologne and it made the butterflies in her stomach flutter dangerously. She noticed that he was more muscular from so near and his eyes had golden specks making them look so stunning.

"Stop staring as if I'll eat you alive, " he said with a little amusement in his tone as he turned to look at her, his hands on the window sill to support his weight. Isabella's eyes flew down to her own hands, embarrassed at being caught staring. How could she be so dumb? 'He hates you, Isabella. How could you find him handsome?' She chided herself.

After ensuring that there was no one around, he softened a bit. He scanned her face minutely. She was very beautiful, there was no doubt about it. 'Too young, Not my type at all,' he reminded himself mentally. Her doe-shaped eyes were too beautiful and too blue. He had never seen such beautiful eyes in all his life. Had he seen fear in them? Did she fear him? He wanted her to look up at him.

"You shouldn't sit here. There are bad boys living opposite to us. We have a good reputation here. I don't want you to hook up with anyone. You're just a kid, remember that, " he said rudely.

"I like it here. I'm not a kid and neither am I interested in anyone," said Isabella feeling hurt.

"If you stay here you dare not disobey me, girl, " he warned. Her curled, thick lashes fluttered as she looked up at him with fright. Would he hit her?

"Why the f*ck are you so scared of me?" He growled at her, feeling frustrated seeing her frightened gaze. Her creamy, soft, skin looked almost translucent just like a baby's. Her soft, baby pink plump lips parted as she stared at him, her eyes looking more scared.

"I'm not scared of you," she mumbled, looking out of the window again.

"Of course you are. Why do you lock yourself and hide when I'm around?" He asked in a pissed-off mood. Why did she have to look away all the time?

"I just keep myself out of your way," she answered, a sadness in her tone that didn't go unnoticed by Weston. "I don't want you leaving your own home because of me," she said, looking up at him.

"Why should I leave my own house? If anyone needs to leave, it should be you, " he said but immediately regretted saying it seeing the look of determination in her eyes.

"You're right, " she said, getting up and going towards the washroom. She didn't want to engage in any more useless talks with him. She would tell uncle David that she wanted to go to the state foster care.

Weston sat regretting what he told her. Would she really go away? Would she blame him for driving her away? Then his dad would skin him alive! He rolled his eyes and went to Hudson's room for help. Only he could coax the kid to stay. As for him, she was too young, timid, and fragile for his taste, He reasoned in his mind. As long as she didn't cross his path, he would ignore her very existence. Hudson was busy studying and didn't want to be disturbed so, Weston went back to his room, feeling more restless than ever.

The next morning, before going to work, David Gray summoned Isabella, to talk to her. The boys were busy having their breakfast before rushing off to school.

"Isa, tonight my friend will arrive in the evening and we'll initiate the adoption process. After that we'll enroll you into Hudson and Weston's school, Radcliffe International," he told her.

"Thank you for your kindness, uncle David. I don't want to live here and be a burden upon you. I want to go to the state foster homes," she said meekly. Weston froze knowing that she would now complain against him and he would be grounded for a month or so. David Gray looked at her with concern.

"You won't go anywhere, Isabella. Your mom was a close friend of Henrietta's and she would be heartbroken if you go away. She already thinks of you as her daughter," said David Gray sternly. Tears fell from the poor girl's eyes as she sat quietly with her head hanging down.

David Gray softened. "Has anyone threatened you into leaving, Isa? You can tell me," he coaxed.

"No, uncle David, " she said quietly, in between sobs. Hudson left his food and strode towards her.

"You can tell me, pumpkin. Dad's right, we won't let you go anywhere," he said, wiping her tears. Weston sat frozen watching them coax her to stay. He was stunned that she never once took his name or blame him in any way. In fact, she cried on Hudson's shoulder as he soothed her, calmed her.

"I'm sorry, bro. I've made your shirt wet," she said when she calmed down. David Gray smiled indulgently at the two of them. There was no way anyone could ever say that they weren't real blood-related siblings.

"It's only tears, pumpkin. It'll dry up. Now be a good girl and listen to dad, I'll get you your favorite ice cream on my way back," he promised. Her eyes lit up.

"Promise?" She said and he nodded with a grin. Hudson walked over to pick up his car keys to leave for school.

"Wes, coming?" He yelled.

"Later, you go ahead," said Weston, concentrating upon munching his sandwich. His dad gave him a look and went to start his car.

"Are you ready or not, honey?" He called out to his wife. She came rushing out of her room having missed all the drama of the morning. She was an Art teacher at a junior school nearby and her husband was waiting to drop her off.

She kissed Isabella's forehead. "You can watch TV, read books from the library, dear. There's food in the fridge. Just warm it up and eat when hungry. I'll come back by lunchtime. Don't wander around since you're new here and it's unsafe. Okay?" Asked aunt Henrietta.

"Yes, aunt Henrietta. Don't worry," she reassured her. She glared at Weston.

"What are you doing at home? Shouldn't you be at school?" She asked him.

"Honey, I'm getting late. Will you hurry please," yelled David Gray from outside.

"Coming, " she yelled back.

"I'm just leaving, mom. Can't a guy eat in peace?" He rolled his eyes at her.

"Eat and leave. If I hear you've been bothering Isabella, you know what I'll do to you, Wes," she threatened.

"Yeah, you'll either take away my mobile for a month or cut off my pocket money for a month. I know," he shrugged.

"That and you'll be locked at home with a private tutor for a month, " warned his mom. She walked out liking the look of horror on his face.

After she left, Weston got up from the table and walked towards Isabella who was about to flee but froze seeing him approaching her.