Chapter 4: Sneaky Peep

Laura's face was etched with distrust and doubt; it was clear she didn’t believe a word Isabella had just said. She suspected that Isabella didn’t like Lorenzo and was trying to convince her to abandon their relationship.

Taking Isabella's hands, Laura sat her down and, locking eyes with her, said earnestly, “Isabella, Lorenzo is a good man. He will be a wonderful father to you. Please give him a chance. He even welcomed us into his home—remember, this isn’t just ours.”

Hearing her mother's response, Isabella felt a wave of disappointment wash over her. She hadn't expected her mother to doubt her.

"If you say so," Isabella sighed, resigning herself to the situation.

"Come on, let’s have dinner," Laura said, offering her daughter a warm smile.

They both went out together and had dinner with Lorenzo, who kept stealing glances at Isabella, making her feel uneasy.

She avoided his gaze and ate quickly. After stacking the used plates, she took them to the kitchen to wash them.

As she was busy at the sink, she heard Lorenzo's voice from the sitting room talking to her mother: "I'll grab a glass of water."

Hearing footsteps approaching the kitchen, Isabella stiffened nervously; her breath caught in her throat as her heart raced.

She hadn’t even noticed that she had been frozen in place for the last two minutes.

"Are you okay, Isabella?" Lorenzo's deep voice inquired, glancing over at her while filling a glass with water. He had noticed her stillness.

Isabella snapped out of her fear, forcing a smile as she clumsily washed the plates. "Yeah, yes," she stuttered.

Lorenzo smiled at her reaction and left the kitchen without another word.

Isabella exhaled in relief, and after finishing with the plates, she returned to her room and lay on her bed.

She picked up her books and started to read, but the loud sounds of sex from the next room interrupted her concentration. Frustrated, she blocked her ears and eventually fell asleep on her bed.

The next day at school, Cecilia confronted her with arms crossed and a fierce expression.

"Isabella, why didn’t you reply to my message?" Cecilia asked, clearly annoyed.

In that moment, Isabella recalled that she had exchanged numbers with Cecilia and had promised to add her to the school's only girls' W******p group.

"I'm sorry, Cecilia; I completely forgot yesterday..." She struggled to find the words, her mind still clouded by thoughts of Lorenzo, making her feel awkward. "Can you forgive me this time? I promise it won’t happen again."

Cecilia raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical.

"Is it about your family?" she probed.

"Yes," Isabella replied, the word escaping before she could think twice.

Cecilia took Isabella's arm and pulled her into the restroom.

"Tell me what's going on, Isabella. I thought you were living with your mom and her boyfriend. Is he making your life miserable? I may not have a lot of power, but I can still stand up for my friend and teach him a lesson," Cecilia declared, ready for battle.

Isabella, struggling to keep up with Cecilia's rapid thoughts, explained helplessly, "He's my mom's boyfriend, not my stepdad. I'm not being mistreated, but their noisy nights are making me really uncomfortable."

Cecilia's eyes lit up as she asked with interest and curiosity, "Have you seen his dick? Is it big?"

Isabella retorted helplessly, "No, of course not. That’s nonsense!"

Cecilia laughed and then jokingly teased, "I mean, he must be really good if he makes your mom scream loudly. Are you jealous?"

Isabella rolled her eyes at Cecilia and angrily replied, "I am not going to say a word to you."

She walked off, and Cecilia laughed as she followed her out.

"Isabella, please don’t be mad at me! I just can’t help it—I love older men. They really know how to make a girl feel special, and they know all the right places to touch. One day, I’ll share my adventures with you!" Cecilia said as they strolled toward their classroom.

Isabella covered her ears with her hands.

"I'm not listening!" she half-yelled, trying to block it out.

Cecilia playfully tickled her, and they both burst into laughter, chatting happily as they headed back inside the classroom.

As Isabella rummaged through her desk, she was taken aback to discover a letter tucked away in her schoolbag. Before she could react, Cecilia grabbed it and began reading it aloud to the class.

"Awww, lover boy Lewis! Isabella, someone has a crush on you!" Cecilia teased, sending the entire classroom into fits of laughter.

Isabella groaned, pressing her palm to her forehead in frustration. She had just started classes yesterday, and already love letters were pouring in. The thought of dealing with this every day was exhausting.

"Isabella, do you know which Lewis that is? He isn't in our class," Cecilia asked, turning to her.

Isabella shook her head just as the teacher entered, bringing an end to the commotion.

During break, as they made their way into the canteen for lunch, Biggie approached them, looking shy.

Cecilia raised an eyebrow playfully. "Biggie, are you finally ready to show us what you've got down there? Your little man?"

Laughter erupted around them, but Biggie shot them a glare that quickly silenced them. Everyone was wary of the school bully.

"I'm not here to talk to you, Cecilia. Isabella, I'm here to apologize. I'm sorry," Biggie said, his voice filled with regret.

Cecilia stared at him in disbelief, and Isabella seemed even more perplexed.

"What are you up to, Biggie?" Cecilia asked, her tone suspicious.

Biggie bared his teeth in a strange grin and walked away, leaving them both stunned.

Cecilia turned to Isabella. "Did you do something to him?"

Isabella shook her head, puzzled. She couldn't think of anyone who would stand up to Biggie for her. Cecilia narrowed her eyes in thought but ultimately said nothing.

Isabella returned home after school, drenched in sweat. She looked around the living room and didn't find anyone there. She even checked the kitchen but forgot to check the backyard, where Lorenzo was busy tending to his vegetable garden.

Before returning to her room, she tossed her schoolbag on the bed, stripped down, and stood before the mirror. Then she walked into the bathroom to take a bath.

As the water dribbled down her body, she exhaled, feeling refreshed after the stressful day.

Feeling as if she were being watched, she turned and was shocked to see a pair of eyes watching her through a crack in the bathroom wall, their lust undisguised.