Lorenzo looked at her intently without saying a word, which made Isabella nervous; she fidgeted while avoiding eye contact.Wordlessly, he took off his gloves and then left the farm for the farmhouse to clean up. When he came out of the farmhouse, he had already changed into a white button-up shirt.He looked at Isabella, who hadn't moved an inch for the past ten minutes, and then said, "Isabella, you should realize that no one cares about you and your mother. None of them came to your rescue when you needed them the most..."He paused, staring at Isabella's face and studying her reactions. Isabella felt anxious as she remembered how her mother would always return home tired and exhausted, to the point that she would worry; nobody even offered to help."Lewis doesn't love you; rather, he hates to see you and me happy. He didn't want our family to exist, and when he achieves this, do you think he will still care about you?" After finishing his speech, Lorenzo didn't say another word an
Isabella suddenly fled from home.She ran as fast as her legs could carry her, and when she couldn’t run anymore, she sat under a tree and laid her head down. She didn’t realize when she fell asleep.When she opened her eyes, it was already dusk. Thinking Lorenzo would come looking for her, she walked to the town on foot, about five to eight hundred meters from the tree where she had been resting.When she arrived in town, her heart became numb from consistent disappointment. Step by step, she strode to the nearby store to get some snacks and water.After consuming them, she decided to turn on her phone, hoping to receive a call from Lorenzo, who would have already discovered that she wasn’t at home.She sat on a bench in the street, staring at her phone blankly. She couldn’t believe Lorenzo had forgotten about her—her own mother too.She clenched her phone tightly."Are you heartbroken?" she suddenly heard a voice ask.Startled, she craned her neck toward the direction of the voice,
When Laura, standing behind the door, heard Isabella's scream, she was shocked."Isabella, are you alright? What happened?" Laura asked worriedly. She hadn’t expected Isabella to scream at the top of her lungs.Isabella covered her ears and then hid under her duvet, completely ignoring her mother at the door.Laura continued to knock, but Isabella refused to open it. While she was at it, Lorenzo approached her and said, "Let her be. It’s the stress of her upcoming exams; she has to study well. Don’t you want her to do excellently? If you keep pestering her, she won’t be able to go to the best university."Laura immediately stopped knocking. She also wanted Isabella to be among the top-ranked students taking the upcoming exams. Although she had managed to attend adult school to get certified as a nurse, she knew how rigorous studying could be.Reluctantly, she replied, "Are you sure she’s fine?"Lorenzo answered without hesitation, "Of course she is. Come on, let’s go for a walk. You’r
When Isabella heard what Lorenzo said, she stared at him in shock and disbelief. She couldn't believe her ears, so she repeated, "What?"Lorenzo unapologetically retorted, "You heard me, Isabel."Isabella's eyes turned bloodshot with anger, and her lips trembled. She wanted to say a thousand words at once, but she couldn't speak. Her face was creased with so much anger."You took my virginity, and this is what you're saying? That I am your stepdaughter now?" Isabella asked, looking surprised, hurt, and furious.Lorenzo nodded and continued without showing any remorse. "That was the biggest mistake I made, Isabel. Now I regret it. I have no intention of having sex with you anymore."Isabella was so angry that tears rolled down her cheeks. She just stared at him without speaking."Lorenzo, honey, I just got an email from the City Bank. Not bad! I think I got a grant approval," Laura's voice traveled from outside the kitchen. When Lorenzo heard what she said, he walked out of the kitchen
Lorenzo stopped what he was doing under the car bonnet and straightened his back. He looked at Isabella and smiled warmly before gently asking, "You look so nervous, Laura. Are you alright?"Laura nodded fervently and rubbed her palms on her trousers. She then replied unhurriedly, "Lorenzo, you know Isabella is just a kid. She has never called anyone her father, and I hope you can understand this."Lorenzo chuckled, grabbed the tools in his hands, and continued working on his car while responding, "Is that what is making you so nervous?"Laura didn’t deny it. She replied, "I don't know what is wrong with Isabella; she is acting so strangely."Lorenzo laughed and replied, "She is just throwing tantrums. Give her some space; she will be alright."He closed the car bonnet, turned around, and kissed Laura's forehead. Then he added, "You shouldn't think too much about it."He carried his tools into the toolbox in his car boot, then said to Laura, "Are you ready? Let's go."Laura looked at h
That was all Laura needed to hear before she walked toward the young man staring at her.When she stood over him, she said quickly, "Follow me to the restroom."Then she quickly walked away, panicking.The young man's face was filled with question marks.As Laura walked toward the restroom area, the more nervous she became. She didn't look confident anymore; she became even more anxious and began doubting her charm.She even regretted doing it at first. She didn't realize she was walking too fast, and the young man was struggling to keep up with her.She was about to step into the restroom area when the young man called out to her, "Hello, miss, hold on!"That was all she needed to hear before she regained her confidence. She took a large stride into the restroom area. The young man was confused, wondering what she was up to, but he shrugged and followed afterward."Hold on, miss. You asked me to come to the restroom; can you explain why?" the young man asked, looking a little impatie
Lorenzo lit a cigarette and watched from the chair he was sitting in.He sat quietly, observing every movement around him. His gaze darted toward the direction where three men in suits were walking into a private room through a doorway that led to the east wing of the bar.A smile appeared on his face when Laura turned around and ground against the man she was dancing with provocatively. When the man wrapped his arms around Laura's waist and kissed her cheek, Lorenzo began whispering words into her ear. Lorenzo squinted his eyes while a smile danced at the corners of his lips.He stood up when Laura slapped the man and then tried to run away, despite the loud music.Lorenzo could hear the violent roar of the man as he cursed, "Fuck you, bitch!"He wanted to drag Laura back to the dance floor when she ran toward him, but when he stretched out his arm, he saw Lorenzo staring at him coldly.He froze, and fear creased his face.Laura walked up to Lorenzo, grinning foolishly. She appeared
Then she came out of the room, walked into the kitchen, and stood before the fridge. She hesitated and then turned around, re-entering the room.She set an alarm for 5 AM, woke up, quickly took a bath, and got dressed. Stepping out of her room, she went into the kitchen and started cooking.When Laura woke up and saw Isabella in the kitchen, she was surprised; she didn't expect Isabella to wake up this early to prepare breakfast."Isabel, dear, you are awake," Laura said with a smile on her face.Isabella looked towards her mother and replied, "Mother, I am preparing your favorite meal."When Laura heard this, a smile appeared on her face. "Thank you, Isabel. Do you want some help?"Isabella, who was busy at the cabinet, retorted, "No need, Mom. I can do it myself.""If you say so," Laura replied, not wanting to pester Isabella. For the past few days, Isabella had been hiding away from everyone, so Laura was naturally happy that she was ready to step out of her room and cook.She turn
When Isabella heard the veiled threat in Lorenzo's voice, her grip on the steering wheel tightened, and her hand trembled as she slammed on the brakes, panic rising within her.“What kind of monster are you, Lorenzo? Using your own son to threaten me? That’s disgusting,” she shot back.Lorenzo just sneered, his indifference palpable. “Anything for you, baby," he replied before abruptly hanging up.Staring at her phone, Isabella felt a whirlwind of emotions wash over her—confusion and frustration mixing in a chaotic blend. She rested her forehead on the steering wheel, dreading the thought of meeting Lorenzo. His unpredictability lately made her fear he might actually go through with his threats.Reluctantly, she stepped out of the car, anxiety gnawing at her. She worried that Lewis would divorce her if he discovered that Ben wasn’t his son, especially after he had caught her in bed with Lorenzo.Walking quickly, she avoided the gaze of the street surveillance cameras, her heart racing
When Isabella heard her father's words, she staggered in shock, unable to comprehend what he was saying. She stared at him, wide-eyed, struggling to believe that he was aggressively pressuring her to harm her own son.“Dad…” she called out, her voice trembling with disappointment and heartache.Chris replied coldly, “Isabella, I’m doing this for your own good. With that child around, you’ll never know true happiness. Lorenzo will use him to make your life miserable. Why can’t you see that? You need to get rid of him.”Tears streamed down Isabella's face, her disappointment deepening. “Lies! You’re only doing this because he’s tied to your enemy. You’re being selfish!”Despite her accusations, Chris remained unmoved, his tone unyielding. “Isabella, stop being so stubborn. This is the right choice if you want to keep your marriage and live happily. Don’t ruin what you had with Lewis. There’s only so much he can tolerate—don’t push him beyond that.”Isabella clenched her fists, refusing
Lewis leaned weakly against the car, muttering to himself, "I’m terrified of losing you, Isabella. I’m so scared."Isabella, hearing his heartfelt words, felt a wave of emotion wash over her. She rushed to him, deeply touched by his sincerity. "Babe, you will never lose me. No one can take me away from you—not even death. I’ll be buried wherever you are. I love you."She wrapped her arms around him tightly, offering comfort. "I promise I’ll never make you feel unloved again. I will always be by your side."They remained in each other's embrace, listening to the steady rhythm of their heartbeats in silence. After a while, Isabella lifted her head and leaned in for a kiss.Lewis lowered his head, capturing her lips in a passionate kiss. When they finally pulled away, Isabella smiled and suggested, "Let’s go home. I’ve missed sleeping beside you.""Okay," Lewis replied without hesitation, echoing her sentiment.As they drove home, smiles on their faces, even the housekeeper was taken aba
Isabella shot Lorenzo a sharp look, her voice icy as she demanded, "How did you know about the divorce? Are you spying on my husband and me?"Lorenzo felt a flash of anger at her condescending tone, but he buried it deep down. He would unleash his frustration later—once he had won her over. For now, he forced a smile and explained, "Of course not. Your divorce is already making the rounds in the news. Your father may be trying to suppress it, but it's out there. You have nothing to lose by being with me. Remember, we have a child together. Why not elope with me? You won’t regret choosing me over that weakling."Isabella's cold stare pierced through him. She recognized his attempt to manipulate her feelings for their son as a bargaining chip.With a disdainful sneer, she replied, "Even if I divorce my husband, I will never end up with a disgusting man like you, Lorenzo."Exhausted from the conversation, she turned to leave, heading for her car. But Lorenzo swiftly grasped her wrist, pu
When Jake heard what Lewis said, he couldn't believe it. He turned to him, doubt creeping into his voice. "You want to divorce Isabella?"Lewis nodded, his expression resolute. "Yes. I can't live with the knowledge that she cheated on me. She had no respect for me—bringing another man into our home and sleeping with him on our matrimonial bed."Jake regarded Lewis thoughtfully. Growing up alongside him, he had witnessed how poorly Lewis handled his relationship with Isabella. He offered serious advice. "Don't be impulsive. Think it through before making such a big decision."Lewis nodded, but his gaze remained unwavering. "I know what I’m doing."Jake sensed that further persuasion was futile. A few hours later, Lewis left Jake's home and drove to his attorney's office.Once inside, he was invited to take a seat."Lewis, I was just about to call you..." the attorney began, but Lewis cut him off."I'm not here for that," he said, his face hardening.The attorney raised an eyebrow, wait
Lewis's heart raced when he saw Isabella turn to him, her bloodshot eyes brimming with tears. He quickly realized that someone must have sent her a photo of him and Alicia together.He took a deep breath, fighting the urge to comfort her, and instead envisioned the betrayal of Lorenzo with Isabella in their own bed. Anger surged within him, and he stormed into the bathroom, stripping off his clothes and stepping into the shower. The water cascaded over him, but it did little to wash away his turmoil.When he emerged, a towel wrapped around his waist, he found Isabella waiting for him, her expression a mix of hurt and fury. "Did you sleep with her?" she demanded.Lewis didn’t respond. Instead, he focused on selecting an outfit from the wardrobe, trying to keep his composure. Suddenly, Isabella sprang to her feet, rushing toward him and gripping his arm tightly. She thrust her phone in front of his face. As he feared, the photo was there—proof of his indiscretion. "Are you mute now? C
Lewis wasn't paying attention at all; instead, he interrupted Jake, wrapping his arm around Alicia's shoulders and asking, "How does she look? Is she prettier than Isabella, right?"Jake, caught off guard by the question, hesitated. He glanced at Alicia, who awaited his response, and then at Lewis, whose expression hinted at a brewing storm if he didn't say the right thing.With a forced smile, Lewis answered tentatively, "She’s really gorgeous. I think she’s prettier than Isabella. Can I borrow her for a sec?"After a reluctant nod from Lewis, he leaned in and whispered something to Alicia before slumping onto the couch, clearly drunk.Once Lewis had given his approval, Alicia stood up and followed Jake to a quieter corner where they could talk. "Hi, Alicia," Jake began. "My friend is actually having some issues with his..."Before he could finish, Alicia interrupted with a smile. "He told me everything."Jake’s lips twitched at her response, realizing just how poorly he had judged t
Jake wasn’t surprised. He had sensed that Isabella hadn’t truly moved on from Lorenzo, and he knew this day would eventually come. Still, he hadn’t anticipated it would unfold like this.He squatted down beside Lewis, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “Bro, I know you’re hurting. Honestly, I’m not sure what to say that’ll make it better. Let’s get you changed first, and then we’ll go out for a drink.”Jake stood up, pulled Lewis to his feet, and led him inside.His girlfriend caught sight of them and raised an eyebrow at Lewis’s disheveled state. Jake shot her a glance, and she held back her questions.Once inside his room, Jake helped Lewis change into a fresh outfit. When they emerged, Jake approached his girlfriend. “Darling, I’m taking my brother out for a bit,” he said, leaning down to plant a quick kiss on her cheek.“Please come home soon, and be safe,” she replied, concern etched on her face.Jake nodded and left the house with Lewis, who had remained silent since he
Isabella clung tightly to Lewis, tears streaming down her face. She could hardly catch her breath as she pleaded, her voice trembling, "I didn't mean it, babe. I'm so sorry! I never wanted to cheat on you or hurt you. Please, forgive me."Lewis glared at her, his anger palpable. He shoved her away, and she stumbled back onto the bed. Without a word, he stormed out of the room, his intent clear: he was going to find Lorenzo and settle the score.Desperately, Isabella called after him, her voice breaking, "Lewis!"But he ignored her, consumed by rage. As he rushed through the doorways, he collided with Kone. Grabbing him by the collar, Lewis demanded, "Where is that bastard? Where's Lorenzo?"Kone shook his head, panic in his eyes. He had tried to stop Lorenzo from leacing earlier but hadn’t accounted for the gun Lorenzo was carrying. The fear of being shot had kept him from stopping him, and now he could only watch as Lewis's fury escalated.When Lewis received no response, his express