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
Faced with this question, Isabella stared at him with an expressionless face; she had been too hurt in the past few days for her heart to feel anything but pain."I don't owe you anything, Lorenzo. You belong to my mother, and you are my stepfather. I have to keep some boundaries," Isabella repeated his words.When Lorenzo heard this, a smile appeared on his face, as if he had expected the response. He rubbed her cheek with his fingers and then said softly, "Isabella, no matter what you say, you will always be mine, and mine alone. No one can have you."Isabella just stared at him blankly, not bothering to respond.No matter what Lorenzo said, Isabella remained silent, which infuriated him. He grabbed her arms in anger, shook her, and sneered, "Talk to me, Isabella!"Isabella yelled in response, "Let go of me!"Immediately, Laura's voice came from inside the house. "Isabella!"Lorenzo quickly let go of Isabella's arms, and she ran off. When Laura came out of the house with a face crea
Done talking, she turned around and walked back inside the classroom.When she returned, Cecilia was no longer crying; rather, she was writing. As Isabella approached, Cecilia gripped her pen tightly and forced a smile. "What did he say?"Isabella looked regretful, shook her head, and then sat down.Although Cecilia feigned sadness, the evil glint in her eyes couldn't be hidden; she was truly furious.Isabella was unaware of this. She was pondering what Lewis had said. Although she wanted Lewis, she knew that with Lorenzo around, it was impossible.Lorenzo hated Lewis so much that he would never allow their relationship. Isabella clenched her fists tightly, wondering why she had to consider how Lorenzo would feel when he didn’t care about emotions.She lowered her head while thinking and didn’t even realize that the electric bell had already announced the end of classes for the day."Isabella, you are the only one in the classroom. Is something the matter?" her teacher, who had just n
Isabella looked at him coldly, despite being choked. She stared at Lorenzo fearlessly without making any sound.Lorenzo stopped strangling her and then spoke softly, "I never planned to hurt you, Isabel. Why...?"While he was talking, Laura's voice came from inside the house, asking, "Honey, is that Isabel?"Lorenzo glared at Isabella with a threatening look before replying, "Yes, she is here with me, darling. We will talk some other time."He turned around and left, while Isabella pushed the entrance door open and walked in. When Laura saw her daughter, a smile appeared on her face.But the moment she noticed the palm prints on Isabella's neck, the smile disappeared. She asked worriedly, "What happened to your neck, Isabel? Did you fight at school?" Isabella shook her head and retorted, "No."Laura then looked toward the door, filled with panic, knowing that Lorenzo was the only one outside the house.Although she was suspicious, Laura still asked, looking very uncomfortable, "Isabe
Lewis stood at the door, looking at them coldly with a hand in his pocket.When Mrs. Williams saw Lewis, she stopped creating a ruckus and stared at him with respect; even Principal Zach was surprised by his arrival.Lewis walked step by step and stood beside Isabella. He swept his gaze over everyone's faces and then said without reservation, "Isabella is innocent; she isn't the one who did it."He paused and turned to Mrs. Williams. "I will give a proper explanation about your husband's application for the contract. I will speak to my father. None of what happened here should be heard outside."When Mrs. Williams heard this, she became excited, grabbing her daughter and exclaiming, "Thank you so much, Lewis!"After that, she walked out of the principal's office, looking very pleased.Isabella looked at Lewis with surprise; she hadn't expected someone to step in and rescue her from such an embarrassing situation."Principal Zach, can I leave with her?" Lewis asked humbly.Principal Za
Lewis's face turned pale in shock. He stared at Cecilia with disbelief, not that he doubted the possibility; he simply refused to believe it.With his eyes wide open and his mouth agape, he continued to stare, unable to utter a word.Cecilia smirked coldly. "You don't believe me? Then listen to this."She whipped out her phone and tried to play a voice note, but that was when Lewis snapped out of his shock.He snatched the phone from her hand, deleted their chat history, and then returned the phone."I don't want anyone else to know about this," he said simply, then turned around and walked off without looking back.Cecilia was surprised. Lewis's reaction wasn't what she wanted; she had expected him to doubt her, and then she would present evidence that would lead him to hate Isabella.But seeing reality differ from her imagination, she was so angry that her face twisted. She was so enraged that she didn’t know what else to do but scream crazily.Lewis looked down, his heart aching de
With a dark expression, he sped off.When Laura heard the roar of his car's engine, she panicked and ran out of the house, thinking Lorenzo was probably driving to the school to confront the authorities.She felt both happy and worried; a smile appeared on her face. Isabella had always been bullied since she started school, but now that she had someone to stand up for her—someone who was truly ready to do anything for her—she felt both joy and concern.She dialed Lorenzo's number, hoping to persuade him to return home.But Lorenzo glanced at his ringing phone and ignored it, continuing to speed down the road.When he drove into town, he reversed and drove east, in a different direction from where Isabella's school was located.He stepped on the brake, and the car came to a stop. He got out of the car and walked into an abandoned warehouse, where two of his underlings were waiting for him.The moment they heard his footfalls, they fell to their knees, trembling in fear."Boss, we’re so
She struggled to step forward and eventually collapsed on the couch in the private room. She tried to keep her heavy eyelids open as she asked suspiciously, "What did you give me?"Lorenzo acted surprised, then scratched his head with a smile and answered seriously, "I forgot to tell you that the alcohol content is very high. Don't worry; just relax. Nothing will happen to you."That was when Isabella realized that Lorenzo had actually plotted against her. She passed out a few minutes later. When she finally regained consciousness, she was stark naked, and Lorenzo was nowhere to be found.She tried to remember, but her head hurt badly, though flashes of her and Lorenzo having sex came to her mind.She quickly dressed when she realized it was already getting late. On the table, she saw a piece of paper. When she picked it up, she read what was on it: "You are so sweet, Isabel. You are very freaky when you are drunk; we should try this out some other time."Isabella angrily threw the pa
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