YSABELLE I tapped my fingers on the table while waiting for the iced tea I ordered for myself while the woman in front of me was waiting for her coffee.My adoptive mother.We were in silence for five minutes after she asked me for tea. I glance at Cleo at another table, having her own iced tea while taking a picture of meI bet she's going to send that to Ronan.“What a coincidence.” I was startled when she suddenly spoke out.“Yeah.”I don't know why I felt awkward to be with her. Seeing her after years was really new to me.Our relationship faded when Dad died. She became cold to me and I always noticed her dislikes towards me.However, staring at her now seems like she changed.When our orders arrived, I immediately sipped at my iced tea to refresh myself.Noticing her silence, I started to talk first because I couldn't take this awkwardness between us.“Why are we here? Do we have something to talk about?”“I heard about the issue.”My hand tightened around the glass.“I still d
YSABELLE “You're quiet.”I was startled at Cleo’s voice in front of me, almost forgetting her presence for hours.“I'm listening,” I said She's ranting something about her love life and career life but here I am, spacing out instead of helping my cousin to move on from that cowardly jerk for throwing their relationship like trash. She opened another can of beer and handed it to me. I looked down at my beer and didn't notice it was empty again.With a sigh, I took it from her and drank almost half of it.“What did that woman say and you are dumbfounded like that?”“My adoptive mother and father are not actually married.”She just shrugged. “That was a trend. Living with the partner before marriage.”“Not that… Why does have Dad to make a big lie like that just to–”“Ask the deceased, Ysabelle.” Hse sarcastically said, which made me frown. “It's already in the past. Your adoptive father is already resting and your adoptive mother seems to be having a great life. Don't be stuck in the
YSABELLEMy hands were trembling as I pushed Ronan and got off the bed while glaring at him with disbelief.I couldn't believe my ears.“Are you fucking messing with me, Ronan?” I exclaimed with gritted teeth.Is he hearing himself? Does he think that's a funny joke? He sighed deeply and got off the bed and put on his pants.“The phone you found in your father's bedroom… The evidence is in there, Belle. I saw it with my own eyes.” My hands curled into fists as I stared at Ronan with watery eyes. “It's not my father, Belle. It's Mr. Cortez all along.”***I am staring blankly in the mirror, trying to forget what Ronan had said to me last night. Though I was quite drunk, I still remember every word he said.My father… I tightly shut my eyes when his face flashed through my head.What happened to our family? If my mother is here… will she feel more betrayed? But they were obviously forced to be together."Belle, do you want to confront your father?"I immediately opened my eyes and f
YSABELLE I walked back and forth with Ronan in front of me. He's holding the phone and even looking closely inside to get more information.I was shaken just by remembering Paul, and now he's calling the phone, which I think he's connected to my aunt.But did that phone really belong to my aunt?“Do you think this belongs to your aunt?”I stop and gaze at Ronan as we have the same thoughts about it.“I found the phone in my father's hospital room. Who else is coming in and out of the room, except us two?”He sighed heavily, causing me to let out a breath as I sat opposite him.I looked at the door, making sure my aunt was not coming back to my room.It didn't cross my mind that she was the one who was helping Paul get away from the authorities. “Let's run a fingerprint test.”I immediately looked at Ronan. “Would that be possible? I touch the phone too.”“So do I. But since it's a burner phone, we can't locate the real owner of the phone.”“Did you find anything?” He shook his head,
YSABELLE I walked back and forth at the main door, waiting for Ronan's arrival. I was anxious and regretted that I didn't force myself to go with Ronan to the police station in Paris where Connor was detained.As soon as we saw the news, I was about to head upstairs, but Ronan was already running down the stairs while putting on his jacket.The authorities called him about Connor's willingly surrender to the police. Ronan didn't want me to go with him. Seeing his raging eyes, I choose to obey him and stay in the house.The issue between him and Connor needed to be solved first before mine. And now, here I am, waiting for him because it's getting dark.“He's still not here?” I looked behind me to see Cleo. “What if he killed Connor and was now in jail instead of that lunatic–”“Stop,” I warned her with gritted teeth. And I was more annoyed that she snorted and was on the verge of cracking up.“I'm just trying to make you laugh.”I rolled my eyes. “It's not funny, Cleo.”“Sorry.”She
YSABELLEI was in total silence on our way back to Nice, on the plane, and even in the car. Rage, disappointment, and confusion lingered in me. Why was everything connected?First, my aunt, and now my deceased uncle? Who is really the person behind Paul? Why is he doing this?It's difficult to conclude that my aunt might be the starting point for all of this mess. We don't have any concrete evidence to point everything to her.Also, I heard the organization that was formed by my uncle died years ago after his death.“Are you okay?”Ronan diverted my attention.“Ronan, do you find my family suspicious?” I suddenly asked since I needed his opinion, too.“Yeah.”“After you heard Connor?”“No.” I confusedly look at him. “Belle, please don't be mad. To tell you the truth, I did an investigation about your biological family.”“Why?”“I just did that because of your uncle’s past activities before he died.” He held my hand softly. “To help hide their flaws because it will affect mine too.”H
YSABELLEBefore I could run to the twin’s position, Ronan suddenly appeared, sprinting to the kids while holding a gun.A sigh of relief escaped from me before my sight went blurry.I felt the commotion around me while I tried not to lose my focus in standing up to get to the kids.But I felt lifted in the air. Based on the scent, it's Ronan. He carried me in his arms as he ran. I could feel his heavy breathing and the loud beating of his heart in his chest the same as mine.Worries and fear lingered inside of me.“T-The twins?” I asked with trembling hands.“They’re fine and are now inside the house.”“I wanna see them–”“You need to be treated first.”I closed my eyes and leaned my head on his chest, feeling the loud heartbeat as I held in the pain in my back.I know I was shot and I'm losing my consciousness.“It hurts,” I whimpered under my heavy breathing.“The doctor is coming, love. Please, don’t close your eyes...”Even though he pleaded, and I could feel the worries in his to
YSABELLEA morning came and I woke up without Ronan around me. He might be preparing my breakfast since I still could not stand alone.My arm was the one that was hurt, but my legs seemed weak to move. I only sighed as I stared at the bedside table where my handbag was.I remember the phone that I found in my father's bedroom and the hospital.Was it really my aunt who wanted me dead?I'm worried about Cleo and Jessica if they find out we are suspecting their mother.Speaking of, I haven't talked with Cleo after the shootout in the mansion. I saw her when I woke up but I never got a chance to have a conversation with her.The same goes for her mother.I hope Paul and his accomplices will be caught to make all of this over. I get even more frightened every time Paul attacks when I'm with the kids. I'm afraid they might get involved in the trouble of the elders.Just then, the door suddenly opened and my face brightened to see the twins running to my bed, carrying something in their han