Isabella I was nervous. My palms began to sweat as Miguel pulled open the sliding doors of the van. The van was more like a large black bus that I had remembered celebrities used in Korea. Inside was luxurious with beige-colored seats and rug. The dark tinted glass gave the feeling of intimacy, and I was grateful for that. Still, I was nervous. I didn't understand why, but I chalked it up to my lack of knowledge of fashion and not to the fact that I suddenly felt eyes on me. As though Paula could sense my unease, she reached out from her seat across the aisle and rubbed my hand. "I got you," she said with a smile. Miguel sat in the passenger seat in front, Alessandro took the wheel, while Michael wiggled his way through the aisle to sit at the back of the bus. The ride was relatively smooth with little traffic on the way. Paula had directed Alessandro to a famous mall with the best and most expensive designer brands. "Whose money are we spending?" she asked. I had no idea wha
Damon "Text me the location," I told Philippe. It wasn't as though I didn't trust his words, neither was it as though I found Alessandro and the two of them to be incapable of protecting her. I just wanted to feel better. Anything could happen, and if anything did happen, I would curse myself for not being there. "What?" I asked after Philippe mentioned something. "The address. So, I know where it is. I'll drive you there immediately," I hummed in response. The place was big. There was too much security, but I trusted that Alessandro knew exactly what to do and to always be on the lookout. Then again, I also knew that Isabella was quite paranoid, and she herself would also be on the lookout. "Sweep the environment. I don't like what I'm seeing, " I told Philippe, who nodded and instantly went to work. There were a few suspicious individuals, so I decided to keep an eye on them. A few minutes later, I spotted the familiar figure of Michael. It was difficult not to see him, after
Isabella Hiding my emotions was something I was good at. Hiding them in public was even better. But with Damon, it was so hard. I felt it before he touched me. I could see the way Alessandro looked over my head, his eyes flashing with recognition. He turned to whisper to Miguel, who played it smart and didn't turn to look. My heart skipped a couple of beats when I felt his arms circle my waist, pulling me closer until my back hit his muscular chest. I fought the urge to purr when his lips touched mine, his hand around my neck. Waves after waves of hot liquid pooled in my underwear. Only Damon. It was only him that could bring out such a response from me. Paula was saying something to him, but I couldn't hear her, neither could I participate in the conversation. Instead, I was enjoying the way his chest vibrated behind me with each word he spoke. Before I knew it, he led me to another store. Unfortunately, we got separated, and Paula was yet having one of her antics. A few dres
Isabella Damon looked angry as he walked into the room followed by a doctor and a nurse, then Alessandro. The doctor checked my eyes and vitals, whispering something to the nurse. He turned to Damon and spoke in a practiced voice. "She's fine. There's no reason for her to be here anymore. You're free to go," he said, turning to me with a smile. Damon picked up a bag and walked over to me, helping me to stand up from the bed. As soon as my feet touched the cold floor, I flinched and let out a sneeze. Damon looked at me with scrunched eyebrows and picked me up, setting me back on the bed. He pulled out clothes that I didn't recognize and handed them to me. "Put these on. When you're done, we'll go back," he said, turning away from me before stopping at the window. I took off the hospital gown and tried to make sense of the clothes. It was a simple armless dress that looked long enough to sweep the floor but tight enough to hug my curves. It was in black, a color I figured Damon
IsabellaMy heart fell when I heard about the Paganis. I remembered that all their children were older than me, but the older couple was nice to me. I looked for them when the manhunt started, and their butler, Jones, hid me and then smuggled me into the lower city.I reached up to my face when I felt tears flowing down my eyes to my chin."Should I stop?" Damon asked me with concern on his face. I shook my head. "No. I need to hear this," I said as I wiped my eyes furiously."When Rodrigo took power, he purged Marcel's sympathizers until the point when hearing Marcel's name was enough to purge an entire family. That time was called The Bloody Triad. In some way, because of the fear that some of the opposing houses would die, thru kept quiet bringing a strange period of peace.Eventually, the peace he created didn't last long. He started to do things without the ruling council being brought in. He opened pleasure houses around the upper city where he started seeking his own personal d
IsabellaI must have stood there staring at the letter for a while because Alessandro suddenly took a step towards me and snapped his fingers in front of my eyes, drawing me back to reality."Is everything alright, princess?" Alessandro asked when my eyes finally focused on him. I forced a smile and stretched out my hand, not wanting to speak. He placed the letter in my hand and turned to leave. I shut the door and leaned against it. Damon was still on his phone call. I wanted to call him and tell him that I had a letter and that I was scared of opening it. But he didn't look like he was going to be done anytime soon, so I pushed myself back to my seat.After taking a couple of calming breaths, I opened the envelope to reveal a folded paper. With another deep breath, I opened the letter to read words I wasn't familiar with:"Dear Isabella,Do you love him? The man who raised you. Do you love him? Do you see Pablo as a father? Because if you do, I'm sure you would like to save his lif
Damon I didn't want to find him. I didn't think he was necessary. The man's attitude was pathetic, and he only cared about money. In my mind, there was a high chance this was a lie, a charade created by him to get money from Isabella. "We're going back to Avalia," I told her. Her eyes widened, and her hands came up to cover her mouth. She shook her head and reached out to me. I got up from the chair and walked towards the window, not wanting contact. Contact would make her convince me. She would win this time, just as she won the last time. I turned back to her to find the mask of betrayal on her face as tears welled up once more. "It's more worth risking anything to find that man," I told her. "It's best you forget about him, and we prepare to go back to Avalia. All the bullshit would stop once we get there. Cassandra wouldn't have to send people to abduct people, you know. He would fight you bare-fisted openly. Doing that would—" "I don't care," Isabella said, her voice stro
Damon As I planned to go back upstairs, Miguel walked in. I turned to Alessandro. "Brief him," I said as I turned to walk up the stairs. Isabella had moved from the couch to the window I had been standing at earlier. Her back was to me, and I couldn't help but glance at her shapely figure in the dress she wore. It did wonders in showcasing her delectable curves, and my arousal stirred inside my pants. Now was not the time for such distractions. I knew we would likely argue, but we needed to address the issue of Pablo. "We're going back to Avalia," I repeated. Her head whipped around, making her ponytail sway before cascading down her back. "Pablo?" she asked, tears welling in her eyes. I shook my head. "We're not going to save him. He doesn't deserve to be saved." Isabella bit her lip and turned her head away, as if she couldn't bear to look at me. "Why?" she asked in a breathy voice. I walked over to her bed and took a seat. I explained the time I went to Sicilia to look fo
IsabellaPerhaps it was Donatella's face that was the most surprising, but the days following my declaration and official ascension to the throne were followed by endless visits to my family's estate.I had to temporarily move there because I was worried about the constant movement and how my son would take it. However, according to Julio, it also applied pressure to bring Cassandra back to the city.She had disappeared a few days ago, and I believed she went to have her child."I must say, he's a very handsome boy," Nicholas said as he carried my son and began to walk around the new nursery. The baby cooed in his arms and raised his little fists towards his face. I smiled but began to miss the little bundle of warmth that he provided. I had once complained to Damon, and his reply was,"You'll just have to get used to it. Or are you going to take my son away from me?" Damon said with a smile.***To my surprise, Cassandra didn't show up over the next few weeks. I began to genuinely w
IsabellaGeorge knelt in front of me in the gazebo. I had given Alessandro the go-ahead to let him come to the mansion. He came accompanied by three more people that I didn't recognize."There was a mistake, Princess. If I had known…”“I know you think that I am a benevolent figure of never-ending kindness that might accept you. But you must understand that given my position, I simply cannot forgive you right off the bat. You have to prove yourself to me. You have to prove yourself to the city. You have to prove your loyalty, and it will cost you more than it did the last time," I found myself saying.Shortly after that, I left the men alone and made a beeline for the nursery where I felt my son squirming and crying in his cot. The maid I had instructed to stay with him was trying to keep him calm, but she was failing miserably, making me laugh.I stretched out my hands, and just as she placed him in it, the infant settled down. Shortly after passing him and singing to him, I felt ar
DamonAfter Isabella told me that I should handle Cassandra, Valentino, and her allies, I got to work instantly, telling Ted to pull out the old files he had on the trust of those she committed."So what do we do with them?" he asked. "We pick the weakest link. We pick the one most sympathetic to the lower City. Find me a couple of them and show them the pictures."A few days later, I received a call from Ted while I was out in town on a meeting with Nicholas."We have a number of them. What do you want us to do?" he asked. "Tell them to come to my place," Nicholas said with his arms raised. "I'm sure we'll do a good job convincing them." I smiled and told Ted to do the same. Six men, members of the lesser families, came through his gate.I recognized Antonio and George to be some of them and stopped myself from snickering behind my mask. The men bowed when they saw me, but it was clear that their initial fear of me was gone. I smirked behind the mask and looked at them.I loved se
IsabellaDamon had carried me into the tub filled with cold water. As soon as my body came in contact with the water, I instantly sighed in relief. Marie came to me with a small figure half wrapped in a cloth and laid the pink infant on my naked chest.I leaned my back against the foam headrest and let my child lean against my skin. He squirmed and cried, but Marie said it was all part of the process, even though my heart was aching as I desperately searched my mind for what to do to ease his sorrows somehow."If he doesn't cry, his lungs wouldn't be strong. You have to let him cry, princess," she had told me before I struggled with her, and Damon carried me into the bathroom. Even now, he was still crying, but I felt a bit assured as Damon held my hand and began to rub soothing circles over my knuckles. "You are so strong," he whispered. "I'm so proud of you." He whispered again, and this time his hand reached up to caress the head of the infant that laid on my chest. I smiled, bu
IsabellaDamon laughed suddenly, his shoulders quaking, and the room filled up with the hearty sound of joy. He stopped after a while and turned his head towards Cassandra. "It looks as though this wannabe princess is uninformed about what's happening in the city. Someone please tell her."Andrew cleared his throat. "The King…" Damon took off his mask, revealing his face, causing Cassandra to gasp and cover her mouth, as did Donatella. "The King has been married to the princess for quite a while now. I happen to be one of those privileged to witness the ceremony and the signing of their marriage certificate.This, of course, meant that as one without a surname, he would take his wife's own, making him Damon Montenegro Therefore, your challenge… your stake on the throne is very much mitigated by him.""That's not possible!" Cassandra screeched. "You wouldn't do that," she said as she turned her head towards me and stared daggers at me through the screen. "I did. Would you like to h
Isabella"Do I need to remind you that you are a fugitive?" Damon's voice cut through the silence like a hot knife through butter."Do I need to remind you that your crimes are so great you deserve to be put to death?" Damon stood up from his seat and walked towards the pregnant woman."Get out, or I will pull my gun and shoot you between your eyes, not caring about the child within your belly." Instantly, Donatella gasped and covered her mouth with surprise.She got up and walked towards both of them and set herself in their midst as though to protect Cassandra. "Ouch," I thought to myself. "So much for loyalty forever," I said out loud. Donatella turned to me."You must understand, princess, it's not as though I will not be loyal to you. It's just with the recent developments, we find ourselves needing an heir. Perhaps once she gives birth, she can leave." "I'm not going anywhere," Cassandra said, protesting as she pushed the older woman out of the way."I'm here to challenge her
Isabella“No, Isabella. We still need Cassandra to come out. We need her to show her cards. I'm sure it's not going to take long, but... you have to hang tight, Mia Bella," Damon said, shaking his head.He raised his hand and began to caress my belly before leaning in and pressing a kiss on my swollen abdomen. As if in response, the baby kicked where his hand was."He's saying hello to me," Damon said with a smile as he leaned forward and then pulled open the robe I wore to reveal my naked belly."So perfect," he said as he pressed another kiss on the pale skin. "So damn perfect," he said again as he met my eyes. I could see the expression there, his eyes flashing red before returning back to their normal hazel color. He spread open my legs and slowly removed the outer robe to reveal my naked pussy. Slowly, he kissed his way from my belly button down to my weeping pussy.***The extra wait was grueling, but I didn't mind it. I filled my days with walking, with Paula up and down the
Isabella"It was just a rumor," I told my husband as he paced the length of the room, hitting one wall and then going to the next to do the same."We both know rumors are next to truth. It wouldn't be said if it wasn't seen at some point. But you're the same person that said the city thrived on rumors. Why is this one only different?" I questioned him, but the man continued his insistent pacing. He had taken off his shirt, leaving him half naked and making my eyes wander to strange places."Please," I begged him as I stood up. I took off my coat."You're making me dizzy," I said.Damon stopped suddenly and looked at me. "And if the rumor's true?""Then we laid a trap. And I think traps are your thing… at least Julio's thing.""So let's call the ultimate trap master and have him whip up something for us," I said as I reached up towards my husband's head.***The day after, Julio sat opposite me in the gazebo. "How could you not tell me you were pregnant?" He asked, his eyes wide and f
DamonIsabella's face was pale when I saw her as she came out of the bathroom. She had a stunned look as though she was trying to remember something. I grabbed her hands and rubbed circles over her knuckles until she smiled at me."I am fine," she said with a shaking voice."Champagne?" I asked as I handed her a flute. She shook her head. "I can't keep it down," she said, forcing another smile at me."Isabella, what is wrong?" I asked with my mouth close to her ear. "I'll tell you when we get home," she said as she squeezed my fingers back.The rest of the evening couldn't come fast enough as I began to wish time could go faster. Finally, three hours after we arrived at the party, she tugged on my arm, telling me she wanted to go home. I bade goodbye to my friends and some others who were desperate to see me for some reason. We decided to take the chopper, being impatient and me wanting to find out what was wrong with my wife.I helped her out of her dress when we reached our room. S