Why Did You Leave?

The window behind was slowly lowered revealing a strikingly handsome face she hasn’t seen in a while. He pulled his glasses and his eyes met with hers.

“Do you want to take a ride?” Marcel raised his eyebrow and looked at her with a cold smile. He was handsome under the afternoon sun and his cold smile carried a hint of cold evil.

The smile that always carried away a woman’s heart and pulled the strings. Those smiles that no one could see beneath it.

Izabelle held the toy she bought for little Rosie and looked at him as if he were a stranger. Perhaps he was because the Marcel staring at her here was not the Marcel she used to know. He was a stranger to her. Suddenly appearing in front of her. Who knows what he was up to?

Little Rosie’s school must have closed by now and she must be waiting for her with her teacher. She doesn’t want to keep her waiting for long. Izabelle only paused for a moment before she left without looking back as if she hadn't seen him or heard him speak and not even a slight expression showed on her face as she continued walking.

Hardy, who was in the driver’s seat, moved his gaze to the rearview mirror only to see the boss with a cold expression on his face. And to think that she has just ignored the boss. Wait! Weren’t they good friends before the daughter of the Rossador family left the country for a reason unknown to everyone?

Removing his gaze from the boss, his eyes fell on the woman who was walking ahead of them without looking back and he remarked.

“Wow… so the rumors of the first granddaughter of the Rossador family now being a cold beauty is true? But boss, I remember her hanging out with you frequently some few years ago. We even saw her at the airport that day. Now I’m really confused. Did something happen? Perhaps you did something that annoyed her. I guess you must be bullying her. Poor woman. No wonder she ignores you as if you were a stranger.”

“Shut up and stop saying so much nonsense,” Marcel immediately rolled his eyes. He raised his hand and folded it behind his head. “What if I tell you that she is the mother of my child?”

Hardy chuckled and looked at the boss through the rearview mirror.

“Huuu. That’s impossible. You two never had any relationship and you have no child. Besides, I feel like you aren’t her type. After all, you’re so cold. I wonder if any woman likes you. If that is true, then I Hardy would write my name backward,” Hardy said. He checked the boss’s expression before continuing.

“She probably wants someone who would dote on her and pamper her as she is the first granddaughter of the Rossador’s fam….” Before he could complete his words, the back door clicked open and he saw the boss walking outside in the direction of the woman who was probably heading towards her car. Why was he going after her?

Before Izabelle could get to her car, she felt a hand hold her arm abruptly.

She turned and removed her hands from his.

“What do you want?”

“Why act like you don’t know me,” Marcel asked.

“Because I don’t.”

“We have to talk.”

What exactly does he want to talk about now? Surely, she doesn’t have time for his talks.

“I have nothing to say to you.”

“But I have a lot to say.”

Again, Izabelle tried to walk away but just like the last time, his hands got hold of her arm and prevented her from walking away from him.

“Fine! What is it that you want to say?” She avoided looking at his eyes because she knows that she might crumble if she does that. Her eyes fixed on his chest which had her star-struck. He was in a suit with the three buttons of his inner shirt open. Realizing what she was doing, she stared around the park avoiding both his eyes and his body.

Marcel let go of her hand before burying his hands into his pocket. At times, she just couldn’t understand him. She was only going to give him a minute.

“Why did you leave?”

“Weird question.”

“You left without a notice and suddenly came back after five years to act as if I am a stranger and you never did anything?”

Izabelle sighed. Surely he still thinks that she planned everything. He was never going to rethink, was he? But this time, she wasn’t going to defend herself and tell him it was a misunderstanding. He can think whatever he wants.

“Because that’s what you are, Marcel. A stranger.”

His expression hardened. He held her arms tightly and gritted his teeth.

“Do you realize what your actions caused? It almost shattered my friendship with your brother and threw us into this situation. You have no right to get angry here.”

She chuckled.

“Truly, I don’t.”

“Izabelle.”

She dragged her arm from his hold and snapped.

“I have somewhere to be at. Somewhere more important. I’m sure you also have somewhere to be. Your kids must be waiting for you to bring their toys.” She walked away, her back to him.

Marcel’s eyes fell on the pink Barbie doll in her hands and his eyes closed before he reopened it. What kids did she just speak about? His kids? Did he have some other kids that he doesn’t know about?

He sighed when he realized that she had seen the basket of toys in his cart back at the shop. Those were for his aunt's kids.

Izabelle strode to her car and got in without a second thought. He didn't chase after her to ask for forgiveness. What was she even expecting? Her tears flowed down her eyes as she drove to little Rosie’s school.

She would be a liar if she says that she doesn't want to be chased after. All these years, she had hoped that he would look for her. She purposely didn't go far away from the United States in the hope that he would learn that she didn't plan all of it to happen and he would come for her daughter and herself but that never happened. He never showed up and she realized that he would never come not for her and not for her child.

Cleaning her tears, she drove to Rosie’s school hoping that the sight of her daughter would uplift her mood.

Finally getting to the school, she saw that the gate was wide open and there was a little gathering of people around making it impossible for any car to go in. She stopped her car at a good spot beside the school wall and climbed out of the car with a Barbie doll in her hands. What was going on?

Walking into the school, her eyes caught sight of an ambulance. It seemed someone was being rushed to the hospital and some parents were already taking their kids with them out of the school. She stretched her neck in search of Rosie’s teacher amongst the crowd and sighed in relief when she saw her. Only she would know where Rosie was since school time had already passed.

“Mrs. Fernando,” she called, making her way into the crowd.

“Y..you’re here, Miss Rossador. I..I was about to call you.”

“Oh… Where’s Rosie? That's her bag and what's going on?” Her eyes searched around the teacher for little Rosie when she saw her school bag in her arms. Why does the teacher look so tense?

“Ro...Rosie sh..she…”

Before the teacher could continue her words, Izabelle’s gaze shifted to the side. Her eyes fell on the inside of the ambulance and her blood drained from her body.