Isabella~"Oh my god, Mr. Thompson, you scared me." As I turned to see who was standing behind me, the sight of Xavier in front of me filled me with fear. "I apologize if I scared you, but what are you doing late at night?" He gave me a perplexed expression. "I'm simply attempting to gather fresh evidence for the ongoing murder investigation." I shrugged my shoulders with nervousness as he looked at the fake murder scene in my room. "Humm, so to investigate this murder case further, you set up the identical murder scene." He put his hand on his chin. "Well, I believe if we understand the psychology of criminals, then we will be able to solve the case with ease." To free up space on my bed so I could sleep, I shut off my laptop and returned the file to the rack. "That's fantastic; you are outstanding." I get a little uncomfortable when I hear him compliment me. In the past, he never acknowledged my achievements, and now, when he attempts to praise me, all I can feel is resentment.
Xavier~"Mr. Thompson, please get up; we have to leave." I rubbed my eyes as I listened to her gentle voice. I attempted to straighten my body and almost managed to avoid falling off the couch. I looked around me and found myself sleeping in an unfamiliar room that was on the couch. "Don't look at my room in awe; I know it looks beautiful." I turned my head to look at her. She was standing in front of the dressing table and combing her hair. "I apologize; I can't recall when I fell asleep last night." It was quite embarrassing for me to spend the night in her room. "That's okay; everyone feels calm in my room." I turned to stare at her, bewildered to find my body covered in a blanket. Did she wrap a blanket around my body the night before? But looking at her cold face, I find it hard to believe that she truly cares for me. Why didn't she wake me up and ask me to leave her room? Once again, my mind was filled with countless questions as I observed her mysterious behavior toward me.
Isabella~"Mr. Thompson, please wait here; I will return in a few minutes," I asked him as I hurried back inside Alicia's room."What have you forgotten now?" he asked, confusion lacing his voice."Please wait," I replied quickly, my mind focused elsewhere. Once more, I opened her almirah and pulled out the anniversary photograph. It was the last memory I had with Xavier. Something in me still felt connected to that memory, even though it reopened old scars. I slipped the photo into my purse, determined not to let him see the effect his romantic photos with Alicia still had on me. The way they were together left me feeling as if I were a stranger in their story, and it still hurts.As I stepped out of Alicia's room, Lisa's venomous voice cut through the silence. "Stealing?""Stealing?" I repeated, stunned. Her accusation sparked a fire inside me."Mom, do you think I'm like Alicia, always taking what doesn't belong to her?" I stared straight into her eyes, my words cutting sharper tha
Xavier~"Bella, I reached my hotel." I don't know why I texted her about reaching my hotel room, but the urge was too strong to resist. My thoughts always seemed to drift back to her."Good night, take care," she replied almost instantly.I blinked at the screen, surprised she was awake—surprised she responded at all. Why was she still up? It was late. After spending time with Alan and sharing dinner with Bella and him, I felt an unusual sense of peace and contentment. It was as if, for a brief moment, I was part of a family. A perfect family. Meeting Alan had only deepened my desire to fit into Bella’s life once again.As I lay on the bed, my mind raced back to how pleased Alan looked earlier that day. His innocent laughter filled the house, and for a fleeting second, I allowed myself to imagine what it would have been like if I hadn’t betrayed Bella. Would we be a real family today? The thought sent a wave of longing through me, but I quickly pushed it aside. She wasn’t ready to l
Isabella~"Miss Luis, are you prepared to lose this case today?" As I entered the courtroom, Derrick's haughty voice filled my ears."Good morning, Mr. Merchant." I disregarded his taunting and greeted him with a warm smile."It's a beautiful morning, of course, but once you lose this case, it will quickly become a nightmare for you." When he saw my composed face, his arrogant smirk transformed into resentment."We will see, Mr. Merchant." I motioned for him to take a seat. His confidence irked me, but I had prepared myself. I knew my composure was unsettling for him, and I was ready for anything. "Miss Luis, you still have the opportunity to join my firm after you lose this case." He tried again to shake me, but I smiled inwardly. His words no longer had the power to affect me. "Thank you for your generosity, Mr. Merchant." I responded coolly and returned to arranging my papers, keeping my hands steady. Inside, my heart raced, not because of him but because of the weight of what wa
Xavier~"Bella, what is he doing with Alan?" I looked at Bella in confusion, my heart pounding. "Bella, why are you quiet? Answer me: What is Victor doing with Alan?" Her silence sent a shiver of fear through me, even though my mind had already pieced together the disturbing possibility."Victor." My voice wavered, barely containing the surge of emotion. "Where did you disappear after that night? Do you know I searched for you everywhere?" My eyes filled with tears, and I took a step toward him, desperate to embrace my brother after so many years of silence, but he remained frozen. He was so cold, so distant—as if I were invisible to him."Daddy, meet my new friend." Alan’s innocent voice interrupted the tension, and I stared in shock. "What? Dad?" The word struck me like a jolt, causing me to remain motionless. Alan tightly wrapped his hand around Victor's, his smile naive and pure. This can’t be happening. "What is he saying, Bella? Is Victor Alan's father?" The realization was
Isabella~"What are you doing, Bella?" He gripped my hand tightly, pulling me back to safety from the high-speed train rushing past."Why did you save me?" I whispered, my voice thick with despair. "Victor, I want to die. I have nothing left now." Overwhelmed, I buried my face in his shoulder, letting my sobs break free."I never expected this from you," he murmured, patting my back in comfort. "You've always seemed like a strong, resilient woman who would never give up. How could you be ready to die over something so... trivial?" His words were gentle, yet I felt their weight."Victor, it wasn’t a small thing," I choked, fighting to find the words for this unbearable ache in my heart. "I loved him; he was my life... I don’t know how I’ll survive without him.""But why are you grieving for him?" Victor’s voice grew firmer and steady as he helped me to the platform seat. "When has he ever shown you real love? Does he deserve your loyalty?""But I loved him, Victor." My voice cracked as
Xavier~"Congrats, Bella." I held out a bouquet to her, feeling uneasy due to the awkward silence between us. Victor was looking at me with anger-filled eyes as he saw me approaching her. She softly mumbled, "Thank you," before returning her attention to the ground. Why is she avoiding eye contact with me? "Uncle, my mama looks beautiful, right?" Alan's innocent question increased the tension between us even more. After hearing Alan, my gaze returned to Bella. She does look stunning today. She looked even more stunning in her full-sleeved, champagne-colored gown. Most of the time, she dressed like a lawyer, but tonight, she looked amazing. The red roses in her bun enhanced her beauty, but my heart raced as I watched Victor apply them to her hair. Observing their intimate bond filled my heart with jealousy. How can Victor do this to me? How can he marry Bella when he knows she is my wife? However, this is not his fault; rather, it is entirely my fault, as I have failed to recognize
Xavier~"Please don't give me to the police. I'll tell you everything." That boy held my hand and pleaded with me, desperation dripping from every word."Tell me the truth, or I will report you to the police." I threatened him again. Although I was thankful for him saving my life, my mind was filled with doubts after seeing him living in this deserted place. Because of the unexpected flood, the government had strictly forbidden people from residing close to the river. Those who disobeyed faced severe penalties and fines for violating the regulation."Tell me, what’s your connection with Jordan Lucas?" Seeing his quietness, I threatened him once again."Jordan Lucas?" He gave me a perplexed expression, genuinely confused."Don't lie. I know he sent you here to keep your eye on us." I narrowed my eyes and gave him a doubtful glance, every nerve on edge."Sir, I don't have any idea who you’re talking about. I’m a student doing my research on submarine life." He quickly handed me his iden
Isabella~The cold water felt like an ointment to my burned skin, but soon I found myself flowing with the river's current. My hands felt numb in the chilly water as I attempted to swim against the stream. I had trouble breathing as water began to fill my nose. I looked around in search of Xavier, but I was unable to find him in the violent current.My body was still in shock from witnessing the car blast. I had never been this close to death before—never felt it breathe against my neck the way it did now. I made every attempt to locate the riverbank so that I could escape the current, but I was unable to do so since my hands and feet were not functioning properly.I heard the roar of the rushing water grow louder, and my swimming became more desperate. I was about to plunge into the waterfall ahead if I didn't exit the river's grip. This river would plummet vertically off the edge. If I didn't get out now, I would tumble down the cliff and that would be the end.I fought the river wi
Xavier~“Bella, what did you do? I am now sure he will not show any mercy to us.” Jordan Lucas' threats rattled my body. His eyes blazed with anger and retaliation. The moment he saw us in the court, he was fuming with anger. I am well aware of Jordan Lucas' nature. Once he decides something, he will not back out of it, no matter how far he has to go to achieve the desired outcome.“Bella, why did you discuss another case in this court when we already have difficulty handling Victor's murder case?” I looked at her with a complaint-filled gaze. I am well aware that she is not doing anything wrong, but I don't think messing with Jordan Lucas in every situation is a good idea.“Xavier, I didn't have any choice at that time. Can't you see how Andrew argued with us in today’s court session? He is one step ahead of us. He came here well prepared, and we would have lost this case in today's hearing if I hadn't diverted the court's attention to the recent crimes of Jordan Lucas.” She sits on
Isabella~“My lord, Jordan Lucas not only killed Victor Thompson but he also killed two of my staff by burning them alive. He not only took the lives of those two innocent people but he also burned my costly property.” I turned to look at Jordan Lucas with hate-filled eyes. Now he has to pay a high price for his sins. I waited for the perfect opportunity to enter the court so that I could see this fear-filled expression on his face. When I saw Jordan Lucas, I felt retaliation and rage in every cell of my body. How could he burn those two innocent individuals so viciously? I saw no trace of regret in his eyes. His brutality went beyond all bounds.“Objection, my lord, Mrs. Thompson is trying to mislead the case. She is attempting to squander the court's valuable time by involving my client in her latest baseless charges, even though we are here to discuss Victor's case.” Andrew rose from his seat and gave me a furious glare.“Andrew is correct, Mrs. Thompson; your statements seemed un
Xavier~"Bella, what are we going to find in this dusty area?" I looked at her with confusion. The house was covered with black dust. A shiver ran down my spine as I saw the state of the house. We would have been buried under the ground by now if we hadn't left this house on time. I am afraid of losing Bella while trying to send Jordan Lucas to jail."Take off your shoes and don't touch anything in the home, Xavier." She handed me the gloves after removing them from her suitcase."What are you saying, Bella? How am I supposed to remove my shoes on this dusty floor?" I gave her a perplexed look."Xavier, do what I am saying."I removed my shoes and shook my head in disappointment when I saw her demanding gaze. "Bella, please stop using the magnifying glass; we are not detectives." She took the magnifying glass out of her bag and then began to look at the burned items available in the house.I don't understand what new hobby she developed as a detective. She carries everything with he
Isabella~"What are you going to do now, Bella?" Xavier's eyes brimmed with curiosity. "I don't know, Xavier; I only have to win Victor's case by hook or crook." I sighed deeply and fixed my gaze on the laptop screen. My attention was drawn to my phone's buzzing sound. "Are you okay, Bella?" I heard James' anxious voice on the call. "Yeah, we are all right, but why did you sound so worried?" I asked him. "I watched the news on TV." After listening to him, I became aware of the impact this news had on my family. They had no idea what was going on here. "Don't worry about us, James; everything is OK." His worry is evident in the weight of his voice. "I feared we lost you both, Bella." I heard him sobbing. "It was part of my plan, James. I am well aware of Jordan Lucas' cruelty. That's why I have already moved out of that house. I don't want any of you to get into problems, so please don't contact me again." I cautioned him once more. "Bella, everyone is concerned about you and
Xavier~"What are you doing here, Bella?" I got up from my bed when I didn't find her in our bedroom. I looked for her in the kitchen but she's not there. Where has she gone on such a late night? I looked in the study room, the hall, the terrace, and the balcony, but she wasn't there. My worry increased about her even more when she did not receive her phone. She is so upset because of Jordan Lucas' case. He destroyed all the evidence of his crime, and the next court hearing is in one week. I am afraid that she didn't take any dangerous steps due to depression. "Xavier, why do you look so tense? Is everything okay?" She put her file inside and looked at me casually as if nothing had happened. Upon seeing her in the old file storage room, I felt a sense of relief. "What are you doing in this room?" I turned my face to look at that dirt-filled room with confusion. "Xavier, we were worried about the evidence, but we forgot that we had the hidden treasure in this house." She got up f
Isabella~"Bella, why are you so silent? You know I'm scared of your silence."Xavier stopped the car in front of our house and looked at me, concern evident in his eyes."I can't live in this house, Xavier. We have to find some other place to live," I unbuckled my seatbelt and turned to face him.His brows furrowed in confusion. "What's wrong with this house, Bella?""He will attack us at any time to remove us from his path. I don't want to take any risks." My heartbeat was still erratic from the near-fatal accident earlier. The image of the truck speeding toward us replayed in my mind like a nightmare.Xavier let out a frustrated sigh. "Sometimes I don't understand you, Bella. On one hand, you're so brave—boldly challenging Jordan Lucas, standing firm in court—and on the other, you're terrified of him?" He held my hand, searching my eyes for an answer.I tightened my grip on his fingers. "No, Xavier. I am not afraid of him. I am afraid of losing you." My voice cracked with emotion.
Xavier~"Bella, let's go." I held her hand and gestured for her to leave the courtroom."I will kill this man," she seethed, clenching her fist as she locked eyes with Andrew."Calm down. Avoid wasting your time on him." I held her wrist tightly, stopping her from following him."Xavier, you surprised me today. Why didn't you tell me about this proof before?" As we sat in the car, she arched a brow at me, suspicion flickering in her eyes."Bella, I didn't hide anything from you. I was also unaware of this evidence; it was a last-minute idea, and I'm pleased it succeeded." I shrugged my shoulders, watching her reaction."Xavier, what are you saying? How is this possible? I saw your confidence in the courtroom—no one could tell this was last-minute." Her eyes widened in disbelief."Mrs. Thompson, Andrew was the one who inspired me to provide this evidence." A small smirk played on my lips."Andrew? How?" She crossed her arms over her chest, demanding an explanation."My blood was boilin