CHAPTER THREE

"Did you just say 'Eliza?'" Her voice was barely above a whisper, trembling with shock and dawning horror.

Richard’s face turned pale. “Isabella, wait. I can explain.”

“Explain what, Richard? That you’ve been fantasising about sleeping with my cou—” Isabella paused, then stared at Richard as if she was trying to read his mind. “Are you sleeping with Eliza?”

Richard stared at her without saying a word.“Oh my God! You are sleeping with my cousin.”

“I didn’t say that,” Richard replied defensively.

“But you didn’t deny it either. Oh God. Richard, that is my cousin.” Isabella’s voice cracked as tears streamed down her cheeks.

Richard’s expression hardened into a sneer. “Well, if you could have given me a child, this wouldn’t have happened.”

Isabella felt a surge of anger. “You can’t blame me for your infidelity. Our inability to have a child has nothing to do with your philandering dick.”

“Isa, watch your tone, don't you dare speak to me in such a tone!” Richard snapped, his voice dripping with condescension.

“Watch my tone? You are sleeping with my cousin, and my tone is the subject of concern? Richard, you don’t even feel remorse.”

Richard threw up his hands in frustration. “What’s the point of remorse when you’ve been such a huge disappointment? I wanted a family, and you couldn’t deliver, so I found someone who could!”

Isabella’s eyes widened in disbelief, her body trembling with rage and sorrow. Without another word, Richard stormed out, slamming the door behind him, the sound echoing through the silence he left behind.

Richard stood staring at her with disgust in his eyes then he turned and walked away leaving Isa alone. Immediately he shut the door behind him, Isa broke down and began to cry profusely till the brink of dawn. She had wished last night was a dream, she waited for Richard to come back to the room and maybe apologize for his action but he didn’t and then it dawned on her that she had been in the marriage alone putting her all but getting nothing in return. With her vision clouded in tears, she pulled out her box and began to throw her things into it just then the bedroom door opened and Richard stepped in

“What are you doing?” he asked, his voice tinged with confusion and a hint of annoyance.

“Packing my things,” Isa replied, her voice trembling but resolute.

“Why?” Richard’s tone was now mixed with irritation and incredulity.

"Well, given you prefer the company of my cousin, I think it's best for me to give you both an opportunity to explore your newfound fantasy," she stated, her words sharp and bitter, her eyes flaming with hurt and anger. "Whatever we had, is over Richard, I want a divorce"

Richard’s eyes narrowed. “You’re being hysterical. You’re not thinking clearly.”

“Oh, I’m thinking clearly,” Isa shot back, her voice rising with each word and her eyes flashing with fury. “It is you who isn’t thinking clearly. Sleeping with my cousin and expecting me to accept it with open arms,” she continued, her tone now dripping with sarcasm and indignation.

“As your husband, I forbid you from leaving this house,” Richard growled.

Isabella laughed bitterly. “My husband? Did you just call yourself my husband? A husband who eagerly sleeps with women who desire other women’s husbands?”

At her last statement, Richard’s hand flew across her face, the sharp crack of the slap echoing in the room. “How dare you say that about Eliza? She is your cousin!”

“Richard, you slapped me because of Eliza?” Isabella asked, her voice barely above a whisper, shock evident on her face as she held her stinging cheek. Richard stood there, stone-faced.

“I’ve said all there is to be said to you. You are not going anywhere,” he growled.

Isabella stumbled back, her hand groping for support. "What do you mean, I'm not going anywhere?" Her voice came out as a hoarse whisper.

Richard stepped closer, his face a mask of cold determination. "Exactly what I said. You're staying right here."

"Like hell I am!" Isabella's voice rose, panic giving way to anger. She lunged for the door, but Richard was faster, slamming it shut.

"What are you doing?" Her voice quivered.

Richard's eyes were cold. "You're not going anywhere." He advanced, his features contoured into an odd grimace.

Isabella's back hit the wall. "Let me out. Now."

Richard growled, grabbing her arm roughly. He hauled her around the room and disregarded her plight. "Shut up!"

He forced Isabella to the floor, and tears rushed down her cheeks. He strode out of the room, ramming the door behind him. She heard the lock click, followed by his steps moving away.

"Richard!" She pounded on the door. "Let me out! What are you doing?"

His voice came muffled through the door. "Figuring out what to do with you. Now be quiet."

"No, no, no," she said softly, tugging on the door doorknob. It did not budge.

Her heart beat so loudly that she could hear it clearly. The bedroom felt as if it were compressing around her.

"This can't be happening," Isabella mumbled, pacing back and forth. Her thoughts were a tangled muddle. Richard, Eliza, betrayal, trapped – the words swirled, making her dizzy.

Isabella sank onto the edge of the bed, hands shaking. "Think," she told herself. "There have to be means of escape."

But as the minutes elapsed, panic clutched her chest. She could not breathe. Couldn't think straight.

Exhausted, Isabella slid to the floor. Tears streamed down her face. How had her life fallen apart so completely? Just hours ago, she'd been hopeful. Now...

The room grew darker as evening set in. Isabella hid in a corner, startled at any small sound.

Her throat felt sore from sobbing. Her heart jumped when the door finally pushed open. For a split second, hope flared –Then Eliza stepped in with a little smile on her face. Isabella's blood ran cold. This nightmare was far from over.

“Isabella, darling... How are you holding up?”

Isabella glared at her. “How could you? You were my only confidant.”

Eliza’s eyes gleamed with malice as she stepped closer to Isabella. “Sister? Oh, please. A sister who needs to put down everything to feel good about herself. You always get the best things while I get the scraps. And what do you do? You never appreciate them. Always complaining about your life, your marriage. It's always about you, Isa. Poor, poor Isa.”

Isabella's voice trembled, trying to reach through the bitterness. “Eliza, I never meant to make you feel that way. But why didn’t you say anything?”

Eliza laughed, a harsh, sarcastic sound. “Oh, right. Because talking about my feelings would’ve solved everything. 'Oh, Isa, I’m so jealous of you. Can you please stop being so perfect and making my life miserable?' Get real, Isabella. You were so buried in your own little universe to pay attention to anyone else."

Isabella's eyes boiled up with tears, as she wrestled to speak. "Don't pretend to be the victim here, Eliza. You've been sleeping with my husband behind my back."

Eliza scoffed. "Oh, please. As if you ever appreciated what you had. Always complaining about your perfect life."

"Perfect life?" Isabella's voice rose. "You have no idea what goes on behind closed doors. And that still doesn't justify what you've done!"

Eliza stepped closer, her voice dripping with venom. "Justify? I don't need to justify anything to you, Isabella. You've always had everything handed to you on a silver platter!"

"That's not true, and you know it," Isabella retorted. "I've worked hard for everything I have. You're just too blinded by jealousy to see it."

Eliza's eyes narrowed. "Jealousy? Don't flatter yourself. I've got something you could never give Richard - a chance at a family. And so much more."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Isabella demanded.

Eliza smirked. "Oh, where do I start? Richard says I'm better in bed than you ever were. He loves how adventurous I am, how I'm willing to try things you'd never dream of."

Isabella felt her face burn with humiliation and rage. "You're lying."

"Am I? Ask him about the weekend trip we took last month when you thought he was at a business conference. We christened every room in that beach house."

Isabella's hands clenched into fists. "Stop it."

Want to know something interesting? Whenever you're not home, Richard makes me wear your clothes and jewellery. Says it makes him feel closer to you while he's with me.”

‘I said stop it!” Isabella covers her ears with her hands to block Eliza’s words

"Why? Can't handle the truth? Face it, Isabella. I'm everything you're not. Younger, more exciting, and fertile. Richard can't keep his hands off me."

"You're nothing but a homewrecker," Isabella spat.

Eliza laughed coldly. "A homewrecker? Please. There was hardly a home to wreck.”

Isabella felt sick. “You’re a monster.”

Eliza shrugged. “ Maybe. But I’m the one who can give him what he wants. A child. Something you will never be capable of attaining. Oh my God, I can not wait. Richard is so charming; I'm wondering how you succeeded in getting him when you certainly don't deserve him; you keep moaning about him when you are the source of the issue. If you see the way he dotes on me. He rushes to my side whenever I call, just like last night.”

The words hit Isabella like a physical blow. She stumbled back, feeling the walls close in on her. “Last night was you? He said it was an urgent work matter,” she whispered, her voice trembling.

Eliza’s laughter echoed through the room “Oh naive Isa, what work? It was already past midnight”

“Get out!” Isabella yelled loudly.

Eliza laughed harder as she exited, shutting the door behind her.