With my head resting on the steering wheel, I cry until a memory comes to mind, as if God had enlightened me. I remember the apartment my grandfather gave me in the city center many years ago, I think when I turned sixteen; it was my birthday present. I remember it as if it were yesterday: he took me secretly from home and led me there with such mystery to give it to me. "Nobody knows about its existence, just you and me," he told me.
The happiness that fills me is enormous. I search through my purse and find the address and, on my keyring, the key that opens it. I look up the location on my phone, which immediately plots the route; it's not that far. I drive there. Upon arrival, I have to show my ID at the entrance because the doorman is new and doesn't know me. Well, I suppose the previous one wouldn't have known me either; I only came that one time when Grandfather brought me. I could never come back because they wouldn't let me out. The doorman keeps glancing at me. I've let my hair down, trying to hide my bruised and aching face. He finally lets me pass. "I'm sorry for the delay, Miss Sardino," he says, bending down to hand me my ID, I think trying to get a better look at me. "It's routine, since you don't come often I don't know you, but your grandfather comes frequently. How is he and his wife?" "Fine, thank you, thank you very much," I reply without raising my head, letting my hair cover my entire face. "If you'll excuse me, I'll go in now." "Oh yes, sorry, sorry!" And he rushes to raise the entrance barrier. "Good night and thank you very much." Without further ado, I start the car, doing everything possible to hide my bruises. He keeps watching me intently; apparently, he noticed something was wrong. I hope he doesn't alert my grandfather. I don't want him getting into trouble because of me. I should never have married Luis! How could I think he had really stopped being abusive and would treat me well if I let him do whatever he wanted? Oh, Isabella, you should have known something like this would happen. "Good night! If you need any help, just call. Remember your parking spot is number two on the left!" he shouts as I drive away. I advance slowly until I find it. I gather my things and head to the building. I take out my key, afraid it won't work; it's been so long since grandfather gave it to me that I'm not sure if it will. I breathe a sigh of relief when it opens the entrance door. I take the elevator to the fifth floor. Finally, I'm standing in front of the number on my card. I open the door without turning on the lights. I throw myself onto the sofa in the darkness. I can't stop crying. Why do these things have to happen to me? I should have listened to my grandfather and escaped with him on my wedding day! How could I let my parents marry me off to that heartless Luis? I close my eyes and my life begins to flash before me like a movie.Flashback.
One year earlier...
I walk trying to go unnoticed; I know that right now I'm my mother's shame, and she never tires of telling me so while giving me murderous looks. Dad says nothing, just looks at me reproachfully. I lower my head as I feel people around me examining me. We finally reach our reserved table, very elegantly set.
"Isabella, come, sit here!" my mother indicates harshly, rolling her eyes and shaking her head with a look of disgust on her heavily made-up face. "Sit up straight! Why did you have to wear those clothes? You don't look nineteen! I don't know who you take after, being such a prude—certainly not me. You should have worn the dress I bought you!" "Sorry, Mom," I say almost in a whisper to prevent others from hearing us, "but the dress you gave me was too short." "That's the one you should have worn! Not these old-fashioned prude clothes your grandmother gave you as if you were ten years old. Whoever heard of a young lady from a good family dressed like you are? You're a disgrace!" She shouts while trying to disguise her annoyance. The people nearest to us look at her and then at me, as I shrink into myself in my attempt to become invisible. I sit in my chair and lower my head, wishing I couldn't hear her anymore, which is impossible given the tone she uses as she leans toward me. "I don't know how I could have had a daughter like her: she doesn't know how to dress, doesn't know how to present herself. Look at that hair! Couldn't you have done even that better? Why didn't you put on makeup? I should have made sure you prepared properly. What a shame, what a shame!" "Eva, enough! Getting upset won't help. Calm down, our guests are about to arrive!" my father intervened, glancing at me. That morning, my mother had burst into my room with a bag. She threw it on the bed while saying: "Isabella, we're having dinner tonight with some of your father's friends, and you're coming with us. Put these clothes on. I don't want you embarrassing us with those nun's clothes you usually wear!" "But Mom, can't I stay home? I have very important exams tomorrow!" I protested, trying to avoid being forced to go. I hate these gatherings! "No, Isabella, they're potential investors for your father's company, and you must attend. Besides, everything depends on you going well. Don't protest because you're not staying home; you have to go, it's very important," she finished in a tone that made it clear the conversation was over and I couldn't object. "All right, Mom," I accepted resignedly, picking up the bag she had left on the bed.She observes me with satisfaction and leaves. I open the bag reluctantly to find an extremely short dress that barely covers my thighs. I try it on; it's beautiful, but my breasts almost spill out of the neckline.I'll never wear something like this! What was Mom thinking buying me clothes that look more suitable for a woman of the night? No, I definitely won't wear such a garment, even if she gets furious!After my mother leaves, and having seen how the dress fits, I search through my wardrobe until I find an outfit my grandmother gave me for my birthday. It's pale pink; I try it on. It fits perfectly! Above all, I feel comfortable in it: nothing to be ashamed of or worried about men's leering looks throughout dinner.Dressed like this, I stay in my room until they're all in the car honking and calling for me. I run out and quickly get in. Since they're running late, they don't make me go back to change. My mother spends the entire journey berating me. I put my headphones on and focu
I look at the smiling lady in front of me, her image comes to my mind for an instant from when they used to visit my house before I was sent to school."I..." I don't know what to say, the words catch in my throat. "I... I..." I stammer. What are they doing here?"Don't pretend you don't remember Luisito, darling," my mother says in her fake voice. I look at her but say nothing. "You haven't stopped talking about him all these years."What? Why is my mother telling such a lie? I had never remembered him until today, I hate him!"Isabella," Dad speaks, "you said a moment ago that you remembered him."I look at Dad, not understanding what he's saying. Was that what I said yes to? Of course I remember Luis well! He was that hateful boy who always made me cry, forcing me to do things I didn't want to do. I've hated him all my life; he used to follow me everywhere and hit me when no one was watching. Then he'd manage to make me take the blame for everything he did. How could I forget? I th
I remain paralyzed, staring at them, unable to believe what they are saying. I look at Luis, who smiles like an angel, accepting everyone's congratulations while holding one of my hands in his and kissing me from time to time. And suddenly, he kneels before me and shows me, with his cynical smile, an engagement ring."Bella, since we were children, you have been a fascination to me, and you still are. As you promised me back then when you confessed your love, I have waited all these years for you. Because I have also loved you all my life and I intend to continue doing so. Thank you for accepting me as the man who will make you happy for all eternity," Luis says while placing the ring on my finger, amid everyone's applause. He doesn't even ask if I accept him, he takes it for granted. I feel trapped, unable to react or say a word. I can't find words to express my desperation; I remain frozen and at a loss for what to say. I know I can't voice my opinion; it has always been this way.
Luis stares at me with an expression of mockery and contempt that I did not understand, but I waited for him to finish speaking in the hope that somehow I would escape this torture."Did you really think I was in love with you? No, Bella, I'll never fall in love with someone like you," he said cynically. "So take it well, we'll both win. You'll have your freedom, and I'll have my inheritance. We'll be married for three years, and each go our separate ways. We'll only appear to be married. Now you have to pretend you like me, that we've truly been in love since childhood; if we do it well, we'll be free sooner.""Sounds good to me; I don't like you either. We'll divorce in three years, and that's it," I replied happily, feeling a great weight lifted from my shoulders. I felt God existed and had come to save me."Yes, but I want to make something clear. During that time, you can't have any relationships," he said very seriously while looking out the window."Fine by me. And you?" I ask
Right now my nose is red from sneezing so much; my mother and mother-in-law ordered an enormous bouquet that reaches almost to my knees, and not only that. Every wedding arrangement includes these flowers. Thankfully, my grandmother changed the bouquet and had all the others removed from the decorations with Luis's help, who wants to get in their good graces. When she told him I was allergic to those flowers, he agreed to remove them all, despite the furious faces of my mother-in-law and my mother. So I felt relieved when my grandmother gave me a new bouquet. One that she had ordered, made of orchids that don't affect me and is much more beautiful. She also placed them in the floral arrangements with Luis's help. My grandmother is the only one excited about this wedding. She hugged and kissed me, with tears in her eyes. My grandfather doesn't want me to get married. He keeps telling me he's only here for me, clearly annoyed. He doesn't like the groom and looks at him as if he wants
He looked at me for a moment, then hugged me again very tightly, and we separated to position ourselves at the entrance. Could I say no? No, Mom had told me he was in serious trouble, that if I didn't marry Luis, he would go bankrupt. Come on Isabella, it's just three years of sacrifice to save your beloved dad.I didn't hear from Luis until the next day; he arrived an hour before the flight departure. After arriving late and angrily storing the hand luggage overhead, slamming the compartment doors and making everyone stare at us, he sat down furiously beside me."Is something wrong?" I asked."Bella, could you do me a favor?" he asked, looking at me annoyed."Yes, just tell me what it is," I said obligingly."Move to economy class!" he almost shouted and added when he saw my questioning look. "I want to sit here with my girl."I looked at him bewildered, I couldn't believe he was asking me that! But seeing he w
I entered my new house, a gift from my grandparents. It's beautiful and, most importantly, very bright just as I like it. Upon entering, the first thing that catches your eye is a huge mirror with trailing plants on either side. There's a small table with drawers and on top of it, the enormous vase I've always admired at my grandparents' house. I smile, seeing my grandmother's touch in this. The living room that follows is really spacious, with a beautiful floral furniture set - I can't believe she remembered what I said when I saw it while shopping with her. I liked it back then because it looked like a flowering garden, and I still do.As I continue my tour, a beautiful white marble staircase leads me to the second floor. Wow, why did they make so many bedrooms? I wonder. There are really many, and I open them all as I walk. They're very spacious, with huge beds beautifully dressed, each with its own bathroom including bathtubs, just as I always told my grandfathe
I smile happily at what's in front of me. It's a huge room with all my things and a sign in the middle of the bed that says:"I knew you wouldn't want to live on the second floor, because of what you confided in me on the wedding day, so I prepared this room here as your refuge" Congratulations, my granddaughter, and remember, if you need me, I'll be there in a second.Love, your Grandpa.I took my phone, happy and grateful, especially seeing the strong locks he had put on the door. I picked it up right away."You're the best grandfather in the world!" I shouted. "Thank you grandpa, I love you with all my heart too.""Do you like the house?" he asks immediately."Yes, very much. Especially this secure room you made for me," I tell him while sitting on the bed."Did everything go well with that good-for-nothing husband of yours in Paris?" I knew he couldn't help asking."Yes, yes grandpa, don't worry," I respond smiling, and to calm him
She had remained a single mother until they returned to the city, which was when they met again. Four years had passed, and he remembered it well, as he had been in constant contact with her via messages, yet she never told him. Neither Isabella nor her parents ever revealed the truth to him. What kind of father was he that no one trusted him to care for his daughter? And now this, when he had personally arranged for his daughter's security guards. He exhaled deeply before asking again:"Are you saying my daughter is pregnant?""Yes, the tests and ultrasounds don't lie.""And does my son-in-law Christian know about this? What did he say?""He asked us to investigate everything confidentially and not to tell anyone. He said that if she had indeed been assaulted and hadn't been with a man during the time they were separated before the accident, he would raise the child as his own."Santiago stared intently at the doctor, feeling a surge of gratitude towards hi
Christian stared at him intently, with a huge lump in his throat that was almost choking him, with a sharp pain in his heart knowing that his lovely wife had been violated in the hospital. That was the only explanation that existed now for the state Isabella was in. For this reason, he decided not to tell either of them anything and told them that the whole family had decided to move to the estate for a while, so they could stay in Marta's old room.They left and he remained in the office with the lights off, feeling his world fading away as he felt guilty for everything that had happened to Isabella in her life. At that moment, he didn't know if it was the best or the worst thing that had happened to her, because he had first gotten her pregnant and left her alone all that time because of his amnesia. And now that he had recovered his memory, he found that because he hadn't been constantly looking after her, someone had abused his lovely wife."How come such terrible thin
Marta looked at Rodrigo, who was waiting expectantly for her to explain, but without pressuring her. She took his hands and looked him in the eye as she said, crying:"It's nothing like that, love. I changed my phone number when I came here and I never contacted him again. How can you think I would tell him that you were about to pick him up?" she asked, wiping away her tears, which continued to flow from her eyes uncontrollably. "I simply suspect that he is also involved in the attack and what they did to us on the yachts. In addition to this now with the cars. I feel like I've betrayed Isabella's family by not telling them about this guy, Dad could have easily kept an eye on him.""I don't think you should feel guilty about that, Isa. You were a child and I'm sure you didn't know exactly what they were talking about when you heard them talking about the bomb." Rodrigo said sympathetically, wiping away her tears. "It was normal for you to pro
But Christian stormed out, slamming the office door shut in a rage, and sprinted towards where Isabella was. However, when he reached the lift, he stopped and bent over, burying his head in his hands, and burst into tears."Poor Bella, poor Bella," Christian repeated over and over as they moved away. "It's all my fault, I'm to blame for everything that's happened to her.""Calm down, Chris, we don't know for sure if that's what happened," David urged, placing a hand on his back, trying to soothe him. "Maybe it's not what you think, she might have been with another man, or maybe even with you.""No, she hasn't been with me! Didn't you hear that I can't impregnate women?" he asked, almost shouting, and added with a deep ache in his chest. "She was raped, David, my Bella was raped when she was alone!"He punched the wall furiously, over and over, until his hands bled, and David stopped him, pulling him into a tight embrace, letting him vent on his shoulder, not know
Christian sat in the doctor's office, waiting for news on Isabella's condition. His brother-in-law, Dr. David, sat beside him, having already prepared their home for Isabella's return. David would be personally taking care of her.Finally, the doctor emerged, accompanied by the hospital director. They greeted Christian and David, settling down with serious expressions."Well, doctor, can I take my wife home or not?" Christian asked impatiently."Before I answer that, Christian, I need to ask you some questions. There's something about your wife that we can't understand," the doctor said, looking at the hospital director who was shifting nervously."What do you mean, doctor? Is something wrong with Bella?" Christian asked, visibly frightened."Her vital signs are all normal," the doctor began, nervously shuffling some papers in his hands. "However, in the latest test results we ran to clear her for discharge, we found something we don't know how to analyse."
They instinctively approach Susan and surround her as if protecting her from the world, while Susan looks at Santiago very scared. Mrs. Tania looks at her son and hurries to say."And your parents too, Susi, would come with you, that mansion is huge. Maybe if Bella hears us all around her, she'll be encouraged to wake up.""It's a good idea, Susi!" her father chimes in. "That way we can see our great-grandchildren all the time and you'll form a relationship with them. We'll go with you and Santiago will be by your side all the time, nothing will happen to you, darling, and you'll take care of your daughter, she needs you by her side.""Yes, Susi, Bella will surely be happy when she finds out you're her mum." Santiago says, excited to be able to live with her."Do you really think so, Santi? Do you think my daughter won't blame me for not knowing how to look after her and letting Eva steal her from me?" Susan asks anxiously.On the other hand, Rodrigo
Marta observes Susan who looks at her excitedly as if she were really her biological daughter as Bella is, from whom she feels she is stealing all those moments. So she feels disconcerted."Oh, God!" exclaims Susan, excited, and steps forward to hug and kiss her. "This is miraculous, I have another daughter. When Santi told me he had adopted you, I was filled with joy and I'd love it if you called me Mum if you don't mind. If not, that's fine, I'll treat you like a daughter, and look, these would be your grandparents. Mum, Dad, don't you think she looks like Santi and me too?""That's right, daughter, that's right. Nice to meet you, Martita, this one here is your maternal grandmother from today onwards," Susan's mother steps forward. "Here, I brought you a gift, I'm a bit confused, are you Isabel or Marta?""Isabel was the name my parents gave me, but then I changed it to Marta. Dad, he's the only one, well, and now my boyfriend Rodrigo, who calls me Isa," explains Ma
Yes, you saved me, Bella. You insisted that I go to work at your apartment, and that's when I realised how well you were looked after, that you had visible and hidden bodyguards, that if I stayed by your side, nothing would happen to me. Forgive me for taking advantage of you in that way and putting you in danger.That's why I stayed to live with you, and you can't imagine how happy I was when your grandparents accepted me and did everything for me. I don't know how Grandpa realised they were following me, but do you know what he did? He put security guards on me too! Can you believe it? Me, an orphan he'd just met, just because you wanted me by your side, he started looking after me!You wouldn't believe how much I hated those rich girls who thought they were better than everyone else, but you weren't like that. You're so different, Bella, that I started to love you from that moment on because it wasn't just a whim of yours. You truly loved me. I was hea
Adele looks at her mother really surprised by what she has just told her, she never imagined that Christie Thompson would help her in this way."She won't want you near her brother because of what you did, but she also doesn't want you to suffer the fate your father had imposed on you by selling you to that guy who was surely going to put you in his harem or auction you off in a brothel in his country. I'm truly grateful that she called me to save you," her mother said very seriously. Then, with a smile, she asked, "How are you feeling? Does it hurt much?""A bit when I move. How long has it been?" she asked, looking at her healed wounds.Her mother looked at her with pity and told her that she had been in that situation for almost two months. They had kept her asleep the whole time because they were travelling from one place to another, hiding her. Besides, there was something she had to tell her, and now that she knew she had a son, she thought it was the right time