Later that night, as they headed home, Isabel couldn't stop admiring her ring. She was so eager to share the news with someone, but there was no one she could share the news with.Sharing the news with Austin would've been a great idea, except that she didn't want him lecturing her about her decision and castigating Sebastian.She didn't have any family member, or close friends to share the news with, which somehow made her sad."I should've done this from the very first day I met you." Sebastian mouthed to her, when he saw her staring at the ring with admiration in her eyes,"I shouldn't have waited this long.""How sure are you that I would've said yes to you if you'd proposed to me when we first met?""I know you wouldn't say yes to me, because you were stubborn and willful. However, I would've done something to make you change your mind." He said with so much confidence, while staring at her,"What if I don't?" Isabel challenged him with a playful smile,"What if I remained res
Several minutes later, while Isabel was still in the car, she saw Sebastian ushering the triplets out of the elevator, while Brittany followed behind them.Seeing the confused expression on the boys' faces, made her heart ache.She pushed the door open, and jumped out of the car before Fowler could stop her and she ran to the boys."Mommy!" Reynolds shrieked the second he saw her running towards them, and he let go of Sebastian's hand immediately, running to catch up with her.Seeing that her sons were okay, filled Isabel with unexplainable relief.She hugged the boy, and even when Alexander and Oliver joined them, she gathered all three of them in her embrace, painting their faces with several kisses."Mommy, what happened?" Reynolds asked her, concern lacing his small voice after she has freed them from her embrace."What happened to our car?" Oliver pointed out, perplexed as he stared at the ruin on the car.Zachary immediately blocked the boy's view, while Sebastian replied to
Meanwhile, Isabel was at the manor, impatiently waiting for Sebastian to return.About an hour ago, she called him and he'd told her that he was on his way to the manor.Her mind was plagued with quite an unhealthy amount of morbid thoughts.She thought about driving to the penthouse to drag him home, but she knew that Fowler wouldn't allow her go anywhere, without Sebastian ordering it.She tried calling him again, but this time, her call was sent to voicemail."Fuck! Sebastian, why are you doing this to me?" She mused, her eyes nearly blurring with tears as she paced to and fro their bedroom, praying for him to return homeThe boys have gone to school and she was alone, except for the employees scattered around the manor, Jarvis and Fowler included.After plenty minutes of random morbid thoughts, she decided to go call him and know what was delaying him.Hopefully, he would pick up and tell her that he was alright, and was on his way home.Who was she kidding?Her call was sent
After they left the store, Isabel could tell the boys were in a sour mood, and she didn't know what to say to cheer them up."Boys, do you want to go to the arcade now?" She asked them, hopeful they would say yes, but they didn't."We are fine." "Yeah...I think I'd rather go home."Both Oliver and Reynolds spoke respectively."Boys, I don't think you should be feeling sad about what that lady did, or anything she said to me." She told them, watching their sullen faces.Although she didn't understand why the lady was very hateful, she suspected that her simple mode of dressing had attributed to her anger.She was wearing a peach dress and a white sandal and her hair was held with nothing but a headband.She wasn't wearing her eighteen-carat diamond engagement ring Sebastian had given her, nor was she carrying an expensive bag like most of the customers the lady was used to having.In fact, her purse was one she'd gotten from the local mall at Colby and it'd cost her less than fifty dol
Like Sebastian avowed, he got the lady from the stored fired from her workplace, then got her arrested.Isabel wasn't supportive of his decision, but since he'd threatened to extend the lady's stay behind bars, if she begged him on her behalf, she decided to not say anything to him.However, she showed her displeasure, which he ignored."This should serve as a lesson to anyone who decide to disrespect you." He told her, as the officers took the crying lady away."Now, remind me what it is you wanted to get?"Isabel was quiet for a while, as the crowd dispersed, but a good amount of passerby were looking at them, awed to see Sebastian, his triplet sons and his new girlfriend.She could hear their murmuring"Nothing..."He threw her a discerning glare, then took her hand into his,"If I could remember, the Genesis of this misunderstanding was you trying to see if a particular shade of foundation matched you skin tone, right?"Isabel said nothing, prompting Oliver to say yes to the man."
CHAPTER EIGHTY-EIGHT While Jarvis drove the boys to the manor, Sebastian instructed Moses to drive him and Isabel to Whites & Jays."Where's Whites & Jays and why are we going there?" Isabel asked Sebastian, throwing him a questioning look."It's a surprise." He told her, with a smile,"But trust me, you'll love it." With the unease from earlier momentarily forgotten, she reciprocated the smile, her eyes twinkling.They arrived at the Whites & Jays about a couple of minutes later, and to Isabel's surprise, it was a shop for wedding dresses.The moment the car stopped, she turned curiously, and to her surprise, they were parked into front of a storey building, with the white signage WHITES & JAYS between the first and second floor, and from the outside, she could see the wedding dresses worn on mannequins."A wedding dress shop?" She showed her bewilderment tto Sebastian, and he nodded,"You'll need a wedding dress for our wedding, won't you?""I will." Isabel replied to hi
CHAPTER EIGHTY-NINE Sebastian was eager to facilitate the wedding process, and make it happen at soonest.Left to him, they would've gotten married that weekend, but there was a lot of preparations to be made, and Isabel has insisted that he postponed it, because she needed to tell her family about it."The same family who set you up, and nearly had you kidnapped, if not for Fowler's timely intervention?"He wasn't thrilled with the idea of her going to meet them, and that was mostly because they were still in his custody, unbeknownst to her."Despite what they've done to me, they are still my family, and I do not intend to get married without getting their blessings." She was honest with him."I've no friends, nor do I have anyone elsewhere except them. And although they might've wronged me countless times in the past, I don't think it is fair to cut them out of my life just like that, because they saved me too.""And you've done well to repay them every kindness they've sh
After ending the call with Detective Jonas, Sebastian called Pierre and gave him the assignment of sniffing Damien Giddorti's ass"Pardon my asking, Mr. Bernadotte, but this is unlike every other assignment you've been giving me?""Yes, I know, but I need every information you can get on that son of a bitch.""What kind of information do you need?" Pierre asked the man, still confused about his request."Have you been told anything about him?""I just received a tip of an alliance that Giddorti Enterprise is pumping Wall Street with drug money, so I need you to help me find out if it is true or not." Pierre wasn't comfortable with the assignment, and he aired it to Sebastian immediately."Mr. Bernadotte, you need to understand that this isn't as easy as you think. Whether or not Giddorti is involved in any illegal activities, busting him would do you no good.""There's always a hierarchy, and trust me, someone like Damien Giddorti can never be at the top of the food chain. It is compl
Isabel was discharged from the hospital later that day, and was driven home by Austin.The drive from the hospital which was in Seattle, to Colby took about an hour, which to Isabel, it was the longest one hour of her life, and was plagued with different thoughts.The car glided smoothly along the deserted highway, the only sound being the soft hum of the engine and the occasional tick of the turn signal. Austin's eyes were fixed on the road ahead, his expression neutral, while Isabel sat beside him, her face a mask of turmoil.Her eyes stared blankly out the window, her mind reeling with the news they had received from the doctor.The doctor's words echoed in her mind like a cruel joke.How come? When? Why?Isabel was confused, wishing this would all be a nightmare that she can be woken up from. She didn't want to believe the news, but the doctor had showed her evidence. It was indeed true.But, why is this happening to her?She was careful and took her pills religiously, except
Several days past, and Isabel was still struggling to get used to living without her son. There were some mornings she rose very early, fretting about what breakfast to make him, only to be reminded of his absence, by the cold silence coming from his bedroom.One afternoon, she left the cafe and drove down to his former school, only to remember that he was no longer schooling there, when she was almost at the schoolThat day, she cried.She cried so hard, she began to feel lightheaded and nauseous, yet the tears wouldn't stop falling.Her whole body was quivering as if someone had ran her an ice bath on a snowy day, sobs and sniffles escaping from her trembling lips.Isabel had never felt so frazzled like she did that day.After crying herself to stupor for over an hour, she managed to calm her frayed nerves and she drove herself home.She'd wanted to call Austin or one of her employees to come drive her home, but she didn't want them to meet her in that condition, and certainly didn
Several days past, and Isabel was still struggling to get used to living without her son. There were some mornings she rose very early, fretting about what breakfast to make him, only to be reminded of his absence, by the cold silence coming from his bedroom.One afternoon, she left the cafe and drove down to his former school, only to remember that he was no longer schooling there, when she was almost at the schoolThat day, she cried.She cried so hard, she began to feel lightheaded and nauseous, yet the tears wouldn't stop falling.Her whole body was quivering as if someone had ran her an ice bath on a snowy day, sobs and sniffles escaping from her trembling lips.Isabel had never felt so frazzled like she did that day.After crying herself to stupor for over an hour, she managed to calm her frayed nerves and she drove herself home.She'd wanted to call Austin or one of her employees to come drive her home, but she didn't want them to meet her in that condition, and certainly didn
Despite Austin's subtle objection, Isabel accepted the package sent from the delivery guy, and she carried it into the house, but did not open it.She dropped it on the dining table and left without sparing it a second glance."I don't understand why you won't let me deal with the bastard." Austin was still fuming,"He needs to be taught a lesson, after everything he has done.""Austin, I don't want you to get involved in a rivalry with Sebastian. It is not worth it." She advised him,"Sebastian is the worst person you'd want to get into a feud with, and I wouldn't want you to get hurt because of me.""I am not scared of him, Isabel and you shouldn't be. That bastard wronged you, and he took your son away from him, I don't see why you should be afraid of him." He admonished her,"You've to fight for yourself and for Reynolds. You've got to fight to get your son back. Stand up to that bully.""I can't!" She screamed at him, her voice raised to a crescendo,"Don't you understand tha
Sebastian stood in the hallway, his eyes fixed on the closed bedroom door, Reynolds was knocking against, his mind reeling with regret and guilt. He felt like he'd been punched in the gut, his breath knocked out of him.He thought about the look on Isabel's face, the shock, the anger, the hurt. He knew he'd broken her trust, shattered the foundation of their relationship. He couldn't blame her that she hated him, and if she chose to leave him, he deserved worst.Reynolds stopped knocking and turned to him,"Daddy, she won't open the door." The boy inveighed,"What did you do to her?"His eyes dropped to the floor, his shoulders slumping under the weight of his guilt. He felt like he was drowning in a sea of regret, unable to keep his head above water.He wished he could bring himself to tell his sons the truth, but they would hate him even more than Isabel does now. They would despise him, knowing he was the cause of their mother's loss and misery.And once his whole family
Before Sebastian could say anything else, she ended the call, clenching her fist tightly.Isabel was having the strong urge to haul her phone against the wall, but she restrained herself, knowing the damage it will cause the phone, which was purchased barely three days ago.She burst out of her closet, slamming the door behind her. She strode across her bedroom, her feet pounding the floor in frustration. She felt like she was going to explode, her emotions boiling over like a pot left unattended on the stove.She flung open her bedroom door and stormed out into the hallway, not sure where she was going, but knowing she needed to get out of there. In fact, she didn't want to see Sebastian even if he teleported himself home right that moment.That was how mad she was at him.She paced down the hall, her hands clenched into fists, her mind racing with thoughts and feelings she couldn't process.She was livid, but the rest emotions she couldn't process accurately.How dare that bit
Later that day, Isabel was on the phone with her employees from the cafeteria, when a knock came on the door."Excuse me, Sarah." She told the girl, then told whoever it was at the door to come inside.The door opened to she was surprised to see the Oliver and Alexander march into the bedroom, glum look on their faces."Sarah, can we have this conversation later? I need to attend to something very important.""Okay, ma'am. I will forwards the inventories to you now.""Thanks, dear. Send my regards to everyone.""I will, and my regards to Reynolds and your father. He should get well soon."Isabel muttered an inaudibly reply to the lady, before ending the call, then she moved her attention to the boys who were approaching her.Her first concern was their unhappy faces, which she pointed out immediately."Why the unhappy faces, boys? Did anything happen? And where is your younger brother?"Oliver was first to speak up,"Reynolds is in the bedroom, trying to solve some mathematical equati
The day of the hearing finally came and Sebastian was ready.He'd Miranda, his secretary postpone every appointment he'd during the time of the hearing. He was determined to be there, since the man's sentence also meant justifying Isabel and all the women he'd sexually assaulted.Surprisingly, the courtroom was almost filled, and there were plenty of reporters scattered everywhere.Being one of the hotshots in the city, with lots of recognition, everyone was hungry for firsthand information about the judge's verdict on Damien Giddorti's case, since he'd pled not-guilty to the charges against him.Wearing a turquoise shirt which was nicely tucked into a pair of gray golf pants, and a black sunshade to cover his eyes, Sebastian blended into the croud, taking a seat on the fourth to last row. He didn't want to be recognized by the press, and have them shove their microphones and cameras in his face, asking him questions he'd no intentions of answering.With his choice of dressing, he was
Two days later, Shakira was still on the run. Sebastian had his men scattered all over the city, in search for her, but they was no sign of her. Even when he tried to use her father to bait her, yet she did not show up."How disappointing that your only daughter would rather have you suffering, than turn herself in." He spat disappointedly, looking at the man and his wife."Chester, you should be shameful of the kind of child you've raised. One who'd rather watch you die, than take responsibility for her doings."The man did not say anything, neither did his wife.Of course, they were disappointed that their daughter, whom they've raised properly would be capable of kidnapping a child and hiding the child under the roof, making them look like accomplice to the crime.Who wouldn't?Chester knew that had the girl not been his only child, he would've allowed her bear the brunt of her actions, without any hesitation. However, those admonitions were reserved for later. Now, he was proud