"What are you talking about, Isabel? Why are you asking me this?" Sebastian's brows furrowed tentatively as he stared at her,"I am asking because I need to know what I'm signing up for. I know you've just survived a near death experience and this shouldn't be the base of our discussion for now, but I need to know what I'm signing myself up for." She explained to him, ignoring the unfathomable look on his face."Should I expect loyalty from you, as much as you desire it from me? Let's talk about commitment. Is this a long term relationship or a short term relationship? Is there a future to this, or does it lead to a dead end?"Sebastian opened his mouth to reply her, but he knew he'd be lying to her, if he told her what she wants to hear.The fact remained that he has never met a woman he's so obsessed with, as much as he was obsessed with Isabel. She was the only woman who'd ever brought him real pleasure. The only woman who has left him wanting for more every single time, despite he
Throughout that remainder of that day, Isabel wasn't herself. She kept thinking about her meeting with Jasmine, her adoptive family's biological daughter, earlier that day.She was quite disappointed at the condition she met the girl. Not like she'd any expectations from them, but she felt their lives would've improved after she left.She'd always believe that Jasmine would become a model like she'd always wanted, or she would be married to a rich older man, with children older than her."What use is school and getting good grades, when I use my beauty and become a model or marry a rich man who's just few years away from his grave?" She used to brag to Isabel and her mother,"When my husband dies, I will inherit all of his properties and become a billionaire widow. I don't need good grades to achieve all that. Beauty is my asset."Her mother would give her one hundred percent support, applauding her absurd ideology."Your beauty will take your places, Jas. You don't need to be book-sma
"Wow! That is a quite a long while to be away from your family. We thought you were dead or something, until I overheard Jasmine telling mother that she met you at the ice cream parlor a few days ago."Isabel managed a grimace, but did not say anything.Even after all these years, she was still nervous about being in his presence. And although she knew he wouldn't do anything to her now, she couldn't suppress the discomfiture.Gone are those days he would threaten to unalive her if she snitched on him, or try to have his way with her.Suddenly, a voice came from upstairs and from the sound of it, Isabel could tell the owner."Why are you trying to yell down my roof, boy?"However, her heart didn't race this time, hearing the familiar voice. Her heart wasn't beating fast, nor was she scared that she might've done something wrong.This time, she was calmly waiting for the woman to come downstairs and join them.She was eager to see what her reaction would be, seeing her after nine years.
That night, while she and Sebastian were making love, she decided to bring up the subject of helping the Hadids to him."Sebastian, I want to speak to you about something." She whispered to his hearing while he was buried deeply inside her.He stopped thrusting, breathing heavily as he searched for her eyes,"What do you want?""A favor."He kissed her sweaty forehead, still lodged inside her,"Anything for you, Little Rabbit." A glint of mischief sparkled in his eyes as he stared into her,"Tell me anything you want and I will make it happen." "It's about my adoptive family." She told him, and his demeanor changed,"What about them?""I went to visit them today." She began, "And I was appalled at the condition I met them. Jasmine is a single mother, Khalil is jobless and their father, died two years ago."Sebastian cleared his throat, but did not say anything."Mother said he did some bad investment, which cost him almost everything they had, except the house. He died not long aft
Watching Isabel stepped into the black tinted-window car, Jasmine and Nadia were stunned into silence.Neither of them could believe their eyes.Without saying anything to them, Zachary closed the door after Isabel went in, and he went around, getting into the driver's side.Right in front of them, the car drove off, and a few blocks away from their house, another similar car followed in tow.Barely recovering from the shock, Jasmine turned to her stunned mother, and she asked,"What just happened?"The woman didn't say anything. Instead, she was staring at the moving cars, until they took a turn and disappeared from her sight.Only then did she recover from the shock."Mother, did you just witness that?""I did, Jas, and I'm short of words on what to say. I cannot believe Isabel is living such luxurious life." Nadia told her daughter,"I cannot believe that after everything, that wretched orphan girl is living a better life than us." She seethed enviously,"Mom, did you see that
Ten minutes earlier.Shakira was leaving Elevé and Lumière with a couple of her friends, when she spotted the familiar figure standing next to the restaurant's manager.At first, she did not believe it was him.The Sebastian she knew wouldn't drive all the way to Upper Manhattan for lunch during work hours, when he could go to the Aurélien's Place, which was his favorite place to eat out.They haven't spoken in almost three weeks, and since then, she haven't called him.It was until when she heard about the tragedy did she try to reach him. She visited the mansion twice, but wasn't allowed in, because of some orders from above.Then, a couple of days later, he released a press statement that he was alive and well. She tried to reach him again, yet no avail.She suspected that he was still mad at her for her erratic behavior in the office the last time they met.And she was angry at him too, for allowing his security lay their filthy fingers on her, so was waiting for him to come make t
Isabel begrudgingly continued the lunch date Sebastian, after he threatened to have sex with her in the diner, with the door unlocked."Act defiantly one more time, and I'll put you in your place. I don't mind fucking you right here and right now."From the look in his eyes, it was clear to her that it wasn't an empty threat.He would shamelessly actualize his threat, not minding who walks in on them and who doesn't. She would've taken the chances had they been home, not a private diner in a public restaurant.Isabel didn't argue with him any further, however, she barely touched her meal, despite being hungry.He tried everything to explain to her that there was nothing going on between Shakira and him currently, because their relationship was in the past but he was met with stone-cold silence."I mean it, Isabel, Shakira was my ex, and I wouldn't mess up what we have together, because of her....""Sebastian, I want to go home already. You insisted that we should have lunch and we have
Late that night, Isabel was asleep in Sebastian's arms. They had made love twice, during which he worhipped her body like she was a goddess, and he made her feel like a woman.He sang it like a mantra to her ears how much he loves and adore her, and that he want to be with her, not anyone else.She believed him.Not because she knew he was telling the truth, but because she loved him. It was because she wanted his confessions to be the truth.A while after their intense lovemaking, she dozed into slumberland, only to be woken up by a mild uneasiness around her lower abdomen minutes later.At first, she thought it was her body still relishing the intensity of their earlier lovemaking, but the pain become a little severe after a few seconds.She chucked in the pain, hoping it would subside with time.But it didn't, which led her to one conclusion.Her period.Sebastian noticed her discomfort, when he noticed the change in the pattern of her breathing.He noticed her tossing and turning
While they were having lunch, Sebastian made his intentions of coming to their home clear to their home."Isabel and I are getting married soon." He told them, and we have come to seek for your blessings, Mrs. Hadid."Patricia looked at her daughter, Jasmine, then her attention returned to Sebastian who has barely touched the meal served to him."Okay, Mr. Bernadotte, you've my blessings to marry Isabel, my daughter." The woman said without any hesitation, which Isabel found odd.Of course, she knew they were intimidated by Sebastian's presence.Who wasn't?Everyone she knew, was intimidated by the man's presence and they all accord him with utmost respect.But, Patricia and Jasmine seemed terrified of him, in a way that seemed quite suspicious to her."Isabel," Patricia called her name and she turned to the woman,"Child, you made the right choice. Mr. Bernadotte is a good man and he will keep you happy." The woman advised her,"I am so proud of you, Isabel and I know your father
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 i
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 shown you. Yet, they continu
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 bar, 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."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."I still remember the brand,
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."You see, sometime the best answer to give to people who are being intentionally disrespectful to you, is silence.""But, mommy, she crossed the line calling you a lowlife and us, the b word." Alexander argued,"She was being disrespectful to you, but you did not defend yourself. Sometimes, people need to be taught that they can't go around being rude to anyone they see, because they feel like they can.""She needs to be taught a lesson." Reynolds concluded,"One she wouldn't forget in a hurry. Nobody disrespect my mo
Several minutes later, Sebastian was spooning Isabel whose head was rested against his chest.They were still exhausted from their earlier intense and passionate lovemaking and their hearts were beating in a rhythm."I'm indeed the luckiest man on the planet." He told her, possessively tightening his arms around her petite form."Had anyone told me ten to fifteen years ago, that someday I will become obsessed over a woman and desperately want to make her mine, I would've called the person a goddamn liar."Isabel let out an exhausted, but satisfied sigh."But here I am, at thirty-five, obsessed over you and wanting nothing but to spend the rest of my life with you. I'm the luckiest man on earth.""Likewise me, Sebastian." She whispered to him,"Who could've known that I would end up getting married to the same man I once despised like my life depended on it. But, here I am.""I'm no believer of fate, or destiny, but I think the only explanation to our relationship is destiny. We were
"What the hell are you talking about, Isabel?" Sebastian questioned her,"Why would you ask me to do that?""Because, I think it's the right thing to do, since we are both about to enter a new chapter of our lives." She explained to him.Now, it was her turn to beg him."I don't care about the both of them, Sebastian, but I do not think that I want us to have a life where we have people like them hovering over us." She continued, taking his other hand into hers."I understand that they must've wronged you in one way or the other, but I need you to let go of everything that happened. I do not want our children to be raised in this rivalry, which would mean passing it to their own children, who would also pass it to theirs, and the circle continues endlessly.""Isabel, what you are asking for is impossible. I owe no grudge against Shakira for what she did, but I don't think I would ever forgive Damien Giddorti for all he has done." He avowed to her,"Do you know what that bastard did
"I want nothing to do with that son of a bitch who ruined my life." Joan spat, the second Sebastian made mention of Damien Giddorti's name."Trust me, Ms. Lively, I do not want anything to do with him too, but I need the bastard to face the consequences of his actions." He explained to her, "And I saw the file on the rape charge you raised against him three years ago. However, for some reason, which I believe he'd influenced, the charges were dropped."Joan scoffed, staring at her palms which she placed on the table."I know you must be wondering why I am interested in your case, or why I suddenly believe you after all these years. The truth is that, Damien Giddorti has always been a bastard, but recently, he thought it would be funny to assault my wife, to spite me." Sebastian continued, leaving both the scar-faced man and Joan bewildered."Yes. He tried to take advantage of her, despite knowing that she's mine and although I got him arrested, but he was bailed out because there was
After over an hour of driving around Manhattan, Sebastian and Moses finally found the address they were looking for."Sir, I think you should stay here, while I go in and find the apartment." Moses offered to the man, who was seated at the backseat, staring at him through the rearview mirror."You know what floor her apartment is on?""No, sir, but I will ask around.""Ask them what? You've no picture of her, nor do you know what her name is or what she look like."Moses did not say anything.Sebastian brought out the piece of paper he'd copied the information about the lady into, then he handed it to Moses."That is her name, phone number and address. Although, I do not suppose that the number is still active, because I can't seem to reach her with it."Moses took the paper from the man, stole a glance at it, before he shoved it into his pocket.While Sebastian waited in the car, he stepped down, then made his way towards the several storey apartment building.Once he entered, he