Two days later, Isabel was exhausted from Sebastian's domineering presence. She haven't been to the cafe, nor did he allowed her leave the house.He demanded sex from her every minute and she couldn't say no to him, because as much as she hated his guts, he was slowly turning her into a sex addict like himself.His new favorite word was to call her his whore, or his little rabbit. As much as the word disgusted her, she couldn't deny him pleasure.He took her so many times, leaving her sore and secretly wanting for more, even though she was exhausted and nearly breathless.It was clear he was an insatiable beast when it came to sex, and she secretly enjoyed it.It felt like he has rejuvenated a part of her she never knew existed.However, although the pleasure always left her at the peak of euphoria, Isabel knew she could not let her life spiral out of control because of it.She could not allow the moments of pleasure ruin everything she has worked hard to build in years.It wa
After they arrived at his penthouse, which Sebastian did not allow Shakira follow him to, he commanded the driver to return her to her parent's home."But---""Go home, Shakira."He alight the car, then gestured the driver to leave, before he was escorted into the elevator by his bodyguard.The first thing Sebastian did when he arrived at his penthouse, was to call Zachary and ask about Isabel and the boy."Sir, I am parked outside the house and so far, there has been no unusual update. Ms. Hadid arrived home with the boy about an hour ago and none of them have come outside again since." "What about that punk neighbor of hers, Austin Lambert?" He asked the man, whilst unbuttoning his shirt."Did he come anywhere near her today?""He visited the cafeteria earlier, and spent all afternoon there.""Fucking bastard." Sebastian seethed enviously, picking up the new shirt he'd picked for himself."I'll have to introduce myself when I return. He needs to learn to stay away from my woman
Meanwhile, Isabel was watching her phone ring, but she refused to pick it up.He has been calling her nonstop for the past two and half hours, and she has been ignoring every one of his calls.She didn't want to speak to the man, especially since she learned that he'd kept his bodyguard on her tail before he left Colby.How dare him?She knew he was insecure, especially with her newlyfound closeness with Austin, but she never expected him to stoop to the level of keep hawk eye on her.How dare he?Who told him that he could waltz into hers and her son's lives, and try to control everything about her.Well, she gave him the right, after she breached their contract and lied to him about his son. But she has been trying to condone all his excesses, giving him some level of control.After all, she belonged to him, as he claimed.She allowed him dictate core decisions of her daily lives, like what to eat, when to sleep, when she leaves the house, or how often he wants to fuck her.The
Watching the man leave, Shakira was furious.She couldn't understand the man's indifference towards her ever since she returned from her trip.Ever since he went to that wedding in Seattle, she has noticed the change in his attitude towards her.He has become more distant and less susceptible to her charms. Although she knew their relationship has been on shaky grounds for the past couple of years, it become more and more glaring since his trip to Seattle.He stopped wanting to spend time with her, became invulnerable to her seduction and doesn't pay attention to her anymore. He hasn't given her a complete hour of his time since she returned from her last trip, nor has he touched her.He was holding and that could only mean one thing.Has another woman caught his attention?Was there another woman trying to take her position in the man's life?Impossible!You are never going to allow another take your place, Shakira. Never.Her inner woman said to her.You are the rightful Mrs. Berna
Zachary stepped out of the car, after he ended the call with his boss, his eyes not leaving the silhouette figure roaming around the house.On second thought, he returned into the car, opened the glove compartment, and he pulled out his .49 Glock.He'd kept the gun there for emergency purposes, which had rarely happened. At least, not since he got the gun registered. And he doesn't mind using the gun now.After closing the door gently, he approached the house in slow strides, keeping the gun in motion and ready for any action.The intruder has disappeared from his fight, but he knew whoever it was, was still roaming around the house, looking for a vulnerable point to use to his advantage.Zachary made his way to the back where he heard rustling sound coming from. Getting to the back, he saw the intruder standing by the back door, trying to pick the lock.Judging by the size of the silhouette and the rough appearance of the hands, he could tell it was a male and he was armed.Zachary
Isabel was shaken, even after the paramedics left with the unconscious man.One of the officers stayed back with her, while the other accompanied the paramedics, to watch over the intruder.She was horrified, wondering who the intruder was, and what his intentions were, because a gun was found near him.He didn't seem like he'd only come to rob her.What if he'd succeeded and broke into the house, or what if she wasn't alerted earlier?The outcome would've been tragic, even though she didn't want to think about it.There was no two ways about it. The man would overpower her, hurt her and her son, steal from them and get away with the crime.Chills traveled down her spine, leaving goosebumps in their wake every the thoughts flashed her mind.Due to the shock, she was unable to speak, even when the policeman was asking her vital questions.It was Reynolds who gave them the answers they needed."Ma'am, you should be more grateful for the type of neighbors you have." The officer, who'
"Who was that?" Sebastian asked Isabel, as she turned to him, her face ashen.Watching blood drain from her face, he immediately figured that the something has gone wrong."What happened?" He asked concernedly, bridging the gap between them,"Talk to me, Ladybug, who was that and what did the person say to you."Isabel couldn't find her voice to speak.She was horror-stricken, thousands of thoughts running through her head."Isabel." Sebastian called her name, this time shaking her vigorously, but she was too dumbfounded to speak.He snatched the phone from her, went to her recent calls and he dialed the number.It was sent to voicemail."Fuck!" He cussed impatiently, dialing it again. This time, it was switched off.Agitated, he returned his attention to her,"Who was that and what did the bastard say to you?""Nothing." She finally found her voice, snapping her attention from the thousand-and-one morbid thoughts in her head,"Don't you dare lie to me, Isabel Hadid." He warned h
Sebastian did not wait for Zachary to come open the door for him, before he alight the car."Has the bastard said anything helpful?" He asked the man, surveying their surrounding.They were in an old abandoned warehouse in the middle of nowhere, miles away from Colby."Not yet, boss. He still insist that he doesn't have any idea who his sender was." Zachary replied to him, and he grunted something incoherent, as they strode towards the rundown, dilapidated warehouse."How's Ms. Hadid handling everything, boss?" Zachary asked him, concern etched in his voice as he opened the wooden door for the man to go inside."Not very well. She's shaken and traumatized, and wouldn't speak to me because I've allowed this motherfucker go scot free from the law." He replied nonchalantly,"And I think it's fair that my son looks at me with contempt, because he thinks that I cannot protect him and his mother."He paused for a second, stealing a glance at Zachary,"I need to find the motherfucker who has
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
Isabel couldn't catch any wink of sleep that night, as she kept thinking about Madam Magdalene's words of advice.The words were stuck in her head, replaying like they were taped to her memory. No matter how much she tried to shut the voice, the continued to play relentlessly.Of course, she love Sebastian and it was undeniable that he loves her too. Maybe, a lot more than she loves him. However, she loves her sons more. She loves them more than anything in the world, and wouldn't trade them for anything.She could survive anything, but not something happening to any of them.Reynolds's disappearance nearly drove her insaneAfter much tossing and turning, she pulled her weight up from the bed, and picked u her phone which she'd left to charge, on the nightstand.She unplugged it, then dialed Sebastian's number, hoping he would pick up.Fortunately, he did after the second ring."You're still awake, Isabel?" He asked her, his low voice filled with concern,"How are you still awake by t
Isabel woke up quite early the next morning, after not having much sleep, only to be faced with the information that they were moving."Where, and why?""Ma'am, I cannot say why, but that was the order we received this morning from Mr. Bernadotte." Brittany explained to her, going to keep her freshly pressed laundries in her closet."And where is he?"Anger was building inside her, although she tried to keep her voice down and neutral, because the boys were still sleeping."I think sir is in his study now.""Okay."He must have a reasonable reason. He'd better.She calmed herself, looking at her sons who were still sleeping peacefully. Alexander was sprawled on his end, his limbs thrown everywhere, including on Oliver's body.She chuckled softly, amused at his careless sleeping position, which reminded her of hers, according to Sebastian."You're one heck of a careless sleeper, Isabel, but I'd rather sleep with you by my side, than anyone else." He would tell her jokingly, then go ahe