James stood in front of the mirror, adjusting his tie for what felt like the hundredth time. He was nervous about the gala night, not just because of the important people who would be attending but for the same reason his father asked him to attend, as he waited for her to get ready for them to leave. What was taking her so long? He had told her what time they needed to leave, and he had expected her to be ready by now; he thought l.Just as he was starting to get impatient, Isabella emerged from the bedroom, looking stunning in a red evening gown. But as James's eyes scanned her outfit, his expression turned from admiration to disgust."What are you wearing?" he asked, his voice dripping with disdain.Isabella looked taken aback by James's reaction. "It... it's a dinner dress, I...I thought you would like it," she stammered.James's eyes narrowed. "Like it?" he repeated. "You look like a prostitute. That dress is far too revealing."Isabella's face fell, and she looked like she was
Isabella woke up early on the morning of her wedding, nervous and skeptical about the whole thing. The past few days had been a whirlwind of emotions, what with Alex's threats and James's increasing distrust.Just as Isabella was starting to feel overwhelmed, she heard a knock at the door. She got out of bed and made her way to the door, expecting it to be one of the hotel staff or maybe even James.But when she opened the door, she was surprised to see her best friend, Mia, standing in the hallway with a big smile on her face."Mia!" Isabella exclaimed, feeling a surge of excitement and relief. "I thought you wouldn't be able to make it ?"Mia held up a bag and grinned. "Hell no girl, there is no reason on earth that is going to make me miss my best friend's wedding," she said. "I figured you could use a friend by your side, so I had to come as early as possible."Isabella's eyes welled up with tears as she felt a wave of gratitude wash over her. She had been feeling so alone and ov
"I'm so happy for you, Bella!" Mia exclaimed, her eyes shining with excitement, hyping her best friend for being the latest bride in town. Both sat in a cozy restaurant, sipping their drinks and chatting. "You're finally a Mrs, not just a Mrs to anybody but to a Billionaire," as she bubbles with excitement.Isabella smiled, but her eyes didn't sparkle with the same level of excitement as Mia's. "Thanks, Mia," she said. "But let's not forget, this is only temporary, and in no time, all of these will be over."Mia's expression faltered for a moment before she recovered. "Oh, right," she said. "I forgot about that. But still, you're married now! That's something to celebrate."Isabella shook her head, a wry smile on her face. "You're not listening to me, Mia," she said. "This marriage is only for a short period. After that, James and I will get a divorce and we will both go our separate ways."Mia's expression turned serious, her eyes narrowing. "I know, Bella," she said. "But I'm happy
Isabella woke up to the sound of James getting ready for work. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and sat up in bed, watching as James moved around the room, his movements quick and efficient."Good morning, it seems like you came back quite late last night," Mia said, trying to sound casual.James didn't even bother to turn around, his voice cold and harsh. "I did," he said, his words clipped.She felt a pang of hurt at his tone, but she tried to push it aside. "James, I know you're angry at me," she said, trying to reason with him. "But please, just give me a chance to explain myself."James turned around, his eyes flashing with anger. "What exactly do you have to say?" he asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "You're only here for the contract, Isabella. I advise you to stick to the rules of the contract."Isabella felt a surge of anger at his words, but she tried to keep her cool. "I know the reason we are together is because of the contract, it's a fact and I'm not disputing th
James's office was buzzing with excitement as the news spread like wildfire: their company had been offered the contract, and the investors had signed.Workers were congratulating each other, shaking hands, and patting each other on the back. James and Steve were standing in the corner, grinning at each other like fools."Finally," James said, his voice filled with relief. "We did it."Steve clapped him on the back. "We sure did," he said. "This calls for celebration. Tonight, we're going to be out to celebrate this."James nodded, his eyes lighting up with excitement. "I know, right? You know, I will have to go see my Dad to explain how far we've gone, that old man has been on my neck," he said.Steve's eyes gleamed with amusement. "That's good," he said. "I'm looking forward to seeing your wife. Make sure she's dressed to impress."James raised an eyebrow, his expression curious. "What's that supposed to mean?" he asked.Steve just chuckled. "C'mon man, I mean no harm," he said. "Ju
They both arrived at the hospital, their faces etched with worry. They quickly rushed to the reception desk, where a nurse greeted them."Can I help you?" she asked.James's eyes scanned the area frantically. "I'm here for my father, Mr. Reed," he said. "He was brought in earlier today, and not quite long ago, I received a text from Dr. Smith saying it's urgent."The nurse's expression turned sympathetic. "Let me check," she said.She tapped away on her computer, her eyes scanning the screen. "Yes, he's here," she said. "The doctor will be with you shortly."James nodded, his eyes never leaving the nurse's face. "Alright, thank you," he said.Just then, the doctor approached them, a somber expression on his face. "Oh! James, you're here."James ignored the doctor's question. "What's going on? What's wrong with my father?" he asked, his voice firm.Dr. Smith's expression turned sympathetic. "You need to calm down; let's take a seat so I can give a detailed explanation," he suggested.B
As Isabella stood there, frozen in shock, Steve turned and walked away, disappearing into the crowd. Isabella's eyes followed him, her mind racing with questions. What was he doing here? And why was he looking at her like that? It was Steve...... Frozen in shock, her mind racing with questions. James noticed Isabella wasn't comfortable, and turned to her. "What's wrong? Are you okay?" he asked, noticing the look of shock on her face. Isabella hesitated, unsure of what to say. Should she tell James about Steve, or should she keep it to herself? But before she could say anything, the doctor came out to meet them. "Ah, Mr. James, I'm glad I caught you," he said. "Your father is stable for now, but he needs all the rest he can get." James's face lit up with relief. "Thank God," he said. "I was so worried about him." The doctor nodded sympathetically. "I understand," he said. "But please, you should worry less; there won't be any cause for alarm. Your father will be properly taken ca
Isabella paced back and forth in the living room, her eyes fixed on the clock on the wall. It was getting late, and James still wasn't back home.She tried calling his phone again, but it went straight to voicemail. Isabella's worry turned to fear as she thought about all the terrible things that could have happened to James.She quickly grabbed her phone and dialed Mia's number. As soon as her friend answered, Isabella poured out her worries."Hey, girl, I need your help," Isabella said, her voice shaking with worry. "James and I fought, and he stormed out of the house. He's not answering his phone. It's getting very late, and I'm getting really scared.""What happened? What did you both fight about again?" she asked.Isabella took a deep breath and explained the whole situation. "I was only trying to be helpful by preparing something for us to eat, he got angry and left. I've been trying to call him ever since he stormed out, but he's not answering."Mia's voice was calm and soothin
Emily? Isn't that Emily? Mr. Reed said, his eyes fixed on the woman standing at the door."Good evening, Mr. Reed," she replied, a bright smile spreading across her face. "It's such a pleasure seeing you here."Mr. Reed welcomed her warmly, his face lighting up with a smile. "Ah, Emily, you're welcome. You came at the right time. We're just about to have dinner. Please, join us."Her face lit up with delight as she accepted the invitation. "Thank you, Mr. Reed. I'd love to join you."As she sat down at the table, Mr. Reed made an introduction, “This is beautiful Bella, James's wife, I'm sure you both might have met at my birthday party and also at the wedding.”“Welcome Emily,” giving a polite smile. James, who had been quiet until now, spoke up, his voice friendly. "So Emily. What brings you here tonight?"Emily's smile faltered for a moment before she recovered. "Oh, I just wanted to drop by and see how you were doing. I haven't seen you for a couple of days. I was around the neigh
James finally got discharged from the hospital, accompanied by his wife and Steve. As they pulled into the driveway, James smiled, feeling a sense of relief wash over him.“Home sweet home," he said, his voice filled with gratitude.Bella smiled, helping James out of the car. "Welcome home, I know how much you've missed it," she said, her voice soft. "Let's get you settled in."Steve nodded, grabbing James's bag from the trunk. "Bella, why don't you take the bag upstairs, while I assist him inside.”James nodded, smiling weakly. "Thanks, Steve. I appreciate it."As they all tried to settle in, Bella excused herself, “I'm gonna take the bag upstairs, then come prepare something for us to eat," she said, her voice distracted.James thanked her, mentioning that he was really starving. "Thank Goodness cuz I'm famished already. What's for dinner?"Bella smiled, winking at him. "You'll just have to wait and see, baby. But trust me, it'll be worth it."James grinned, feeling a sense of antic
"Hey babes, that reminds me, have you heard anything from the police concerning James's accident?" Mia asked Isabella as they both prepared to step out.She shook her head, her expression somber. "Not really," she replied, her voice soft. "They've carried out all necessary investigation but I hope they find out who did it and apprehend the culprit. It's just so frustrating not knowing what happened."Mia nodded sympathetically, her eyes filled with concern. "I know, Bella. It's terrible. But I'm sure the police are doing everything they can to investigate. They'll find out who did it, don't worry, you need to take a break from all of this and allow them to do their job."Isabella smiled weakly, her eyes welling up with tears. "Thanks, Mia. Just talking to you makes me feel a little better. But I'm still so worried about my husband, he's been through so much already, and now this...it's just too much."Mia hugged Isabella tightly, trying to offer what little comfort she could. "I know
"What are you doing here, Alex?" Bella asked, not smiling and looking around if anyone was watching,"C’mon, you don't have to be hostile towards me. I was worried about you, Bella. After James came to my place to look for you, I thought he must have hurt you or done something to you."Mia, standing next to Bella, didn't give him a second glance, her expression cold and unyielding. "You need to leave now, Alex," she said, her voice firm. "Or I'll call the cops on you.”Bella's eyes narrowed, her expression suspicious. "Why did you do it?" she asked, her voice firm.Alex looked confused, his expression innocent. "Do what?" he asked, his voice soft. "I don't know what you're talking about, Bella."Bella's eyes flashed with anger, her expression furious. "Don't play dumb with me, Alex," she said, her voice firm. "I know you're involved in James' accident. And I want you to tell me why."Alex's expression changed, his eyes narrowing, his face twisting in anger. "How dare you lay such accu
"Emily? What are you doing here?" Steve asked, his voice gruff.Emily's smile never wavered. "Really? C’mon, have you forgotten I'm also a close friend and also a business associate with James? Anyways, I heard about his accident and I just had to come and see how he's doing," she said, her voice dripping with insincerity.Mia raised an eyebrow. "That's very kind of you, Emily. But I'm sure James would rather not have you here right now."Emily's smile faltered for a moment before she regained her composure. "Oh, I'm sure James would want me to be here for him. We're old friends, after all, and we have a lot of things in common."Isabella's eyes flashed with anger. "You're not his friend, Emily. You're just someone who's been trying to sabotage our marriage from the beginning, someone who has been forcing herself on a man who doesn't want her and will never want her "Emily's smile turned icy. "That's not true, Isabella. I'm just someone who cares about James and wants to see him happ
Steve burst through the hospital doors, his face etched with concern. He had just heard the news about James' accident and had rushed to the hospital to see his best friend. As he entered the waiting room, he spotted Isabella and Mia sitting, her eyes red-rimmed from crying.Steve rushed to them, his voice urgent. "Bella, what happened? I just heard about James' accident. Is he okay?"Isabella looked up at Steve, her eyes confused. "I...I don't know. I was just as shocked as you. I don't know what happened; immediately I got the news, I rushed down here."Steve's eyes narrowed, his expression skeptical. "You don't know? But he left the office saying he was going to look for you at Mia's place just a few hours ago. Did you not see him?"Isabella stuttered, her eyes darting around the room. "N-no...I didn't see him. I swear, Steve. I have no idea what happened."Steve's expression turned dark, his voice low and menacing. "You know you're the cause of all of these, if you hadn't left the
Isabella burst through the hospital doors, her eyes scanning the hospital frantically. She rushed to the reception desk, her voice shaking with urgency. "I need to see my husband, James Reed. He's a patient here."The nurse behind the desk looked up, her expression calm. "Ma'am, please, you need to calm down. Can you please tell me what's wrong?"Isabella's eyes flashed, her voice rising. "What's wrong? Seriously? I just received a call saying my husband was rushed down here and you stand here asking me what's wrong? My husband is here, and I need to see him right now."The nurse's expression turned sympathetic. "Ma'am, I understand. But you need to calm down, let's wait for the doctor attending to your husband to come."Isabella's face twisted in frustration. "No, I won't calm down. I need to see him. Now." Her voice echoed through the hospital lobby.A doctor approached, his expression firm. "Ma'am, I need to ask you to comfort yourself. You're in a hospital for God's sake, and not
Mia flung open the door, her expression fierce, expecting to see Alex's smirking face. But instead, she was met with James' pale and sad visage. His eyes, once bright and confident, now seemed sunken and desperate.Mia's aggressive stance faltered, her expression softening. "James...what are you doing here?" She stuttered, taken aback by his unexpected visit.James' voice cracked as he spoke. "Sorry to disturb you, Is ... .Isabella here?" His eyes scanned the hallway behind Mia as if hoping to catch a glimpse of his estranged wife.Mia's face contorted in a mixture of pity and guilt. "Uhm, not at all, I….I haven't seen her. I've been trying to reach her, but she's not responding to my calls." She hesitated, unsure how much to reveal.James' face fell, his eyes welling up with tears. "Oh...okay." His voice was barely above a whisper.Mia's expression turned sympathetic. "Hey, are you okay? I was actually about to come to check on her soon. I've been worried sick."James' eyes locked on
Isabella's eyes sparkled as she sipped her coffee, her smile radiant. Mia's apartment was cozy, filled with warm light and comforting aromas.Mia settled beside her, curiosity etched on her face. "So, Isabella, what are your plans?"Isabella's expression turned skeptical. "Plans? I'm still figuring things out. Not gonna lie, I don't want to be idle."Mia nodded encouragingly. "You deserve a break, but I know you're itching to do something."Isabella's thoughts drifted to her finances. "The partial payment from that crazy contract helped with my sister's medical bills, but he still owes me. Besides, my job isn't complete yet, and I haven't given him a child."Mia's eyes narrowed. "You shouldn't rely on him, you know. You need stability."Isabella sighed. "I know. I’m desperately in need of a job. Something meaningful."Mia grinned mischievously. "What if I found you a job and coincidentally, it came with a marriage contract attached? Would you accept?"Isabella's laughter filled the ro