LOGINA month after Isabelle's father's burial, Isabelle and Dion had grown impossibly closer. Their relationship with their mother had tightened. Isabelle was back to talking with Dylan, even though Christian didn't like it. Sam had been arrested for blackmail and gotten a one-year sentence, while Stanton got one year of probation."I don't understand why you're nervous." Sean shook his head, looking at his friend, who couldn't stop pacing. The park was closed as darkness approached fast on that Tuesday."Do you think they'll come?" Christian asked, stopping for a second to look at the park's entrance."Of course, I just got off the phone with Dion. He said that they'll be here any moment now. She still has no idea about what's happening, and they are still lying to her." Sean explained, scrolling through his phone to rehearse the speech with Christian."What did they tell her?" Christian knew Isabelle was curious to know why Dion and her mother were taking her to a local park at 7 p.m."G
"She came onto me; gosh, you always date them whores." Christian's father scoffed, shrugging his shoulders, when Christian shot him a glare."It was the only way to get you to talk to me." Isabelle addressed Christian. "She would have done something stupid, so..." Tiffany chimed in, crossing her legs."Shut up!" Both Christian and his father uttered at the same time, making Tiffany roll her eyes. She wasn't fazed by their testosterone; she just wanted her friend and boyfriend to reconcile."I'm sorry." Isabelle started, the memory of her boyfriend leaving her in the morning without a word crowding her mind. "I don't want to listen to anything you have to say. You said enough yesterday." Christian dismissed, lifting his hands above his shoulders. "Tiffany just sent you a photo of me and your father. Feel free to use it if you want to end the contract you have with him." She then turned to Tiffany and beckoned with her hand. "Let's go." Isabelle blinked back tears as she walked over
"Christian please." Isabelle held on to his hand with her hands to stop him from walking out of their bedroom."I'm so sorry, baby say something, please, anything." She begged, sniffing. Christian used his free hand to open the door and easily got out of Isabelle's grip. He didn't look back as he stepped into the hallway, heading to the staircase that led down to the sitting room and the kitchen.Isabelle followed, breathing through her mouth to get air past her clogged nose. She had to jog to match Christian's long strides. He came home late after the fallout in the office the previous day. Hadn't said a single word to Isabelle; when she woke up, she found him already dressed and heading out. He had no plans of even glancing at her. Yes, she was grieving, but that didn't give her an excuse to bring his parents into the mix. "Are you seriously going to leave me here begging you?" Isabelle shouted as Christian picked up his car keys from the bowl on top of the kitchen counter. When he
"So it really was about money." Christian spat, speaking to himself. When Isabelle had said he didn't understand what she was feeling, he gave a quick thought about it. For a second he thought that maybe something else was wrong with his mother the day he almost stabbed him. At that moment, as his hand found the door knob, Christian could feel his entire body getting cold."I'm sorry Chris, I'm so sorry." He didn't look back as he stepped out, tuning off his mother's voice. What had he really expected by going to see her? More plans from his father to finish him? For what? He grew up thinking that parents were supposed to be proud of their children. For his parents though? One was money hungry, the other one was both greedy, jealous and just monstrous.He had left his car outside the gate so it was a long stretch. He had to go past the fountain on the front yard and walk for a few minutes before he got to the outside. "Chris please! I should have been there for you, I should have stoo
"That fucking coward!" Isabelle screamed, pulling at her hair, which was held in a bun. Christian engulfed her, minimizing her movements as she thrashed around. Dion stood silently, staring right at his feet. His gut boiled, bile rising up his throat on waves of anger. His skin prickled as his hands clenched into fists. "Cowaard!" She screamed again as she hit Christian's chest. She tried pushing him off her, but he just wouldn't budge. "At least he's not in your life anymore." Christian regretted his words the moment he uttered them. "Shut up! Are you justifying his cowardice now? He sold my brother! He separated us and broke my mother in the process. He fucking tried to kill her and framed me for having sex with my own cousin. He deserved to rot in jail. How can you stand there and spew such bullshit Christian? How the fuck can you?"Isabelle was seeing red, her eyes changing from teary to shooting daggers. "Isabel.." Christian loosened his grip, feeling like she had just kneed h
"I'm so sorry for leaving yesterday without talking much." Dion stated the moment Isabelle entered Sean's office. Christian had a lot of work and a presentation from the IT team. Sean wasn't available either, so that morning it was only Belle and Dion."What's important is how you are feeling." Isabelle hugged her brother, the fact that they were truly related sinking in at that moment. It felt surreal before, but looking at their resemblance, there was no denying it. "I really don't know how I'm feeling, Belle." Dion started, hanging his head when Isabelle sighed. She held his hand and led him out of the office, towards Christian's. Thinking about his insensible, monstrous father was proving a difficult task for Dion. They went straight to Christian's adjoining room and out to the balcony. Isabelle wanted them to have space to talk without interruptions."I didn't know the view was this nice." Dion forced a smile as he placed his forearms on the railings, looking at the dark clouds
Isabelle sat still on the black and brown leather seat, striving to push the urge to squirm back to it's confines. She battled with her eyes to remain focused ahead even though she desired to look at Christian from her peripheral vision. Christian observed her stiff posture, her alluring throat as
Isabelle was coiled up in her red velvet couch, staring at her phone for almost half an hour. The screen would light up during an incoming call, then it would go black once the call ended. She would recognize the number from anywhere, she wondered why she hadn't blocked her cheating boyfriend yet.
'You did what? ' Christian scrunched up his face when one of his close friends and co-worker shrieked.'Could you at least lower your voice Sean. ' Said Christian.'After what you just said, god no! I want to know what exactly happened. ' Sean crossed his legs and leaned on the leather chair opposi
'Please pick up, please please. ' Isabelle mumbled in a scratchy voice, one hand on the steering wheel and the other holding her phone to her ear. She had been trying to call her boyfriend Dylan countless times. Each time her calls went unanswered. She just didn't want to be alone after what had tr







