Chapter 1: Forbidden Desires For My Best-friend's Dad

Isabella’s POV

I stared at the result portal on my laptop screen, my heart pounding so hard against my chest that I thought I might pass out.

First Class.

A shaky laugh escaped my lips as tears gathered in my eyes. I had done it.

After four years of sleepless nights, endless lectures, skipped meals, and breakdowns in bathroom stalls, I had finally graduated at the top of my class.

“Mom… Dad… I did it,” I whispered.

For a moment, I allowed myself to breathe.

If my parents were still alive, they would be proud of me. Losing them at eighteen had shattered my world completely, but I had survived. Barely.

Until I met Stephen Brock he had help me get through it all

I became my bubble self again

A smile spread across my face as I grabbed my phone.

Just seeing his name still made my stomach flutter after three years together.

A dialed his number saved with baby with lots of heart emoji’s.

No answer.

I frowned.

“That’s strange.”

Stephen always answered my calls unless he was in a meeting. But today was special. He knew my results were coming out.

I stood up from my bed excitedly.

Maybe I should surprise him instead.

The thought immediately lifted my mood.

I rushed into my closet, changing into a cream fitted dress that hugged my curves perfectly. Stephen loved it when I wore soft colors. He always said it made me look innocent.

My cheeks warmed at the memory.

I quickly brushed my dark hair, applied light makeup, and grabbed my bag before hurrying downstairs.

The moment I stepped outside, the warm London breeze hit my skin.

Everything felt perfect.

Today was supposed to be one of the happiest days of my life.

I had graduated.

And now I would finally officially join Brock Enterprises beside the man I loved.

The company had started small two years ago with just an idea and determination. Stephen had the ambition while I had the money.

Every single penny my parents left behind had gone into helping him build the company.

I trusted him completely.

Never once did I regret it.

Because we were building a future together.

Or at least… I thought we were.

---

By the time my taxi stopped in front of Brock Enterprises, my excitement had grown even stronger.

The tall glass building stood proudly in the middle of the busy street.

Seeing it still filled me with pride.

We built this.

Well… mostly Stephen.

But I had been there from the beginning.

The late-night planning.

The tears.

The stress.

The fear of failure.

I remembered eating instant noodles with him in our tiny apartment while we talked about our dreams.

“Someday we’ll own half of London,” he had once joked while kissing my forehead.

I smiled bitterly at the memory as I entered the building.

The receptionist immediately recognized me.

“Miss Monroe! Congratulations on your results.”

I blinked in surprise. “You know already?”

She laughed lightly. “Mr. Brock told everyone you’d definitely graduate with honors.”

Warmth filled my chest.

Of course, he believed in me.

“Thank you,” I said softly.

I headed straight toward the elevator, barely able to contain my excitement.

I imagined Stephen pulling me into his arms the moment he saw me.

Maybe he would take me out tonight to celebrate.

Perhaps we could finally discuss our future seriously.

Marriage.

A home together.

Children.

The elevator doors opened on the top floor.

I practically floated toward Stephen’s office.

But the moment I got closer, I froze.

A strange sound came from inside.

A breathy moan.

Then another.

My smile slowly faded.

My heart skipped.

No.

No, that couldn’t be—

I stepped closer to the slightly opened office door.

And then I heard it.

“Fuck… Stephen…”

My entire body went cold.

My hands trembled violently as I pushed the door open.

The world stopped.

Stephen sat behind his desk.

His secretary Victoria was on top of him.

Half naked.

His hands gripped her waist tightly while her lips were pressed against his neck.

For a second, nobody moved.

Nobody spoke.

I couldn’t breathe.

Stephen’s eyes widened in horror.

“Isabella—”

She quickly jumped off him, struggling to fix her blouse.

I stared at them blankly.

I felt detached from reality.

Like my soul had left my body.

“Bella, wait—”

“Don’t,” I whispered.

My voice cracked painfully.

Stephen immediately stood up. “It’s not what it looks like.”

A broken laugh escaped my lips.

“Really?” I asked shakily. “Because it looks exactly like my boyfriend fucking his secretary in the office I helped him build.”

“Baby, listen to me—”

“Don’t call me that!”

The entire office fell silent.

My chest burned violently as tears filled my eyes.

I looked around the office slowly.

The expensive furniture.

The luxury decorations.

Everything my money had helped create.

Everything I sacrificed for.

For him.

“You said you loved me,” I whispered.

Stephen moved closer desperately. “I do love you.”

I looked at him in disbelief.

“You love me?” I repeated softly. “You love me while sleeping with another woman?”

“It was a mistake.”

“A mistake?” I laughed bitterly. “You accidentally removed your clothes?”

“Bella—”

“How long?” I asked.

He stayed silent.

That silence destroyed me more than anything else.

My stomach twisted painfully.

“How long has this been going on?”

Still silent.

Tears rolled down my cheeks.

“Oh my God…”

The secretary quickly grabbed her bag and rushed out of the office without saying a word.

Coward.

Stephen stepped toward me again.

“I was going to tell you.”

Another laugh escaped me.

“That’s funny because I came here to tell you I graduated top of my class.”

Pain flashed briefly across his face.

But I didn’t care anymore.

Not after what I had just seen.

I wiped my tears angrily.

“You know what hurts the most?” I said quietly. “I trusted you with everything.”

“Bella please—”

“My parents left me enough money to secure my future forever,” I continued. “And I gave it all to you because I believed in us.”

“You’re overreacting.”

The moment those words left his mouth, something inside me snapped.

Overreacting?

I walked closer slowly until I stood directly in front of him.

Then I slapped him hard across the face.

The sound echoed through the office.

Stephen stared at me in shock.

“I wasted years loving you,” I whispered painfully. “But I promise you this, Stephen Brock… you will regret this.”

His jaw tightened.

“You can’t threaten me.”

A cold smile formed on my lips despite the tears falling endlessly.

“Watch me.”

Then I turned and walked away.

Before I completely shattered in front of him.

---

The moment I stepped outside the building, the tears came harder.

I could barely see through my blurry vision as I walked down the crowded streets.

People bumped into me.

Cars honked loudly.

But none of it mattered.

Everything hurt.

My chest.

My heart.

My soul.

How could he do this to me?

I loved him.

God, I loved him so much.

My phone suddenly rang inside my bag.

Amelia.

The moment I heard my best friend’s voice, I completely broke down.

“Bella? What happened?”

I struggled to breathe properly.

“H-He cheated on me…”

“What?”

I told her everything between sobs.

The office.

The secretary.

The lies.

The humiliation.

By the end of the call, Amelia sounded furious.

“I’m booking the next flight back to London right now.”

“No,” I whispered tiredly. “Don’t.”

“Bella—”

“I’ll be okay.”

“You don’t sound okay.”

I leaned against a wall weakly.

“I just need space.”

Amelia stayed quiet for a moment before speaking again.

“You should leave London for a while.”

“What?”

“My family has a holiday house in Cornwall. Go there for a few days. Clear your head.”

I hesitated.

Part of me wanted to stay in bed and cry for the next month.

But another part of me knew I needed to escape before I lost myself completely.

“Okay,” I whispered finally.

“Promise me you’ll call me when you get there.”

“I promise.”

---

A few hours later, I stood inside our apartment packing my suitcase.

Every corner of the house reminded me of Stephen.

I angrily threw a framed photo into the trash.

My chest tightened painfully again.

How could someone pretend so well?

I zipped my suitcase shut and wiped my tears.

This trip was exactly what I needed.

A break.

A fresh start.

Maybe Cornwall would help me forget him.

Maybe distance would heal my broken heart.

But deep down…

I knew this wasn’t over.

Not even close.

Because Stephen Brock had destroyed me.

And one day…

I was going to destroy him too.