Category: A Year With The Billionaire

Jayden’s POV

Finally, the car halts in front of Isabella’s place after three stops away from here before I could summon up the courage to ask Jude to drive me here.

Those stops were for two reasons; to get some gift for her and to muster up the courage to come here to see her after several months of being apart.

I still don’t know what I am here to say but I feel it’s high time we talked. It’s time I stopped being a coward and talk to her about it, about everything.

writing all my thoughts and mistakes down for her to read won’t solve anything. I need to be man enough to face her, accept my mistake, and apologize for all I have done.

Staring down at the box, the flower, and the package beside me, I come down from the car with them to go in with itas a present for Isabella.

on second thought, I feel it is wrong for me to do this when I haven’t apologized to her properly. I turn back to Jude and stretch the things towards him.

“You will take it inside when I am back, ok?” I say to him and he nods.

I twirl round, tuck in my tie, and adjust my well-tailored Italian suit which I specifically pick out to wear today for no reason before taking slow strides towards the front door, my heart hammering wildly in my ribcage.

I should put an end to all of this tonight. The heartache. The misunderstanding and the hatred she feels for me.

I might hate children but I would never hate my own child. Besides, that was just a philosophy I created on my own. Apparently, I didn’t hate on children. I just find the thought of them troubling as well as the thought of losing them disheartening.

Helena and I had a lot of plans for our baby boy. A crib was already built for him and Helena did a lot of shopping for his arrival.

I saw the shopaholic side of Helena when she got pregnant. She didn’t shop for herself but mostly for the baby.

When they died, I got rid of everything in anger and frustration. I hated the idea of a crib. I hated the sight of any embroidered pajamas she got for him or any other thing that has that small feature of a little boy who should have been my first fruit and heir.

it didn’t happen and it left me broken.

I don’t realize I am already at the doorstep with my head bowed and tears rolling down my eyes unconsciously until the door is flung upon me.

“Jayden?” Her voice makes me look up instantly and I feel the wetness on my face.

She doesn’t comment about my tears but her face is expressionless.

Quickly, I look down and wipe my face, feeling embarrassed for being caught doing this.

What the hell is wrong with me?

“What are you doing here?” Her hostile voice jerks me out of my reverie once again and I look back up.

Her hair is tied in a messy bun, she is wearing a big trouser and a big blouse and she looks like she is about to go out for a walk.

“Can I come in?”

“No, I’m going out’, she says and closes the door after stepping on the porch.

“Please, we need to talk. Just give me a few minutes and I promise to leave after ‘m done here. Please, Isabella.”

I want to say a lot in one breath but I can’t. We can’t continue this way. Our child is about to come into the world and we can’t welcome him with this hostility between us.

What I feel for Isabella is the opposite of hostility but I am sure she hates me so much. Her expression says it all. I hurt her deeply and she might never be able to forgive me.

Hesitantly, she opens the door again and walks in, leaving the door open for me to follow. I enter to see that Grandma isn’t around and I wonder where she is.

I wonder if they have been able to clear up the air between each other. Isabella and Grandma. Grandma is mad at her for running off without thinking of the consequences of her actions.

I never knew Isabella could be stubborn but I know I am responsible. She was submissive, calm, responsible, caring, and attentive as well as hardworking but I took all of that away with my behavior which pushed her further into the opposite side of her behavior.

I regret all my actions and I hope she forgives me.

This is not entirely my fault but the fault of the notion in my head. The belief is that my vow to Helena is valid and I can indeed live a good life sticking to their vow.

“Can you be fast about it? I’m late for my evening walk already”, she is standing with folded arms,

“Let’s sit, please”, I plead with my eyes. She stares at me for a while before complying.

It’s surprising how things could turn around and I am the one getting scared of saying what I have in mind to Isabella when she used to be this way.

Always scared of me. Trembling when in my presence.

I sit a bit far from her on the sofa and silence ensues. I am thinking of where to begin.

“Did you get my letter?” I ask calmly, not looking at her. I dread the hatred I see in her eyes and I want to avoid seeing it again for the main time.

“Not” She says sharply and my gut tells me she is lying. She isn’t good at lying at all.

I nod anyway. “Ym here to apologize for hurting you, believe me, it wasn’t my intention.”

I am thinking she will cut me short and shout at me. But she is quiet, fuming in silence.

“I thought I was doing the right thing. I know I was obsessed with the contract but that was because I thought it was the right thing to do. For almost two years, I haven’t felt the genuine happiness I felt when we were together and I miss that. It took me six months to realize what a fool I was and it took me losing a major deal to realize that being hardworking isn’t what makes me happy, but you”

“Believe it or not, I was happy.” I stop, thinking of what else to say. What else do I need to say?

“Ym sorry I insulted you. I’m sorry I didn’t find you on time. ‘m sorry you had to live in that apartment alone with my baby.” “Hey!” She stops me, snapping her head towards me with tears brimming in her eyes and anger. “Did you just say your baby?” She laughs out, throwing her head backward but I know better than to think of this as a hearty laughter.

itis anger-filled.

“This baby is mine alone, not yours so get out of here right this minute before I do something rash.”

“Isabella.”

“You are done talking, aren’t you?” She peers down at me. “I would have allowed you to go on and on till you are tired of splurting those rubbish if you hadn’t mentioned my child. This child is mine alone to rear”

“Don’t say that…”

“Have you forgotten so soon?” She begins to shout. “You have forgotten so soon how you made disgusting faces whenever you see your own first cousins? You hated them and you expect me to believe that you won’t do the same thing to my child? What about sex? You said it was a mistake, didn’t you? What then does that make the pregnancy that resulted from that sx? A mistake as well

“That’s bullshit!” I find myself standing up and yelling.

“You are the bullshit. The marriage was a bullshit. Meeting you was bullshit. Everything about you is bullshit!” She retorts back sharply, as if expecting my outburst.

I realize what I have done and I fall to the sofa again, my face in between my palms.

Why can’t I just get control of my emotions? This is too hard on me.

“We are done talking, get out…”

“Isabella, I asked you to forgive me. If I am not sorry for my mistakes, I won’t ask for your forgiveness. I know I am not perfect but you shouldn’t have run off that way without even knowing about what I think of your pregnancy. Do you even know if I was secretly wishing for a baby too?”

She does not reply, she is only avoiding my gaze.

“My fear was losing you. I didn’t want to lose you. I didn’t want to lose the baby too. I didn’t want to go through another traumatic section of having a baby and then losing him again. Do you even know what it feels like to lose two people you love so much in just a day? There are a lot of things that are beyond the ordinary, Isabella. Just because I said all those things doesn’t mean I actually meant it and there are a lot of ways to figure out if what is said is truly meant”

Silence creeps in.

I stand up eventually. I am done here. I should give her space. I should have known that today won’t solve everything. it will take time for her to assimilate everything and find a place in her heart to forgive me.

“am not here to force you into anything. I came here to ask for your forgiveness and to tell you that I want this baby and I can’t wait for its arrival. This baby means the world to me. You mean the world to me too.”

Her chest heaves up and down as she slowly turns her back to me.

I guess I should go before she burst into tears. I have said enough for tonight.

Quietly, I walk to the door.

Before I can go out, I remember she lied to me about not receiving any letter.

Without turning my back, I say to her. “You should read the letter I left at your doorstep in Paris. Everything that happened to me is in there. Every single thing that I can’t say because of how much it hurts as well as the real reason behind my actions and utterances of hating children. I do not hate them. So read that letter, please.”

With that said, I walk out and slam the door shut.

This way, she can cry alone without being embarrassed that I would see her crying for me.

For what we had.

Isabella’s POV

Before I can let out the tears threatening to fall down my eyes, the doorbell rings and my eyes fly to the door which Jayden took out a few minutes ago.

I can’t believe I actually stood up to him that way. I said I wasn’t going to ever cry because of him but here I am on the verge of crying again.

Why does it feel like everyone is up against me and in support of him? Is it because he was traumatized by the experience of the accident?

I was traumatized too and I got out of it alone, without anyone’s help. Why should it be so difficult for him?

The doorbell rings again and I stalk towards the door, throw it open, about to shout at him in anger not to ever come here again when I see a familiar face I haven’t seen in months.

jude.

“Jude?” I can’t hide my surprise. When his gaze falls on my belly, he smiles.

“Good day, ma’am’, he bows slightly in greeting, stretching some things to me.

I take them without hesitation. It’s a white box, a bonquest, and a package.

I don’t need a soothsayer to tell me who this is for and from who. It must be Jayden’s handwork.

“Is everything ok?” He asks me, pulling me out of my thought. I force out a smile and nod. “Are you sure? The boss won’t let me drive him home. He wants to walk home.”

If it was the former Isabella, I would have exclaimed at such a ridiculous idea. I am tempted to exclaim but I shouldn’t care, right?

ignoring his comment, I smile at him again. “Thank you for the gift.”

Before I can close the door, I hear him say in a loud voice. “It’s not from me, it is from the boss”

The closing of the door drowns the rest of his statement. Curiosity takes over the tears in my eyes as I settle back on the sofa to check out what he got for me.

In Paris, he got similar flowers and wine which I haven’t taken and I wonder what it is this time.

I drop the box and the flowers on the other couch to check out the package first. I open it to see a bag filled with romance novels.

I bring them out one after the other and they are the newly published New York times best sellers’ books.

I arrange the books one after the other so I can count them and I counted up to I0.

Ten romance books should last me for the rest of the month. I haven’t had time to get new books since I arrived in America and I am still making do with the ones I purchased in Paris.

Before I can take a hold of the box so I can peel off the string around it, my phone rings, and I grab it from the sofa handle. itis a strange number and I hesitate for a while, thinking of who it could be before picking it up.

“Hello”, a voice says, sounding familiar but I can’t place where I know the voice from. “Hello, Isabella, are you there?”

Then it clicks. In my head.

Mrs. Russell.

“I know you are there. I stole your number from Jayden’s phone. He wouldn’t give it to me willingly and he still won’t give me your Grandma’s home address”, she falls silent, probably expecting me to say something. “I heard about everything that happened and also about our grandchild who is on his way. I’m happy, Isabella. ‘m excited about it and I wish I can see you so we can go shopping for the baby’s things together and…”

“Mrs. Russell.” I trail off, cutting her off.

I want to be rude to her for what she did to me but I find it very difficult to do that. She told me to my face that I can never carry Jayden’s babies and he would never want to have babies with me and now she is telling me about how excited she is about the baby.

That’s absurd and selfish.

“I know I offended you, Isabella but please find a place in your heart to forgive me. I’m so sorry for all I did. I was just trying to make sure that my son is in safe hands and he won’t go back to that man I could barely recognize two years ago. Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free.I didn’t want him to be heartbroken which was why I was on the lookout for him. I’m truly sorry, Isabella. Please find a place in your heart to forgive me.”

Silence falls again as I suck in my breath, making an effort to control my nerves and maintain my cool and not shout at her to f**k off,

“I asked Jayden to invite you over for a family dinner months back but he said you were busy but I knew he was lying. I found out about everything from Gabriel and I’m truly sorry for all of it..”

I can no longer take it so I disconnect the call, put off my phone, and throw the phone across the room.

I am tired.

Can they just leave me alone?

I facepalm myself, my emotions uprising again and my chest heaving up and down in anger and frustration.

This was why I left. This was the reason why I ran away. I want to be alone. I want no one’s pity. I don’t want anyone to convince me to do what I don’t want to do.

I sincerely want to be left alone till the baby is here. I just want to see my baby and hold him in my arms to be rest assured that I didn’t lose him.

Giving up on going out for a walk, I lean backward with a sigh. Then my mind goes back to the gifts.

The books, flowers and the box. Instantly, I grab the box and begin to open it up, peeling off the rope around it slowly. When it is off, I open the cover and it reveals something strange. There is a small piece of paper on the clothes. They actually look like clothes.

Whose clothes?

I hang up my curiosity and pick up the note instead.

It reads. “I was an asshole. I still am.”

Jayden.

I drop the note and pick up the first clothes, raising them to realize it is for the baby. It is a little black jacket which looks just like Jayden’s but the only difference is the size.

I gasp.

How did he know the baby is going to be a boy? I haven’t even told Grandma yet.

Except for Sabrina. Did Sabrina tell him I’m expecting a boy and I also plan to name him Aidan?

Slowly, getting overwhelmed, I drop the jacket and pick up the next thing. It is a baby’s pajama. A little cute one that has a smiley baby face on it. A sob with a mixture of gasp leaves my mouth again.

I clamp my right hand over my mouth for a second to suck everything in.

I shouldn’t cry.

This is what I am saying to myself but my emotions are not around to listen to what my head is saying.

Atear rolls down my eyes unconsciously and then another and another.

I wipe them off as they keep rolling, determined not to cry. I drop the jacket too and pick up the next thing in the box. It is a toy.

A toy car.

Then the last thing is another note.

“I kept all of these for my baby. It takes a whole lot of courage to go back to that room that I have locked up for years to bring this out”

“I used to think I have lost my first fruit or probably the only fruit I am meant to have since I wanted to be celibate for life but I am wrong.”

“This baby inside of you, Isabella is my first fruit and there will be more to come. I never thought I would get over Helena completely until today. I went into that room where Jason’s crib was kept because I destroyed it. I touched it. The last time I touched it, I did that with anger but today, I did that with tears and smiles.”

“What does that mean? It means I am healed. That emptiness has been filled. That joy has been replaced with the bundle inside of you”

“Believe it or not, I love you and I love our baby already. Let’s name him Jason, my first fruit”

My hands squeeze the note into a crumble as my chest tightens and I let out a piercing scream before bursting into tears. Tears of mixed feeling.

Jayden’s POV

The ride to the lake house is in complete silence. At a point, I believe Isabella wasn’t only giving me the silent treatment but was dozing off to even know that we are headed to the lake house.

When I skipped work today, I was hoping it would be worth it. I visited her and told her I wanted to take her somewhere. She was reluctant but I could see that Isabella had gone past that stage. The stage of despair, anger, betrayal, and frustration.

I was hoping my letters to her will reveal all that she needed to know and I was hoping it will help heal her just like it healed my wounds.

I guess it worked. But I don’t want to be over-excited about it. I am going to take one step at a time till everything is cleared off, even though I doubt if she would ever trust me again.

I doubt if she would trust me with her heart like she once did. I trampled upon it, breaking it into pieces and she is still trying to fix up the pieces back in their place.

She asked me where we were going and I told her it was a surprise. I could see how much she wanted to ask and shout for me not to take her to the mansion until she saw that I didn’t take the route leading to the mansion.

I have no intention of forcing her to do anything. I have no intention of making her come back because of the contract, Now, all I want is for her to come back on her own free will.

I stop the car and get out. Before I can go to her side to open the door for her, she opens her eyes and looks around yawning, She gasps when she sees the lake house and her eyes hold twinkles.

I open the door and she gets out, still looking around.

Without a word, I signal to her to lead the way and she does that while I follow behind calmly. I brought her here because coming here with her made me realize a whole lot of things.

Coming here with Isabella holds a lot of memories that are difficult to erase. This was where it all started. This is where my attraction for her started. This is where we had our first kiss, even though we pretended afterward as though it never happened.

This is where I opened up to her. This is where the weight on my shoulders was lifted off. This is where I acted like the jayden I was when Helena was alive; cheerful, carefree, and happy.

And most importantly, this is where Isabella told me how much Helena would want me to be happy.

These two women mean a lot to me. This place reminds me of both of them even though Helena was never here.

She turns the doorknob and it opens. I can sense her surprise as she enters.

Remembering that I didn’t come with the file I left in the car, I rush back to the car to grab it before turning back to the house.

isabella is still glancing around, probably looking for changes in the lake house or the surprise.

There is no surprise. This is a surprise. Coming here is the surprise.

The first time we were here, I could see how much she wanted another time and that is what I am doing.

She sits on the couch and relaxes her back as if to continue sleeping.

Hiding the file behind me, I ask. “Are you hungry? Should I make you something?”

“No, no, I’m fine”, she says with a wave of the hand and her eyes still closed. She is still avoiding me, though but I’m glad the coldness in her tone is no longer present.

just then, her stomach rumbles and she flutters her eyes open in embarrassment. I almost laugh out loud but I am quick to suck it in.

She ate cereal before we left home this morning. We spent almost two hours on the road and I can’t say if her stomach is rumbling because of the talk of food.

I turn back with the file. “I should make you something.”

Making sure that she isn’t seeing the file, I leave the sitting room to the kitchen. I instructed my maid to get me chicken yesterday and I plan to make chicken recipes for her since she said something about chicken the other time.

Dropping the file on a table, I open the refrigerator to get what to use.

In a small bowl, I mix onion powder, garlic granules, paprika, and red pepper flakes and set them aside.

I use a sharp knife to make a pocket in each of the chickens making sure I won’t cut through to the other end.

I season the chicken on both sides with salt and black pepper and brush with some oil including the pocket. I also season the chicken with the dry rub including the pocket then move on to making the filling

In a small bowl, I add cream cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, and chopped spinach, and mix them together.

I fill the chicken breast pocket with the spinach cream cheese filling and secure the gap with some toothpicks

A hand holding a tray of uncooked chicken, I melt the butter in the microwave and rub it in the baking dish.

Finally, I place the stuffed chicken in the baking dish to bake in the oven without covering it.

Taking my attention back to the file, I open it and it reveals the contract. I go through it, my mind going back to Isabella.

I am really an asshole. The rules of the contract are stringent and I broke them all. Isabella didn’t do anything to go against the contract.

This is why I have decided to bring this here and end it.

I turn back to the oven to check the chicken. Taking note of the time and its color, I take the chicken out of the oven and begin to serve it immediately on two different plates.

I have a deep sigh when my gaze shifts back to the file on the table. Thinking of when to do it, I drop my own plate of food so I can grab the file along with Isabella’s food.

Then I walk back to the sitting room to see her sleeping. Calmly, I wake her up. Her eyes widen when she sees the chicken recipe I made for her and within minutes, she is digging into it while I watch.

“Aren’t you eating?” She finally asks me, sparing me a glance.

“I will”, I answer as I continue to watch her.

When she is almost done, I rise and walk back to the kitchen to grab my food and get some yogurt for her to take.

By the time I am back in the sitting room, Isabella is done. She looks up at me, stretching the plate towards me. “Can I get more, please?”

An unconscious smile creeps to my face as I stare at her flushed face. I take the empty plate and give her mine to eat.

She does not bother to ask if it is mine or not before digging into it again. I drop the yogurt besides the food on the table and sit to watch her till she is done.

She gulps down half of the content of the yogurt and she looks satisfied. It makes my heart swell.

Our eyes meet and she looks away instantly. The heavy silence became awkward.

When she leans back on the couch as if she wants to go back to sleeping, I tap her on the lap and she gazes up at me. Raising the contract without a word, I tear it into tiny pieces to mark the end of my contractual marriage.

To signify that I want something more than the contracted marriage, I brought something along with me.

A diamond ring.

I produce it in a split second and her eyes grow larger when the reality dawns on her that the paper I just tore is the contract binding us together in marriage.

I want more.

I want all of her.

I don’t want just a year. I want eternity with her.

Placing a knee on the floor, I push the box of ring closer to her. “Will you please be my real wife?!”

Isabella’s POV

Pretending has never been an easy task for me. But Jayden taught me that. He taught me to learn how to pretend. He taught me how to hide my emotions.

He taught me how to pretend as if I don’t feel anything towards him again. But I do.

ves, I still do.

And I rejected him. When he knelt on the floor with a diamond ring in his hand to promise me eternity, I rejected him. Not because I don’t love him. I still do.

I rejected him because I still have my doubts. I rejected him because I want to take my time to know if this is true or not. To know if his feelings for me won’t change a bit.

The first mistake I made was making decisions in a hurry and I don’t want that to repeat itself. I want to take my time to study him, ponder deeply and decide on what is best for me and my baby.

jayden and I have been through a lot. I watch him each time he comes visiting. I can still see the hurt in his eyes and how hard he is pushing to move past the healing process.

All of a sudden, I became a psychic. I watch his every move; they have meanings.

When I told Grandma that I was going to Jayden’s place, she couldn’t hide her surprise. I only smiled and left the house.

I know how much she has longed for me to say that or probably wake up one day to pack my bags and move back to Jayden’s mansion.

I am not moving back. I know what I am doing. This is something I want and something I have decided without anyone’s influence or interference.

I am choosing what is best for my child and me.

When I entered the gate, the guards were surprised to see me. I flash all of them a genuine smile before venturing inside, towards the front door.

I am sure Jayden is back. The car is parked in the driveway and Jude was amongst those who were surprised to see me in the house this evening.

I am wearing a flowery gown which stops below my knee. I packed my hair into a ponytail and I picked up a black bag from amongst the designers I shopped with his mother to match my black dress.

To be honest, I took out time to look good. My dress today is nothing compared to what I have been putting on since I left America and ever since I got back.

I enter the mansion and head straight for the staircase, replying to the maid’s greetings.

Taking the staircase slowly, I get to the top and saunter to the room. When I get to the front of the room, my heart beat increases and I find myself inhaling and exhaling deeply.

I thought I had it all in control. I thought I was no longer scared. I thought I was no longer skeptical.

But I still am.

I’m scared shit of what the future holds for us. Should I still do this? Should I go ahead, forget the past and do this? instinctively, I raise my hand to knock on the door, anticipating a reply but there is nothing.

I knock again, this time louder. Before I can begin to get worried, I hear a low voice. “Come in.”

I touch the doorknob and push the door open. I see him lying on his back on the bed, files and paperwork all around him, a glass cup of wine on the coffee table, and the tray of food still covered.

My heart sinks.

But I have become braver. I look away from the disorganized room and clear my throat. That did the trick because he shoots to his feet instantly with wide eyes when he spots me by the door.

“Isabella?” His eyes are still wild open and I see him blinking several times to be sure it is me and not one of his imagination. I am sure he has countless imaginations of me dragging my suitcases back into his house. But that isn’t happening.

Not now. Not anytime soon.

When I am not saying a word, he takes long strides toward me. The moment he is close by, he engulfs me into a tight hug

itis taking a whole lot of courage for me to keep my hands to my side. Not when he is looking smoking handsome as always with his transparent t-shirt on and shorts.

jayden is a f***ing Greek god. His vulnerability right now doesn’t make him less of a Greek god, it adds to his smoking handsomeness and I can imagine smoke coming out from every part of his body to complement my literal statement. Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. “You are an asshole”, I say, which makes him release me from the one-sided hug. He tilts his head sideways to figure out if I am joking or being serious.

“You are an asshole’, I repeat and he still looks damn confused. He must have forgotten that he called himself that and I am agreeing with the fact that he was and is still an asshole.

“You called yourself an asshole, remember?” I remind him and his face lights up in remembrance, replacing his confused expression.

He nods and smiles, his hands dropping off my body.

I feel the absence of his touch. Sadly, I haven’t felt this touch in months and I can’t believe I force myself not to crave this. What have I turned to?

“I came to tell you that I forgive you”, I announce, making the reason for my visit known.

His eyes beam in happiness.

“I just thought I should be here to tell you that. It won’t be nice to do that over the phone because you came all the way to my house to ask me for forgiveness”, I continue. He looks lost for words so I thought it was time to go. “Now that I have said what I came here for, I should go. Can I borrow your driver for a few minutes?”

I peer down at him expecting a sad expression. But all I see right now is twinkles of amusement and I wonder what it is that is amusing him

When he saw me, he must have thought that I was here to stay but he is wrong.

I must have burst his bubble by going straight to the point and telling him that ‘m going in just a few minutes of being here. My dress, bag, and shoes have done a great job.

He nods at my question and I turn to take the exit when he suddenly pulls me back and slams his lips on mine, my big belly serving as a huge obstacle for him to get closer to hug me tight and never let me go.

Isabella’s POV

Cries, giggles, adult laughter, and chattering were the sound coming from the dining area the moment Jayden and I stepped into his parent’s mansion.

itis still as huge as I could remember with antique furniture and high chandeliers with artistry paintings.

itis a mixture of old and modern and I would say this is the largest mansion I have ever seen. Jayden’s home is next in line. When we approached the dining area, the noises became louder, it dawned on me that this dinner is not only for us but for other members of the family.

jayden is leading me in with his hand on my back instead of the entwined arms locked together the first time we were here and I am glad he has agreed to take things slow.

I still haven’t let go of everything totally because I am not done with my course titled “Jayden I0I.”

He needs to be thoroughly studied before I give in. We have shared a few kisses but I haven’t agreed to move back to the mansion yet.

We are taking things slow.

To be honest, I really do not feel like coming over for this family dinner because I feel so tired. I have stressed myself a lot and it’s having a toll on me already.

All just want to do is sleep and eat and watch movies. This time, I know I won’t be bored because I am gradually healing from the hurt.

I am no longer depressed. Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. I don’t do things because I need to do them to keep my occupied mind away from his thoughts. Now, I am back to deriving pleasure from thinking about him. I watch movies because I want to and not because I am forcing myself to watch and enjoy them.

I didn’t tell Jayden that I don’t feel like coming here because I know I should be here. Ever since I hung up on his mother, we haven’t seen each other and she hasn’t called.

I feel remorseful and I want to use this opportunity to apologize to her.

She was truly looking out for her son. She did all of that because Jayden means so much to her and if I was in her shoes, I would have done the same thing or even worse.

“Isabellal” An excited voice call out, jerking me out of my reverie.

Caroline?

The cries must be from her little boys and her princess.

She appears from nowhere, examines my big belly, and wraps her tiny hands around me, laughing and crying at the same time.

When she pulls away, I only smile at her. It’s been a while but I know what these emotions are for.

She must have believed Mrs. Russell that night and now that I am pregnant with Jayden’s child, she can’t contain her joy. They all thought Jayden would never have a baby or be in love. Even when he claimed to love me, they already gave up on seeing his child

Now that I am with his baby, they will all love me. They have no choice. Realizing that we got married based on a contract no longer matters now.

The baby matters and the marriage means a lot to them too.

Without a word, she takes a hold of my hand and leads me to the table. Jayden is already there, exchanging pleasantries with his father and Caroline’s husband.

Gabriel is also at the table and Sabrina. She throws me a wink and I shake my head. Sabrina was at my place today and she never told me she was coming for this dinner.

We all settle down, the table roaring with laughter and gist. Caroline is trying to start a conversation with me but I am not interested in that. I want to eat and go home.

“Isabella”, I hear Mrs. Russell call to me before her hands touch mine. “I’m sorry for all I did. Will you please find a place in your heart to forgive me?” It comes out as a whisper and I nod.

“Forgive me, too.”

She chuckles lightly and pecks my two cheeks before looking away. The chatting continues for a while till the maids come out with the trays of food.

“Isabella doesn’t know’, I hear Jayden say from opposite me. Mrs. Russell is by my right and Sabrina is by my left while the men are sitting across from us.

When Gabriel turns to stare at me, I become curious. “What are you talking about?”

“You don’t know what Juliet did?” Sabrina questions, peering down at me.

“Juliet?” I ask and my frown deepens.

“Yes. She tried to blackmail me into giving her some money or leaving Gabriel so she could make him.”

“What?!” I exclaim with a scoff. How is that possible? “Gabriel? Not Jayden?”

jayden rolls his eyes at me. The last time I checked, she was interested in him, not Gabriel. How the hell did she even know Gabriel?

“Well, we had a thing in the past’, Gabriel answers and the table falls silent. I turn to Sabrina expecting a look of anger or jealousy but I see nothing.

“When she found out that Gabriel and Jayden were friends, she thought she could achieve her aim through me. She knew I was his wife and she came to me to strike a deal. I agreed and now she is locked up in prison. So bad she used to be your friend.”

“Oh, Goodness!” I gasp, holding onto the handle of the chair I am sitting on as I try to lean forward.

juliet is in prison. I want to ask her what exactly happened and how she ended up in jail but I feel a sudden pressing to use the restroom.

I get up from the chair slowly and Jayden stands up too with a look of worry on his face.

“Are you ok?” he asks, approaching me as they serve the food.

I need to pee first before eating.

“Don’t worry about me, I just need to use the restroom”, I tell him, moving past him to find the restroom. I don’t even know if he is still following him because I am too pressed to even think of turning back.

When I find the restroom, I hurry in, my hands on my back and immediately I get in, I zip down my lavender gown and sit on the WC to urinate.

Nothing is coming. And the pressing need is still very much present.

I try to force it out but there is nothing.

Goodness, what is happening? I thought to myself.

Before I can rise, something pops down and relief rushes through me. After enjoying the relief for a moment, it dawns on me that I didn’t urinate yet I feel relieved.

What came out of me? My eyes fly open as I get up hurriedly to see that my water has broken.

With panic and a mixture of horror, I scream. “jayden!”

Isabella’s POV

I take heavy steps towards our room.

jayden’s room rather. It is no longer mine again.

I came in like it was normal for the boss’s wife to come into her matrimonial home at 5 am, even though it has been two weeks since I last came here.

I’m sure the maids won’t call Jayden. They don’t know about our rift, do they?

I had to run away from the hospital because of Jayden and I know going to Grandma’s place is definitely not the solution at the moment. Jayden will find me there and Grandma will allow him in.Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. I took the bathroom window out and stuck around till I was so sure that my absence had been noticed and they were all gone to find me somewhere before I took the window back inside the bathroom and sat on the water closet to baw my eyes out.

I cried out my eyes. Not because getting pregnant is a bad thing but because the timing is wrong.

My baby won’t be appreciated. My baby won’t be loved. His father isn’t proud to have him.

No wonder Jayden was looking very angry. This explains why Sabrina was taunting him with her giggles. They knew how much he hated children but I won’t let him hate my child.

Not being in our lives is better than for him to be and despising what we shared and also what resulted from what we shared.

My baby deserves better.

After crying to my satisfaction, I left the hospital. I took a cab to Grandma’s place not because I wanted to spend the night there even though I had nowhere to go. I only went there to see if Grandma was back at home.

She wasn’t home but the moment I told the cab man to drive off, I saw her and Safina getting down from a cab with worry on their faces.

I wished I could assure them that I am fine and I am going to be fine but I couldn’t. I just need some time alone. To myself. If} make an appearance, Grandma might not let me do what I intend to and she might tell Jayden where I intend to go.

I don’t want that. I will be back home when I want to and when I am ready.

I took the same cab to Gabriels place. I was tempted to go in and beg Sabrina to let me spend the night and also help me get the things I came to this house for but I couldn’t.

I won’t be rest assured that Jayden won’t find me if I tell anyone about what I want to do.

Instead, I ask the cabman to take off again.

I know Gabriel is loyal to Jayden and he might tell him if Sabrina knows about my whereabouts. I also know that they are searching all over for me which is why I decided to come here.

This is definitely the right time to come here. Jayden is out looking for me and by the time I am gone, he won’t even know a thing till he gets home to realize that all my things are gone as well.

I couldn’t book a hotel to lay my head in for the night because I have nothing on me. The only thing I have is my phone and I had to come here to get my credit cards, my international passport and visa as well as all my clothes, including the ones he bought for me.

I don’t want to leave any traces behind. I want everything gone and done with.

I won’t even regret going along with the clothes he bought for me because I will consider it as compensation for the s*x.

If it was the former Isabella, I would have chosen to drop the clothes and go to where I wanted to go without them so I won’t be reminded of him.

But what is the use of doing that?

Whether I go along with the clothes or not, I will still be reminded of him because of the seed growing inside of me.

His seed.

He pumped his seed into me that night at the hotel when we had an argument and reconciled with sex. I felt it. I felt it streaming into me but I never thought this would happen. It never crossed my mind that I would be carrying a baby for Jayden.

Not in my wildest dream,

My baby will remind me of him. He is the product of what we did. We made this baby and I won’t forget about him no matter how hard I try.

This baby will keep reminding me of the so-called mistake that led to all of this. But I don’t regret it. I just feel sad that this is happening.

To Jayden, it is just a terrible mistake so is this pregnancy but I am keeping this baby whether he likes it or not.

I turn the doorknob and fortunately, it isn’t locked. He must have left in a hurry last night to come over to the party to meet me to even realize he didn’t lock the door.

I was surprised to see him, though I know Jayden is capable of anything. He must have had one of his guards monitor my movement and when he was told that I was at a party, he came all the way there to convince me to come back home with him.

Bullshit!

Everything about him is bullshit. This marriage is bullshit

I enter the room and the first thing my eyes catch is the glass of wine, Adrianna Vineyard. The one we both liked in common was sitting comfortably on the coffee stool with two glasses of wine filled to the brim.

Was he drinking before he was told about my presence in the club?

I take my eyes off the wine and wander round the room.

Realizing that I am here for a reason and I have limited time, I get to work. The cab man is waiting for me outside and there is nowhere in the world that I can pay him if I don’t have my purse with me which is in the closet.

jayden had probably asked the maids to arrange the clothes I scattered on the floor the day I left home, back neatly into the closet.

I pack half of the clothes in one go and dump them in my suitcase, then repeat the process till nothing is left. Then, I proceed to the shoe section and do the same before moving over to the dresser where my lotions, deodorants, and antiperspirants are.

I pack everything.

Every single thing I brought here and every single thing he got for me.

I am leaving no traces.

Three suitcases are filled to the brim. The third suitcase contains most of the designer bags he got for me.

Remembering that the cab man might become impatient for the time I have spent, I drag the suitcases out of the door and take a hold of my handbag which contains my passport, visa, and purse. I dump my phone into my bag and beckon to the maid standing downstairs to come and help me.

She calls another maid and they come to help without any question, even though they are raising suspicious brows at me. “Please take them to the cab waiting outside. Be fast about it”, I say to them as I watch them drag the three suitcases down and I follow.

Natalie meets me halfway, glancing around. “What is happening? Where is the boss? He didn’t come home last night and you have been away for weeks too. Is everything ok?

Not wanting to be delayed by her questions, I flash her a smile and choose to lie. “Everything is fine. ‘m going on a trip” “With the boss?”

“Not really. He might be home soon and he might choose to come to meet me over there.”

She doesn’t look convinced but I am not in the right frame of mind to start explaining what happened or to satisfy her curiosity.

“see you, soon’, I say to her before walking past her with a wave of the hand.

I can feel her eyes on my back as I walk to the front door. When I get to the door, I turn back to meet her gaze.

She smiles and I do the same.

Quickly, I walk out, increasing my pace as the maids come back empty-handed.

“Thank you’, I say to them in appreciation. They bow and wave at me.

Before I can get to the gate, it opens wide as though a car is coming in. Like my assumptions, a car gears its way in and it turns out to be Jayden’s car.

My heart race. My senses are alert and I find my legs carrying me towards the open gate before he can see me.

I run past the car and he sees me.

“Isabella? Bella!” He calls but I am paying deaf ears to his calls. I won’t let him stop me. I won’t let him hate my baby. I won’t let him make our baby unwanted. I won’t let him make me feel cheap and miserable ever again.

“Isabellat” I hear the loud slamming of the car door as I run as fast as I can out of the gate and towards the waiting cab.

I hear Jayden’s voice and loud footsteps from behind but I don’t wait.

“Drive, drive, drivel” I chant to the driver before getting into the car.

I open the car door, slump into the seat and slam the door shut as he ignites the car engine into action and drives off immediately.

Jayden’s POV

What is left is the dust.

I watch the car screech away with speed and Isabella going away from my life forever.

“shit!” I curse and hit my fist in the air, breathless.

Why didn’t I think she would come home? It didn’t even cross my mind that she would come over to the mansion. It was the last place I expected her to be.

If only I had come earlier before she got out of the house, maybe I would have been able to convince her.

I asked Gabriel to go home. He is indeed a good friend, having left his pregnant wife alone at home to tender to my own problems of finding my wife because we have no idea how she disappeared. Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. Now I know my assumptions are wrong. She wasn’t kidnapped. She ran off on her own because she couldn’t handle the fact that she was pregnant with my child.

“Fe*ki” I groan and squat to the floor, thinking of what to do.

suddenly, it clicks. Instead of standing back and watching the cab disappear out of sight, I should do something.

I should follow the cab to know where exactly she is going. Quickly, I turn back to the house but surprisingly, every part of my body is shaking tremendously.

Is this out of fear or rage? I have no idea.

I can’t drive in this state, I say to myself. I might lose control of the wheels because of this overwhelming feeling.

I rush into the gate, shouting. “Maurice, Andrew, Jude, Daniell”

They all rush out and I point to Jude. “Follow the cab that came here to pick Isabella up. Find out where it is heading to. Go now!” I instruct with a tone of authority.

He bows and races to the car. The car keys are always in his pocket. I watch him enter, start the car and drive off while we leave the path for him to go out of the gate.

I watch him go before turning to the rest of the guards.

“Daniel, I want you to go over to Isabella’s Grandma and find out if they have seen her this evening or if she is there. If she isn’t there, do not say a word, just come back?”

He bows and runs off.

To the others, I yell. “Follow me!”

isabella must have come home for her things. If her international passport and visa are missing, then it means she is intending to go out of the country and I won’t allow that.

I hurry back inside the house, trying so hard to control my nerves as the other two guards follow me at the same pace. Gabriel would be so surprised to know that Isabella was here. We had gone to her Grandma’s place and she wasn’t there. I know sending Daniel there might end up being useless but I just want to be sure.

I take the staircase, three at a time, my heart thumping wildly in my ribcage and my shaking reducing.

I have this under control.

isabella and the baby will be fine. All I need to do is find out where she is going and that will be all.

I will find her no matter what it takes.

I throw my bedroom door open and enter, rushing over to the closet where she dumped the international passport and visa after we arrived from our trip from Italy that morning before I left for work.

The visa and other important documents were in the closet even after we had a fight and she left in anger.

If itis no longer there, then it means I am right. Isabella is going away from America.

I get to the closet to see it empty. There is nothing in here, not even a pin.

All her dresses are gone, including the passport and the visa, and other important documents she kept here.

My gaze shifts to the shoe section and they are empty too. There isn’t a single shoe there. The dresser is empty too except for my lotion. My perfume is gone too.

“Not” I stagger backward, the reality of what is happening crashing heavily upon me like a heavy downpour. “Not”

I walk back to the closet to check again. I want to be sure this is real and I am not daydreaming.

Why is Isabella doing this? She doesn’t even know whether my views about having babies have changed or not. She didn’t wait to hear me out before leaving. She didn’t give me a chance to correct my wrongs.

“Dammit!” I curse again, my hand hitting the closet.

“Boss”, I hear Maurice’s voice. I turn back abruptly to see him and Andrew staring at me with worry etched on their faces.

I didn’t even realize they came in after I did.

Getting a grip of myself, I walk toward them with my head down. I dip my hand into my pants pocket to bring out my phone. I turn back again, scanning the entire room to see if she left a note or something but there is nothing. The filled-to-the-brim glass cup of wine I left before leaving the house last night is still there.

I dial a number and it rings before a calm voice speaks up. “Boss?”

“Try to track Isabella’s number. She is leaving America. Find out where she is going too as soon as you can.” I go straight to the point.

“sure, boss. I will do that right away’, he says and I disconnect the call

There is no need for Maurice and Andrew’s presence. I am sure Fred would find out where she is going and that will determine the next line of action.

“You two can go, for now, I will call you if I need anything else. Just be on the lookout for her in case she comes back to the house.”

“Ok, boss.”

“Wait’, I stop them from going out when I remember something. “Why did you allow her out? Why didn’t anybody stop her from going out?”

They exchange glances but keep mute.

isabella is already determined to leave. There is nothing they would do to stop her from leaving.

“You can got” I say and turn my back to them. I hear the door open and close to signify that they are out of my room.

I begin to pace the room, expecting my phone to ring at any moment so I can hear from Fred about where she is going but my phone isn’t ringing.

A heavy silence falls in the room and I can practically hear my heartbeat.

When I can no longer hold my patience, I grab my phone from the sofa and walk to the door.

I should go. I should continue searching, maybe she is still lurking around somewhere. She must have been so sure that I wasn’t here which was why she made such an appearance and had all her belongings wiped out from our room.

With the car keys I took out last night still in my pocket, I race downstairs and out of the house when the gate opens instantly.

Instead of rushing over to my car to go out, I wait with curiosity written all over me.

The car enters and I see that it is Jude. I hurry over towards the car as it comes to an abrupt stop.

He jumps down from the car and bows. “What happened?”

I am suddenly scared that something must have happened for him to be back so fast. What happened? Is she involved in an accident? Is fate going to repeat itself?

“Jude, what happened?!” I shout at him, my heart skipping a beat.

“She is at the airport’, he announces to my amazement. I was right all along. She is leaving America. That explains why everything is missing.

“Where is she going?” I question him.

“She is going to Italy”, he comments.

“What?!” I exclaim loudly in disbelief.

Italy? She is going back to Italy? Is Romeo still in Italy?

Without saying anything to him, I run over to the car I drove in a few minutes ago and order him. “Get in the car. Let’s go there”

I want my wife back.

And my child.

Isabella’s POV

My apartment is old but the view out of the window is amazing and soothing. I am sitting on a cane chair, looking out of the window, imagining what my life would have been if it was this beautiful.

Beautiful like this magnificent view of Paris.

But it isn’t.

I am living in an old building that has no elevator to ease my every morning exercise of going to a bookstore to get a new book to read for the day to keep me company or going grocery shopping.

My room is on the fifth floor and it isn’t an easy task to get on the staircase from the ground floor up here with my protruding belly.

I try as much as possible not to go out, not only because I don’t want anyone to see me, anyone who might recognize me as the billionaire’s wife but also because taking the staircase down is tiring.

When I first got here, I enjoyed going out to the bookstore every day. I buy a book every day but now I have them stockpiled for a whole week or even a month.

I have no job and reading has become the only job I employed myself for with no pay. I can read a complete book in a day while other times, I read half of it before sleep overtakes me.

aside from reading, I eat a lot and sleep a lot. I do my exercises indoors now and I watch movies when I am tired of reading or straining my eyes to read.

At night, when the light of the apartment has been cut off sometimes, I watch movies on my phone.

Netflix is the next best thing that has happened to me. Netflix alone is boring, though all these affairs take my mind off my pathetic life.

I have been doing so well in the months since I left America. Sometimes, I miss home, other times, I feel happy for making this decision.

I remember Jayden every single day, every single moment of the day, every second, even when I am asleep.

I dream of him.

Last night, he was crying in my dream. I don’t know how Helena looked physically but I saw a woman turning her back to jayden and me while he was crying. I figured she must be Helena.

She didn’t turn back but she looked unhappy with her sagged shoulder. Then I heard the cries of a baby and Jayden went ballistic.

I don’t know what to make of this dream. I have never had such a nightmare in the past few months since I have been staying here, hiding here.

ALL dream of is Jayden smiling. Seriously. Or about the sex that led to all of this.

Even if I don’t want to be reminded of him, won’t this baby kicking inside remind me about him?

it will

I went for a scan yesterday and the doctor proudly announced to me that the baby is a boy. I didn’t smile.

I was just relieved that my baby is fine. I didn’t care if it was going to be a boy or a girl until yesterday when it was revealed that I am going to give birth to a bouncing baby boy soon.

If the baby is going to be a girl that looks just like me, maybe I won’t be this bothered about her reminding me of her father but now that I know it is a boy, I know he is going to be the replica of his father.

The same eyes. The same smile. The same face.

My mind has been going off and on, more frequently than it has always been doing since I left home,

I have been so strong, so determined not to think about home but now that resolve has vanished into thin air.

I am remembering everyone.

Juliet, Grandma, Safina, Sabrina, Gabriel, Eunice, Mrs. Russell, and finally Jayden.

I wonder how they are all doing. I wonder if anyone apart from Grandma misses me.

I know Grandma misses me a lot and it breaks my heart to think that I did this without considering her feelings.

Even though I called her before leaving America. I told her I would be fine and she should not worry about me. I told her I will be back home soon and that I just need some time alone. I didn’t tell her it would take months. I didn’t tell her I have no intentions of coming back to America until my child is born and grown up.

She was crying as I said those words. I know how much she wanted me to have a child but I couldn’t grant her wish because I had to save my baby.

jayden doesn’t want babies and he might force me to abort the baby by using the conditions of the contract binding us. That scared the shit out of me and I ran. I left America without thinking and I have been stuck in this old apartment for months with no friends, no relatives, and no pet to keep me company, except of course my baby.

The one inside of me.

I put off my phone after calling Grandma and threw it into the sea. I was scared that I would be tracked. Jayden is bent on finding me and I was determined not to be found until my baby is born.

Now, I want to hear her voice so desperately. I want to know if she is fine. I want her to know that I am still alive, hale, and healthy.

She is the reason why I am in this contracted marriage and I wasn’t supposed to shut her off that way but I was scared that she would tell Jayden every single thing, including my location and he would find me.

I got a new phone the moment I got to Paris.

paris is indeed beautiful and I toured the city the second day I landed in Paris. I have always been one who derives pleasure from being alone not until Juliet came into my life but now, the silence is killing me. The loneliness is doing unspeakable things to my emotions.

These past few days, I have been crying for no reason. I don’t know if it is the pregnancy symptoms or the fact that there is no one here to console me.

This is one of the reasons why I want to talk to my only surviving relative. If only my parents are alive, I won’t be lonely. might not even be in this situation and it is making me miss everyone in America, including Juliet.

If she hadn’t betrayed me, I would have told her everything including my location. She knows how best to cheer me up and make me feel better but I have no one.

No one wants to be friends with a woman who has been assumed to be married and have people from her husband’s side and her parent’s side surrounding her, talking excitedly about how the baby will be welcome to the world and even how to organize a baby shower for me.

Atear rolls down my eyes and I know it will continue this way till nightfall if I don’t do something.

Forcing my eyes off the views of the window, I dial Grandma’s phone and it rings before going into voicemail.

I call again and it’s the same thing. My heart begins to race in fear that something must have happened to her.

Did she have an attack after the call that morning? Did she fall and broke a leg while trying to search for me? Did something bad happen to her?

I keep calling until it is certain that there is no one at home to answer the call and my cries increase.

I facepalm myself and drop the phone on the coffee table to cry out my eyes.

I killed her! I killed my Grandmat

I shouldn’t have come here without her. I should have stayed back and avoided Jayden instead.

Why did I leave? Jayden can not possibly force me to abort a baby that I want, right? Why didn’t stay back to at least hear what he has to say? Whether he wants the baby or not doesn’t even matter. What matters is my choice to keep it.

I continue to cry until I hear a sound. The neighbor next door.

I have been doing this for days and she is always the one to stop my tears by knocking on my door.

I don’t know why she always does that but I believe my cries are disturbing her peace.

“Open the door, please. Let’s talk!” I hear her shrill voice.

I wipe my tears but I don’t stand up from where I am sitting. It is too much of a big deal to wander around too when I am already seated on this cane chair which makes me look like an old woman.

Now I know the reason why she is here. She wants to become friends with me and probably questions the reason for my constant tears but I am not interested in making any friend who will put any blame on me.

I have seen this woman once and I wonder if she is married or single.

When she doesn’t hear any reply, I hear her feet fading away and then the slamming of her door.

I let out a sigh and my phone rings immediately.

No one calls me except the bookstore sales representative or the doctor who usually fixes an appointment for me twice a month.

When I pick up the phone, Grandma’s name flashes across the screen and my courage disappears.

She is alive!

I am relieved. To satisfy my curiosity, I pick up the call and place the phone to my ears.

“Hello” She says calmly.

Its her voice. She is fine. She is doing well.

“Hello, who is this?” She asks but I can’t say anything. A lump is stuck in my throat. I can’t find my voice. I don’t even know what I want to say to her.

“Bella?” She calls and a small gasp escapes my mouth. “Isabella, is that you?”

She can feel it. She knows I will definitely call someday. She has been waiting for this moment.

I nod, instead of answering.

“Isabella.”

“Yes’, I only say with my hoarse voice. “It’s me, Grandma

I expect her to become excited but she doesn’t say a word anymore. The silence ensues for a moment before she asks. “Where are you?”

She sounds angry.

I do not respond. I continue to listen to the heavy silence.

“Bella?”

“Ym fine, Grandma. You don’t need to be worried about me”

“I want to know where you are”, she mutters again, her tone laced with anger and worry.

I do not plan to tell her where I am but I don’t want her to continue being angry with me. We will meet again but not now. It won’t hurt to tell her where I am. She can’t find me unless I want to be found.

“Paris?” It sounds like a question but I close my eyes for her to process my announcement.

“Paris?” She scoffs. “Bella, you are in Paris?” Her voice is breaking as though she is about to cry.

I didn’t call for this. I called for comfort.

I shouldn’t have told her.

Before she can say any more words, I quickly disconnect the call and put my phone away.

I shouldn’t have called her now. I shouldn’t have called her with my number.

I hope she won’t begin to pester me to come home now. All I wanted to do was assure that I am fine.

But now, all I am hoping for is for her to forgive me for being a prodigal daughter.

Jayden’s POV

italy has become my second home for the past six months since Isabella flew out of America. I have been moving from one state to the other all in the name of searching for my wife.

I am so sure she is in Italy. Jude and I saw the plane take off that morning and I quickly booked a flight to Italy too.

I didn’t know the specific location she was going to but when I asked around, I was told it was Verona just like I presumed.

I searched Verona for days without the sight of the woman with black straight hair. I thought she was going back to round up her supposed trip which I cut short or probably to meet up with Romeo but I didn’t see any of them.

Alejandro didn’t see her either.

I left Verona for Tuscany just like Alejandro advised but it was still the same. I am still coming to Italy every weekend to find her.

Even if I hadn’t received Grandma’s call last night, I would still be on my way home by now.

My plane landed in America a few minutes ago and Jude is driving me to her Grandma’s place.

That woman almost went crazy with the thought of Isabella missing. Telling her that I saw Isabella running out of my mansion that morning didn’t do anything to pacify her.

She believed that Isabella would never be found. She didn’t ask me any questions about why we fought, maybe because isabella must have told her everything.

I 20 to visit every two weeks. To check how she is doing and also to know if she has heard from Isabella.

The answer is always the same. Nothing.

No calls. No text messages. No appearance.

I could see how honest she was. I couldn’t even think that she might be lying to me about Isabella not reaching out. Sometimes, I have this strange feeling that something bad must have happened to Isabella while other times, I feel she is fine but doesn’t want to be found.

But I want to find her. I want to seek her forgiveness. I want to make things right and most importantly, I want her to know that I want my baby.

I didn’t hate children right from time. I loved them and wanted many of them but the trauma of losing my wife and child to the cold hands of seath in one night left me with hatred in my heart.

The baby had died first. Even before she gave up the ghost.

Sometimes, when I don’t blame myself for Helena’s death, I blame the baby. She knew he was dead.

Her hands were on her stomach. She couldn’t feel any movement and that made her give up.

If she wasn’t pregnant, maybe she would have survived it. If she hadn’t left the house in anger, maybe she would still be alive and I would have a lot of children with her.

But she was pregnant and angry.

Our baby meant the world to her. It meant everything to me too until that night when I saw life being squeezed out of the woman I loved with everything in me.

Who will understand that I am still traumatized from all of that? I didn’t tell Isabella for a reason. She only knew about my hatred for babies, not the reason behind that hatred.

I do most of my business deals in Italy now. I used to have a branch in italy until I had some issues years back and then Helena’s death made me shut it down completely.

italy is home but I stopped going to Italy entirely after she died because we planned to give birth to our baby there.

But I went to Italy months ago, when Isabella was on a trip here, just because I missed having Isabella around the house here and I didn’t even remember what made me stop going to Italy.

Most of the time, my presence here is needed but Gabriel has been really supportive.

His wife is almost due and my new Assistant is hardworking just like Isabella.

I didn’t fire Anna. My mother did. I wanted Anna to leave on her own free will but I didn’t even have the time to go on with my plans to frustrate her till she got tired of working for me.

Mother was surprised to see her in my office after I told her about how I caught her having s* in my office. She fired her.

I wasn’t bothered because she was the one who brought her in the first place. I asked Gabriel to organize an interview for the applicants and he chose the best out of the 200 people who applied to be my Assistant. Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. I still work as hard as I used to but there is a difference. Most of the time, my mind is elsewhere, miles away, oceans apart.

isabella is not in my sight but she is always in my mind. I get worried and concerned and I miss her.

Her smile. The way she bites her lips. Her frown. Her tone of concern. I just wished I could turn back the hands of the clock so I could make things right but the deed is already done and all I can do right now is to find her and make amends.

I didn’t mean to hurt her. I never knew I was going to create an indelible scar in her heart by confirming what happened between us as nothing but a mistake.

My domestic staff has been really loyal. I gathered them all before I left for Italy and told them never to disclose what happened that morning; about Isabella running off with her luggage. I told them we have a little misunderstanding and she would soon be back home.

Mother has been questioning me too about her absence and father but I told them she is away to Italy on a business trip. Now I am beginning to wonder if she is really in Italy and where exactly she is hiding. My private investigator couldn’t track her phone and I don’t know when all of this will end.

The car takes the left turn and within minutes, we are a few distances away from her Grandma’s house.

I want to see her first before going home to take a shower and then go to work. I wonder why she called me.

jude parks the car in the driveway and comes down to open the door for me. Leaving my suitcase, I climb down from the car and head towards the front door.

Before I can get there, the door is thrown open by Safina, Grandma’s maid. She flashes me a welcome smile before letting me in.

“Good morning, Safina’, I greet politely with a smile.

“Good morning, Jayden”, she replies with a bow.

Before I can ask about Grandma, she appears, her eyes looking extremely tired and swollen.

Has she been crying again?

instinctively, I move closer to her and pull her in a hug to assure her that everything will be fine. I promised her that I would find Isabella and I am not getting tired of this search anytime soon.

If not for anyone but for this woman who made Isabella accept this contract in the first place.

She sobs as I pat her back, my emotions in place too as I blink to control them.

“twill find her. You don’t need to cry, Grandma. I assure you she is fine”

She releases me from the hug and smiles at me amidst her tears.

“sit down!” She instructs with implacable authority as she wipes her face with a handkerchief.

“Is everything ok?” I demand, watching her closely. Something must have triggered the tears. The last time she cried, she saw a picture of Isabella’s childhood. I wonder what it is now.

“Yes and no,” she smiles again and my curiosity intensifies.

“Isabella.

I sit up, my ears are wide open and my eyes too. This is about Isabella. Did something happen to her? Is she back? Has she heard from her? Did Isabella reach out to her?

“she called me”, she inform me and I almost grab her hand in relief. I can’t believe I have also been treading slowly on the belief that she is indeed alive and not dead or lost.

“Isabella is in Paris”, she announces and my jaws drop. “We are going to Paris tomorrow to find her. You and I”

Isabella’s POV

The book store is unusually crowded today which made it slow for me to get the sales boy to get me my type of books.

I still read romance books. Some are similar to my kind of situation while others are beautiful from beginning to end even though trials and tribulations are inevitable. But what matters most is the love and trust between the couples.

By the time I got the books, I was already tired and I doubt if I will be able to come back here if the store continues getting crowded this way.

I couldn’t even sit and it was getting harder by the day for me to squat or bend down.

I guess I will have to stop going to the store since I have enough books to last me for the month now or I can ask the boys to have them delivered to my doorstep. It won’t hurt to spend more money on what keeps me busy.

I haven’t been spending a lot but I have the intention of doing that soon.

The money I got from Jayden is still saved up in my account. I used half of it for Grandma’s surgery and the other money has been sustaining me for six months now. Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. I intend to shop for baby things online and have them delivered to my doorstep. It would have been so nice to have someone to accompany me to do some window shopping for the baby things but I have no one and going alone seems like a bad idea.

I think I have been so lazy too.

it makes me laugh sometimes when I finish eating and clearing the plates or washing them seems like a big deal. I know how hardworking I used to be and the changes in me make me laugh.

Adjusting my tote bag on my shoulder, I walk home, taking slow steps at a time till I get home.

I am wearing a pair of pants to ease the morning walk and also sandals. I haven’t worn heels since I got here and I doubt if I will be able to wear any of them in the next six months.

When I get to the front of the building, I remember that I have to take the stairs to the fifth floor and I almost stomp my feet on the floor in frustration.

“Oh, Goodness!” I mutter derisively to myself as I walk inside, towards the staircase. I really have no choice but to do this.

I can’t wait to be inside. I am too tired to think of a solution. Besides, there isn’t even any reasonable solution.

The only thing I can do is to sit downstairs for a while till I can regain my lost strength before taking the staircase up but that isn’t good enough.

I don’t want to be embarrassed. A neighbor can come out to see me sitting and the look of pity on their faces will make me feel bad for myself.

Breathlessly, I begin to count to 50 when I get to the third floor as I take each staircase at a time. This has become a routine. By the time I get to 50, I will be at my doorstep already.

At 50, I am on the last staircase, barely breathing.

I breathe out a sigh of relief, taking in as much breath as I can and practically dragging my feet to my apartment door.

I am about to open the door with the almost rusty key I was given by the landlady when I see a bouquet with a small paper fixed tightly on the doorknob.

My jaws drop in confusion as I glance around the hallway to see if someone had mistakenly dropped this here instead of elsewhere,

The door next to me opens and the woman comes out. Her gaze falls on the flower and she smiles.

“You got yourself a secret admirer?” Her eyes twinkle with amusement. “I saw it earlier before I entered my apartment.” Instead of replying to her, I just continue to look. She locks her door and winks at me before turning on her heels to the staircase.

She is the same woman that always knocks on my door whenever I am crying. I don’t know how she knows that I am American and why she speaks English to me without asking me if I understood French.

Every other person I have met assumes that I understand French, even those who say I look American at first glance.

The first month here was frustrating. The people here can be mean to your face especially if you don’t speak French. I forced myself to learn French online and within a month, I could communicate well in French.

I avert my gaze away from her disappearing figure and back to the flower in my hand.

My curiosity gets the better of me as I take the small piece of paper to read what is inside.

it reads. “You are a masterpiece and your beauty is one in a million.”

Now I am more than sure that this is a mistake. This isn’t meant for me. This should be for one of the young ladies in this apartment who walk out elegantly in the morning looking like people who don’t live in this old apartment.

I can’t dispose of the flower so I open the door and enter with it. I drop it on the table before walking slowly to my cane chair to sit, watching the view out of the window to soothe my frustration before I begin to read the new books I got.

I got ten books and for once in my life, I want to give horror a try. I hope I won’t end up screaming till my baby pops out of me unexpectedly.

I chuckle to myself as I slouch into the chair.

I have always loved romance over other genres. Horror fills me with fear and wild imagination and I might end up having nightmares.

Whenever I watch a horror movie in school, my roommates roll their eyes at me because of my screaming but when it gets intense, I will be thrown out of the room and I won’t end up watching the movie till the end.

I laugh again to myself as I look out of the window, the morning air brushing past my face from the window when I lean forward.

After a while, I lean backward and drop my tote bag to pick out the first book my hand touches so I can start reading. Reading romance is doing no good to my state of mind but I can’t help it. It makes me laugh whenever I wish for something similar or something more.

I know I can’t have it.

A secret admirer is a cliche too. That is absurd.

Why? Because I am pregnant and ugly. An unconscious laugh leaves my mouth. How can I be attractive to any sane man?

I can’t remember the last time I looked in the mirror to check my appearance before going out. I believe no one is looking at me and even if they look at me and they see the belly, the interest will disappear into thin air.

I am not even interested in any romance at the moment. Maybe when my baby is born and I have finally gotten healed, I might give it a chance but I have learned my lessons.

its a probability because I don’t know what the future holds. But right now, I am done. I am not interested. My baby is my priority now and that will determine whether I will decide to be a single mother for life.

Realizing that I am lost in thought, I blink and grab a novel to begin reading when a knock comes on the door.

I snap my head backward with a deep frown on my face.

Who could that be?

No one visits me. The neighbor next door is the only one who knocks on my door apart from the landlady.

Could it be about the flower? Did the admirer or lover realize he dropped it off in the wrong place?

That must be it, I say within me as I get up from the chair.

My next-door neighbor whom I don’t even know her name has gone to work.

I wonder where she works

sluggishly, I saunter to the door but before I get too close, the knock comes again.

I move close and turn the doorknob to open the door.

A woman has her head lowered with a hat on.

Before I can say anything, she hoists her head up and our eyes meet.

“Grandma” I scream with my legs turning jelly and my whole body shaking vigorously.

Her soft eyes turn into something unreadable while I am thinking she would throw her arms around me in an embrace. Instead, she examines me carefully, her gaze falling on my big belly while I also examine the expensive dress she is wearing. When I look up again, she looks angry and she raises her hand to strike my face.

“Grandma” I scream again and her hand stops halfway as she begins to cry.

Jayden’s POV

Grandma didn’t spend up to five minutes before running back out and I quickly got out to open the car door for her.

This is when I see tears in her eyes but she is trying to hide them by bending her head.

I was tempted to follow her but I wanted Isabella to see her Grandma first before anything else.

Seeing her again brings a lot of overwhelming feelings to my body. I felt proud seeing her with a protruding belly coming from a bookstore and an unconscious smile crept to my face.

We have been following her since she left the apartment to the bookstore this morning. My private investigator, Fred, is here with us, and Jude who is driving the car.

Fred is beside Jude in the front and Grandma is sitting next to me at the back of the car.

Fred was finally able to track her phone immediately after we landed in Paris. It was a bit hard to do that from America and I decided to bring him along to ease our search.

Grandma only told me Isabella is in Paris, she doesn’t know where exactly to find Isabella

I didn’t want her to call Isabella to ask. I thought coming here out of the blue would be the best idea so she won’t run off the radar again.

She looks more beautiful with her protruding belly. She is still as calm as ever but my heart ached when she came out of the apartment she is staying in.

it looks like an ancient apartment filled with antiquities and artifacts of archaeological records.

But when I entered to examine the apartment, it didn’t look like what I had imagined. It was better looking from the inside but still old.

“Let’s go’, Grandma’s command directed to Jude jerks me out of my reverie.

“Grandma, should I go…

“No. Not today. Some other time,” she replies, cutting me short abruptly.

I nod my head even though I don’t know why she doesn’t want me to go and see Isabella. I have been dying to do that. I can’t believe I won’t see her today.

What happened? Did she send her Grandma away? What if she runs off again?

I can’t keep my curiosity to myself as the car roars to life and drives away from the apartment.

We lodged in a hotel close by.

“Grandma, what happened there?” I ask her calmly, expecting her to give me a reply but none is coming.

She is silent for a while before saying. “My emotions took over”

I furrow my brows in confusion. “What happened?”

She turns to look at me. “I almost slapped her. I couldn’t even talk to her. I began to cry and I left without a word. She was shocked to see me. She didn’t even look happy, can you imagine that, Jayden?”

I shake my head.

Grandma looks away before I can say anything to comfort her.

“she didn’t expect you would come searching for her here”, I say to her.

“You should have seen the building. The apartment is nothing to write home about. There isn’t even an elevator. She has to take those stairs up whenever she comes out. How is she even coping?”

I want to tell her that Isabella is a strong woman. That is how she is coping.

She needed time alone and six months is enough time. I am not ready to let her out of sight again. I am no longer going to give her space again, even if she doesn’t want to see me.

“Do you think she will run off now that she knows you are here and I might be the next person to come looking for her?” I voice out my fear eventually.

Grandma shakes her head. “No. That’s why I said you shouldn’t go in today. It will be too hard for her to take in. Let her process the fact that I am here first and then tomorrow, you can go see her. She has nowhere else to run to. Even if she does, she will come home soon when she is tired of running”

I don’t quite agree with Grandma. I might do the same if I was in Isabella’s shoes.

I still have the fear that she will run off and I can’t afford that. I need to do something.

“Do you know why she ran away?” Grandma demands from me, surprising me. I have been expecting this question for months. “Do you think it is only because you two had a fight or there is something more to this?”

She is staring at me intently. Unable to find my voice, I nod intermittently. “Yes”

“Tell me”, she urges me with a touch of her hand on my shoulder.

I look down in embarrassment, thinking of how to begin and where to begin from. How do I tell her that Isabella ran off because she knew about my hatred for children and she felt our child would not be accepted by me?

“You don’t want to tell me?’, she questions with a sad look and I shake my head.

“No, I do. I just don’t know where to start from.”

“Start anywhere.”

I exhale and inhale deeply before holding her hands and facing her squarely.

“Two and half years ago, I almost got married to a woman I loved with everything in me. She was pregnant and we had a fight one night and she left my house in anger. Because of my stupid ego, I let her go without bothering to follow her and she had an accident”

Grandma gasps, her right hand leaving my shoulder and clamping her mouth.

“she died”, I smile at her even though the pain is still there.

“she died with the baby and I always blamed the baby for her death. I was traumatized and that led to my hatred for children”

“I didn’t want to be married after she died but because of my parent’s insistence for me to get married, I decided to sign a contract with Isabella because she needed my help and she seems like someone who could help me with mine too. When we visited my parent’s home, my cousin, Caroline, told her of my hatred for babies and Isabella got to know about it”

“Oh, Goodness!”

“I guess that’s why she ran away. She thinks I won’t accept the baby to be mine. She didn’t even wait to hear me out first… “Did you tell her all of this?” Grandma is already in tears but I am smiling, not because she is crying for my pathetic story but because it feels like a dream now.

I am still pained from that experience but it is incomparable to when it happened. Smiling became a distant thing to me.

I am smiling because I am healing. I am smiling because I am getting over the trauma little by little. If I am not healing, then I would never want this baby but I want this baby with all my heart.

I want to be able to protect him so that no bad will happen to him. I want to be able to teach him everything and anything. I want to be able to play the role of a father like I used to envision.

I want that little boy or a little girl. I want to watch him or her grow in my mansion so I can proudly say he is my heir or she is my heiress.

Helena wants me to be happy indeed. I want to be happy.

“I excluded the baby part from Isabella but she knows about Helena’s death and the fact that she died with my baby. I didn’t tell her everything’, I inform her, my mind going back to that evening at the lake house where I opened up my wounds to her. She didn’t comment much on what I said but I felt relieved. It was as if a huge load had been lifted off my heart and shoulder. Isabella didn’t blame me for not going after Helena like I thought she would and that did a lot in healing me and stopping me from blaming myself

She didn’t know but that night, I knew Isabella was destined to heal me from the pain of my past. She always had the right word to say or the right thing to do to make me happy and forget all about the past

I am just so stupid for letting her go.

I don’t realize Grandma is crying softly until her sobs turn into wails.

Quickly, I throw my arms around her and we hug each other fiercely, her tears soaking my black jacket and her hat going off her head to reveal her packed black hair which reminds me of no one but the woman I want, need, and desire so desperately.

isabella Russell.

My legally married wife.

Isabella’s POV

Being in bed for two days in a row makes me feel sick. This morning, I woke up with nausea but I still haven’t gotten out of bed.

I expected to see Grandma yesterday again but she never came. I couldn’t read or do anything. I cried myself to sleep and woke up with tears in my eyes.

I miss her so much.

I wonder if she has gone back to America or not. I wonder if calling her is a good idea.

I want to hear her voice. I want to apologize for what I did. I want to seek her forgiveness but I know the only way to do that is by going back to America.

Am I ready? Am I ready to face the whole world and not just Jayden?

I don’t know what people are saying about the missing billionaire’s wife but won’t it cause a roll when I finally appear with a big stomach?

I wish I could go back to America but I feel now isn’t the right time. I can’t handle the emotional trouble that comes with going back and seeing Jayden or anyone that reminds me of him.

I don’t even know if Grandma will take me back or let me stay in her house till I decide to come back and have my baby here. Will she even allow me to come back if she allows me into her house?

I am seriously tired of running from one place to another. First, it was Verona, then Tuscany, then Guadalupe before I finally settled here in Paris.

I know no one would ever think of me being in Paris.

Hissing at myself for feeling lazy and heavy, I step down from the high bed, my stomach rumbling.

suddenly, the cravings for coffee hit me. This is my latest craving. Few months back, it was mashed potato and then grilled chicken. Then during my third month, I always craved milk at night and jollof rice in the morning. Last month, I badly craved eggs and bacon. I used to cook that every single day. And now it is coffee.

I don’t feel like taking any other thing but coffee.

I don’t have coffee but there is a small coffee shop across the road. I can even see the shop from my window.

Lowering myself back on the bed, I grab a jacket to head out. I should probably take the coffee downstairs to regain my strength before coming back up.

I step out of the door with a jacket over my sleepwear. I don’t want to go through the stress of finding other clothes to wear. Everything makes me feel tired these days, including dressing up.

I’m frustrated actually. Frustrated because I am lonely and there is no one to share all these thoughts and emotions with. When I want to lock the door, I see a small note attached to the door just like two days ago but this time there is no bouquet. I pick it up out of curiosity and it reads. “The universe needs you and appreciates your beauty. The universe wants you so badly that it hurts not to see you every second of the day”

I raise a brow and gaze up. Looking down the hallway, there is no one in view.

Is this still some sort of mistake or my neighbour is right after all?

I squeeze the paper in between my right hand and take the staircase down to dump it in the refuse bill outside.

The person making this mistake should better come back to his senses as soon as he can because I can no longer take this shit.

This is like a mockery of how I look. I know I don’t look beautiful and I won’t fall for any sweet words of any silly man who finds me beautiful.

By the time I am on the last staircase, I am fuming in anger for no reason. Probably because of the insane man putting this shit on my doorknob or because of the staircase.

Everything is just so annoying. Everyone is annoying me, including the aged landlady who won’t renovate this building and have an elevator here.

I move out of the building and onto the street. Looking left and right, I cross the road slowly and find myself entering the small coffee shop.

“Bonjour, I greet the barista standing behind the counter.

He flashes me a smile and replies. “Bonjour, madame”

“I need two cups of coffee’, I tell him, stretching some money to him.

He does not take the money but stretches two cups of coffee toward me. “Here you are.”

He is one of the few people who speaks English around here. He speaks slowly.

“Thank you’, I appreciate it and drop the money on the table, wondering why he isn’t making me new coffee.

“You can go with the money, someone already paid for you”, he announce, making me twirl back in surprise.

“someone paid?” I ask to be sure I heard right. He nods with a wide grin.

Is someone stalking me? This is more than a secret admirer.

“Do you know the person?” I interrogate him, hoping he will give me an answer. He shakes his head still smiling.

“Is he English?”

“He speaks French. He paid yesterday too but you didn’t come down for coffee which is why I am giving you two cups” “Thank you’, I say and turn away from him, my mind in disarray as I head out of his shop back to the building.

I really do not know what else to think about this person but fear is gripping me slowly.

is someone stalking me? Is he a mentally deranged for him to find me attractive and also pay for my coffee?

Who is he? Why can’t he show up and have me throw words at him for being stupid?

Am I safe here?

I take the staircase up, resting at intervals and remembering that I was supposed to take the coffee in his shop before heading back inside.

That piece of information had gotten me confused. It is so sure that this is no longer a mistake but something planned by the so-called secret admirer who has no courage to face me. Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. He has no idea who he is messing with.

When I get to the fourth floor, I almost give up but I relax on the reins and inhale several times before I continue my journey up to the fifth floor.

I don’t even remember to count to 50 because I am really pissed with the person doing this.

I dangle my keys out to unlock the door when I see another box on the floor. There is no note this time and my fear intensifies.

I glance around, an eerie feeling creeping slowly, tempting me to open the door and race inside and lock my door from inside till God knows when.

But my inquisitive nature won’t allow me. I want to know what this is this time. It seems this person is watching me from someone and he is seeing every one of my actions.

Is he a pervert? Is he watching me from inside too? Does he see me whenever I look out of the window even though I haven’t done that for two days now?

Hastily, I grab the box and it is heavy. I drop it on the floor again and begin to peel off the tape on it.

When I take the tape off, I open the lid of the box to see a bottle of wine.

Adrianna Vineyard.

My favorite wine.

jayden’s favorite wine.

This is definitely from Jayden. Only Jayden knows about my love for this wine. Being in his house taught me to love this wine. A gasp leaves my mouth and I rise immediately when the reality dawns on me that Jayden is here in Paris and he is the one doing this.

jayden is the so-called secret admirer.

Isabella’s POV

A knock pulls me out of my thoughts and I get down immediately from the bed to answer the door.

it must be Grandma. I know she can’t stay angry with me for too long. I have been waiting for days for her to come back since I don’t know where she is staying in Paris.

We cried. We both cried. And she left.

itis high time she came back so we could talk and I can tell her the real reason why I did what I did.

I didn’t do that for no reason. I did it for a good reason.

I get to the door and turn the doorknob but surprisingly, there is no one in front of the door. I step out and look around but everywhere is silent and empty.

My neighbor has gone to work already. I heard her muttering some French words as she locked her door before taking the staircase down.

She isn’t the one.

Who could it be? Is it Grandma? Did she change her mind about coming to see me so we could talk?

Realizing that Grandma must still be mad at me, I sigh and step back inside. The moment to close the door, I see it.

A sheet of paper on the floor. The person responsible for this must have pushed it through the little hole from outside.

itis not a small paper this time. It is long and looks like a letter written to a long-lost friend.

Jayden.

This must be Jayden. I haven’t seen him since I saw that wine on my doorstep. I don’t know what this wine signifies but I feel he is stupid for bringing me the wine when I can’t even take it.

Did he do it just so I can figure out that he is the one responsible for all those strange gifts and messages?

Even though I don’t want to see him, I have been looking out of the window to see if I can catch a glimpse of him.

I don’t see him and it increases my curiosity. Is he here with Grandma?

Quickly, I pick up the paper and walk to the cane chair to sit in and read.

I wonder what this is about. Has he suddenly become a coward for not showing his face to me?

I flop heavily on the chair before opening the paper.

I read out aloud.

“I know this might not be appreciated but it will clear up the air and explain some certain things you are oblivion to”

“I know I hurt you deeply but first of all, I want you to find a place in your heart to forgive me. Life has been really hard for the last six months since you left me. I miss you, Isabella. Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. I miss your smile. I miss how you gush over me in concern. I miss how you bite your lips and I miss hearing your voice.”

“You won’t believe I made Italy my second home ever since you left. I thought you were in Italy and I have been searching for you for months. Do you want to know why I did what I did? You want to know why I claimed to hate children?”

At this point, I want to stop reading. This is bullshit! Why is he telling me all of this? Do I look like a fool to him? Does he think his sweet words will work on me again?

I want to stop reading. I know the reason why he hates babies. That is because he lost his baby. That is all.

Isn’t this what he wants to tell me?

Out of curiosity, I look down to continue reading.

“I didn’t tell you the whole thing that happened that night at the lake house. I only told you what everyone believed. This is something I haven’t told anyone except Grandma. Your Grandma. That night when Helena left the house in anger, I didn’t follow her because of my ego. Then she had an accident and the first thing that happened was losing the baby. Helena realized the baby was gone so she didn’t attempt to seek help or try to get out of the car till we got there. She was crying. The phone was next to her. She didn’t call me for help because the baby was gone and she wanted to give up on that” “When Gabriel and I got there, she wanted to say something, probably to tell me that the baby is gone but I was less concerned about the baby. I was more concerned about her survival. She couldn’t say anything. Her hands were around her belly as she gave up the ghost. Then I began to blame myself and the baby. That made me hate babies. The baby was innocent, I was the stupid one to have done that but I was traumatized. I refused to seek help. I wanted to remain that way until you came along.”

“When I heard you were pregnant, I wasn’t sure how I felt. All I knew was that I wasn’t sad like I thought I would be. I never expected it. It came as a shock and I was trying to wrap my head around everything. First, it was the sex. It was intense and passionate. I couldn’t stop thinking about it. You filled my thoughts all day, even at work, I get distracted. I thought it was a bad thing. I thought I was being unfaithful to the woman I vowed to remain loyal to for life but then your words kept ringing bells in my ears.”

“Helena would want me to be happy.”

“You were right, Isabella. Gabriel was right. But I was wrong.”

“All along, I was wrong. I had a bad feeling. Everything about me right from when she died was wrong. I don’t know what happened but it took me almost a year of having you close to me to realize what mess I have been into. I have been living a difficult life, hanging on the rope of my past, not willing to let go not only because of my commitment but also because of my guilt”

At this point, tears are already streaming down my eyes.

I don’t know if this is the truth. I don’t know if Jayden actually wrote this. I don’t know why he is pouring out his heart into this and making me cry.

Does he want to make me feel guilty? He is already doing that.

I feel guilty.

Instead of turning to the other page to continue reading to the end, I stare out of the window with the paper tightly squeezed between my hands, tears spilling down from my eyes.

I don’t know what to think of this. I don’t know why confusion clouds my mind. I don’t know why I feel guilty.

I jerk upright when a knock comes on the door again. I snap my head back, my mind drifting back to Jayden and this letter. is he the one? Is he back to finally talk to me face to face? Has he been lurking around all along waiting for me to finish up with the letter he wrote to explain the reasons for his actions?

I get up from the chair, wiping my tears. I stroll to the door with a sudden surge of energy.

When I throw the door open, a woman is standing in front of me. It takes a while for me to recognize her to be Grandma. She is wearing another expensive dress which I am sure Jayden got for her.

“Grandma” I want to squeal but her expression is still cold just like the other day.

“Get your things, we are going back to America now”, she declares with implacable authority.

Jayden’s POV

I knew that Adrianna Vineyard would do the trick. That was the only way I could make Isabella know that I have been the one behind all those strange gifts and notes on her doorknob.

Grandma’s insistence for me to give her more time before showing up in front of her, coupled with my lack of courage, I had to keep low till she is back in America.

Now that she is back, I want to finally see her but today is definitely not that day.

I didn’t book the same plane with Grandma. My plane took off after theirs and this is done on purpose so that she won’t bump into me somewhere.

I hope she has read the note I left behind this morning and I hope it will explain everything.

I have realized my mistake and I want to make amends if only she would give me a chance to do that.

By the time my plane landed in America, it was already getting dark because of the time difference and Jude was already waiting for me at the airport. I asked him and Fred to come back yesterday since we have found Isabella already and I know Grandma would force her back to America.Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. After entering the car, I instructed him to drive me to Gabriel’s mansion, hoping he will be back from work already.

The car drives in through the gate just at the same time that Gabriel is coming out of his car dressed in his office suit and a briefcase hanging in his right hand.

He doesn’t know that I have found Isabella. I didn’t tell any of them before leaving for Paris and that is what I intend to do now.

He has been supportive and he ought to be the first to know that our search has finally come to an end.

Even though I haven’t spoken to Isabella, I feel genuinely happy to have her back in America and to have found her. “Gabriel’, call, opening the door to get out. He turns around to see me and he begins to walk closer.

“Jayden, you are back from Italy during the week? Did something happen?” He questions as he moves closer but when he notices the look on my face, he stops to study me. “Something happened.”

I can’t wait to see the huge look of relief on his face when I tell him that Isabella is back. With my hands in my pant pocket, I continue to smile.

“Isabella”, he mentions not sounding like a question but I nod anyway and he jogs to my side. “Is it Isabella? You have found her?”

“Yes’, I try to stop myself from laughing out loud. “he is back from Paris.”

“Paris?” He pulls away from me with shock. “How is she? What about the baby?”

“The baby is fine; I answer. I haven’t even had the time to move closer to her to touch my baby and feel it kicking.

“she was in Paris? What was she doing in Paris?” He frowns as he asks me with curiosity, watching me intently.

I shrug nonchalantly. “It turned out she wasn’t in Italy all along but Paris. She called her Grandma and her Grandma demanded that I come home then we went to Paris together…”

“Oh, my God!” He exclaims. “Why didn’t you tell me? I would have tagged along”

“We didn’t want to upset her or make her know that we were coming. It’s a long story, really. I just came to inform you.”

“You just got back?” He notices my dress and I nod.

“I just thought I should let you know before heading home”

“What are you two talking about?” We hear a voice from behind. It is Sabrina.

“Babe, Isabella is back!” Gabriel announces to her as he twirls back to embrace her. Before he pulls her into a hug, she gasps. Even after giving birth, she still looks good.

“Is that true, Jayden?” She questions, pushing her husband away to walk towards me.

I nod gingerly.

“Oh, goodness! Where is she?” She bends down to see if Isabella is in the car.

“she is with her Grandma…”

“Let’s g0 50 I can see her. Is she fine?”

I shrug indifferently. “Well, we haven’t talked. I just thought I should inform you guys first before anything. I don’t know if she is ready to see me now.”

They both fall silent. Instead of turning back on my heels so I can go home to rest and think of what else to do to win her back, I continue to stare from Gabriel to his wife as they flash me sad and pitiful smiles.

“Ym just glad she is back. I’m glad she is safe. That is the most important thing, right?”

“Yes, it is”, Gabriel agrees, flashing me a mischievous smile.

This is a cue for me to leave now. I have done what I came here for.

Before I can tell them that I am leaving, Sabrina mutters to Gabriel. “Let’s visit Isabella”

“Tonight?” Gabriel and I chorus and Sabrina nods with a wide grin on her face. She has missed Isabella too. They were beginning to become so close to each other but running off put a stop to the bond of friendship springing up between them. I’m sure Isabella must have missed her too.

“I will go with Jayden. You can join us when you are changed.”

Without waiting for his reply or permission, she totters to my side excitedly. “Let’s go.”

Gabriel nods at me briefly and I turn back to open the car for Sabrina and go to the other side for me to climb into the car too.

The car roars to life and Gabriel continues to watch us till we are out of the gate. There is a heavy moment of silence between us.

I don’t know what Sabrina is thinking about but I know what is on my mind. I am wondering if I should use this opportunity to go in and see Isabella tonight instead of my plans to come here tomorrow after work.

But I don’t feel prepared. Not tonight.

I have never felt this less confident in myself.

“Isabella is back, wow!” Sabrina expresses with a giggle.

Remembering that she is a nursing mother, I ask. “What about your baby? Is she with the nanny?”

“Yes. I already put her to sleep and the nanny is sleeping over tonight”

“ok.”

Are you excited as I am?” She demands from me and I nod, without looking at her. I am excited but my happiness isn’t filled till she forgives me.

Silence ensues again.

Then she asks. “Did she keep the baby?”

I suck in my breath and nod intermittently. “Yes, she did.”

sabrina heaves a deep sigh of relief, her hands on her chest. “Thank Goodness! I was so worried she would do something drastic”

I don’t say anything again.

Another heavy silence falls upon us as we approach Grandma’s place.

“Jayden?” Sabrina’s voice jerks me out of my reverie and I open my eyes quickly to meet her intense gaze. “Do you love her?” My heart skip a beat at the question. I haven’t given that much thought because I have been avoiding that and admitting the fact that I truly want her.

I don’t even know if what I feel is love. I don’t know if it is intense enough to be regarded as love.

I think about her every second of the day and she fills my dreams at night. Ever since I saw her in Paris as she got out of her building that morning to the bookstore, my heartbeat was stranger and faster.

Does all of this mean that I am in love with her?

I find her more beautiful and alluring than I used to find her.

Does this mean something?

“You still haven’t figured out your true feelings for her?” She interrogates further and I shake my head.

I wish I can tell her what I feel but I can’t find my voice and I can’t find the right words to use to express my feelings.

The car slows down and I realize we are already close to the house. Glad for the interruption since Sabrina will soon be getting down from the car, I won’t have to answer her questions. I turn to her.

“Please don’t tell her I brought you here. You should go down to meet her alone”, I vocalize.

“What? Why?” She exclaims, disbelief crossing her expression.

“Nothing’, I click my tongue hoping she would drop this already. I’m not ready yet for this. I don’t want to ruin it. I want to be fully prepared physically and mentally.

“We should go together, come on…”

“No, Sabrina. Trust me, I don’t want to ruin the night for you. Isabella might become too pissed to talk to you when she sees me. I am giving her the space that she needs…

“For how long are you two going to keep up with this pretense and childishness?” She cuts me short again and I look away. I’m not going, no matter what she says. I don’t care if she calls me childish.

She sighs when she sees that my mind is made up. Without telling Jude to get the door for her, she goes out and I watch her move towards the front door.

A few minutes later, she gets to the front door and knocks, hugging her petite body to herself because of the cold.

I shouldn’t have allowed her to come out without a cardigan. I should probably call Gabriel to get it for her when he is coming.

sabrina knocks again and someone throws the door open.

“Isabellat” I hear Sabrina’s excited voice before she pulls Isabella into a tight hug. Isabella has a huge smile on her face too, just like I expected.

Without waiting for them to disengage from the hug, I turn away and my eyes meet with Jude from the rear mirror.

“Drive!” I command with a tone of authority.

Isabella’s POV

I watch his car drive away even before Sabrina could point that to me. Grandma and I were discussing in the sitting room when the doorbell rang and Safina isn’t around to answer the door.

To be honest, I thought it was Jayden and I didn’t want to answer the door until Grandma ordered me to.

I am sure she must have thought he was the one too.

But seeing him drive away now makes me feel disappointed. Even though the question of whether he is back in America or not has been answered.

“Look at you, pregnancy looks good on you, Sabrina comments, making me remember that she was a few months pregnant before I left America.

“Thank you. How is the baby?” I ask her as I step away from the door for her to come in. I wish she is here with the baby but now that she isn’t, I will make sure to visit her and the baby very soon.

I really appreciate the fact that she is here to visit me this late in the night. It means a lot to me. And it makes me realize how much I have missed her.

After a last look at the path Jayden’s car took, I close the door and follow her behind to see that Grandma has disappeared. Now I am sure she thought it was Jayden who was at the door and she disappeared on purpose.

She was scolding me for running off instead of facing my fears. I knew she was going to talk about Jayden too or probably her wish for me to go back to the mansion and I was impatiently waiting for her to broach the topic so I can tell her a NO.

She wasn’t done scolding me when the doorbell rang. I even thought she called me to apologize for attempting to slap me in paris or for the unexpected packing and relocation back to America.

“How are you?” She asks after settling down. “Careful” She tells me as I sit beside her.

“Thank you’, I smile lightly and settle down beside her. Our eyes meet and she smiles before leaning forward to pull me in a tight hug.

“I missed you, Isabella”

“Me 00,” I murmur, hugging her back.

“I was expecting you to show up for my baby’s shower’, she disengage from the hug. “ tried to reach you all to no avail. I really wish you were there for my baby’s big day”

I smile in response. I don’t know what to say because I am guilty. I didn’t want to reach out.

“How is the baby? He?” I inquire.

She chuckles lightly. “It’s a she. Her name is Isabella.”

“What? Don’t tell me you named your child after me”, I find myself laughing genuinely in months.

sabrina throws her head backward and laughs out too. This is when I know she is just pulling my legs.

“It isn’t Isabella, is it?”

“It is”, she insists stubbornly.

“It isn’t.” I persist.

“It is”, she grins widely. “I it isn’t, then what is it?”

“Probably Edna or Anna.”

“Nope. I wanted to name her Isabella but Gabriel wanted something different. Her real name is Sophia but the second name is Isabella”

“You can’t be serious”, I shake my head, laughing shortly. I can’t believe she named her daughter my name. It’s unbelievable. We hold hands and stare at each other for a while smiling before embracing again. This time, I feel emotional. Everything comes rushing. Al the tough and rough moments I have spent alone without the people who mean so much to me.

I was selfish.

I didn’t care about what others would feel in my absence. I didn’t give it a thought before going ahead with my plan.

it was an irrational decision and I believe now that I overreacted.

We pull away and laugh again for no reason. Then silence falls.

“How is Eunice?” I demand from her to cut the silence.

“she is fine and preparing for her wedding next month’, she informs me and I can’t hide my surprise.

“Wow, really?”

“Yes. Her boyfriend proposed right after you left and the wedding is here already. ‘m happy you are here now and we will be able to go there together.”

I nod eagerly. I almost thought Eunice and Jayden would hook up together since she was meant to be in my position. Now that she is getting married, she is out of the question.

Well, ‘m happy for her. She is lucky indeed for not venturing into this as I did.

“Do you know the baby’s gender?” I see her gazing at my belly, making me conscious of my big stomach.

“A boy”, I grin, feeling proud.

“Wow, we should matchmake our babies, don’t you think?”

I laugh heartily at the joke. Her baby girl should be over two or three months before my baby is here. I don’t think she is serious.

“That’s a joke”, I confirm and she chuckles too.

“Well, it is but we don’t know what the future holds. Has Jayden told you the name he wants for the baby or do you want to name him yourself?”

“twill do that. I plan to call him Aidan.”

“That’s a fine name, you know’, she smiles, leaning backward on the chair. “It’s high time you two sort yourselves out, you know? This rift between you two has been on for too long..”

“Did Jayden put you to this?” I interrupt her, remembering the letter I was reading before Grandma came calling.

I should read it ill the end.

“No, of course not!” She says sharply with a deep frown on her face. “Why will you think of such a thing? Gabriel and I, jayden, and your Grandma have been searching all over for you. He didn’t even tell us he was going to Paris until tonight when he came to inform us that you are back. He didn’t want me to come but I needed to because I want to know if this is true and not a prank. In fact, Gabriel should be here anytime from now. He just arrived from work when Jayden told us so I chose to come with Jayden while he takes a shower and comes to see you too.”

I nod. I believe her. There is no reason for her to lie to me.

“You two should sort yourselves out. He loves you…”

“What” I exclaim, facing her squarely. “He told you that?”

“I know that Isabella’, she grabs my two hands. “I saw it all in his eyes. He was crazy looking for you. Jayden left his company for six months for Gabriel to take care of just because he wanted to find you, thinking you are in Italy. What more explanation do you make of that, then? Will a man who doesn’t love you go through all of them for nothing?”

“It is simply because he feels guilty, that’s all”

“No; she says in disagreement.

Meg

“No.”

“Yes.”

She falls silent.

Dropping her hands from mine, she looks away. “Believe it or not. He loves you!”

Isabella’s POV

My jaws drop.

Not at the venom in his voice. But at his utterance.

Does he know Jayden? He doesn’t even know who he is so why is he talking this way?

I know it might take a long time before Jayden begins to love me but what matters is that he wants to give this a chance. He wants to give us a chance and that is all that matters the most to me.

Iam a patient person. I can wait till he is ready to open up and accept me to be his partner. We are married after all. All I need to do is show him love, make him happy and be there for him all the time.

“What about you? Is this just about him and what he wants? Do you think being selfless is what the world is all about? You don’t even know if he loves you.” Romeo adds as if hearing my thoughts.

I’shake my head. I don’t want to let his words get to me and discourage me from moving on with what has barely started between Jayden and me.

We haven’t talked about us and what the future holds but I have a strong conviction that it is going to be fine.

“I love you, Isabella”, in a blink of an eye, he is in front of me as I stand up from the bench we are sitting on. His two hands are on my cheeks, caressing them while I watch him. Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. “I love you from the bottom of my heart and I want to make you mine. That rich boy doesn’t love you, he just loves the fact that he can use you at any time with just a sweet word or the promise of some monetary benefit…

I push him away instantly. This is it. I shouldn’t have confided in him. I shouldn’t have told him about the contract between us. I thought he was going to be mature and understanding but I was wrong.

Jayden doesn’t say sweet words. He is not one to do that. He doesn’t lie. He says things the way they are.

I won’t let Romeo convince me just because he wants me to himself.

“I love you, Isabella!” he shouts, making the lady who walks past us turn back, flashing me a smile before turning back on he heels again.

“I should go’, I only say, feeling exhausted for no reason. I know this feeling. I have had too much in just two nights and I need time to process everything.

“What?” He exclaims, watching me in disbelief as I grab my handbag from the bench.

“Isabella…

“Romeo, stop this already. Don’t you think it would have been much easier if I had told you to quit over the phone?” His mouth is agape as I shout at him. “But I didn’t. I respect you so much and I assumed you were mature enough to understand what I am driving at and to let go. Why are you being difficult? I am married for crying out loud. Even if I don’t love him, we can’t be together…

“But I can wait”, he cuts me short, tears brimming in his eyes. “You guys can still go ahead with the divorce after a year, right Do it, I will wait”

“Not”

I can’t let this sympathy take hold of my emotions and decision. I have always been this way. Becoming friends with people out of sympathy. Accepting to do what I ordinarily wouldn’t have done for people out of sympathy.

This won’t work.

“I will.”

“Stop itt” I stop him with a stretch of my hand. “Stop all of this. I am not here for this. I came here to tell you the truth about my relationship with Jayden and I will really appreciate it if you can keep this between us. Goodnight, Romeo”

I twirl around without waiting for his reply. Just then, I spot Jayden coming out of the car with his phone glued to his ears from across the street.

In haste to get away from Romeo as s00n as possible, I cross to the other side of the road, gulping loudly and hoping Jayden didn’t see all of our drama.

As I approach, I realize he is too engrossed in his conversation on the phone to even see me come closer. I breathe out a sig of relief and eventually get close to him before he notices my presence.

I peck his cheeks and his hand goes straight to my waist as he pulls me close with his left hand, the right hand holding a phone to his ears.

He is speaking Italian so fluently before he changes it into English. I wish I could hear more of the Italian words he was speaking like a pro.

When I look across the street, Romeo has disappeared and I expel a deep sigh.

“I guess I have to come tomorrow”, Jayden’s words jerk me out of my thoughts.

Come where? I stare up at him. He smiles sadly and says a quick goodbye before disconnecting the call to meet my questioning gaze.

“What happened?” I ask him immediately, noticing the sad look on his face.

“I need to be in New York first thing tomorrow. There is a problem with our automobile company’s draft and it might affect our launching. Gabriel won’t be able to handle this and our shareholders are concerned so I have to go there to resolve it “What happened to the draft? Is it really bad?”

Without a word, he clicks his tongue and nods.

Ifeel bad for him. Maybe this is because he is here with me in Verona. If he is still in New York to handle all his affairs, maybe this wouldn’t happen.

“I’m sorry”, I find myself saying, and he chuckles lightly before dropping his hand from my waist and holding my hand. He walks me to the other side and opens the door for me.

I climb in and he closes the door before going back to the driver’s seat. I have never seen him drive before and I watch in amazement as he ignites the car engine to action.

“I’m sorry I have to leave so soon…

“It’s not a problem’, I interrupt him from going further as I use my seat belt and lean more comfortably on the car seat pondering over what Romeo and I discussed tonight.

Jayden isn’t even asking about it and ‘m glad he isn’t asking. The trouble at home has taken over his mind.

“Really? Are you sure? I wanted to spend the rest of your vacation with you but now it won’t be possible…

“That isn’t a problem either’, I say again with a smile.

“Really?” He begins to drive away from the lot and I blurt out immediately.

“Yes, because we are going back to New York together.”

I close my eyes so I won’t see his reaction but when a deep chuckle leaves his mouth, my eyes flutter open to meet the mos beautiful pairs of blue eyes ever with flickers of amusement and admiration in his eyes.

“Are you serious?” He asks as he drives expertly, glancing at me before taking his eyes back to the road.

“Yes, very sure. I have had enough of Verona already. Having you here is enough too and I miss home already.”

Iam not giving my decision to go back home before the end of my trip any thought. What matters is that I will be with Jayde and I will help out in whatever way I can.

I can’t believe I am calling Jayden’s mansion my home now. Is that place really my home?

“I don’t want you to miss out on anything…

“No. Forget it. I am going with you and that’s all”

silence ensues and I breathe out, thinking he won’t say a word about it anymore. We should just get home and kiss and probably end up in bed again.

I can’t believe in just a day of losing my virginity, I am already thinking of sex again. Sex with Jayden is heaven on earth and can’t wait to go back home with him and have sex on our matrimonial room and bed.

It will make it more surreal.

“Why?” He asks out of the blue.

With my brows creased in confusion, I question him without an answer. “Why what?”

“Why do you want to leave your dream trip and come with me to New York instead? I know how long you have longed for thi trip!

He looks at me at intervals, anticipating a reply.

I know the answer to that. But I don’t know if now is the right time to tell him about how I feel.

If I don’t say it, how will he know?

“Isabella, are…”

“Because I love you’, I watch his face turn aghast at my utterance.

“What?” His grip on the steering becomes firmer as he exclaims, his jaws clenching tight.

“I love you, Jayden” I confess without any shame.

Jayden’s POV

Seeing her in lingerie makes the resolve to speak to her about what happened in Italy disappear into thin air.

Instead, my heartbeat increases and a lump gets stuck in my throat as I watch her approach, making me speechless.

Thad a bad day and it has been making me think about all that happened in Italy and how she confessed her love for me.

I feel guilty. I feel remorseful for putting her into this situation and I want to remedy it before it is too late.

Isabella accused me of using her even before we had s* and now that we already had s*x, I am beginning to think that she is right.

A relationship between us can’t be possible. She needs to leave after a year.

I didn’t give much thought to all of this till we landed in New York this morning and I realize that keeping her is part of using her.

Ishouldn’t cage her here. I shouldn’t give her the thought that something more could happen between us. I don’t want her t expect too much from me and then I will end up disappointing and hurting her.

Love is definitely a strong word. I know I am sexually attracted to her.

The explanation I gave to myself when I kept asking myself why I had sex with her was that she was there when I needed a woman. I have been celibate for too long and I shouldn’t forget the reason for my celibacy.

Not when Helena is still showing up in my dreams.

This time, she has an expression devoid of emotions and not a crying or smiling face.

Isabella and I slept in each other’s arms last night and I had a dream of Helena not smiling or crying. I don’t know what to make of that but it definitely isn’t a good sign.

It must probably be a reminder for me to get back on track and not ruin Isabella’s life. She is only here to help me not to get broken along with me.

“How was your day?” Her hands are around my head in an embrace as her minty breath fans my face, compelling me to take her pink sweet lips which I can’t possibly get enough of.

I’should get enough of it. Having this kind of relationship isn’t healthy for both of us. I am too broken to love another womay apart from Helena. Isabella loves me already but I couldn’t bring myself to tell her the same because I know I don’t feel the same way towards her.

I still love Helena and I can’t love two women at a time.

I don’t want to hurt Isabella. I should probably let her know how I feel. Our relationship should be a platonic one hencefort not the usual real-couple thingy we have been doing for two nights in a row, having s* or sleeping in each other’s arms. Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. I feel a throbbing in my trousers but I can’t tell if it is because of the remembrance of the s*x and how tigh she was which drove me over the edge or because her hands are trailing my chest.

She was a fucking virgin. I took her virginity.

I groan inwardly as guilt sips through me and I take her hands off me with my head lowered down.

“Jayden?” The tone of concern that always get to me is in the air. “Are you ok?”

IIook up, summoning up enough courage to tell her what I have in mind and what I have been thinking all morning.

Before I can talk, she takes the briefcase from me and holds my hand to lead me to a seat. This is when it dawns on me that have been standing close to the door for over five minutes because of how star-struck I was when I saw her in this sexy lingerie.

“Did something happen at the office? Are you ok? What about the draft, has it been resolved?” She demands immediately I sit down on a sofa and she sits close to me, her hands touching me.

The touch alone does unexplainable things to my body. It sends jolts down my spine and reminds me of something that should never happen again. Something that will never happen again.

I need to get a hold of myself and my emotions. I need to think of Isabella first in this situation. I was selfish by asking her tg be my bride. I have always been selfish but not anymore.

I can’t destroy her. I can’t be genuinely married to another woman after the vow I made to Helena. That would mean anothej betrayal and I might have to pay for my sins for the rest of my life.

Isabella needs to be free from this curse. From me. I am bound to be broken forever. Not to feel any compassionate emotion anymore.

“Jayden”, she calls again more loudly and I stand up abruptly from the sofa, letting her hands drop from my body.

“Isabella, why did that sex happen between us?”

My back is to her and silence creeps in slowly, tempting me to turn back and see her reaction.

I really do not know how I should have started so I decided to just come out straight without beating about the bush.

Iam so stupid. I am selfish and foolish. She was about to accept Romeo and I F***ing had s*x with her. I should have allowec her to accept him. Maybe he would have been a better choice. At least he doesn’t look broken, just bunny-looking.

The silence is killing me. I turn back abruptly to meet her intense gaze. She looks confused too.

“That sex in Italy shouldn’t have happened”, I rephrase, watching her calm expression. “We shouldn’t have allowed it to happen. We are bound by a contract, remember?”

“I reminded you’, she says softly, like someone without a care in the world. Her arms are folded around her bosom, making her cleavages more prominent.

I can’t believe I boldly stated that there will be no strings attached to the contract and I have done more than go against it. “Yes, you did but it was in the heat of the moment. I was fu***ng drunk’, I try not to raise my voice as I emphasize the drunk Iam thinking she would go berserk on me but she is still sitting down calmly.

“You were sober, Jayden”, she contradicts and tilts her head sideways. “You were not that drunk. You knew what you were doing”

“I was drunk, Isabella”, I cry out softly, desperate for her to see my point without having me explain everything.

She used to be understanding, right? Now is the time that I need her to be more understanding than ever before. I don’t want us to drag this issue out for too long. Let’s just pretend it didn’t happen and continue to live our lives as normal. “What about the next day?” Her questions pull me back to life as I stand awkwardly in front of her. “The second morning when I woke up to see an empty bed. You weren’t on the bed so was the bedspread. What about how you asked me to reject Romeo because you wanted me? What about how you told me you care for me and you wanted me? Should I also talk about how you kissed me and made love to me?”

Her voice is breaking. This is it.

“I’m sorry, Isabella but this is for the best. Let’s forget it

“Are you F***ing with me?! Are you crazy? Are you insane?! I should forget that passionate night?!” She shoots to her feet, pointing fingers at me as she approaches with tears spilling down her eyes.

I don’t know what to say again. I don’t know if I am to pacify her and tell her that she will be greatly compensated. I haven’t even told her about the surprise I have for her yet. It is supposed to come after we have resolved the problem.

“Romeo was right’, she says without shouting and I hoist my head up with curiosity written all over me.

Iam interested in knowing what Romeo was right about.

“He was right after all and I was wrong. My strong convictions are always wrong because I am stupid. He told me you would use and dump me but I defended you and this is happening the very next day he tried to warn me?”

I stand watching, another lump sticking in my throat.

She wipes her tears hurriedly and raises her two hands. “You know what? I am done with this shit! I am done with this facade! I am done with this sham! I am done being at the receiving end! I am leaving and no one can stop me, you shitty piece of trash!”

“What?” I exclaim loudly, shaking my head as she walks past me. “No, Isabella!”

“Let go of me!” She yells at me, as she frees her hand from my hold. She walks to the closet and drags her suitcase out.

In a haste, I run over to her.

I can’t let her leave. Not now. We still have months to round up our contract. We have gone against the contract already but we can remedy it by pretending as if we didn’t go against it.

My heart beat increases at the thought of not having her around. How can I convince her to stay?

She begins to throw the clothes in the closet at me when I am close to her as she starts to cry loudly.

“Isabella, stop this, and let’s talk!” I call out to her standing aside as she continues to throw all the clothes at me.

“F** you! I hate you. I don’t want to talk to you. I don’t want anything from me.”

“Isabellal” I try to get closer but she threatens to hit me with her suitcase. I stay back and facepalm myself.

How do I calm her down?

When I lift my head to stare at her, she has changed into a decent gown and begins to jampack the clothes on the floor into the suitcase. I rush over and she pushes me away before running to the door without the suitcase.

“Isabellal” I yell in warning so she could stop by the door and let us sort this out amicably.

Isabella’s POV

Immediately the door opens, and I rush into her arms crying my eyes out and holding onto her firmly so I can squeeze out a the hurt and emotions I am feeling right now.

My tears are because of how stupid I feel. I should have given this much thought. I should have known that Jayden’s sudden change in behavior is questionable. I should have known that Romeo was right and not selfish like Jayden.

I have always considered women who confess their feelings for men even before men do the same as foolish and I have become a foolish woman for confessing my feelings for Jayden the very next day after we fought, reconciled, and had sx. Iam stupid. I shouldn’t have allowed him to touch me. I shouldn’t have given out my virginity to him that way. I shouldn’t have even accepted this offer.

My chest tightens within my ribcage and I find it very hard to breathe.

My cries turn into sobs as I try to breathe properly all to no avail. Before I can pull away, someone rushes out of the room opposite the door and it turns out to be my Grandma in her nightwear.

Quickly, I pull away from the person holding me to realize she isn’t Grandma but an unfamiliar face.

Probably Safina, the woman Grandma employed as a maid and the same woman Grandma considered as a friend who has been keeping her company.

When she sees the flash of recognition on my face, she smiles down at me and opens my arms to hug me again.

I begin to cry all over again while Grandma hurries over to me and wraps her hands around me and Safina in a tight hug, without a word.

My breathing becomes normal again and I continue to sob until one of the women breaks free from the hug and drags me forcefully to a seat.

My tears are flowing freely. Tears of regrets. Pain.

I feel betrayed. I feel guilty for tagging Romeo as the bad one and Jayden as the good one. I should have known that this wasn’t real, even though it looked real.

Romeo was right. Jayden has used me and now is the time to dump me. I can’t believe he still wants me to stay back in the house after asking me why I allowed the s*x to happen.

Ishouldn’t have blocked Romeo. I thought he was going to pester me and I blocked him. The thought alone makes me filled with nothing but regrets and sorrows.

Why didn’t I listen to him?

The two women sit beside me in silence while I cry until I am satisfied. Gently, I raise my head to meet their intense questioning gaze. I know there are a lot of questions they want to ask me but I am not in the mood to answer any of them. All I want and need right now is to be alone to let everything sink in.

This is the mistake I made. I didn’t give all of this much thought. I didn’t let everything that happened to process well enough in my head before blurting out my confession of love.

The more I think of all of these, the more I want to blame myself and slap my face.

I rise abruptly. “I need a room.”

“You can take mine,” Safina says.

“You can go to my room’, Grandma mutters too at the same time as Safina.

I would prefer to stay in Grandma’s room. I just want to be able to wrap my head around what is happening to me.

Twill probably become a laughing stock to Juliet when she gets to know about this. Romeo too.

At the thought of Romeo, I decide to find a way to call him.

Without giving any of the women an answer, I walk out of the living room, finding my way to Grandma’s room. I am sure her room is the first which is the master’s bedroom.

I’turn the doorknob and enter. As soon as I sit on the bed, I glance around the bedroom.

I drag myself into the bed further and lean my back on the wall, the cold breeze from the window hitting my face.

Iam supposed to unblock Romeo and talk to him but I don’t know what to say to him after blocking him for a day.

Maybe he will laugh at me. Taunt me for being stupid and blame me for not listening to him.

I can’t talk to him now. I should leave that till some other time.

But I’m sure Romeo would still be in Verona. He plans to spend a few more days there before going somewhere else. He had told me all about his ex-girlfriend who betrayed him and how he took a month off work just to relax and find love.

When we met, we thought we had found love. I thought I had until Jayden appeared from nowhere.

I pull my phone out to see his number.

Just then, a call comes in and Jayden’s name flashes across the screen.

Quickly, I pull off the phone and turn to the window. The evening air brushes past my face, making me shut my eyes to stop the tears threatening to roll down my eyes again.

When I open my eyes, a tear rolls down but I am quick to wipe it away with the resolve of getting myself together and not crying for any man. Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. When I am about to close the window and lay on the bed, my eyes catch something.

Acar.

And someone inside the car with a phone glued to his ears as he comes out with a worried-filled expression.

Itis Jayden.

The man who is responsible for my heartbreak. The man I had s*x with two nights ago. The man whose arms I slept in last night. The man I wore lingerie for just because I wanted to seduce him into having sx with me tonight.

I might be mad at him for asking those silly questions and making me feel cheap but seeing him in front of my house lookin worried brings a new sense of feeling that makes me scream and begin a new session of tears.

Jayden’s POV

A wave of nostalgia hit me when I saw her running out of the gates before anyone could stop her. It reminded me of something similar which happened two years ago.

Helena.

This was the same thing Helena did. We argued and she left in anger. I didn’t follow her like I just did with Isabella. This is because I don’t want fate to repeat itself again.

I doubt if I can ever find my peace if the same thing happens to Isabella.

sitting right in front of the car, I stare up at the house, relieved that she is here and not somewhere else. I followed her for two reasons. To be sure that she is fine and to know where she is going.

I heave a deep sigh before going into the car to drive to Gabriel’s place. His call came in earlier while I was driving and following the cab Isabella brought to her Grandma’s place. I couldn’t pick up but I called him immediately I got here to ask i he was home.

I have been here for several minutes. I don’t know if it’s because Isabella left the house or she is angry but I feel miserable. The car roars to life and I drive away from the house, deep in thoughts.

I’am doing this for us. For her. I don’t want to hurt her. I don’t want to disappoint her but she isn’t seeing my effort.

Being attractive to her isn’t the right thing for me. I am bound to be this way for life. Helena would never be happy if I went against my vows to her. She deserves one last respect and that is what I want to give her.

To be honest, Isabella makes me happy but at the end of each day, being happy brings a sense of guilt in my chest that I have tried so hard to eliminate all to no avail.

How can I be happy? I am doomed to be this way for life, aren’t I?

Ever since I went to Italy and we had sex, I have been happier than I have ever been in the two years since Helena died.

I sigh heavily and take my mind off everything as I drive closer to Gabriel’s place. Isabella needs some time to herself. She will be back soon.

The gate opens and I drive in to meet Gabriel in the courtyard on a call. I can’t see his clingy wife next to him and this is the reason why I am here. I wouldn’t want to invite him to my place by this time of the night when Sabrina would be at home an in need of him.

They don’t have a maid because Sabrina despises them. She prefers to do the house chores by herself. After a few months o their marriage, she employed an elderly maid who usually comes in every weekend to do everything for her.

Iam sure she does not despise them for no reason. It is because of Gabriel’s waywardness and I can see signs that he is changing already.

“Hey, man’, he drops the call as I climb down from the car. He gives me a side brief hug and pulls away to notice my expression. “Is everything ok? You sounded off earlier..”

“Isabella is gone’, I cut him short, feeling the dampness in my heart again.

“Gone?” Confusion skates his expression. “Gone to where?”

I don’t know where to start and how to tell him how a lot has changed in just two nights in a row.

His hands touched my shoulder, pulling me back to life. “Let’s go and sit over there.”

He motions to the verandah and we walk there. After sitting numbly on the wooden chair, Gabriel face me again.

“What happened?”

“You won’t believe it’, I say instead, avoiding his gaze and taking my mind back to what happened in Italy two nights ago. He chuckles lightly and that lifts my spirit a little. Gabriel is the most understanding person I have ever met. If no one understands me, he will and he is always supportive.

“Why won’t I believe it? Did you two have s*x or what?” He asks and I become embarrassed. Lowering my head, I find myself biting my lips. I am not embarrassed because Isabella and I had s*, I am embarrassed because I was holding firmly on to th principle of no strings attached and now I have gone against my own principle.

I was so confident that I would never be attracted to any woman to even have s*x with her. What I was avoiding was a seductress woman who wouldn’t make being celibate easy.

If I had gotten married to the woman his wife got to me, then maybe this wouldn’t have become a problem. It would just be fling and we can have sx for as long as we want without any emotional attachment. After a year, she would be gone. That is what she wanted after all and the reason why she didn’t agree to my terms.

S*x.

But doing this with Isabella feels wrong because she is emotionally attached and I can’t believe she actually confessed her feelings to me last night.

She wasn’t embarrassed and my mouth was agape. She laughed shortly and told me not to say anything yet till I was sure. That got me thinking, hence this resolution to end whatever emotional trouble I am causing or would be causing in the future for Isabella.

And I.

Gabriel gasps. “Don’t tell me you two had sex?”

I look up slowly to see the shock on his face and his jaws dropping open in shock. Gabriel knows me. He knows how determined I can be.

He must be wondering what happened that I let my guard down. My embarrassment intensifies.

“Yes, we did.”

“What the hell!” He shouts. “What happened? How did it happen? Is that why she left?”

“Yes”, reply calmly and lean back on the wooden chair with my arms folded and a sigh leaving my mouth for the umpteentt time.

silence ensues and I am wondering what is going on in his mind.

“She told me she loved me last night..”

“What?” He cut me short with his exclamation.

“but I couldn’t bring myself to say anything to her. This marriage is a contracted one and we have to be divorced after a year. I told her that the sex was a mistake and she left the house in anger”

“Oh, my God, Jayden! How could you do such a thing?!” He laments bitterly, hitting my shoulder.

I’snap my head to see the disapproval on his face. “What do you mean?”

“How could you say such a thing to a woman? And by this time of the day? Do you know where she is now? Are you sure she is fine?” Worry skates his expression. “Shit!”

“I just thought I should stop what is going on between us. I don’t want to hurt her, Gabriel. She doesn’t even know this is the reason why I am doing this.”

“Really?” He asks with heavy sarcasm. “Why are you doing this then? Tell me.”

“Can’t you see it? There are a lot of reasons why we shouldn’t do this. First, she confessed her feelings for me when there should be no strings attached and then we had sex which is against the rules of the contract… are these not enough reasons…”

“How do you feel?”

“Miserable!” I answer shortly and he shakes his head, watching me carefully with an intense gaze.

“How do you feel about her?”

“What?!” I exclaim. I can’t believe he is asking me this. How do I feel about her? “Nothing.”

“Nothing?” I nod meekly like a schoolboy. “Then why are you bothering yourself over why she left if you feel nothing toward: her”

“That is because we still have months to go before the end of the contract. What do I say to Mother and everyone else about my wife going missing in just a few months of our marriage?Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. Can’t she just be patient till after a year? This will ruin it all it will ruin my plan to get divorced after a year and be free again.’

Gabriel does not say anything. Instead, he continues to stare at me intensely.

“Why did you have sex with her?” He asks all of a sudden and I find myself stuttering.

“Well…..don’t know…it just happened, I was drunk…”

“Shut up!” He growls at me in anger, shooting to his feet. “Not only did you make her feel cheap but also used. How could you have sex with her when you knew this wouldn’t be real? You had sex with her because you were drunk? If that is it, then she can sue you for rape.”

“What?!” I exclaim in shock. What is he talking about?

“Yes. That girl is too good for you, man. You shouldn’t have ruined this. Why are you so obsessed with your past?”

“I don’t know what you are talking about’, I rise up from the chair.

Coming here was a bad idea. I should have just gone home. Gabriel is not understanding today of all days and I am sure it is probably because he likes Isabella. Sabrina likes her too and they might want this thing between us to be real.

That is not possible.

“You know what? I never thought you were selfish until tonight. Now that she is gone, all you care about is how to make her come back so that she can go on pretending to be your wife in public and also pretending in the house as if nothing happened between you two just because you have something to achieve. How can you be so selfish, Jayden? This is definitely not the Jayden I know. You shouldn’t have gotten yourself drunk or whatever and had s*x with her. You have ruine: it. If you don’t feel anything for her, then let the poor girl bet”

Anger stabs my insides and I find myself balling my fist to calm my nerves.

“You know what? Coming here was a bad idea. Thank you for your time”

That did the trick. He suddenly goes silent and I see regrets flashing across his expression.

I’shouldn’t have come here. He has dampened my spirit more instead of lifting it.

Isabella and I shouldn’t forget the reason why we are here. We are in this situation because we both wanted it, not something else.

We should stick to what we want without any distractions. If only life could be this planned and not messed up.

I walk past him and take long strides towards my car, blaming myself for just one thing.

For messing up.

Having sex with her messed everything up and I am ready to prove to everyone that it was nothing but a mistake.

Isabella’s POV

Thinking about the fact that Grandma is inquisitive in nature just like me, I appreciate the fact that she hadn’t asked me anything for the past one week that I have been stuck here.

One week of always looking out of the window for the sight of Jayden’s car or the sight of him.

One week of wanting a form of assurance from him but nothing. He hasn’t come here ever since the other night and I feel he didn’t really care.

He was right. The sex was a mistake.

If he cared, he would have at least come back to apologize but he is back to being that egoistic man I used to know. Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters foi free. I have stopped crying but I wish I had a friend. I wish Juliet and I didn’t have a fight and she is here to cheer me up. If we were still friends, she would have suggested that we go to a party and it would have been a great way to take my mind of Jayden.

The more I wait for Jayden to come begging me, the more I am realizing that this is gradually coming to the end of what we had.

Our contract will be terminated because I am no longer interested in it. I don’t care what he says and I don’t care if he sues me to court.

I lift my phone to see Romeo’s number. I haven’t been able to summon up the courage to give him a call. The guilt of what I did to him that night is eating me up and I don’t know what he thinks of me now.

He might despise me.

A knock pulls me out of my momentarily trance and I look up to see Grandma come in.

Ever since I was came here a week ago, I haven’t gone out of this room or outside the house. I am always indoors, eating, sleeping, or looking out of the window for a sight of something familiar.

My appetite has increased tenfolds since I locked myself in here and I am beginning to get worried that I will become obese at the rate at which I am eating by the time I make plans to move out.

Out to where? I don’t know.

“Bella, Grandma calls softly, closing the door quietly behind her and flashing me a smile.

A smile that speaks volumes of words. A sad smile faked to be genuine.

I know the time is now. Now is the time to tell her what happened but how do I face her afterward? I told her that Jayden an Iare not supposed to have sex and now they I have lost my virginity to someone she doesn’t like, how will she feel?

Won’t she be disappointed? Will she scold me for opening my legs wild for him? Will she understand that it was beyond my control?

Love isn’ta crime like she always says. What is a crime is loving the wrong person?

I blame myself for everything except loving him. Loving him isn’t a crime. It is something my heart chooses.

Confessing my love for a man whom I don’t even know of his true feelings is the crime here. This is my mistake. Opening my legs for him when I should have insisted on getting things straight and having us terminate the contract to make it real is another mistake.

That is my first crime.

Grandma sits quietly on the bed, holding out my hands and letting the hairband I have been twirling my fingers on fall off m hand.

This is what has been keeping me busy aside from sleeping, eating, and looking out of the window. Twirling my hands around my hairband in remembrance of my childhood. I can’t even bring myself to watch a movie because I am scared I will end up crying if the movie is an emotional one.

I just want to remain this way. Not crying. Not sad. Not happy. Just numb. Till I think of what to do next with my life.

From the look of things, Jayden has given up on me.

On us.

Was there any US in the first place? How could I have fallen for his sweet words? I thought he wasn’t one to sweet-talk someone into doing something. He said he wanted me and my legs turned jelly in response.

And we had s*x.

We fucking had sex. My first real sex. With my first man.

Yet, he calls this a mistake? What the f**ki

“Are you ready to talk now?” Grandma’s words jerk me upright and I watch her. There are creases of concern on her face, her mouth twitching in sadness and her face in a deep frown.

I’should talk to her. I should tell her. I can’t keep hiding this from her. The fact that Jayden hasn’t come here is enough evidence that something is amiss and she must have been trying so hard to fix the puzzles all to no avail.

I’am hurt. My heart has been stomped upon. My world is crumbling beneath my feet. My head is spinning at every thought o him and what we had. My insides boil in rage when I remember what he said.

I’am exhausted. I want to give up. I want to just sleep and watch the world go on without me. I want to go back to turn the hands of the clock so this shitty pain I feel won’t be there because I would have made another choice.

Grandma’s thumb touches my face. This is when I realize I am crying again.

The pent-up anger. The determined resolve was not to cry again. The painful feeling. The soreness of my divine palace after the s*x.

Everything wants to make me cry.

“Let it out!” Grandma encourages me and it does not take me more than a minute after she said that before I burst out cryin as loud as I can, my hands gripping her long gown and hugging her to myself as tight as I can, wishing this will take the pain away.

She pats my back, muttering soothing words into my ears, rubbing the other hand on my head to calm my nerves.

Just with closed eyes, his image appears. Forgetting all about Jayden and what he represents won’t be possible because everything reminds me of him.

This room I am stuck in reminds me of our room and him. The food I eat reminds me of what we take for dinner in his mansion. The only clothes I have on since I got here remind me of the clothes-filled closet in his mansion and him. Everything.

After several minutes of crying and muttering, it feels as if a weight has been lifted off my shoulder and I eventually pull away.

“Mother, forgive me”, I blurt out as fast as I can. I need to say this. I need to let it out.

My head is down in embarrassment and I can’t see how she is staring at me or her reaction to my request for forgiveness. She isn’t asking me why I am asking for her forgiveness. She is silent.

Holding my two hands together, I shut my eyes and open my mouth. “I had s*x with Jayden.”

silence creeps in again slowly, more painstakingly. Still holding my head down, I continue. “He came to Verona to meet me because he missed me. I didn’t believe him at first until he begged me not to accept Romeo, the guy I met in Verona who showed interest in me. Then he said he wanted me. I reminded him of the contract but he said he didn’t care and we had ox”

At this point, I am on the verge of breaking down again but I hold it back, holding onto my clothes firmly, my eyes tightly shut.

“Ym sorry, Grandma. I shouldn’t have allowed it. I shouldn’t have believed him.”

“What happened?” She asks instead.

I’am tempted to look up to see what her reaction is. To know if she is sad or not.

I know what she is asking. She is asking what changed if he actually told me he wanted me.

“I told him I loved you and he changed ever since that night. When he came home the day we arrived from Italy, he had a different look on his face. It was as if the Jayden in Verona was different from the one in New York. He was back to being colc and he told me the sex was a mistake.”

“And you ran here?” I nod and flutter my eyes open.

Without raising my head, I wait for more questions from her but none is forthcoming. “Has he called you?”

“No, apart from the first night I left home.” I think this is one of the major reasons why I am sad.

No calls. No text messages. No apology. Nothing. Absolute nothing.

Just silence.

Grandma sighs and I look up finally.

“Please forgive me. I should have listened to you when you told me men can be unpredictable. I should have known.”

“My views about him changed”, she mentions, cutting me short.

unconsciously, I raise a brow. “What?”

“He was here”, she vocalize, increasing my confusion. I know she is definitely talking about Jayden but when did he come here? Was he here last night? How come I didn’t see his car?

“He was here two weeks ago to check up on me and to ask me some questions about you…”

“Questions?” I furrow my brows, impatient to know what she is talking about and why he was here.

“About your dream. He came to ask me about your drean’, she replies, her hands holding onto mine. “It was at that moment that I began to see him in a different light. You said it was just a business agreement between you two but I kept asking myself why a man like that would be bothered about your dream when you will be separated after a year. I watched him carefully and I realized he is stuck in between two things.”

“My dream?” I ask her. I am less concerned about what she is saying. I am curious to know what she meant by my dream. What is she talking about?

She looks surprised that I am asking her that. “Why do you look surprised? Didn’t he tell you?”

“Tell me what?” My every sense is alert, waiting for what this is all about.

She looks astonished and leans backward, examining my face, probably to know if I am joking or not.

I know nothing. Jayden didn’t even tell me he came here. He never said anything to me about my dream. What dream? I don’ even know.

“He didn’t tell you about the Fashion House?” She demands again with her eyes growing large.

“Fashion House? What Fashion House?” I shake my head intermittently.

“Your Fashion House”, she answers and holds my hand again, with tears brimming brightly in her eyes. “Bella’s Fashion House.”

Suddenly, I remember how he asked me about my dream of having a fashion house when we went to the lake house. slowly, my jaws drop at the realization.

Jayden’s POV

Just before I can stand up to my feet to go out, a knock comes on the door.

I look up from where I am sitting, wondering who it is after I had told the maids not to disturb me.

This is my quiet time ever since Isabella left the house. I haven’t been able to bring myself to go and apologize, all I have been doing is sticking around to make sure she is still in her Grandma’s place.

I really do not know why I have this strange feeling that she would go and meet Romeo wherever he is to accept him back in her life. I am supposed to be happy that at least she will be happy to have found genuine love somewhere else but I don’t feel happy. Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. I feel miserable. I am miserable.

I am finding it very difficult to let go but I believe it is because I am used to her presence in the house already.

To be honest, I miss her. I f***ing miss everything about her. The way she bites her lips, the smile on her face when I say something funny, the way she looks at me with adorable eyes, the way she shows me concern even when nothing is wrong with me.

I miss everything about her and everything here reminds me of her.

No one noticed her long absence except the maids and none of them could ask me anything about it. Mother hadn’t come to the house too since she left, she would have probably asked me where Isabella had gone.

I really hope she comes back to me.

Even when I begin to think of letting go, the sounds that come out of her mouth and the way she was writhing beneath me during the s*x we had for two days make me go crazy with desires.

Right now, I am confused. And indecisive.

Everything hurts like hell. Her remembrance as well as that of Helena. I don’t know what Helena wants from me. Isabella said Helena would want me to be happy but she isn’t happy seeing me happy.

I don’t fucking know what else to do. I don’t like how I feel. My desire for Isabella seems to have taken more height. It keeps increasing every single day with her absence from the house.

My member hardens at the instant and another knock comes on the door, jerking me out of my reverie.

“shitt” I curse beneath my breath as I touch myself to calm the throbbing. “Come in”

The door opens and Gabriel walks in with a light smile on his face. Quickly, I glare at him and turn away.

We haven’t seen each other since the other day when we had an argument and he wasn’t trying to understand my reasons for doing what I did.

I expected much from him and I guess that was why I was disappointed in him.

I’ve been alone and miserable for two weeks. Gabriel didn’t come to see how I was faring and that made me feel so bad. It makes me pissed to know that he is doing all of this just so I can be with Isabella when he knows what is at stake.

The honor of Helena is at stake here. And my vow.

“Hi, buddy”, he greets as he approaches with a smile and not the usual mischievous smirk on his face whenever he comes visiting.

I wonder if Gabriel would be doing this if I had gotten married to the lady his wife got for me.

Will he be persuading me to become real with her just the way he is doing with Isabella? Or is it because Isabella is different from the rest of the girls?

“What are you doing here?” I begin to pack up the papers I scattered on the bed to keep me busy while he is here.

I was supposed to work on them, hence the distribution of them all over my bed but I couldn’t concentrate.

There is this feeling in me that I can’t place.

A horrible feeling stirred inside of me and brought the presumptions that Isabella might start going out with Romeo soon and that would mean leaving New York, except if Romeo has to come down to New York himself.

I’m sure one of these can happen. Isabella is a fierce lover, I noticed the way she looked straight into my eyes with adoration when we were making love. I should have known that she was already falling head over heels in love with me.

If she loves Romeo, she will give it all it takes and that bunny-looking guy can also come down to New York for her.

I saw how he was looking at her, practically peeling her clothes off with his eyes. There was *t all over his expression. “shitt” I groan and shoot up to my feet. I should go and check her in her Grandma’s place.

Two days ago when I went there, I still couldn’t go inside but her Grandma came out. I don’t know how she saw me but I thought I did a good job at hiding myself. She told me to give Isabella time to process everything and I was grateful to her. Now I don’t think I can wait any longer. If she doesn’t accept coming back here, then Romeo is really not a good choice. “Are you going somewhere?” Gabriel stands in the middle of the room awkwardly while I pack all the papers in a hurry to dump them in my briefcase. When I am back from wherever I am going, I will have them sorted out.

“Yes’, I only say, dumping some of the papers in my briefcase which is sitting openly on the bed too.

“I came to see you, Jayden…”

“Can we make this some other time?” I cut him short, hoping that he will go and give me the time to go over to Isabella’s Grandma’s place.

Anytime I have this horrible feeling in me, my mind won’t be settled until I confirm that my predictions are wrong. I can’t confirm if I am wrong or not by staying here.

I need to go see her. Today.

We need to talk. Sort things out.

I should swallow my ego and apologize to her for what I did. That was definitely not the right way to go about it. I should have followed a better approach.

“It’s about Isabella’, Gabriel informs me and I drop the remaining papers in my hand back on the bed before turning to him quickly.

Jayden’s POV

“Isabella? What about her?” I question with furrowed brows, my heart racing.

Did something happen to her? Is she ok? Did she attempt to take her life for what I did?

Gabriel’s expression is blank for a while and I am tempted to move closer, jerk him so he will tell me what it is before my heart bursts out of my chest.

“Gabriel?” I call out. “Did something happen to Isabella?”

“No!” He answers sharply.

“No?” I don’t know whether to be relieved or not. That came out fast and I don’t know what to think.

“Don’t you think it is high time you guys sort yourselves out?” He asks and I roll my eyes and turn my back to him again. “Is that why you are here?” I thought he came here to apologize. I see he is still bent on making me date Isabella and make all of this real.

“Yes, and also to apologize for how I spoke to you the other time. I was just pissed.

“Pissed?” I twirl back abruptly to face him again. “Pissed that I am doing the right thing?”

“The right thing?” He scoffs. “Did you just say the right thing? Tell me what is right about all of this. I won’t be pissed if you hadn’t had sex with her. What does sex in marriage signify to you?”

“Says a man who is unfaithful to his wife”, retort back at him and he went silent. “How can you of all people lecture me about what’s right in marriage? How long have you been married? How long have you been cheating on Sabrina?”

“This isn’t about me, Jayden’, he grits his teeth, his face turning red in anger.

I have hit that spot. His anger spot.

“If this isn’t about you, then is it about me? You can’t lecture me on what is right when you aren’t even doing what is right to your own real wife. Isabella and I aren’t real so…

“shut the f*** up, Jackass!” He snaps at me, then takes three long strides towards me. “Don’t you dare bring up my wife and me into your conversations ever again.”

“Why?” I raise a shoulder. “Do you feel guilty for always cheating on her?”

“What the hell is wrong with you? I stopped’, he shouts but I am not shaken. “I already stopped a long time ago.”

“Well, I don’t think you have.”

“How could you know if I have stopped or not? Have you ever seen me in the club.”

“Don’t ask me bullshit. You know I won’t go to that club unless we want to meet so how am I supposed to know?”

Silence creeps in slowly as his jaws clench and his breathing becomes heavy.

Why are we even talking about him? This is about Isabella, right?

He shakes his head, facepalms himself, and chuckles deeply to himself before looking up.

“This is enough to make me stop being friends with you, Jayden but I won’t be doing this if you don’t mean a lot to me. isabella is a good woman and everyone can see it. If you let her go, you will never find a woman like her ever again. The mistake is done already, why not go with the flow? Why do you have to ruin the beautiful thing springing up between you two? Can’t you be selfless for once in your life?!”

The last statement gets to me. He has been making a lot of sense until the last statement.

I point a finger at him, feeling my uprising anger. “This is the most selfless decision ever. I can’t ruin her. That girl has a beautiful soul in and out. How can I let her in…

“This is still about Helena, right?” He interrupts me from going further, his eyes boring into mine to find an answer to his question.

“This is about your past, right? Have you ever thought of seeing Helena smile down at you from the heavens for not only making the right choice by giving the relationship a chance again but also because you’ve got yourself the most beautiful woman ever who is just like a replica of her? What if this is meant to be? What if you and Isabella are meant to be? Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. Don’t you ever notice the similarities between her and Helena? Helena would want you to be happy, Jayden and I believe Isabella is the woman for you.”

Helena would want you to be happy, it rings a bell in my head.

isabella once said that to me.

But Helena isn’t happy. She isn’t smiling down at me. She isn’t even crying and it troubles my heart. I want to know what she feels so desperately.

“The longer you keep holding onto the past, the more distance you are going to create between you and Isabella. You might lose her eventually to another man.”

“Another man?”

That gets my attention. Did Gabriel see any man with Isabella? Has Romeo come to New York?

Instead of replying to me, he touches my left shoulder and says, “I’m really glad things didn’t work out between you and Eunice. I’m glad you got married to Isabella instead.”

Then he turns back to leave.

“What do you mean by another man?” This is my major concern.

He shrugs nonchalantly and I am thinking he won’t answer. I am about to shout at him to tell me what he means when he stops by the doorway.

“Who knows? Isabella might meet another man at the party tonight and that…”

“Party? What party?” I demand hastily, my hands balling into a fist.

“she went to a party with Sabrina and Eunice. They insisted on hooking her up with a man tonight’, he replies, flashing me a smile before going out.

I watch him go as the word process slowly in my head.

“shitt” I curse out loudly before grabbing my car keys and my phone.

Running to take the exit out, I curse again beneath my breath.

Isabella’s POV

I am having the time of my life after weeks of having myself locked up in my Grandma’s bedroom and forcing her to sleep on the same bed with her maid and friend, Safina.

sabrina exudes happiness. She is free-spirited and I am more than sure that she is the type of friend that I need.

I swing my hips to the loud music, laughing to myself as Eunice comes behind me, grabbing my waist and grinding it on her front.

sabrina’s laughter fills my ears and all of a sudden, I love her. I love her for doing this. I love her for bringing me here. I love her for coming to check up on me.

She saw how miserable I looked last night when she came. I guess Gabriel didn’t tell her about what happened between jayden and me on time or maybe Jayden didn’t tell Gabriel on time.

His ego will ruin him someday.

sabrina promised to come to get me so we could go out tonight and I have been anticipating the outing since she left last night.

Like magic, I felt happier. I was able to take my mind off Jayden’ thoughts for once in two weeks and I began to think of how much fun it would be with the girls. Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. Sabrina isn’t taking any alcohol because of her pregnancy and I decide to do the same, even though I am tempted I get drunk and forget my sorrows for the night.

But what use will that be? If I get drunk tonight, I will wake up feeling terrible tomorrow and the reason for getting drunk will settle heavily on me. I will go back to thinking about him.

But without getting drunk, I am happy. Thinking about him right now is a choice.

“You bad bitch, I never knew you could be wild”, Eunice spanks my butt and I hit her shoulder, laughing and spinning like a drunk girl.

“Girls, should I join you?” Sabrina shouts from where she is sitting. Quickly, I nod and beckon to her to come closer.

She approaches with a smile and we begin to dance; all three of us.

This is the same party I accompanied them to the other day I visited Sabrina in the house to realize that they were going out. I wasn’t this free the other day because other girls wouldn’t stop questioning Eunice and Sabrina about who I was. I was introduced as Jayden’s wife but they didn’t gush around me like I feared they would if they knew I was the youngest billionaire’s wife.

I guess it was because Sabrina is also married to a billionaire and it wasn’t something special. Eunice was also dating a billionaire and some of the girls too.

it was a normal thing for them. They had nothing to gush about. Being married to Jayden is nothing to gush about but I was respected.

Tonight, it is just Sabrina, Eunice, and me, and I am comfortable with them. I am much more comfortable with Sabrina, probably because Eunice could have been in my shoes if she had accepted to be in a marriage with no strings attached as I did.

I haven’t told any of the girls what happened between Jayden and me and I am glad they aren’t questioning me about it. Sabrina might know. Gabriel might have told her but she isn’t acting as if she knows.

What baffles me is how they are not looking curious about meeting me at my Grandma’s place instead of Jayden’s

itis so obvious to the eyes that Jayden and I are not on good terms but they are not saying or doing anything to know what actually transpired between us.

When we were coming to the party, Sabrina said something about a baby shower and I’m sure she is going to organize one pretty soon for the baby.

We laugh at each other as we dance. Eunice is the craziest. She funnily shakes her butts, sending Sabrina and me reeling in laughter.

When we are sober, Sabrina stops dancing and stands with arms akimbo. “I’m tired.”

“Is it the baby?” I demand with worry as I stop dancing to touch her.

She rolls her eyes at me and smiles. “No, silly. I get tired easily these days. I should go back to sit. You two should enjoy.”

I nod at her and watch her walk away. Just before she gets seated, Eunice grabs my hand so we could dance together but suddenly, another hand grabs my other hand.

it pulls at me with great force and I find myself leaving Eunice’s hand and hitting my head on something hard.

Like a wall.

Did I just run into a wall?

When I open my eyes, feeling the impact of the hit on my forehead which sends a sudden headache to my entire head, my nose catches something familiar.

A cologne.

His cologne.

Quickly, I hoist my head up to meet his blue crystal clear eyes, his right hand on my waist and his other hand still holding onto the hand he used to pull me away from Eunice.

We stand watching each other as the music changes into a slower one. I want to pinch myself to know if this is real and not one of my imaginations of seeing Jayden touching or holding me.

I can’t pinch myself. My hands are caged. My right hand is entwined with his while the other hand grabs his clothing which I did out of fright when I felt the sudden pull.

If I drop my hands to pinch myself, he might disappear and this dream will end. So I decide to just continue watching him. Continue dreaming.

I am not drunk, am I? Why do I feel drunk, then?

I shouldn’t be having a dream like this in the middle of a club. Maybe this guy just looks like jayden.

itisn’t Jayden.

suddenly, he drops his hand away from me and I blink severally to wipe out the image of him standing right in front of me, all to no avail.

He is still standing dangerously and gorgeously handsome in front of me. He is wearing a white t-shirt that is transparent enough to showcase his biceps which I had my hands running on when we had s*x in Verona.

I blink again.

He is still here.

I am about to say something when he grabs my hand again but this time, he begins to walk away toward the exit.

Then it clicks

Eunice. Where is Eunice?

This is real. Jayden is really here and he is the one dragging me with him out of the club and not some dude who looks like him.

This is Jayden.

Where is Eunice? Where is Sabrina? Has he gotten rid of them?

The evening air hits my face. Thankfully, my hair is packed in a ponytail. All the jumping I have been doing would have had my hair disheveled and this breeze too.

Hurriedly, I jerk my hand free from his hold and he turns to me.

“How dare you come to drag me out of where I was having fun with my friends? Who do you think you are?”

We can’t continue playing dumb. If he is dumb, then I am not.

I won’t let him come from anywhere to have my fun ruined. I have been doing so well without him so he shouldn’t think that having him around and seeing him for the first time in two weeks will have been gushing all over him like bees.

“Let’s go’, he only says and I laugh maniacally.

Now I am more than sure that I had taken a sip of the alcohol Eunice ordered for herself.

“Let’s go? To where? Home?” He sighs deeply and looks away, a pleat of his hair falling off his face.

I gulp and look away, my confidence dissolving into thin air. I am tempted to help him tuck his hair.

“I am going back inside’, I remark and turn but he is quick to block my way.

“Not” He suddenly looks desperate.

“No? Why are you even here? Are you here to remind me of how cheap of a girl I was to have opened my legs wide for you to…” I trail off, adrenaline shooting up my spine as I fume silently.

“No, Isabella. I’m here so we can talk’, he mutters calmly, the desperation in his eyes gone, replaced with sad eyes.

He doesn’t look good. He looks like he hasn’t been sleeping for days.

well, I haven’t either.

“I am not interested in talking to you, Jayden. We are done, remember?”

“No, we are not. We have a few months until the end of our contract so we are still bonded together legally”

I guess that came out before he could realize it.

So this is it.

Itisn’t an apology. It is a reminder of what I have to do if I don’t want to get sued for going against our contract.

Well, he went against the contract too by having s*x with me and I won’t let him intimidate me with his words.

“Bullshit!” I spit in his face and twirl around abruptly, determined to leave no matter what he says or how long he is going to block my way.

I am done with him. I should have known Jayden would never want us to be real. He is obsessed with the past. He is obsessed with the contract.

I am foolish to even expect something else from him. I am foolish for still loving the idiot despite everything.

I almost bump into him again when he blocks my way.

“Isabella..”

I don’t wait for him to say whatever he wants to say before raising my hand in the air to strike him across his face.

My hand sting from the slap and I can’t believe I actually slapped him.

His hand flies to his face and his eyes widen in shock.

“Don’t you dare show your face to me ever again!” I wag a warning finger at him, hoping it will help in pushing him away. Seeing him confuses the shit out of me. But today, I am so sure that waiting for him is no good.

His behavior tonight has just proven that he is not the man for me. We can’t be together.

And I am done.

I am done hoping, wishing, craving, and praying for some sort of miracle. I am done being the victim.

He is speechless so I take my eyes off him and take a step away from him to go back to the club and find Sabrina and Eunice when a sudden wave of dizziness sweeps through me.

I stagger backward.

I open my eyes to see Jayden watching me. I turn away from him and take a step when it hits me again, everywhere suddenly becoming blank.

I stumble backward and I find myself falling to the ground.

AlLI can see is Jayden’s hand trying to catch hold of me but he can’t hold onto me until I am on the floor with darkness invading.

Isabella’s POV

My eyes flutter open simultaneously with the groan that leaves my mouth. My head is banging and my eyes feel heavy and small.

My body is weak too and I try to raise my hand when someone grabs me.

Grandma’s worried-filled expression appears before me. “Isabellat”

I hear gasps from people who move closer. I turn my head slowly to see Safina right beside Grandma, then Gabriel whose arms are entwined with his clingy wife, Sabrina, then Jayden,

Sabrina stares at Jayden and giggles excitedly before turning back to her husband. Jayden throws her a cold glare as a look of embarrassment fills his expression,

Then, he bites his lips.

This is when it all comes rushing. I am in the hospital and I fell unconscious while trying to escape Jayden’s grip.

Jayden and I are no longer together and we are not on good terms.

Why is Sabrina grinning and making him embarrassed? Why is he looking pissed and humiliated? Did Sabrina see me slap him? Or are they taunting him for coming back to me?

What then is he doing here? I don’t need his care.

I wrench my hand from Grandma’s hold. I don’t need anyone’s sympathy, definitely not his. I don’t want to see him again. Seeing him brings nothing but heartaches and hurt. I don’t want to continue wallowing in self-pity. I don’t want to leave the rest of the year living his life.

I want my life back. I want to leave everything behind and that won’t be easy if I keep seeing him. I want him out of my life. “What is he doing here?” I point towards him, my gaze not leaving Grandma’s.

Grandma follows the direction of my hand and she faces me with a heavy sigh. “He is sorry, Isabella”

“Il want him out’, I order calmly, my head still banging.

I don’t know why I passed out but I will only be free to ask Grandma what happened if they can excuse me.

sabrina’s giggles are not helping even though she has stopped and there is a serious look on her face. I want them to excuse us. I want to talk to Grandma to be sure I am not ill.

Then, I want to be alone. To plan and re-strategize my life back in shape. I want to think of what to do next with my life and how to get an apartment so I can stop inconveniencing Grandma and Safina.

“Isabella, you should hear him out.”

“Not” My voice comes out hoarse and tears brim in my eyes. “I don’t want to see him again. I already told him that I don’t want us to ever cross paths again, didn’t I2” I am taking all my anger out on Grandma when she isn’t even the one responsible for my anger.

She warned me before I ventured into this sham between Jayden and me but I didn’t listen. I thought I was doing the right thing for us and I thought I had it all in control.

I had plans.

Plans to do the job I was employed for and get out in I2 months with my fashion house already established but he ruined it all.

I would never accept this silly house he got for me. I’m sure he is doing that out of guilt or to make me feel indebted to him. I won’t allow that.

I was living fine, free of heartaches before he came along.

“Isabella..” he calls, approaching me and I sit upright abruptly, the pain sinking deeper into my head and making me hold onto my head with both hands. “Go!”

I hear the shuffling of feet and the door open. Thinking he is gone, I look up but he is still there by the doorway. Sabrina and Gabriel are out already.

“t will be outside till you are ready to talk to me”, he says and goes out before I can tell him to go out once more.

Safina also stands up to leave while Grandma holds my two hands, tears spilling down her eyes.

I don’t know why she is crying but I don’t feel like asking her, even though I am damn curious.

Is she crying because I am in this situation because of her? Is she crying because I am changing? I am changing into someone she can’t recognize or talk to. I have shut her out ever since she told me about the fashion house he got for me. Am I ill? My mind goes back to the fact that I am in the hospital.

Is this why she is crying? The last time Grandma cried was when my parents died. I haven’t seen her cry ever since.

Am I going to die? Do I have an incurable disease?

What is happening?

The curiosity eating at me won’t let me stay calm and quiet. Letting my hands off my head, I lay back on the bed and ask. “What happened?”

She smiles at me, trail kisses all over my knuckles and forehead without responding.

“Did something happen?” I rephrase my question and she shakes her head. “Then why are you crying?”

She doesn’t reply. Instead, she wipes her tears with the back of her palm, forcing out a smile. If she wasn’t crying, I would have thought she looked really proud of me with this smile but I can’t comprehend what this really is; crying and smiling at the same time.

“Am I ll? Did something bad happen to me? Am I going to die?” I bombard her with the questions in my head.

This should be the only reason why she is crying. Maybe Sabrina doesn’t know yet, that’s why she was giggling earlier on. She can be so playful just like her husband but I could remember the look on Gabriel’s face wasn’t naughty, playful, or mischievous.

He doesn’t look happy. He looked way more serious than I have ever seen him while Jayden was looking angry and embarrassed.

“What?! Of course not!” Grandma’s laughter resounds in my head and I heave a deep sigh of relief at her response.

Thank God, I am not going to die.

After feeling relieved, my mind drifts back to the question of why she is crying.

“Why are you crying, then?”

“Because I am happy’, she replies and pecks my forehead again.

Now I am sure she is indeed proud of me. Proud of something I must have done which she never knew I would do.

Is she talking about how I stood up against Jayden? Did Sabrina see me slap Jayden and she told Grandma and Grandma feels proud that I did that? Is she proud because I am back to my normal self now after locking myself up in the room for days?

I turn away from her, feeling that the reason for her happiness must be one of these.

After giving it a second thought, I realize it isn’t. Grandma was beginning to like Jayden. She told me she was beginning to see him in a different light which shows that her opinions about him being a bad person have changed and she likes him.

She was literally begging me to call him after she told me about the Fashion House but my pride didn’t let me. I didn’t want to call him because he wants to help me achieve my dream of having a Fashion House. I wasn’t even ready to talk to him. just a few minutes ago, she was also pleading with me to hear him out. That means she isn’t proud and happy because of what I did to him.

sabrina might not even tell Grandma. Then what is it?

I snap my head towards her to see her smiling again, tears still rolling down her eyes.

“What happened, then? What is this about?”

“Why am I happy?” She demands with a wide smile which isn’t stopping her tears.

“Yes.”

“Because I am proud…” she trails off.

I knew it! I knew that look! My parents always had the same look on their faces whenever I made them proud with my academic results

“I can’t wait to become a great grandmother’, she adds and I turn away from her, not giving much importance to the statement until it dawns on me that she is talking about the present.

Grandma would never talk about her wish to see my children in this position when I am on the hospital bed and Jayden and I aren’t together. What then is she talking about?

I face her and try to sit upright again when the pain shoots through me again stopping me halfway from sitting up in the bed. “What do you mean by having great-grandchildren?” I voice out my curiosity.

“Because you are pregnant’, she announces to my astonishment and my jaws drop.

“What?” I exclaim loudly in disbelief.

Jayden’s POV

Gabriel and I have been searching for Isabella all around the vicinity of the hospital for more than an hour all to no avail. We have been doing this in complete silence, not only because we are not on good terms but also because ‘m worried and I am sure he is too.

isabella is missing and I am going crazy trying to think of where she would have gone.

No one saw her leaving the hospital and I don’t even want my imagination to run wild and have me thinking she must have been kidnapped or killed.

My grip on the wheels tightens instantly and I wish I have a supernatural power to find out where she is.

I know she did this on purpose. This is because of the baby. The baby she is carrying.

My baby.

We found out about her pregnancy just this evening and when her grandmother came out of the room to meet Gabriel, Sabrina, and me outside, I wanted to go in but she stopped me.

isabella said she wanted to be alone.

If I had known this was her intention, I wouldn’t have listened to her Grandma. I would have walked in just in time to stop her from doing what she did.

This is a rash decision and I am scared something bad would happen to her.

The first place I thought of checking her was her Grandma’s place but she isn’t there and we have been driving all around trying to see if we can find her.

itis almost 4 am and I hope she is safe wherever she is.

“I can’t seem to wrap my head around all of these”, Gabriel breaks the heavy moment of silence between us. “Where could she have gone to? Is it because of the pregnancy? Did she freak out because she knows that you would never accept the baby to be yours?”

I hit my hands on the steering. “The baby is mine!”

“Oh, really?” He is being sarcastic now and it is adding to anger and frustration. I am really in no mood to argue with him. Why would he say such a thing? The baby is mine so why won’t I accept him or her as mine?

“The baby is yours”, he repeats. “I love the tone of possessiveness you are using but it’s just so sad that it doesn’t look like it’s yours.”

I step on the brake to stop the car abruptly before turning to Gabriel, my chest heaving up and down in anger.

“What the hell do you mean by that?!”

“she can only be pregnant if you had sex with her, did you two have sex?”

I feel like slapping his face at the moment. Do I look like I need one of his silly jokes right now?

“Don’t be a dumbass, I told you we had sex.”

“Oh!” He fakes surprise. “Really? You two had s*x?”

Talking to him will do me no good. Exuding a deep sigh, I turn back to ignite the car into action, thinking of where to go next. “You were practically showing how much you hate babies to everyone, Jayden”, his tone is serious now. “If I was in Isabella’s shoes, I would have done the same thing”

I don’t say a word.

I know I made it crystal clear that I hate children and I don’t want babies but Isabella and I never had a reason to discuss this because it wasn’t part of our plan.

I have my reasons. I have reasons for every single thing I do.

What does everyone take me for?

She should have allowed me to talk to her. I wanted to clear the air between us but the next thing she decided to do was to run away.

I can’t let her go with my child growing in her womb. Whether I want the baby or not shouldn’t be her concern, she is still my wife after all and that baby inside of her is our legitimate child.

I can’t watch her go away with my child.

“Where do you think we can find her?”

“I don’t know, I say with all honesty. The only place I have in mind is the lake house. I doubt if Isabella even remembers the road to that place. We haven’t gone there since the first time we visited and it will be very hard to differentiate the routes if she hasn’t been going there regularly.

“What about Eunice’s place?”

“sabrina’s friend?” I spare him a hard glance.

What will Isabella be doing with that woman? I know they went to a party together but I am so sure she won’t be with Eunice or whatever her name is,

Besides, Sabrina would have said something to us about it before we left the hospital. She is damn worried too.

Nosh

“Isabella can’t be in her place.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“Because I know her…”

“You know her yet you didn’t expect she would freak out and run away when she gets to know that she is carrying your baby?”

Silence falls.

Gabriel wants to make me feel guilty and he is succeeding.

“I see no reason why you should be worried about her. But when I think of it, it hits me that you are doing this for the baby… “What?” I exclaim in disbelief.

“Yes. You shouldn’t be bothered about any of them. You don’t love Isabella and you don’t like babies, so why the stress and worry?”

Instead of replying to him, I keep mute, my anger mounting with each passing second and each annoying word that comes out of his stupid mouth.

“You don’t love her, Jayden so stops with the worry. I’m sure she will find a safe place to stay and that will be the end. The end of you both. You will end up being single and miserable for life and she will end up being a single mother raising a billionaire’s child on her own…”

I step on the brake again and the car jerks forward before it stops.

The action also shut Gabriel up as his eyes widen in fear. “You want to get us killed?”

My breathing becomes heavy, my heart begins to beat twice its normal rate, my eyes become red and I feel like bursting out all the emotions in me.

“Get out of that seat. I will drive!” He drops from the passenger seat and rounds the car to come to the driver’s seat.

I feel numb all of a sudden and as he pushes me to the seat he was sitting on earlier, I let him.

My body is so weak and my hands are shaking.

When he is settled in the seat, he adds. “I was just telling you the truth. I just wanted you to see the future laid out before you…”

“shut up, Gabriel!” I want it to come out as a yell but I can’t shout. My voice is low and it feels like I will soon break down. The car roars to life again and the silence continues for a while as I place my head in between my palms.

I am not crying. But I am on the verge of crying.

I want to cry because of the confusion I feel.

The confused emotions. I have always been so organized with my life and my plans but everything is a mess now. I dislike people who don’t have plans for their lives. I dislike people who are so confused and indecisive on what to do with their lives but here I am in the same situation, feeling miserable and pathetic.

I am hopeless.

Gabriel is right.

I have always claimed to dislike children and I also claimed not to like Isabella the way she likes me.

He is right. I shouldn’t be worried since I don’t want babies and I don’t want Isabella but I will be lying if I said I won’t be worried.

it will only add to my misery.

Not being worried will only add to the aching of my heart.

Gabriel has been right all along. I shouldn’t have said those words to Isabella. If I was in her shoes and I was told those same words, I would be hurt and I might overreact.

isabella is right for wanting to leave. Isabella is right for wanting to choose Romeo or any other man over me. She is right by running away but do I really want her out of my life?

For three months, she has been the only one I could talk to freely apart from Gabriel. When Gabriel is too busy with his wife or when he is too playful to understand me, she is there.

She has always been there. To comfort me. To console me with her words. To make me happy.

She has always been trying to break through the wall I built around my heart. I built them with strong reasons not to let them break down but I have come to realize that I have the power to break that wall myself. I have the power to give someone else the key to unlock the doors or break the wall to the ground.

This is all about choosing what I want and sticking to it no matter what happens or what my past entails.

Helena would want me to be happy.

She smiled at me today. When I dozed off on the hospital reception chairs waiting for the doctor to come out and tell us the result of the test he did.

We already knew Isabella was fine but I never thought it was pregnancy. I thought it was because she hadn’t been sleeping because I could see it all in her eyes.

She has not been sleeping and I have not been doing the same too.

I don’t need to ask anything if this is my fate. It is left to me to decide if it becomes my fate or not.

“Your decisions usually make up your fortune or your doom’, Gabriel mutters calmly, as if hearing my thoughts.

When I raise my head, a tear rolls down my eyes.

“Drive back to her Grandma’s place”, I instruct him sharply, wiping the lone tear stylishly so he won’t see it.

I know we have gone to her Grandma’s place to find her there already but I believe that will be the first place she would go to if she doesn’t find somewhere to sleep for the night.

When he turns to look at me with a raised brow, I add. “She might be there.”

Jayden’s POV

finish up our discussion in a hurry with my heart racing practically in my ribcage. My mind was on Isabella and what she would do if Sabrina doesn’t pay much attention to her.

I remembered that Gabriel would be out with me tonight because Sabrina was also going out with her female friends and she might not have time to entertain Isabella

When we got to Gabriel’s home to meet Isabella and Sabrina’s absence, fear sprang up in my heart and I began to pac the courtyard, dialing my home phone to give Sandra a call while Gabriel also called his wife

Sandra told me Isabella wasn’t home but Gabriel’s wife said she was with her. That was when I breathed a sigh of relief but I wasn’t stil assured until they arrived

The moment the driver gears the car inside the courtyard, I take a long stride toward them while Gabriel follows me behind

I haven’t been giving him attention. My mind and thoughts have been all over the place. I have been thinking of what I would do if she leaves,

Isabella comes out immediately and she sees me. Sabrina climbs down too.

“Good evening’, I say quickly. “I came to pick her up.”

She nods her head in reply as she smiles. Without hesitation, I intertwined my fingers with Isabella before walking towards my own car.

1 open the door to the car for her myself and watch her climb in. I slide in beside her and close the door without a word to her or a goodbye to Gabriel and his wife who stands watching us

I haven’t been myself since I dropped her off. There was this sudden fear in me. A fear that I couldn’t place. A fear that I kept questioning.

Itis unlike me to be afraid of situations like this. When a situation like this arises, I don’t get worked up because I can easily find a solution to it

But in this case, it feels like there is no solution. I don’t know if it’s because of my reputation or the fear of having Isabella tagged as a gold digger.

Now that I am myself because she is right beside me, I feel stupid for worrying over nothing

Isabella has no choice but to stick to our agreement

“Are you ok?” Her face appears in front of me with concern just as the car drives out of the gates.

I stare at her face, wondering why I have to be so afraid of her leaving. She is just a woman like the rest of the girls out there and I can easily get another woman to replace her.

Will it be that easy? Will it be easy to let her leave and then find another woman, sign another contract, and get divorce again?

I shake my head. “I’m finel’

Her face disappears from my view immediately, making a sinking feeling of guilt settle inside of me.

The tone. My tone was harsh. She was just trying to be caring. As always

Why does she care so much even when I am being harsh to her? Just this evening, I spoke to her rudely about not leaving and she isn’t acting mad. Is this because I am her boss or is this just her nature?

Silence falls between us and my gaze is fixed upon the car window. I am beginning to wonder what is on Isabella’s min too as the silence continues for a long time

Finally, I ask. “Where did you go?”

She doesn’t reply for a while until I snap my head towards her. She smiles. “We went to a party.”

My heart skips a beat

What?

“A party?” I question sharply with my eyes growing large

They went to a party?

“Its a lady’s party and I really enjoyed it…”

“With this dress?” I demand, cutting her short and dropping my gaze to her dress. It is just a simple gown and I noticed before she left home. I just didn’t say a word because I knew she was coming here and I forgot about Helena’s supposed outing

She looks down and scratches her head nervously. “I didn’t know we would go out”

1 nod. “Alright.”

Slowly, I tum away from her and lean my back more comfortably on the seat.

“Jayden?” I hear her call me and I face her again. She looks down, fidgeting with her fingers.

“Whats it?” I ask softly, wishing I can place a hand on her shaky fingers.

Why is she nervous to ask me whatever itis that is on her mind? Does she need something?

“I was wondering if itis possible to get Alex’s number from you. October starts next week and I really need to start making preparations…”

“Alex?” I feign ignorance, making an effort to hide my anger. “Who is Alex?”

She frowns her face slightly, her lips parting slightly, making me remember how she parted those lips for me to kiss the other day.

“I mean Alejandro, the one we had dinner…”

“Oh, Alejandro Lorenzo?” I ask, interrupting her from going further.

“Yes. I need his number.”

“Don’t worry”, I wave it away. “I will call him for you tomorrow.”

1 don’t like how she calls his name casually as though he is a friend of hers. Alejandro is my friend, not hers

It’s really funny how I am beginning to have doubts about her trip to Italy. Alejandro will be there to take her around and that means it will grow their friendship. I don’t want that

Isabella can easily fall for Alejandro and if I really want her gone, she needs to be gone permanently from my life. I don want her to be in love with someone like Alejandro whom I can always see at any time

It will be so hard for me not to recall that kiss even if Alejandro gets married to her and we meet again.

Nol I shake my head intermittently to wave away the stupid thoughts in my head

“Can’t I do that myself? There are some things I would like to ask him”, she persists, jerking me out of my reverie “What questions?” I ask, peering down at her.

She contemplates it for a while before dismissing it with a wave of the hand. “Nothing. Never mind. Just let me know what he says when you call him.”

“I will do that tomorrow”, I repeat and we fall silent again

The thought comes to my mind again and I shake it off. Alejandro is an advocate of marriage but none of his marriages lasted for more than two years. He has been divorced twice and I would never let him have anything to do with Isabella Isabella can find someone else but it should be after we are separated. Even if we are separated and Alejandro shows interest in her, I won’t allow it

However, the thought of being around him for the whole two weeks she would be spending in Italy scares the shit out of me.

Alejandro is a fierce lover.

Shitl I groan inwardly and I can see her staring at me from my peripheral view.

“Jayden, are you ok?” She demands with a tone filled with worry.

“Yes, yes!” I chant loudly. “I’m fine. I just remembered I forgot to pick up a file I will be needing tonight from the office.” My lie could never have been detected to be filled with nothing close to honesty. It sounded so perfect

I’am not one to lie. I don’t care what people think or feel. I say things the way they are but now I am lying and it doesn’t even feel like I am

“Oh, 50 sorry. Should we go then? I can wait in the office while you grab it from the office…”

“No, nol It’s late already. I will work on it tomorrow when I get to work’, I dismiss the topic and we fall silent again till we are some distance away from home

Just as the car drives slowly towards the path leading to our home, Isabella tums to me again as if there is something on her mind that she wants to talk to me about

I notice she has been staring for a long time so I snap my head slowly to face her.

She looks embarrassed for being caught watching but before I can ask her what the problem is, she blurts out. “Can we go to Verona together?”

“What?!” I express loudly, with confusion skating my expression.

Isabella’s POV

Grandma wraps her hands around me in a tight, warm hug that forces me to push back the emotions sweeping through me.

Its been a while since I last visited and I miss her so much. She doesn’t visit me at all and I understand that she is trying to give me the privacy that I need and deserve as a married woman,

I came to see her and how she is coping with her new maid who she likes talking about over the phone and also to inform her o my upcoming trip to Italy in five days

1:am so excited about it and I wish we could go on this trip together. But I know that won’t be possible because I can’t afford it and I can’t bring myself to ask Jayden to do this as a favor.

I can’t ask him for anything that has to do with money. Even if I want to summon up the courage to do that, the fact that I actually got paid before venturing into the business I have with him and his mother’s claim that I am in this marriage for the monetary benefits won’t allow me. Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. I have my pride as a woman.

How have you been, my baby?” She pulls my cheek playfully and a blush appears on my face, remembering how Grandma used to treat me like a child til I finished high school Iwas her little child and I am happy we have settled our differences

I am fine, Grandma? I say with a smile on my face as she leads me away from the door to the couch. I sit on it while she settle on the one next to me.

She continues to watch me for a while until I decide to speak up. “How have you been? Where is this new friend you have beer talking to me about?”

“Oh, Safina? She should be in the kitchen. Should I get her for you?” She wants to rise up to go call her maid who happens to be an elderly woman but I stop her “Don’t worry.

This place is homey and cozy. It has a large sitting room and a spacious kitchen too. There are two bedrooms and I’m sure Safina would be sleeping in the other bedroom.

How are you, my child?” She finally shows the worry etched on her face. Now I know why she was watching me earlier. She has been persistent with her calls these last few days and I thought she missed me but now I know she is worried about me. Probably worried because she knows that this marriage isn’t out of love. She must think that Jayden is mistreating me.

“Pm doing well, Mother. You have absolutely nothing to worry about’, I assure her with one of my brightest smiles.

The worry and frown on her face does not disappear, instead, it deepens. “Are you sure?” Inod quickly. “Of course. ‘m fine, why are you worried?” I take a hold of her hands. She sighs deeply. “ really don’t know why but…”

“Mother, I told you already that Jayden is a good man…” I cut her off.

“That wasn’t what you told me before you both got married…” she interrupts me too “Yes and that was because I didn’t know him well enough.”

But now you do?” She demands with curiosity and I nod. “How much do you know about him? Is he maltreating you?”

“Of course not, Mother. He isn’t maltreating me. Believe me, he is a good man. He was rude and harsh because he was my boss and because he was going through a lot..” I pause.

“Alot which is stopping him from finding a real wife for himself instead of asking you to be his wife for a year?” I can detect the contempt in her voice. It is obvious Mother is still not good with Jayden.

Even though she agreed to come over to this new house because I persuaded her to, she still doesn’t think good of Jayden.

“Mom…” I trail off. “Actually, yes. He is doing this because of what he is going through.”

“What is he going through?” She scoffs, her nose flaring up in displeasure. “I just hope he isn’t taking advantage of you?” She peers at me again

Of course not, Mother. Didn’t I tell you this is just something on paper?” I know what she is talking about. She is asking if he isn’t forcing me to have s* with him. “He didn’t force me to marry him, remember? I willingly ventured into this with my two eye; open. We can’t have sex because it is against the contract”

She remains silent for a while, looking deep in thoughts. “Really?”

Of course”, I roll my eyes,

“You two aren’t sharing the same bed?” Instead of blurting out a yes, I hesitate.

I don’t know f this is a way of asking if we are figuratively sharing a bed or we are having sex.

“We share the same bed but we don’t have s*x as married couples do. We are just married on paper like I said earlier and I am still a virgin *, I declare openly and I see her heave a sigh of relief, her right hand on her chest.

“Ym so relieved. I was worried”, she expresses sadly.

“I know. Jayden is a good man and he won’t do that…”

Don’t be so sure, men can be unpredictable sometimes”, she snarls at me before leaning backward Can men be unpredictable? I know Jayden is naturally unpredictable but I thought that was because he was my boss but now that I think of it, he is still unpredictable Maybe this is why I get hurt sometimes when he does things I don’t expect. Things like pretending as if the kiss didn’t happen. He kissed me but I didn’t expect it. Thats part of it Ared flush creeps to my face and I shake my head This always happens whenever I think about that kiss. A kiss that lasted for just a minute. A kiss that wasn’t supposed to happen. I don’t know why my mind keeps going back to it when it shouldn’t “What are you thinking?” Grandma’s touch and voice jerks me out of my reverie. I blink once to wave away the blush on my fac and the thought of something forbidden before gazing up at her.

“Nothing”, I say sharply with a smile and she nods. There is really no need to prolong the topic of making her see how good Jayden is in just a day. Perhaps if I tell her about the trip he sponsored, she will realize what I am talking about

“Don’t worry, everything will be over soon. When it is over, you can find another man who will love you for who you are and ther you can bring forth kids who will keep me company as you promised me when you were a child”, she stares at me with loving eyes. I can see how much she wishes this didn’t happen but surprisingly I am not sad about it.

I don’t regret getting married to Jayden.

“If anything happens”, she pauses as her fingers graze my cheeks.

I have good news, though, I announce quickly so as not to allow her to go on with the topic of Jayden.

“Good news?” Her eyes widen and it shifts to my belly. She let out a gasp and clasp her hands over her mouth Throaty laughter leaves my mouth and I shake my head. “What are you thinking, Mother? I already told you that Jayden and I will not have s*. This isn’t a s*** relationship.”

“Really?” She doesn’t look excited at the news or sad. Her face is expressionless.

“Yes. The good news is that I am going to Italy in five days. Jayden is sponsoring my trip to make up for not going somewhere nice for our honeymoon.”

“Are you going alone?” She asks calmly.

“Yes. Jayden is too busy to go with me. I’m glad he is not going, though. You know I have always wanted to go there so I can visit Verona…”

“The city of love?” Her eye beams with happiness. “Where your grandfather and I met. Where we consummated our marriage. Where I conceived our first child.”

Her eyes become dreamy and it brims with tears at the remembrance of the man who showered her love til his last breath This is the man who is responsible for my stronghold on the existence of true love. Him and her.

“I pray I find love”, I say unconsciously, looking into space and imagining what would happen if my dreams come true.

I never knew going to Verona would be possible but now that it is going to happen, it doesn’t feel surreal but itis. I can’t wait to go there and see what fate has in stock for me

Iflove finds me, I will hold it with both hands.

My phone rings, pulling Mother and me out of my thoughts. My thought is about finding a man who will love me for who I am, a man who will love me wholeheartedly and appreciate me but Grandma’s thoughts are about her late husband.

Jayden’s name flashes across my screen and I sit upright instantly.

Why is he calling me? I already told him I was going to visit Grandma today and he permitied me to come

He barely calls me except if there is something important he wants to talk to me about

1 pick up the call and glue the phone to my right ear.

Jayden?” I call with a sudden curiosity eating me up.

“Where are you?” He questions sharply tum to Grandma, shifting uncomfortably on the couch. “Ym at Grandma’s. I told you, didn’t 17°

Can you come home now? It’s urgent’, the tone of urgency gets to me and I stand up with my heart beating twice its normal rate.

“Did something happen to you?” I ask, holding the phone more firmly.

“No. We are on the newspaper headlines. Someone revealed to the press about our contract, come home now!”

The phone clicks and the call gets disconnected while my mouth hangs open in the air in shock.

Isabella’s POV 1 burst into the room without knocking to see Jayden pacing the room with a phone glued to his ears and his mouth moving stand by the door for a while but when he hoists his head to look at me, I venture inside.

“Yes, I will give you a call later today”, he says while I walk past him to drop my bag and find somewhere to sit ill he is done an we can talk about the news How the hell can someone tell the press that we are not real couples? Who the hell would that be?

I’m still finding it very hard to believe because Jayden and I are really doing a great job at making things look real between us. No one would have thought we aren’t real unless of course his mother who is still having doubts about me being a gold digger. Perhaps, she is responsible. Maybe this is another tactic of hers to have me gone forever from her son’s life.

“Do you have any idea who did this?” Jayden’s voice jerks me out of my reverie and when I look up, he is wagging a newspape in front of me. Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. Without bothering to take it from him, I swallow hard and answer. “Who else would it be?”

He gasps. “You know who?

“Who else would it be if it wasn’t your Mother?” I rephrase, surprised that he isn’t even thinking of her as the first suspect. This the same woman who was willing to offer me a lot of money to leave: It shows how desperate and capable she is to make sure I am gone.

“Mother?” He asks again as if to be sure. There is a deep frown etched on his expression. He shakes his head quickly. “It can’t be Mother”

“What?!”

“Yes, it can’t be my mom. I know I didn’t tell you but Mother and I had a long discussion over our marriage and she has accepted you with both arms now. She even asked me to invite you to dinner but I told her you were going on a trip..”

“Your mother invited me to dinner?” He nods, standing with arms akimbo. “Without you?”

“Its a girl-girl dinner party so she wanted you to be there.”

“So that means she isn’t the one?” He nods. “How sure are you about this? If she isn’t responsible, then who is? He looks confused too but still shakes his head. “I am very sure this isn’t coming from Mother. She cares about our reputation s much. This is why we are married in the first place. She cared about what people think or say about us so I am very sure she didn’t do this.” 1 still have a strong conviction that she is responsible. Inviting me to dinner might be a way to get my mind off her wrongdoings and I am not sure I can never be comfortable with her again after what she did to me at the hospital She ridiculed me. If Gabriel and Jayden’s father weren’t responsible and understanding, I would have been humiliated that way And now you want us to become friends all of a sudden? Bullshit!

Did you discuss anything about us with Sabrina today at the party?” Jayden asks me again, dropping his arms lazily. 1 don’t understand the point he is driving at. With furrowed brows, I flop heavily to the bed

“Did you take any strong drinks?” He asks again and I roll my eyes at him

I wasn’t drunk that day, Jayden. Did I look drunk to you?”

No, you weren’t but I just want to be sure of where this is coming from. Once we know who is responsible, I can take care of it he declares “I didn’t say anything at the party, I was silent all through because I was initially uncomfortable with the noise and everything but…” I pause.

“But what?” Jayden is in front of me within minutes while I stare into space Eunice Eunice and I talked about Jayden, the contract, and my marriage but it was in front of Sabrina. We didn’t talk about it again afte we left Sabrina’s place

Isabella?” Jayden is squatting in front of me as his strong arms shake me back to reality.

“Eunice…” I only say, unable to bring myself to tell him what we actually talked about How the hell am I supposed to tell him that Eunice and Sabrina claimed I was in love with him and if I wasn’t I wouldn’t have gotten married to him in the first place despite knowing that we would never have sex or any emotional attachment?

“Eunice? Who the hell is that?!” He growls out loudly and I shake my head I can never be Eunice. Eunice knew about this all this while and she didn’t say a word. Why will she do that now?

“Isabella, say something’, he utters firmly in irritation and I blink once.

Eunice was the woman you almost got married to”, I say to him but there is a confused look on his face instead of recognition. Isn’t he supposed to remember her? If he doesn’t recall who she is by name, why can’t he remember her now that I said she is something he almost got married to?

“Who the hell is that? I didn’t get married or almost or whatever you are saying…”

“Eunice is Sabrina’s friend. The one they introduced to you but you couldn’t get married to because she wanted strings attached”, there is no need to point that out but I had to so he can eventually recognize who she is.

Itworked. His countenance changes into that of recognition. He rises slowly and stands in front of me with his arm on his waist

“What about her?”

I saw her at Sabrina’s place that day…”

“No, it can’t be that gir”, he cuts me short, making me open my eyes wide in astonishment. Did he just defend her? It can’t be Eunice?

“How sure are you? How do you know it isn’t Eunice who did this?” I attack him with the questions. Even though I have a strong belief that she has nothing to do with this, I can’t help but feel something stir up in me at the way she is defending her.

Eunice is a beautiful woman who looks like a model just like the categories of women I presumed would fall into Jayden’s class of women. If I wasn’t told the condition of the disagreement between them, I would have been wondering why he left such a goddess for a simple, plain gir like me.

That girl is super sexy. Men will look at her more than once. She has this vibe, that look that can make a man fall to his knee in surrender for a seduction

“I paid her to keep shut. Besides, she is Sabrina’s best friend and she assured me that she won’t say a word…”

“You met again yet you didn’t recognize her name?”

He stares at me with creases on his forehead. “What are you implying? I realize what I am doing. I am jealous because of Eunice. shitt

“That girl and I met only once and I knew instantly that she wasn’t the woman I needed. It was the same day I bumped into you atthe party. Sabrina told me she could be trusted and she never said anything all this while so I don’t think now is the right thing to use this against me. She can easily come back for more money…”

“At the party?’ I ask, lifing a finger. I remember what happened at that party. That was the day I decided to accept his offer and remember he looked angry and was leaving the party when it was just getting started.

Did he leave because he was angry for not geting a woman who suits his needs of a contract and a woman who can be fully satisfied with the idea of *No Strings Attached”?

“Yes, at the party. Do you remember anything or anyone who can…” he gasps too just at the same time that it clicks in my heac Juliet was there at the party. She was the one who convinced me to accept the offer. Juliet was also the one who went behind my back to tell Jayden that she was interested in the contractual marriage Juliet was the same person who informed Grandma about the pretentious marriage. Why the hell didn’t I think of it all along? This is the work of Juliet. This is Juliet’s doing. It is neither Jayden’s mom nor Eunice but Juliet, the backstabber and betrayal. When I lift my head to meet Jayden’s gaze on me, I realize he also remembers her, probably because of our recent encounter on the night we had dinner with Alejandro.

Simultaneously, we both exclaim loudly. “Juliet?”

Jayden’s POV

This is the best solution. Not the ridiculous idea of meeting up with Juliet and confronting her about the newspaper headlines That won’t do anything. The deed has been done and the only way to rectify this is to accept the invitation to the business dinner party which I rejected last week because Isabella would be going to Verona two days after.

just need to make an appearance there to rule out the rumor about us being in a contractual marriage.

Isabella also likes the idea but she wanted to confront Juliet and we argued back and forth about that before she agreed not to go

That will only cause a scene. What she has done is enough

It might actually ruin the idea of getting divorced after a year but I won’t let that bother me. I don’t let peoples disreputable talks about me get to me, I see no reason why now should be the beginning of letting their talks get to me.

After a year, we are getting separated and that is final. I don’t care if they get to relate it to the news that Juliet willingly gave ou tothe press. I wonder how she did that.

AllI care about right now is how to make sure that we rule out the rumor and look real during the dinner party.

I am wearing a custom-tailored two-piece suit with black luxury leather oxford shoes while Isabella is wearing an elegant sleeveless off-shoulder bodycon long dress.

Itis also black and she is wearing silver earrings and a necklace with her hair packed in a low bun

With arms entwined, we venture further into the bustling hall filed with numerous businessmen and women from around the world

I can feel Isabella’s nervousness but I am not saying anything to assure her that the day will go well. She needs to get used to pushing back her nervousness and getting the day done with each time we go out

We walk in until a familiar face stops us.

Jayden’, he says in a low voice but I can’t recognize him. This was the reason why I didn’t want to come initially. I know there will be a lot of people here today and I was trying to avoid associating myself with long-distance friends and former business partners. Some of the men from the billionaire’s club will be here but now that we are here, it can not be avoided He pulls me in a tight hug, making me leave hands with Isabella. His cologne attacks my nostril and I remember who he is almost immediately.

“Sebastian? I call, more like a question to be sure that he is the one Sebastian is among the billionaire club members but he left even before I did. Its been a long time and I guess that’s why I couldn’t recognize him at first glance.

The cologne reminds me of who he is. The same cologne Helena wanted me to always use whenever I want to go out. Sebastian smelled the cologne on me and told me he uses it too.

“Yes, buddy. How have you been?” He asks as he disengages from the hug. Before I can answer, he shifts his gaze to Isabella who isn’t standing awkwardly like I thought she would be doing The smile on his face widens.

Isabella is standing with a beautiful smile on her face, watching the two of us as we hug,

“Your wife?” He demands and I nod without a word. He embraces her and kisses her two cheeks. roll my eyes.

Is this necessary? A hug should be enough, right?

“How are you doing, Isabella?” He questions and my eyes widen. How did he know her name? Did Isabella tell him?

Before I can think further about it, he faces me squarely again. “I never knew you would come. I am so happy you are here.”

“Yeah, I’m happy to see you too.”

“It’s been so long since we last saw each other’, he announces with a big grin on his face as he searches my face.

1 shrug nonchalantly

1s she the one someone said you are in a contractual relationship with?” He asks and the smile on my face fades off He already knows about Isabella even before we bumped into him. That must be how he got her name.

How the hell did he know when he isn’t even a resident of New York City? I am sure he flew in from wherever he is hiding just t attend this business dinner.

Itis a business dinner but I feel itis more of a trick to convince the businessmen they want to partner with to accept their proposal. I am amongst the businessmen whose automobile industry has been shown interest in but I’m not interested in any partnership for now.

“What do you think?” I laugh fakely, thinking of what to do to make him believe the story isn’t true.

Isabella and I disengaged our arms when he hugged me and it will look too real to be true if I hold her hands now all of a sudden. It will look like we are putting up a show.

Baby, I need to use the restroom’, her voice pulls me out of my reverie and Sebastian’s eyes fal on her.

Thankful for the interruption, I tum to Isabella. “I will be waiting here for you, love.” She leans in and pecks my lips and something flashes across my memory. The kiss.

“Will you be able to find your way to the restroom?” Sabastian’s concemed tone does not give me a chance to dwell much on

this abrupt peck on the lips and the similar one that took almost two minutes the other day.

That kiss was different. It was intense. No one was watching

This one is quick. Where everyone is watching.

But surprisingly, I could feel the jolts of electricity running down my spine at that little affection, even though it is fake. Isabella nods and walk away.

“She is beautiful’, Sabastian comments, and I realize I am watching her walk away. She does not only look beautiful, but she is also elegant and sexy in that dress.

“Wow!” I snap my head towards him, making an effort not to show my displeasure at his comments. “You made a good choice.” “Yes, thank you’, I force myself to smile, wishing he can just disappear. I was happy at first to see him but now that he is flirting with my wife, I want him gone Sebastian is a huge flirt. This is why he isn’t married yet. He almost got married to one Indian girl whose father was a member ¢ our billionaire club but he ruined it with his flirtatious acts with other women.

He was not only caught cheating with another woman. He was also caught flirting with the girl’s step-sister.

The girls father was an American but her mother was an Indian and she spent her whole life in India until that year when she flew to America to meet her father’s new family.

Sebastian won her over with his sweet mouth. Her father was against it but the innocent girl insisted until Sebastian cheated. That was why he left New York

1 would never allow that to happen between him and Isabella

Even after our separation, there are some certain men Isabella can never be with, some certain men I would never support her to go out with and Sebastian is top on the list, followed by Alejandro

I heard about Helena’s death, I’m really sorry about that’, his face tums sour and I nod in acknowledgment He likes Helena. If I didn’t trust her, I would have accused Helena of cheating on me with him but funny enough, Helena was never out with me to the club members’ party.

“May her sweet soul rest in peace”, he says. “Amen “Amen, I utter too, wishing for a topic change As if hearing my thoughts, he sighs and the smile is back on his face. “Isabella looks stunning, where did you find such a beautiful bride?”

Tonly smile. Sebastian is the last person I would tell that I got married to my Assistant.

“About the rumors, is it true?’

Of course not’, I deny with a deep frown. “How can you believe such bullshit?”

“I thought as much. She looked really beautiful on the papers but seeing her closely, I believe she is twice as beautiful as she looked on the papers. How can you be in a contracted relationship with such a beautiful, sexy woman?”

This is it. I am done with this conversation. The more he compliments her, the more annoyed I become. He is not only using simple words like beautiful anymore, he has upgraded his compliments to being sexy. What the hell is that for?

“I should go now, Sebastian”, I say to her in a quick tone. “I should go look for my wife. She might not know her way around.”

Ohl” He only murmurs and nods his head in understanding. Before I can take a step away from him, he raises a finger. “If it turns out that you are truly in a contracted relationship with her, then it means it is for a limited time. Don’t hesitate to let me know so I can ask her to marry me…”

“Shut up!” I growl out loudly before turning away from him in irritation.

He isn’t only letting me know that our future separation will make this rumor true, but he is also talking about getting married to her after I am done with her.

Leaving him standing there, I begin to take long strides toward the path Isabella took on her way to search for the restroom Remembering what Sebastian just said about getting married to Isabella after we are separated, I growl again inwardly. “What the hell

Isabella’s POV

Finding my way to the restroom, I heave a deep sigh of relief for escaping that man’s piercing eyes which seemed to be searching for answers.

1 don’t fee like using the restroom. I just used that as an excuse to escape and get my emotions together. Iam as nervous as hell and itis damn surprising. I thought I had this all in control and I am gradually getting over my nervousness about being Jayden’s wife in public. Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. I was also nervous when we had dinner with Alejandro but the moment we began to talk, it disappeared. But this man’s question were making more scared that I would say something stupid which will blow the cover.

1 don’t even know who he is to Jayden but they seem pretty close.

I squat and facepalm myseif, exhaling and inhaling deeply to calm my nerves,

If was to choose, I would have chosen to spend the night in our room reading a book instead of being out here where it feels like everyone has their eyes on me

Itis f+ crazy.

just had to do this because of that selfish bitch I called a friend. She did this. I am so sure she did and this is why I am in this pathetic situation.

1 am beginning to feel sick with the number of people at this so-called event. Jayden says itis just a little gathering but this isn’t litle. If it is little to him because he is a billionaire, it isn’t te to me because I am a nobody. What the heck is this? Is this how wealthy people live their lives? Being the center of atiraction shouldn’t be something to be proud of, itis crazy and it makes me feel sick inside

1 just wish we could leave.

My body trembles for a while but I am making an effort to put myself together before going out again. These are the sacrifices I have to make. This is the job I was employed for. I need to do this. I need to putin much effort to make this real and make this outing worthwhile.

If Juliet hadn’t done that there, we wouldn’t be here to prove anything to anyone

1 should be preparing for my trip to Italy. I haven’t started packing my things yet and I haven’t made a list of the things I plan to do in Italy apart from visiting Verona and Tuscan

Maybe that won’t be necessary since Alejandro will be there to take me anywhere I want to go. He might as well give me a few suggestions of what to do.

1am sure before I am back, I will be fully immersed in my role as a billionaire’s wife and I will be used to it already. At least, I wil have something to say about flights and a trip to major cities in a country like Italy.

From nowhere, I feel a surge of energy and confidence I get up and open the little door to go out. Before I get to the main door out of the restroom, a lady comes in, almost bumping into me but I am quick to move back When she looks up to apologize, I find her familiar

“Isabella?” She calls my name and I rack my brain for a few seconds to figure out who she is and where I know her from. Alok of disappointment crosses her expression. “Don’t tell me you don’t recognize me?”

It sounds like a question so I nod and she sighs and stands in front of me with arms akimbo,

‘m Anna, your… Jayden’s Assistant’, she says and I feel bad for not recognizing her. I guess her makeup and dress made it impossible to figure it out quickly.

I’m so sorry’, I apologize and she nods with a polite smile.

I expect her to move away so I can go out but she isn’t moving away from the door.

“Can you please excuse me? My husband must be waiting for me already.”

In response, she scoffs and the good-girl look is off her face.

Jayden and I are supposed to come to this party together”, she utters, examining me from head to toe. “Why did he come with you?”

1s this party a boss-Assistant party?” I ask her sharply.

1 won’t be intimidated. I already know her and why she is working with Jayden. If only I wasn’t aware, I would have been surprised by her choice of words but I am not This is expected. The envy.

“On, really?”

“Wait’, I raise a finger. “Did you just call Jayden by his name? Isn’t he your boss?”

“I guess that’s how you also called him his name when you were his Assistant tll you got him into your bed and force him to marry you.”

“You said your name is Anna, right?” I question, looking bothered about what rubbish she is spurting out of her mouth

“I had a friend in high school whose name was Anna and she was very nice, not a bitch like you. If you will excuse me…”

How dare youl” She growls at me with a menacing look on her face.

Before I can say anything, the door opens and Jayden comes in. I expel a deep sigh.

“What the hell is happening here?” He demands with his hands in his pockets, glancing from me to Anna who begins to smile a of a sudden

“Your Assistant here was telling me how unethical it is to bring your wife to the party instead of her”, I inform him and he glares at her harshly

“How dare you talk to my wife that way?” He defends me and a smile creeps to my face. Anna’s smile vanishes and she bows lightly. “fm sorry, sir.”

Jayden tums to me and moves closer to hold my hands. “You’ve been gone for too long. I was worried.” The closeness is because of Anna’s presence. I am sure of this. Jayden doesn’t do this when no one is around. Time to switch to my acting mode too, I say within me and place my two hands on his chest. “Im fine.”

I can feel the beating of his heart. It is pounding wildly and my heart also begins to thump hard the same way coincidentally. I’m sorry about Sebastian from earlier. He used to be one of my friends”, he informs me and I raise a brow, wondering if he is doing this because Anna is here or just pleading to me with all honesty. He must have figured out that I was uneasy being with that guy.

Its fine.”

“I love you’, he says in a low tone and I hear Anna grumble.

I smile at his handsome face. “I love you, too.”

Before I can process what I just said, he crashes his lips on mine and I go still immediately. My heart stops beating and my eye; are wide open Anna’s gasp jerks me out of my reverie and I realize what is happening. Quickly, I close my eyes. This isn’t real, I keep telling myself as his lips move on mine and my heart begins to race faster than ever before. This is just a show. This is just to convince Anna that we are real couples. This is practically our first ever kiss as acting couples. The first one which happened at the lake house isn’t considered a kiss because no one was in sight

But I value that kiss. It means so much to me.

My stomach churns and my legs become weak when he grabs me closer to him, his nose brushing mine roughly as he deepen: the kiss.

His hands caress my cheeks and his breath fans my entire body, making a shiver run down my spine.

1 open my mouth wider for him to explore and he does that, delving his tongue further in When the door slams shut, I know that Anna is already out of the restroom, unable to bear the sight of me kissing a man who was promised to become her husband Well, they might actually work out when I am gone.

Instead of pulling away from the kiss, I let Jayden continue kissing me, wondering if he is aware that she is out already or not. Suddenly, he stops but his mouth is still on mine. I open my eyes and his eyes flutter open too

He glances around to see that we are alone before he gently pulls me away with one of his cutest smiles which I consider as ar apology for kissing me.

My heart sinks deep inside of me but I have to force myseif to smile back at him

“Let’s go home!” He says and grabs my hand to take the exit out

Italy, VERONA CITY

Isabella’s POV

Alejandro was there to welcome me immediately after I deplaned and got my suitcase

He was there with two hefty bodyguards who don’t speak English at all but have sunshades on to hide their eye colors.

He was holding a crafted paper that had my name on it. The moment I saw the name, my heart swells with joy.

He was grinning from ear to ear and it is obvious that he is extremely glad that I stuck to my promise. I am also happy to be finally here.

1 didn’t bother to ask Jayden to come with me anymore because I know he is busy and since he rejected the offer the other day asked if we could go together.

1 hope to enjoy my stay here, even though I miss home already.

Alexandro pulls me into a tight hug while his men take my suitcase.

La moglie del mio amico & qu’, he mutters before releasing me while I pout

“What does that word mean?” I ask out of curiosity with a big grin on my face.

“My friend’s wife is here!” He spread his arms out wide as he translated the sentence for me and I laugh. Not because of how ridiculous he looks right now but because of how he called me his friend’s wife.

If only he knew!

1am so sure that Alejandro will be highly disappointed when Jayden and I get divorced and we tell him the truth about our unior twill be hard for him to believe because he likes me for Jayden, apparently.

Almost all the people I have met who know Jayden’s relationship with Helena like me, except of course his Mother. It might probably be because they think I am the one who is meant to heal his broken heart or because they think Jayden will eventually find the happiness he deserves by being with me since we claim to love each other.

I know if I had a brother and he has a wife who makes him happy, I would definitely love her.

He entwines my hand with his and tums round. “Let’s get you home.”

*Home?” I ask, wondering what he means by that as I follow him slowly like a puppet

“Yes, aren’t you exhausted from your trip?” He questions with a raised brow.

“Well, yes. I am jet lagged…”

“I already made a hotel reservation for you close to the Villa. I want you to freshen up, eat something, take a rest and I will com to get you later tonight”

Ok?”

Silence falls fill we get to the huge car. I click my tongue in amazement while the bodyguards open the door for us. Like a gentleman, Alejandro helps me into the car before climbing in beside me and the car roars to life immediately. Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. “How was your trip?” He breaks the silence, turing to stare at me with a light smile on his face

I shrug nonchalantly. “t was fine.”

I can’t possibly tell him that this is my first time on a plane apart from when I was little and I went on a vacation with my parents That was a long time ago and this flight felt ike the first ever experience on a plane.

“Jayden didn’t come? I thought you were going to cajole him to?”

“Well, I ried once to persuade him but he wouldn’t budge. You know how stubborn he can be, I laugh shortly and he chuckles while nodding his head in agreement

Silence creeps in slowly. Just then, my phone beeps to signify a message.

Jayden’s name flashes across my phone screen. “You must be in Italy now, how was your trip?”

An unconscious smile creeps to my face at the not-too-informal message. I am his wife for crying out loud. But fake.

1s that Jayden?” Alejandro must have noticed my smile

“Yes”, he faces him

“A message? Don’t tell me he is still unromantic.”

laugh. “He is trying.”

“I heard what happened, though. How true is it?” His tone becomes serious and I let the smile on my face fade.

What is he talking about? Is it about the newspaper headlines Jayden and I tried to rule out two nights ago when we attended his so-called business associate’s dinner party?

“What are you talking about?” I demand as he peers at me intensely.

“I’m talking about the papers…”

Papers?” I fake ignorance. How did he know when he was in ltaly?

“Yes, Isabella. Stop with the pretense. I’m talking about the rumors of you and Jayden not being real. Is it true? Is this a contracted marriage?”

“What? Of course not’, I deny with a loud voice that surprises me too. Alejandro is watching me closely, trying to read through me to satisfy his curiosity.

1 thought the show had helped to convince people that we are real and the rumors were true.

1 was so sure Anna would report seeing us kissing to Jayden’s mother and possibly tell other people too out of envy and jealousy.

“Are you sure?” His hand touches mine. “You can confide in me, you know.”

Despite the initation in me at his emphasis on telling the truth, I smile. “I know, right?”

“You know you can trust me?” I nod. “Then tell me what is happening.”

“Alex, nothing happened. Jayden’s mother doesn’t ike me and she is bent on seeing me leave Jayden. .”

Jayden’s mother?” He asks, interrupting me

“Yes. Well, I’m not sure if she is the one responsible for that rumor but I’m just telling you what I know”, I am not lying entirely. “She was willing to offer me a million dollars to leave Jayden.”

He gasps with his eyes growing large. “Che cosa?”

“Yes. This should be between us”, I plead with my eyes. Jayden must not know that I told Alejandro something like this but I jus have to say something to cover up and satisfy his curiosity. If I don’t say anything, he will keep pestering me

“Does Jayden know?”

sigh. “I told him the very day she offered me the money and he was extremely mad. I don’t know why she doesn’t like me. She made me feel accepted before the wedding.”

“I understand”, his hand rests on mine again to assure me.

We both fall silent. To avoid more questions, I lean backward on the car seat and close my eyes.

1 didn’t come to Italy to think about my pathetic situation. I am here to enjoy a vacation away from my troubles,

Since Jayden isn’t here, I shouldn’t think too much about him. I shouldn’t think about the kiss. Not the first one nor the second kiss which happened two nights ago.

I remember Jayden’s message and I wonder why he isn’t calling me instead

Is he busy with work? Did he spare just a few seconds to send me a text expecting a reply so he can be assured that I landed safely?

Before I can sit upright to send a reply to his text, the car comes to a stop and I look around to see that we are right in front of the hotel

“Here we arel” Alejandro’s announcement jerks me upright. “Welcome to Italia, signoral”

Isabella’s POV

After putting on a logo bodycon dress, Alejandro’s driver got me and we drove to the villa with my heart thumping wild in excitement.

We couldn’t visit the villa yesterday because Alejandro said so. He only took me around the surrounding areas for sightseeing and in just one day, I have seen a lot. But it wasn’t enough

I have been awake since the break of dawn in anticipation of today’s tour. Alejandro said it would be best to visit the villa in the morning or late afternoon which is why he asked me to go back to my hotel yesterday. Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. We get there within minutes o driving and the driver opens the car door for me. I jump down, wondering where Alejandro is when he appears from nowhere with a big wide grin on his face.

“ll Mio Amore”, he spread his arm out and I hug him, paying a deaf ear to the way he called me his love When I release myself from the hug, I know I should have rolled my eyes at him instead.

Before I can say anything, he grabs my hand. “Let’s go visit Romeo and Juliet.”

My excitement comes back and I almost jump up. I am about to ask him how long we would walk when I see a large crowd in front of us. Itis more like a hallway leading to somehow and I need no soothsayer to tell me where we are.

Maybe Alex wanted to surprise me but the Juliet Wall gave it away. I always saw the Wallin pictures and seeing them in reality now makes my mouth drop in awe

“Verona is the 4th visited City in Italy”, Alejandro speaks, his Italian accent back stronger than ever before as he drags me further in We move past the wall with crowded people and I glance around in utter amazement

“And this was as a result of Shakespeare’s claim of Romeo and Juliet in the city of Verona, even though he never visited Verona.” He continues as we venture in.

“His other play…” He trails off, stopping abruptly and looking like someone in deep thoughts.

He must be trying to remember Shakespeare’s other plays. “The two gentlemen in Verona?”

“Beautifull’ He compliments me with a wave of the hand, making me smile.

He continues again. “In November 2000, the city was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO because of its urban structure and architecture.

Just then, we get to the courtyard and there is a statue of who we presume to be Juliet. I gasp, my hands leaving Alejandro whe is still rambling on without knowing that I am in a different world entirely.

I can feel the tears brimming in my eyes as I watch the statue and how people are gathered there trying to touch her. I snap my head around to see the balcony.

There was a balcony in the book, Romeo and Juliet. The balcony is there in front of me, decorated with freshly cut-out flowers The building structure is extremely old but it surprises me how much people can value things no matter how ancient tis. Despite being old, everywhere locks extremely beautiful, reminding me of every action in the book of Juliet and Romeo.

1am emotional because I could never have imagined myself at this age in Verona. I used to think it would take me years of harc work to be able to save up for a trip here but here I am all thanks to Jayden.

If have never felt any gratitude towards him before, then now, I can feel it. I feel grateful to him for this opportunity. For making my dreams come true.

To me, the play was just fiction but right now, standing in the middle of the courtyard with the statue of Juliet in front of me and the balcony up the grand staircase beside me and a lot of people going in and coming out, it feels real

The story of Juliet and Romeo feels real and I doubt if Alejandro’s claim that Shakespeare wasn’t here is true.

How could he have made it this real? He must have been here to listen to their stories

What am I saying?

“Bella?” Alejandro’s voice jerks me out of my reverie. “Are you alright?

I nod my head vigorously and answer. “Just overwhelmed.”

Ohl” He only murmurs, laughing to himself as we stand watching the statue together.

“This feels real”, I break the silence, holding onto my other hands tighter.

Legendary’, Alejandro corrects and I know what he means by that. He doesn’t believe that it actually happened. “The house belongs to the Capullos and it dates back to the 13th century. Scholars have opined that the description of the villa tallies with that of the house that was said to have been occupied by Juliet in the play’, he pauses then looks at me. “They called it Juliet’s house.”

Silence creeps in.

“Should we go check out the tomb?” He asks, his intense eyes boring into me.

“Juliet’s tomb?” I ask again to be sure, the scene racing through my head. Scenes of the play. He nods and I shake my head before folding my arms around my bosom 1am thinking of how I can get to touch the statue and take a picture of it but there are people crowded around the place like bees released from their beehive.

“I want to touch her’, I say with a pout. “The tomb can come later *

He laughs shortly and grabs my hand. “Let’s go touch her then

We saunter towards the statue and when we get there, we are left to find a way to touch her. Alejandro does a great job of squeezing me among the crowd, allowing me to touch her legs.

In a whisper, starting me. “It is believed that if you put the breast in your mouth, you would find love.”

look back sharply, almost losing my place beside the statue. What does he mean by love? I am supposed to be excited about but why is he saying it when he knows that I am married to Jayden? Does he not believe me?

“Get up there and do it”, his voice is loud as I see more people coming toward us.

Without hesitation, I jump up trying to touch her breast. I thought touching any part of her body will make the belief come true but now that Alejandro says it is something else, then I have to believe him.

He knows everything more than I do.

I can’t reach her and I take a step on the podium which will make it easier for me to take her b***t in my mouth

Suddenly, I realize what I am doing. Struggling to get her b****t in my mouth just like every other person around me is doing Is this even hygiene? Everyone will have their saliva on her, I think inwardly in iritation

I will make do with touching her bt

Out of nowhere, I feel something pushing up from the ground and I realize it is Alejandro. He places a foot of mine on the podium, making me tall enough to touch her bt.

With his hands stil on my legs, so I won’t fall off with the struggles everywhere, he shouts. “Grab her breast and take it in your mouth.”

Even if I want to do that, it isn’t possible now. There is someone’s mouth on her b™**t and he looks desperate

I target him and when he takes his mouth off, I grab it in haste before anyone else attacks it with their mouth

A euphoric feeling of satisfaction fills me up and I shout

Alejandro must have realized I had achieved my goal because the next thing I feel is my legs on the floor and I pull him into a hug in excitement

“You got it?” I nod and disengage from the hug.

Let’s go see the tomb and come back for the pictures”, he takes a hold of my hand and we tum around to go when something hard hits my face and I find myself falling to the floor.

Alejandro grips my hand tighter to stop me from falling and another hand grabs my other hand which stops me halfway. This is when I realize I have bumped into someone and he is the other person holding my hand. He pulls me up while Alejandro’s mouth is agape with shock flashing across his eyes.

“Ym so sorry’, the person apologizes when I try to even my breath.

I shake my hand and look up at him. The first thing that catches my attention is the blue eyes that look just the same as Jayden, then his full brows and the smile he flashed me.

1…should be apologizing”, I find myself stuttering and adjusting my dress.

He continues to smile as he examines me carefully. Then, he stretches his hand for a handshake. “I am Romeo, what is your name?” My jaws drop open and my eyes widen. “Romeo?’

Jayden’s POV

Bella’s fashion house is boldly written in front of the transparent door leading to the beautiful fashion house Asense of fulfilment fills me up and I feel the sudden need to talk to her.

Isn’tit high time I swallow my ego and call her? It’s been a week already and I won’t deny that I miss her. The thought of coming back from work every day for the past 7 days now to meet the absence of someone I have already gotten used to makes me miss her more.

Ithas always been like an inconvenience having her around in my room, when I am eating, sleeping, or bathing but now I don’t even care about going to the bathroom with a towel tightly wrapped around me. I haven’t called her. AllI did on the day she arrived was to text her.

1 waited impatiently for her reply which came very late in the night but I sill couldn’t bring myself to call her.

Instead, I called Alejandro who attacked me for not coming along with my bride. I couldn’t ask about Isabella in order not to arouse suspicion, This gift in front of me is supposed to come a month before our contract will expire but I have been spending these past few days getting things together for her to come back home to something as amazing as this This is her dream and this is what I promised myself. Helping her to achieve her dreams while she helped me achieve my goals too.

She deserves this and more

She hasn’t really said much to me about her dreams of having a fashion house but I could read it all in her eyes. She lacked the capital to give such a huge business a try but it is what she had always wished for.

It makes me smile. And proud of myself

I really can not wait for her arrival. Just yesterday, I was blaming myself for granting her the permission to stay there for two whole weeks instead of giving her just a week to be back home.

If it was a week, then she would be home by now and this emptiness in me won’t be there.

I know how much void she has filed. She has been nothing but a good friend and I appreciate her for that

Ever since I spoke to her about Helena, I barely feel the guilt, coupled with the fact that Helena keeps smiling down at me anytime I dream about her.

Isabella told me that Helena would want me to be happy again but I didn’t believe her because I felt Helena won’t be happy whenever she is and it will be unfair for me to be happy when I caused it all

But Helena’s constant smile which is in contrast to the initial screams and anger on her face puzzles me

Itis giving me the sense that Isabella might be right and I ought to be happy again Taking note of the remaining things left to finish up the touches of the building, I twirl around with my arms in my pocket before heading back to the car.

Everything should be done before she is back. The car door opens and I enter. Sitting quietly at the back of the car, I watch the building as the car drives away.

I made sure I secured a good building that isn’t too far from our house. I don’t know why I did this but I know I didn’t consider th fact that I might still be seeing her around after our divorce AllI had in mind was the ability to go to her place of work whenever I was home early. With her thoughts hovering in my mind, I remain silent with my back on the car seat, tll we get home.

1 wonder what she is doing by this time of the night. Is she having dinner with Alejandro? Is Alejandro keeping her company? The only reason why I am rest assured that she might be a little safe from Alejandro’s charm is the fact that she is staying in a hotel far from his country home. I specifically told her not to stay anywhere else but in a hotel.

My ego might be at work, I admit but itis taking me a whole lot of courage not to pick up the damn phone and ask her for 6 nights in a row what she is doing and who she is spending the night with.

Isabella would be surprised or offended. This is why I don’t do it. We aren’t real and she deserves a good lfe after all of this sham is over. But whenever I think about the major factor for her visi to Verona, I can’t help but feel annoyed

Itwakes up an angry demon in me.

She is out looking for true love. Has she found it now?

1 climb down from the car immediately after the car is parked in the open garage. Jude assists me with the briefcase and I walk towards the front door with one intention in mind. Tonight, I am giving her a call

1am damn curious to know how she is faring. Damn interested in hearing her voice. That soft caring voice.

1 guess I miss her more for her caring nature. Sometimes, she makes me feel like a child

Her consistent “Jayden, are you ok? amuses me. She is always worried or concerned about me.

“Welcome, Master”, the two maids at the entrance greets politely with a bow of the head.

“Good evening’, I reply casually without stopping my walk towards the staircase which I will take to my room.

My empty room. A room without Isabella. Taking three stairs at a time, I get to the top in a split second and I am strolling to the bedroom door, holding my briefcase firmly 1 get to the door and push it open and my gaze falls on the bed immediately. What was I expecting? Is it an unexpected Isabella in bed reading a book?

Honestly, I was hoping to meet her at the house. I was yearning for her to surprise me by arriving earlier than the agreement bu she isn’t here.

She is still in Verona, probably laughing with some Italian assholes.

Muttering a few curse words to myseff, I pull off my tie and fish out my phone from my pocket to give her a call

1 don’t need to call Alejandro tonight to know if all is well, I should call Isabella directly and hear from the horse’s mouth Funnily, she hasn’t called me either. Isn’t she supposed to call me first to tell me about what she has seen in the City and to tell me about her flight?

I dial her number and it rings without a response. It makes me more desperate to hear her voice.

Is everything ok? Is she fine? Why isn’t she picking up?

1 dial the number again and it rings for a while before going into voicemail. I curse silently and dial her number again. What the hell is happening? Should I call Alejandro to know if they are together? Wait, if they are together, then why isn’t she picking up?

Before the call will go to voicemail, she picks up, and my breathing hitch in my throat, sending a comforting shiver down my spine.

She isn’t saying anything. She is laughing instead.

Is she laughing at me because I am blowing up her phone with calls?

“Hello”, she says randomly into the phone after she sobers up and I feel a stab of anger. She falls silent before she exclaims. “On, Goodness, Jayden?”

1 don’t say anything. Why is she acting strange? Didn’t she see my name on her screen? Am I a joke to her? Is she drunk? 1am here worrying myself to death while she is there enjoying herself and oblivious to the fact that I am worried and I’m finally calling her after a whole week Who the hell is she out with? Who is making her laugh so hard? Is it Alejandro?

I gaze up to see the time. Itis 10 pm already and she should be back in her hotel room already. Where is she? Did she receive a guest in the hotel or is she still out?

1 ball my fist in infuriation.

Jayden, are you there?” She asks but I can’t find my voice. “’m so sorry, I didn’t know it was you. I didn’t check the caller ID before picking it up.”

“And that is because you were laughing with some asshole to realize that’, I can’t believe I actually voice out my thoughts

She does not say anything again and I bite my lips in regret. Biting my lips reminds me of how everything I do or see reminds me of her. The biting lip is a habit I got from her.

“Ym sory….L.”

“Where are you?” I cut her short instead

I hear nothing from the other side until I realize she is whispering. “Romeo, where are we? What? Romeo? Who the hell is that?

really don’t know, Jayden but I’m on my way to the hotel already…”

“Where is Alejandro?” The frown on my face deepens to realize that she isn’t even with Alejandro but with some random guy ju as I speculated

1 would actually feel relieved if she was with Alejandro, not some stupid Romeo who has a name with the fictional Romeo. What the hell is that?

“He dropped me off at the hotel earlier on and he said we would meet tomorrow”, she sounds guilty.

“Alejandro dropped you off at the hotel and you just told me you are on your way to the hotel? Do you know anywhere in Italy?” “I know but I actually went out with a friend…”

“Afriend?” I interrupt her from going further. “A Romeo, right?

“What? How did you know his name?” She demands sharply, sounding surprised that I know his name when her supposed whisper was loud enough for me to hear.

My anger continues to rise with each passing second. At her calmness. At the guilt in her tone. At that stupid guy she calls Romeo and at myself for being here while she is with some stupid guy who she might eventually claim she has fallen in love with by the time she is back home.

Italian men can be dangerous. Some parts of Italy itself can be dangerous. She isn’t safe. I need to go there. Without thinking, I blurt out. “I am coming to Verona first thing in the morning. See you tomorrow”, I announce and disconnect the call before she can react to the news. When I drop the phone, it dawns on me that I have just given a promise to take the first flight to ltaly tomorrow moming becaust 1 am being overprotective of her. Abruptly, I shoot up to my feet and hit my fist into the air at my decision. “F**I”

Isabella’s POV

I could barely sleep a wink throughout the night. I can’t place how I feel about this or why I didn’t sleep.

Am I worried about Jayden?

Why did he suddenly inform me that he is coming to Verona? Is he coming for a business meeting? Is he coming to see me? He clearly rejected my offer for us to come together so I shouldn’t raise my hopes high

Am I scared of him?

Why should I be scared? Am I scared that he will ruin what is between Romeo and me? He doesn’t seem to like the fact that I was with Romeo last night and laughing. Romeo is a clown and he makes me laugh but he is just a friend

Even if I want to be in a relationship, I know it isn’t the right time to do this. I am married to someone else and it will be so bad o me to go into a relationship with a man I just met. I might actually consider him in the future if he asks me out. He hasn’t said anything yet but I know he likes me just as much as I ie him. Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. I will probably tell him what is happening. I actually lied to him last night that Jayden is a friend who is just checking up on me.

I regret why I called him a friend instead of a brother. Maybe if I had called Jayden my brother, Romeo wouldn’t have looked surprised and asked me why my friend is checking up on me that late.

My emotions are jumbled and I don’t understand how I feel.

I should be excited that he is coming, right? But I am not. How can I be happy when I don’t even know why he is coming over? Iwill be highly disappointed if I get over-excited with the thought that he is coming over because of me so we can explore the city together and he ends up coming here because of some business shit.

Just before I can rise from the bed, a knock comes on the door and I get up to answer it

“Ta-dal’ Romeo appears in front of my door with a bouquet and a bottle of red wine.

Hey”, I quickly recover from my shock and give him a brief hug, absentmindedy.

He notices my mood and when I pull away from the hug to accept the flowers and allow him into the room, he asks. “Are you ok?”

“Yes, sure!” I reply quickly. I just feel a little tired from last night’s walk’, I chuckle to hide my nervousness.

should find a way to excuse myself from tonight’s date too. Romeo is an ltalian too and he came from Spain. He told me he has been frequenting Verona for three years and he knows his way around more than I do.

He actually promised to take me around at night for the remaining days left for me to go back to America and I accepted willing! because I was always bored in my hotel room after Alejandro drops me off by 7 pm

These days, he drops me off earlier than usual and I suspect that he is seeing someone

When Romeo bumped into me and he was demanding my name, I saw Alejandro talking to some brunette and I am suspecting they are a thing now.

It’s actually shocking that the belief of finding love here in Verona is actually true. Alejandro has found a woman and Romeo’s friend too who has spent a week here already.

I was already thinking that Romeo and I might have found ours too but after receiving Jayden’s call last night and hearing abou the announcement of his arrival this morning, I am not sure anymore.

Hey!” Romeo waves his hand in the air to catch my attention. “Are you ok?”

“Yes”, I say and drop the flowers and bottle of wine on the table. When I tum around, I bump into him and he grabs my waist We stay like that for a while, I am trying to think of the best way to get out of his hold without offending me

“Tell me what the matter is”, he pleads with his cute blue eyes.

“Im fine, I just feel a little under the weather. I doubt if I can go out tonight, I should probably rest in bed.”

“Ym sorry”, he releases me from his hold eventually and I heave a sigh of relief. “Should we grab a quick breakfast downstairs? “I would like to have some coffee, I have no appetite,” I tell him.

I have an appetite actually but I want him gone before it is time to welcome Jayden. He hasn’t called me this morning and I don even know if he is on his way already or not

If 1 agree to grab breakfast with him downstairs, he might take longer than usual before going but if it’s just coffee, I will find a way to make sure he leaves before I come back up.

“Let’s go then’, he persuade me, grabbing my hand and I nod.

I’am in a decent sleep top and trousers and I won’t want to waste any more time by looking for something else to wear. I move to wear my flip-flop before trudging behind him calmly.

Last night was amazing’, he remarks, turning to look at me as I lock the door with my keys

It makes me smile. I had fun too last night but it was cut short by Jayden’s unexpected call

This is something Romeo and I have been doing for two nights in a row and today ought to be the third night but that won’t be possible.

1 didn’t expect that Jayden would call me. I thought he didn’t care about how I was faring in Italy and I was trying to make the tri worth it. He didn’t call me when I landed but sent me a text message instead which I didn’t reply to on time because I thought h was going to call but he didn’t.

When I sent my reply, he still didn’t call and now after one week, he is calling.

I honestly didn’t expect that he would call me again. I already narrowed my thinking to the fact that we would see each other when I get back home

1 was actually trying to be understanding. An understanding fake wife, I guess. I know he is busy but it won’t take anything to give me a minute call, wil it?

But I understand. He is a busy man. He doesn’t have time to call people who mean nothing to him

“You better be good by tomorrow or I will have to whisk you away tomorrow night’, Romeo mentions to my hearing and he laughs at his own joke

laugh too.

1 hope Jayden will be gone by tomorrow. If he is here for business, he should be gone in a day or two and it won’t arouse Romeo’s suspicions.

I have been doing a good job of keeping him away from Alejandro. I don’t want him to think I am cheating on Jayden first or have him interrogate me again about the rumors.

Romeo begins to ramble on about last night’s date but I am miles away. My mind is miles away as we take the staircase down t the lobby before heading over to the coffee shop right in front of the hotel

Romeo opens the door to the shop and we both walk in.

While he requests two coffees, I stand behind him thinking of how to make him go now so I can go back upstairs to call Jayden so I will know if he has landed or not

When he gets the coffee, he passes one to me with a smile.

force myself to reciprocate the smile. I take a hold of his hand with my other hand and we walk out

“Do you feel better now?” We cross the road to the other side where the hotel is

“Not really. I’m really down. I should go take a rest.”

“Is itthe flu?” He peers down at me with worry. “Should I call a doctor?”

“No, no, nol” I chant. “I will be fine, don’t worry. I just need to rest.”

“I should leave you then’, we stand by the roadside, facing each other with my hand still holding him

Thankful for the suggestion of leaving, I nod quickly and heave a deep sigh of relief. “Thank you.”

will call you”, he says and hugs me. I pull away and he continues to watch me intensely instead of going,

1am about to push him to go when he leans forward to peck my forehead. His lips are on my forehead while I close my eyes, expecting this to end soon so I can go up.

“Isabella Russell?” I hear a voice that sounds familiar and I find myself pushing Romeo away and the coffee in my hand dropping to the floor.

I’snap my head to see a car beside the road. It wasn’t there when Romeo and I crossed over here. I didn’t even hear the sound of a car packing beside us,

Is itwho I think?

Hey”, Romeo shouts at me just at the same time the car window is winded down and I see him

Jayden?!’

Jayden’s POV

It wasn’t easy to control my rage when I saw that bunny-looking boy pecking my wife on her forehead after hugging her petite body to his.

I didn’t want to interrupt the moment because I wanted to see Isabella’s reaction but she f+ allowed him.

She allowed him to have access to her body and it fucking pissed me off. I couldn’t wait any longer.

She pushed him away and asked him to leave.

Isabella and I stand watching each other till she finally looks up to meet my intense gaze.

Chuckling nervously, she asks. “How was your trip?”

Instead of scolding her for what she has just done, I look down. I won’t stoop so low to do that. As much as I want to show my anger, I can’t.

“Where is your hotel?” I ask calmly, lifting my head.

I know this is her hotel but I want to remind her of the courtesy of inviting a guest into your place. Alejandro had told me th hotel name and I know it.

I have been here once during a business summit that lasted for two days.

“Oh, here. Let’s go”, she leads the way while I trudge behind her. The driver comes down from the car to bring out my suitcas and he follows.

We continue to walk for a while till we get to the lobby and Isabella suggests we take the elevator to her floor. We both get into the elevator and the driver does the same.

Thankfully, Alejandro didn’t come with me. If he had come with me here, is this how he would have seen my wife being kissed by a random guy from nowhere?

The elevator takes off and after a minute, it stops and the door dings open. With my hands in my pocket, I wait for her to go out first to lead the way before following.

Her room is the third in line. She opens it with trembling hands and leaves the door ajar for me to enter.

I venture in and she follows. The driver drops the suitcase and Isabella picks it up immediately.

He bows and goes out after I give him a slight nod.

There is a couch near the bed, I flop into it heavily, from the exhaustion of the plane. I couldn’t sleep a wink throughout the night. I kept thinking of what I would do in Italy and about my decision of coming if it was right for me to just appear after a week that she has been here.

Now that I am here and I have seen here with that guy, I don’t regret coming. Coming here was the right thing to do.

“Are you tired? Should I get you breakfast from downstairs?”

I hoist my head to stare at her face. She clasps her hands behind her, biting softly on her lower lips and avoiding my gaze. This is a face I haven’t seen in a week which has gotten me reeled up yet another man has been seeing this same face and pecking her all over.

I can’t believe Isabella is doing this. I feel cheated. It feels like she is cheating on me.

On second thought, I feel she isn’t at fault because this is the essence of coming here after all but I expected so much from her.

First, it was in public where anyone could have seen her. Secondly, we are still married and we have a few more months to g before the expiration of our contract. She would be free then. She doesn’t need to be in a rush to get out of this sham. I am tired of it as much as she is.

“Jayden, I’m really sorry.”

“Why are you apologizing?” I cut her short and she gulps loudly before looking again.

I examine her dress. She is wearing nothing but a sleepwear and a flip-flop. Her shape is evident in the wear and it makes me want to shout at her again. Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. “Who was the guy?” I ask calmly with my arms propped on my jaw.

she glances up and fumbles with her fingers. “He is just a friend.”

“Just a friend?” I ask her, with my brows creased.

“Yes”, she replies, nodding her head. “He is just my friend.”

“Romeo?” I frown. So this is the same guy who was making her laugh so heartily last night? He isn’t good-looking. What is attractive about him?

“Yes”, she bites her lips more aggressively, making me shift my gaze away from it. The way she does that makes me think of stupid things.

“I’m sorry…”

“Stop apologizing”, I shout, shooting to my feet and startling her. “Don’t you dare apologize to me again? You knew what you were doing when you were letting him have access to your body like some…” I trail off.

A sob escapes her mouth instantly. “He didn’t have access to my body, Jayden!” She shouts. “What do you take me for?” I’am not here to make her cry.

Why am I even here? I ask myself, confusion clouding my mind.

“He is just a friend. It was just a friendly gesture and nothing more. How could you say such a thing to me?!” She cries out and guilt tugs at my heart, compelling me to wrap my hand around her in consolation.

I didn’t mean to make her cry. I am just pissed up with all of this.

“Isabella, stop making me feel like a bad person here. You were practically cheating on me, I say calmly, moving closer to touch her but she flinches.

“I am not cheating on you! Even if I actually kissed him or have s*x with him, I didn’t cheat. We are not real, remember?” That reminder rings a bell in my ears but I am going to pay deaf ears to it.

This is the first time Isabella will raise her voice at me. Is this what I get for coming to see her simply because I miss her?

“I thought you have changed but I was wrong. I keep telling people that you are not the person I thought you were…” “People like your friend, Juliet, and your grandma who you told all sorts of bad things about me to?”

Atear rolls down her eyes. She wipes it off immediately with the back of her arm.

“I think it will be better if you secure another room for yourself”, she says and tries to walk past me but I am quick to grab her. “Let go of me. Stop making me feel like I have no right to make decisions on my own. This is my life and I can decide to do whatever I want to do.”

“Decisions like dating a broke ass nigga like that bunny-looking dude?”

“Yes!” She shouts. “If he loves me and I love him too, then yes. I don’t f***ing care if he is a broke ass or a rich arrogant ass like your”

My jaws drop.

She did not only defend him, she is also insulting me.

I close my mouth, gulping down the insult like a dose of medicine, the guilt intensifying. I didn’t come here for this but just couldn’t help my anger. I want her to realize that what she did was wrong and against our contract.

“Why are you even bothered about who I fall in love with? You shouldn’t be bothered because I mean nothing to you but an object to be used and tossed after a year”, she yells in my face.

“Used?”

“Yes, aren’t you using me? You are making me do all sorts of things.”

“You got paid, Isabella”, I say, feeling a pang of disappointment at the change of topic. I never knew she would bring such a topic up, the topic of how little I offered her compared to my mother’s.

Is she already thinking of going to take the offer from my mother?

She wiggles her hands but I hold her more firmly. “Listen to me, Isabella.”

“No’, she shakes her head, more tears spilling from her eyes. “Let me go, please.”

“Listen to me!”

“I will not! I can’t even be with a man that yells at me, so why shouldn’t I date someone who is gentle and who understands me like Romeo? You are selfish so let me be.”

“What?!” The more she compares me with that guy, the angrier I become.

“You don’t love me and I don’t, so why shouldn’t find someone else I can be with after you are done using me?”

Iagree but I am not using her. I care for her and I am concerned about her safety. If I am not, I won’t be here. I will still be in New York, probably closing some important deals by noon.

left all of that to come here for a week.

Wow! Stupid me!

Feeling pathetic, I drop her hand, expecting her to walk away into the next room which looks like a dining room. Two rooms are connected to each other and I wonder why she got this place instead of one room.

Did Romeo ever spend the night with her?

When I blink, I see her still standing, watching me with tears in her eyes.

“’m sorry”

“’m sorry.” We say simultaneously.

Another sob escapes her mouth and I pull her into an embrace.

Despite everything, she is still apologizing. I should be the one apologizing. I have done more bad to her than good. I have done more harm.

I did not only call her a whore but I accused her of cheating when it is obvious that she does not like the guy in the way that I think. When he pecked her, her hands were beside her and it can’t be something to expect of a woman who admires a man who is showing her such love.

I’m sure she hasn’t fallen for him yet.

But she might end up falling in love with him. He is no good for her and I shouldn’t allow that to happen.

Isabella is a great woman. I shouldn’t allow her to fall into the trap of that bunny-looking jerk.

She releases herself from the hug and our eyes interlock. Unconsciously, my eyes shift to her lips and she bites her lower lip again.

Without thinking, I crash my lips on hers.

Isabella’s POV

I push him away, not because I don’t want this but because I don’t want to get confused with all of these kisses which aren’t defined.

He refused to talk about the first kiss and faked the second one. Now he is giving it to me again with no genuine reason. Who the hell does he take me for?

I know I shouldn’t have said sorry to him but I had to because I know he helped me out when I needed help. I wanted to regret why I accepted the offer in the first place but I can’t.

I already conclude within myself that I won’t regret it no matter what.

I like Romeo but not the same way I like him. I might consider Romeo but not with him in the picture, lurking around and monitoring my every movement.

Surprises flash across his expression. Before I can say anything, he grabs me again and kisses me, holding the back of my head firmly.

I want to struggle with him but I know I can’t win this over.

I want this too. I just don’t want this to go on. I don’t want to get confused anymore about my emotional decisions.

I want to be clear on what I want.

“Jayden, stop it’, I summon up enough courage to push him away again but he grabs my hand as he tries to catch his breath, “Ym sorry”, he apologizes again, his eyes turning soft. This is nothing compared to how he looked at me when he kissed me on that first day. His eyes blamed me that day.

“You are sorry? Is that why you kissed me?”

He looks confused as he shakes his head. “No.”

“No?”

He turns his back on me and places his left hand on his waist. He must have realized what he has done and he regrets it. Not knowing how to handle all of this and how to face him again if he turns back, I saunter to the next room, closing the door quietly before he can turn back. The bed is in there and he can lay on it to rest from his trip.

I need to get my thoughts together. I need to think about all of this that is happening.

My face is dried-eyes already and that is because his thumbs wiped all my tears while he was kissing me as if his life depended on it.

This kiss is different. It isn’t similar to the first kiss. This feels like he was pouring his aggression and emotions into it.

It was fierce. Rough.

Powerful but sensual.

I slap myself mentally.

Jayden knows what he is doing. I should know what I am doing too. This isn’t real. Maybe he only did that to apologize for calling me a whore.

He f**ing insulted me yet I apologized? What the hell is wrong with me? Why did I even allow the kiss to happen?

sit on the dining chair and place my head on the dining table. I wanted Jayden to come here with me but he rejected the offer and I came on my own.

The second day I came here, I bumped into Romeo who took my number to apologize for almost making me fall on my buttocks even though I knew he wanted my number for something more than that.

Romeo has been calling and checking up on me even though we are currently in the same city, whereas Jayden is miles away not caring to check up on me.

Now he is here and he is kissing me. Does he expect me to kiss him back?

I know I did the wrong thing by allowing Romeo to kiss me in public. I shouldn’t have allowed that. That is the only mistake that I made. But thinking about it again makes me discover something about last night’s call. Jayden sounded pretty annoyed, not because I didn’t know he was the one who called at first but because he heard me laughing with someone and even heard me call Romeo’s call.

He got mad and came all the way here to accuse me of cheating.

Is this all about him? Is he this selfish and egoistic?

Just before I can figure out answers to the numerous questions, my phone rings from the other room and I shoot up from th chair to go and pick it up.

I open the door to meet Jayden coming to give me the phone. I ignore him, grab the phone from him and turn back inside. I slam the door shut and Romeo’s name appears on the phone screen as the caller.

“Shit!” I curse. Jayden would have seen the name and Romeo must be wondering who Jayden is to warrant such a reaction from me.

I spill my coffee and push him away. I also told him to leave in a hurry.

How do I tell him about Jayden? How will he take it? Will he stop coming after me if I tell him? Will I be happy if he stops coming here?

Should I keep up with the lie that Jayden is my friend? Will he buy my lie even with that awkward reaction which is similar to a wife being caught cheating on her legally married husband?

The phone begins to ring again and I pick it up.

“Hey!”

“Hola!”

“Sorry about earlier’, I quickly say before he can bring the topic up.

“It’s fine, are you ok now?”

Inod, as though he can see me. “I feel much better. I told you that rest was all I needed.”

“Yes, you did. I’m happy you are fine now. I was so worried and I couldn’t stop thinking about you which is why I am calling… “Thank you very much, Romeo. You’ve been a great friend”, I say, emphasizing the friend. We are still friends, we haven’t upgraded our friendship to being lovers and for that to happen, there are a lot of things to talk about and consider.

He is an extremely good guy and he makes me laugh all the time. He is cute and honest. He told me all about his life in just night but I couldn’t bring myself to tell him everything about me, not anything that involved Jayden and our contract.

I acknowledge the fact that he has been quiet for more than a minute. “Romeo, are you there?”

When he told me his name was Romeo, it felt awesome like something magical was about to happen and I have finally founc my own Romeo in the city of Romeo and Juliet.

He was all smiles too and I know he is here for the same purpose as me.

“Yes, sorry. I was lost in thought’, he answers with all honesty.

“Lost in thoughts? What are you thinking about?”

“Who is he?” He suddenly demands from me and my heart begins to race faster than usual.

This is it. I should have known that he would never let it slide. If I was in his shoes, I would be curious to know who that mar is. The man who made me act that way. The man I fear so much.

“Isabella?”

“Don’t mind Jayden, he is one of my cousin’s brothers. I never expected to meet him here, that’s why I was so shocked when he called my name. I was so sure for days that no one knows me here but he proved me wrong’, I ramble on. “I’m sorry I was a bit clumsy earlier. I was startled.”

There is no point lying about his name. I called out his name in the presence of Romeo and he also called me Isabella Russell.

I feel bad for lying but I have no choice. I will tell him the truth as time goes on. But for now, he should make do with this half-life.

“Ok, then. Can we meet tonight? You already said you feel better and I really need to talk to you about something”

I know I said that because I didn’t want to go out at night since Jayden was coming and I didn’t want to give Jayden the impression that I am here for something more than just a trip but I am having second thoughts about it.

Jayden and I are not on speaking terms currently. We just exchanged words a few minutes ago and an aggressive kiss which has meanings so it would be better if I go out to escape from him for a while.

By the time I am back, he should probably be gone to wherever itis he is having the business meeting he came for. Most of these meetings can be at night or as a form of a dinner party.

This way, Romeo won’t come here either and Jayden won’t see him. AllI need to do is make sure they don’t cross paths for now and that means being available for Romeo for the time being.

I won’t let him come straight to my door anymore. I will always go down to meet him.

It means I have no choice but to go out with him tonight. He might become worried about me and decide to pay a visit. “Isabella, please?”

“0k, ok, fine. What time?”

“I will come to get you’, he suggests but I shake my head.

“No. Let’s meet at our special spot’, I laugh to hide my fear. Our special spot is the waterfall. We usually spend a lot of time there before heading to wherever he wants to take me.

He chuckles deeply in a gruff tone. “Sure, see you tonight”

“Yes, I will be there by 6 pm”

“Great. Bye, love.”

“Bye.” He disconnects the call and I expel a deep sigh.

I wonder what he wants to talk to me about. Whatever it is, I should go meet up with him there. I can’t allow him to come here because it will be a disaster.

Jayden might end up ruining everything for me but I want to prove that I have everything in control.

This is my life and it’s high time I take full control of my life. I won’t let Jayden bully me anymore.

Not anymore.

Until the end of our contract.

Jayden’s POV

I stir in my sleep, my lips parted and my eyes eventually fly open to see the darkness around me.

Someone must have turned off the light, I think to myself as I stretch my hand towards the bedside.

There is no bedside and it clicks. I am not in my mansion but the Academia hotel in Italy.

Hurriedly, I sit upright and search for my phone on the bed. I remember going downstairs to get coffee for myself and breakfast for Isabella which I don’t even know if she ate or not.

When I came back up, I took a hot bath before jumping into bed and working on my laptop, expecting her to come out so we could talk but she stayed indoors till I fell asleep.

How long have I been sleeping? I ask within myself as I find my phone and press the button to check the time.

Itis 6 pm which means I have been out for more than 5 hours.

Wow!

I can’t remember how long I have slept this way before, even at night. I guess my exhaustion from the flight and my recent sleepless nights are responsible.

Ifind the light switch and flick it on before glancing around for the sight of Isabella. Why didn’t she wake me up?

When my gaze falls on the table where I dropped her breakfast tray, I find out it is gone. I smile to myself.

Turning to the room where she was staying before I slept off, I throw the door open to see the emptiness of the room.

My brows are furrowed in confusion. Where did she go? How could she leave without a word?

I know we haven’t cleared the air between us but that is because she isn’t giving me a chance to say what I am here for. She isn’t giving me a listening ear.

Romeo is no good for her. I can’t let her date him. I can’t let her get hurt.

Quickly, I rush back to the bed to grab my phone and dial her number. While pacing to and fro, the phone rings continuously but she isn’t picking up.

Itis infuriating to me. Why isn’t she picking up?

Iam about to drop the phone on the bed to wait for her when another thought jumps into my mind.

What if something had happened to her? She must have been gone for a long time. If she was around all along, she would have woken me up out of concern. Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. Has she gone back to America? I look around to see her suitcase still there beside the wardrobe.

Has she gone out to meet Romeo? That must be it. Romeo called her this morning and I’m sure he would want to meet up with her to find out who I am. Is she ok? Has he done something to her?

With a gasp, I grip my phone tighter and dash out of the room, running for the staircase instead of taking the elevator. If my speculation is right, then I will be doomed.

Romeo might hurt her. He looks like someone who can hurt her. He doesn’t look like a gentleman who wouldn’t force himsel ona woman even if she doesn’t want him.

He looks like the exact opposite of a gentleman but won’t allow him to hurt her.

With such a melodramatic sigh, I raise my phone as I move out of the lobby outside to see how everywhere is bustling with people and the realization that I don’t have a car to begin the search party and I don’t know where they are.

I dial Alejandro’s number and he picks at the fifth ring while I begin to walk around, glancing up and down for a sight of that woman with long straight black hair.

“Hello, buddy’, his voice is high-pitched tonight and I guess he is in a good mood.

“Alex, is Isabella with you?” I go straight to the point.

“Bella? Of course, not. I told you we took a break tonight and our tour will start tomorrow again’, he reminds me. I know about that. He told me over the phone when I informed him before taking a flight down here that Isabella will be free throughout the day.

just can’t think of the right place to search for her.

“What happened?”

“I woke up and I can’t find her’, I say breathlessly, stopping at a junction and turning back to see how far I am from the hotel now.

Which path should I follow?

“She is fine, don’t worry about her. I’m sure she decided to go out on her own tonight.”

“Do you know any Romeo?” I cut him short and he falls silent for a while.

“Romeo? Yes, the guy we bumped into…”

“Do you know where he stays?”

“You think they are together?” He demands and I roll my eyes. I don’t want to give him the wrong impression. Probably abou Isabella cheating on me.

“That guy came to look for her yesterday. I’m just worried he might have called her to hurt her or something. Does he even look like a gentleman to you?”

“Hey, calm down, man. Isabella will be back.”

“How sure are you?”

“Ym very sure, Isabella is a decent woman. Maybe she needed a gush of the air and she will be back. Just go back to the hote and wait for her. I will give her a call now.”

Isigh and squat down, facepalming myself. Why am I this troubled when I am not even sure that they are together? Maybe she went out to have a moment to herself.

Alejandro is right. Looking for her this way isn’t the solution. I should go wait for her.

He disconnects the call. Reluctantly, I get up and drag my feet back to the hotel. I am still darting my eyes around to see if I can catch sight of her all to no avail.

This time, I take the elevator up and when it stops at the third floor, I get out and walk to the room. I realize I didn’t even loc the room when I dashed out earlier and I curse under my breath.

I close the door behind me and walk to the bed.

Isabella needs to come back from wherever she went to. I hate how I feel right now. I hate to feel pathetic and miserable an that is how her absence is making me feel.

How can I be ok when I don’t know where she is or what is happening to her?

I can’t help but be worried. Maybe if I hadn’t seen the so-called Romeo with my two eyes, I won’t be having this stupid bad thought that he would kidnap her or r**e her or kill her.

“F**kI” I shoot up to my feet again, baling my fist in anger for feeling helpless.

stroll to the table where I dropped the breakfast for her this morning and lay my head on it when my arm touched something cold.

I glance up to see a bottle of red alcoholic wine.

Without checking the name or bothering to know how it got here, I pick up the glass cup next to it and open the bottle of wine.

Pouring a large quantity of wine into the glass cup, I take everything down my throat, then pour another and another till I ar halfway done with the wine.

Looking for where to sit, instead of leaning over the table this way, I saunter to the other room to grab one of the dining chairs. I place it close to the table and sit on it to continue drinking my wine.

Iam sure she will be back by the time I am done with this wine. I will use this to whilst away time and forget about the bad premonitions I am having about her absence.

Alejandro said she would be back. I want to believe that she will.

She didn’t leave me when we were in New York, now is definitely not the time to leave. She doesn’t know anyone or anywhere in Italy.

just want her to be safe. She is my responsibility and I am answerable for whatever happens to her.

Just as I pour the last content of the wine into my glass cup, the door creaks open and a black-haired woman with striking blue eyes enters.

Isabella.

She is wearing a striped ribbed midi dress with her hair packed in a ponytail and a small midi bag slinged to her shoulders. She looks gracious and I blink to be sure it is her and I am not imagining things.

Her eyes meet mine and we continue to watch each other for a few seconds before she tries to walk away without giving me a good reason why she was out without informing me but I am quick to get out of the chair and drag her back, her body colliding with mine and my hand snaking its way to her waist.

sabella’s POV

Jayden reeks of alcohol as his breath fans my entire face. When he wraps his hands around my waist, I stare at his handsome face while he continues to blink rapidly.

I have been out with Romeo and I was damn worried Jayden would do something rash like leaving for New York without letting me know or something unexpected.

My mind was divided and I had to plead with Romeo to let me go home early so I could rest well.

He didn’t think twice about letting me come back to the hotel. He is such a perfect gentleman and I am more than confused now on what to do with his request tonight. Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net, Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. For the past 3 days that we have been going out and for 6 days since we bumped into each other, I was so sure that he liked me and that I liked him too and now that he has eventually confesse his feelings to me, I do not feel anything in me but numbness.

This is the reason why I wanted to come back to the hotel so I could think things through and come to a decision.

Romeo isn’t giving me enough time. He wants me to give him a reply tomorrow because I might leave for Tuscan with Alejandro in two days and Romeo might also leave too.

“Where have you been?” Unlike the harsh, loud voice I was expecting, Jayden’s voice is extremely low.

“Out”, I reply, expecting him to let go of me so I can go. I really don’t know how we are going to spend the night when there i a single bed here and I am not in the mood to share a bed with him. I am not even in the mood to talk to him. I just want to be alone.

When he isn’t releasing me, I request calmly. “Let me go”

He shakes his head and tries to take a step closer when he staggers. Unconsciously, I grab his arm so he won’t fall

“You went out with that shitty piece of trash, right?” His voice is a bit raised now and I raise a brow at him.

“Shitty piece of trash? Romeo’s description is nothing close to this’, I raise my voice too. I can’t believe we are back to our arguments from earlier.

“Really? It seems you have no idea how worried I was. I was looking around for you, you left without informing me of where you are going.”

“Do I look like a child to you, Jayden?” I cut him short, peering at him closely and letting my hand drop from his shoulder. Now I think the best thing to do is to have him get another room for himself. That will be the best solution because I am not in for any arguments.

“I was worried. What do you even think of me? Heartless? You think I don’t have a heart and I don’t have any right to care fo; you or be worried about you?” He shouts and his hands leave my waist. He staggers but quickly leans on the table. “Is that what you think of me? Someone who is too cold to love or someone who doesn’t have a heart? Why won’t I be worried abou you for crying out loud? You are my wife…”

I want to correct him that I am not his wife, we are just acting to be couples for crying out loud but I know that won’t be necessary.

He looks different tonight and it is raising questions in me.

Jayden doesn’t look broken to me like the other night when he injured himself, tonight he is looking pathetic.

Twirling around abruptly, he loses his footing and falls to the floor. I rush to him. “Jayden, what is wrong with you?”

“Let me be!” He removes my hand roughly. “I apologized to you this morning, what more do you want from me, then? I care for you even when I am not supposed to and you don’t see all of my efforts? What else do you want from me? Is that bunny boy better than me? Does he care for you the way I do? Does he even look at you the way I do? Does he respect you the way. do? What the hell is wrong with you?”

My mouth is agape for a while until I realize he is doing this under the influence of alcohol.

What he is saying is nothing close to the truth. I can’t remember telling him or someone that Jayden respects me so much and he never gave me the impression that he cares for me. ALL I know is that we are in a business together and courtesy of our contract demands that he takes care of me. What the hell is he talking about then?

I’shake my head and rise. “I am not having this conversation with you. We will talk better when you are sober”

In a split second, I see him get up on the floor and block my way. “I am not drunk.”

His hands find their way to my face. “Can’t you see? I am not drunk for God’s sake. That boy isn’t good for you.”

I chuckle lightly without taking his hands off me. “He isn’t good for me?” He nods. “Then who is? You?” He nods and I chucks more. “Let me go, Jayden.’

“No, Isabella I won’t let you go until you understand me.”

“Understand you? How can I when you are not…”

“I want you, he cuts me short, leaving my mouth open. His thumb caresses my lower lips. “I want you’, he repeats. “Ym goin; crazy. I have never felt this way before but it’s 7****g annoying the shit out of me. I came all the way here just to see you. What do you make of that?”

Disbelief descends on my face and I close my mouth. I thought he came here because of a business meeting.

He is here because of me? How is that even possible? He told me he was too busy to spend time with me here in Verona and now he is saying that he is here because of me.

Unbelievable.

The Jayden I know isn’t capable of all of these. The Jayden I know isn’t capable of telling a woman he wants her. He isn’t capable of liking a woman. He isn’t capable of doing all of this and I am sure this is happening because of the alcohol. Where the hell did he get the alcohol from? I have never seen him drinking before.

Before I can take his hands off me, he leans closer, and my breathing hitch, my heart racing twice its normal rate.

I keep thinking to be sure this isn’t a dream until I feel his lips on mine. His soft lips are still on my lips for a while, probably waiting for permission from me to go on.

As much as I want to shout at him and move away from his hold, I want this too. I want these lips to be on mine for as long as they will last.

After a while, he wraps his hands around my waist, pulling me closer to his front while my hands fly to his head, holding it firmly in place as I throw every caution to the wings, my sense of reasoning tagging along with it.

His kiss is soft and gentle and slow until I find myself biting his lower lips and a growl escapes his mouth.

suddenly, he lifts me, and the intensity of the kiss increases. It is no longer slow, and I am trying to meet up with his pace. He staggers and I almost jump down in fear that I will fall but he regains his balance without leaving my lips, his hands roaming my entire body, igniting the fire in me as well as wetness.

When his hand stops on my buttocks, he squeezes them and spanks me. My mouth leaves his lips unconsciously as a moan of pleasure escapes my mouth.

He takes my lips again, tasting every inch of my mouth, biting me slowly and dipping his hands into my dress to touch my naked thighs.

Slowly, he moves and in a split second, I find myself falling until my back hits the bed, his mouth not leaving mine.

Every sensitive organ in my body is awake and desperate for something I have never had.

He breaks off the kiss and catches his breath and I do the same to catch my breath before his lips go back to their original position which is on mine.

Hot waves run through every part of my body, leaving my legs shaking like jelly at the amount of ecstatic pleasure I am deriving from kissing the man I got married to two months ago, a man I have always envisioned having my first time with, a man I have always dreamt of pleasuring and finding a smile creeps to his face in pleasure.

A sob threatens to leave my mouth when it dawns on me that it isn’t supposed to be happening. The reality of what is happening crashes heavily upon me, leaving me wanting more and feeling pangs of sorrow jabbing at my heart at the expectation of Jayden coming to his senses too, and leaving me hanging.

My heart sinks deeper when I figure out that this must be a result of the alcohol and nothing else. This is against our contract and I am sure by morning, Jayden will be back to his cold self.

I break off the kiss myself, summoning up every iota of courage left in me.

This isn’t right. I can’t sacrifice my virginity along with my freedom for a year.

with desperation and need in his eyes, he calls my name softly, making me feel like the most important woman in his life, whereas I am not.

“Isabella”

“Jayden”, I call, tears threatening to roll down my eyes as I remember Helena. He loves her, not me. “This isn’t right. This is against our contract.”

His face is devoid of emotions as he remains silent. I am thinking that I have succeeded in making him realize what we are doing and he will soon be up, leaving me wet with needs.

Instead, he shakes his head.

“I don’t f***ing care!” He growls out loudly.

With that said, he crashes his lips to mine again, this time more roughly, and his hands fight desperately with my dress to make contact with my most sensitive area while I moan out in relief and ecstasy.

Isabella’s POV

I wake up with a groan, wondering why I feel sore and pain all over my body. I twist my body in the bed, my hand flying to the space next to me when it clicks in my head.

Thad sx.

with Jayden.

Not Romeo.

Here in Verona.

My eyes widen as the memories of last night’s passionate s* come rushing to my head. I remember how I was writhing beneath him, moaning and crying out in pleasure.

What have I done? Where is Jayden?

Isit upright abruptly, looking around to see that I am in the room alone with my clothes away. I am completely naked, excep for the comforter wrapped around me as I sit up.

Just before I can scramble out of bed to look around and figure out what was going on, I hear the knock on the door and the water running in the bathroom. Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. Just then, the door to the bathroom opens and a half-naked Jayden comes out with just a towel draped around his waist. He saunters to the door, without noticing me.

Iam just sitting with my mouth agape, thinking about what happened and why I allowed it to happen.

I can’t believe I have just sacrificed my virginity as well.

When he opens the door, the person at the door stretches something to him and he takes it before closing the door again. Then he turns back and our eyes meet.

My gaze falls to what he is holding and I realize it is our bedspread from last night. Quickly, I look down to see that the bedspread is gone.

What happened?

I shift my gaze back to Jayden. He is also watching me, standing close to the door without attempting to come closer or say : word.

Why is he quiet? Does he regret it too? Is he back to his cold self?

He doesn’t look cold at the moment. What I can read from his expression is nothing but amusement then it dawns on me. My virginity.

Blood.

The bedspread must have been stained by the blood and while I was asleep, he took it off and ordered for it to be washed s he could replace it this morning.

Oh, my God!

Embarrassment fills my expression and I look down. Just then, his deep throaty laughter fills the air and I jerk my head to meet his gaze once more.

“Good morning’, he comes around before I can find my voice. Dumping the bedspread on the bed, he knees on the floor and takes a hold of my hand.

Iam still trying to take all of this. It is shocking me to the bones that Jayden and I had s*x and he is acting all lovey-dovey tc me after what we did last night.

“Good morning’, I finally find my voice, even though it comes out as a whisper.

“How was your night?” He asks and I wish for a thousand nights with him. He is watching me with adorable eyes, making me feel like the most beautiful woman on earth.

“It was ok’, I say, hoping he won’t talk about the sex or the bedspread. I might die of embarrassment if he does that. Lowering my head to avoid his gaze, I see him smile from my peripheral view before kissing the back of my hand and sitting next to me on the bed.

He hugs me to himself and we sit this way in silence. My thoughts are all over the place. I can’t figure out what is happening, I can’t really wrap my head around what has happened between us.

It feels like a dream.

“I want you to stop seeing that bunny guy’, he utters with a ridiculous tone which makes me laugh despite my embarrassment.

“I’m serious’, he adds, because of my laughter.

Remembering that I have to meet with Romeo tonight to give him an answer to his request, I extricate myself from Jayden’s hold.

“Actually, I need to meet with Romeo tonight…”

“What? No!” He disagrees, shaking his head and grabbing my head.

“Jayden, he asked me out”, I blurt out as calmly as I can. “He asked me out last night and he wants an answer tonight”

He looks hurt by the information and he pulls away gently, looking thoughtful for a while.

“What is your reply?” He questions without looking at me.

I shrug nonchalantly without a word.

“You want to accept him?” He turns to me now with a challenging stare.

I shrug again.

Jayden and I have a lot of talking to do. This can’t happen and we pretend as though it is a normal activity that is supposed to happen between us when we aren’t even real.

Not only have we gone against the contract, but we have also crossed the line.

“You love him?” His question almost makes me laugh. Apparently, he thinks my shrugging is an answer to his question. “No”

“Then…

Ifind myself Leaning closer to his lips to stop him from going on and on about Romeo and what can never be possible between him and me.

Iwill always choose Jayden over any man, even if I don’t know what the future holds for us. I know I don’t like Romeo the wa like Jayden and that says it all.

Chuckling to himself, he grabs my head firmly and kisses me deeper. After two minutes, I pull away.

“Enough.” I try to get down from the bed, wincing at the soreness in my divine palace.

He stops me with his hand. “You should declare everything to him tonight. Tell him you are married.”

I watch him acting all protective, wondering why he isn’t considering the contract anymore. Aren’t we going to talk about the contract? Are we just going to pretend as if this isn’t normal?

“will you?”

I nod, suddenly speechless. “I will”

“Thank you.”

I nod again.

“I want us to visit Alejandro. He has been going on and on about a lady he is going out with now who he wants to get marrie to!

“Ashley?”

“You know her?”

“Yes”, I nod. “I saw him talking to her when we went to the villa while I bumped into Romeo and became.”

“Don’t talk about that bunny guy of yours”, he cuts me short with a growl and I laugh, throwing my head backward. He joins me, leaning close to kiss me on the forehead.

He doesn’t pull away immediately, instead, his lips move slowly down to my nose as my eyes close impulsively. He begins to trail kisses all over me till my mouth opens, waiting for him to evade it.

It seems like forever before his lips settle on mine but it does not take time before I grab him closer, my back hitting the bec once more.

He shakes his head into the comforter to drag it down, exposing my breasts and he attacks both immediately with his mout! and his hand.

Ilet out a gasp when his cold hands touch my left b****t, nipping and squeezing and he straddles me.

I know what is about to happen again. It is barely ten hours since the first sex. Even though I feel sore, I still want this.

If this happens, it will be very difficult to go back to following the rules of the contract. I don’t want it to happen. I don’t wan us to follow the contract anymore. I don’t want Jayden to become cold and unpredictable again.

If this is what it will take, then I am in for it.

Isabella’s POV

When he smiled at me and I didn’t reciprocate, his countenance changed and he figured out that something was wrong.

He must have figured out my answer just from merely looking at my unsmiling face because the next thing he does is sigh

heavily.

He stretches his hand for me to take and I hesitate. Jayden is lurking around somewhere watching us. I can’t let him touch

me anyhow he wants now that Jayden and I are together because I know how jealous Jayden can be. Some sentences are

incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. What is

between Jayden and me doesn’t feel right but I love it. I love how he makes me feel.

“Is everything ok?” He questions, watching me carefully.

“I have some things to tell you’, I declare openly, standing awkwardly in front of him.

He flashes me a smile, his cute face looking peaceful. “Let’s sit, then?”

I nod.

Leading me to the street bench, he continues smiling as he peers down at me, as though he can read through me.

Iam thinking of how to reject him politely and also tell him about my marriage to Jayden. Will he take it the hard way? It is

more like I deceived him all along by not telling him that I am a married woman.

“I am married”, I announce sharply and surprise fills his expression. His mouth drops open slowly but he is quick to close it

back.

“Married?” He chuckles, looking around and making me feel like a clown.

Why isn’t he taking me seriously? Do I look like someone who is making a joke right now?

“Yes, I am married”, I repeat firmly.

“I thought you came to Verona to find love like you put it to me the other day and…”

“Yes, that is true”, I interrupt him. I said I was here to find love but not anymore. Like Grandma would say, love will always

find its way to you. I didn’t find love in New York but I came here to find that true love that they all say exists and here I am.

Jayden came to find me. Love came to find me on its own.

Jayden might not feel the same way about me but I love him. I have always felt deep affection for him but getting married to

him increased that affection.

He is a broken man and I am going to be patient till he can accept me wholeheartedly and love me for who I am.

“I didn’t tell you all along about the marriage because it was sort of fake until last night’, I mutter, looking down at my

fingers as a blush creeps to my face making me red like a tomato.

“Until last night?” He sounds like he can’t believe what I am saying.

I’summon up the courage to Look him in the eyes. “Yes. It was just a marriage on paper and I thought we didn’t love each

other.”

“And now you think you love each other? What are you even saying?”

He doesn’t understand my point. How do I tell him that it took me a trip to Verona to realize that Sabrina and Eunice were

right and that I am in love with Jayden?

How do I tell him that it took me bumping into him to realize I can’t love anyone but Jayden? How do I tell him that it took

Jayden just a week of my absence to realize how much I mean to him?

“It was a contract marriage’, I reveal sharply and he scoffs as he exclaims.

“What?!”

“Yes, we were supposed to be married for a year due for some reasons but we have agreed to be with each other because wi

are.., I don’t know the right words to use. “attracted to each other.”

“Attracted? Is that all?”

“No’, I shake my head. “We love each other”

He continues to look at me for a while before averting his gaze as silence creeps in.

“You are married’, he says more like an affirmation. “Good luck, then.’

His laughter doesn’t sound genuine to me and I don’t know if there is more I want to say to him.

I had memorized the things I wanted to say to him and said them over and over again in my head as Jayden and I left

Alejandro’s place with a car and we both drove here.

Now that Jayden and I are together, it is way easier to act real. I didn’t even know about the truth of Jayden’s worry last night

until Alejandro asked me why I didn’t pick up my calls last night and where I went.

I’saw Alejandro’s missed calls but I didn’t call back because I thought he wanted to check up on me.

It was after he told me how he got a distress call from Jayden last night and how he laughed when he told me how breathles

Jayden was that I believed Jayden was being honest about getting worried over my absence.

All of this is pointing to the fact that Jayden feels the same way I feel towards him. It might just be too early for him to admi

it or be able to express his feelings to me freely.

He still needs to get over Helena and I will be patient. I will help him pull through and find love again. I will make him happy

again, not broken.

“50 Jayden is your husband?” Romeo’s voice jerks me out of my reverie. When I snap my head towards him, I see him holdiny

his phone which has the picture of Jayden.

“New York’s youngest billionaire who got married recently is your husband?” He turns to me with a raise of the brow and I

nod, gulping loudly.

Ishould have known that the internet would reveal it all. Did he see this picture before I told him the truth?

“Jayden Russell who married his Assistant”, it comes out as a remark instead of a question. “Why didn’t I even think of it? So

you were his Assistant?” I nod meekly, watching his face with pity.

“And then he forced you to marry him…”

“What? Not” I defend sharply with furrowed brows.

“He didn’t force you?” He asks, faking a worried look.

“I’told you it was a contract marriage but not anymore. I needed money for my grandma’s surgery and he was willing to help

if I am to accept his offer of a marriage for a year…

I pause. Why am I telling Romeo all of this? What if he uses this against me or tries to threaten Jayden and I with this

information?

Oh, shit! What have I done?

“Go on, your story is really interesting’, he smirks.

“Romeo, I just came out here to tell you that my husband and I are real now and the answer to your request is no. I love

Jayden…

“You love him, that is understandable but does he love you?” He cuts me short. “It is very easy for a poor woman like you to

love a man like him but do you know if he loves you or this is just one of his tricks to use and dump you X {) Books

My jaws drop.

Isabella’s POV

Iwas cold all through the night. I couldn’t find a suitable change of clothes in the wardrobe in the bedroom.

1 only got to change into a pair of t-shirts that are way too big for me and 1 am sure it belongs to Jayden.

Thankfully, I was wearing a short beneath my dress yesterday which wasn’t too wet so I had to sleep in the bum shorts and the t-shirt that way.

1 couldn’t help but worry about Jayden. I didn’t even know when I slept off.

He suddenly became stiff last night. I was surprised at the way he said his good night to me. I didn’t expect we would go to bed that early but I guess it’s for the best since the rain had ruined the plans I had in mind.

As I stay in bed, thinking about everything that has happened in our marriage in just a month, a sweet delicious scent wafts past my nostril and my stomach rumbles instantly.

Food.

Quickly, I scramble out of bed and head out of the bedroom to trace where the aroma is coming from. I know it will be no other place than the kitchen and Jayden must be responsible. We agreed that he would be the one to cook for us today. When I get out, before moving to the kitchen, I can see from the transparent door that it is still raining.

wow!

1 never knew it was still raining. How do we go back home now that it hasn’t stopped raining?

1find my way to the kitchen and almost bump into Jayden who is in sweatpants and a shirt.

“Hey, careful’, he quickly grabs my two arms to stop me from stumbling backward.

“Good morning’, I greet politely, with a smile.

“Morning, did you sleep well?” He asks with a tone laced with concern. It amazes me, though.

“Yes, I did. I’m just worried that it’s still raining. Will your resumption today be possible?”

100k out through the first door beside the kitchen door. Every opening, the windows, and doors are facing outside so we ca see whatever is happening outside from every angle of the house, except for the enclosed bedroom which is why I never knew it was still raining.

He shrugs and folds his arms. “I don’t know yet. If it doesn’t stop raining by noon, then I will resume work tomorrow.” “That’s bad”, I make a face.

I doubt if Jayden has been on a break for as long as a week. It must be hard for him not to work or think of work. He is used to working and everything about him involves his work.

During my one-year experience as an Assistant to him, he never went for a break.

1 guess this is his passion and we derive joy and pleasure from doing what we are passionate about.

“Not too bad. Can you go and wait in the living room?” His question jerks me out of my reverie.

“Why? I came to help out’, I peer at him with a questioning brow.

“Remember you cooked dinner alone last night?” He reminds me. “So I don’t need any help. This is more like a competition. If my food tastes nice, you might announce to the whole world that it was nice because you helped out but if you don’t help outand it’s nice, then I will take all the glory’, he declares with a mischievous smile.

1 laugh shortly and shake my head. Now, he is amazing to me. I’ve never seen him smile this way. This mischievous smile has never made its way to his face ever before and this first time is incredible coming from the fact that it is happening here in the kitchen of a chalet house, miles away from our home.

“Mademosse, will you please excuse me now?” Before I can even say a word, he pushes me out and locks the wooden door from behind.

1 chuckle lightly and find my way to the living room.

I need to find something to keep myself busy. Going back to the bedroom is not a good idea because I am damn hungry and can’t wait to have a taste of that sweet food I perceived a minute ago.

I get to the living room to see a blanket on the sofa where Jayden slept last night. Quilt sips through me.

1 actually wanted to stop him from sleeping here but the sudden change of behavior didn’t give me the confidence to do that.

Did he sleep well?

He is still recuperating and he shouldn’t be going through any inconveniences. If we don’t go home today, 1 will make sure w sleep on the same bed today but if that doesn’t work out, then 1 will insist on taking the sofa tonight. Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. I see no issue in sharing a bed with me. After all, this is what we do at home and I am already used to it.

1 wrap the blanket around me, sniffing in the cologne which I am trying to check if it is Jayden’s. The cologne is different fron the ones I smell around him at home.

After a while, without figuring it out, I give up and get up. I move to the Television, looking for the remote control to put it or when my gaze falls on the wooden box beside it and a DVD player. I open the box to see numerous cassettes of my favorite musician.

Blue.

“Wow!” The word escapes my mouth before I know it. In a swift movement, I spill the whole content of the box to reveal tens of audio and video cassettes.

Picking up one and shrugging off the blanket around me in excitement, I insert one of the audio cassettes and without turning on the television, it begins to play.

I’squeal in excitement and jump up. I begin to dance around, hitting my feet on the wooden floor and singing alongside the musician.

Pretending to have a fake microphone in my right hand, I point it towards my mouth as I sing into it and dance, shaking, turning, and swirling around the room.

1am so lost in the act to realize that Jayden is back with the food until he calls my name, looking around the scattered room in surprise.

“What is happening?” 1 jump towards him, still singing. I take the tray of food from him, ignoring the sweet aroma wafting past my nostril. 1 drop it on a small table before grabbing Jayden’s hand and spinning him around while he laughs, unable tc believe what is happening.

We continue to dance that way while I act as the man spinning the woman, even though I have to do that on my toes because of how tall he is, his laughter resounding in my ears just like the sweet music until the music changes in a slow one Isto with the twirling, my hair all over the place. The hairband had fallen off while I was busy jumping and dancing. Jayden takes control as our dancing pace slows down too. His right-hand rests on my shoulder while the other is on my waist.

My right hand is on his back and the other is at the back of his head, bringing it closer to me until his forehead rests on mine.

Then, I remember.

Jayden and I are not real couples. We are just friends and we shouldn’t be doing things like this.

The proximity of our bodies is doing unspeakable things to my body and insides. The attachment of his forehead to mine is, making his hot, sweet minty breath fan my entire face and neck which has me sucking in my breath and my hands trembling in fear.

It feels like the crush I had for him a year ago is back right now, stronger than ever before. His handsome face, his pointed nose, his chiseled jawline, his full brows, and his pink lips which are calling to me are making my legs wobble beneath me. The strength and energy which came from nowhere when I saw those audio and video cassettes have vanished into thin air and 1 am left with confusing feelings even though it is fascinating.

Now I am wishing things are different. Now I am wishing this isn’t a facade but a real thing. Now I am wishing our relationship isn’t a backward one but something normal.

Falling in love, getting proposed to, and getting married to him but I know this is all in my imagination.

Jayden will always remain my boss, even in marriage. I shouldn’t get ahead of myself. Whatever I feel doesn’t even matter because this is all about Jayden.

1am here to help him. I shouldn’t get things complicated with my stupid feelings and flexible heart.

Helping him should be my priority. This is a broken man who no longer knows how to love. Getting myself involved with him emotionally will ruin everything and I might get hurt.

This is the last thing I want.

As much as I would love to make this real, I want Jayden to be happy. His happiness comes first as long as we are in this contract. All 1 should be doing now should be purely based on my desire to see him happy and nothing more.

Nothing should be attached to this.

Just like the contract states; No Strings Attached.

1am about to take my hands off him so we can stop the music and eat our food before it gets cold.

As Itry to disengage from the hug, he pulls me closer, making me gasp in shock with my lips parting slightly.

Istare at him with wide eyes but I become more shocked when he inches his face closer and our nose meets before he take: my lips.

Isabella’s POV

His lips move on mine and the kiss isn’t rough. It is sweet, soft, slow, and passionate. It is the exact thing I have always envisioned for my first time.

Something as soft as the feathers of a hummingbird, something as sweet as my favorite wine, Adrianna Vineyard, something as slow as the current music, and something as passionate as what is between Jayden and me.

At first, the kiss caught me off guard but I did not waste any more time by thinking about the kiss instead of enjoying it while it lasted.

I throw every warning and thought to the winds and grab his waist closer, tugging him hard against my front, his chest pressing hard on my bosom.

He delves his tongue further into my mouth, seeking access to explore more of the insides of my mouth and I open my mouth wider to grant him full access, to taste every inch of my mouth.

A groan escapes his mouth and I let out the moan I have been trying not to let out too. His touch makes my skin feel so alive but his kiss is performing wonders on every part of my body.

Just like the movies and what they describe in romantic books, I feel it.

Yes, I can feel the butterflies in my stomach but mine is different. Everything present in my stomach is all dancing for joy. My legs are so weak that I can pass out with just a push. My head swells with such much pride at having my first kiss with someone as gorgeous as Jayden.

Not just anyone but my husband.

Then it clicks.

Jayden is my husband but on paper. I think he also realizes what he is doing and his mouth stops the wonders they were doing on mine.

My eyes flutter open to see him still closing his eyes tightly.

What have we done?

He leaves my lips and a cold breeze brush past them to indicate the absence of his hot addictive lips on mine.

He takes his hands away from my body too and moves to the sofa. Biting my lower lips in regrets, I can still feel the taste of his mouth on mine.

We have just ruined everything. How do we look at each other now without having to recall these two minutes of passion?

I know I like Jayden a lot but I don’t want to think this has more to do with my likeness to him. Standing confused in the middle of the room, I try to think of what the kiss really meant.

If a man likes you too, does the kiss taste different? How do you differentiate the kiss of a man who likes you and the one who doesn’t?

suddenly, Jayden gets up and rushes past me to the bedroom. My legs are glued to the ground and the music has stopped playing. I can’t follow him. I can’t talk to him. I can’t ask him questions.

The door to the bedroom slammed shut and it startles me. I jerk back in fright to realize he is really gone and he doesn’t want us to talk about what just happened between us.

This is a mistake.

Yes. A mistake.

1’shouldn’t have allowed him. I should have pushed him away when he kissed me.

1am sure Jayden doesn’t like me. A man who likes a woman would never leave her standing in the middle of a room while h runs away without a word.

1 don’t really have experience with love and relationships but my solid belief in love and my passion for romantic books hav opened my eyes to a whole lot of things that experience would have taught me.

No man would leave a woman he loves standing.

What am I saying? I slap myself mentally and walk to the sofa where she stood up from. I sit quietly but my emotions are numb. I don’t know what I am feeling right now.

Regrets? Yes.

What just happened between Jayden and me is far from love. I don’t even love him so why should I talk about love here? Besides, Jayden can never fall in love again with another woman. Helena has his heart. She had taken possession of it befor she died so there was no space for another woman to come in. She had claimed him, even in death.

A wave of guilt flows through my entire body at the thought of Helena.

Ishouldn’t be doing this. I don’t know Helena a bit. I know she must be watching us right now with a disappointed look on her face.

Jayden is still loyal and faithful to her even in death so it should remain that way. I shouldn’t be responsible for tainting a vow with the dead.

No. I shake my head intermittently, the emotions flowing back into my body from where they flew to.

I got this.

I got this.

1 have been pretending to be a real wife to him for over a month now. It shouldn’t be so hard to pretend like this kiss means nothing or pretend as if this kiss didn’t happen for the next 11 months.

Eleven months seems like a long time but I can do it. I can do whatever I put my mind to.

Am I reading too many romantic books and I am beginning to think my story would end up being cliche?

Not

Jayden is real. He isn’t a fictional character like those men. He doesn’t have a heart to love. He can’t fall for the second time, in a lifetime.

1am real too. I deserve someone who will appreciate me for who I am. A first-time love experience shouldn’t be this way. It ought to be with someone else. This is why I want to go to Italy. I want to go to Verona and Tuscan.

Italian men are passionate lovers and that is what I want. Even if I don’t find love, a one-stand won’t be a bad idea. At least I won’t end up dying a virgin.

1let out a deep relief before glancing around to see the food I placed on the table. The steam has reduced and I am sure it i already getting cold.

1shoot up to my feet to get it. I place the tray down in front of me and grab a plate to eat.

Itis spaghetti with meatloaf. My stomach rumbles at the sight as I quickly dig into it. I stop my head from twirling around everything that has happened in just a few minutes of waking up as I eat. Pouring out my aggression and frustration on the food.

If only I had fallen in love with a rich man, I might not be pretending to be Jayden’s wife and I wouldn’t be in this tight situation. But unfortunately, my shape and pretty face were only attracting unserious men who wanted nothing but a one- night stand or for me to be one of their mistresses.

1 finish off the food within minutes and I gulp down the glass of fruit juice on the tray before dropping the plates and belching in satisfaction.

When I remember that Jayden has locked himself up in the bedroom without eating, I decide to go and persuade him to come out and eat.

As s00n as I stand up to go and get him, the door to the bedroom opens and he comes out. But as a different man.

He doesn’t look like the Jayden I have become friends with for a week. He doesn’t look like the broken Jayden I have considered him to be ever since I got to know about his story and that of Helena from Gabriel.

He doesn’t look like the same Jayden who left me standing in the middle of the room after a passionate kiss we both shared He doesn’t look like the man who cooked this delicious meal for me, he doesn’t look like the man I danced with a few minutes ago who was laughing like someone who has no care in the world.

He looks exactly like someone I once knew. The rude, harsh, arrogant Jayden I knew from a year ago.

The one who was my boss. The one who always shouts at me for being clumsy and stupid.

He strolls toward me without sparing me a glance and grabs the food on the tray.

When he raises his head to meet my gaze, I can see it all. All the emotions. And the assumptions I have are right.

“Get ready, we will be leaving for home now’, he declares openly before turning back to leave me standing there again.

It takes a while for it to process in my head and I find myself asking softly. “Has it stopped raining?”

He does not turn back to look at me. Instead, he continues walking till he is out of sight without giving me a reply.

1 peel my feet off the floor, moving closer to the door to check out if it has stopped raining and if it is safe to go home indeed.

I get there to see the stillness.

It has stopped raining indeed. And we are going home.

Not as couples. Not as friends. Not as acquaintances.

But as enemies.

I’am now his enemy for allowing the kiss to happen.

Jayden’s POV

While putting some files into my briefcase so 1 could go home, the door opens and I look up to see my mother come in. “Mother?” I wiggle my eyebrows at her as she closes the door and ventures inside.

Is Anna gone? Why didn’t she inform me that Mother is here?

1 plan to go home early today because Gabriel and I have plans to meet up somewhere to close our deal and sign up the contract of my partnership. We couldn’t do that because I have been absent from work for a whole week and I have been coming to work for three days now without seeing him.

He told me how busy he has been coupled with the demands of his pregnant wife and we planned to meet tonight.

Sabrina would be going out with her friend too which is giving him the time to come out. I hope now that he is expecting a baby, he will be faithful to his wife.

“What are you doing here?” I ask her with confusion, skating my expression.

Why is she here by this time of the day? We haven’t seen each other for days. Well, I haven’t seen her since I came back from my little trip with Isabella from the lake house.

“I came to see you, of course’, she replies with a scowl. When she takes a seat, I do the same, dropping the briefcase. “How could you be gone with that thing you call a wife for days? Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. I couldn’t reach you, you couldn’t call me back after the several voicemails I sent to you because I was worried and you couldn’t even come to visit after you came back? What was that for? A show? How long were you gone?”

let her rant for a while till she gets tired and remains silent. With my jaws propped on my hand, I begin the countdown for the 10 minutes I am sparing here.

“Aren’t you going to say anything, Jayden?”

As much as I want to snap at her and tell her to leave my office, I remain calm.

Leaning forward and taking note of the two minutes she had exhausted ranting, I ask. “Why did you allow Isabella and me to get married?”

“What?” She looks perplexed at the question. Her brows scrunch up too.

“Yes, mother. You heard me right. Why did you allow Isabella to get married to me when you knew you didn’t like her and yo would end up hating her?” I rephrase my question, expecting an answer and the right way to shut her up completely.

Even though I have been giving Isabella a silent treatment because of what happened between us at the chalet house, I won’t allow anyone to do the same to her or mistreat her or say bad words about her. We might not be on good terms but she is a good woman. I know she is.

The kiss caught me off-guard and I was ashamed of myself. I wasn’t supposed to do that.

I had no idea what came over me that made the vows which usually ring a bell in my head run off with the winds. I had no idea why I kissed her and why she allowed me to kiss her.

We weren’t supposed to do that. It is forbidden for us because it is against the conditions of our one-year marriage contract 1 didn’t want to give it much thought because I was determined to keep up with the healing process and move away from the trauma of Helena’s death so I guessed the right thing to do was to pretend like it didn’t happen but there is no way in the world I would talk to Isabella freely after that day without remembering what happened that day.

Its fucking hard. She shouldn’t have allowed it.

“I don’t hate her, Jayden. She’s just not good for you”, my mother breaks the moment of silence with her expected answer. “Really?” I ask calmly. “She isn’t good for me? Then who is? Anna? That fucking bitch?”

She slams her fist on the desk with anger evident in her expression. “nna is not a bitch, mind your words.”

“Then you should mind the way you talk about my wife. Mind the speech you use on her and mind your business. This marriage is between Isabella and me, not you and Isabella so you have no right to interfere in any of our affairs.” I find myself shouting at her.

“Really?” Hurt flashes across her expression and I sigh loudly.

“I just want the best for you…” she trails off with a shaking voice.

“The best?” I can’t seem to take a hold of my anger. “My best and you think Anna is the best? I caught that bitch F***ing with one of my employees right in this office the very day I resumed work because she thought I wouldn’t be at work again since didn’t resume the very day I told her I was resuming”

“What?” Her jaws drop open in shock and disbelief. “Anna?”

“Yes, your sweet Anna. The one you wanted as a daughter-in-law…”

“Why didn’t you fire her, then if that was it?” She yells and I am taken aback. I don’t know if she is saying this because she is mad at Anna for doing that or if she is asking because she finds it hard to believe. She knows how furious I can be when something of that sort happens and I wouldn’t have the patience to listen to her pleas which is why it is hard for her to believe that I actually caught Anna having s*x with someone right here in my office.

1 didn’t do anything intentionally because I want her to resign of her own free will and I am waiting for the right opportunity to use that secret she has with me against her and my mother.

Yes.

“You don’t believe me?” I chuckle and shake my head.

“Why should 12”

“Fine, you can leave now if you don’t but don’t you dare talk trash to my wife ever again. ”

“I will keep saying it, Jayden. That girl is no good for you. She is just after your money!” She stands up and turns to go out. “She is after my money, she is a gold digger yet she rejected your offer?” She halts in her step and turns back slowly to face me.

“You think I don’t know?” I raise a brow at her. “You think I don’t know you were secretly trying to send her off so you could get me married to Anna? What do you even think of me?!” 1 shoot up to my feet, anger shooting through me and my face in a deep frown.

“A kid? Someone you can just dictate for? You did this same thing with Helena. Helena was the right person for me but what did you do? You made her feel inferior and she almost left. Who knows, maybe she would have survived that accident if she had left me anyways but 1 am done with this shit you are putting me through!”

“How can you offer my wife a million dollars just to leave me and you claim you want my happiness? What sort of a mother are you? Do you even have any idea the length I am going just to make sure that you are happy? Do you know how long it took me to resolve to get married just to make you happy? Do you know the sacrifices I have made to ensure that this marriage between Isabela and 1 will work out and my traumatic past won’t have anything to do with it just so you can be full satisfied that I am eventually married?”

“What else do you want from me, Mother?” I am breathing heavily now just like someone who had done a marathon race. “1 didn’t want to get married. I made a vow to Helena yet I broke that vow just because I wanted you to be happy. I decided to marry Isabella and yet you are not appreciative of my efforts? What do you want, Mother? Do you want me to do your bidding even if I am not happy? Is that what you want?”

She shakes her head sadly and lowers her head in humiliation. I know I have been hard on her so I take a deep breath to calm my nerves.

“Were you forced to marry my dad?” She hoist her head up, surprised at the question. Her eyes soften and I can see the tear brimming in her eyes.

1just don’t understand why she is doing this. I love her and I admire what she has with my father. If I don’t love her this much, 1 won’t be married. I might never get married. I am in this marriage with a woman I am currently avoiding just so she could be happy

“I’m sorry’, she breaks down in tears, lowering her body slowly to the ground. I can’t take it so 1 leave my seat and stride toward her, scooping her up before she can sit on the floor.

1 hug her tightly without a word. There is so much anger in me. So many feelings. Unexpressed ones. There is so much I want to say. So much I want to let out.

I have so many things on my head too and her behavior isn’t helping matters.

Mother’s tears increase and her wailing becomes louder. I hug her tightly, closing my eyes and telling myself that she is forgiven.

1 don’t want to regret why I married Isabella even though we will be divorced in months. And the only way not to regret the marriage is to make sure that my mother thinks well of her and this marriage and enjoy the satisfaction that comes with having me married before the marriage ends and also to make sure that this marriage is worth it.

It might not be worth it for me. But worth it for Isabella and Mother. Mother will be happy that at least I was married for a year while Isabella will be able to achieve her dreams by being married to me for a year.

At the end of it all, I will achieve my purpose too.

Getting divorced after a year will stop my mother from pestering me to get married ever again.

Then, 1 will remain celibate for life.

Jayden’s POV The silent ride home gives me enough time to think about everything that is happening and what just happened between Mother and me before she went home with her driver. I haven’t said a single word to Jude since I climbed into the car and he began to drive me home. But I have to tell hin to wait for me to take a quick shower and change into something light so he can drive me to where Gabriel and I will be meeting. I have been avoiding Isabella and sometimes I sleep in my office while other times, I sleep on the sofa. Things have been really awkward between us ever since that day. I have been trying not to let it get into the way of our new friendship but it is getting in the way. I can’t just pretend the kiss didn’t happen. find it very hard to sleep on the same bed with her too, for fear that I would lose my cool and act on impulse. I had no idea what came over me that day. Maybe it was because she looked like Helena that day and she reminded me of Helena, the way she was dancing all around in my shirt and nothing else but a bum short. It felt familiar. And surprisingly I was happy. It was just as if Helena was there. Right there and I was fucking happy like I haven’t been in two years. Maybe that was why I kissed her. I was out of my senses. Isabella tried to bring it up but I stopped her. She tried to strike up a conversation with me on our way back but I enjoyed the silence better so I ignored her till we got home. She has been playing a great part in ignoring me too and it hurts like hell. I don’t know what she thinks of me now. I already promised to do everything within my power not to hurt or mistreat but here I am ignoring her like a piece of shit. I can’t just help it. I don’t want to do something I would regret. Isabella deserves someone better. Not a broken man like me who doesn’t know what he wants and who is incapable of loving a woman. She deserves a man who can’t love her with everything in him. Passionately and purely. 1 am not the one for her and she knows it. I just don’t know why she didn’t push me away when I kissed her. If she had pushed me away then we would have tagged everything as a mistake but she didn’t push me away. It seems she enjoyed it too just like I did. Fi 1 groan inwardly as the car comes to a stop in front of the gate which opens automatically before he drives in. He parks the car in the driveway and climbs down to open the car for me. “Wait up, I will be out in a jiffy”, I say to him as I get down from the car with my briefcase. He nods so I stroll to the front door. Gabriel must be waiting for me already. He said he doesn’t want us to be out for too long so he could get home right on time for Sabrina to be done with the outing with her friends. I rush towards the staircase when I am inside, thinking of what casual wear to put on, even though it is based on a business outing. We might have dinner out too so I won’t take dinner before leaving. I get to the door and knock before entering. Iam in a haste to even realize I haven’t knocked in days. Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. I just entered because Isabella and I don’t talk to each other and I see no reason why I should knock because it feels like I will be trying to talk to her if I knock on the door before entering. To me, it was too much of a courtesy. But today, I knocked and I still don’t have the intention of going along with her. I need time. Time to get rid of that kiss out of my head. I figure the whole thing is still very much present in my head because it isn’t up to a week. By the time it is up to a week, I must have myself buried in work already to think of any fu**ing kiss. Just like I predicted, Isabella is sitting up in bed but with her back to me. All this while, she is usually in bed whenever I arrive but with a book in her hand which she was always reading, pretending not to know that I am home and she isn’t the only one in the room. She doesn’t even spare me a glance but I sometimes find myself peeking to catch the name of the book she is reading. She loves romance books too much and I guess that’s why she has a strong conviction of pure love and probably the real reason why she wants to go to Italy to find love. It’s absurd. Going to another country to find love. It is cliche and stupid but I will allow her to go. That is the least I can do for her. You don’t need to go anywhere to find love. It finds you wherever you are but I can’t tell her that because she might think I don’t want her to go or because I don’t want to sponsor the trip as promised. The thought of having her around Alejandro all through the trip is disturbing as well. He is a charmer. I drop the briefcase on the floor beside the bed and pull the suit off my body before dumping it on the bed. When I turn to see if Isabella is watching, I see her folding clothes, and my breathing hitched in my throat. She is packing? Why is she folding her clothes like someone who is packing up to leave? Is it because of what happened between us? Is she tired of me giving her cold shoulders? I sigh and walk around to grab my towel from the closet so it can allow me to see what she is actually doing. There is a small handbag on the floor beside her suitcase and she is folding the clothes and dropping them carefully in the suitcase. My eyes grow large and I am tempted to ask her what she is doing and where she is going. Why the hell will she keep threatening to leave when there is a contract binding us together? She can’t leave until after a year. Can’t she get that? I hiss loudly and dash to the bathroom. My heart is pounding wildly in my rib cage and I can’t figure out if this is a result of the fear that she would leave eventually and I will have to face my mother and the public tomorrow. What excuse can I give my mother? I know I was able to convince her that Isabella is here to stay and she isn’t after my money. What if she leaves now and mother gets to hear about it, won’t she go back to her belief of Isabella being a gold digger? Won’t I be an object of ridicule to the public for being unable to keep my wife for a few more months? How can our marriage be over in just one month? Unable to peel my clothes off my body to take a shower, I throw the door open and come out with the towel still in my hand firmly. I walk towards her and stop right in front of her. She ignores me for a while as I try to calm my breathing, then she looks up. Her eyes are swollen like she has been crying. Her hair is disheveled like she hasn’t taken a bath in days. I look past the appearance and the tug at my heart. “Where are you going?” “Excuse me?” She furrows her brows as if she can’t understand what I am talking about. Can’t she stop pretending for once? Wait, was she trying to sneak away before I came back from work? Now that I am back she wants to pretend as if she wasn’t planning to leave. “Did you read the contract well?” I ask her again and she looks confused for a while before nodding her head. “It was stated there that if any one of us goes against the contract, then the default will have to pay the sum of…” I trail off, remembering that the price listed there was a million dollars and it won’t scare her if I tell her it is a million dollars. I know she didn’t read the contract well. She only glanced through and quickly signed it in fear that I would change my mind and she won’t get the money I promised to pay her immediately for her Grandma’s surgery. A million dollars is what my mother is offering her to leave me. If I tell her it is a million dollars, then it won’t be a problem because she can easily contact my mother to accept her offer and get the million dollars to pay me off before leaving. No! She can’t leave. 1 shift uncomfortably, her puzzled eyes staring intensely at me. She must be really surprised that I am talking to her and of all things to say, I am talking about the contract. I clear my throat and continue. “If you leave, you will be asked to pay the sum of two million dollars for going agains the contract’ I say to her. “I never knew it was that much”, she replies nonchalantly, even though she seems surprised by the large amount of money. I nod. “So it’s better you don’t leave. “What makes you think I was leaving?” She continues to fold her clothes. “You are packing your things”, I say, pointing to the clothes all around her. “Aren’t you leaving?” “No!” She responds sharply. My mouth drops open and the towel leaves my hand. She chuckles. “I wasn’t leaving but I had plans to go out tonight, though. I was just thinking of how to tell you.” “Going out? Where?” I can’t believe her. She must be kidding me. First, she was packing and now she is telling me she wants to go out. “To Sabrina’s place. I’m bored”, she complains and I suddenly feel bad for her. “Sabrina?” I ask her. If it is Sabrina’s place then that isn’t a problem. She wasn’t really leaving then. All I need to do i take her there myself since Gabriel and I will be leaving, then after the meeting with Gabriel, we will go straight to hi place so I can pick Isabella up from there and we can come home afterwards. Great idea! “Yes, can I?” She questions with a skeptical look on her face. “Sure, you can go”, I say, picking up the towel from the floor. “Really?” Her eyes beam with happiness and I find myself smiling. “Thank you.” “Yes but you are going with me…” “What?” Her smile vanishes into thin air almost immediately. “Going with you? Why?” 1 smirk and turn back to go to the bathroom. “Gabriel and I are meeting tonight so I will drop you off at his place…” open the bathroom door and enter. When I am inside, after making sure that the door is locked, I finish up the incomplete statement to myself

X Tre “That way, you won’t be able to leave even if you have the intention of leaving, You are stuck with mE¥YOP® f***ing YEAR!”

Isabella’s POV As soon as Jayden entered the large gate of Gabriel’s home, he asked the driver to halt the car right after he entered so I could drop.

I can feel his eyes on me till I get to the door. I tum back slowly to see him looking just like I thought he would

He waves at me, signaling me to go inside. I am sure he wants me to go in to be sure that I am not lying about wanting to come and see Sabrina

1 wonder what he is afraid of.

It amazes me to know that he is actually scared of me leaving him. I want to have a good feeling about this but I know I shouldn’t. I shouldn’t get ahead of myself. All Jayden is after is making sure that everything goes as planned. This is just about him.

Only about him.

If 1 leave now, he will be the talk of the town. The bachelor who has been thought to never want to have anything to do with any woman ever again suddenly got married and after a month, he is divorced.

Itwill make a good headline in the New York Times newspaper but I am sure he doesn’t want to risk it Ayear is enough to gain the trust of his shareholders and business partners. A month is too early.

I really did not have the intention of leaving. I didn’t even think of it as an option. I know I am stuck in here for several months to come and I have accepted my fate but I just couldn’t wrap my head around what was happening We kissed. It was enjoyable and passionate but he keeps pretending like it didn’t happen. Not only that, he doesn’t want us to talk about it and clear the air between us. Yet, he doesn’t want me to leave.

fhe is to consider my emotional state of mind, then he ought to be the one to suggest that I leave. Right now, I am on the verg of letting it out. I want to cry but there is no one to console me in the house if I cry. Then, I decided to come to see Sabrina. She seems like someone who would understand my plight. Going to Grandma’s place is not a nice idea.

Now I think I should become very serious about my decision to go to Verona. I won’t stop him from sponsoring the trip but I nee to talk to him about Alejandro’s number.

October starts next week and I need to start packing my bags to go on the trip. I’m sure it will do a lot of good for my emotional health and well-being.

1 hope the trip will come with glad tidings.

He waves at me again and I blink once, to see that I am still standing in the front yard. Quickly, I tum back and open the door to enter the house.

Everything seems quiet and I remember I didn’t see any maids the first time I was here.

Does Sabrina not like maids? Who helps her with the house chores now that she is carrying a baby?

Just before I can find my way to the living room, taking the same direction Gabriel and I went through the other time, I hear laughter and I turn to see a lady at the end of the staircase

She doesn’t look familiar and I wonder who she is. She is staring up at someone on the staircase. I halt in my tracks and the person comes into view.

Itis Sabrina and she is dressed gorgeously in a lavender gown. It seems like they are going out

I clear my throat to indicate my presence. It actually gets their attention because I hear Sabrina gasps softly.

Isabella?” She calls out, as though she can’t believe I am here, this night and alone. “Isabella, what are you doing here?”

I smile at her and the other lady folds her arms around her bosom as she studies me with curiosity.

“It seems you are heading out, I came to see you”, I tell her, the smile still on my face

“See me? Are you talking about Gabriel and me because Gabriel is actually out with your husband. .”

No” I cut her short sharply. I know Gabriel and Jayden are going to meet. “I came here to see you.”

She must be asking to be sure that this surprise visit has nothing to do with my first ever visit when I came to question them about Jayden’s private life which Jayden himself told me a week after Gabriel had informed me.

To see me?” She glances back at her friend before coming toward me with concen. “Is everything ok?”

“Yes”, I nod eagerly. “I just want to spend time with you, that’s all.”

“Aww, that’s so sweet of you”, she gives me one of her cutest smiles while I fidget with my hands nervously. Seeing her with a friend isn’t what I planned. Now I know I won’t be able to talk freely since she has company.

“We were actually on our way out to a girl’s party, do you care to come with us?” She asks me politely.

ook down at my dress in response. I didn’t make any effort to look good. I was in such a hurry to come down here and have Sabrina throw jokes that will have me laughing til I forget my sorrows and use it to go through the whole week

I’m not dressed for outings…”

Nah, its fine”, she waves it away. “Its just something little between my friends and me. Let’s go?” I hesitate for a while, weighing the possibility of going. If I don’t go, I will have to head back home and continue to wallow myset in self-pity and boredom.

“Yes”, I let out a short laugh.

“Great’, she says and moves closer, her right hand crawling its way to my back. “This is my friend, Eunice, Eunice meets Isabella, Jayden’s wife”, she introduces us to each other.

I stretch my hand for a handshake and the lady gasps. She is wearing a lacy white bodycon gown. It is extremely short and sexy. She has a small face and she looks like the type of girl Sabrina keeps as a friend

“Jayden’s wife?’ She tums to Sabrina who grins mischievously while my hand hangs in the air

Sabrina nods. The lady gasps again. “He later got someone who took the offer to become his contacted wife?” Wait, how did she know about the contract between Jayden and me? Did Sabrina tell? Or… is she the one who almost got married to Jayden?

“Yes’, Sabrina smiles at her as she nods again. The lady stares at me with envy in her eyes before it gets replaced with curiosity.

“How are you coping with the rules?” she asks me but I don’t know what she is talking about. I drop my hands.

Before I can speak up, Sabrina beats me to it. “Isabella, Eunice was the friend I told you about. Things didn’t work out between her and Jayden.”

I thought as much”, I express firmly, examining her carefully. She is regarding me with a look I can’t place. Probably thinking that I don’t worth being the billionaire’s wife because of how simple I am dressed tonight.

“Why didn’t it work out between you two?” I find myself asking the only question on my mind. There is absolutely no need to hide anything from her since she knows about it too

“I am more than surprised to know that he got someone and that person is you. You are too pretty to be in this…”

Eunicee doesn’t follow the rules and Jayden’s rules were too stringent for her…” Sabrina answers the question instead.

“What rule?” I cut Sabrina short with interest in knowing what actually happened. All the rules starred in the contract were simpl or is there something I am missing out on?

Sabrina shrugs and tums to Eunice to answer the question. “The rule of no strings attached. I can’t do that. Who the hell can?” “Obviously, Isabella can’, Sabrina chips in and they both laugh

“That guy is too hot. I was already imagining how much pleasure I would derive from taking a hold of his…”

“Hey, shut up, don’t spoil my gir”, Sabrina interrupts her as I watch them in amazement Wouwl This is it. Jayden didn’t get married to this girl because she wanted strings attached

How are you coping, anyways?” She questions after she sobers up from another short laughter.

How am I coping?

“Pretty easy’, I shrug indifferently, careful not to let my face show what I am feeling

Easy you say?” She gasps again and makes a shitty face at me. I laugh. “Are you in love with him or what? How can you accept such an offer if you are in your right senses?

Itis supposed to be a joke but I am offended

“Yes, that’s true”, Sabrina agrees with her to my astonishment. “You must be in love with him.”

“What?!” I exclaim loudly. “Of course not.”

“Yes, you are’, Eunice insists.

I shake my head vigorously in disagreement. “No, I am not”

“Yes, you are’, Sabrina agrees to it too, making my mouth drop open

Unconsciously, a red flush creeps to my face and their laughter pulls me out of my reverie. I was actually thinking of the kiss between Jayden and me. It happened but I don’t think I allowed it because I am in love with him, right? As if hearing my thoughts, Sabrina and Eunice turn to face each other with their mouths agape, and then they both scream

Jayden’s POV

In just a few hours of practically calling Isabella a loose woman for dressing that way around the house when I didn’t even know that she went to the pool with a towel, my emotions are all over the place.

I still feel remorseful and I want to do everything possible to make her forget what I said.

It was an insult and I have no idea what came over me to say that. She isn’t my real wife so I have no right over her.

it wouldn’t be offensive if only we were real. This is just on paper.

She has had me feeling sorry for her for no reason. She accepted this because it was what she needed but I don’t know why I feel sorry for her.

She mentioned something about love during the dinner with Alejandro and I am curious to know what she means by that. Does she want to go to Verona to find a man who truly loves her? Can’t she wait till after our marriage is up to a year before going?

I remember she also said something about this when I first presented the offer to her and she outright rejected it. Isabella is predictable.

This is why I want to make it up to her. Our marriage is already a week old and I can’t promise not to be rude to her.

I will be good to her whenever I can help it so that when my harsh part is on display, she will remember the times when I was nice to her.

it’s a local ice cream shop and they don’t have the flavor I wanted to get for her. Helena used to fancy ice cream too but she loved bubblegum and strawberry flavor. Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. When I asked for both flavors and they didn’t have them, I got what they had and came out with it.

itisn’t in a bow like I thought it would too. It is carved in a big biscuit cone. I got three. Two for Isabella and one for Jude.

I catch a glimpse of a lady in a black dress standing in front of Isabella and my forehead creases, wondering who it is she knows around here.

Quickly, I cross to the other side but before I can get close, the lady tums as though she is about to leave when she bumps into me, running my suit with one of the ice creams.

“Oh, My God!” Isabella gasps and rushes to me, trying to wipe the stain off my suit. Instead of wiping it off, it keeps spreading and she rushes back to grab something from the car.

I hoist my head up, raising the two cones of ice cream to see Isabella’s friend standing before me with a glare.

I can’t recall her name.

“Hello, Mr billionaire”, a sly smile descends on her face.

Before I can ask her what she is doing here, Isabella comes back with a handkerchief. She tries to wipe off the stain but I stop her and sling my right hand over her shoulder so we can both face Juliet squarely.

“Babe, I can’t recall your friend’s name”, I say, looking at her.

She smiles at me and answers. “She is Juliet and she was my friend.”

“Oh!” I murmur. “She is no longer your friend?” She shakes her head with a pretty pout on her face.

I grin widely and turn to Juliet. “What were you saying? Why are you here?”

Instead of replying to me, she scoffs at me and folds her arms. “You think you can deceive everyone, right?”

I drop my hand from Isabella and stretch the two cones of ice cream towards her. Her eyes widen. “The two are mine?” “Yes. Jude’s own got ruined.”

“You didn’t get one for yourself?” She asks with concern.

“I’m fine. You can take both”, I wave it away before facing Juliet again.

She snarls. “Unbelievable!”

“Who is the deceitful one here?”

“What?!” She exclaims loudly. “I am deceitful?”

ignoring her, I take Isabella’s hand in mine and it feels warm. “Let’s go home, sweetheart.”

She licks the tip of the first cone and flashes me a sweet grin. Jude comes out almost immediately and opens the door for us.

Juliet steps out of the way and Isabella climbs in. I do the same immediately and close the car door.

The car roars to life and we drive off, Juliet still standing with a scowl on her face.

“She is 50 bitter”, Isabella comments, making a face. I smile without saying a word.

I would say this is the best act ever since we got married. We haven’t really been able to show the intimacy between us until tonight.

She licks the first ice cream again, holding the other one in her left hand, her right hand busy with the first. Her tongue is extremely red and it makes my gaze shift to her red Lips too.

She moans in delight as she chews on it before swallowing and repeating the process of licking, moaning, and chewing for a while till she is done with the first cone.

She chews the biscuit cone and I can see the satisfaction on her face. Expecting her to begin the same process with the second ice cream, she stares at it for a while, as if to decide on what exactly to do with it.

In a split second, she stretches the ice cream at me. “Take it.”

My eyes widen. “What?!”

“Take it”, she repeats, shrugging indifferently.

“No’, I protest. “I bought both for you…”

“I know”, she interrupts me, pushing it further to my face. I love ice cream too. Well, I had no choice but to love it. Helena loved it. I loved everything she loved. She even makes me eat food that I didn’t like as a kid. Eating it with her was fun. Without her, the disgust for such food usually comes back. But when she is around, I eat with pleasure.

I shake my head. “No!”

“Come on. I am giving it to you. Just take it as an assurance that I am no longer mad at you.”

A smile creeps to my face and I shake my head further. “I bought this for you, Isabella. If I take it, I will feel bad for not going back to get Jude another one.’

“Oh!” She murmurs and nods vigorously in understanding. Her gaze shifts to my stained suit and rests there for a while. The next thing she does is lean forward close to Jude who is driving.

“Your boss wants you to take this, Jude. But please don’t close your eyes when taking it so we won’t end up in heaven’, she says to Jude who takes it with laughter.

I laugh too as she rejoins me in the back seat. She takes a hold of the handkerchief laying beside us before leaning forward to clean the stain on my suit.

I thought she had completely forgotten about it. I didn’t know she still remembers but I don’t really see the need to clean it because we are heading home and I am going to take the suit off. Besides, it’s late already and no one will see the stained area.

I want to protest but she continues to clean it more quickly as if hearing my thoughts. I almost laugh and relax well for her to finish up and let go of her hold on my suit.

She stops and I look down to see that she is done cleaning it with the handkerchief. She looks up at the same time and smiles at me.

Her breath fans my face and it seems nice. It is a mixture of her mint breath and the flavor of the ice cream. Her lips are full and lovely. Her brows are full too and her pupils are extremely brown.

Hazel brown.

Her nose is pointed.

She has an oval-shaped face and her face is suddenly flush red. This is when reality dawns on me and I tear my gaze away from her.

She lets go of me and sits back next to me with a long sigh.

We continue the ride in silence. But my mind is in disarray. I am gaping at how I was so lost in studying her face.

Is this part of my desire to get rid of her anger towards me?

She already said she was no longer angry, why am I still bothered?

why do I think of Helena whenever I see something common between them or between us?

Why do I have to compare Helena and Isabella?

I don’t try to stare at her, my gaze is fixed upon the window as I watch the passing houses and shops, the street lights, the roads, and everything possible to look at until we get home.

Isabella’s POV

it was Adrianna Vineyard.

That is the name of the wine Jayden served when Gabriel and his wife came for dinner three nights ago.

With crossed legs and a book in my right hand, my back resting comfortably on the sofa, I take a sip of the wine, moaning in delight before dropping it back on the coffee table.

I love this wind. The taste is unique. Probably because I haven’t had a taste of many wines. Maybe if I take more varieties, I will find others who are good too.

But for now, I love this wine and I will always have it beside me whenever I am reading.

Reading does something magical to me. It makes me create a world of my own. A world filled with nothing but love, laughter, joy, and everlasting happiness. This is in contrast to the reality we are living in.

The reality of challenges and tribulations. Filled with mixtures of laughter and sorrow, joy and sadness, love and hatred, laughter and tears.

If there is one thing I wish for right now, it is LOVE.

True love. Because I believe true love brings fulfillment and happiness. It gives you a sense of tranquility and it brings smiles to your face.

Apart from the fact that reading keeps me busy and away from boredom, this is why I love reading.

Feeling like a classic businesswoman, I lean forward to take the glass cup to sip on again when I hear the knock on the door.

I almost spill the content of the wine on my sleepwear because of how I was in a rush to drop the glass cup back on the coffee table and drop my crossed legs in a hurry.

“Come in”, I say loudly when I am composed enough to let the person in.

The door opens and Jayden comes in with his coat around his shoulder leaving him in just his white long sleeves and his briefcase in his hand.

I didn’t expect him to knock. But I guess it was done out of courtesy. He must think I am in the bathroom or probably dressing up. To avoid having me run around the room or dashing back to the bathroom, the knocking was the right thing to do, even though I didn’t expect him to be back from work this early.

“Welcome”, I say with a smile, picking up the novel again to continue reading. I won’t take any more wine. If I had known he was the one, I would have gotten rid of it so he won’t see it.

But now that he is here already, he will.

In fact, his eyes are fixed on the bottle of red wine.

“How are you?” He asks, surprising me. Though we have been nice to each other, we haven’t gotten to the phase of caring about how each other’s day went.

Well, I care but he doesn’t so I see no reason why I should always be the one asking him how his day went.

Pushing back my nervousness, I reply. “I’m fine.”

He falls silent and I am thinking of what next I am supposed to do. How am I supposed to stand up and welcome him home with a hug or a peck on the forehead?

No, he is not my real husband!

Am I supposed to take the briefcase and the coat from him?

Not

“Why are you with my favorite wine?” He looks amused as he drops the coat and briefcase on the sofa next to me before dragging a recliner opposite me and flopping heavily into it.

He grabs the glass cup and pour more wine into it before gulping everything down.

I stare in wonder. Did he just use my glass cup? Did he just down the whole content of the wine? Am I hallucinating? When he looks up, he smiles. “I never knew you love wines too”

Careful not to show my surprise, I nod. “I particularly like this one. It tastes good.”

He nods in agreement before pouring more into the cup and lifting it to his mouth. I watch him take a sip and watch how the drink goes down his Adam’s apple, making it pop up.

“What book are you reading?” He asks, shifting his gaze to your book in my hand.

“The Billionaire’s Unwanted Bride”, I reply.

He raises a brow.

“Are you done with the other? I can lend you this too if you want it. This is the second time I am reading the book. I tell him.

He leans backward with curiosity written all over him and he repeats. “The Billionaires Unwanted Bride? What is it about?” I shrug nonchalantly. “You should see for yourself” I stretch it to him but he doesn’t take it and I wish so desperately for him to take it from me.

I want him to read it but I have no idea why I want this.

This book reminds me of nothing but Jayden and our contractual marriage. It reminds me of what I have gotten myself into. itis related to my current situation.

But I love it. I love the book.

“I will get it when I am done with the first. You can keep it till then’, he rises from the chair and says. “I need to take a shower”

Abruptly, I shoot to my feet too. He wants to take a shower and I think it is high time 1 go to bed too so this light atmosphere won’t become awkward. I won’t be able to help not drooling if he comes out shirtless again like always.

“I should go to bed”, I say and try to walk to the bed when I sway. I almost fall down but strong pairs of arms are quick to grab me.

This is when it dawns on me that I am a little tipsy.

When his breath fans my face, I realize that these strong arms belong to no one but Jayden and his face is a few inches away from mine.

This action reminds me of what happened at the clubhouse where we bumped into each other a few weeks ago and that was before I accepted his offer to be his wife for a year. Actually, that day was the very day I decided to accept his offer.

I am thinking he will drop me like he did that day but he isn’t dropping me. He is watching me intensely with his arms around my waist and my back slightly bending. I realize my mouth is parted when he glances at my lips. Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. instinctively and with a loud gulp, I close my mouth. That seems to break the spell because he let me go instantly, making sure that I am back on my feet.

“I should go take a shower’, he twirls back and dashes to the bathroom before I can process what just happened and try to think if it is indeed a reality and not my imagination.

Did Jayden just look at my parted lips?

The slamming of the bathroom door jerks me out of my reverie. 1 blink once and pinch myself to wake up from the dream. Itisn’t a dream.

I am tipsy, maybe that is why I am imagining rubbish.

Quickly, I wave it off and rush to the King-sized bed. I place the two pillows in the center of the bed as usual before climbing into bed and turning on my side, praying so hard for sleep to come before Jayden is out of the bathroom.

Jayden’s POV

When I come out of the bathroom, I see Isabella still sleeping on the bed, making me wonder when she will wake up.

I have some questions to ask her. These were the questions I was supposed to ask her last night but I was surprised to come out of the bathroom to see her fast asleep.

It amuses how fast she can fall asleep within minutes.

Taking my eyes off her still body, curled up in bed like a baby, I walk to the closet to get a dress to wear.

I pull a black jacket out of the closet and a pair of black pants with a white long-sleeve top before turning back to drop them on the bed when I see Isabella stirring in her sleep and yawning loudly without covering her mouth.

I halt and watch her as she opens her mouth widely before fluttering her eyes open. Our eyes lock and she scrambles out of bed with embarrassment.

I chuckle lightly and walk to drop my clothes on the sofa. A towel is still wrapped around my waist.

I don’t know if the embarrassment is a result of that or because of how she yawned without covering her mouth.

“How was your night?” I ask her. She didn’t stir at all through the night. I was watching her from where I laid last night and I guess it was because of the wine.

“It…it was fine”, she stutters, earning another chuckle from me.

Remembering that I have questions to ask her, I quickly put on my clothes without turning around to see if she is looking or not. I am definitely sure she isn’t looking. She will be too embarrassed to see me in towels only.

After getting dressed in my pants and white shirt, I spin around to face her. She is back on the bed with her back to me.

As I tug the sleeves of my shirt, I call her. “Isabella?”

“Yes?” She rises immediately, her eyes lowered to the ground.

“How did you become friends with that girl?” I face the mirror and brush my hair with a hair comb before applying a lotion toit.

I smell aftershave.

I grab my body lotion to apply to my body.

“Juliet?” She asks as if to be sure she is the one I am talking about.

Of course, who else would it be?”

“We met a long time ago”, she only says without going further.

I twirl around to see her still looking down. I raise a brow, wondering why she doesnt want to talk about her. juliet is not a good friend.

Even though Gabriel is the most serious person I have ever met, he is a good man. He is just too playful.

Apparently, she doesn’t want to talk about it. I should move to the next question then.

“You talked about Fashion the other day, I never knew you had a thing for fashion”, I say, not making it sound like a question. It won’t hurt to make her dream come true just as Alejandro has advised. I just won’t to follow his own suggestion of making her dream come true.

Going to Italy is totally out of it. I can’t go to Italy just to make her happy, I have work, lots of work to do. Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. If she continues to be loyal to me till the very end, then I can give her more benefits including establishing a fashion house for her.

I have my reasons for not giving her more money even after my mother offered her a million dollars. She is gradually passing my test and I hope she will succeed in it.

“Yes, I love fashion’, she replies with a smile and her eyes twinkling with excitement.

“Really?” I look back. “How come you weren’t too concerned about how you dress at the office? If I could remember, you were always dressed in plain skirts or gowns.”

She falls silent and I raise a brow.

Did 1 say something wrong?

“Well, that is because I was there to work and I couldn’t afford more fashionable dresses’, she answers with a low tone and I regret asking such a question.

Curiosity fills me up and I ask again. “You couldn’t afford it? The salary wasn’t enough?”

She lifts her head and smiles sadly. “No, it wasn’t. I had lots of bills and debts to pay, including my student loan and helping Juliet…”

“Juliet?” My anger rises and I grimace in confusion. Juliet? She was giving her part of her salary?

She shakes her head as if to remedy what she had already spilled.

“No’, she says and gets up from the bed. She hugs her frail body to herself under my gaze and tries to walk past me.

I am tempted to pull her back but 1 want to let go. I have no right to question her about her personal life anyway. If she was giving Juliet all of her money or half of her salary, then it is none of my damn business.

I shouldn’t be bothered. She is an adult and she knows what is good for her.

I barely noticed her dress until someone pointed it out. She was my Assistant and she was always in straight black or plain skirts and blouses that she repeats twice every week.

I let her walk to the bathroom before expelling a deep sigh. Before I can move to grab my jacket, the door to the bathroom opens again and she comes out.

“Jayden?” She calls and I turn back lazily. She bites on her lower lip, making my gaze rest on it for a moment before she releases the lip from the t*****e. “Can I ask you a question?”

My brows crease.

A question? Does she want something?

Ever since I paid her the first payment, she hasn’t requested anything from me even though I let her go shopping with my credit cards.

Maybe she needs something. Gabriel once told me about how Sabrina was always sweet to him whenever she wanted to go shopping or get something with his credit cards.

isabella might not really want to go shopping and she might not be sweet because we aren’t real but I am so sure she wants something from me.

Probably an increment in the contract fee.

“Go ahead”, I give her a nod and wait with my hands on my waist.

Silence creeps in for a while and she bites her lips several times before looking me straight in the eyes and blurting out. “Who is Helena?”

I blink once in shock.

Helena? My Helena?

Did Isabella just ask me about Helena?

My face turns aghast with anger and I yell with my fist balled in remembrance of my sweet woman.

“What the hell!”

Jayden’s POV

When Anna brought the wrong file for me for the second time, I refrained from shouting at her but I couldn’t stop myself from slamming my fist on the desk.

The pen on the desk falls off as she scuttles backward in fright.

First, it was a white coffee and now she is bringing the wrong file for the second time.

Is today meant to be a bad day for me?

isabella did hers when I was getting ready to come to work by asking me the silly question of who Helena was. How dare she? She has no right to ask me who Helena is.

I don’t know how she got to know about Helena and I don’t care to know. I am just mad at her for bringing up the topic of Helena.

She has no right to do that. Because I am being civil with her doesn’t mean she can ask me personal questions. Is it because I also asked her personal questions?

“Ym sorry, sit’, she apologizes immediately, fear flashing in her eyes.

“Sorry?” I growl out in frustration. I have been doing all I can to stop myself from transferring my aggressions but she keeps doing the wrong thing.

“Ym truly sorry, sir’, she apologizes again, bowing down slightly.

To be honest, I am tired of Anna. She isn’t efficient. She is just trying to meet up so she can continue being my Assistant. All want from her is to leave this job on her own free will. I don’t want to fire her but from the look of things, I might end up doing that if this silly act continues.

“I asked for Johnson’s file”, I try not to raise my voice. “Johnson not James.”

In response, she bows again and turns back to head out. I watch her go in a hurry while I puff out air and throw the file on the table before leaning backward on my chair.

I twirl around, my mind going back to what happened this morning.

isabella asked me who Helena is.

What the hell: How the hell did she know about Helena? Who told her about Helena? What gave her the confidence to ask me about her?

I curse silently, squeezing my eyes shut and letting the memories come.

Helena was the most beautiful woman I have ever set my eyes on. She was the most reserved and kind woman and it made me love her.

She wasn’t as inquisitive as Isabella, even though I find some similarities between them. She barely asks me questions but whenever she does, she wants complete honesty.

it was hard to lie to Helena because she was an honest woman. She doesn’t lie and 1 call her an angel because angels don’t lie.

Unconsciously, I ball my first and my breathing becomes heavy.

I killed her. I killed my woman.

We didn’t make it to the altar. We lost the baby too. I didn’t get to see our baby and what she will look like.

Hot tears sting my eyes at the reality of losing the memories of the people who mean so much to me. I can’t remember the last time I thought of Helena this much.

it was always brief ever since Isabella came into the picture and that was because I always had something to compare between the two women.

Even though I am still trying to heal, am I supposed to let go of all the memories? Both bad and good? Both sweet and sour?

Isn’t this supposed to be the punishment for my atrocities? Am I not supposed to wake up every morning with the memory and go to bed every night with it too?

After all, I am responsible for her death.

I hear a knock on the door but before I can grant her permission to come in, she opens the door and enters.

I face her, trying so hard to hide my emotions by pushing back the tears threatening to fall at the remembrance of the woman who almost became my wife and the mother of my child.

“This is it, sir”, Anna stretches another file towards me. She doesn’t look shaken and I am beginning to think she did that on purpose.

Instead of taking the file, I study her. She was practically shaking all over the other time and now she is composed. She doesn’t look scared either. Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. “Sir?” She peers at me.

Quickly, I take the file and dump it on the floor before letting the swivel chair swing me around again.

I face the transparent window, letting my gaze move from one object to the other as I try not to think of my past anymore. I have been having difficulties sticking to one decision for these past two years; thinking about everything that has to do with Helena or trying not to think about it. Maybe it will make me heal faster.

Sometimes, I believe I am healing or I have healed a lot but other times, it still hurts badly and I feel healing is still far away for me.

Will Helena ever forgive me?

Apart from causing her death, I didn’t stick to our promise and now I am regretting it. I made a promise to remain celibate for life and not get married but here I am with a woman who does nothing other than pry my affairs as my fake wife all because I want to impress the public and have my mother stop pressurizing me.

But all of this is for a while. This is the only reason why I don’t let the thought bother me so much.

The union between Isabella and I will be for just a year and after that, I will be free again and will have no cause to ever get married again or find myself doing something against my vow of celibacy.

Helena deserves the honor. Even in death.

“Boss?” 1 am pulled out of my reverie by Anna’s low voice. I turn back quickly, realizing that I didn’t hear the door open and close which means she is still waiting in my office.

What for?

“Yes?” I raise a questioning brow, wondering why she is still here.

She scratches her head nervously and begins to pull at the hem of her skirt. She is wearing a straight black skirt and a blue top.

Ever since I took Isabella as a wife, I have been paying more attention to people’s dresses including my employees, especially the ones I have business with on a daily basis, just like Anna.

This is something I never did when Isabella was still my Assistant but ever since I chose her to be my wife, I have changed. In fact, I pay more attention to whatever she wears now than ever. She has changed too.

Her dressing pattern, I mean.

“There is something I would like to talk to you about’, she mentions to my hearing, rubbing her hands together and looking nervous.

I suddenly feel sick.

Not because of how Anna is acting but because of what I have been thinking about all morning.

Helena.

I barely fall sick but ever since she died, anytime I think about her for too long, I always feel sick.

“What is it?” I ask her calmly, leaning forward in my chair.

I should probably go home early today, I say inwardly. Immediately I say that within me, I remember Isabella will be home in no other room than mine.

There were times when I needed to be alone to wallow in self-pity and force myself to sleep. Maybe I would feel better the next day but those were days when I was single and alone in my room with no one to disturb my peace.

I doubt if that will be possible tonight. I need time alone to get over this feeling. I can’t fall sick now. At the moment I have a lot to deal with.

“Is it part of my responsibility as an Assistant to run errands for your wife?” She blurts out and 1 lift my head to stare at her green eyes.

“I mean, doing things for her like shopping, grocery shopping, and…”

I stop her with a wave of my hand. I am amused by the question but I am not in the right mood.

I have been expecting the question and here it is now.

“Do you have any problem doing all these things?” I ask indifferently.

“No, sir”, she replied sharply. “But…

“No buts”, I cut her short. “If you have any issues doing any of the things I send you to do for me or my wife, then you know the right thing to do.”

She falls silent.

“If that will be all, you can go, I have a lot to do”, I say in dismissal as I pick up the file she just brought.

I should work on it.

Ves, I should. Even if I want to leave for home early today, I should work on this file before I do that.

She turns back slowly and finds her way to the door. From my peripheral view, I see her watching me from the door before she opens it and moves out.

The moment I hear the door slam shut, I exhale deeply and drop the file again.

I just need a moment to myself. A few minutes to brood before getting back to work.

just before I could swing my chair backward again to think, the phone rings, and I curse loudly before getting up and hitting my fist on the desk in frustration.

I miss her.

Helena!

Isabella’s POV

jayden has been extremely cold towards me ever since the day I asked him about Helena.

Well, I never knew it was a big deal to ask about her but the moment I saw his expression, I knew it was more than a big deal and my curiosity to know who she was intensified.

I do not know why. I just want to know why Jayden looked like someone who could kill when I mentioned her name. Obviously, she isn’t just anybody. I thought she was one of the exes he would like to talk about. I was very much interested in knowing about his love life and why he doesn’t believe in love anymore.

I was so sure he used to believe in love and he was in love with someone. Probably her.

Helena.

Helena.

I always think about her anytime Jayden comes home with this same cold expression and anytime he ignores me as if 1 am not in the same room as him.

I ought to ignore him too. But I can’t. I should probably start now. At least it will ease everything. This is our third week already and we still have a long way to go.

If 1 begin to ignore him, then what are we going to make of this marriage?

Nothing!

Well, this marriage isn’t for anything tangible. For me, it’s just the money.

it will be so hard for me to pretend as if we are fine outside when we aren’t. Pretending is not an easy task.

Sometimes, I want to hate Jayden for putting me in his situation. This is a very difficult situation and it’s all because I need money. He should at least make it worthwhile by being kind to me just like he was that night.

The night we went out on a date with Alex and how he got ice cream cones for me and even apologized to me for his harsh behavior.

Can he always be like that?

I wish he could because that night, I saw a different Jayden. The one who could love. The one who was kind and affectionate. The one who was caring.

Not this cold man who just walked into our matrimonial room like a warrior going out to a battlefield.

The distant look is still on his face and to be honest, I am bothered because he looks sick.

Sometimes, whenever I wake up to take a piss in the middle of the night, I see him awake, probably in bed with his head on the headboard or the sofa, staring into space.

The first night I saw him sitting that way, 1 was damn scared. He was pale all over like someone who was talking into the night with a ghost.

But then I assumed he was brainstorming or working. Even though he wasn’t with his laptop.

I tried to go back to sleep all to no avail. I was awake till dawn when he left for work.

How then can I hate a man like this for what he did? He looks broken and beyond repair. How can I stop being curious when everything is in line with each other?

I can’t put a stop to my curiosity because Jayden was fine before I asked the question of who Helena is but ever since that day, he has changed into someone I don’t know.

I am sure that question is the reason for all these strange behaviors and I got to work the very next day by going into his old office to search for more answers. I went through most of the books on the first shelf, opening the pages of each book to see more notes.

Love notes.

Break up notes.

Motivational notes.

Or something. Something tangible that will solve this puzzle before me but 1 saw nothing.

There is nothing in there anymore. There are a lot of shelves and I have gone through two of them in the last few days. Sometimes, I feel like giving up but I can’t. No one can answer all the questions I have except Jayden and the slips of paper. jayden will never solve this puzzle for me and I am left with finding more notes, just like the one I saw the other day.

I am not friends with his Mother so 1 can not ask her and I doubt if Caroline knows anything about this since she doesn’t reside in New York.

There is no one else I can ask so I am left with relying solely on the inanimate object- the slips of paper that I might find in between the pages of any of the books I find on his bookshelves in his old office.

As much as I think of it, it seems Jayden has a past he is trying so hard to bury. First, it was his refusal to get married, then his dislike for children, and now this?

Everything is connected.

Helena is connected to his desire to remain single and she also connects to his dislike for babies.

Did she commit an abortion for him? Where is she? Where can I find her? Are they still in love?

if only I can find answers to all of these, then I will make sure to find Helena and make sure they come back together. jayden might never be able to love any other woman but if he was truly in love with Helena in the past, I am so sure he is still in love with her.

“Get me my food from downstairs”, I hear a voice that I haven’t heard in days. I jerk my head up in a hurry and scramble out of bed.

jayden just spoke to me!

I haven’t heard his voice in days. That husky deep voice.

He doesn’t look at me because his back is to me as he tries to take his office clothes off.

Usually, when he comes back from work, he goes straight to the closet. Even if I greet him, he won’t answer but today that I decide not to greet him or acknowledge his presence, he is asking me to get his dinner from downstairs.

Why isn’t he going downstairs to eat?

I take the exit quickly and rush downstairs. I shouldn’t be bothered about this, the most important thing now is that he spoke to me and that is a good sign.

Maybe he has finally forgiven me. He has forgiven my ignorance. If only I knew there was more to the story of Helena, the girl who wrote that slip to him, I wouldn’t have asked about her. Then maybe this wouldn’t have happened.

Dinner has been set for him. He normally comes downstairs to eat unless on occasions when he doesn’t feel like eating and he goes to bed without dinner.

Going to the main dish, I grab it and place it on the tray. The maids have all retired for the night and I hope the food hasn’t gone cold yet.

itis late already but I can’t sleep because he hasn’t gotten home.

I ate my food two hours ago and was sure the maid microwaved it before serving it and going to bed.

They all retire around 10 pm but if Jayden isn’t back before then, she serves the food and goes to bed.

I take the staircase up again, quickening my steps. He must be really hungry.

He didn’t eat anything last night and I know he usually takes coffee every morning. I used to make his black coffee when I was his Assistant.

He doesn’t take Lunch either. Except when he is out on a lunch date with a business partner.

I get to the door and knock, just in case he is undressing.

“Come in”, he echoes loudly and I enter with the tray. He is done undressing and changing into his pajamas.

Did he take a shower? I wonder within myself. I didn’t take long downstairs and I’m wondering how fast it was for him to take a shower and get changed before I am back. Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. Maybe he didn’t take a shower then, I conclude.

I place the tray on the table in front of the sofa where he is sitting, going through his phone.

“You should eat before it gets cold, I want to say this to him but I no longer want to overstep the boundary but not without finding my answers.

About our conversation, I won’t say more than I ought to say anymore.

When I turn to go back to bed and probably watch a movie on Netflix till 1 fall asleep, his voice stops me.

“Water?”

I turn back abruptly. There is no water.

Without a word, I rush to the small refrigerator close to the door leading to his old office. Thankfully, a bottle of water is, left in the refrigerator.

Making a mental note to tell the maids to refill the refrigerator with more bottles of water and my favorite wine, I grab the bottle and close the refrigerator.

There is a tray of glass cups on the top of the refrigerator so I pick up one of them as I open the bottle of water to pour it into the glass cup.

When the glass cup is filled, 1 drop it on the top of the refrigerator and close the bottle of water before placing both on another tray and walking towards Jayden who is already eating. Slowly.

He doesn’t look well at all and I am bothered about it. I don’t know who to talk to. If only we were on good terms, I would have suggested that he visits a doctor.

Maybe he is stressing himself too much and he needs a break from work. That should be it.

jayden is hardworking. He is a workaholic. And one thing I liked about him when I was his Assistant was how he always made me leave work at the right closing time no matter how much work we have at hand.

He would rather spend the night in the office than let me stay another hour instead of closing at the time we agreed on as my closing time.

When 1 am close enough, he raises his head and beckons to me to come closer instead of dropping the tray down on the coffee table which isn’t too far from him.

I guess he beckoned to me because he needs to take the water so I drop the tray and pick up the glass cup of water instead before approaching him.

“Here”, I only say as I stretch it to him. He does not raise his head but his eyes brighten up as he continues to stare at his phone.

Curiosity gets the better of me and I try to take a step closer so I can see what it is that made his eyes look so alive.

Is it Helena? Is it the picture of Helena?

If I catch a glimpse of her, then it will be very much easier to find her.

Unfortunately, my legs hit something and I find myself hauling forward into the arms of Jayden and the water spilling all over us.

I grab the glass cup with both hands so it won’t fall to the ground and break into tiny pieces without bothering about how the contents wet my body.

jayden’s hand grabs me. He might probably think I was about to fall on the floor and he is doing this to stop me from falling.

The water wet his face but he doesn’t look bothered initially as we lock eyes until I try to release myself from his hold and he pushes me away, the coldness back in his eyes.

“What the hells this?” He shouts as I try to regain my balance and adjust my crunched-up sleep top.

I look up to see his icy glare piercing deep into me and his index finger pointing to the meal in front of him.

The rice is watery.

I gasp loudly.

Jayden’s POV

“What the hell is this, Isabella?” I shout at her again, making her jerk back in fear.

I haven’t eaten all day and now that I have the appetite to eat something, she has ruined it.

“Ym 50…50..5011y”, she apologizes with her eyes closed.

She knows how much 1 hate clumsiness and this is what she is doing now. I am not mad at the fact that there is water all over me but my food is ruined in addition to my loss of appetite.

I could barely eat for almost two days now and I wonder when my appetite will be back again now that it is gone.

In anger, 1 twirl back and walk to the closet. I should take a shower. I didn’t intend to take a shower because I was too tired and hungry. I wanted to eat and go to bed but now I won’t be able to sleep until I take a shower.

I grab the towel and walk to the bathroom. When I am inside with the door locked, I exhale deeply, feeling guilty for shouting at her.

Maybe I should have used the bell in the room to alert the maids to get me my food instead of sending Isabella downstairs to get it for me. Or I should have just gone downstairs myself to eat. Maybe this wouldn’t have happened.

I exhale again, unbuttoning my sleep shirt and pulling it off. I get out of the shorts too before turning off the shower.

The hot water hits my head first, before dropping to every part of my body, making me shut my eyes and expelling deep sighs of relief.

The past few days have been hard for me. It was more like going back to my shell. The shell of guilt.

I didn’t see the need to smile or be happy. Before Isabella came into the picture, Gabriel was always there to cheer me up whenever he noticed my mood.

Since I no longer go to clubs, he always suggests he comes over to my house and we discuss into the night but now that we are both married, we have put a stop to all of that and I miss him.

I miss the serious Gabriel. Not the playful one.

He knows the right word to use to cheer me up. He knows how best to make me feel better.

Sometimes, I like the fact that I am miserable but other times, I wish I could stop it. I wish I could stop the guilt eating me up.

Without using soap, I wash my face with my hands before moving my hands to rub other parts of my body.

When 1 am done, I turn the shower off and this is when it hits me.

I have been crying.

The tears have been mixing with the shower water all along but now that the shower is off, the tears are nonstop. They are hot and filled with painful stories and memories that I want to forget and forgive myself for.

I wish I could turn back the hands of the clock. I wish things were different. I wish I was more understanding and sincere. Maybe this wouldn’t have happened and the woman in my room now would still be Helena and not Isabella.

Maybe we would have given birth to more kids as we have always wanted. Maybe I wouldn’t have this dislike for kids.

Just maybe. Maybe things would have been different.

I squat down, a deep wrenching pain hitting my guts and sinking deep into me, letting a loud yelp escape my mouth and more tears flowing down my eyes.

I don’t want this.

I don’t want to feel this guilt anymore. I want to heal. I am tired of being miserable. I am exhausted from all of this and I want nothing but peace with myself and the ability to forgive myself for all I have done.

In fury, I get up and face the mirror. Staring back at me is no one but the monster who caused his fiancée’s death and their unborn child.

My breathing becomes heavy and the tear does not cease. I raise my fist and smash it into the mirror, breaking it into pieces while they pierce my skin.

I want it all out.

Not bothering about nakedness, I drive my injured fist back into the wall, hitting the wall severally with both hands as my anger builds up to the highest momentum.

Bloody red colors splash the wall, making a flash of what happened come to my head.

The blood that came out of her head, even though her eyes were still open. The way she tried to say something to me. How she tried to hold onto me before death stole her away and left me broken.

I loved her. I didn’t mean for her to die. We had many plans. We wanted to have as many kids as possible.

We tried so hard to make things work. She was gentle. I was stubborn. She was understanding but I wasn’t. She was honest but I was insincere. She was sweet and I was nothing but wicked till the very end. Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. I scream and bury my face in the stained wall, crying hard like a child deprived of his sweet.

I haven’t cried for two years. I haven’t felt this much agony in two years. I thought I was strong but I am not.

I have just been pretending to have it all in control. I have just been pretending to have a hold on my emotions.

I scream again, pushing myself further into the wall, wishing for it to open and swallow me in so this can end.

The door makes a sound and reality crash on me that I am not alone in here. I am not alone. Isabella is here and she must have heard it all.

I stop struggling and quiet down, breathing heavily and wiping my tears with the back of my hand.

I turn to the shower and put it on again to wash everything.

The blood.

The tears.

The agony.

The anguish.

The pain.

I use the un-injured hand to rub the other hand which is injured. It hurts a lot because of the piercings but I needed to wash away the blood so Isabella won’t notice a thing.

I splash water on the wall too to wipe out the evidence of going ballistic for a moment in the bathroom.

When 1 am done, I turn off the shower again and wrap the towel around me before walking out.

“Jayden, are you ok?” I meet Isabella halfway. She must have been pacing to and fro, wondering why I was screaming in the bathroom.

Without giving her any response, I walk to the closet to search for another pair of sleepwear when she rushes to me.

“You are bleeding?” She shouts as she grabs my hand with her eyes almost popping out of her eyes socket.

This is when I see that washing off the blood did no good. Blood has been trailing off my hand right from when I stepped out of the bathroom.

I wrench my hand from her hold. “I’m fine”

She gasps again. “There is blood on your forehead”, she grabs my head to examine it. “What have you done to yourself?”

I try to take her hands off me but she seems to have a strong hold on me. She is examining it like a mother taking care of her child’s wounds.

“Ym fine, Isabella,” I say with a raised voice when I eventually free myself from her hold.

“Oh, goodness!” She staggers back and I turn to see tears rolling down her eyes. I furrow my brows.

Thinking it is the sight of the blood that is causing her to become teary, I quickly wear a short and remove my towel to wipe the blood she said was on my forehead

Did I injure my forehead too? Maybe it was when I was smashing my head on the wall

There was blood indeed but I don’t feel any pain there except for my hands.

Before I can say a word of assurance to Isabella, she runs to the door and dashes out.

I sigh loudly.

Maybe she can’t stand the sight of blood.

I wasn’t in my right sense by doing all of that shit thinking it will take the pain away. It will only make me feel worse. This was the same thing that happened when she died.

I didn’t feel better.

I don’t feel better now.

I only feel relieved that I have inflicted pain on myself. As a punishment for my mistakes.

I wipe the towel over my forehead again and it got stained with blood.

I should call the doctor, I say to myself.

Probably a video call with the doctor to know what I can do to stop the bleeding. This isn’t good.

My hand hurt a lot. Picking up a clean sheet, I pull it over my head and walk to the bed slowly to grab my phone.

I sit on the bed in tiredness when a sudden wave of dizziness sweeps through me. I begin to feel a slight headache.

Then it turns into banging.

I groan as I hold my head in between the two palms, letting go of my phone.

What have I done to myself? I ask inwardly at the same time the door opens again.

I look up to see Isabella rushing back in without shoes but with a box of first aid. The dizziness hits me hard again and I fall on my back.

“Jayden!” I hear her call as she hurries next to me on the bed. She shakes my body. “Jayden!”

I don’t answer before I am thinking that death is here to take me away, just like it took Helena away.

This is what I deserve, right?

I want to say something to her. To tell her not to cry but the moment her tears drop on my face, my lips part in shock and my eyes begin to close slowly on their own accord.

“Jayden, please stay! I’m sorry!” Isabella cries, tears streaming down her eyes.

This is the last thing I hear before I give in to the darkness that evades every part of my body and soul.

Isabella’s POV

She throws a cold glare my way before her hands push me backward.

itis Mrs. Russell. Jayden’s mother.

“What have you done to him?” Her loud voice echoes around the private corridor of the hospital building.

I had done the only thing I could do. Calls.

I called the numbers of every name that came to my head.

I called his Father and Mother, I called my Grandma and I called Gabriel too.

I have cried so much and it feels as if the rivers of tears in my eyes have dried up. 1 should have known that he was ill. I should have suggested to him that he visit the doctor.

I blame myself for this. I blame myself for what happened. Maybe if I hadn’t asked him that question or if I hadn’t poured water all over him maybe he wouldn’t be so mad at himself to have even thought of inflicting pain on himself.

What exactly happened in the bathroom is something I have no idea about and only Jayden can explain what happened.

I was already on my bed sulking for being clumsy when I heard him screaming. I couldn’t ignore it and I had to move to the bathroom.

without thinking of the fact that he might be naked, I tried to open the door when I heard him smashing something but I couldn’t. The door was locked from inside and I was praying hard for him not to hurt himself.

Nothing must happen to Jayden. Nothing should happen to him. I promise never to overstep my boundary. I promise to mind my business henceforth and do the job I was employed for.

I just want him to survive this.

“What did you do to my son?” She pushes me again, making me stumble but before I can fall, someone grabs me from behind.

itis Jayden’’s father.

He had gone to the doctor’s office to check if the doctor was there, even after I told him the doctor hadn’t come out from jayden’s room yet.

We don’t know what is happening. We don’t know if he is in a critical situation and if he is going to survive this.

No one is coming out to tell us what is going on.

“What is happening here?” He snaps at his wife. He knows she must be responsible for my falling. They all know how much she detests me.

“Ask her”, she shouts, pointing accusing fingers at me. “Ask her what she did to my son.”

Before I can say anything to Jayden’s father in defense, she begins to cry. He sighs and lets go of me before helping her to a seat.

Quilt tugs at my heart.

I feel responsible for Jayden’s situation. I am not a good wife after all. For not being observant enough to know that Jayden is not only distant but also ill

I should take the blame.

After consoling his wife for a few minutes, he rises and takes my hand. We move away from where she is sitting and still glaring at me.

When we are a few distances away from her, he stops walking and we face each other. But I can’t look him straight in the eyes.

The guilt won’t let me.

“What happened?” He asks, waiting for me to tell him what happened. “Did you two fight?”

“No’, 1 say sharply, thinking of what else to tell him.

How can I tell him that he got mad at me for asking him about Helena and then he was pissed this evening because I mistakenly poured water all over him when he demanded water and then he became furious, locked the door to the bathroom, and injured himself.

How can tell him the whole story?

“Then what happened?” The older version of the man who lost consciousness an hour ago shifts uncomfortably before me with creases of worry etched on his forehead.

I actually thought the water in my eyes had all dried up. But surprisingly, they begin to fall again as I fidget with my hands in regret, standing awkwardly in front of him.

I shouldn’t have accepted this offer. I should have just taken the money his Mother was willing to give me and walk away from their lives.

Being here isn’t solving any of their problems. Being here isn’t putting a stop to his heartaches. Being here isn’t changing anything.

Instead, his Mother is hating on me while he is always mad at me for being inquisitive about his past.

Why am I here? Why did I even accept his offer in the first place?

I am living a good life now and my Grandma has a home of hers but am not happy. Not when my husband is laying lifelessly on the hospital bed and we don’t even know if he will make it.

Mr. Russell embraces me, as a sigh leaves his mouth.

I wish I could ask for their forgiveness and leave. I wish I could tell them all the truth and go back to the way I was living. it was just my Grandma and I but we were living a good and happy life. Money was just the problem but things would be better if I can get another job now that Juliet is out of our lives. I will make do with whatever little I get paid and make sure we live fine.

I just don’t want this anymore. I don’t want to cause pain and anger and heartache to anyone in this family anymore. I can’t be in a place where I can’t be loved. No one loves me. No one cares about me.

The sound of feet running makes me open my eyes in a hurry and disengage from the hug, thinking it is the doctor but a look of disappointment spreads across my expression when I see Gabriel and his wife running towards us.

Gabriel is in his pajamas while his wife is in a big long gown. She must have put it on in a hurry to get here.

“Dad, what happened?” He questions Mr. Russell immediately while Sabrina comes to hug me.

To be honest, I don’t like Sabrina but the moment she puts her hand around me in an embrace, I break down completely while she consoles me with soothing words whispered in my ears.

I didn’t like her for what she did the other day during dinner but now she looks serious and mature, not the playful woman she was like the other day.

Gabriel on the other hand is serious looking too. The moment Sabrina releases me from the hug after wiping all my tears, Gabriel comes in front of me with arms akimbo and with a deep frown on his face.

He attacks me instantly. “What happened?”

I can’t escape it now. I can’t escape telling them. I just need to say something.

“She wants to kill him’, someone says from behind and we see Mrs. Russel rushing towards me again. Her husband is quick to catch her and stop her from making a scene, even though this is a private section of the hospital and this hospital belongs to Mr. Russell.

“She is nothing but a gold digger. She wants to kill me so she can go away with all his properties and money. She is irresponsible!” She spits out.

“Get a grip on yourself and keep shut” Mr. Russell snaps at her and she begins to cry again. She walks back to where he left her earlier and he comes back to us, apologizing for her behavior.

“We are all ears, Isabella’, he says in impatience. “What happened?”

Even if I don’t want to say a word, the way he asked the question with the tone of trust that I can never do what his wife is accusing me of is enough reason to tell him the truth.

“He has been cold towards me for days now and I don’t know what happened. He barely answers my greetings’, I begin and he nods, urging me to go on.

sabrina and Gabriel are also listening with rapt attention.

“He didn’t come back from work early today and I couldn’t sleep. I had to wait for him, even though I know he will ignore me as always. When he arrived, he asked me to get his dinner from downstairs and I did. Then he requested water and I got some for him.”

I close my eyes at this moment. This is where my stupidity came in.

“Mistakenly I spilled the water on him and he became mad. I apologized and he dashed into the bathroom, leaving his meal which was also drenched in water. I thought he was going to take a shower but after a while, all I began to hear were screams and smashing. I tried to get into the bathroom, shouting at him to stop and begging him to forgive me because I was thinking he was still mad at me. The noise died down and when he came out, he was bleeding. They were pieces of glass in his hand and then I noticed there was also blood on his forehead. I guessed he didn’t know about the blood on his forehead because he tried to hide the injured hand from me. I began to cry and quickly rushed out to get the first aid box. Before I could come back, he was already on the bed with his eyes closed.”

Another sob escapes my mouth and I clamp my hand over my mouth to stop it.

I need to get a grip on myself too.

“Oh, Goodness!” Sabrina laments, throwing her arms around my shoulder again.

Gabriel and Mr. Russell exchange a quick familiar glance without a word.

We stand in silence until Mr. Russell asks. “Do you know why he was distant?”

This is it. I don’t want to tell them why. If it was only Gabriel and Sabrina, I wouldn’t mind.

If I tell him the truth, won’t he suspect that this marriage is fake just as his wife suspected?

I thought you said you were done with this marriage? My subconscious asks.

I nod and summon up the courage to answer. “Yes, I do.”

They exchange glances again and wait in anticipation. When I am not saying anything again, Gabriel asks. “Why?” “Because I asked him who Helena is.’

sabrina gasps and reality dawns on me that they all know who she is except me. They avoid my gaze and look down.

Wait, is this about Helena? Did Jayden act that way because of Helena?

I am about to ask them who she is and what she represents in his life when I hear Mrs. Russell’s voice again. She is calling the doctor who comes out of the room we have been parading for over an hour.

we all rush there.

“Doctor, how is he?” She grabs his white coat.

“Well, he is fine and awake now’, he announces with a light smile on his face.

Relief washes through me and I almost knee down in gratitude to the Almighty for answering my prayers.

Gabriel, Sabrina, and Mr. Russell all sigh in relief. Jayden didn’t scare only me. The others too were scared. I am sure it is midnight already now. Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. “Can we see him?” Mr. Russel demands from the doctor, dipping his hands inside his pocket, which makes me crave Jayden’s presence.

He shares some certain habitual characteristics with his father.

“Yes, but I will advise the Russels only to see him. Mr. and Mrs. Russell as well as his wife. The others can wait behind.” “They are also family’, Mr. Russell defends. “We won’t stay too long. We just want to be sure he is fine.”

The doctor clicks his tongue and nods, permitting us to go inside as he points to the door.

I rush towards the door, in a haste to see Jayden’s face and be sure that he is indeed fine and out of danger now. I want to tell him how sorry I am and how bad of a wife I am but before I can get to the door, a hand pulls me back, stopping me from entering.

I discover it is Mrs. Russell because the next thing she does is hurry past me into the room and slam the door shut right in front of my face.

Jayden’s POV

She smiled at me.

I saw Helena. Smiling down at me until I opened my eyes to see that Helena isn’t here and I am in the hospital.

The door opens and Mother rushes in after slamming the door shut. Before she can get to my side, the door opens again and Father comes in, then Gabriel and Sabrina. Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. I am about to ask for Isabella when she comes right through the door with her head down and her hands trembling.

“Jayden’, my Mother cries and lays her head on my stomach.

They all surround me, Gabriel smiling down at me while Father holds my hand. They must have been scared. I scared them. I was scared too. I thought I was going to die.

But I am confused now. I don’t know why Helena was smiling down at me that way.

Is it because she is proud of me for inflicting such pains on myself or is it because she has forgiven me?

If she had forgiven me, then why am I not feeling any relief? I still feel like the weight of the whole world has been placed on my shoulder.

The only relief I feel is for being alive.

Isabella stands at a distance, watching me with a straight face and I wonder why she isn’t coming close.

“Stop disturbing the poor boy. I think we should leave him now to rest’, Father takes Mother’s hand off me, coming around to the other side to get a hold of her.

I will be glad if they can leave. I just want to talk to Gabriel. He is the one I need right now. He is my confidant and the only one who understands me.

“Let’s stay here’, she insists, trying to get out of his hold.

“No, woman!” He snaps at her. “Let’s go home. You are not his wife. His wife will stay with him and we will be back first thing in the morning. He needs to rest”

Mother falls silent and I see her shift her gaze to Isabella whose head is still lowered.

Is she crying? Did something happen between her and my mother?

“This bitch won’t stay with my son”, Mother grits her teeth in annoyance and I know something must have happened. I know I have to intervene.

“she will stay and you will go home. She is my wife, isn’t she?” I find myself attacking her. She turns to me with hurt flashing across her expression.

I don’t know if my anger is because of what she must have done to Isabella or because she is responsible for my marriage to Isabella. I married Isabella because of her and it makes me furious to know that she doesn’t accept Isabella as my wife. What the hell does she want from me?

I have concluded that I will never listen to her again. I won’t do things against my will just because she wants it since she has decided to be an ingrate by not accepting Isabella when we are doing this for her happiness.

“I will stay behind too. All I need to do is just drop Sabrina off at home. She won’t be able to sleep comfortably here because of the baby”, Gabriel comments, and my Mother gasps.

“Your wife is pregnant?” She asks immediately, a smile replacing the hurt on her face.

I am as surprised as everyone. I never knew Sabrina was pregnant. Maybe they just discovered recently because the last time Gabriel and I met, he didn’t inform me. Or maybe he did that on purpose since he knows how much I hate children. Isabella hoists her head up and a smile appears on her face as she stares at Sabrina who isn’t staring back at her. “Congratulations”, my Mother and Father congratulates her.

“Thank you’, she says, her face lit up in pleasure and I feel happy for them both.

This is what they want. They have been married for seven months and it’s high time they began to have babies.

I turn my face away from them all. The change in the conversation isn’t helping. Since it has been shifted to the topic of babies, they should all leave.

I do not listen to what they are saying until I hear my mother attack Isabella again.

“Isn’t it a month since you both got married? Have you been able to conceive yet?”

Silence falls.

No one is saying anything to defend Isabella. Not even my father.

Before I can open my mouth to cut Mother off and ask all of them to excuse me, Sabrina speaks up in defense of Isabella. “sometimes, it takes months to conceive, Mother. Gabriel and I have been married for seven months.”

“But you were once pregnant after your first month, if you didn’t have a miscarriage, you would be preparing to welcome your baby to the world by now”, she insists again and they all fall silent.

“Can you leave now?” I demand and Father grabs her hand.

“You know how much he hates the talk of children, what is wrong with you?” He says to her in a low tone as they move out. The moment they are out of the room, I sigh heavily.

Sabrina moves close to Isabella and hugs her again. She starts to cry. “It’s fine”

I want to assure her that everything is going to be fine too but she isn’t moving close to me.

Gabriel comes closer instead. “Man, what happened?”

He drags a cane chair to my side and flops in, waiting for me to answer.

I remain silent for a while, thinking of how to tell him what happened. I really had no idea how it happened and I didn’t mean to hurt myself and end up in the hospital.

“The same thing that happened when she died”, I answer, hoping he will understand while I stare into space.

In reply, he holds my hand and squeezes it tightly in assurance. I gulp loudly when I feel my eyes stinging.

She smiled at me yet I have no idea what it means. Yet I am not feeling any difference.

What is she trying to say? What message is she trying to pass across?

Her mouth was moving but I couldn’t hear anything. AllI saw was her beautiful smile that brightened up everywhere, except my dark side.

“You will be fine, ok?” Gabriel’s voice jerks me out of my reverie.

I nod. Even though I don’t believe I will be fine. It’s been two years of torture. How long will it take?

He turns back to see Isabella and Sabrina talking in low tones and I follow his gaze. I feel bad for her.

I put her in this situation. I shouted at her again after days of ignoring her and making me feel like a piece of trash.

it might not be real but she is my wife for crying out loud.

I could remember how she begged me so desperately not to leave. We might not have feelings for each other but I know she cares about me.

I was a little disappointed when I got home today and she didn’t greet me like she used to. But I realize I haven’t been answering her greetings for days. Her refusal to welcome me today made me realize that.

I meant no word. I just didn’t want to transfer my aggression to her.

Gabriel faces me again and whispers into my ears. “she told us she asked you who Helena was and you became mad and distant”

I continue to watch her. Sabrina is wiping her tears and I am wondering if she is crying because of me or because of my mother.

“Yes, she did.”

Gabriel exhales deeply and silence creeps in. I want to ask him what my Mother did to Isabella so I can know how bad itis and what to do when I am out of the hospital.

But I think it will be better to do that when we are alone. Not when Sabrina and Isabella are here with us.

I begin to feel drowsy and Gabriel shoots up to his feet. “We should go. I will be back tomorrow”

I nod in understanding. He must have said he would stay behind so my mother won’t oppose Isabella staying here alone with me. He needs to be with his wife who is carrying his child.

I understand that and I won’t use my own situation to inconvenience any of them.

“Take care, bro”, he tugs my hand again and flashes me a smile before walking to his wife.

This is the exact type of personality I love most about Gabriel. That serious and caring side of him.

“Please, take care of him. We will be here first thing in the morning. Make sure he sleeps too, he looks sleepy already’, he instructs Isabella and she nods.

Sabrina gives her another hug before Gabriel does that too. He pats her on the back and gives me a final glance before walking out with his wife.

My gaze is fixed on their intertwined fingers as they walk out and it reminds me of someone.

Someone I used to hold hands with. Someone I care about so much. Someone I love touching.

My eyes begin to grow smaller and I know I can’t fight the sleep.

As Isabella saunters to the cane chair where Gabriel stood up from, 1 try to smile at her and assure her that I am fine and I will take care of Mother tomorrow morning but I can not.

The sedative I was given is powerful. The moment her hand touches mine, sleep overtakes me.

Isabella’s POV

I couldn’t sleep a wink all night. I turned into a night watchman for Jayden because I was scared something would happen to him during the night.

I forgot to come with my phone so I had nothing to keep me busy. I kept having wild imaginations of a weird creature coming through the windows and stealing Jayden away from here so I held on to him till it was morning and I placed my head on his chest to know that he was still breathing.

still alive.

My joy knows no bounds.

First, because his Mother will blame me if anything happens, and secondly because I want him to survive whatever it is eating him up that he doesn’t want to talk to me about.

Apparently, everyone else knows about the story of him and Helena.

I kept thinking of the decision I needed to make throughout the night and I have gotten my answers.

I have a job to do. A job that no one sent me. A job I will not be paid for but I hope it will help heal Jayden.

Before I can rise to stretch my body, a knock comes on the door. Thinking it is the same doctor who came to check on jayden last night after he had already fallen asleep, I say “Come in’

The door opens and Gabriel walks in without Sabrina.

I wish she is here to console me again. Those soothing words actually consoled me even though I cried more.

it made me realize I had a bad impression of her because of how she acted that night.

“Good morning’, he smiles at me as he approaches. He stops halfway to examine me. “Don’t tell me you didn’t sleep.” “You don’t look like someone who did too”, I mutter softly, turning to stare at Jayden who stirs in his sleep.

Gabriel chuckles lightly. “I slept.”

“You didn’t”

“Well, that was because of Sabrina. She began to crave chicken stew when we got home last night and I had to make it for her because she began to cry out that the baby wanted it”

Despite my misgivings, I can’t help but laugh.

These two are drama King and Queen and now that I know how good they are, I don’t mind being friends with them. In fact, I want to be friends with Sabrina. A friend with benefits. I plan to get the answers to my puzzles through her. If she doesn’t know, I will persuade her to ask Gabriel for me.

I know if I ask him, he won’t tell me. His loyalty lies with Jayden and Jayden would never want him to inform me about anything that has to do with his past.

It will be inappropriate to ask his father too. If they wanted me to know, they would have informed me about it last night when I told them he became mad after I asked him about Helena.

My mind shifts to Mrs. Russell. I don’t have the strength to handle her because I know she will soon be here so 1 should leave before she comes.

“Jayden is a strong man’, he murmurs more to himself as he watches his friend’s sleeping face. “I admire how strong he is.” I want to ask him what he means by being strong. What is he implying with these strange words?

jayden stirs again and he flutters his eyes open to meet my gaze. Slowly, he shifts them to Gabriel and his face breaks into a smile.

“I thought you left’, his voice is hoarse. He tries to sit up and I quickly rise to help him.

“Thank you,” he says and I nod.

“I just got here’, Gabriel replied while I sit back on the chair, thinking of my decision and how to put it to him.

Gabriel isn’t new to the fact that we are just married on paper so it won’t be a big deal to talk about it in his presence. “How was your night?”

“It was fine.”

“Do you feel hungry?” He asks Jayden and Jayden shakes his head. “Isabella told us you haven’t been eating well”

jayden watches me but I can’t figure out what he is thinking of me right now and I wish I can.

“Don’t worry, I will eat when I am hungry’, he says in a low tone.

silence falls and he rests his head on the headboard with his eyes closed.

“Was Sabrina already pregnant the last time we met?” He asks out of the blue and Gabriel looks as shocked as I am. “Yes”, he clicks his tongue, not saying any more words.

jayden opens his eyes. “Then why didn’t you tell me? I should have congratulated her over the phone.”

He shrugs nonchalantly. “Now you know.”

“Don’t be silly!” Jayden growls at him and Gabriel laughs.

“I didn’t tell you on purpose. I know you don’t like topics like that and I saw no reason why I should inform you when you will end up knowing once the belly starts to protrude. I can’t tell you because you don’t like the topic of babies and I would rather tell someone who would appreciate our efforts.”

Gabriel is smiling but Jayden’ face has turned into a scowl. Suddenly, he looks sad.

Well, I am actually reading more meaning to what Gabriel said. I would be hurt too if I was told the same thing. But it isn’t Gabriels fault. Jayden doesn’t like the topic of babies so why should he be informed first?

“Ym sorry’, Gabriel apologizes, realizing what he said had hurt his friend.

“No, it’s nothing’, Jayden shakes his head indifferently but I can see past the look on his face. Deep inside, he is hurt.

“I just don’t want to bring back bad memories…”

“I’s fine”, Jayden close his eyes. It is obvious he doesnt want to talk about the memories, whether bad or good. Something is definitely wrong somewhere and I need to find out. But before then, I have something to do.

To change the topic, I open my mouth and called. “jayden.”

He turns to me, his expression unreadable. “I’m sorry.”

Silence ensues and I am beginning to think that his effort at ignoring me is still on when he says. “It’s fine.”

it doesn’t sound genuine. It was the same one he used for his friend. He is still mad at me but I have found a solution to that. A solution that will put a stop to all of this and make his mother stop hating me.

“Ym truly sorry for being clumsy and for crossing the line.”

“It’s fine. Lets forget it already, please’, he dismisses it with a wave of the hand.

If I had nothing else to say, 1 would have stopped talking but I am not done talking. I still have one more thing to say to him before leaving for home so his Mother won’t meet me here.

I can’t promise not to reply to her this time. I am done playing the fool. If she says more than she ought to say, then I will tell her husband what she did.

I know I can’t escape not meeting her ever again but for this morning, I want to avoid trouble.

If we meet later in the day or at night, I am going to let everyone know that she offered me a million dollars to leave Jayden but 1 didn’t accept it.

If 1 was a gold digger, it wouldn’t take anything to seize that opportunity, accept the money and leave New York for somewhere far away where no one would find me and I would be living a good life with my Grandma.

“Can you please help me go to the office today, Gabriel? I need you to get some things for me and ask Anna to come home later tonight after the close of the day.”

“Are you going to be discharged today?” Gabriel asks him. I am surprised too because the doctor said he needs to be on bed rest for the whole week.

“Yes, I have lots of work to do”, he replies and Gabriel shakes his head.

“No, you need to rest. When you are back to your feet, then you can continue from where you stopped’, Gabriel tells him. He shakes his head intermittently. “No, I can’t”

“Jayden, I have something to tell you’, I cut him off. If I wait any longer, I might not be able to say it.

They both stare at me and I swallow the lump of dread stuck in my throat before taking a loud gulp.

I can do this.

I should do this.

“What is it?” He asks impatiently with a frown on his face.

I gulp once more before answering. “I am leaving”

Silence creeps in for a while as I look from Jayden who looks confused to Gabriel who looks amused.

Did I say something confusing or amusing?

“What? Leaving to where?” Jayden questions.

“I am leaving you and this marriage. ‘m sorry this can’t continue. I don’t want to cause you more pain and I don’t want to cause your mother more tears. She hates me and I see no reason why I should be here pissing you off every minute when this isn’t even real. I’m sorry but this is the solution I have come up with. Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. If I hadn’t talked about Helena, maybe you wouldn’t be in bed now instead of being at work. I feel responsible for your situation so 1 am leaving. If leave, you won’t have any cause to remember your past or your failure or whatever it is troubling your heart.”

His mouth is agape and Gabriel now looks shocked.

“Ym 50 sorry’, I say as I stand up abruptly, determined to stick to my decision.

I walk to the door and turn the doorknob to go out.

“Isabella!” He calls loudly but I don’t answer as I take the exit out, determined to leave just like I have said.

Jayden’s POV

I can’t believe she said is leaving. She wants to go against the contract.

I understand that this might be coming from the concerns she has for me and because of what my mother must have said to her which is why she is taking this rash decision.

She isn’t as tired as I am but we are in this already.

She is going nowhere till the end of our one-year contract. I don’t care what my mother says and I don’t care what she says either.

She is staying and that’s final.

Fortunately, Gabriel came with his car and I told the doctor to let me go. He didn’t want to until I promised him I would rest for the whole week at home.

I need to stop Isabella. I don’t know if she is going home to pack her things.

Our marriage is just three weeks old.

What will the public say of me? What will my mother think? By leaving, Isabella is just giving my Mother the opportunity to say it to everyone that she didn’t marry me because she loves me but because she is after my money.

“Drive faster before she leaves”, say with a tone of commandment forgetting the fact that this isn’t my driver but Gabriel. “Be calm, man’, he says. “Isabella is going nowhere.”

I watch him. “How can you be so sure? You saw the determination on her face when she said she was leaving so what are you saying?” I can’t help but growl.

He isn’t driving fast. There is a bandage over my right hand and my head. My head still hurts but I need to go home.

Even if I don’t leave today, I know I will surely leave the hospital tomorrow. I hate hospitals and the smell of drugs.

“I’m sure, don’t worry. All you need to do is use the contract against her”, he laughs shortly. As much as I want to accuse him of wanting me to blackmail Isabella to do my bidding, it seems like a pretty good idea.

Remembering that I haven’t asked him what Mother said to her, I turn to him again. I am so sure this has to do with Mother or my behavior towards her these past few days.

“What did Mother say to her?” 1 ask him immediately as he takes the right bend towards my mansion.

He shrugs indifferently. “Well, she called her a gold digger and said she wanted to kill you”

“What?!” I exclaim in disbelief. “Kill me?”

“Well, I almost believed it too, not until Isabella told us what happened”, he voice out his thoughts and I exclaim again, this time more loudly.

“What? Why will you think that of her? She is a good woman.”

“Really?” He sounds sarcastic.

I throw him a cold glare and reply. “Yes.”

“Wow, I’m impressed!” He doesn’t sound convinced.

Looking out of the window, I remark. “She picked me over a million dollars. How many women can do that?”

I might not have said it before but this is one of the reasons why I respect Isabella so much. Many women will jump at such opportunities without considering what damage it would cause to me even though our emotions aren’t involved.

But Isabella picked me instead of a million dollars which can do a lot to her life. A lot that the $5000 I gave to her immediately after she signed the contract can never do.

“Are you serious?” He sounds stunned.

Well, I was shocked too. But I have studied her so well and I know the type of girl she is. She isn’t materialistic despite how much she claimed to love fashion and she isn’t extravagant even though it isn’t her money.

“Yes.”

“How did she pick a million dollars over you? Did someone place a bet on you?”

I roll my eyes. “No. My mother.”

“What? Your mother?” He spares me a glance.

“Yes, she offered Isabella a million dollars to leave me and Isabella refused the offer’, I announce to his hearing and he falls silent.

I don’t know if his silence is because he can’t believe there are such women or if it is because he is impressed.

Moments later, we arrive home and he drives in. I climb down from the car as soon as the car stops and I rush in.

Ignoring the greetings of the maid who are at the entrance of the house, I take long strides towards the staircase.

I have been feeling hungry since she left but this is more important. After I am done convincing her from leaving, I will ask the maids to get something for me to eat.

I could eat a horse right now.

I almost run to the door but I keep my cool and continue taking long strides toward my bedroom door.

When 1 am within reach, I push it open and enter to see Isabella crying on the bed. The sound of the door makes her go still and suddenly, she shoots to her feet and our eyes interlock.

Her eyes grow large. “Jayden? Why are you here? You should be in the hospital”

She hurries over, as though I am someone she can scold well enough for me to go back to the hospital.

“I know” I say softly. I thought I was going to go hard on her when I arrive here and force her to stay back but as I look at her tears-filled face, the walls around me break down.

I feel sympathetic towards her for putting her in this situation. I feel like hugging her to assure her that everything will be fine and it will be over soon. When it is over, she will be greatly compensated. I have everything planned already and I hope she will be patient enough for me to go through with my plans.

Without thinking, I grab her shoulder to pull her closer. Then I embrace her.

Her body stiffens in alarm and I realize I am hugging her tightly.

This is meant to be a hug of convincing and assurance, right?

I want to pull away but her body is like a magnet. I find myself taking comfort from the hug too.

Isabella means well. Even if I am going through more pain than this, I know she will stand by me. She is a great woman and I regret mistreating her.

Henceforth, I will do whatever it takes to make her happy. I might as well help her achieve her dreams of going to Verona to find love. The love that she deserves and after a year, she can be with whoever she falls in love with over there.

The door opens and before we can pull away from the hug, Gabriel is already inside.

Isabella’s crying face flush red in embarrassment as she looks down.

Gabriel clears his throat, apologizes for the interruption, and moves out, closing the door quietly behind us.

“I’m sorry”

“I’m sorry”

We both speak at the same time.

I am sorry for what I did to her and she is sorry for wanting to leave me before the contract elapsed.

I use my thumb to wipe her tears. “It’s fine.”

“I should go”, she tries to turn back but I hold her back, stopping her from leaving my presence.

“Don’t go, Bella”, I plead with my eyes. Forcing her to stay won’t work. Using the contract against her is bad even though it is legal. But I can’t bring myself to do that to her.

“I need to. I shouldn’t be here. I shouldn’t have been here in the first place. I’m the one hurting you.”

“No, you are not the one hurting me”, I contradict her. “You have nothing to do with this. What happened last night has nothing to do with you or anyone else. It’s just me.”

“But you got mad. If you hadn’t gotten mad…”

“stop it already”, I grunt and drop my eyes from her face. “If this is about my mother, then you shouldn’t be bothered at all about her. This is between you and me, this isn’t a marriage between my mother and you so you shouldn’t let her get to you or dictate what will happen in our marriage”

She does not say anything but it looks like I am getting her to listen to me.

“If you leave, then you want to make my mother’s rumors true. If you leave, she will be able to justify her words of you being a gold digger. You are not a gold digger and you need to prove that to her”

She lowers her head. “It doesn’t matter because I will still be gone in a year”

“Yes but that isn’t as early as three weeks of marriage. I promise I won’t bother you once our contract has elapsed.”

She shakes her head.

“Don’t tell me no, Isabella. I will be mad at you.”

She sighs and wipes the remaining tears on her face. “Ok, fine.”

“Go and unpack your bag’, I say with a tone of authority. I am sure she must have packed her belongings in a hurry”

“I haven’t started packing’, she informs me and I look surprised.

Well, that’s good.

“But I have something to ask of you, I don’t know if you can let me do it”

“Do what?” Curiosity fills my expression.

“l want to visit Sabrina and…”

“Why?” I interrupt her from going further, my brows creasing in confusion.

She isn’t friends with Sabrina so what is the meaning of this? Is this a trick to get me off guard so she can run away?

“I need to clear my head. Please, I need to see someone who understands me. Then 1 will visit my Grandma.”

I stare at her face, trying to figure out if she is lying or not.

“Please, I beg you. Sabrina said a lot of comforting words to me last night and that was what pulled me through. I just want to…”

“I don’t comfort you?” I question.

In reply, she sighs and I decide to just give up, knowing the answer to my own question.

“Fine, you will go but you will go with Gabriel and he will bring you back home”, I tell her.

This way, I will be more assured that she won’t run off and that she will be back home soon. I won’t be rest assured even if ask the guards to follow her but I know Gabriel won’t betray me. He will monitor her closely.

Before she can protest, I open the door to see that Gabriel is still waiting outside. I beckon to him to come in, ignoring the mischievous smirk on his face.

I move back inside and he comes in, leaving the door ajar.

“Please take Isabella to your place and bring her back in two hours. Two hours is enough to catch up with a new friend, isn’t it?” I turn to face Isabella.

She nods without smiling.

“So I am now the new chauffeur?” He chuckles lightly, looking from me to Isabella. Isabella isn’t smiling and I am not smiling either so the smile on his face disappears.

“Please keep an eye on her and make sure to bring her back’, 1 add in a low tone.

“Yes, boss”, he salutes me and I ignore him again.

“You can go, I say to her. She nods her head in appreciation before taking the door out.

I signal to Gabriel to monitor her closely before he takes the exit out too.

When he closes the door quietly behind him, I realize I forgot to tell them to help me get one of the maids.

I feel sleepy again and I need to eat something before I fall asleep. Also, I don’t want any disturbance and I’m sure I will be fully rested before Isabella comes back home in two hours.

Sighing, I stroll to the bed and grab the intercom to call the kitchen maids. Someone picks up and I say. “Get me something to eat really fast.”

“Ok, Master’, the voice replies, and I lay back on my bed, after dropping the telephone.

My mind drifts back to Isabella and I puff out the air I don’t know I have been holding in.

Hopefully, she won’t leave me anymore. Hopefully, she will be back home in two hours and we will stay married till the end of our contract.

Isabella’s POV

Gabriel’s home is beautiful and big but nowhere compared to Jayden’s. There is a big pool in the front yard which has me swaying in amazement.

The moment Gabriel parks the car in the driveway, he breaks the heavy silence that has been between us since we left jayden’s mansion.

“I am curious, you know?” He says casually as he opens the door of the car. He climbs down and I do the same.

When he comes around to the other side, he stands in front of me. Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. He is indeed curious. “I don’t think you and my wife are friends and I’m surprised that you asked to come here of all places”, he mentions and I shrug without a word.

There is no need to tell him what 1 am here for. I came here to see both of them. Now that he is also here, I should see them together. Sabrina might not know everything but I’m sure Gabriel has the answers to everything.

He notices I am not saying anything so he sighs and sags his shoulders down in resignation.

“Go on inside”, he points to the front door. “I will be back to pick you up in two hours.”

I remember Jayden told him to keep an eye on me. Is Gabriel trusting me not to run away?

“Gabriel?” I call, stopping him from going back to the driver’s seat. He stops and turns back slowly to look at me. “Please wait. I came here to talk to you both.”

His forehead furrows in confusion for a while. “You came here to talk to Sabrina and me?” I nod. “What for?”

I know it sounds unbelievable but I know what I am doing and what I came here for. Sabrina and I can become friends but not now.

I don’t say anything so he nods and walks past me towards the front door. I quickly follow, not having the chance to admire the courtyard.

The door opens from behind and we both enter. The butler bows in greeting and I smile in reply.

We walk for several minutes till we get to the living room. There are no maids all over like there are in Jayden’s place. Gabriel points to the couch. “You can sit here while I get her”

“Who do we have here?” We hear Sabrina’s voice coming from the staircase and she appears in a maternity gown.

I roll my eyes, making an effort not to laugh. She is just a month pregnant if 1 am not mistaken because the belly isn’t protruding yet and she is already wearing a maternity gown.

I won’t be surprised if she wears pregnant pants tomorrow either.

I chuckle within me while she goes into her husband’s arms.

“How is the baby?”

“stubborn just like his father’, she replies with her hands around his head. I watch them for a while till an unconscious smile creeps to my face. When they pull away, I quickly wipe it off.

“Isabella?” Sabrina comes to me. She slouches to the next couch and faces me. “I can’t believe you are here, how are you?” “lam fine,” I reply, smiling.

“How is Jayden now? I hope he is fine?” She demands while Gabriel takes another seat too.

“He has gone home already’, he informs his wife and she gasps before looking at me again.

“Is that true?”

“Yes!

I don’t want us to talk about anything else but the reason why I am here. Before I can mention that to Sabrina, Gabriel beats me to it.

“Isabella is here to talk to us both about something. I have no idea what it is”, he says to her and she looks confused.

“Is everything ok?” Sabrina inquiries from me and I nod, a lump getting stuck in my throat for no reason.

I am extremely terrified.

I didn’t give this idea much thought before coming here. I was supposed to make sure that Sabrina was alone and not with her husband so we could talk freely.

I really have no idea why I am uncomfortable now when I personally asked Gabriel to wait behind.

will they find answers to my questions? What if they don’t know?

Sabrina’s hands touch mine and I jerk upright, our eyes interlocking. I can see the look of concern in her expression. “Is everything ok?”

I nod and swallow hard. I exhale deeply and open my mouth. “Ym here to find some answers. First, I want to know who Helena is”, I blurt out as fast as I can.

When the words are out, I breathe out a sigh of relief.

Sabrina glances at her husband whose face is expressionless before her hands leave mine. Gabriel avoids my gaze and sabrina leans backward on the couch.

This is when I know that Sabrina must know something about this too. Maybe Gabriel had told her when she wanted to matchmake her friend with Jayden. Is that why they didn’t work?

“Gabriel, please I really need to know. I can’t continue staying there with him without knowing what he wants to hear and what he doesn’t want to hear. I am not just here to marry him and get divorced in a year. I want to help him. I know he loves her but I want to be sure my assumptions are right and also to find out what happened and where I can find her. We need to bring them back together. Jayden needs her now more than ever. I am not the one he needs.”

Silence creeps in, except for the loud pounding of my heart.

They are not looking at me, their heads are bowed.

What is happening?

“Gabriel…”

“She is dead”, he announces and it takes a while for it to process in my head. I almost think he is talking about someone else but he can’t possibly be doing that. Right now, he isn’t the playful Gabriel I know. He is damn serious.

“What?!” I exclaim in disbelief

“Helena is dead. Jayden doesn’t need her, you are the one he needs.”

“He still loves her”, I say. “I thought I could help him by bringing them together again.”

Silence falls again and tears spring to my eyes. This is it. This is the ugly past he is trying to hide. Is there more to this?

I can already feel his pain. The pain of losing someone you love. Just like I lost my parents too. It was painful. I was in agony for years. It wasn’t easy to move on so quickly. I kept holding onto the past, not believing that they are gone forever.

It took me years to understand what death really meant. It means I would never see them again in flesh. It means we would never do things together again. It means we would never be able to reciprocate our love for each other again. It means we would never be able to smile or laugh together again.

it means a lot.

The reality crashed on me heavily like a bulldozer and 1 almost gave up the ghost that night when it dawned on me that my parents were gone forever, never to be seen again.

Even after I survived that night, I cried to bed every night. I walk lifelessly in the daytime. Everything I do reminds me of them but the hope of seeing them again was gone because reality had taken over.

it was so hard to live with the pain.

This is the exact thing Jayden is going through. This is why he doesn’t want to be married. This is why he is inflicting pain on himself. And this is why he can never fall in love with another woman.

“Helena was his fiancee”, Gabriel begins and I quickly look up to meet his gaze. “She was the replica of a virtuous woman. She was kind, beautiful, sweet, and generous. Everyone loved her except Jayden’s mother because of Helena’s simplicity and anti-social lifestyle. She didn’t bother about her mother-in-law’s supposed hatred for her. She visits them every week, helps the maids with the house chores, and even presents gifts to her mother-in-law and father-in-law.”

“But there was one other problem’, he points out. “She didn’t want Jayden to follow the path of his father. She hated jayden’s guts and desire to deal with his rivals. He was going to be the Mafia Leader but Helena was against it. They argued a month into their wedding and she left the house that night. Jayden’s arrogance didn’t let him follow her immediately after she left. She was mad at him and she was driving at a high speed. After a while when he was calm, he called me and asked me to please check her in her apartment but she wasn’t there. I told him and he became worried. She searched everywhere until we saw her lying lifelessly on the road leading to her house from Jayden’s place. She was still alive when we got there but she couldn’t say anything to Jayden. The hurt was still in her eyes when she gave up the ghost.”

Tears are already pouring down my eyes.

“She died with his baby in her womb’, he concludes and a sob escapes my mouth.

“Oh my God! Not” I cry out, imagining how hard it must have been for Jayden to forget what happened and forgive himself. Tears flow freely from my eyes at the wild imaginations in my head. He must have been traumatized. They didn’t get to reconcile their differences before she passed on. It must have been so hard for him.

I didn’t know.

I didn’t know she was dead. I didn’t know there was more to his hatred of children. I didn’t know he was more broken than I can imagine but now I know.

Now I know what the problem is and where it is coming from and I believe I have the solution to the problem.

As soon as Gabriel gets up to leave the living room, I know he must be feeling emotional too in remembrance of that horrible and traumatizing night.

I watch him walk away and his wife pulls me in for a hug.

I begin to cry all over again for my ignorance and the recent awareness of what happened to Jayden in the past.

Jayden’s POV

it has been a week since I went to work and I have been home resting simply because Isabella insisted that I stay at home for a week.

I know I actually needed the rest but I couldn’t pay deaf ears to the piles of work I had to sort out.

with Isabella’s help, 1 got everything done in just a few days while we left the others at work. Anna usually brings the important one home for me and Isabella to work on. Most times, she handles it alone while I watch her do it.

She has been really supportive and I can’t believe she hasn’t brought up the issue of leaving again since the other day. When she came back home that night, she was with a smile on her face and I was happy to see her back in the house. I kept on ignoring the voice telling me that Isabella would never come back again. Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. I am going to resume work tomorrow but I decided to make today worth it for Isabella. I want to appreciate her for staying by my side all through the week, making jokes just to see me laugh, and doing virtually everything for me.

When she asked if I wanted her to feed me, I raised a brow. I am not a baby and even if I was weaker, I won’t allow that. It’s hard to stop thinking about Helena, especially about how she smiled down at me. I have no idea what it means and I haven’t figured it out yet.

It bothers me sometimes and for two days in a row, I haven’t slept at all at night. When Isabella noticed I wasn’t sleeping last night, she sat up and we were in silence till it was dawn.

She didn’t push it. She didn’t ask me what happened. She only sat up and folded her arms around her bosom.

Nights scare me a lot. Ever since she died. When I find it hard to sleep at night, I always ends up having wild imaginations and thinking back to the night Helena died.

But when Isabella sat up last night, that action alone pushed away every fear in me and I began to think about her. How we met and how I got to employ her as my Assistant.

After a while, I concluded within me that I made the right decision by asking her to be my wife for a year. She is the best. “Where is this place?” Her eyes roam the entire place as I drive in and park the car close to the chalet house.

itis surrounded by lakes and the only road that leads here is one. The sun is setting already and it makes the light from the house glow in the evening darkness.

This is where I come to whenever I feel sick and tired of working my ass off to get the thought of Helena out of my head. This place gives me a sense of comfort and I usually spend a day or two recovering before going back home to my usual daily routine.

I brought Isabella here for a reason.

“Wow!” She mutters her amazement and I smile. I get down from the car and she does the same, looking over the house and turning to face the lake.

I love this place because of the serenity and the nature around here. I feel safer here without anyone to disturb my peace than when I am at home in my mansion.

itis a really small chalet house but it contains a big kitchen where I cook for myself and a bedroom, a spacious living room, a gym house, and a bathroom.

“Come, let’s go”, I beckon to Isabella who seems intrigued by the sight of everything.

I hear her trudging behind me in silence as I unlock the door and enter. The light is always on and it illuminates the entire space.

“Wow!” Isabella can’t hide her amazement as she enters again. There is a tv set, three sofas and two couches. It is simple but nice.

“I love this place, does it belong to you?” Her eyes shine brightly as she asks the question.

“What do you think?” I ask her with a smile.

“Oh, my God!” She gasps and looks around once more.

The first time Isabella entered my mansion, she didn’t look this happy and excited about living in a big house like that but being here in a small old chalet house is making her happy.

I knew she would love this place. I love it personally and I wanted to spend my last vacation day here before work will resume fully tomorrow. I didn’t want to come alone so I decided to bring her along.

We have become relatively closer and I would say she is my friend now that Gabriel hardly has time for me.

I show her around and after we were done, we enter the kitchen and she loves the place. We go back to the living room and we flop heavily to the sofa in exhaustion.

The drive here took an hour.

I really do not know why there is a TV set here when I have never turned it on before. I always come here to revive my spirit and for the peace and silence here. I never turned the TV on to watch the news or a movie for no reason. I never had a reason to do that.

But now that I am here with a friend, I am tempted to grab the remote control and put it on so it would at least keep her busy but I want us to talk.

“You said you wanted to go to Verona, right?” I ask without looking at her.

She is silent and I gaze up. “Yes? Why do you ask?”

I shrug and fold my arms around my bosom. “Nothing. I just wanted to know if it is something you really want.”

“Of course”, she laughs heartily. “Who wouldn’t want to go over to such a city?”

“Me 1 answer and she laughs again, waving her hand at me.

“That can only be possible for people who don’t appreciate literature and fiction. Most people go there because of Romeo and Juliet. You love books 50 I expect you to want to go there. I want to go there because I want to experience that deep love those two characters felt but mind you, I don’t intend to die and have my man die too, she chuckles lightly and I watch her.

Her face is glowing in the evening light. I don’t know if it’s because of how happy she sounds or because of the bright light from the bulb in the living room.

“What is love if they don’t die? Their love wouldn’t have been appreciated if they survived it’, I oppose and she gasps and looks back at me.

“Really?” I nod. She looks thoughtful for a while before saying. “I don’t think so. I believe two people who love each other should be given a chance to enjoy the moment together, build a family, find peace, and do a lot of things together before death comes knocking. Till old age.’

We both fall silent. Immediately the words are out, she bites her lips and glances away.

Maybe she thinks she is overstepping the boundary again. I remember she said she won’t say too much or do anything to hurt me anymore.

She has no idea this has something to do with me. What she said is a reminder of what happened to me. Helena and I didn’t spend enough time together to explore that world of love till old age. We didn’t even make it to the altar.

I loved her but as fate would have it, death took her away. Romeo and Juliet died but not in my own situation, my own Juliet died while I remained as Romeo.

Maybe if Romeo hadn’t died, he would have been miserable just like me. So dying was the possible way to get rid of the loss of a loved one.

I sigh loudly and lean backward.

“I’m sorry, Jayden’, she touches my arm and an electric jolt rushes down my spine at the contact.

I stare at her, her face is in a deep frown, and regret flashes across her expression. She is regretting why she brought it up. I didn’t know it would end up this way too. I just wanted to tell her that I would sponsor her Verona trip in October. She deserves it.

“Its fine

“Are you sure?”

I smile. “Do you want to know?”

She nods but I know she doesn’t understand what I am asking.

“Can I talk to you about who Helena is now?” 1 ask her and her face turns pale white.

She must have figured out that Helena was very important to me and she still is. I don’t know if this is the right time to open up to her and tell her everything about my past.

Like she said yesterday, we are friends. She has told me almost everything about her but I haven’t said a word about my past to her.

Does that automatically mean she deserves to know about mine too? Am I ready to let go of the hold I have on my past? Am I ready to show Isabella how bad of a man I am? Am I ready to admit that I was responsible for my bride and child’s life? Am I ready to admit my mistakes even when there is nothing to be done to rectify that mistake?

She shakes her head without interest. “No!”

“Why? You were curious”, I smile, wondering why she doesn’t look exciteed now about having her curiosity satisfied. Maybe 1 will feel better if 1 talk about it with someone who doesn’t know Helena or didn’t know me when it happened. Then I will get ideas from her judgments so I can be a better person.

“You don’t have to say anything if you are not ready. I am no longer curious…

“And that is because of what happened the other day, right? It made you lose interest in wanting to know about me.”

“No”, she says and tries to stand up but I grab her quickly. “sit”

it comes out like a command but I can’t help it. I really want to do this. It feels like my heart will soon burst out of my chest if 1 don’t let it all out. This is the right time. Since I feel like doing this, then I should.

Isabella is hesitant for a while before she sits back on the sofa and I begin slowly with how I met Helena and how we fell in love until the very day my life turned sour and I became a monster.

Isabella’s POV

I watch him struggle with his words. I watch him narrate every single thing without leaving a stone unturned.

I watch him make an effort not to break down in front of me and I wish I could wrap my hands around him, comfort him and tell him everything will be fine.

Time they say heals all wounds.

jayden is healing already but he doesn’t know. For a whole year that I worked for him, I never knew he was battling with something as deep as this.

I judged him to be cruel, harsh, and rude. I never knew he was battling with the trauma of watching his wife die in his arms just within a minute of arguing with each other.

It makes me want to cry. But I am refraining from letting my tears pour.

When I can no longer hold it in, a tear drops from my eyes. Before I can wipe it, Jayden sees it and he smiles sadly and stops talking.

How do I console him?

It feels like I was right there that night, standing aside and watching him and Gabriel struggle to revive her back to life as the blood flows from her head and her protruding belly stops breathing.

I imagined myself crying so hard and begging her not to leave. I imagine myself crying and begging her to wait for the baby to come out first. But she left and Jayden hates babies.

“You have a chance for a new story’, I find myself saying to him softly, balling my fist to control my nerves and stop the tears threatening to run down my face for the second time.

He lifts his head to stare at me with his dull eyes. “A new story?”

“Helena would want you to be happy, Jayden”, I add instead and he shakes his head.

Quickly, I grab his hand. It feels cold but I don’t remove my hands from him. Instead, I rub my two hands over his to warm his cold hand. It is like a replica of his heart; cold. He needs something to make it warm again and alive.

“She loved you. A woman who loves a man would want him to always be happy. His happiness will guarantee her happiness too. You are healing already. I don’t see someone who isn’t healing right in front of talking about his pain the way you are doing. The person I am seeing right now is Jayden. Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. The person I am seeing is someone who is a few inches away from healing from the hurt of his past and not letting it have a toll on him ever again. A person who isn’t ready to let his past control his emotions. All see is a strong man who has been holding onto the past for so long.”

“Isabelle, you don’t understand…”

“Because I have never been in love?” I cut him short. That must be it. He thinks it is because I have never been in love, that is why the words are coming out so easy for me. Maybe he thinks I won’t understand how hard it is because I don’t have a man whom I love so much and who died.

“I might not have experienced love in a man but I have experienced love and I know what exactly love is.”

He looks up again and quietly extricates his hand from my hold. He is a bit warm now so 1 let him go.

“My parents. Is there any love greater than something unconditional?” He shakes his head. “What you felt for Helena was true, pure, unconditional love and that was what I felt for my parents too. But they died so I have been in your shoes.” “Ym 50 sorry’, his eyes become smaller and he looks really sorry.

I wave it away. “It’s fine. It’s been so long. But now I am over it”

“Really?” I nod. “How did you do itz”

I hum. “I almost didn’t survive it’, 1 laugh shortly. “But I did. My determination to get over it helped me to get through it. I wanted to die and go meet them but I told myself that dying won’t make their death worthwhile. I know they want me to be happy. I decided to be strong, study harder and get a job so I can make them proud by taking care of Grandma. We both suffered the loss but here we are’

“Wow!” His eyes hold some new form of respect for me. I am sure he never thought I had possibly gone through the stage he is currently going through.

It feels similar and familiar and that’s why I am so attached to his case and ready to help him. The one year with him will be worthwhile. By the time we are ready for a divorce, I am sure he will be completely healed from the hurt of the past. “The only way you can make progress is to stop looking back. The past matters a lot but sometimes, they don’t matter. The future does. The more you look back, especially into the mistakes of your past, the harder it becomes for you to move on. The harder you find it to move on, the more difficult it will be for your healing process. If you don’t heal, you can’t be your normal self and you won’t be able to fight the nightmares and the trauma.”

He nods in agreement.

“All you need to do is give it time and be determined to let go and that will be all. will always be here whenever you need me.’

“A shoulder to cry on?” He asks me in a joking manner and I snicker in laughter. He joins in.

I can’t believe Jayden is joking. I never knew he had a sense of humor. He was always looking serious when we were working together.

“Thank you, Isabella, for wanting to lend me a shoulder to cry on’, he expresses and chuckles. “But I think your shoulder is too little to accommodate my tears.”

“I will let you have the other shoulder too”, I grin widely and he shakes his head.

“Too small. If I need a shoulder to cry on, 1 am going to need many of them to fill in my tears because I promise you you won’t be able to handle my cries when I start”

I don’t understand what he means and I can’t reply to him. Is he trying to say that he cries a lot or what is he saying?

I want to ask him what he means when he points to me with a laughing face.

“I got you!” I roll my eyes. “I knew you would be confused or concerned.”

“Whatever!”

We fall silent again and I glance around the little house with a light smile on my face. This place is really nice and serene. I wish I could go outside to touch the water but I don’t want to leave Jayden behind. He brought me here for a while, probably because he needs company and I need to be close to him till he finally resumes work again.

I am sure he will be back to himself when he starts working again. But 1 will miss helping out whenever his Assistant brings the work home.

She regards me with some sort of look but I don’t bother myself about it. I already know who she is. If only Jayden hadn’t told me she is the one his Mother wants him to marry, I would have been bothered about how she looks at me.

But I am not. She might probably end up with Jayden at the end of the day. When I leave after a year, Jayden will need a woman and since his mother wants her, they can be together.

“What are you thinking?” I hear his question which pulls me out of my reverie.

I smile without facing him. He might figure out that I am lying. “Nothing”

“Really?”

“Yep.’

“Ok. About Verona, do you really want to go?”

“Of course, I would love to. Don’t worry, I plan to get Alejandro’s number from you and give him a call before October. I want to make the inquiries and see if I can afford it I tell him.

I have been thinking about Verona ever since Alex talked about it during our dinner.

Well, I haven’t thought of it for a long time until that night because I never knew I would be able to make money within a short time but now that I have some money with me, I can at least enjoy a vacation with it.

it will be so nice to go on a trip with Alejandro being the tour guide.

“October is next month”, He reminds me.

“Yes!

“Wow, it didn’t cross my mind. I should probably give Alejandro a call tomorrow. Or should I check the internet?”

“Let’s call Alex”, I turn to him. Alex will give him real information about it.

He raises his brows. “You have given him a nickname already? Alex?”

“It’s not a nickname. I only shortened his name”, I say nonchalantly.

“Do you like him that much?” The brows are still furrowed.

“Yes, of course Don’t you like him too? He is a nice man.”

He expels a sign and picks up his phone. “I will sponsor your trip to Verona and any other place you want to go to in italy but the condition is that you have to be back in two weeks.”

My mouth drops open in surprise. I never thought he would ever give me the chance to go there. I was already thinking of making the plans on my own and when everything is set, I would let him know and persuade him to let me go by using Alejandro.

Did he just say he would sponsor my trip?

When he notices that I am not saying a word, he looks up. This is when it dawns on me that this is indeed real and 1 am going on a vacation to Verona- The city of love.

Abruptly, 1 shoot up to my feet and jump on him in an embrace.

Isabella’s POV

His body still goes against mine and I pull away instantly.

A cold shiver runs down my spine instantly at the absence of the touch of his body on mine.

What did 1 just do? I know I am excited about the thought of going to Verona and having Jayden sponsor my trip but why did 1 jump on him that way?

Won’t he get the wrong idea about me? Why is he even doing this?

I know he has been nice to me for a week now but I believe it’s because of his ill-health and how I have been helping him recuperate but it shouldn’t be more than that.

If I don’t take care for him, who will? I am his wife after all.

I clear my throat and tuck the strand of hair that falls on my face behind my ears. I gulp down and ask him. “Why are you doing this?”

“What?” Confusion skates his expression at the question.

“Why do you want to sponsor my trip to Italy?” I ask again and he smiles. A smile that sends my inside in disarray.

I have seen him smile a lot these past few days but this one feels different. It looks different.

I ignore the temptation to ask him why his smile looks different and ask instead. “The last time I checked, you weren’t even interested in having me go on that trip and now you want me to go without asking? Is this a form of bribe?”

“What?” He chuckles and sits upright. “Don’t be funny.’

“I can’t help it’, 1 say and face him. “Are you doing this to stop me from leaving like 1 said I would the other day or is it because I have been caring…

“Do you still harbor the thought of leaving?” He frowns deeply, replacing the smile on his handsome face.

“Well, no but.”

“No buts. I’m doing this because you deserve it. This is what you want and I should do whatever you want because you are my wife”, he utters firmly, with a serious expression.

“Well, yes. That’s true but we are only married on paper.”

He cuts me off by standing up abruptly. “I am not disputing that fact. ‘m hungry, I should cook something’, he begins to walk away and I rise to follow him.

“You know how to cook?” I ask him from behind as we walk on the wooden floor towards the kitchen.

“Yes, I do that whenever I come here”, he answers while I rush forward to stop him from moving further into the kitchen.

I spread my arms to block him and he raises a brow.

“t will cook today’, I say. “I’m really curious to know what your food will taste but 1 want to cook today. You can do the cooking tomorrow.”

Slowly, he raises his hand in surrender. “Fine, 1 will just go back inside to wait for you. Cook something really fast. I could eat a horse right now’

“A horse you would eat’ I reply sarcastically and I hear his laughter resound as he walks away from the kitchen.

When he is out of the kitchen, I turn to the fridge to check out what he has that I can use to make something.

surprisingly, the refrigerator is stocked with varieties of things, ranging from milk to vegetables, fruits, and drinks.

I try to check the containers to see if there is any chicken but there is none. I thought as much. He barely comes here but I am a bit surprised that the groceries that are here in his refrigerator are still fresh. Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. Maybe he has a maid who comes here regularly to clean up the whole place and do the grocery shopping for him when he is about to come over.

I see a container and pick it up. There is no chicken but potatoes. I know several potato recipes that I can make with this and 1 don’t know which one to settle for.

He says he wants something fast.

suddenly, an idea strikes me and I turn back to the refrigerator to see if there is cheese.

There isn’t but there is a small oven.

Great!

Quickly, I bring out the potatoes and place them on the kitchen cabinet before peeling off each back and dumping them one after the other into a bowl.

{fill the bowl with water from the sink before I continue. When 1 am done peeling up to 10 potatoes, I stop and put the rest back in the fridge.

This is dinner for just the two of us and this should be enough. I just hope he has wine in the house because red wine will g0 well with this recipe.

I rinse the potatoes and turn on the stove before placing a pot on the fire to boil it. 1 add a little water and potatoes to it. Then a pinch of salt before covering the pot.

After covering the pot, I bend down to search for something that will make the squishing of the potatoes very easy.

There is no potato masher in here but I can see a big fork so 1 pick it up and take the colander before dropping it on the cabinet. I walk to the oven to preheat it and bring out the baking pan.

I remember seeing butter in the fridge so I go back to the fridge to bring it out. Gently, I use the butter to grease the pan and keep it aside.

By the time I am done, the potatoes are soft already. I turn off the cooker and drain the potato with a colander. When it has been fully drained, I pick each potato with a spoon and place each on a greased pan. They are pretty soft already and using my hand might ruin the texture.

Once the 10 pieces are on the pan, I pick the big fork to squish each of them to create a butterfly shape and to give room for a crispy result.

{finish up quickly and sprinkle ginger and a little olive oil all over it before placing the pan in the oven.

I’m almost done now, I sigh with relief.

I wonder what Jayden would have cooked if he was the one cooking and I really hope he will be impressed with my recipe. I never knew billionaires know how to cook too, he doesn’t look like someone who does.

‘m impressed and I can’t wait to eat his food.

while waiting for our food to bake, I quickly wash the used fork, spoons, colander, and pot, returning each of them to their original position.

As soon as I am done, I bring out two places and a tray to serve the food. Then I take out the parsley bottle which will be added to our freshly baked crispy potato to taste.

I open the oven to bring it out. It looks really nice and I feel proud of myself for a job well done.

I drop the pan and put 5 pieces of the baked potatoes on the first plate and the other 5 on the second place. I dump the pan in the sink to be washed later with the plates after we are done with dinner.

Then I grab the parsley bottle and sprinkle a little on each plate before placing the food on a tray.

With a grin of satisfaction, I shout. “My freshly baked crispy mashed potato is done. Dinner is ready!”

Jayden’s POV

My breathing became ragged when her body touched mine and her arms encircled around my head firmly in an embrace. isabella and I have never been that close before except on our wedding day.

Noticing my still body, she pulled away immediately and apologized. I have been thinking about it since I left her in the kitchen to cook but I don’t know what to think of what happened between us.

I have never given any other woman my attention apart from Helena.

“Let’s go and eat outside’, she suggests as she comes out of that kitchen with the food. I love potatoes and I made sure madam Cassandra got enough potatoes for me during the grocery shopping she did for me yesterday. Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. She is my maid and she usually comes to clean every week or whenever I need her to shop for me in preparation for my arrival.

I have never come here with anyone, not even Helena. I bought this house after Helena died and I felt like the mansion was suffocating the hell out of me.

Everything about the mansion reminded me of her and I left the mansion down to this place. Buying this house was my escape from the reality of the misfortune that had befallen me.

I was planning to make potato pinwheels before but now that Isabella has cooked with potatoes, I will go for something else tomorrow.

The food looks delicious and I can’t wait to have a taste of it.

“You have never eaten out whenever you visited, right?” She peers down at me in curiosity and I nod and get up from the chair I am sitting on.

“We can give ita try.’

“Yes, I saw two cane chairs outside. Do you have a coffee table or a small stool around here?” She asks and I nod and point to the coffee table beside the tv.

She picks it up. “This meal will be nice with red wine, do you have any?”

I take the table from her and keep it on my left hand while I pick up the tray of food with the other hand. “There is one bottle of wine in the fridge. Check.”

“The fridge?” She looks surprised. “How come I didn’t see it?”

“Maybe you should check the second door. I will be waiting outside”, I say to her and move out.

I am no longer excited about being here like I was when we were on our way here. The thought of coming with my fake wife who has turned into a friend over the days was overwhelming but now, considering what happened between us earlier, the excitement is gone.

I don’t know why she isn’t saying anything about it but I feel there is more to that hug. I could feel her heartbeat before she could pull away.

I stroll out and drop the table between the two large cane chairs and drop the tray of food on the table. Then, I flop onto the first chair, just in time for her to appear with the cutleries, two glass cups, and a bottle of wine.

“I can’t wait”, she squeals in excitement as she opens the wine and pours some for me and some for her.

instinctively, I wave the thought of everything bothering me away so I can enjoy the food. I take a sip of the wine and face her so I can use my cutleries to cut a piece of the crispy baked potatoes.

Using my fork, I take a bite and the taste settles heavily on my tongue. I moan in delight.

I nod my head in satisfaction and pride.

“This is delicious”, I compliment, taking another bite.

She beams in happiness. “I love it better with sauce.’

“Ym sure it would taste great. The crispness is out of this world.’

“Thank you’, she says in appreciation and we eat in silence.

After a while, she raises her head and asks. “What would you have cooked if you were the chef for tonight?”

I shrug. “I had potatoes in mind, actually.”

“Wow, really?” She gulps down the remaining content of her wine.

I nod.

“I had something else in mind but I couldn’t find chicken…

“Yeah, I eat the weirdest things whenever I am here. It is an opportunity for me to try my hands on my formulated recipes but chicken is never available but I will keep that in mind to bring it from town when next we come here.”

“I would appreciate that’, she drops her cutlery and leans backward in her chair. “The weather is really nice. I love the lake and 1 wish I can go close.”

“l won’t advise that”, I look up. “It seems like it is going to rain pretty soon.”

“Can we just move closer before it rains? I want to know what it feels like…

“Isabella?” I interrupt her but she pouts.

“Please, I’ve never seen a lake before. This is my first time and I would love to have something good to say about the experience here!’

Even though I don’t like the idea, I sigh and give in. She jumps up and drags me off my seat and I laugh at her.

We both walk towards the lake and when we are close, she squats down, insisting that I do the same. I squat beside her and she dips her hand into the water with her eyes closed.

I watch how relaxed she looks despite being far away from home and being new here. Unconsciously, I plunge my hand into the water too and a cold sensation runs through me.

I remove my hand but Isabella’s hand is still there, she is twirling her fingers around, playing with the water, a smile now on her face.

Before I can tell her the time is up and we should head back inside, it rumbles above and before I can look up, it starts to rain.

“Isabella, let’s get back inside”, I say with a tone of urgency as I hastily help her up.

I have experienced storms in this place and they can be really bad. Without any arguments, she holds my hand as we race back towards the house.

The rain droplets make it difficult to find our way back but with constant rubbing of my hand on my face, it becomes easy while I hold Isabella’s hand firmly in mine.

By the time we get into the house, we are already wet and the rain has become heavy.

I lock the door from behind and Isabella watches the rain from inside, sniffing, her eyes closed again.

suddenly, I remember we left the plates outside and I let out a sigh. The whole thing will be gone with the storm by tomorrow and I can’t go out.

I get cold easily.

Without telling Isabella, I walk to the bedroom and bring out a new pair of t-shirts and pants for me to wear.

“You should go on inside, I will sleep on the sofa’, I tell her and she twirls around to face me squarely.

“Sofa? Why?”

“There is just a bedroom, you should take it and I will sleep here. Goodnight’, 1 say to her before she can protest.

Even though we sleep on the same bed at home, it shouldn’t be the same here since we are alone.

Sleeping with her on the same bed at home is something I do because I have no choice. I just hope the storm will end before tomorrow morning so we can find our way back home and I can resume work tomorrow morning.

I slouch to the sofa, wondering why I am suddenly avoiding her. 1am cold and I don’t think it will be a good idea to talk about anything else other than going to bed. It is late already.

Isabella does not say anything and I am about to raise my head to see if she is still there when I hear her say a low. “Good night.”

Isabella’s POV

The ride back home is in extreme, awkward silence. We left the mansion in a hurry even though I know Jayden wanted me to spend more time with his family but his mother ruined it all.

The atmosphere became tense and moody. Jayden stood up and asked us to leave for home.

I was glad. I was already uncomfortable with all the pitiful stares I was getting after the men apologized for Mrs. Russell’s behavior.

Apparently, she doesn’t like me. She has been pretending all along to like me but she doesn’t in reality.

No wonder she made fun of my sleepwear. No wonder she asked me to undress Jayden. This is all in an attempt to frustrate me.

She is mad at me for rejecting her offer.

I can not accept her offer. Even though she is willing to offer me way more than Jayden gave, I am going to be loyal to jayden till the end.

He helped me when I was in desperate need of help. If he had ignored me when I asked for his help, what would have happened to Grandma by now?

He helped me save my only living family’s life and I will forever be grateful to him. Now that I know his reasons for marrying me, I will also help him.

This is the least I can do.

“Isabella”, Jayden calls, jerking me out of my reverie. I snap my head towards him with anxiety building up in me. He doesn’t look at me. He only sighs deeply and apologizes. “I’m sorry.”

I raise a brow. I am not expecting that. Besides, there is no need to apologize for his mother’s mistakes.

This is just reality showing its ugly face to me. Rich people marry wealthy people. Low-class families settle for people in their class.

Wealthy people don’t go for low class. They look down on them and make them feel inferior.

If Jayden and 1 are truly married to each other, this is the same problem I would be facing. I am a nobody. My father does not own a company. My mother is not an actress or a supermodel and I am nothing but a college degree holder. I have nothing to add to Jayden’s status.

“I should have known that she was pretending to like you all along. I thought she did”, he clench his jaw, his forehead furrowed.

I smile. “It’s ok.”

I don’t intend to have babies for Jayden because it isn’t part of our deal so I see no reason why I should take what she said to heart. Jayden can have babies with whoever he wants, I don’t care because this isn’t real.

There are a lot of beautiful women out there that he can have babies with. Supermodels, actresses, businesswomen, and many more. I don’t even deserve to carry a billionaire’s child.

“Are you sure it’s ok?” He questions, with a skeptical look and I nod.

“Of course”, I laugh out and shake my head. “It’s nothing, really. I see no reason why I should be offended because having babies isn’t part of the deal. I’m not worth it.”

He falls silent and 1 turn to look at him. His jaws clench further before he looks away.

“What do you mean by you don’t worth it?” He suddenly asks me and I stare at him in surprise.

Why is he asking me this?

I shrug nonchalantly. “Nothing.”

“Nothing?” He raises a questioning brow at me.

I bite my lower lips and turn away from him. I stare out of the car window absentmindedly. There are a lot of things to think of. Mrs. Russell’s statement should be the least of my problems.

I haven’t seen Juliet since the night of my wedding and I wonder how she is doing. I am expecting her to feel remorseful and come pleading but I haven’t seen her.

I haven’t seen Grandma too and I wonder how she is doing. I will make plans to go see her tomorrow. I will also get her some groceries before visiting her. I hope this time, she will talk to me and accept the fact that I am in a contractual marriage.

“Isabella?” He touches my arms and a shiver runs through my spine. I face him. “I asked you a question.”

Why is he so bent on finding out what I mean by not being worthy enough to have his babies? I don’t want to take any of this personally so it’s better we avoid talking about it.

“Can we just forget about it?”

“Not”

I sigh heavily. He won’t give up. I never knew he could be this inquisitive too.

“What I mean is I am not worthy to carry a billionaire’s child. Rich men marry rich women and vice versa. Your mother is disappointed with your choice of a wife. It is obvious she doesn’t want me to be your wife and I am not fit to carry your child. Maybe she has someone else in mind to give to you. That’s what I mean.”

He scoffs. “What are you talking about? This isn’t part of our plan so I see no reason why you should be bothered about it” “Exactly. That is what I am talking about. I am not attaching any importance to what she said. I just want you to know that I’m not worth it..”

“Stop it”, he cuts me short and I close my mouth.

What the hell is wrong with me? I know I rant and blurt out stupid things when I am nervous but I don’t know if what I just did falls within any of the categories of ranting or blurting out in nervousness.

His looks turn stony and I realize I have overstepped my boundary by talking about babies.

This is a man who doesn’t want to be married. And he specifically told me that there will be no strings attached.

I am really curious to know why he doesn’t want to be married and why he hates babies. Why does he gets angry and offended when the talks of babies are up in the air?

I saw the way he was staring hard at Caroline’s babies. It is clear that he doesn’t like babies really but there is more to the stares he was giving the innocent baby.

He doesn’t like them yet he keeps staring at the girl.

When I realize I am still dwelling on what should have been forgotten, I slap myself mentally and look out of the window again, leaning forward to get a feel of the night air with my eyes closed.

The remaining ride is in complete silence. This time, it isn’t awkward. It is satisfying and comforting because I don’t want to talk about anything again.

The initial silence was awkward because we had a lot to talk about and no one was saying anything. Now that everything is out, we are both relieved.

I like Caroline’s personality, though. She seems to be a kind woman. Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. She didn’t look down on me like Mrs. Russell did. Maybe it’s because Mrs. Russell hadn’t told her everything about me and my poor background. I won’t be surprised if she glares at me when we next meet.

Her husband and brother seem like good men too. Mr. Russell is lovely and I love the smile he flashed towards me after his wife blurted out that rubbish.

The car slows down suddenly and I open my eyes to see that we are home already. The car is approaching the gate and that is why it slowed down.

I expel a deep sigh of relief. We are home.

The car edges forward and the horn resounds in the air. The large automatic gate opens slowly but before he can drive in, my eyes catch the sight of a familiar figure.

I squint my eyes and blink once to be sure I am not mistaken but I can still see that it is someone I know.

She stands by the gate, as if she is just coming out of the house or as though she is waiting for someone.

The moment the car gets close to her and I see her face properly, I can’t hide my surprise so I call out with a shout. “Grandma?”

Isabella’s POV

Apparently, the day is going to end well and my first big fight with my Grandma is going to end tonight.

We haven’t quarreled like this before. She was always understanding and supportive.

When I saw the smile on her face, I knew she had accepted reality and she is here to reconcile with me.

But I feel embarrassed. More than I was the very first day she got to know that the marriage between Jayden and I wasn’t real and we deceived her.

She flashes me another smile as I lead her inside, towards the living room with Jayden trudging behind us in silence.

We get there and I make her sit down. I sit beside her, watching her face to know if all is well. I feel bad for not going back to the house since the other day to check up on her.

I should have known that her anger won’t last for too long.

I notice she is looking down at my silk satin dress.

“How are you, Mother?” I ask, breaking the silence between us.

I see Jayden take the staircase up and when Grandma hears his footsteps, she glances up at him on the staircase.

He seems embarrassed just like me. He nods in greeting before excusing us.

“I’m fine”, she smiles, making me heave a sigh of relief. At least, I now know this is a meeting of reconciliation. I am now fully sure that this is what it is.

“Ym sorry I haven’t come to the house. I just thought I should give you enough time…”

“How have you been?” She asks me with a concern-filled expression and worries laced in her tone.

The way she cuts me short makes me smile. Grandma always does that whenever she wants to say something important. Knowing about how I have been faring is obviously much more important to her than anything else. Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. “I’ve been good’, 1 nod, a smile finding its way to my face. I’m really glad she is here. I’m glad she has forgiven me even though she hasn’t said that out.

suddenly, she looks down and sighs. Her hands shake and my smile disappears.

“What’s the matter?” I question, grabbing her two hands.

When she hoists her head up, I see tears brimming in her eyes.

“I miss you’, she only says and chuckles lightly. “And worried about you!”

“I’m fine, Grandma, and…”

“Is he treating you right?” She demands, peering at me with doubts.

unconsciously, I smile. I was expecting Jayden to be rude and harsh to me just like he used to when I was his Assistant but he is cool-headed with me. At least for the main time and I doubt if he will be harsh this coming few months because we have agreed to bring out our acting skills at letting the public believe that we are real.

“Jayden is a good man, Mother. He has always been…”

“No, Bella”, she contradicts me. “You have always told me how he always mistreated you when you were his Assistant. He called you dumb and clumsy, remember?”

I want to say something but she beats me to it. “I’m just worried that he will keep up with the same attitude now that you are in his house and this thing between you two isn’t real”

Grandma must have come to terms with the fact that I did this for her.

“Even when you introduced him to me, I was skeptical about it because of how you always talked about how cold-hearted and rude he was but I had no choice but to listen to you and believe you.”

“Mother, Jayden isn’t harsh to me. Not anymore”, I say, holding her hands firmly and thinking of what else to say to her to convince her that I am fine and this is just for a while. “He can’t treat me anyhow because I am his wife now and besides, this contract isn’t forever. It’s just for a year.’

“A year?” I nod intermittently.

“Then you can leave him and live a life of your own?” I nod again. “You can remarry and have kids with someone else?” I smile and nod. “Someone, you truly love?”

I don’t react to the last question. I don’t have any man in my life right now except Jayden and I have never been in love. Will it be very easy for me to get out of this marriage and try to find someone who might be interested in me with the intention of marriage in mind?

juliet and I have been frequenting her club party for a year now, ever since I got a job in Jayden’s company and 1 felt I was ready to be in a relationship but no single man who approached me wanted something serious with me.

They just wanted to get in between my legs and go for the next available girl.

I was single yet I had no luck with men. Is it now that I am married (like the public believes) that I am going to have luck with dating?

Grandma gasps softly. “Do you love him?” Her eyes search mine.

“What?!” I exclaim and shout. “No!”

why will she think of that? Is it because how I convinced her before the marriage that Jayden and I were in love?

it was all a lie.

“You look like you do. Don’t you want to be married someday? I mean a real marriage’, she questions with an angry stare. “Of course, I want to be married someday”, I tell her and she nods in agreement.

Silence falls as we continue to stare at each other. She flashes me another smile and 1 open my arms to embrace her.

We hug each other tightly until she pulls away calmly. “I should go. I have been here for almost an hour, waiting for you to come back from God knows where. Did you go on a fake date with him?”

“Shush, Mother’, I hush her up as a maid comes in through the back door. My mother rises and I accompany her to the front door.

“Jayden and I went to his parent’s home. We went there for a family dinner. You should have called me when you got here.” “l wanted it to be a surprise but when I noticed it was getting too late, I decided to leave and come back tomorrow. That was when I saw you sticking your head out of the car window.”

I laugh shortly at her weak attempt at humor.

“How was the dinner?”

“It was fine”, I say casually. I don’t see the need to tell her what happened there. I see no need to tell her every single thing happening in my marriage. I will only let her know what needs to be known and not everything because this is just like a real marriage and I don’t need anyone’s interference, just the way I made sure that his Mother won’t be allowed to interfere in our lives.

This is solely between Jayden and me.

“Isabella?” I hear Jayden call from behind right after we step out of the front door. Grandma and I both turn to see him changed into shorts already and a t-shirt. He must have had a quick shower.

“l want Jude to drive her home”, he says to me in a low tone, probably thinking Grandma won’t agree to it.

surprisingly, Grandma flashes him an appreciative smile and nods her head.

The car is already waiting and I guess Jayden must have instructed him to wait for her after we came in.

I turn to Grandma and hug her once more before she climbs into the car and begins to wave at me all through till jude ignites the car engine into action and drives off.

Jayden’s POV

In haste to check out the samples Gabriel called to tell me he had sent, I quickly sat on the sofa with my laptop on my lap. I am supposed to go to my home office tonight to work on something. I have two pending contracts to sign and a collaboration tomorrow morning which I am not prepared for.

This new partnership is taking much of my time. Gabriel is keen on giving this a try and I am only doing this because I trust him and I want us to make good use of this opportunity.

The robotic samples he sent are in pictures and videos. After examining the pictures, I decided to watch the video so it will give me a clue on how they would work for the various benefits Gabriel listed out for me.

I want us to delve more into insecurities. I want us to basically make it concentrated on security and I intend to do that first.

These robots can be used for surveillance to prevent thieves, burglars, and hired assassins among other menacing individuals from getting into someone’s house.

These robots are machines too, like the kind we do in my company and they are next to perfection. They can either be used to act as guards by shooting down any intruder or alerting the occupants of the house about an intruder. Either way, they are both good purposes.

it seems like a great idea but I haven’t told Gabriel yet. I know he will insist on diversifying the opportunity.

I hear a throat clearing and I look up to see Isabella already in a night’s wear. I was too keen on watching the video to realize she is back from the bathroom and already ready for bed.

“I’m going to bed”, she informs me and I nod at her and wave my hands in dismissal. When I am done with these samples and I have replied to Garbiel, I will go to the office to work.

I will use the home office downstairs instead of the one in this room.

I hear her move to the bed and my mind drifts to the fact that I will have to share the bed with her again today.

I hope she won’t fall off the bed this time. It is big enough to accommodate both of us.

There will also be a demarcation just like the last time. I will make sure to do that before sleeping off and that is if I don’t sleep off in my office because I do that most of the time. Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. I barely make use of my home office these days but I guess now that I get to share my room with a wife, I will go back to my old ways because being inside the room will distract me from working.

I used to stay in the room to work most of the time because there would be no forms of distractions. The maids know that my alone time starts at 9 pm, so they won’t do anything to distract me from my work.

I guess I will have to tell Julia to help me clean the office tomorrow morning. It must be super dusty by now because it’s been almost a month since I worked there.

Before I can finish off the entire video, I begin to feel sleepy. By the time I am done replying to Gabriel to give him an opinion of what I think, I can barely keep my eyes open.

I yawn loudly as I close the laptop after sending Gabriel a good night message so he won’t call me. Gabriel calls at ungodly hours and he might not be satisfied with my reply.

instinctively, I put my phone on silent mode and decide to go to bed since I am sleepy. I had a stressful day at work today. Instead of coming home to rest for a while, I took a quick shower before heading to my parent’s mansion for the family dinner. And now I am exhausted.

I drop the laptop on the table in front of the sofa and walk to the bed, yawning again loudly with my eyes closed.

Since I can’t do my work, I will have to wake up early tomorrow to finish up or probably go to work early.

I get to the bed and want to climb into it when my eyes fall on Isabella who is fast asleep.

This is when I remember we are to share a bed and she is all over the place, her hands and legs spread wide.

I sigh heavily. This will be more difficult than I thought. But I need to do this. It is just for a while.

I grab the pillows and arrange them in the middle of the bed before shifting Isabella to the other side. I lay beside her after making sure that the demarcation is dividing us.

Before I can turn my back on her, I notice her stirring in sleep. I lay on my left side so I can face her. Her lips slightly parted and strands of hair falling all over her face.

I look away but she stirs again and I find myself shifting my gaze back to her. She murmurs inaudibly and I strain my ears to catch the word she is saying.

Silence creeps in and I sigh and finally turn my back on her. I close my eyes, expecting to fall asleep anytime from now. Instead of falling asleep, my eyes open at intervals. I feel something rest on me and I snap my head back to see Isabella’s raised leg on my body.

My eyes widen as I curse beneath my breath before summoning the courage to take her legs off my body. Anger begins to build in me.

I don’t like this. Should I go back to requesting another bed for her? I can’t keep thinking of the inconveniences this would cause me. The thought alone can leave me sleepless.

I am really not comfortable with this.

She murmurs again and I ignore her until I hear a little cry escaping her mouth. I turn over to her to see her looking as though she is struggling with something in her sleep.

Her face is in a frown. Is she having a nightmare?

She lets out another soft cry before falling silent. I am confused about what to do in this situation.

Am I supposed to wake her up and ask her what the problem is or hug her to myself so she can feel someone’s presence and then the nightmare will stop?

I keep trying to figure out what to do, all to no avail.

A second has passed but she isn’t making any more sounds. A minute passes and there is still nothing.

I wait for a while, counting each passing second until it is more than 10 minutes without a word from her. This is when I choose to go to sleep.

It is obvious the nightmare has stopped.

Slowly, I turn my back to her, resisting the urge to watch over her and the curiosity to know if it is actually a nightmare or not.

I am on alert for another few seconds until I eventually shut my eyes. Within minutes, I fall into a deep slumber.

Isabella’s POV

I wake up with a start to see Jayden stirring in his sleep and my hands over his chest. My eyes open wide and I take my arms off him and scramble out of bed with my heart pounding hard in my chest.

What the hell!

When did I put my hands on his body? ask no one in particular as my eyes glance around the room to see that the light wasn’t off.

why didn’t he turn off the light before sleeping?

Slowly, I drag my silly self to the sofa with my two hands on my cheeks. I drop to the sectional sofa and my butt hits something. 1 shoot to my feet to grab whatever it is and my eyes fall on the book I am supposed to hide from Jayden. Aloud gasp escapes my mouth as fear begins to consume my whole existence. This book has been on this sofa all through yesterday and I am wondering if Jayden had seen it or not.

How can I forget something like this? If he sees the book, then he will get to know that I am invading his privacy by going to his personal office and going through his things.

He stirs again in bed and I become alert as I hide the book behind me and try to put on a normal expression. The moment he goes still again with his chest heaving up and down slowly, I rush over to my bag and drop the book there.

An unconscious sigh of relief is released from my mouth.

I shake my head at my stupid behavior, thinking of what excuse I would have given him if he had caught me with the book. Maybe he will just send me home. He will ask me to leave without giving a care about this so-called marriage.

itis obvious there is more to that place. There is something about him hidden in there and despite the fear in me, I still want to go ahead to unravel the mystery before me.

I like puzzles. The sheet of paper that slipped from that novel and the contents are puzzling and I want to get to the root of this.

I sigh again and turn to walk back to the sofa when I see Jayden sitting up in bed and I scream and run back in fright. “What’s the matter?” He asks, almost getting out of bed.

I don’t know if I was startled to have seen him suddenly in bed or if it is because I was scared that he must have seen me with the book while 1 was thinking he was fast asleep.

“Oh, Goodness!” I breathe out a sigh of relief and bend down. “Ym sorry. I was startled”

“Oh!” He only murmurs, adding to my relief that he didn’t see anything.

Silence ensues and I expect him to go back to bed only to see him rise from the bed and walk to the bathroom.

Is it morning? Why is he heading to the bathroom?

I look up to check the time on the wall clock opposite the bed. It is 5 am.

“ont”

still feeling guilty, I wall back to the sofa to sit. I won’t be able to go back to sleep now and I really wish I can ask Jayden for this book I am hiding. I wish I could ask him freely to lend him so I can also read in his presence but I know I can’t because of what I saw and what I did behind his back.

He will be mad at me if he knows but I can’t just sit home all day without doing a single thing.

with my hands propped on my jaw, I begin to plan my day. I will take a bath after Jayden is gone to work so we won’t have issues with privacy and then I will take a tour of the mansion.

When I am done with that, I will go get groceries for Grandma before visiting her place. I will ask her if she is still interested in moving so I can instruct some of the bodyguards to help her with it tomorrow.

We have a lot to talk about and I will spend the whole day there. Once it is getting late, 1 will come home.

Thinking about visiting Grandma, I ask myself if it is necessary to inform Jayden of my outing or not.

The last time I went out, he kept asking me questions about where I went.

I should tell him.

After a few minutes, the door to the bathroom opens and he comes out with a towel wrapped around his waist and water trailing down his muscular shiny body.

He must have washed his hair. Didn’t he wash it yesterday too? Do men wash their hair every day as women do?

I don’t realize my brows are furrowed until he raises a similar brow at me. I gulp and look away.

“l want to visit Grandma today’, 1 inform him, not staring at him.

He has a hot body and if I keep seeing this every single day of my life for the next 360 days, I might not come out the way I came into this marriage.

I slap myself mentally at the thought.

“0k? Is she moving today?”

“I don’t think so but I will ask her when she wants to move”, I say with a smile. “I plan to get her groceries first.”

“Ask one of the maids to get those for you…”

“There is no need for that, I can do that myself”, I cut him short.

He stares hard at me. “If you are not comfortable with that, I can lend you Anna for an hour to get that done for you.” “Anna?” My brows crease in confusion. “Who is Anna?”

“You don’t know Anna?” He looks surprised that I don’t know who it is. “My new Assistant, of course. The lady I asked to accompany you shopping the other day, you seemed cool and comfortable with it”

“Oh!” I only say, wondering why his Assistant has to do such chores for me. “But why her?”

“Why her?” He asks me as he takes his office wear out and drops them on the bed. It is a well-tailored Italian suit and I wonder what the occasion is today. He grabs a pair of matching suede shoes to complement the look. “Nothing, I just feel like asking her to do that for you.”

“Won’t she be annoyed to be given such a task when I am just the boss’s wife?” I am trying to put myself in her shoes.

Will 1 be pissed up too if I was given such a task to do?

I think I see him smile and my confusion increases. How did he even get another Assistant in just a few days of me leaving the post?

Is she someone he knows?

“I have my reasons, Isabella’, he mutters before turning his back to me. He wears his pants and I look away.

I can’t keep this to myself. I want to know his reasons.

“Can I know your reason or reasons?” I ask softly, praying within me for him to answer this question and not wave it away like the other day. Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. Silence creeps in and I am beginning to bite my lower lips with regrets. I shouldn’t have asked him that question. 1 should learn not to overstep the boundary. I shouldn’t feel too entitled.

When I turn to stare at him, he is fully dressed and he is facing me squarely.

“Because Anna is the woman my mother wants me to marry’, he finally answers and I shake my head to let the words process.

Anna is the woman Mrs. Russell wants him to marry. His new secretary? Is this why he is doing this?

My mouth drops open.

“I won’t be the one to fire her, I will be patient enough for her to submit her resignation letter to me. I’m sure she is going to do that s00n so please let Anna do the grocery shopping for you’, he throws a wicked smile my way as my mouth is still hanging in the air before he grabs his suitcase beside the drawers and heads for the door.

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Jayden’s POV

The buzzing sound of the intercom on the desk jerks me out of my reverie and I drop the pen in my hand to pick it up. “Mrs. D’Alonzo is here to see you, sir’, Anna speaks into the phone and I raise a brow.

What is Caroline doing in my office at this hour? I have an out-of-office meeting in an hour and I am preparing my files for the meeting.

Caroline isn’t one to call the office because she knows how busy I can be. I used to spend my night in the office sometimes, especially after Helena’s death. Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. I didn’t see the need to go home because there was no one to welcome me back home. But I am married now and questioning brows will be raised if 1 spend the night in the office again. Caroline knows all about this. She was here in New York when Helena died and she understands my busy schedule. I just wonder why she is here instead of coming over to the house later tonight.

“Should 1 let her in?” Anna’s voice jerks me out of my reverie.

“Yes, please”, I say and drop the phone before pushing myself back on the leather swivel chair more comfortably.

When she is gone, I will continue my work. I just hope this won’t take too much time.

A minute passes before I hear a knock at the door.

“Come in’, I echo my permission and the door opens to reveal Caroline in a simple straight skirt and blouse as though she is headed to an office job.

I can’t hide my surprise so I raise my brow. She closes the door and chuckles lightly as she approaches.

“Good day to you too, Jayden if that is your new way of greeting’, she mutters and flops heavily to the seat opposite my desk.

“Ym just surprised, that’s all” I shrug while she smiles and lets her gaze scan my office. “No changes.”

“Yeah!” She knows how much I love to keep things the way they are. No matter how many times I have to renew whatever it is.

Paintings, furniture, interior decor, exterior decorations, curtains, and everything that makes up an office or a room. I hate changing things like this. I am used to getting the same color of curtains every year ever since I first moved into my mansion.

I guess I got the trait from my mother.

“Why are you here?” I ask. I don’t want us to wait any longer and I want to satisfy my curiosity by knowing the reason for her visit.

She lets out a sigh and stares at me for a while without smiling. “Are you two really in love?”

I don’t need a soothsayer to tell me what this is all about.

Did mother tell her anything or she is just asking this question out of curiosity? The way mother blurted out those words last night is enough to arouse someone’s curiosity.

I can see the worry etched on Caroline’s face so I nod. “Of course. Why will I marry her if we are not in love with each other?”

I fold my arms and lock eyes with her. She doesn’t look convinced but I don’t care. Isabella and 1 are into this already and it is all because of no one but my Mother who keeps pressuring me to marry someone.

Now that I am married to someone as she once stated, she is still unsatisfied and I won’t give her another chance to decide this for me.

Right now, I feel stupid for going through this facade of marriage all because of nothing. I shouldn’t have gone ahead with it. 1 should have just stuck to my decision to remain single for life.

If only I didn’t listen to her. If only I didn’t take her tears to heart, maybe I will still be free from all this shit and Isabella will be free from my prison.

“Mother thinks otherwise”, Caroline comments, leaning forward. “You can tell me anything, Jayden.”

“What do you want me to tell you, Caroline?” I scoff. “I’m sure you must have heard it all from Mrs-know-it-all. How did she know that Isabella and I don’t love each other? Isn’t this what she wanted? She wanted me to get married and now that I am married, she wants to be against it after I made the poor girl believe that my Mother likes her. Isabella thought the same too but I am not really surprised at the sudden behavior change. Do you remember she did the same thing with Helena? I don’t know why Mother loves to discriminate…”

“Jayden”, Caroline calls softly, interrupting me from going further. I haven’t really given what happened last night much thought because I have done all I can to please her and I won’t do anything further that will jeopardize my convenience and happiness. I was happy when I was single.

But now that Caroline is here, my anger came from nowhere and 1 found myself ranting.

Mother is so hard to please.

“Be calm. What Mother thinks doesn’t matter. All I know is that she is just watching out for you just the way I am doing right now…

“I am not a kid, for crying out loud!” I slam my fist on the desk furiously. I won’t let fate repeat itself.

“I just want to know if you two truly love each other and I will support you no matter what Mother thinks’, she says after a moment of silence. “I know Isabella and it’s obvious she is into you. I’m just surprised that Mother called her a gold digger and that’s why I’m here.”

“Gold digger?” I scoff again. “Gold digger, my foot. If she is truly a gold digger like she is saying, then Isabella would have been gone by now.”

“Gone?’

“Yes”, I reply firmly. I didn’t intend to tell her about my Mother’s offer to Isabella but now I can’t hide it from her.

I want her to be fully convinced that I married Isabella because we love each other. This will make my plan easier. If it doesn’t work out, then I will let them know that the fault is on me and marriage isn’t for me.

“Isabella would have accepted the offer of a million dollars from my Mother which she was willing to give to her if Isabella would leave me’

“What?!” Caroline exclaims in disbelief.

“You see? A million dollars yet she is still with me and you call her a gold digger? You know what, I am done with this and I won’t visit until she accepts the fact that Isabella is my wife.”

Caroline’s mouth hangs open for a while before she closes it.

“This is unbelievable!”

“You should ask her yourself. She might deny it, though. Isabella rejected the offer and told her she can’t leave me, that is why she changed towards her. I don’t know what her problem really is.”

Silence falls. Caroline still looks confused. She can’t wrap her head around the fact that my Mother is practically bribing isabella to leave me.

itis uncalled for.

I am an adult and I need to make decisions on my own. My company didn’t get to this height because of my parent’s interference. I only take advice from my Father on business-related issues that I know he has experience on.

Not all advice works for me. I don’t take any advice either. I take advice and do research on my own before concluding whether to go ahead with the plan or not.

What happens thereafter will be the consequences of my actions and I will accept it that way.

Caroline shakes her head as if to bring her back to reality before looking up at me. “Just be calm, Jayden. I want you to be calm and please don’t be mad at her. She must have her reasons for saying that. Maybe she is trying to put Isabella to test or something.’

am done with this conversation. It is going nowhere. She is my mother and I know her better than anyone else.

“Stop trying to justify her actions, Caroline’, my voice is low now as I pick up the file I was working on before she came as a way of dismissal. “Whether she is putting Isabella to test or not, she is still at fault and whenever something of this sort happens again, I won’t take it lightly. She asked for this. If Isabella and I don’t work out, then we will file for a divorce but for now, we both know we love each other and we are hoping to last forever.”

She seems to be studying me with her eyes, probably to figure out if I am lying or telling the truth.

I don’t care anymore. They can think whatever. That won’t change what I plan to do after a year.

Before I can tell her that I have a meeting to prepare for, she stands up. “John is in the car with the baby and the boys. I just wanted to see you briefly before going. We are on our way to the airport.”

“Oh!” I only murmur. I never knew they would leave so soon.

I guess Caroline can’t stay for long this time since she came to visit with her husband who is an international chef. It is quite hard to be off work for days.

I can relate to this because I feel bored whenever I decide to take a day or two off work and now, I am used to working every single day. I can’t remember the last time I took a day off, except of course on my wedding day.

I rise and she comes over to give me a warm hug. We disengage from the hug and she flashes me a smile.

I reciprocate.

“Take good care of Isabella. She seems to me like a good woman with a pure heart. I will find some time one of these days to come hang out with her”

A genuine smile spread across my face. “I will. Have a safe trip.’

“See you soon’, she steps back and waves. I wave back too till she gets to the door and turns to me with an affectionate look on her face.

I see the worry and the hopeful stares she is giving me and I know what it means.

Caroline does not believe me entirely and she is hoping that this marriage between Isabella and me will last forever even if it is nothing but a facade.

Isabella’s POV

Determined to give Jayden’s friend and his wife a good impression of myself and to make sure that they believe that we are in love, I step out of my room in a single piece velvet short gown with long sleeves and an ankle strap heels.

My hair is packed in a low loose bun as usual and I have a n**e lip gloss on my lips with little makeup on my face. I don’t want to overdo it.

I am the billionaire’s wife and I need to look like one just like Jayden had mentioned to me when he came home to inform me that his best friend, Gabriel and his wife, Sabrina would be coming over for dinner.

I know Gabriel who usually frequents the office and I have only seen his wife once and that was at our wedding day.

I am a bit anxious.

jayden had gone down for more than 10 minutes and I am sure they would be waiting for me so we could eat dinner.

I take the staircase down to hear the laughter of Gabriel. He has a really loud voice and I know that voice doesn’t belong to my husband.

I get to the landing and approach the dinning area. They all look up when I am close by and Sabrina flash me a smile.

We exchange pleasantries and Sabrina gets up to embrace me. In a split second, I have been released from the hug and jayden pushes the chair out for me to sit in, without standing up from his own chair.

Like I predicted, dinner is ready and they were waiting for me. We started with the appetizer amidst chats and laughter between the two men while Sabrina and 1 only exchange a few words.

We move to the main dish and silence ensues till we are done. The red wine on the table looks new. I didn’t see this type among the ones I saw in the cellar when I was taking a tour round the mansion this morning.

it also tastes nice. I gulp down the remaining content left in my glass cup and drop it, refraining myself from asking Jayden to pour more for me.

After the guest are gone, I will take more but for now, I need to respect myself and act like the billionaire’s wife that I am. Gabriel and Jayden begin to talk about their business leaving Sabrina and I out. Sabrina begins to chip in and I feel left out. She must have noticed that I am silent so she snaps her head towards me. “I’m sure Isabella has an idea.’

I am jolted alert at the statement and I blink in confusion. I don’t know what she is talking about.

“Don’t you?” She ask, smiling.

“Yes, of course”, I reply, hiding the embarrassment on my face. I don’t know what she is talking about and it will be upsetting if 1 ask her what it is. Jayden might not be pleased.

“You see?” She gives Jayden and Gabriel a look of I-told-you-so.

jayden looks surprised, same with Gabriel and I can no longer let the curiosity of knowing what it is to eat me up.

“What is it?” I laugh lightly to hide my nervousness.

“I was just telling Jayden that every woman has a lot of business ideas in them that are yet to…”

“I don’t think Isabella do”, Jayden cuts her short.

“Not all women. What most of them think about is shopping and other materialistic objects.” Gabriel comments too with a short laugh.

“That is what makes it fun”, she touches her husband’s hand and I feel bad for not sitting too close up with Jayden so our bodies can touch. “When I go shopping, I get ideas, when I eat out, I get ideas, when I am in the gym, I get ideas. Everything about us exudes ideas.”

“And that is because you are different, sweetheart’, they both smile at each other before Jayden turns to me.

“Do you have any business ideas in mind?” He mouths to me but I think Sabrina heard him so she leans forward.

I nod, smiling nervously and watching Jayden intently, thinking of how to make sure I connect whatever idea I want to say to my relationship with Jayden so that these two people will be so sure of our relationship.

“Tell us. Prove to them that you are different too’, Sabrina urges me, smiling again which I reciprocate.

“The thing is’, I shift my gaze back to Jayden’s face. He drops the glasscup after sipping a little from the wine. “I got an idea when I first met Jayden.’

They all look shocked and Jayden exchanges glances with Gabriel. I maintain eye contact with him when he turns his face to me again.

“I loved the dress he wore the first day I met him and that gave me an idea. And to me, it was love at sight first but I don’t know if it’s because of his looks or because of his dress” I flash him a quirky smile.

Finally, I look away from him and turn to Sabrina whose mouth is agape. “Fashion is that idea. And it is something I dream of. Having a fashion house or being the designer.”

Silence creeps in. Gabriel tries to emulate his wife as he opens his mouth. I look from him to Sabrina and shift my gaze to jayden’s shock expression.

He leans forward and whisper into my ears. “They know.”

“They know?” 1 ask out aloud, wondering what he is talking about. “They know I love fashion?”

“No’, he grits his teeth as I feel a flash of anger cross his expression. He leans back in his chair and glances away.

Sabrina and Gabriel begin to laugh heartily and the embarrassment returns to my face.

It dawns on me that this is what Jayden is talking about. His Mother doesn’t know that our marriage isn’t real but his friend knows. Since his friend knows, then his wife is also aware definitely.

God, what was I thinking?!”

I almost facepalm myself in shame. Jayden’s jaws are clenched and 1 feel sorry for humiliating him.

When they both sober up, Sabrina places her right hand on mine. “Sweetheart, we know so you don’t need to be uptight about it.”

Gabriel laughs so more but he stops when Jayden throws him a cold glare

I nod at Sabrina and let out a nervous puff, then smile.

“You know what? Gabriel and I wanted to get a friend of mine for Jayden’, she begins in a low tone. “but it didn’t work out” Why? I almost ask out aloud.

“You want to know why?” I nod eagerly and Jayden calls Gabriel name and signal to him to stop his wife but Gabriel isn’t doing anything.

“Jayden told her there will be no sex and she bailed out’, she begins to laugh and Gabriel joins in.

Abruptly, Jayden shoot to his feet, startling me and stopping Gabriel and his crazy wife from laughing. I wonder what is so funny that they are laughing.

They are two weird couples.

“Dinner is over, Gabriel. You two have overstayed your welcome”, he says without beating about the bush. He helps his friend up and points to the door.

I shift my chair back and rise up. Sabrina doesn’t look offended by Jayden’s insistence for them to leave. Instead she looks amused, continuously flashing me mischievous smirk.

I don’t think I can ever be friends with her. I thought we would be friends because our husbands are friends but not anymore.

Gabriel matches forward and Jayden follows him behind, as though to be sure he won’t do something silly. Sabrina tags me along and whispers into my ears.

“I wish you good luck, Isabella. 1 wish you good luck in your marriage”, she utters firmly and leaves my arm before walking graciously to the door and leaving me standing in the middle of the room with confusion.

Good luck? What good luck is she talking about?

I don’t have much time to think about it because I am sure Jayden will soon be back inside once Gabriel and his wife are gone.

I twirl round to take the staircase up with one thought in mind.

I must take a shower before Jayden is back in the room!

Jayden’s POV

After making sure that the clown I call friend is gone with his silly wife, I turn back inside, ignoring the stab of anger in me. How the hell did I become friends with Gabriel? Why can’t he always be serious? Where the hell did he meet his wife who matches his exact type of craziness?

I expel a deep sigh and walk inside. I shouldn’t have let them come. Isabella was embarrassed and I was too. She is only doing her job by saying all those things but I was a bit angry at her for not reading through the lines.

She played dumb. Just like she used to do when she was my Assistant.

Just before I get to the staircase, my phone beeps but I ignore it, thinking it is Gabriel. When it beeps for the second time, I dip my hand into my pants to bring the phone out as I take the staircase up. Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. Alejandro’s name pops across the screen and I wonder why he is texting by this time of the night. I have an appointment with him tomorrow morning and he might be texting regarding that.

I tap on the message as I take the staircase up.

“Hola, compagno. I believe it will be inappropriate of me to call by this time of the night which is why I am texting. You are now a married man and not the bachelor you used to be. Regarding the appointment tomorrow, can it be rescheduled till noon, probably 2 pm?”

I shake my head and tap on the second message. “2 pm will be appropriate because my flight got canceled. If I don’t arrive before 2 pm, I will let you know. Peaceful night, compagno.”

I sigh.

Alejandro is another friend of mine and a business partner. We have a deal to close tomorrow and I really hope it works out tomorrow. If he doesn’t come tomorrow, then it will be closed next week but I want to get it done by tomorrow so I can focus more of my attention on our robotics plans.

I get to the door and open it. I enter inside to see the room empty. Isabella isn’t in the room and 1 glance around, wondering where she has gone when I hear the shower running.

She must be in the bathroom. I was thinking she had gone somewhere else in embarrassment of what she had done to humiliate me but it’s ok.

I understand that she is only trying to help.

I am thinking of going out to give her enough time to come out and get dressed when my gaze falls on the book on the sectional sofa.

it looks like a novel so I pick it up.

The title is MAIL-ORDER BRIDE and it looks like a romantic novel from the 20th century. I can figure it out from the cover of the book which has a bride and a man in a frock.

I open it and my gaze flashes on her name handwritten on the first page which contains the author’s dedication.

She writes; “Bella’s Copy”

My lips curve up in a smile. Who the hell would do a thing like this? It looks like a new book and I wonder why she wrote her name on it this way.

The title of the book is captivating and I never knew Isabella read novels too. I am thinking of stealing it away when the door to the bathroom opens and she comes out without seeing me.

When she hoists her head to see me, she screams, lifting her two arms around her to cover nothing.

“Shiti” I curse beneath my breath and turn my back to her. “You can get dressed, I’m not looking’

She does not reply and I am tempted to turn back to see why she isn’t responding. The book is still in my hand and 1 am waiting for her to finish dressing up so I can ask her to lend me the book.

My love for romantic books has been re-ignited with the sight of this eye-catching title.

it takes a long time before she finally says. “You can turn back now.”

I puff out the air I don’t even know I have been holding before flopping heavily to the sofa. I guess we have to get used to seeing each other half naked since we are to stay in the same room. I really don’t have any problem stepping out of the bathroom in just a towel when she is in the room but I know she will be bothered.

Isabella is indeed a virgin and for no reason, I find it amusing.

“You like books 100?” I hear her question. I jerk my head up to see her already dressed in a nightgown. A silky smooth gown.

“Yes’, I drop my gaze back to the book. “Can I lend it?”

She does not say anything so I glance up again, raising the book. “Can you lend me?”

“Sure” She says after a moment of hesitation.

“Thank you’, I flash her an appreciative smile.

I see her fidgeting with her hands. I am about to ask her what the problem is when she asks. “You are not angry with me?” I shake my head and lean backward on the sofa. “No. It’s nothing. I forgot to tell you they know.”

“Ym truly sorry. I didn’t mean to humiliate you that way…

“I know.”

Silence falls again and I find myself opening the pages of the book again. I see the name and question her. “Why did you write your name on the book?”

She laughs heartily, a look of embarrassment on her face. “I got used to doing that when I was in high school. Novels were my weak points and I value them so much.’

“I never knew”, I mutter, tilting my head and watching the twinkles in her eyes. She looks happy just by talking about books and it feels familiar.

This is one thing Helena and I share in common. Books. I love reading books and I learned how to delve more into romantic novels because of Helena. She bought lots of them.

Right now, I am having mixed feelings. I am happy I can read books again and I am sad about the fact that I have all my books locked up in my office here.

The one downstairs has no book in it and I started using it because I was avoiding the office in this room.

Isabella sinks to the other sofa, still smiling but now, it is more like she is smiling to herself in remembrance of something. When she darts her eyes to my side, I quickly look away.

“Jayden?” She calls softly and I stare at her.

“Yes?”

“Why didn’t you marry Sabrina’s friend?” She asks out of the blue and my brows crease. “Ym sure her friend must be someone like her and she seems to be in your class. I was just wondering why you rejected someone like that and asked me to be your wife instead.”

I don’t know why she is obsessed with everything concerning this marriage and it upsets me anytime she brings something like this up.

She notices the frown on my face and before I can say anything, she quickly rises. “Don’t worry, I will just go to bed.”

She rushes over to the bed and places the pillows for the demarcation before climbing into her space and turning her back to me.

Within minutes, I hear her snoring.

Isabella’s POV

Checking out myself in front of the mirror, my mind begins to drift back to what Sabrina said about how she failed to get jayden interested in her friend for the marriage contract.

I wish I could see what the woman looks like so I can compare myself to her. For me to see her, I need to become friends with Sabrina and I doubt if that is possible. I don’t like people who talk too much and Sabrina seems like one. Additionally, she acts weird just like her husband.

I wonder what type of girls Jayden loves going out with. The class of girls is known as I told myself the other day. People like him go out with successful women or billionaire daughters; women who have something to invest in his businesses and not dumb-ass broke girls like me. Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. Sabrina seems like a working-class lady and I’m sure her friend must also be a working-class woman, why didn’t he accept her? Why did he choose me instead of her?

Is it the shape? I ask myself when I realize I have been standing in front of the mirror for over 5 minutes, doing absolutely nothing other than checking myself out in a bikini.

I have the right shape. A shape that can turn a man on but I doubt if Jayden is that type of man. This is what attracts most un-serious men to me. And what I actually wanted was a serious man who will put the ring on my finger within a few months of dating and I will be hooked forever.

What I never imagined was getting into a marriage of this sort. There was no dating, no proposal, and no consummation.

I sigh heavily and drop my hands to my waist.

Why the hell am I thinking of Jayden and the type of women he would love to date? If he is really interested in women, why did he marry me then? Is there a woman out there that he really likes and she isn’t giving him attention? Am I here because he wants attention from her?

That is ridiculous!

I scoff within myself and turn my back to the mirror with folded arms and my face in a frown.

What the hell is wrong with me?

I shouldn’t be bothered about why I am here. Jayden had told me already that we are married because of the pressure to get married coming from his mother. I should be satisfied with that answer and not doubt him.

itisn’t any of my business if he is lying, is it? If he is indeed lying, then I am to be blamed because I didn’t ask questions. before venturing into this.

For one last time, I expel a deep long sigh and grab a towel from the dresser before peeling my feet off the ground and heading for the door.

I am bored and I think a swim will make me less bored. I have been thinking of nothing and everything since Jayden left for work this morning. I wanted to visit Grandma but she told me she won’t be home. I promised to send the guards tomorrow to help her with the packing.

I read a novel today and I just thought I should leave the other one and start tomorrow. I haven’t been to Jayden’s office since the other time he almost caught me.

There is this fear that builds up in me anytime I think of going in there to find more answers. Apparently, he hasn’t been using that office for a very long time, and going in there for me is like finding answers to the questions of the past.

When I saw the paper, I knew he wasn’t gay. He is a straight guy but something is stopping him from wanting a real marriage and a real family.

Helena was her name.

She had something to do with him in the past. They loved each other. Jayden must have loved her so much.

The paper was full of love and emotions. I can’t deny that. This is why I am curious to know who she is but I can’t just ask him straight out about who Helena is.

He is going to think that I am invading his privacy by going into an office that has been closed for over two months.

I hope with time, I will get my kind of love. A pure, true one.

This is why I got books for myself from a store yesterday. New novels that would keep me busy so I don’t have to be tempted to visit his office and pick out another book that might reveal more.

More answers.

I want them. So desperately. I want the answers. But I am afraid of what I would find and how Jayden would feel when he gets to know.

I step out of the front door and the evening air brush passes my face. Thankfully, my hair is packed in a ponytail. If it wasn’t packed, a little brush of air will have it flying around my face.

I jog excitedly towards the pool and let go of the towel tied around my waist before diving in with a scream of excitement. “Wow!”

I feel good. The water is cool. Without wasting much of my time, I begin to swim from edge to edge, playing with the water with my two outstretched arms and forcing myself to laugh amidst the numerous water rushing into my nostrils.

When I get to the edge again, I pull out, breathing heavily and letting as much air flow through my nostril after the water is out.

I turn to the water, my hands holding onto the string and thinking of another style to do. Before I can dive in again, I hear a voice.

“What the hell are you doing in there?” Jayden questions with an unpleasant voice that makes me hang my hands in the air. I grip the string again and turn back slowly to face him. He is dressed the same way he was dressed before he left for work this morning.

Instead of jumping out of the pool because it is clear to the eyes that he doesn’t like the idea, I furrow my brows, wondering why he is back home so early.

“Can’t you answer me? What are you doing?” He growls loudly, making me blink once.

What is the use of a swimming pool? Isn’t it for swimming? Why is he asking me such a question when it is obvious that I am swimming?

All thanks to him that I have no job and I am fu***ing bored every single day. If only he would allow me to work. I don’t need to work with him anymore, I can go in search of another job.

“l am swimming, Jayden’, I reply calmly and find my way out of the pool. “Isn’t that what it looks like?”

His icy glare pierces deep into me and I shiver a little because of the last statement. I have never spoken to him without respect and doing it now feels somehow.

just don’t like the way he is asking such a ridiculous question.

When I turn to him again, he is still glaring with his arms around his bosom. His gaze shifts and he is examining me in the bikini.

I feel his eyes on me even before I notice he is actually watching me. I swallow a lump in my throat and bite my lips in nervousness.

Why is he staring down at me? Does he like me in bikinis? Do I look sexy to him? Does he like my shape?

“What in God’s name is this? Are you kidding me?” He yells, startling me and jerking me out of my reverie.

I slap myself mentally for thinking of such things.

“Why the hell are you dressed this way?” He shouts again.

“Ym sorry’, I apologize earnestly. “There was nothing to do in the house, I was extremely bored and I thought the water will do a lot of good…”

“What good? Did you ask for permission before coming here to swim? And you are dressed this way like some…”

I raise a brow. What does he mean by asking for permission?

I know I am not his real wife but do I need to seek permission before using any gadgets or doing anything in this house? Really?

“Dressed like?” I repeat his last statement, waiting for him to finish up. Now that he has mentioned it, I believe the problem is what I am wearing. He doesn’t like it. “Like a whore?”

He looks surprised but I can’t tell if it is because I am speaking to him in this tone for the very first time or because I am saying something he didn’t mean to say.

“What? Of course not’, he takes his eyes off me, after I have already seen the flash of guilt on his face.

“No, it’s fine’, I say casually like I am not hurt by any of his statements. Of course, I am hurt. My heart fucking hurts. Like hell. Maybe it’s because I didn’t expect all of these from me or because I expect so much from him.

Not this rude and arrogant behavior of his which he used to displace to me when I was his employee. I expected respect as his wie.

“We are going to have dinner with a friend and a business partner tonight, that is why I am home early’, he announce, as though I asked him a question.

I don’t say anything. 1 just continue to stare at him.

“Change this thing you are wearing and change into something good so we can leave and come back early. I have a lot of work to do tonight’, he doesn’t look remorseful as he speaks.

When he is done, he twirls around and leaves me standing there with my two hands trembling beside me and my mouth slightly parted as I feel a huge piece of my heart being stomped on.

Jayden’s POV

Isabella’s hands are balled into a fist out of nervousness the moment the car halts in front of the big restaurant where we will be having dinner with Alejandro.

He couldn’t meet up with the 2 pm appointment and he called this evening for us to meet at this Italian restaurant with my wife.

I feel this is a way to introduce them to each other. Alejandro is a friend and is one of those who wanted me to get married. He tried to matchmake me with his sister but I told him I wasn’t interested even before we could meet.

Now that he is interested in seeing Isabella, I want him to be impressed and I tried to tell Isabella that I want her to wear something nice.

I couldn’t because 1 felt remorseful for what I did to her at the poolside. We haven’t said a single word to each other since I left her at the poolside and I have a feeling she is mad at me.

She doesn’t look mad but I know she is. She is used to pretending not to be angry even while we were working together. How can she show it to her boss if she is mad at him without getting fired?

Well, she didn’t disappoint me with her dress. She is wearing a ruffled lavender long gown. It looks simple and classic and I love the dress.

I can’t see her shoes because the gown is long enough to cover her feet but her hair is down and she is wearing silver earrings.

“We are here, sir”, Jude informs me, staring at me from the rear mirror.

I hear Isabella puff out air instantly and I touch her balled fist. She stiffens.

“Be calm, ok?” I say to her and after a moment, she nods without looking at me.

“Alejandro is a distant friend, just act normal, ok?” She nods again.

I let out a sigh myself, looking out of the window without going out. Isabella is really going through a lot, having to pretend all the time whenever we are in public or she is about to meet someone.

She tries to take her hand away from mine and I realize my hand is still on hers. I turn to her. “I’m sorry, too.”

She nods vigorously. “It’s fine, it’s fine, please’, she waves me away after letting go of her hand. “jude, please open the car door for me.”

jude nods and comes down from the car to open the door by her side. She steps out and I open the other door myself to climb down from the car.

I am wearing a slightly grey slim-fit suit and brown Tomasso Italian leather shoes. I step forward and go to the other side to meet up with Isabella.

I flash her a smile and she nods instead of reciprocating. I can still see how nervous she is and that smile is meant to ease her nervousness.

Without giving it further thought, I stretch out my right arm for her to take and she does that.

We begin to walk towards the entrance while Jude stays behind in the car. The door opens from inside and we step in. Alejandro had reserved the whole place for us and I am glad he did. Isabella will be less tense now since we will be the only ones here.

it didn’t take too long for me to spot him. He is on his feet, waving to catch our attention and we start to move forward till we get to the VIP spot where he is already sitting down now.

“Ciao amico (Hello buddy)” he grins widely at me before pulling me into a hug. I chuckle lightly at the gesture and pull away.

He shifts his gaze to Isabella who bows slightly in greeting. “Ciao alla moglie del mio amico (Hello to my buddy’s wife) “Good day, sit’, she greets him instead and he narrows his eyes back to me.

Before he can say anything, I ask. “Can we sit?”

“Of course, please sit, Isabella Russell’, he has a mischievous look on his face and Isabella blushes red on the face as she takes a seat.

“Wow!” He looks amazed and I catch him watching Isabella. She smiles and he stares at me, mouthing. “She is beautiful.” “Thank you’, Isabella and I chorus and I laugh.

“I actually expected this. I expected you to marry someone as beautiful as she is and I kind of find her familiar. Do you have parents in Italy?”

I know the reason why he finds her familiar. She was my Assistant and they must have met on one or two occasions when he came to New York for a business conference all the way from Italy. He barely visits New York. He only comes for business.

Now that he seems impressed with my choice of woman, 1 don’t know if I should tell him that Isabella looks familiar because she used to be my Assistant.

If only I had picked a total stranger, maybe this wouldn’t be a problem.

“No, sir. I have been in America all my life’, she replies calmly, smiling shyly.

“Wow, really? Aren’t you Italian? What’s your last name?”

“Rodriguez’, she answers with another light smile that brightens up her face. I watch her, wondering if she is putting up a pretense as always or if she is smiling genuinely. I want to know if she is still mad at me. 1 am not supposed to care but I do care.

“Rodriguez?” His eyes widen. “You are from Italy, I knew itt”

“Yes, I am but I am American by birth. My parents have been here for so long”, she murmurs and I wish she didn’t say that. Alejandro prefers Italians over Americans that much which is why he hates coming here for anything else other than business.

I always tell him the same thing too but he ends up waving it away, telling me how great it is to be an Italian.

A look of disapproval clouds his expression. “You should visit Italy one of these days, you know?”

“Sure, I will” Isabella concurs with a nod. She seems to like him too. He has a charming spirit and he is good-looking. He got married twice and got divorced twice. Yet, he keeps advocating for marriage.

“Really?”

“You want to go to Italy?” I ask Isabella so I can get her attention as well. She turns to me, her eyes still bright.

“Of course, I do. It has always been my dream to visit Verona…” his gasp interrupts her from going further. He grabs her hand on the table hurriedly.

“The city of Julietta?”

“Julietta?” Isabella’s brows crease in confusion.

“Romeo and Juliet”, I chip in and she nods.

“Yes. They call it the love city. I want to see what it is like to stay there and experience love’, she mutters. She looks like she wants to say more but keeps quiet.

She want to experience love in Verona? What does she mean by that?

“Love? You mean you would like to go with your husband?” Alejandro asks again and Isabella agrees with him.

“It will be 50 nice to go there with him’, she remarks and I smile. So much for pretending.

“You should come in October”, he comments again when I am thinking they would drop the topic and say something else. “Ym glad your wife likes home and I will be willing to take you on a tour if you can visit”

I shake my head. “I don’t think that will be possible, Alex…”

“Of course, it will. You didn’t go on any honeymoon, did you?” He attacks me from nowhere and I gulp. “You should do this for her. Make her dream come true.”

I don’t say anything so he looks at Isabella again, still holding her hands. “Where else would you like to go?”

she looks thoughtful for a while before answering. “Venice and Tuscany.”

“Ah!” He seems pleased. “I see. You should go to Florence too and try out their pasta there. It is as great as New York’s but I assure you you won’t want to come back home if you have a taste of it.”

They both laugh.

Feeling left out, I remark. “You don’t want my wife to come back home to me?”

The question gets their attention and I place my hand on Isabella’s back. She stiffens again.

“No. She will. 1 just hope she won’t.”

They both laugh again.

Before I can say any other thing, the waiter appears with the menu.

“Buona serata a tutti voi (Good day to you all)” he bows down slightly in greeting as he places the three menus on the table. “What would you like to order?”

“Buonasera, chef”, Alessandra smiles proudly before picking up the menu. I am sitting with folded arms, watching him and isabella. She is also going through the menu with full concentration without noticing that I am not going through mine.

I don’t know why I feel mad for no reason.

She drops the menu and places her order and Alejandro does the same before she finally turns to me. “What of you, jayden?”

“I will. I will order the same thing as you’, I reply and she tells the waiter what to get for us.

The waiter disappears almost immediately with the menus and they continue their conversation while I sit back and watch them again in amazement and with folded arms.

Isabella’s POV

I couldn’t believe Alejandro and I talked all through the dinner and even after and I enjoyed his company.

The discussion was able to lift my spirit and get rid of my anger toward Jayden. Actually, I have no right to be mad at jayden. I should have expected what he did this evening but I didn’t expect it and that was why I was hurt.

I don’t always get comfortable with strangers but Alejandro is different. I find myself opening up to him and telling him things I wouldn’t have said to other people when we first met.

He is free-spirited and I guess that is why I was free with him.

When he mentioned that I looked familiar, I realized I knew him too. He is the same Alejandro Lorenzo who scheduled an appointment with Jayden a few months ago but he never came. Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. He missed the appointment and came when I was about to close for the day.

I don’t know if I am supposed to tell them that I was Jayden’ Assistant and I don’t know if Jayden wants him to know jayden and I stand in front of the smiling face, Alejandro.

“I guess we will call it a night’, he says, stretching his hand for a handshake. I take it and he shakes Jayden too.

I see his car is already waiting. He flashes me a smile. “I’ll be expecting you guys in Italy by October. See you then.”

He waves while I laugh. I know that won’t be possible because Jayden isn’t interested in going to Italy with me for anything. We didn’t even travel for our honeymoon and I see no reason why he should leave his work just to satisfy me. I am not his real wife.

I just wish he could let me travel. I want to be free again and go to Verona. I don’t care if I go there alone but won’t ask him.

He waves till he gets to the car and climbs in. Jayden and I watch as the car roars to life and takes off.

Alejandro is indeed a nice man.

“50 you really want to go to Italy?” Jayden’s question jerks me out of my reverie.

I snap my head to see him watching me closely.

I don’t know what to say to that so I only nod and open the car door myself. Jayden seems shocked because he stands outside for a while before coming over to the other side of the door.

jude is quick to open the door for him and he slouches in beside me.

“Are you mad at me?” He asks immediately as Jude ignites the car engine into action.

“No’, I reply sharply without looking at him. He remains silent and leans forward to tell jude something. I am not paying attention so I can’t hear him.

“Let’s go somewhere else’, he says in a low tone and I turn to him with furrowed brows.

“Somewhere? What for? Aren’t we supposed to go home?”

“I want to make it up to you. I know you are angry. Besides, this dinner is supposed to be a date between the three of us but it turned out to be a date between you and Alejandro instead. I was left behind…”

“What?” She snorts in laughter. “What do you mean about the date between Alejandro and me? You don’t expect me to remain quiet while he keeps trying to start a conversation with me. However, I am not mad at you. I have no right to be’, I utter firmly before turning away from him.

Silence creeps in slowly and I almost think he has given up already and we will go home.

This isn’t real after all, so why should we go on a date just because I am pissed at him? Do I even have a say in all of these? “If you know you are not mad at me, then let’s go somewhere else before going home”, he mutters after a while.

I squeeze my eyes shut. Is it that obvious that I am angry? I thought I had gotten rid of my anger toward him.

I am about to say no when he adds. “Jude is driving us there already so you can’t say no.”

“Really?” I tilt my head sideways to catch the look of amusement on his face.

Is this funny?

“I don’t think going on a date somewhere else is a good idea. I really can not handle the attention and I was actually comfortable where Alejandro reserved for us.”

“Firstly, no more talks of Alejandro and second of all, I will make a reservation now’, he brings his tabloid out to make the reservation.

“Oh not” He laments. “Filled up. Let’s check out Costa Restaurant.” He mumbles to himself.

After a few more seconds, he mutters again to himself before tapping me. “I doubt if we can get a free restaurant tonight. Should we go for a walk then?”

“A walk?”

“Yep.”

“What if someone recognizes us on the street?” I voice out my concern. I would prefer sitting in one place and getting recognized as the billionaire’s wife rather than taking a walk and getting recognized.

“You have nothing to worry about, no one will recognize us’, he smiles confidently and I narrow my eyes.

Leaning back on the seat, I try to take my mind off what he did to me this evening that got me angry. So he knew I was angry yet he didn’t apologize until now.

Arrogant man!

A few minutes later, the car stops and we both get out. The street isn’t bubbling with people like I thought it would. It looks quiet and beautiful and I wonder where we are.

jayden stretches his hand for me to take and 1 raise a brow. Is this part of his effort to appease my anger?

I ignore the invitation to hold hands and turn away from him.

“There is a club down the road where I would like us to go. It isn’t a popular one so no one will recognize us there, he mentions to my hearing and I twirl round to face him quickly.

“A club? No”, I shake my head in disagreement. “Why don’t we just go home? I don’t feel comfortable around here.”

He falls silent and studies me. Then he nods.

“Let’s go home, then’, he says, clenching his jaw tightly.

“I am no longer angry with you, I swear’, I touch his arm and his body goes still for a while with his gaze on my hand. Quickly, I drop my hand. “I am no longer angry with you so you don’t need to make any efforts to appease me. I’m fine, ok?” I smile lightly and he nods before glancing around with folded arms.

His eyes fall on a shop on the other side of the road. I follow his gaze to see that it is an ice cream shop.

“Do you want some?” He asks me. “Before we go home. At least that will make up for our journey here. We won’t come here all for nothing.”

A genuine smile flashes across my expression and I nod gingerly. “Yes. I love ice cream.”

“Great. I will be right back’, he says to me before heading towards the shop. I watch him go and lean my back on the car while Jude is still inside.

With my arms around my bosom, I try to imagine what it would be like to be his actual wife.

Won’t this day be romantic for us if this is actually valid?

jayden seems like a romantic man. He acts cold but that romantic side of him exists. Thinking about how he loves reading romantic novels too is an addition.

I have never crossed paths with a man who loves reading novels and I have always wished for a man who writes romance or who likes romance fiction.

He hasn’t returned the book he borrowed from me and I haven’t returned the one I took from his office even though I am done reading it. I plan to give him the other novel which I bought months ago titled The Billionaire’s Unwanted Bride. After doing that, I will also look for a way to return his novel and get a new one. I might even be able to summon up the courage to ask him about the books in his office and demand permission to go in for more books.

I am too engrossed in my thoughts to realize that someone just walked past me until she walks back and stands in front of me.

The action and the familiar voice pull me out of my reverie and I snap my head quickly to face her.

“Isabella?”

“Juliet?”

Isabella’s POV

After knocking for several minutes without a response, I conclude that Grandma isn’t home.

She must have gone somewhere but I am baffled by her absence at home because it is still early in the morning.

Now that her legs are healed, I am sure she is going to go back to her former work or look for another. Grandma isn’t the type to stay at home, she is hardworking and that added to her sorrow when she was still unable to use her legs.

She complains a lot about the pain but the complaints about not being able to leave the house on her own were more.

I wanted her to get her life back. The pain too was an addition. It was enough reason for me to look for a fast solution to I wanted to get rid of it. Get rid of anything that will hinder us from being happy. Some sentences are incomplete if you a not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. We didn’t have enough money before she lost her legs but we were living a happy life. When she lost her legs, Grandma became a shadow of herself and the happiness was short-lived.

Sometimes, I used to think that she was always pretending to be happy for me. Just so I can be happy too. But I realize Grandma is a happy woman and she always tries to make herself happy no matter the situation.

If we are to look at what life has thrown our way, happiness will never be a thing to consider.

Now that we have money, we are still not happy. Money was the major reason why Grandma was sad sometimes because that was the only thing stopping her from getting her legs back.

The money is here now but the happiness is gone.

Why does it have to be this way? Isn’t Jayden happy? What of other billionaires? Aren’t these wealthy people happy too? Didn’t they say money can do all things and solve all earthly problems?

itis apparent that Jayden, my day-old husband, is not a happy man and I am yet to figure out why.

He looks broken. This is something I have never noticed in him. When I was his secretary, I always thought he was harsh c purpose. Harsh and arrogant because he wanted things to be done his way as the Chief Executive Officer but now I know better.

jayden isn’t harsh on purpose.

He is not a happy man. He is nothing but a broken shell.

How can a man get married to a woman and insist on not having any strings attached if there is nothing more to it?

I didn’t have any cause to worry about this but now that I think of it, I have a feeling that it is abnormal and beyond the ordinary.

This isn’t about his work.

1 am not thinking of sex because I want to have sex with him, I am just curious to know what is happening and why this marriage happened.

I didn’t ask him before I ventured into this because I want in dire need of the money but now I want to know and I hope i ask him, he would be able to give me some answers.

The sad face, the guilt, the flash of regrets, the pain in the eyes say it all.

jayden isn’t pretending to be happy because he can not. He is finding it difficult to let go of something and finding it difficult to pretend to be happy when he is not.

I didn’t pay much attention to this before the marriage but now that I think of it, I will make sure to find out all the WHYS popping up in my head and satisfy my curiosity.

I need to know what has happened and I will help him if I can. Jayden is a good man.

“What the hell are you doing in my house?!” Grandma’s loud voice jerks me off of my reverie and I glance up from the por I am sitting on, to see her standing with an angry expression. She looks like someone who has gone on a very important outing.

She isn’t wearing any of the clothes we both bought for her, she is still wearing one of her old clothes and she is with a bag, the usual one she takes out.

The gown she is wearing is blue and is one of her favorite clothes. She wears it to important places.

I should have known that the anger and disappointment she is feeling will still be intact. I should have given her enough time to accept the truth and adjust herself to it.

Isn’t this too soon? I question myself inwardly, as I bit my lips in regret.

I thought convincing her would be easy and we can go ahead with the plans to pack her belongings to the new house jayden got for her. But apparently, it won’t be possible.

She believed Juliet over me. She knows that I am lying and I can no longer hide the truth from her.

I really can not make her believe me now and tell her the truth later. She will be too hurt.

“Isabella, I said what the hell are you doing here?” She yells, taking slow threatening steps toward me.

I rise and try to touch her but she flinches, a look of distaste on her expression.

I sigh and look down. This is going to be harder than I expect.

“Leave!” She growls, pointing backward, her chest heaving up and down in fuming.

“Grandma, you need to listen to me”, I take a hold of her hand and she flings my hand away in irritation.

“I said leave and never come back. You stopped being my daughter the moment you lied to me’, a tear rolls down her eye and the guilt in me begins to set in again.

Silence falls and it lingers for a while before she tries to walk past me.

“Grandma, I didn’t lie”, I find myself saying as I turn to watch her walk to the door.

She does not say anything so I rush to her, stopping her from opening the door with her keys. I regret not having my key anymore. Grandma can go in and leave me hanging without giving me a listening ear.

If only I had my keys, I wouldn’t bother myself too much. But I left it in the house.

“You need to listen to me, Mother”, I grab her hands away from the doorknob.

“You have no right to call me that name”, she retorts, twirling back abruptly.

“You can’t stop being my Mother”, I insist stubbornly. She is a stubborn woman and I can be stubborn too when I want to. Isn’t this reaction too much? She ought to give me a listening ear at least.

She raises her right hand in the air and slaps me across the face. The slap stings me and I have to blink to regain my balance, enduring the pain.

I am thinking I can endure it but when a tear rolls down my eyes, I know it is impossible and I let the subsequent tears fl freely.

“You lied to me and now you want to continue with the lie? Have you no shame? Do you think I don’t know? You took me: a fool and you expect me to continue bearing the name Mother?”

I am silent. I don’t know what to say to her. This isn’t what I expect.

I woke up this morning, feeling refreshed from last night and with an atom of hope that everything will be resolved today Now the hope has been dashed. It has been shattered to the floor and smashed into pieces unable to be attached togeth anymore.

“Do you think I am a fool? I have been a mother for 40 years and I can detect when something about my child isn’t right. You lied to me, Isabella. Is it forgivable?”

“You believed Juliet over me’, I mention and she scoffs.

This is one of the reasons why I am pissed off with her. Juliet is no longer a friend but an enemy who doesn’t want my progress. She wants to be where 1 am and she will surely do anything to tarnish my image.

“Is that your only concern?” She snarls. “Your only concern is about Juliet betraying you? You aren’t bothered about the f that you lied to me not only once but so many times just so you can cover up your first real lie?”

I am speechless. Should 1 just tell her the truth? Grandma won’t forgive me easily. I have never thought of getting on her bad side because of how rough it can be.

Now it has happened and I need to rectify my mistakes. Besides the new home Jayden got for her can’t go to waste.

“Ym sorry’, I mutter, lowering my head, my tears dropping.

“Sorry, my foot. Get lost’, she dismisses me and inserts the key so she can open the door, go in and leave me here till 1 ar tired and I have no choice but to leave. But I can’t leave without sorting this out.

Grandma is my only surviving family. She is now my only friend.

“Ym sorry, Grandma’, I apologize, sobbing loudly now as I grab her hand. She tries to yank her hand off mine but my hold strong. We struggle for a while until I lose my footing and I stumble backward.

fall to the floor, my buttocks hitting the edge of the porch and I wince in pain, more tears streaming down my eyes

“Get lostt” She grits her teeth, uncaring about how I fell.

She turns to go in and I summon up the courage to shout at her. “Mother, I did this for your”

She halts in her step but does not look back. She might probably be thinking that this is a trick to get her to hear me.

I didn’t intend to tell her the truth but now I am left with no choice.

Crying loudly, not bothering to get up from my fall, 1 add with a loud voice. “I did this for you, Mother. I’m doing this for your”

She goes stiff for a while and she must have figured out that this has to do with her leg surgery and the money Jayden ga me which she kept interrogating me about.

“I had to do this because of your leg. Because I wanted the pain to go away. This is the condition attached to getting the agile woman I knew as my mother for years back. Now tell me my fault’, 1 shout at her.

Silence creeps in except for my loud cries. She turns back, a frown on her face.

Slowly, she walks up to my side, her hand strikes me across my face again before she strides back to the door and enters the house after slamming the door shut in my face.

Jayden’s POV

When I got to work this morning, I was met with a bunch of reporters, waiting to interview me about my so-called quiet wedding.

I was questioned about why it wasn’t an elaborate one with dignitaries from all over the world and what would change n that I am a married man.

If I had the power to ignore all the questions, I would have done that but to avoid arousing suspicions and to avoid lettin them form up a story, I answered calmly but when the questions were becoming too much, I excused myself.

This is the type of life I am living. Having to stick to everything social and making up things and appearances to please th public.

This is what it takes to be the sole heir to my father’s multi-million dollar company in addition to mine. This is what it tak to be a billionaire.

Now that I am married, I am open to a lot of business deals. I know they will surely come in.

I am married now and considered responsible even though I was questioned on why I had to resume work on the second day of my marriage to Isabella.

I work on Sundays too and I see no reason why I should take this Sunday off because I just got married.

One of the reporters was persistent and she was desperate for me to answer the reason why 1 am not touring the world with my wife in the name of my honeymoon.

That question almost pissed me off.

First, they were asking me if things will change now that I am married and then asked why I am not on a honeymoon.

If 1 20 on a honeymoon, then things would change and I am not in for any negative changes in my life.

The changes I know they are demanding are the changes that will come with being late to work because I now have a wif and not being present in the office at all times.

I was tempted to shout at them to let me be.

I received a call from Gabriel after going into the office and he demanded to see me. He sounded serious and I know it must have to do with the business proposal he once spoke to me about.

We planned to meet here.

At Gray’s Club.

If he had invited me to the billionaire’s club, 1 would have declined the invitation and probably asked him to come to my house instead.

I spot Gabriel waving at me from the VIP section and I move there.

This will be the second time 1 will be coming to this club. The first was with Gabriel too.

“Hey, buddy’, he stands up and we shake hands. There is a lady in front of him keeping him company and I roll my eyes a him.

This is enough reason to think bad of marriage. Gabriel loves Sabrina and I wonder why he still cheats on her with skinny ladies like this girl.

The only answer I give to this question is that marriage isn’t a bed of roses and it isn’t a happily ever after junk like everyone views it as.

If itis a happily ever after thing, then Gabriel shouldn’t be cheating on his dear wife. He ought to be satisfied with her an he should accept her with all of her flaws, without thinking of cheating.

Cheating makes it unreal. It makes the love fake too.

I flop heavily to the seat as Gabriel dismisses the lady who winks at me before swaying her hips away.

“You still cheat?” 1 ask him, unable to keep my thoughts to myself.

He laughs with twinkles in his eyes as he pours some wine into an empty glass cup.

“What is a newly wedded man doing at work today when he ought to be at home and in bed with his wife?” He questions, instead of replying to my question.

itis obvious he is asking this question on purpose. There is a mischievous smirk on his face.

“shut up!” I dismiss him and grab the glass cup from him. “Why did you ask us to meet here?”

“What if I say it is to ask you about how marriage life is?”

“You dare not!” I growl with a disgruntled look on my face.

This is something he can do and I will be so pissed if this is it. I can’t believe I left work early because of this and instead going home to relax, he is talking about some goddamn post-marriage activities that will never happen.

He chuckles lightly, sipping the wine before a serious look replaces the smirk on his face.

“Actually, it is about the partnership I told you about’, he begins and I lean forward to be more comfortable as I listen to him. “Since you are bringing in new deals for your automobile company, I am thinking of an idea which I believe will work for you and me’

I nod, urging him to go on. I really do not understand the point he is driving at.

“50”, he adjusts in his seat, facing me squarely. “All we need to do is raise the capital and the work will be done.”

“What idea do you have?” I can’t believe he is just talking about the capital without giving me a clear view of what this partnership will entail.

“Robotic technology’, he announces with a wide grin on his face.

“Robots?” I question back sharply. He nods.

“I have someone good at this. All we need to do is employ him to produce these robots for different uses and we sell the to the public. The firm can be affiliated with your automobile company but we have to think of a different name to give… “Why robots?” I ask the dumbest question ever. Robots have never been a thing for me and I have never thought of going into something like this.

Gabriel is an intelligent man and I trust him and his ideas. I just don’t feel right with this robot idea.

“Why robots? That is the latest technology. We need to find out the people’s needs, then take advantage of it’, he stress. “You don’t need to remind me of what I studied in school. You don’t know the different business and marketing strategie: that we have like I do so please don’t lecture me”, I retort, gulping down the remaining content of the wine.

He smiles. “Everyone knows you are the Economist expert, don’t be so proud about it. Reminding you shouldn’t be a crim either”

“Please go on’, I say to him, not wanting to divert and waste more of my time.

“That’s all you need to know. I will bring the engineer to your company tomorrow so you two can talk further. If you accep the offer, then I will call my lawyer to include it in the partnership contract that we are yet to sign.” Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. “Wha use will these robots be for the public?” I ask.

“Different purposes like laundry, cooking, running errands…”

“Cooking?” I interrupt him. Disbelief flashes across my expression. “You think I will allow a robot to make breakfast for me “If you don’t like the idea, others will’, he argues and I shake my head.

“What about the disadvantage of this?” I voice out my fear bout it. “What if people use it for the wrong purpose?”

He looks thoughtful for a while. “Wrong purpose like what?”

“Assassinations, theft, kidnapping, and the rest’, my forehead is furrowed. “Remember we won’t have th opportunity to monitor the activities of these robots after it has been sold off and we can’t even know who uses them for the right or wrong purpose.”

He is silent too. He must be thinking of the pros and cons of this idea which he hadn’t given much thought to earlier.

“I really do not like the idea but if you want us to give it a try, then think it through and weigh the possibilities of the dangers it will cause to the public and the masses.”

He nods as he hums.

“If that will be all, I should take my leave. 1 will think about it too and talk to Father to hear what he thinks of the idea’, I tell him.

“Hey, come on. You should stay a little longer. Let’s enjoy the party, it will start soon.”

“No, I shake my head, rising and buttoning up the upper side of my suit before picking up my phone which 1 placed on tt center table in front of us. “I have a lot to do at home.”

“Alot?” He questioned, the smirk finding its way back to his face. “Like warming your new wife’s bed?”

“shut up!” I snap at him. Does he have to make it too obvious that Isabella and I will have no romance in our lives till the end of the marriage?

Gabriel is an asshole!

“You should reconsider and help your little wife…

“shut up, Gabriel. You are full of nothing but bullshit!” I glare at him coldly before walking away.

“Tell your little bride that my wife and I will come visiting soon with our wedding gift’, he shouts after me and deep thro laughter follows.

Atmel

Isabella’s POV

Today’s outing is half-productive.

Grandma is still mad at me even after she threw the door open to allow me in after several minutes of sitting still on the porch where I fell with tears in my eyes.

I didn’t dare to stand up and leave. I wanted to talk to her. I wanted to tell her everything and how it happened.

She was aloof.

When she allowed me in, she sat down without facing me and I kept on ranting till I fell asleep.

Grandma didn’t say a single word to me.

When 1 woke up, there was lunch in front of me and I quickly ate without bothering to look for her.

I waited for her to show up until this evening when I decided to just come home.

jayden had texted to ask me why I canceled the shopping appointment with his Assistant.

I really do not know why he wants us to go together. Is it because he doesn’t trust me enough with his credit cards? Is it because he wants her to monitor my spending?

I am not extravagant and I plan to get just a few clothes. I won’t be making much public presence and I don’t need many clothes.

I no longer have a friend to visit or a friend to follow me shopping.

I didn’t tell Jayden that I was going out. I don’t know if it is necessary since we are just man and wife on paper and what u do personally shouldn’t be of anyone’s concern.

I didn’t reply to his text, I just came home straight.

I realize I have my clothes scattered when I got home and I am quietly folding them back into my suitcase so I can ask Paulina to help me take them to my room.

I haven’t been home since morning and I don’t even know the room yet. I hope to see Paulina when I am done folding my clothes.

I was in a hurry to leave for Grandma’s place this morning. Jayden left the house at 6 am so I quickly took a bath and sear through for a dress to wear, thereby scattering the few clothes on the floor.

If 1 was a real wife, my clothes ought to be arranged in the closet opposite Jayden’s King sized bed. I have never seen a glassy closet before in my entire life. In fact, I have never seen a walk-in closet in my life.

Seeing Jayden’s type of closet is enough evidence of how filthy rich he is. He gets dressed in front of the closet because i has two sections. It has the mirror section and the clothes section.

The closet is just so beautiful and massive and I wonder how a man can have so many clothes stocked in his room when have only been seeing him in nothing but suits and tuxedos.

I would really love to have a closet like this too. It doesn’t have to be as big as Jayden’s but I envy the glassy feature of th closet. If I have it, I don’t need to have a dresser anymore.

But on second thought, it doesn’t look feminine. I guess it was basically made for a male.

I sigh when my mind drifts back to what happened this morning. If I had known that my mother wouldn’t say a word to m I would have left ever since she slammed the door in my face and gone shopping instead of disappointing Jayden’s Assistant who has been so excited to meet me.

I am not excited. Just curious to know who my replacement is.

Even though Grandma was mute all through, I am glad I have gone past the first phase with her. The phase of distaste anc intense anger.

She wouldn’t have changed her mind and open the door for me if she was still extremely mad at me.

I hope to go there tomorrow too. If not for anything, to convince her about moving from the house.

The rent is going to expire soon and I don’t want to be humiliated by the building manager who has no patience.

I bend to pick up the last cloth sprawled on the floor when I hear the sound of the horn. Jayden is back, my heart begins: race in fear of what he will think when he sees me still here with my things.

I should have moved since morning if only I was around.

Besides, I do not know what he will think of my outing.

Before I can finish up with the clothes and zip up my bag, he enters the room in a rush, his briefcase dangling beside him “Mother is here.’ he announces. I have never seen Jayden agitated this way before and it’s surprising. “Drop those and change into a nightwear quickly so she won’t notice a thing’, he instructs in a loud voice.

I didn’t even think of that.

In a haste, I drop the cloth in my hand and begin to search through the suitcase for my nightwear with my heart pounding so wild in my chest.

vesterday, it was my Grandma and now Jayden’s mother. We don’t want anyone to know that this marriage is just for convenience, we are pretending to be in love, even though Grandma already knows the truth.

I really need to ask Jayden why we got married. I am more curious now to know his reasons.

If his mother isn’t aware, then there is more to it.

“Be quick, she will soon be here”, he hastens me up, walking back to the door as I take my clothes off.

I can’t think straight anymore. I just need to get rid of any evidence that would raise any suspicion. I need to make the be out of this and make sure that I am his wife for a year. This way, I can go my way with the huge rewards he promised me. He is playing his part and all 1 need to do is play mine too.

I wear the first night wear my hands come in contact with and before I can zip up, a knock comes on the door and Jayden mother comes in immediately without waiting for a reply to the knock.

This is when I realize that Jayden is already sitting on the sofa where he slept last night.

I flash her a smile and saunter towards the door to welcome her.

“Good evening, Mother”, we hug briefly, her face looking bright like the day.

She caresses my face. “Good evening, my beautiful wife. How was the wedding?”

“It was fine.”

“How was last night too?” She whispers into my ears, making me smile. She is asking about the marriage consummation which never took place. “I hope to have grandchildren soon.”

Jayden clears his throat at this instance, probably to indicate his presence or because he overheard her.

“Don’t mind him. Please let me know if he ever mistreats you, ok?” She continues to whisper.

I nod again, flushing in embarrassment.

She nods in satisfaction and her gaze falls on my nightwear. “Why are you wearing such cheap sleepwear?”

This is what I have to put up with. Jayden had told me what type of woman his mother is and how she would expect so much from me. This is why he wanted me to go shopping with his Assistant.

Trying not to be hurt by the statement, I say with a smile. “I haven’t had time to go shopping yet but I will tomorrow.” “Tomorrow?” She asks, looking thoughtful for a while, taking a hold of her dress as she moves away from my presence. “I will go with you. I haven’t gone shopping in a while too.”

“Mother, there is no need for that, Anna will handle it”, Jayden finally speaks up. I feel relieved. I will never be comfortabls with her around me. We are two opposite people and I don’t intend to attract attention to myself when going shopping tomorrow.

If only I can escape shopping, I will gladly do that.

“What? Why?” She stares at him wide-eyed. “People need to see us together. She is my son’s wife and I am her mother-in- law. They need to know what a happy family we are’, she tells him, not ready to back down.

“There is no need for that, Mother”, he shifts in his seat. “Isabella will be just fine with Anna.”

Is Anna the new secretary? I hope I will be comfortable around her, unlike the way I feel around Jayden’s mother. I really not know why 1 feel this way despite how nice she treated me when Jayden first introduced me to his parents.

This might probably be a result of what I heard of her.

“We are going, this is a woman’s talk so keep mute”, she utters firmly, coming back to face me. She holds my hands gently “You will go shopping with me, right?”

I don’t know whether to say yes or no. I don’t want to offend her. I still have 363 days to spend here and I don’t want to spend it in her black book.

“Remember I haven’t given you any wedding gifts yet. I should do that tomorrow.”

“There is really no need for that’, 1 say honestly. I have found a good reason to reject the outing with her.

“Don’t be ridiculous, it is in the tradition. We will go shopping tomorrow and that is final.”

She twirls back, her long elegant gown riding up and shining brightly. “Won’t you undress your husband?” She demands, walking to the door.

I stand still and exchange glances with Jayden who beckons to me to come closer.

I rush to him and bend down to his height on the sofa before taking a hold of his tie. I have never done something like th before and 1 don’t know how to unloosen a tie.

I struggle with it for a while with beads of sweat on my forehead. Jayden leans forward and our eyes interlock. “Continue”, he whispers into my ear he gently takes a hold of my hair to hide the fact that he is whispering.

A cold shiver runs down my skin and I grit my teeth, struggling with the tie once more.

The moment I hear the slam of the door which shows that she is out of the room, I puff out the air I don’t know I have be; holding in and let go of Jayden’s half-loosed tie.

Is she suspecting a thing too? Why was she watching me help Jayden loosen his tie? Why is she demanding that I help hin with his clothes?

I rise and walk to the bed, still taking deep breaths and hoping she won’t be back.

My hands shake and I am sweating profusely. I sit on the bed, with many questions popping up in my head.

jayden isn’t standing up to undress himself now that his mother is out. I am sure she will stay for dinner so the earlier we go out, the better for us.

I look up to see him still sitting with his brows raised.

I am about to ask him what we should do when he questions. “Aren’t you going to finish up what you started?”

“What?!” I exclaim loudly in disbelief.

Jayden’s POV

She perks up and her eyes pop up in surprise while I am still sitting like nothing is wrong with what just said.

I really do not know why I said that too but it shouldn’t be a big deal to her. This is just a pretense but we need to make sure it looks real, as long as we both know deep down inside that it is nothing but a facade.

What if my mother is still behind the doors peeking or eavesdropping on our conversation?

My mother is an amazing woman with foresight. When she asked Isabella to undress me, I knew something was up and I have a feeling she already knows that this marriage is fake or probably she is suspecting that it is.Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. Whatever it is that is making her have these suspicions will be cleared soon. I will make sure to clear it but Isabella has a lot to do here.

“Never mind!” I wave her away when she is still watching me with shock.

She gulps loudly as I rise from the sofa.

This is when I remember how my body ached so much this morning because of how I slept on this sofa. I regretted not sleeping on the bed.

suddenly, it dawns on me that Isabella won’t be able to move her things to her own room now that mother is here and w might have to put up with sleeping in the same room again tonight.

Shit! I curse inwardly.

I really do not know what my mother is doing here. And how long she is going to stay here.

What should I do? Should I leave this room for Isabella and find another room for myself just for tonight?

What will happen when she finally moves and then my mother appears from nowhere only to see that we aren’t behaving like couples?

Sleeping in different rooms is enough evidence that we aren’t real couples and I really want to clear my mother’s doubts and suspicions. I need to make the best out of this so my mother will be fully convinced that marriage isn’t for me.

I am not the problem here. Marriage is. The women are the problem.

Should we just demarcate the bed like last night and sleep on the bed?

Why didn’t she even move in the morning? Even though it worked to our benefit, I want to know why she hasn’t moved he things yet and why she canceled the shopping appointment with Anna.

“Why haven’t you moved your things to the other room since morning?” I ask her, as I stand in front of the mirror, taking c the half-loosed tie and my suits too.

“You also canceled the shopping appointment, is anything the matter?”

She is silent and I furrow my brows, turning back to see her still sitting on the bed, her head down.

I stroll close to her, my shirt unbuttoned as I lean down to take a look at her face. “Isabella?”

She jerks out of her reverie and stares at me. A pleat of her hair falls across her unhappy face, making me want to tug it behind her ears.

Why is she looking sad? Did I say something wrong?

“You said what?” She questions loudly.

“What’s the matter with you?” I ask her, straightening up.

“Nothing, she shakes her head vigorously, the unpacked hair falling off in multiple pleats. “I’m fine. You are asking why I canceled the appointment, right?”

I watch her, arms folded and curiosity up. “And why haven’t you moved your things yet?”

“Oh!” She murmurs, “I went to see Grandma.”

“Your grandma? And you just came back?” She nods and I raise a suspicious brow at her.

The last time I checked, Isabella and her Grandma argued last night and I am sure that woman is still mad at her.

How could she have gone all morning to the place when the woman is obviously pissed off and not ready to give her a listening ear?

was she able to convince her?

“Did you two talk?” I ask her to buttress my point and know if what I am thinking is right or not.

“No, she shakes her head sadly.

No? Yet she spent all day with her. Why do I find it hard to believe that she actually went to her Grandma’s place?

“Are you sure that is where you went to and that is why you canceled the shopping appointment with my secretary?” I let out my thoughts and she glances at me in silence for a while.

“Of course”

I raise my hands in surrender. “Ok.”

I really don’t want to give this much thought but I won’t appreciate it if she is seeking to start dating now. It is too early a should be kept private from a lot of people. I won’t appreciate it f it is now and if people begin to assume that she is cheating on me.

This would have been a good ground on which we can lay the foundation of our divorce but I won’t do that.

I want the divorce to shock everyone so my mother would know that marriage isn’t for everyone, especially me.

If Isabella is said to be a cheat, my mother might use that to her advantage and call her a cheat and probably assume the this is why we will be getting divorced in a year. But if Isabella is good till the end, the reason for the divorce will be unknown to no one, except our housemates.

Thinking about housemates, isn’t it high time we pretended to be real to them too?

Maybe mother has a spy amongst my maids or guards and they already told her that Isabella has a room to herself which asked them for prepare before her arrival.

This is going to be harder than I thought but I will think of a solution to it. It is just for a year after all.

“Is your mother staying for dinner?” I hear her ask from behind as I begin to undress in front of the closet.

“I guess we would have to find that out by going downstairs for dinner too. I’m famished.”

“Ok” She rises from the bed and I am thinking she is about to go out and meet with my mother, giving me the privacy to’s dressed into something simple after taking a shower, but she stops in the middle of the room.

Just then, an idea stuck me.

“Do you think I should go shopping with her tomorrow”, she asks me, pulling me out of my thought. I shrug at the questio “It depends on you. Mother can be a handful.”

“Yes, I know’, she replies and falls silent again.

“You will spend the night here tonight, but you can move first thing in the morning’, I tell her, taking off my trousers befo searching through for a towel to wrap around my waist.

“Yes”, her voice is low.

I am expecting her to go now but she is still standing as if she isn’t done asking me questions.

I wrap the towel around my waist without taking off my pants and then twirl back to face her squarely.

Her gaze shifts from the floor to my face then drops to my naked broad chest and I hear her gulp loudly.

I begin to feel uncomfortable because it is apparent she is uncomfortable seeing me half naked. This is why I don’t want to share a room. We need privacy. We need our space.

I am about to tell her to go when she says. “jayden, why did you marry me?”

Confusion skates my expression and I burst out. “What?!”

Isabella’s POV

After making sure that Jayden’s mother is gone after dinner, I rise from the dining seat and decide to go around the hous for a tour.

This is my first time sitting at the dining table, having dinner with my husband and his mother. Last night, I didn’t even ez before going to bed. My so-called husband didn’t ask if 1 would like to eat something or not and I was too scared and anxious about my first day as a married woman, sleeping on the same bed with her husband to even think about food. Apart from the late lunch I ate at Grandma’s place, this delicious spaghetti pie casserole will be the second food I will be eating today.

Well… have become so used to skipping meals so it is no longer a big deal.

jayden says I should spend the night in his room but I am having second thoughts about it. I don’t want to inconvenience him again for the second time in two days and I don’t want to embarrass myself by falling off the bed again.

I have decided to move my things tonight and since I haven’t seen Paulina, I want to search for a good room where I can stay for tonight.

I have been to two rooms already but none of them are ok for me to stay in. The first room is the gym while the other is a storeroom. Jayden said he had told the maids to prepare a room for me already and I wonder where it is located.

jayden didn’t answer my question. He was shocked when I asked him why he married me and when we heard his mother’ voice from downstairs, I quickly went out.

I intend to still ask him again tonight before moving. I need to know. I was so stupid to have ventured into this without asking for the reason why we are doing this or why he is doing this rather.

He is pretending to everyone, even his mother and I want to know why.

I throw the third door open to see unused furniture stocked there. I close it back immediately, heaving a deep sigh and staring at the other doors that are lined up, wondering where my room is and why Jayden would want my room to be far from his.

I doubt that. I am sure my room is close to his room in case something happens and I have to rush down to his room whenever a guest visits.

Thinking about everything now, it feels silly. I feel foolish. But who am I to blame when money is involved?

I turn back on my heels, giving up on doing this myself. I should look for Paulina. I am sure she is aware of this thing between Jayden and me and I don’t need to be embarrassed about it.

I’m just wondering how she will look at me or what the other maids will think of me. I also want to know if the maids kno apart from Paulina.

I take the staircase down slowly, taking my mind off everything; Jayden, my marriage, Juliet, and Grandma. I turn to the other side of the staircase to go up to Jayden’s room and pack my things. Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. I don’t know if he is back in his room. He had accompanied his mother out when she was leaving. If he is back, 1 would just pack my things and ask him t help me get Paulina so she can help me to the room.

Before I can get to the last staircase, the door to his room opens and he comes out, glancing around in his short and whit t-shirt.

He looks like someone going out for a stroll instead of changing into a nightwear just like me.

I am actually wearing a nightgown and after hearing his mother call it cheap, I have decided not to wear it ever again. just like it because it is decent.

“Where have you been?” He questions when he spots me. A frown descends on his handsome face.

“ went to search for my room”, I answer, walking closer without stopping.

He glares at me and I wonder why. He turns back and then walks in, leaving the door ajar for me.

I step in and close the door quietly behind. “I told you you will sleep here tonight, didn’t 12”

His back is to me as I venture in. “I’m sorry but I don’t want to inconvenience you. I can’t allow you to sleep on the sofa again after what happened yesterday.”

“What happened?” He questions as if he doesn’t know what happened.

I fall silent. “You aren’t doing your job, rightly, Isabella. We are expected to be couples, acting all lovey-dovey as couples would do but you aren’t doing this job to my expectation and satisfaction.”

My jaws dropped. “Lovey-dovey?”

How am I supposed to do that when he has been gone all morning only to come back in requesting that I change into nightwear because his mother is here and then we went for dinner and now we are back to his room? At least no one is here to see us and I don’t need to act lovey-dovey with him.

Besides, I shouldn’t be the only one to do this. We both signed up for this. I can’t be the only one expressing my love for him when it isn’t real.

On our wedding day, I was all smiles but he didn’t smile at all. It was as if I was the one forcing him to the altar whereas i is otherwise.

What sort of accusation is this, then?

He hasn’t even answered my question of why we are married. Should I as well ask him in the same tone why he isn’t playing his own part too, expecting me to take the bulk of everything?

it should be equal. When two people are married to each other, they tend to express love to each other. It might not be ir the same way but it should be reciprocated.

As if reading my mind, he says. “I know I haven’t been doing anything either but I expect much from you. This is the reaso why I chose you. I could have gotten anyone I wanted; a party girl, a whore, an actress, a model but I chose you for a reas and that is because I trust you to do it right…”

“Why did we get married?” I cut him short. He hasn’t answered my question. That should have been the first thing we needed to talk about, not about how I haven’t been playing my roles well when it’s just our day two.

Is he trying to frustrate me? What the hell have I gotten myself into? First, he threatened me before the marriage, he threatened to cancel the contract if I misbehaved and now he is saying I am not doing my job. What exactly does he want from me?

His frown deepens and he throws his hand in the air. “Why are you even asking me that?”

“Because I want to know. I should have asked you this before the marriage but I was too distracted to even think of this and now…

“Let’s forget about that’, he interrupts me from voicing out my fear. I should have known he would avoid the question. Remembering that he is my boss and I have to be careful with what I say and how I speak to him, I go silent and nod.

“I have a plan’, he informs me, sitting on the edge of the bed, peering at me closely. I nod again, urging him to go on and let me know whatever plan he is talking about.

I should have known that my entire year with him will be based on plans, plans, plans, contracts, and nothing that has to do with reality.

I really do not know how I became this way. I wouldn’t have believed that I could pretend to be someone’s wife the way I am doing now. I used to have difficulties pretending. I don’t hide my emotions and I am transparent.

“Won’t you sit?” He demands, still watching me.

I quickly walk to the L-shaped white sofa and sit in carefully before glancing up.

“You don’t need to move into any room anymore’, he begins.

“What?” I exclaim. If I don’t move into the room prepared for me, then where will I stay?

“Yes, you are going to stay in this room tonight and after tonight, I will ask the maids to bring in another bed for you and that is where you will be sleeping”

“Another bed?” I glance around the room. It is actually big enough to accommodate another bed but I still don’t feel ok with the idea.

What if 1 sleep-walk at night? What if I misbehaved in the night, thereby interrupting his sleep? What if 1 want to get dressed and he is in the room? How can we be sharing the same room when we aren’t even chatmates?

What are we going to be talking about when we are alone in the room? Should I look for a new hobby and probably spent my entire day or evening there whenever he is around before going to sleep?

That is a perfect idea. This way, we won’t have to be uncomfortable with each other. I will only come in when I am sleepy. I know there is an indoor pool and there is also a gym. I can start swimming or gymnastics as a hobby. I don’t know what other things are in here but if there is a game house, that will be my next stop.

I don’t have any job after all so I can as well take a year’s break from waking up early, running off to the bathroom to take quick bath, rushing through my closet for a good dress to wear to work, and dashing off to work so I won’t get fired for no being punctual.

“Yes, so what do you say?”

I don’t know what to do because I really do not have any choice here. I just have to go along with any shitty ideas he brin slowly, I nod my head in response to his question.

“Good”, he rises sharply. “You can go to bed now, I will be out for a few minutes. See you’, he strolls to the door and walk: out.

I watch him go, my gaze shifting to the wall clock and I begin to wonder what a married man would be going out to do by this time of the day.

This is 10:30 pm.

Isabella’s POV

I stir in my sleep, my hands flying to my eyes as I rub them before sitting up, remembering that I have to go to Grandma’s place before meeting up with Anna for the shopping.

I glance around to see that Jayden isn’t in bed and I furrow my brows, trying to think of where he must have gone.

Did he even spend the night here? I remember waking up to take a piss before heading back to bed but I didn’t notice hin in bed.

He said he was going to be out for a few minutes but he didn’t come back.

I yawn loudly, stretching and stepping down from the bed, my eye darting to the huge wall clock.

Itis just 7 in the morning and I am sure Jayden has gone to work already. 7 am is our resumption time and he usually arrives at work before 7 am.Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. I am really curious to know if he came in here last night or not. I rush towards the bathroom and pull it open, venturing in to see how dry everywhere is.

If Jayden had come in here to take a bath before going to work, the bathroom won’t be this dry.

This means he hasn’t been home since last night when he left me sitting with my question unanswered.

Where can he be? Is he the promiscuous type who is pretending to be a saint?

This is the only explanation I can give for his absence from home on the second night of our wedding. He didn’t even tell me where he was going and he didn’t make it look like he won’t spend the night here.

What rubbish?! I hiss angrily before storming back to the room, cursing beneath my breath.

I flop heavily into the couch, propping my hand over my head and thinking about my life.

itis just three days and I am already bored to death. Is this what I was employed for? Sleeping and waking up to meet my husband’s absence and worrying myself to death with no job to take my mind off my trouble?

I remember talking to myself last night about a new hobby so I stand up quickly, trying to make my way out when I spot 2 door in the bedroom. I never knew there was another door in here and I wonder just how many rooms are in this mansior altogether.

With curiosity, I find myself walking towards the small door. The door isn’t noticeable because it is located on the left sid: of the bedroom door and it is small.

I touch the doorknob and it turns. My heart begins to jump in excitement about what I will find out. I can be inquisitive when I want to and since Jayden isn’t ready to answer my questions, I can as well find the answers myself.

I step into the room, glancing around, and disappointment washes through me instantly when I see nothing but books.

I am expecting something more. Like what? I don’t even know.

Instead of turning back, I find myself closing the door and venturing in. The room is empty except for two bookshelves ar a desk with two chairs.

I will have come to the conclusion that this is Jayden’s home office but it isn’t fit to be his office. First; it is way too small and the bookshelf is full of books unrelated to work. It looks like this is a place where he dumps whatever book he buys. I don’t know that Jayden reads books. He doesn’t look like one who reads books. Impulsively, I raise my hand to pick up a book from the shelf.

I gasp in surprise, my heart swelling with joy when I see the type of book it is.

A romantic novel!

Wow! This is what I need. This is just the right hobby to find. This is what I need to keep me busy and keep me away from my troubles.

Without taking a look at the others, I hide the book behind me, smiling to myself as I find my way out, praying that no on will see me as I enter the bedroom again, closing the door quietly behind me.

I know I am not supposed to be doing this, but I have found my new comfort zone and I am now glad that I have got to share the same room with Jayden.

I will probably finish up all the books there before a year and it will make my year worthwhile and I can probably start to think of giving writing a try.

I love books and my father had always wanted me to be a journalist or a Writer. I didn’t like any but I wanted to give Journalism a try.

I find my way back to the couch, after grabbing the comforter on the bed and wrapping it around me because of the cold. I sink into the couch, moaning in satisfaction for this overwhelming feeling of having a free book to myself to keep me company.

I have changed my mind about going to Grandma’s place. She isn’t going to talk to me still but I know she will come arour soon. I should probably give her time and space to let everything sink in.

I don’t regret doing this for her. I just regret having Juliet as a friend and doing all those things for her.

I open the book to start reading when a note falls off. Quickly, I pick it up and it reads; “To you, my love.”

Confusion spreads across my face after reading the note. I don’t understand what it means and to whom it was sent.

Did someone give this to Jayden? Was he the one who gave it to someone?

For the latter question, I am sure it is a no. Jayden has never been seen with any woman and thinking about it now, 1 am beginning to wonder why and how possible itis for a good-looking man like him not to have a woman.

Is he gay?

I gasp softly at the realization that this must be the only reason why Jayden is doing this. He married me and then we wo have s*x because he is gay and because he doesn’t want the public to know about his sexuality.

Goodness! I almost scream, leaning forward as my heart begins to thump wildly in my chest.

“Oh, no!”

I can’t believe this. Why can’t he just tell me? I have every right to know who he is and why he is doing this, don’t 17

Tears spring to my eyes and I don’t know if it’s because I am disappointed that he is gay or because I feel bad for not bei told about this and 1 have to find out on my own.

Something clicks in me and I sit upright, picking up the book again and opening each page hurriedly, in hope that 1 will fi something to give me another clue.

I need more evidence to back up my claim that Jayden is indeed gay.

The note from earlier can be from anyone; a male or a female. I want to be sure it is a male and not a female.

I continue opening it in a hurry till I get to the last page, raising it upward so any other thing can fall off as the first did.

I see nothing and expel a frustrated sigh, the zeal to read gone. I am about to drop the book when something drops and I look down to find another sheet of paper on the floor

Without hesitation, I grab it.

“sometimes, I ask myself if you, Jayden, and I, Helena can have this type of love and the answer is always no.”

The answer is always no?

My forehead creased further in confusion. Does this mean the first note is from this person called Helena and she wantec jayden but he rejected her?

If he truly rejected her, then what is her book doing here in his house and on his bookshelf?

Are there more of her notes in the other books?

I shoot to my feet, about to risk going back into the room to find answers to my question when the door opens and I stun back into the couch in a haste, to hide the book so Jayden won’t see it and accuse me of trespassing.

I am actually trespassing.

jayden comes in, dressed in the same T-shirt and shorts he was wearing last night when he left home.

He closes the door, his eyes roaming the entire room before it falls on my small frame on the couch.

He regards me with a nod and walks in silently. I bite my lower lips, wondering if I am supposed to greet him politely like he is still my boss or greet him romantically like my husband.

This is enough evidence that he didn’t sleep at home. He hasn’t been to the office either.

Then where is he coming from?

“Good morning, Jayden”, I greet, a little smile forming on my lips, my buttocks on the small book and the comforter wrapped tightly around me.

“Good morning’, he answers plainly after a moment of silence, without sparing me a glance.

He moves to the closet and stands in front of the mirror, my mind going back to my wish the other day about having to share this huge, beautifully designed exclusive closet with him. Now it has come to pass and I will take out my time to arrange my clothes there before going shopping for new clothes.

“How was your night?” I ask again, waiting for a reply. I want to know where he spent the night but I can’t just go out straight like that to him.

Silence ensues and I am thinking he did not hear me until he twirls beck shirtless, glaring at me coldly before heading to the bathroom.

“Jayden”, I call out before I know it, turning back to see if he will halt in his step. “You don’t need to feel uncomfortable w me around or spend the night somewhere else because of me. I am the one who came here to meet you so I should be th one to endure whatever inconvenience. If you are not ok with this, just let me go to another room.”

He doesn’t answer and his emotionless looks do not waiver. I can’t even figure out what must be running through his min or what he is feeling.

Without giving a reply, he turns back and continues to walk towards the bathroom door. I rise abruptly.

“Jayden, are you gay?” I blurt out sharply before knowing and I bite my lower lips in regret when the words are out. This isn’t what I intended to ask but I guess my desire to hear him speak to me took over.

He turns slowly until we are facing each other squarely. His face turns stony and his eyes deadly as he shouts. “What the hell”

Jayden’s POV

My icy glare pierces into her as she stares at me innocently like what she is asking me is nothing to be mad about.

Gay? What the hell is that?

“Ym sorry’, she apologizes, looking down before raising her head again. “I’m sorry if I am wrong with my assumptions but just want to know…”

“Know what?” I snap at her angrily.

What is so difficult with just minding your own business while 1 go about mine? Why the hell is Isabella beginning to mak me regret why I chose her in just three days of being married?

I thought she was going to be a quiet wife without giving me any trouble whatsoever and always listening to my orders. “Ym sorry. I’m just curious to know why we got married in the first place when it’s obvious no one knows how fake this is. just assumed you are gay since you are…

“since there will be no sex? Is that what you are concerned about?” I retort sharply, a frown descending on my face.

She shakes her head, hugging her small body to herself.

“Ym not talking about sex, this is about us and I think I deserve to know why we are married. I know I am supposed to asI all these questions before we get married but it is not too late.”

I sigh heavily, raking my hands in my hair.

When I first came in and she asked about my night, I didn’t answer intentionally because I know she is asking because sh knows I didn’t spend the night here.

We are couples but it isn’t real and she shouldn’t be bothered about where I spend the night. This is pure business. Strict professional. I don’t want any entangled emotions. I don’t want her care or sympathy. I just want this business to end as soon as possible.

“Is that itz” I grit my teeth in anger, staring back at her round-shaped face. “You want to know why I asked you to marry for just a year, right? Isn’t that itz”

Gulping loudly, she nods.

I twirl back and take long strides toward the couch in front of here. Slouching in, I cross my right leg over the other and lean backward.

Since this is it, then I will tell her. I will satisfy her curiosity and that will be all.

I went out last night to see Gabriel for a brief meeting about our proposal. I was supposed to come back home immediat but 1 changed my mind and decided to lodge in a hotel since I haven’t made preparations for another bed to be taken int the Master’s bedroom and Isabella and I will be left to share a bed which I didn’t want.

Instead of coming back here to worry about where to sleep and how we might end up by morning, I decided to sleep out, and then this morning, the issue of bringing in a new bed for her will be taken care of. This way, I don’t have to worry abo sharing a bed with her anymore.

I didn’t intend to spend the night out but I did anyway and I don’t expect her to question me about that because we are not real couples.

When she isn’t sitting down like I expect so I can get done with this and go to work, I raise a brow at her. She bites her lower lips, probably regretting her reasons for asking me such a silly question.

She sits down.

“First of all, I won’t appreciate you disrespecting me simply because we are now living under the same roof and also goin to be sharing a room. I want to be accorded the same respect you were giving me when I was your boss. I am still your bo it’s just that the title is different for a reason”, I point out to her carefully.

Silence ensues and I am expecting her to apologize. Asking me if I am gay is utter disrespect and I won’t take that from h some other time.

Even if 1 am gay, she has no right to question my sexuality. It is my life and I can do whatever I want to do with it.

“Did you hear what I said?”

“Yes, sir”, she replies quickly and I roll my eyes at her.

“It’s Jayden. When I said you should show some respect, I am not talking about you calling me sit’, I utter firmly, wonderir if she is doing this to annoy me on purpose.

She bites her lips again and nods. “Yes, Jayden. I’m sorry.”

Glaring at her, I drop my crossed legs and lean forward. “About your question, I asked you to marry me because I want my mother to stop pestering me about getting married and having kids”, I begin and she gazes up, the look on her face signifying that she has a question concerning what I just said but I won’t give her the room to ask. I am only letting her know this because she deserves to know. I can decide not to tell her but I just want to be polite.

“My cousins are all married and as the only child, she expects me to get married and have children as well. I don’t believe in all of this shit so I decided to do this. Your coming for help was at the right time and since I have known you for closet a year, I decided you were going to be the best option and you won’t give me any trouble whatsoever’, I say to her. She doesn’t say anything so I add. “Or will you?”

She perks up, confusion spreading across her face. “What?”

“will you give me any trouble?”

“No, no, no, I won’t’, she assures calmly and I nod, trying to think of what else I need to tell her.

“Mother has high expectations of me and I want to prove to her that marriage isn’t for everyone. After a year, when we ar divorced, I know she will definitely stop with her marriage lectures and stop dreaming about grandchildren”, I say with distaste.

What use will having kids do when you will end up losing them? I have gone through that phase before and I honestly do not want to go through it once more.

itis horrible. It is just like reality slapping you across the face and making what seems impossible possible.

Who would have thought my baby girl would die at such an early age? I had plans. Numerous plans for her and the kids t come but they were all shattered.

Why then should 1 think of having kids as an achievement when it is not? Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. It is nothing but just a responsibility. It only comes with emotions you do not want to exhibit but have to because it is inevitable. At the end of t day, it makes you too weak.

vulnerable and sad.

am done!

Battling with the memories of the past, I still had to take out time to do this for my mother even when she doesn’t know that I haven’t healed completely.

The pain is still there. Fresh. Hurting at every slightest opportunity.

{just want her to be happy and this is why I am doing this, even though happiness is far from what I envisioned for myse it died with Helena and my baby.

“Ym sorry once again for being inquisitive but now that I know what it is, I will be more comfortable with acting like this i real. Besides, I know where to direct my energy to and who to target…

“Will that be all?” 1 ask in irritation as I rise from the couch. I am already late for work and I need to take a quick bath before going.

She stands up too, not saying the yes I expect her to say. Apparently, she still has probably one more question to ask or many.

I am not in for this. This is definitely not the right time for this. I only gave her this opportunity because she deserves to know.

“Why don’t you want to have kids? Why don’t you believe in marriage?”

I furrow my brows, amazed at her courage.

“Is that any of your business?” I growl, refraining myself from shouting at the top of my voice.

She lowers her head.

issing loudly, I saunter towards the bathroom door. This isn’t her fault, this is because I answered her question willingly and now she feels entitled like she is really my wife who can question anything that has to do with me.

“Ym sorry’, she shouts after me but I do not answer as I enter the bathroom and slam the door shut, hoping she must ha disappeared by the time I am done taking my bath.

Isabella’s POV

jayden’s outburst got to me and I began to question why I thought we were beginning to become friendly with each other just like couples ought to be.

I wanted to ask him who Helena was too but I couldn’t because his cold glare made me shut my mouth.

I didn’t want him to see me inside the room by the time he came back from the bathroom, so I stepped out, touring both the front and the backyard of the mansion with my arms folded around me and my mind far away.

Who would have thought I would end up being a contracted wife for my boss?

I believe in love and I hold marriages in high esteem but here I am desecrating the vows of marriage.

My desire to see Grandma back on her feet has been achieved but I am still stuck in this marriage for months to come.

I get to the pool and stand watching the calmness of the water, wishing I can have a quiet life like this too.

But! can’t.

Getting married to Jayden has taken that quiet life away from me. I can barely go out now without being looked at. I can barely go out without people’s attention on me.

I wonder how I am going to cope with going shopping, alone with Jayden’s new secretary.

I sigh and leave the pool, intending to go in to take a bath and get ready for Anna’s call. The scheduled time for the shopping yesterday was 1pm and I am sure it will be the same today.

That is the break time at work when I was still working for Jayden and I am sure nothing has changed yet. The break usua lasts for an hour and I’m sure we will be done with the shopping before 2 pm. Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. 1 find my way back into the house when I hear a horn from the driveway. Out of curiosity, I stand still by the doorway, the rays of sun on my face blocking me from seeing who just drove in.

Immediately, someone in the driver’s seat comes out of the Mercedes Benz and turns to the passenger’s side to open up for the guest.

She steps out and I recognize her to be Jayden’s Mother, even though she looks completely different today, unlike yesterday.

She is wearing a sleeve knee-length bateau satin Lace and high heels, her long brown hair is packed into a neat bun. Hey’, she calls out when she sees me. You aren’t ready yet?”

She moves closer, walking majestically, examining my sleepwear. Confusion spreads across my face. “Ready? For what?” She rolls her eyes and hits my arm softly when she is close enough. “Don’t tell me you have forgotten all about our shopping. Go get dressed, we are going shopping!”

I sit beside her, trying to make an effort to remain calm and not show my nervousness and displeasure at being in the same car as her, going shopping.

I tried to convince her one more time but nothing worked. She asked me to cancel the appointment with Anna and I did s even though I was really curious to see Jayden’s new secretary.

“So, she muttered, snapping her head to look at me.

I flash her a nervous smile, waiting patiently for what it is she wants us to talk about. Apparently, she has some questions to ask me but I hope they have nothing to do with my marriage to her son.

“How did you meet with Jayden?” She asks sharply, her eyes searching mine.

Without putting up any act, my brows furrow. “How do we meet?”

“Yes, she nods, without smiling. “He told us you were his Assistant…”

“l was”, I interrupt her sharply. “Jayden and I never met outside the office.”

The moment the words come out, I regret it. I shouldn’t have said that, this woman will have me figured out within minute and she is the reason for all of these in the first place.

jayden told me he is doing this because of her and I really need to make sure that she is convinced that Jayden and I are truly in love even if the whole world doesn’t believe our story.

“You never met outside the office?” She questions with her eyes popping out in surprise. “So the romance was brewing in the office?”

“Something like that’, I say slowly, darting my eyes away from her. There is no use denying what I said. It is out already. “Ok. How did you two fall in love?” She demands again, making me crease my brows.

“How did we fall in love?” I repeat and she nods.

Is there a reason to fall in love with someone? I have never been in love but from what I watch on TVs, I know it just happens for no reason.

“Has it been going on for long or it just happened recently and here you are’, she points to me and I am beginning to thir this woman is suspecting that this marriage isn’t real or probably she is suspecting that I am here just for the money.

“It just happened but not recently. We have both been trying to deny it but we couldn’t and here we are”, I explain and si heavily, tired of the questions.

She smiles lightly and looks away. Silence falls between us for a while and 1 am thinking she is done with the questions. A sigh of relief escapes my mouth as I lean my head on the leather car seat, looking out of the window and folding my ar around my bosom.

But the comfort is cut short by the sound of her voice again.

“I didn’t like you at first when Jayden told me he wants to get married to you. I was against it’, our eyes interlocks and sh flashes me another smile.

I should have known she doesn’t like me. Maybe this is why I am not comfortable with her.

“But when I met you, I liked you instantly. You are a likable person but I can’t help but worry about a lot of things. I have come to a conclusion on what to do and I would appreciate it If you cooperate with me”, she vocalizes as the car takes th right bend.

My heart beat in fear of the next thing that will come out of her mouth. I don’t know what she is talking about but I know won’t be good.

“I have an offer for you’, she announces, making my curiosity intensify.

“Offer?” 1 look as confused as shit. She nods intermittently, facing me squarely.

“If you are here for the money, just tell me whatever you want and 1 will pay you off’, she blurts out without mincing wor “What?!” I exclaim loudly, dropping my hands and shifting uncomfortably.

Has she figured this out? Is it because of how I behave like a poor lady and she thinks I am here just for the money I will get from Jayden? Is it that obvious that I was not born with a silver spoon? Did she find out that the marriage is fake?

“I will pay you a million dollars to leave Jayden, I know you need money. Deal or no deal?” Her eyes bore into me challenging me to give in to her demands but I can not.

First, I will ruin Jayden’s plans and I will be tagged as a gold digger.

Shaking my head intermittently, I pronounce quickly. “No deal”

Jayden’s POV

The gate automatically opens and Jude drives into the mansion. The moment he parks the car in the driveway, I climb do and take long strides towards the house.

I have been calling Isabella’s phone since noon to inform her about tonight’s family dinner that we have invited to but sh isn’t picking up.

I was a bit worried, thinking she left the house because of how I scolded her this morning but after a while, I wave it off.

I am not to be blamed. She was overstepping her boundary and crossing the line that we are supposed to set for ourselv She was also supposed to go shopping with Anna but I saw Anna in the office during lunch break. When I questioned Ann about why she hadn’t gone to meet my wife at home so they could do shopping, Anna told me my mother canceled the appointment.

I was surprised.

I should have known that my mother would take her suggestions about accompanying Isabella to go shopping, seriously. After hearing that, I guessed Isabella must have left her phone at home.

“Good evening, boss”, the butler greets with a curt nod.

“Good evening’, I replied without stopping. When I remember that I ordered a new bed for Isabella to be put in my room, twirl back to face Aaron.

“What about the bed I requested?” I ask him and he lowers his head with a look of guilt.

“I will do that right away’, he replies and walks past me.

I told them to get it done in the morning and he forgot to do that.

I ignore the need to scold him and continue to find my way to the living room before taking the staircase up.

We have a family dinner by 7 pm and Isabella and I need to be present. I am glad she has gone shopping, this way she wil be able to find a nice dress to wear to the dinner.

I step forward and within minutes, I am in front of the door. I turn the doorknob and enter.

“Goodness!” Someone gasps and my gaze falls on Isabella’s half-naked body. She quickly ties the towel properly around her before dashing into the bathroom.

I am lost for a few seconds before I realize what just happened. I blink once and close the door behind me.

I haven’t gotten accustomed to the fact that I don’t stay alone in my room. I now have a wife and 1 share the same bedroc with her.

I wonder how we are both going to deal with our privacy. This is really beyond my expectations and I really wish I won’t share the same room with her. Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. I love and value my privacy too.

I stroll in with folded arms but before I can flop to the sofa, she comes out fully dressed in bum shorts and a crop top wit her hair down.

Her legs are really long and slender and I can see her hips from the shorts. I swallow hard and look away.

“Welcome home, husband”, she regards me with a smile while I begin to examine her once again.

I can perceive a different scent in the room but I don’t know where it is coming from.

Is it her shampoo? Is it her cologne? Is it a room freshener?

“Why weren’t you picking up your calls?” 1 ask her instead of replying to her welcoming home statement.

Her eyes grow large before she runs over to the side drawer to grab her phone. She sees the several missed calls and her eyes almost pop out of her eye socket.

“Ym 50 sorry’, she apologizes. “I didn’t…

“Where were you?” A frown descends on my face. I am actually curious to know where she went.

Did she go out and couldn’t pick up my calls? Where did she go? Who was she with that she couldn’t pick up?

“I didn’t go out. I came back from shopping and was reading on that sofa all through the day. I guess my phone was in a silent mode”, she explains and points to the sofa where a book is lying with a cloth covering almost all part of it.

She reads too? I love reading.

I shift my gaze away from the sofa and sigh. “I wanted to inform you that there will be a family dinner tonight and we nee to be there.’

I expect her to nod but she doesn’t do that. Instead, she bites her lower lips and looks thoughtful for a while before stari at me.

I raise a questioning brow at her.

“I need to tell you something’, she speaks up finally.

Is she tired of this already?

“I’m all ears”, I fold my arms and wait for her to spill. She should say whatever it is she wants and it will be granted to her but anything that goes against my will is a no-go area. Even if I have to force her, 1 will.

This is the reason why we are married in the first place, isn’t it? I married her because of my mother and my family members. If what she wants is for her not to go with me to the family dinner, then it’s a no.

“I think your mother is suspicious or probably she knows that our marriage is fake’, she informs me and my mouth drops open.

“What?!” I exclaim loudly.

How? How did she know that?

“I think she has been observing you and I and she doesn’t see how real the connection and bond between us is so she came to a conclusion that this marriage isn’t real and I am nothing but a gold digger”

I should have known my mother would do or say something nasty to her. But I didn’t think of it because she seems to like Isabella ever since their first meeting.

Shit!

“You won’t believe she is willing to pay me to leave you’, she adds and I exclaim again, my eyes widening.

“Yes. She wants to pay me a million dollars to leave…”

“What was your response? What did you say to her?” I cut her short, my heart thumping wildly in my ribcage, surprising tt shit out of me.

Mother is willing to give Isabella x10 of what I offered her just so she could leave me and I am sure she would accept it. Well, who wouldn’t?

“No. 1 told her no.”

“No?”

“Should 1 say yes? You look disappointed”, she mutters, frowning and looking displeased with my reaction.

“What? Of course not. I’m glad you didn’t accept it’, I say and nod my head.

Wow She didn’t take the offer? Why?

Why is mother doing this? She pushed me to do this. I have been suspecting her ever since she came into my room, whic! is unlike her. She didn’t stop at that, she went ahead to ask Isabella to undress me.

Did she notice her nervousness?

“What do we do? I’m scared…”

“What are you scared of?” I whirl around to face her again.

She shrugs indifferently without saying anything. What should we do?

“I think we should make this very real and act real to the outside world and when we are indoors, we both know it is still fake no matter what”, she suggests.

“That was what I told you the other day…”

“Yes, you did but you aren’t making an effort to. Some people can not be easily deceived and I think your mother is one ¢ those people. We need to act and behave like real couples. Tell the same story of how we fell in love, kiss each other in public and be a little touchy too. You are too cold for that and that was why I thought you were gay.”

“Stop itt” I grit my teeth and shut my eyes, anger sipping through me.

Isabella won’t be the first person to tell me that. Mother thought I was gay too but I am not. What the hell is wrong with a these people?

“Ok.” She answers calmly and I open my eyes to see the hurt on her face.

Did I shout at her? She is trying to help and I am being a jerk. I want to know why she didn’t accept my mother’s offer but know I can’t ask her now.

Maybe some other time.

“Let’s do this, then”, I say to her, watching with anticipation.

“Do what?” She demands from me with confusion.

“Act like real couples’, I utter firmly, hoping I won’t be the one to mess things up.

She opens her mouth to say something again when a knock comes on the door.

“Come in”, I mutter and the door opens. Aaron comes in and bows.

“The bed is here, where should we put it?” He asks with his head still lowered.

I remember I asked for a bed so Isabella and I won’t have to share the same bed but that won’t be necessary anymore since Isabella and I have decided to act like real couples.

We are legally married to each other after all. We are real couples, it’s just that we don’t have feelings for each other. This is in contrast to what a lot of people out there who get married out of love do. We are married for a different reason, not love. All we need to do is make people believe we are actually in love with each other.

itisn’t a big deal or is it?

For us to act like real couples, we need to make everyone believe that we are madly in love with each other, even the mai in the house.

I wave Aaron away. “Don’t bother anymore. We don’t need the bed.”

Aaron hoists his head up, looking surprised. He can’t ask me why I don’t want the bed again so he nods and moves out again.

I suddenly feel bad for stressing him for nothing.

Isabella’s hand touches me on the arm and a cold shiver runs through me at the contact. “What do you mean we don’t need the mattress again? Where do you want me to sleep?”

“We are going to act as real couples now so we will share the same bed’, I announce to her and her jaws drop open in shock.

Isabella’s POV

With our arms intertwined, Jayden flashes me a smile and I can’t figure out if it is for assurance or if the act of playing real couples has started already.

We begin to walk towards the front door of the big mansion. It has a waterfall in the middle of the front yard and I was mesmerized by it.

The more we approach the front door, the more nervous I become and my hands tremble a little.

When Jayden told me we would sleep on the same bed because we need to act like we are real and are truly in love, my heart skipped a beat.

How do I manage to hide my sleeping defect from him now that we are bound to sleep on the same bed?

I couldn’t even suggest to him that another bed was the best because he walked past me to the bathroom immediately to take a shower so we could come here.

My heart has been racing since then. I am scared and anxious.

And now, I have to deal with his family members. I haven’t met others but I have been introduced to his parents before. The house I went to isn’t the same as this and I wonder if they have numerous houses like this all over New York City.

The door opens from inside and we step in. Jayden’s shoulder is brushing mine because of the closeness and it feels strange.

I haven’t been this close to a man. Even though we are married, it feels odd, probably because we aren’t in love and the electricity that might jolt down my spine at the contact isn’t there.

ALL feel right now is shivers. Cold shivers running down my spine at the contact, adding to my fear.

We venture into the house in silence until the dining room comes into view and a series of laughter and noise fils the air. Everywhere is so noisy. A baby is crying. Another baby is shouting. There are chatters around the table and immediately we are in sight, I see the reason for all the noise.

Dinner is being served already by three maids. One of the maids is holding a trolley containing several dishes while the other is picking up the dishes from the trolley and passing them to the eldest who places each dish on the large rectangular table. They are all dressed in a black and white uniform; a short gown and a half apron.

The magnificent furniture in the house, the old antique, the high bright chandelier, and the artistic paintings all over the place make it feel homey and big.

I have never been to a big place like this. The dining room alone can past for my whole apartment.

What the hell!

A young lady hoists her head up and she sees Jayden and me where we stand watching all the drama. She has been the one talking nonstop and helping the maids arrange the table.

“Jayden!” She waves at him, beckoning us to come closer.

jayden and I exchange glances and he shrugs. I wonder what he is thinking. Before we can move close, the lady appears in front of us, her brown eyes beaming with excitement and her long black wavy hair packed in a bun.

“Jayden and his wife are here!” She announces, making others look at us. I wonder if they didn’t hear her the first time. The baby is still crying and I wonder whose baby it is.

jayden has a smile on his face and he finally lets go of my arm. He places his hand on my back and faces me squarely. “Babe, meet my cousin Caroline’, he introduces before shifting his gaze to Caroline who looks like someone with a naturally smiling face. “Caroline, meet Isabella, my wife.”

Caroline opens her arms and pulls me into it, letting his hand on my back fall.

“It’s 50 nice to finally meet you. I have been dying to see how gorgeous his wife is and also to see who the lucky person is. I had to fly all the way from California just to come and see you guys’, she says all in one breath, making me uncomfortable with the hug.

Her voice is tiny and you wouldn’t know she is talking until she raises her voice or you notice her lips moving. I guess that is why she likes ranting all the time. We’ve just met but I already know the type of person she is.

She is just like my mother. She can be silent when she wants to and she can also be a chatterbox in a few minutes, especially when she is comfortable with someone.

She releases me from the hug and Jayden’s hand crawls to my back again. “Caroline is the mother of that forever-crying baby and also those brats over there’, Jayden points to the two boys who are of the same height.

One of them is shouting at the other while the other is sitting comfortably on the floor in silence.

Wow! I almost say. They look alike and they must be twins. These babies are really small.

How did she manage to give birth again when the twins aren’t grown up yet?

“She gave birth to the baby girl a year after the boys”, Jayden informs me, as if hearing my thoughts and Caroline hits his arms playfully as a blush of embarrassment creeps to her face.

“Everyone knows how much you hate babies and hate the fact that there was little spacing between my princess and the twins, do you have to make it so obvious in front of your bride?” She throws him a cold glare.

jayden drops his hand and shrugs nonchalantly. This is when I realize I haven’t said a word.

“It’s 50 nice to finally meet you, Caroline’, I say with a light smile on my face.

Her attention is now on me and a smile replaces the glare on her face. “It’s nice to meet you, too.’

I fake a frown. “Jayden hates babies?”

Caroline gasps and holds my arms. “You don’t know?” I shake my head and she suddenly breathes a sigh of relief. “Finally. Thank God you like babies.”

“She doesn’t like babies”, Jayden contradicts and I glare at him.

“I don’t? Of course, I do”, I oppose him.

“Yayyy! My big brother is going to have babies soon!” She squeals in excitement.

“Caroline, stop it!” Jayden looks embarrassed and I almost laugh out loud.

“Hey, come over. Dinner is ready’, someone shouts from over the dining area and I recognize the voice to be Jayden’s mother.

jayden’s petite-looking cousin leads us to the dining area.

jayden and I get to the dining area while she goes over to the boys to get them. I see Jayden’s older version; his father, another guy who has brown hair and large hands, then another smaller guy.

jayden pulls a chair out for me as we all exchange pleasantries. This is when I see the baby in Mrs. Russell’s hand. She is trying to stop the crying.

When Caroline comes back with the boy, she makes them sit and take the baby from Mrs. Russell. We begin to eat immediately and the baby stops crying.

silence falls even though I am still as nervous as well. I was uncomfortable with Caroline when she came to meet us halfway earlier but I wasn’t this uneasy.

This apprehension must be a result of being around new faces or because of Mrs. Russel who is staring at me as she eats. She is sitting beside her husband, Mr. Russell who is at the head of the table. Jayden is on the left and I am beside him. Caroline is next to me, then the guy with the large hands and the small guy is beside Mrs. Russell.

“Babe, pass me the salt, please”, Jayden says out loud and I stretch to get the salt. Caroline quickly passes it to me and I drop it in front of Jayden. He smiles at me. “Thanks, babe.”

We continue eating in silence and when we are almost done, Caroline clears her throat. 1 look up to see a look of amusement on her face.

“Mom?” She calls, making Mrs. Russell shift her gaze away from me. “Isabella wants babies but Jayden doesn’t want them.” When she turns to me, her eyes soften.

The rest of the eating session is in silence. We finish up and the maids arrive almost immediately to clear the table.

“This is John Lorenzo, my husband”, Caroline introduces the man with brown hair and large hands to me as her husband. Then she points to the guy next to her. “This is my brother, his name is Andrew.”

“Nice to meet you two, John and Andrew’, I greet them politely with a slight bow of the head.

“Nice to meet you too’, they both chorus, smiling down at me.

“50 Jayden will be welcoming babies soon?” Mrs. Russell asks, staring at me.

“No!” Jayden says

“Yes!” I answer.

We both look at each other and I almost laugh because of the aghast look on his face.

I whisper. “I want babies.”

“I hate them’, he scrunches his face up and I chuckle and hold his hand on the table.

“You will love them, don’t worry”, I assure him with a smile.

“Babies can be a handful.”

“You will love them”, I repeat and turn away from him. All eyes are on us and I clear my throat and look down.

“Jayden was once a baby’, his mother utters. “If he doesn’t like babies, then it means he doesn’t want babies with you.” Caroline gasps and murmurs arise from the men except for Mr. Russell and Jayden who shoot her an angry stare.

The statement process itself slowly in my head and my mouth drops open in shock.

Jayden’s POV Gabriel was right. Anna is someone I know. I glance once more at the screen before shutting the laptop down. I didn’t take his words seriously because I thought it was just gibberish to I have me listen to him. When my mother mentioned to my hearing last night about Anna being my father’s friend, I knew I had to find out who st was. That was when I remembered Gabriel’s question of how it was possible for me not to know who she was. Anna is Roger and Emily’s only daughter. Roger is my fathers close friend and I see no reason why they would allow their daughter to come work with me as an Assistant. No wonder she has a Porsche car. If this isn’t about matchmaking us both, then what is the best explanation for this? What infuriates me the most about this issue is the fact that she is allowing them to push her toward me. She is allowing them to do what they like at her expense. She is at the receiving end of whatever happens. But I won’t succumb to my mother’s wish. I can’t and won’t marry Anna just to please her. Pleasing her was what led me to ask my Assistant to become my wife. It took me a lot of courage to do that. Anna will be difficult to handle. I don’t even like the idea of getting married to someone my mother knows or can control. isabella knows the rule and I am damn sure she will stick to it. The knock on the door pulls me out of my thoughts and I realize I had called Anna in for a brief questioning. “Come in’, I adjust in my seat and shift the laptop away before leaning back. She opens the door and walks in. Her skirt is extremely short and her top is hung tightly to her body. Averting my gaze frc her dress, I watch her approach. She bows respectfully. “You called me, sir” “Siti” I order with a tone of authority. She glances up with surprise and I quickly raise a brow at her. I didn’t force her to come work for me so she should learn to take orders from me. She sits on the chair opposite my desk and I begin. “Anna Nicole, right?” She gazes up. “Yes.” She isn’t using “sir”, I note. “You are Roger’s daughter, right?” I ask again and she falls silent. After a while, she smiles. “I don’t know why you are doir this and I don’t even care to know why because you are an adult and you are responsible for whatever actions you take. I just want to tell you that I will be getting married this Saturday to Isabella Rodriguez, my former Assistant.” She looks shock as her eyes grow large before the look on her face is replaced with anger. “I guess my mother didn’t tell you that. She knew about the marriage even before she recommended you to me”, I grin broadly. “If you are here to seduce me or..” “lam not here to seduce you”, she says in a raised voice, her eyes brewing anger. I am silent. Did she just raise her voice at me? My bad, I shouldn’t have called her in. I should have just let her go on with the pretense that she is here to work indeed. After all, the news of my marriage to Isabella will be out very soon. “Get out!” I clench my jaw, trying to control my uprising anger. Because she is in here or she is from a wealthy family doesn’t give her the right to raise a voice at me. 1 am her boss for a long as she comes into this company to work and 1 won’t allow this. “What?!” “I said get out’, I utter sternly and she stands up to go out immediately. She slams the door shut and I twirl my chair. The phone rings at that instant and I grab the intercom. “Your mother is here to see you”, Anna’s voice booms into the phone. I know mother will come looking for me today after the arguments we had last night. She has been calling me all morning but I don’t wish to speak to her over the phone because of my anger toward her. “Let her in’, I command before disconnecting the call. I twirl around once more before the door opens without a knock. “Jayden, you weren’t picking your calls’, she shouted, making me turn the chair to face her. “We are in a work environment and 1 would really appreciate it if you lower your voice”, I point out. She fumes in silence before marching towards me. Flopping to the seat, she asks, her voice a bit down. “Why weren’t you picking up your calls? I was damn worried.” “was busy’, I answer, dragging out a file from the drawer and flipping through it. Surprised at her silence, I look up. “I’m sorry”, she apologizes calmly. I raise a brow at her. “I’m sorry for wanting to force you into something you don’t want. I’m sorry for being an ingrate and for not supporting you. I know you are doing this because of me. I know how much you loved Helena and how hard it must have been for you to love someone again. But I figured out that it must be because isabella reminds you of Helena’, she smiles at me. “I looked her up and I found out she has a lot in common with Helena. “Isabella looks like Helena?” I inquire with jaws dropped open in disbelief. “Not really. I’m talking about the lifestyle and the dress sense”, she chuckles lightly and I throw her a cold glare. “I guess Father pointed all of these out to you which made you realize your mistakes” I affirm, eyeing her to know the tru She tilts her head high up proudly and looks away. I am right. Mother wouldn’t have given up just like that, except for the fact that her desire to see me married is higher ths her wish for me to have Anna as my bride. I continue flipping the file, ignoring her when she clears her throat. “So are you still going to get married to her?” She is predictable. I know my mother in and out. I know what she is capable of and her fear. I knew she was going to come to see me and here she is. I know she is here just to be sure that my threat about not gettir married is empty. That threat did the trick. She is more concerned about me getting married and having kids. She doesn’t know what I have in stock for her. Pretending to be confused, I ask. “To who?” “To Isabella, of course”, she rolls her eyes at me playfully. “You said you don’t like her, didn’t you? I can’t get married to someone you don’t like because I doubt if Isabella has the same strength as Helena to face you and your difficulties as a mother-in-law.” I continue my work. She gasps softly, hurt flashing across her face. She opens her mouth to say something but thinks otherwise as she closes her mouth. Guilt replace the hurt on her face. “Ym sorry for everything’, she apologizes again. “It’s fine”, I assure her, so she won’t end up brooding over it for days. It’s gone already and she is forgiven but I just wante to remind her so the same thing won’t repeat itself in the case of Isabella. itis indeed true that Isabella and Helena have something in common. Maybe that is why I am satisfied and rest assured with having her as my bride and no one else. “So what do you say?” She leans forward with excitement. The way she switches her mood is amazing and shocking. “About what?” I ask again. “Come on, you know what I am talking about. Are you still going to get married to Isabella?” I stare at her face etched with curiosity and anticipation. This is all for her. Getting married. Signing a contract marriage. Shouldn’t I see this till the end and make her happy for at least a year? Well, 1 never really planned to stick to my threat. It was meant to scare her and it worked. The plan is still on. Isabella is still going to be my wife this Saturday. Mother would be happy. Father would be proud. And will become responsible one more time, and not be considered a confirmed bachelor. Expelling a deep sigh, I declare openly. “Yes. I am getting married to her this Saturday” She jumps up and rushes to me, dragging me forcefully for a tight hug. J Gn =

Isabella’s POV

Stepping inside the church and walking slowly towards the altar without a best lady but my arms entangled with my Grandma’s, the groom of the day is patiently standing on the wedding arbor for the bride.

I am holding flowers with a transparent veil covering my face. My head is lowered in shame and guilt.

Shame that this isn’t my dream. The shame of doing this and not being courageous enough to back out at the last minute to tell Grandma what this is all about, and wait for the man for me.

The man who would be waiting at the altar for me with anticipation of me becoming his bride. A man who would love me for the depth of his heart and would never do anything to make me sad or cry.

Guilt for letting Grandma do this. Guilt for not telling her the truth. Guilt for lying to her all through till this day.

Juliet never came. She didn’t show up for the preparations. She didn’t call to apologize for what she did, leaving me with one to stand in for me as my maid of honor

I am less concerned about it. I was bothered about it but not anymore.

This won’t stop the wedding. I might be the first bride without a maid of honor but I know I won’t be the last to be betray at the last hour by my best friend, leaving me with no troops of bridesmaids and not a single maid of honor.

I told Grandma that Juliet was out of town, for an interview. 1 lied that she got a new job outside New York and she would be gone for a week.

I have no alternative. Juliet is my only friend. 1 just hope her absence will be for good, not because I wish her ill-fate or death but just because it will work to my advantage.

I don’t want her to show up and ruin everything for me. I don’t want our paths to cross anymore. I don’t want her to meet with Grandma either because I know she might tell her the truth.

The truth should come from me to Grandma. If it doesn’t, it will break her. But I am not ready yet to tell her. I will tell her when the wedding is done.

The solo piano comes to a stop the moment I get to the wedding arbor where my Groom is waiting, looking dashing in his three-piece tuxedo with shiny suede shoes and a pair of sunshades hanging at the edge of his suit pockets.

His hair is a stylish and classic pompadour haircut while I have kinky hair with decorative braids and curls.

His face is unsmiling

Gabriel, his best friend is right behind him, grinning from ear to ear like an idiot. If I was amongst the audience and I don know Jayden and Gabriel, I would have assumed Gabriel is the groom not Jayden with the way he is grinning. Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. My A-lines wedding dress has fitted bodices through the waist and cascades out towards the ground, resembling the outline of an uppercase “A” It is slightly more flowy than a ball gown. The transparent veil is attached to my hair with silver ribbon holding it firmly and in place.

I am lost in my thoughts to even hear the priest talk to the few audiences invited. I don’t know how Jayden did it but I am glad. I never knew he would stick to my suggestion of a small gathering.

We have over a hundred people seated here to witness the tying of the knot and Grandma is my only family member. The others are Jayden’s close business associates, parents, families, and friends.

He instructed a driver to come to the house to bring us to the church and I was glad when I came out of the Jeep to find c that there were no reporters or paparazzi.

My nervousness reduced a bit with that.

“Dearly beloved”, the priest begins and 1 blink to realize that this is surreal. It is indeed happening and within minutes, I will become Jayden’s contracted bride for a year.

The priest continues. “We are gathered here today to join Jayden Alex Russell and Isabella Gracia Rodriguez in Holy matrimony before God and man. Marriage is a wonderful thing. It is a sacred vow to spend your life with one person for a eternity and to stick with each other through the thick and thin’, he turns and takes the ring from the ring bearer.

He stretches the first ring to Jayden who is standing by the right. “You may now exchange the vows.”

jayden clears his throat, making me wish for him to at least smile to make it more real that we are indeed happy to be getting married.

He had sent me the vows via email last night for me to memorize so I won’t stutter or make any mistakes and I have done that.

This is one thing I am good at. Memorization.

I didn’t even memorize the vows last night until this morning. I guess he must have done the same.

“In the name of God, I, Jayden Alex Russell, take you, Isabella Gracia Rodriguez, as my lawfully wedded wife, to have and t hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, ti death do us part” He slips the diamond ring into my middle finger, making tears spring to my eyes.

This isn’t real, I keep saying to myself.

This isn’t real. This isn’t a real wedding. It is just a facade. It will soon be over in a year.

The priest stretches the ring towards me too. I take it and reach out for Jayden’s finger which sends tiny bits of an electric jolt through me.

A slump gets stuck in my throat and I can’t find my voice.

“Isabella”, he whispers with fear in his tone.

A fearful tear rolls down my eyes as I force myself to speak.

“In the name of God, 1, Isabella Gracia Rodriguez, take you, Jayden Alex Russell, as my lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, til death do us part” I slip the ring into his index finger and excited murmurs arise among the crowd.

“Before we pronounce these two love birds as man and wife, is there anyone present here today, objecting to this union? The priest questions, scanning the entire audience with his small eyes blinking rapidly at the back of the glasses sitting comfortably on the bridges of his nose.

My heart begins to thump wildly in fear now. This is it. Someone will appear. Someone will lift a hand and put a stop to this.

I don’t know if I am excited or sad. Sad that it will bring an end to this charade. Or sad that it will put a stop to the contra which will bring me more money.

“Is there anyone?” He asks again, tempting me to turn back. “Speak now or forever hold your peace.”

Silence falls. The sound of a needle drop can even be heard at the moment. Jayden isn’t looking apprehensive at all. He i calm and confident looking.

“With the power vested in me”, the priest begins. “I pronounce you man and wife, you may now kiss the bride.”

There is a standing ovation at this moment even before Jayden can lift my veil and move closer to me, his cologne whizzi past my nostril.

The moment he leans forward and his lips touch mine, the crowd goes wild with excitement.

jayden pulls away almost immediately and something in me tells me that I might not come out of this marriage unscathe

Jayden’s POV

The water washes through me as I stand under the shower with my eyes tightly closed, the memories come rushing maki me tighten my fist in frustration.

This wasn’t supposed to happen. Getting married to someone else apart from Helena was not part of the plan. I never thought 1 would ever do a thing like this.

But here I am, married to a woman who isn’t Helena. I am married to someone I don’t feel any atom of tenderness or affection for.

Can life be any better? Can my guilt be lessened with this?

Of course not!

I am already feeling the heightened effect of my guilt. I promised to remain faithful to her forever and now this.

I have broken the vow once again. I have broken the promise I made to her. The first was never to go back into the Mafia business and I have been doing that successfully. Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. The second promise I made after she died was for m to remain faithful to her even in death.

Helena won’t be happy with me. She would be sad. And angry.

I betrayed her once. I have betrayed her again and it hurts like shit.

am doing this for Mother. If I had another alternative to please her, I would have done that without getting married. Mother isn’t the only one who was extremely happy about the wedding. Father was all smiling too and it made me smile t see them happy, even though deep down, I am feeling nothing but emptiness and guilt.

The memories are back now and I doubt if I can get some sleep tonight.

After the church wedding, there was a reception in Father’s mansion. I didn’t want to have a reception but Mother insiste on having it in the house. I had no choice but to succumb to their wishes.

{find it very hard to pretend and smiling at my bride while we are on the dance floor is hard.

isabella is a beautiful bride and I feel bad for doing this to her. She deserves better.

She deserves a better man who doesn’t have a past that keeps haunting him. She deserves a man who can love and ador her, not someone like me who is using her for my advantage.

She was watching me all through, probably expecting me to smile just like she was doing. No one would have known that she was pretending and this marriage isn’t real.

She asked us to do a quiet wedding but I didn’t want that at first because I needed the news to get to the press and the shareholders of the company. They will accord me respect that way.

A few days into the wedding, I decided to give in to her demands. She ought to have a say in our wedding plans.

This doesn’t need to get to the press. A few of the shareholders and business clients were invited. I was even surprised tc see some people I didn’t invite personally. Mother must have done that. She insisted on having an elaborate wedding bu said a loud “No” to that.

She wants to use that to brag to her numerous social elite friends. When she saw Isabella in person, she wouldn’t stop singing praises of her beauty and all of that was enough to boost about.

I turn off the shower and step out with my towel.

This doesn’t change anything, I say to myself, sitting down on the bed and looking into space.

Getting married shouldn’t change anything at all. Everything is still in place and still the same. I should let go and concentrate on my company’s growth and then Isabella will start with the day counting.

After a year, she would be gone from here.

If Mother and Father weren’t too excited about the wedding and the fact that I know they would want to be witnesses for the knot tying, I would have suggested to Isabella for us to have a fake wedding instead. That way, the guilt won’t be this intense.

with my type of mother, I know it is impossible. She has her eyes around and is everywhere to know if everything is set fc the wedding.

A knock on the door jerks me out of my reverie and I look up.

“Come in’, I stand up and walk to the closet so I can quickly grab a shirt to put over my head.

The door opens immediately and someone comes in. My back is to the door as I find a t-shirt and wear it over my head before grabbing a knicker.

“Erhmmm. I… am sorry… I hear Isabella stammer and I turn back to face her, fully clothed now. She examines me before saying, fully composed. “’m sorry to disturb you. I just want to know which room is mine. None of the maids are around t show me which room it is.”

“Find the head maid, she must be somewhere around”, I mutter, waving her away.

She stands still, without moving. “No one is around.”

“Then find one room to lodge in for the night’, 1 say with irritation. This shouldn’t be a problem. There are 13 rooms in thi house and 10 rooms are empty at the moment. There is also a penthouse underground.

“I tried”, she says, looking scared, probably because of my raised voice. She is still dressed in the reception wedding dres; itis a blue embroidered gown that sticks firmly to her petite body. “All the rooms are locked, except for the maid’s room” “All rooms are locked?” I furrow my brows and she nods.

Paulina is the head maid and she is in charge of the affairs of the house. She must be the reason for the locked up room. I sigh and stride past her. “Follow me.”

It was stated in the contract that we won’t share a bed or a room so a room has already been prepared before her arrival. I walk out of the door, taking long strides towards the staircase. I get to the last staircase and jump down, looking around for the sight of someone.

No one is in sight and my curiosity intensifies. What the hell is happening? Where is everyone?

I stand in the middle of the big living room with my arms akimbo, turning and thinking of where to find them.

Isabella moves close slowly and this is when I see her luggage is still in the living room.

Before I can ask her anything or think further on where to find everyone, the front door of the living room opens, and her Grandmother bursts into the house, ambling towards us.

Isabella is surprised to see her, so am I. “Mother, what are you doing here?”

Her Grandma doesn’t answer but continues to walk toward her with an angry expression on her face which makes me rais a brow. When she gets to Isabella’s side, her gaze shifts to the luggage beside Isabella.

“Oh, Jayden and I are looking for the maids to take my things up to his room. We have no idea where everyone has gone t she explains, chuckling lightly, to conceal her anxiety.

The door opens again and another person comes in.

Isabella’s eyes fly to the door and she gasps. This is when I recognize who it is.

“Juliet?!”

isabella turns to me with fear evident in her eyes. When she snaps her head towards the approaching Juliet who has a smirk on her face before shifting her gaze to her Grandma who is fuming in anger, her Grandma raises her hand in the air and strikes her hard on the cheeks.

Confusion skates my expression as I look from Grandma to Juliet who has a satisfied look on her face.

“How dare you lie to me!” The old woman growls, tears streaming down her eyes.

Juliet chuckles lightly and this is when I know that Grandma must have been told the truth.

The truth about our marriage.

The truth about how bogus it is.

Isabella’s POV

“Mother?” I gasp as a tear rolls down my eyes when I hoist my head to lock eyes with her blazing red face.

“How dare you lie to me, Bella? How dare you?!” She yells, her hands shaking with tears streaming down her eyes. “Grandma, I hear Jayden call before he steps in beside me. My face stings and I shift my gaze to Juliet.

She has a proud smirk on her face and she winks at me.

Bitch!

“Don’t you dare talk to me, you idiot’, she attacks Jayden too. “How dare you lure her into a deceitful affair such as this? How dare you!” She grabs at his shirt.

“Mother, stop it”, I try to take her hands off him while he is standing calmly as though nothing is happening. “Please stop it”

I succeed in taking her hands off him as she glares at him in anger.

The maids appear from the door which opens right behind Jayden and they all come out, looking from me to the others with curiosity written all over them. It is apparent that all is not well and they want to know what is happening on their boss’s wedding night.

“Where have you been? I have been looking all over for you, what happened, Paulina?” He confronts the eldest woman wi bows slightly.

“We were having a meeting’, she informs him, and Jayden’s brow creases. He must be wondering what type of meeting th were having.

Not wanting to delve into the matter further and to give us privacy to finish up what we have started, he orders with implacable authority. “Get my wife’s things up to my room immediately, she needs to have a change of clothes.’

Paulina is hesitant. “What about the other.”

“Do as I say’, Anger flashes across his expression as he yells at her.

Paulina nods vehemently and she instructs the younger maids to get the luggage before dismissing the others.

I don’t have a lot of clothes so I came with just two bags. The two girls grab the suitcases and they walk upstairs with the Paulina disappears after flashing me a sweet smile and Juliet scoffs.

“I really do not know what is happening here, can someone explain?” Jayden asks with a serious expression on his face, folding his arms around his bosom.

I should have known that Juliet would do this. I am not surprised, I was expecting this already. I know how desperate she can be when she wants something.

I am just glad she didn’t come in while the marriage proceedings were ongoing. That would have ruined everything.

I already had plans to tell Grandma after the marriage but not this soon. I have barely ticked out the first day out of the 3 days I am supposed to spend with Jayden.

Despite knowing what Juliet is capable of, I still feel hurt and betrayed. I trusted her. I loved her. I sacrificed a lot for her. Working with Jayden comes with a satisfactory salary but how can I live a good life when I have a good heart and I am toc selfless? Now I see the reason why Juliet scolds me for being selfless. Now I see why it is too bad to be too selfless.

Apart from taking care of the bills and Grandma’s health, Juliet had always been my responsibility ever since I began working for Jayden. It has been over a year already since I started working there but I have no savings at all

Juliet relies on me. I help her with the groceries and even take her out shopping most times. Even if she didn’t make me feel that I needed to do this for her, I would have done it. Some sentences are incomplete if you are not reading this nove on FindNovel.net. Visit FindNovel.net to read the complete chapters for free. But Juliet felt entitled to my salary because she claimed to step down for me. We both went for the interview and a day before I got the job, she told me she was going to step down for me so 1 could get the job.

That was before she got to know that Jayden is the boss. After she got to know he was the boss and her crush, she regrett her actions and always said it to my face.

it always makes me feel bad and I feel responsible for her situation. I know the major reason why she backed out was thz she wasn’t confident enough to get the job. She is a school dropout.

“What happened is that Grandma now knows the truth about this facade, Juliet answers on her behalf, walking closer an demonstrating with her hands. “I really do not like it when you keep old women in the dark about something as huge as this so I decided to tell her on Isabella’s behalf. I know Isabella doesn’t have the guts to do that’, she flashes me a wickec smile.

“What?!” Jayden and I both exclaim, feigning ignorance.

“What do you mean by facade?” Jayden dips his hands into his pocket and face her squarely.

I turn to Grandma. “What the hell did she tell you?”

“Stop pretending’, Grandma grits her teeth in anger and wipes her tears which gets my heart breaking into pieces.

“You shouldn’t believe any single word this woman here feeds you with’, Jayden says to Grandma. “Isabella and I are truly married and we swore before man and God…”

“To be married for a year’, Juliet cuts his short again. “Without having sex.”

“What?!” I exclaim, looking surprised.

“Is that what you told her?” Jayden questions, taking slow, threatening steps toward Juliet who suddenly looks scared anc steps back. “Why then didn’t you tell her what you did? Why didn’t you tell her how you came into my office and asked m to marry you instead of Isabella? You forgot to include that in your lie?”

“What? I didn’t do that’, she mutters firmly. “Don’t you dare lie about me?”

“Lie? Why did you lie to her then?” He points to Grandma, halting in his steps.

“I didn’t lie to her, I only told her the truth”, she moves away from his presence and rushes over to Grandma.

“Let’s go’, she touches her.

“Let go of me’, Grandma shouts at her, wriggling herself from Juliet’s hold. She glares at her before throwing me another scowl. “Birds of the same feather.”

With that said, Grandma twirls back and begins to walk to the door. Juliet runs after her and I let out a deep sigh, chiding myself not to cry.

I feel a hand around my shoulder and I jerk my head up to see that it is Jayden’s. He is looking towards the front door which Grandma and Juliet took.

“Don’t be sad”, he murmurs. “I guess you will have to spend the night in my room then. I won’t be surprised if my mother also shows up to come and see if this is real”

Without waiting for a response from me, he drops his hand and saunters to the staircase, his gait unchanged. He doesn’t look bothered by anything and I wish I am this carefree.

How the hell can I spend the night in his room on our wedding night when it isn’t supposed to be so? It was clearly statec in the contract that we will have our separate rooms and we won’t be allowed to invade each other’s privacy.

Should 1 just go find Paulina to show me to my real room and help me with my bags again?

I doubt if I can be comfortable sleeping in the same room with him. The thought of this happening never crossed my min and 1 didn’t see any reason to bother about it.

I am a deep and funny sleeper. I will be so ashamed of myself if I do something funny before tomorrow morning. This is t reason why I shouldn’t spend the night there.

I look around but no one is in sight. I haven’t been given a tour of the house and I don’t know anywhere except for Jayder room and that is because I saw him go upstairs earlier when we arrived from his parent’s mansion.

How can I find Paulina or any of the maids? Should I just go and sleep in Jayden’s room for tonight and then tomorrow, I will have my things moved to the other room?

I am pretty exhausted already from the day’s events and I crave a comfy bed that will make me forget my sorrows or probably pretend as if they are nonexistent.

I am supposed to be happy tonight, not because it is my wedding night and I am a bride that ought to consummate her wedding but because this is a new chapter of my life and a new beginning to great things but my mood has been dampened by the appearance of Juliet.

I am supposed to go shopping with Jayden’s Assistant tomorrow just like he has planned for me and I am supposed to go home afterward and help Grandma pack her things.

jayden got a new house for Grandma with maids who will help her with the domestic chores and also keep her company since I am not moving in with her.

Now the plan will change. I need to go see Grandma first thing tomorrow. She didn’t want to leave our house until the wedding was over and now that it is done, I doubt if she will want to move tomorrow.

My head begins to ache from a lot of thinking and I shake my head, my tear-stained face already dry and I make a resolve not to let anything bother me anymore tonight.

Tomorrow is another day.

I want tonight to be special. I am in a new home. I want to have a dreamless sleep tonight, not those sleep with dreams o how the landlady comes knocking on our door for us to pay the house rents.

I take a step forward and another until 1 am on the staircase on my way to Jayden’s room.

Tonight should be different. Devoid of any forms of sorrow or sadness.

Why?

Because it is my wedding night.

Jayden’s POV

Helena looks beautiful now more than ever. There is a smile on her face which adds to the brightness of her face.

She wasn’t this beautiful when she was alive. Do the dead look more beautiful than when they were alive?

I find myself smiling as she inches her face closer to me, and my gaze settles on her soft pink lips.

My eyes close on its own accord as I lean forward for a kiss. Just then, I hear a loud sound and my eyes flicker open. “Ouch!” Someone screams and a loud thud on the floor follows.

I sit up in bed, looking confused for a while and wondering what has happened and where I am.

Then I remembered.

I am not the only one sleeping on the bed. I am married now. Not to Helena but someone else.

someone else is Isabella, my secretary.

The same person who just fell off the bed. Probably because I was leaning in for a kiss, thinking she is Helena, my dead e fiancee.

I scramble out of bed immediately, running over to the other side to help her up.

The pillow was separating us. How the hell did she get close to me? I thought we already set the boundaries since she came into my room last night to spend the night.

I wouldn’t be doing this if I wasn’t too agitated by the thought of my mother’s presence. I know what she can do and any slight mistake from any of us can bring suspicion about this marriage.

I help Isabella up as she rubs her foot, wincing in pain. Feeling embarrassed after helping her back onto the bed, I scratct my head nervously, looking for what excuse to give.

It was obvious she was deep asleep while I was dreaming of something impossible.

The moment Isabella’s back touched the bed after she came in last night, she fell into a deep slumber which indicates he deep of a sleeper she is.

What was I thinking? I am not the type to have dreams like this. Why does it have to be on a night like this?

“What happened?” she asks softly, confusion skating her expression as she glances around, probably looking for what pushed her off the bed.

with my arms akimbo, I keep a straight face, feigning anger. “Why the hell is wrong with you?”

She snaps her head towards me immediately, her confusion intensifying. “Di…d……do..something wrong?” She stammers, fear, and embarrassment replacing her countenance.

Pointing to the bed, I grit my teeth. “How can a King’s size bed not contain us both? Where is the pillow we used for the demarcation?”

She shivers and turns around, looking for the so-called pillow. I really do not know if she was the one who disposed of them or me. The pillows are right on the floor on the other side of the bed. I saw them before running over to this place and I have a feeling I am responsible.

What baffles me is the fact that I don’t usually do this and I am a light sleeper. How the hell did I do all of these without knowing?

“’m…50..50r1y’”, she bites her lips when she limps to the other side to see the three pillows we arranged in the middle of the bed to grant each other space before sleeping off, on the floor.

“I shouldn’t have slept here. I know I am a deep sleeper and…” she pauses.

My anger dissolves immediately and guilt sets in.

“Its fine. I will sleep on the couch. You can go back to your room tomorrow’, I dismiss the issue and walk past her to grab the pillows.

I throw two of the pillows on the bed and go to the L-shaped sofa which isn’t too far away from the bed. I have never trie sleeping on this sofa and I hope to catch some sleep.

itis just 3 am and I didn’t sleep until it was 1am after tossing and turning in bed, thinking about everything and the work have to deal with at work today.

isabella didn’t toss or turn at all till I fell asleep. I feel bad for making her feel responsible for falling off the bed.

She needs to go back to her room tomorrow night. I also need to address the maids. I already told Paulina and I wonder i she had told the others. I didn’t ask her to, so I doubt it.

I will do that tomorrow before Isabella moves, but not until after I have warned them never to let this known to the outs world.

This secret should remain here. For one year.

I flop to the sofa, dropping the pillow. I turn to see Isabella still standing and biting her lower lip.

Is this what she does whenever she is nervous? I have never seen her bite her lips this way since she started working as r secretary.

Today, being together as a couple and not as a worker, I have seen her bite her lips countless times.

“Aren’t you going to go to bed?” I question harshly.

“No, she shakes her here. “I should take the sofa instead.”

“What?!” I exclaim in disbelief.

“I feel responsible for interrupting your sleep. I don’t want to do that any further. You should take the bed, I have no issu sleeping on the sofa.”

“No. Go to bed!” I dismiss her and lay down on the sofa with my head propped on the pillow.

The sofa seems too small for me so I adjust. I turn again, trying to find a proper sleeping posture when I see Isabella from my peripheral view, still standing with the hope that I will allow her to sleep here while I sleep soundly on the bed.

I might be hard-hearted but not ruthless.

The fact remains that she is my wife and my responsibility. I will make sure to stick to all my promises to her unless she doesn’t stick to them herself.

itis inappropriate for her to sleep here while I enjoy sleeping on the massive bed.

I would rather endure the pain of this overnight. By tomorrow, everything will be resolved and we don’t have to share a b or a room anymore.

Not telling her to go to bed again, find the right posture as I lay on my right side, my back to her and I close my eyes.

I have done what any gentleman would have done. It is left to her to take advantage of the situation and enjoy her sleep on her wedding night.

With her thought in mind and the curiosity of knowing whether she has gone back to bed or not, I did not know when sle eludes me.