5

Isaac didn’t move at first. He just stood there, silent and still, staring between Isabel and the man on the ground, whose nose was bleeding and face twisted in pain.

She regretted saying it the second it left her mouth, but it was too late. Ark was her boyfriend until recently, she had called things off with him, he was supposed to be a distraction but he was just another burden she had to bear other than her brother and she'd avoided him ever since the break up over the phone, she had no idea how he got here asking her why she would break up with him.

Isaac had no emotion on his face, just this cold, weird calm that made her stomach twist. Then, without a word, he stepped forward and grabbed her by the wrist.

“Wait,” she breathed. “Mr. Dun...”

He didn’t answer. He opened the car door, practically shoving her inside, and followed behind her as the door slammed shut.

“Drive,” he told the driver, eyes forward.

Isabel sat still, her wrist still felt the weight of his fingers. She tried to look at him, but he didn’t so much as glance her way.

She cleared her throat. “I can explain.”

“Start talking.”

His voice wasn’t loud. It was quiet, even but it cut right through her. She looked down at her lap, then back up at him.

“It’s complicated, he’s not really… I mean, he used to be someone in my life. I shouldn’t have said what I said back there. He’s not important.”

Isaac finally turned to her, and the look on his face wasn’t anger, it was disgust.

“You think someone like that won’t interfere? You think that’s a risk I can afford to ignore?”

“He’s not going to be around. He won’t be part of anything.”

He shook his head once, slow and final. “It doesn’t work like that. This was supposed to be clean, simple, no ties and no baggage and now you’ve shown me exactly why this was a mistake, I'm not going to take a risk with a woman who has someone that can show up and pin her to a wall when she's carrying what belongs to me.”

“No,” she shook her head fast, “please don’t say that. I didn’t know he’d show up, I didn’t even know he was in town. It wasn’t supposed to happen like that you have to believe me.”

“I don’t have to do anything,” he said, looking out the window again, “the deal is off.”

The words hit her like a slap.

Her heart dropped. “You don’t mean that. Mr. Dun, you can’t just...”

“The money I left you this morning should be enough, consider it compensation for your time.”

She sat there, stunned. “You said...you said this was a business arrangement.”

“It was and it just ended.”

“You don’t even want to hear the truth?”

“No. I don’t.” He looked back at her now, his eyes colder than she’d ever seen them. “I don’t do second chances, not with anyone.”

The car rolled to a stop.

“Get out.”

Her hand was trembling. “Please. You don’t understand...”

“I understand enough. We’re done.”

She was doomed, this had been her last chance. The agency had told her if she ruined her chances, they wouldn't take her again.

She didn’t move at first, her feet wouldn’t work. Then, slowly, she reached for the handle and stepped out. The door closed behind her, and the car pulled away like none of it had happened.

He didn’t look back.

*

She didn’t remember how she got home. When she walked into the apartment, Daniel was asleep on the couch, old reruns playing softly in the background.

She went into the bathroom, closed the door, and sank to the floor.

That’s when she cried. Not little sobs, real ones. She cried for herself, for Daniel, for how close she’d come to saving him and how fast it had all slipped away.

*

Two weeks passed like a blur. She worked every shift she could get, barely slept, barely ate. Her phone stayed on silent, every time Daniel asked if she was okay, she smiled and said she was tired.

She couldn’t tell him the truth. That she’d lost the only chance she had at fixing everything.

Until that night.

She was in the kitchen, reheating leftovers, when the front door slammed open.

Three men rushed inside like a wave, one grabbed her by the arm while the others dragged Daniel up from the couch. He fought them off, shouting her name, but they were stronger. She screamed, fought, begged.

“Don’t take him! Please...please don’t...”

One of them shoved her so hard she hit the wall, her head spinning.

“Daniel!” she cried out, crawling forward, hands shaking. “No! Let him go...let him go!”

The last thing she saw was Daniel being pulled out the door, screaming her name as she tried to crawl after him and then nothing.

Everything went black.

*

She woke up to a soft beeping noise and something cool brushing against her forehead. When her eyes fluttered open, the light above her was soft and white, the room was definitely unfamiliar.

“Hey,” a voice said quietly. “Hey, Isabel, you’re okay.”

She turned her head slowly. Mercy was sitting beside the hospital bed, her usually perfect curls tied up in a loose bun, her eyeliner smudged. She looked like she hadn’t slept, but her hand was warm and steady as it squeezed Isabel’s.

“You passed out,” she whispered. “They brought you in. I came as soon as I got the call.”

Isabel’s lips were dry. “Daniel…”

“They took him,” Mercy said gently. “But we’ll get him back. I swear, Isa. I’m not letting you go through this alone.”

The door opened a few moments later, and a doctor stepped in. He looked young, calm, and kind in a practiced way, like he dealt with chaos every day.

“You’re awake,” he said, checking her chart. “That’s good, you gave everyone a bit of a scare.”

Isabel tried to sit up, wincing.

“You need to rest,” he added. “Your body’s exhausted, dehydrated and overworked, you’ve been pushing too hard.”

“I had to,” she whispered.

The doctor gave her a careful look before closing the chart.

“You don’t have to explain,” he said, “but you do need to take care of yourself now, especially with your condition.”

She blinked, “condition?”

He nodded.

“You’re pregnant.”