Chapter 5: Come And See Your Wife

After days of being locked in the basement with barely enough food, the door finally opened. The sudden creak made Isabella lift her head. For a moment, the light hurt her eyes. She blinked slowly, trying to adjust, and then she saw him.

Andrew stood at the doorway, his figure blocking most of the light. His expression was cold and unreadable.“Come out,” Andrew said flatly. “Go to your room and dress up. You’ll be leaving soon.”

Isabella slowly pushed herself up as her legs trembled from weakness. As she stood, her vision blurred. For a second, she almost collapsed back to the ground, but she quickly reached for the wall, steadying herself with shaking hands.

Andrew’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Stop putting on an act and be quick,” he snapped, already turning away. He didn’t wait for her response as he simply left, the door wide open behind him.

Isabella stayed still for a moment, a single tear slipped down her cheek, but she didn’t wipe it away.

Over the past few days, she had stopped resisting. At first, she cried, shouted, and begged. But it changed nothing. No one listened. No one cared. Whether she accepted it or not, they would still force her into whatever they had planned. Using the wall for support, she slowly walked out of the basement.

As she entered into her room, she saw a neatly folded dress on the mattress. it was a flowery red dress and beside it,there was a small velvet ring box. Isabella stared at them for a long time. she had guessed it was for her to put on. Without much thought, she picked up the dress and changed into it.

The fabric was soft against her skin, almost too soft, like it didn’t belong to someone in her condition. The red color stood out sharply against her pale complexion, making her look fragile. Then her eyes fell on the ring box. She hesitated before picking it up. Her fingers felt weak as she opened it.

Inside was a stunning ring. It was made of white gold, smooth and polished, reflecting the light in soft flashes. At its center sat a large oval-shaped diamond, clear and brilliant, catching even the smallest movement of light. Around the main stone were smaller diamonds, carefully arranged in a delicate pattern, making the entire ring shine even more. It was too beautiful. Isabella thought as she stared at it silently. slowly, she slipped the ring onto her finger and it fitted perfectly.

A soft knock came from the door, and before Isabella could respond, it opened and a maid stepped in.

She paused when she saw Isabella already dressed.

“Oh… you’re ready,” the maid said, a hint of surprise in her voice. Her eyes quickly moved over Isabella, lingering on the dress… the ring… her face. she also stared at the ring with an envious gaze which Isabella noticed it, but she didn’t react.

“Yes,” she replied simply.

The maid straightened slightly. “Then let’s go.”

She turned without waiting, clearly expecting Isabella to follow and Isabella did.

Downstairs, everyone was already gathered. Rihanna stood nearby, her face filled with obvious disgust as her eyes landed on Isabella. Stella was there too and the moment their eyes met, jealousy settled in her gaze.

“Follow me,” Andrew said, already turning toward the door. Isabella walked after him quietly. Stella stepped forward, intending to follow too but, Andrew stopped her. she frowned clearly displeased.

Slowly, she turned to Isabella as her lips curled into a small, cold smile.

“Just because you’re getting into an influential family doesn’t mean you’re better than me,” she said, her voice low but filled with bitterness..“You’re still trash,” Stella continued. “That will never change. No matter how much they dress you up, you can never be clean.”

Her words hung in the air as Isabella’s fingers tightened slightly at her sides. Stella let out a soft scoff before turning away and heading back upstairs.

Outside, a sleek black sedan waited in front of the house..A bodyguard stood beside it, dressed in a black suit, his face completely expressionless.Andrew reached for Isabella’s arm, holding her firmly as he guided her toward the car. When they reached the car, the bodyguard immediately stepped forward and opened the back door. sabella lowered herself into the seat carefully.

Andrew leaned slightly toward the door.“Let me speak to my daughter one last time,” he said softly towards the bodyguard. The sudden change in his tone caught Isabella off guard.

He leaned closer, his face near the window. “Know why you’re there,” he said quietly. “Be good and be obedient.” His words were calm, almost gentle but, they carried a clear warning. Andrew straightened and stepped back. Isabella stared at him as the window slowly rolled up. The driver started the engine.

As the car began to move, Isabella kept her eyes on him. He didn’t wave nor look sad. He simply stood there, watching the car leave as if he had just completed a task and nothing more.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

THE CROWNE VAULT. The name was carved boldly above the entrance, glowing faintly under dim lights that never fully went out. It was more than just a club.It was a place where power gathered in silence.

People said it was easy to walk in—but not everyone walked out..Rumors surrounded it like smoke. Some claimed high-ranking politicians visited in secret. Others whispered about underground deals, disappearances, and quiet executions. But one thing was certain—The Crowne Vault belonged to the Crowne family..And the Crowne family was not to be crossed..At first glance, the club looked ordinary.

Music played. Lights flashed. People laughed, drank, and danced. It was the kind of place where strangers could blend in without questions. No one would suspect what lay beneath the surface.

But deeper inside… past the restricted doors… past the guarded hallway that only a few were allowed to enter— There was a room. no one entered without permission. And inside that room sat Tavian Crowne.

The music from the club above barely reached it, and when it did, it sounded distant… almost unreal.

Tavian sat in a large chair, his posture relaxed but commanding. His presence alone filled the room. He picked up a sleek, expensive lighter which was silver, engraved, and polished to perfection. With a small flick, a flame appeared. He brought a cigarette to his lips and lit it, inhaling slowly. Across from him, kneeling on the floor, was a woman. She was shaking terribly and her hands trembled so badly she had to press them together just to keep them still. Her breathing was uneven. Her eyes wide with fear as she looked at the man in front of her. Tavian exhaled a thin stream of smoke.

His gaze settled on her, calm… almost amused. “So,” he said, his voice low and steady, “you planned to kill me.”

The woman flinched. Tavian tilted his head slightly.“And the best idea you could come up with… was poison?”

He let out a soft chuckle. Anyone who knew Tavian would understand that his laughter was never a good sign. It meant something worse was coming. The woman’s fear doubled instantly.

“P-please…” she stammered, clasping her hands together tightly. “I’m sorry. It was a mistake. A terrible mistake. I won’t do it again, I swear." Her voice cracked as she spoke..“I was desperate… I didn’t think it through. Please… forgive me just this once.”

Tavian watched her silently as he took another slow drag from his cigarette, then leaned back slightly, as if considering her words. Smoke filled the air between them. Then he exhaled again. He dropped the half-smoked cigarette into the ashtray beside him. It burned quietly, the tip glowing before fading.

Tavian leaned forward as his hand moved slowly… deliberately… until it reached her neck. His fingers wrapped around it gently. “You should have thought about that sooner,” he said softly.

And before she could react, he snapped her neck and her body went limp instantly, collapsing to the floor like a puppet with its strings cut. His expression didn’t change. If anything, he looked slightly annoyed..He snapped his fingers once and immediately, a bodyguard stepped forward, as if he had been waiting for the signal. In his hands was a bowl filled with water and soap..Tavian dipped his hands into it and began to wash them as though he was removing something unpleasant. After a moment, another guard stepped forward and handed him a clean towel.

Tavian dried his hands, his brows furrowing slightly as his gaze shifted to the lifeless body on the floor.

“Clean this up,” he said.His tone was flat, as if he was talking about something insignificant.

The guards moved immediately. Tavian leaned back into his chair again, adjusting slightly as if settling into comfort. as if on cue, his phone rang. He glanced at the screen. and his expression darkened slightly.

“What does this old man want now…” he muttered under his breath as he answered the call.

“What?”

“Come home,” a voice said from the other end. “Come and see your wife.”

Tavain’s brows drew together immediately. “What wife?” he asked coldly.

A brief pause. “Since you won’t get married, I found one for you,” the voice replied. “So come home.”

Tavain’s eyes hardened.“Like you said,” he said calmly, “you married a wife for yourself, not for me.”

And just like that— He ended the call. He lowered the phone slowly, his expression unreadable.

So the old man had gone this far. Tavian let out a quiet breath, leaning his head back slightly.

All this… just for a grandchild?.His jaw tightened faintly..The thought about marriage alone irritated him.

It all felt unnecessary and he had no interest in it..Even the idea of touching a woman felt like a burden to him, let alone living with one… or worse.

He exhaled slowly. But before his thoughts could go further, the door opened and a group of men walked in..They were well-dressed, composed—but there was a certain tension in the way they carried themselves..Behind them stood Tavain’s guards..The men approached and sat down across from him.

Tavain’s gaze moved across each of them slowly..Then he leaned forward slightly, resting one arm on the armrest of his chair.

“Let’s begin,” he said and the meeting started instantly.