Chapter 2

Her body moved before her mind could stop it.

Slowly… carefully… Isabella placed her foot on the first step.

Then the next.and so on. 

Each step felt heavier than the last, her fingers gripping the railing as her breathing grew shallow.

The voices became clearer.

Noval’s voice came first, soft and almost playful.

“…I told you not to worry so much.”

A faint sound followed—A laugh.

Intimate.Too intimate

Isabella’s heart began to pound violently.

She climbed higher. this time closer to the door.

Then Jackson spoke.

“I just don’t want her to find out too soon.”

Isabella’s world tilted. Her fingers tightened around the railing, her body beginning to shake.

With shaking hands, she slowly reached for her phone.

Her fingers nearly slipped as she unlocked it.

Then—She pressed record.

Novia chuckled softly.

“She won’t,” she said confidently. “We’ve been giving her the birth control pills for years, and she still hasn’t suspected a thing.”

Followed by the unmistakable sound of… kissing.

Isabella’s breath caught in her throat. Her vision blurred instantly.

Jackson exhaled, almost relieved.

“Good,” he said. “I can’t keep pretending forever. I just can’t stand her” 

Noval’s voice softened, almost affectionate.

“You won’t have to,” she whispered. “Once you divorce her… we can finally be together.”

Jackson’s voice again.

“I will divorce her,” he said. “And when I do… I’m going to marry you.”

Isabella felt something inside her shatter completely. Her hand flew to her mouth to stop a sob from escaping.

Noval let out a satisfied laugh.

“I knew you would,” she said. “And don’t worry… I’ll give you the child you’ve always wanted.”

A pause.

Then colder

“The one she could never give you.”

Tears streamed down Isabella’s face silently.

Her body trembled uncontrollably, her legs almost giving out beneath her.

Her husband and her sister.

Together destroying her.

Her breathing became uneven, her chest tightening as tears blurred her vision completely.

She couldn’t bear to hear more hurtful words 

Slowly… carefully… she stepped back.

One step.

Then another.

Her body was weak, her heart shattered.

she turned—And ran.

Out of Noval’s house, Isabella stumbled into the night like someone who had just lost her soul. Her vision blurred with tears as she raised her trembling hand and flagged down a taxi.

The car came to a stop. She opened the door quickly and slipped into the back seat.

“Take me to Jackson’s residence,” she said, her voice barely steady.

The driver nodded and drove off

Silence filled the car. But inside her, It was chaos.

Isabella pressed her hand tightly against her chest, as though trying to hold her heart together before it completely shattered.

Every word she had heard replayed in her mind.

We’ve been giving her birth control pills…

I’ll divorce her…

I’m going to marry you…

Her breathing became uneven.

Tears slid endlessly down her cheeks, but she wiped them away quickly, biting her lip to keep herself from breaking down completely.

She couldn’t.

Not yet.

Minutes later, the car pulled into the grand driveway of Jackson’s mansion. The moment the car stopped, the gates opened immediately at the sight of her.

“Madam—are you alright?” one of the staff called out in concern.

But Isabella didn’t respond. She ran up the stairs straight into her room. slammed the door shut behind her.

The sound echoed loudly through the silence for a moment, she just stood there.

Still.

Empty.

Then slowly—Her legs gave way.

She just wanted to sleep. Pretending that this was a dream 

With trembling hands, she reached for the drawer beside her bed and pulled it open.

Inside were her sleeping pills. A habit she had formed over time. On nights when Jackson stayed distant, Cold, Unloving.

On nights when silence filled the space between them. She would take one… just to escape.

But tonight One wasn’t enough.Her fingers shook as she picked up the bottle and poured the pills into her palm.

One.

Two.

Three.

She stared at them for a second. Then she swallowed them all.

Without hesitation.

Without thinking.

She lay on the floor, her body heavy, her eyes slowly closing.

Tears slipped down the sides of her face into the pillow beneath her.

Everything was fading slowly

***

The next morning

Isabelle woke up to chaos. Her phone vibrated nonstop on the bedside table, the sound sharp and relentless, as if it were about to explode.

Buzz. Buzz. Buzz.

Messages. Notifications. Alerts.

Endless.

With a slight frown, she reached for it, her head still heavy from exhaustion.

The moment she unlocked the screen, her breath caught.

Videos.

Headlines.

Comments.

**Everywhere.**

> *“issabelle Jackson Humiliated at Anniversary!”*

> *“Husband Absent—Marriage Trouble?”*

> *“Four Years, No Child—Is This the End?”*

Clips of the previous night flooded her screen.

There she was—sitting alone in the grand hall.

The entire world had watched her humiliation.

Her fingers trembled slightly as she scrolled through the comments.

**Barren.**

**I think he is tired of her 

** Jackson is popular of course he can get himself any woman he wants 

**He deserves better.**

Her chest tightened painfully. But she said nothing. Slowly, she got up from the floor, took her bath and walked downstairs.

The house was quiet.

The maids greeted her respectfully.

“Good morning, ma.”

Isabelle nodded faintly, her voice low.

“Did… My husband came home last night?”

“Yes, ma,” one of them replied. “But he left very early this morning.”

Something in her chest sank.

Then she saw it. An envelope.

Placed neatly on the table. Waiting for her.

Her steps slowed as she walked toward it. Something felt wrong. Very wrong.

With slightly shaking hands, she picked it up and opened it.

Her eyes scanned the document. Then she froze.

**Divorce papers.**

Already signed.

By her husband.

For a moment everything went silent.

Her fingers tightened around the paper as her vision blurred.

Four years of love.

Four years of patience.

Four years of trying to be enough.

All reduced to a signature.

Just like that.

Outside, the world was tearing her apart.

Inside, her marriage had already ended.

Tears slipped down her cheeks silently.

She folded the papers carefully and walked back upstairs.

She washed her face.

Composed herself.

And waited.

~~~~~~~

By afternoon—

The door opened. Noval walked in. Concern written all over her face. Or at least—Pretending to be.

“I saw the video online,” Novia said softly, rushing toward her. “Isabelle, what happened? Why would Jackson treat you like that?”

                    

Isabelle looked at her.

Calm.

Quiet.

“I don’t know…” she replied, her voice trembling slightly. “He even left divorce papers.”

Tears gathered in her eyes again.

Noval frowned, shaking her head.

“I told you before,” she said gently. “He’s not a good man. He doesn’t deserve you.”

Isabelle stared at her. Silently. Pretending to look stupid, waiting patiently for her husband to come. 

Then—The door opened again.

Jackson walked in.

Calm. Cold. Unbothered.

The man she called her husband.                      

Noval immediately turned, her expression changing.

“You’re unbelievable!” she snapped. “How could you treat my sister like this? You’re heartless!”

Her voice rose, perfectly emotional. Perfectly convincing.

“Enough.”

Isabelle's voice cut through the room.

Cold, Sharp, Unfamiliar.