INICIAR SESIÓNNOAHOnce she does that eye roll thing, I know for a fact that she's come to peace with everything in her heart. I find it surprising that the truth just sprung up like this. I mean, Greta must have been in a really bad place for her to just open up and spill the truth like that when she knew she had a chance of losing Isabella for a lifetime.My girl, is a really strong girl. She's... the definition of strong and perseverance. I didn't think she'd have the survival instinct in her at first but she's proven herself to be strong.I love her so much. She deserves more of my love and everything she can get. She deserves the world. And while I'll always fault, it's a miracle that she keeps taking me back every damn time.I just hope she works this thing out with her family. I don't support Greta's actions. It just came as a shock to hear of them. I do know how Isabella loves her parents. And I know that hating on them will only keep her from being happy."What do you think about planning
ISABELLA I nod. It's subtle but he's Noah. I'm sure he can catch the faintest of nods when I'm the one nodding. Well, things happen. If I do tell him, I'm sure he'd tell me to do what I want to do. Shut everybody out."If you don't feel talking..." he starts."I want to. I just don't know how to start." I say truthfully.He eyes me, then nods. "Let's start with this. I dropped by the hospital earlier to check on you and give your mom some fruits." I don't tear my gaze away from him. Does he know? Did she tell him anything when he got there? I hope she didn't. I want Noah to hear this from me. "I was with her." He nods. "Your mom?"I don't nod. I just focus on the road ahead and think of the next words. "We talked about you and then she started talking about dad. She seemed mad that he didn't come to see her at the hospital. I tried to tell her that even though he didn't come..." My voice trails off."That he loved her?" Noah continues."Yeah. That. I thought we'd bond. I told you
ISABELLA"I'll understand if you need time.""Time? You're fucking kidding me. I want space. I want a year from you people."The silence that follows is unbearable. I can hear everything... my breathing, his uneven exhales.“I’m sorry.”It’s quiet. So quiet I almost miss it. I frown. “What?”“I said… I’m sorry.” His voice cracks this time, and that’s new. That’s never happened before. “Not just for this. Not just for what you found out today. For everything.”I swallow hard, but I don’t say anything. Because if I do, I might fall apart.“I should’ve told you,” he continues, stepping forward slowly. “I should’ve been honest with you from the beginning. You deserved that. You deserved the truth about your mother… about who you are.”A tear slips down his face, and it does something to me.“I thought I was protecting you,” he says. “But I see it now. I wasn’t protecting you. I was scared,” he admits. “After that night… everything changed. I wasn’t the same man anymore, Isabella. I made c
ISABELLA The way I make my way back to the house is a miracle. I walk, taking slow steps while I try to assimilate. Was she right? Or was she lying to me? She's the woman I know. I don't know anybody else. I don't have a dead mother.I'm walking to the one person who can give me answers. I'm not crying though. I think that it'd be too dramatic to cry. Not until I understand everything."Dad?"No response. I step further inside, shutting the door behind me. I glance around, but now, I'm staring at everywhere different? The couch. Did Dana ever sit there?“Dad!” I call again, louder this time.A sound comes from the stairs. And then he appears. He looks tired. More than tired... wrecked. His shirt is wrinkled, sleeves rolled up unevenly, like he’s been running his hands through his hair over and over again.“Isabella…” he breathes. “You’re back. I was just about to...”“Don’t. When I left... you didn't look like that. Tell me, js she lying?” I ask.Straight to it. No warning. His face
ISABELLA"No," I say immediately, but it comes out thin and I almost do not recognize my voice. I've been loud and dramatic but this is me being a helluva confused. "No, that's not... you're not making any sense." I say, because she isn't. "You're my mom. You raised me. You.. you.. "“I raised you,” she says carefully. “Yes.”Something inside me twists. “No,” I shake my head, stepping back. “No, don’t do that. Don’t start choosing your words now like... like that means something different.”“It does mean something different.”My pulse pounds in my ears. “Then say it,” I demand. “Say what you’re trying to say.”She inhales shakily. “The woman who gave birth to you…” she starts, then falters. "was Dana Adams."My knees almost give out, and I grab the edge of the hospital bed to steady myself. "No." I shake my head, once, twice, harder the third time. “No, that’s not funny. Don’t... don’t do that.”“I raised you,” she says quietly. “I held you when you cried. I fed you, clothed you, wat
ISABELLA "So he outed his Dad to the bad people?" "The cops." I correct her."For what reason?" She is confused. Yeah, she's definitely confused. I mean, she has that scrunch on her face. I don't want to make her think about this too much. I didn't even want to tell her anything about it. If she hadn't pressed, I wouldn't have divulged a word."I think his Dad must have done some pretty personal things for him to have swung on him like that. How lucky your father and I are..." Her voice trails off at that word.Wow. Just wow. My eyes widen and I press my lips shut. This is the first time she's mentioning him since she got in the hospital last week. "Don't say anything. I know what you want to say. I don't want to hear it." She holds a hand up."I wasn't gonna say anything, mom." I'm smiling now, though it's a sad smile. "You okay?" She rolls her eyes. "He didn't come to see me." She mutters."He did call." I offer. "Like that would make it better." "No, I know it doesn't but...
ISABELLAI don't even get through the first two minutes of reacquainting myself with the Midnight Rose before the rhythmic thud-thud-thud hits my bedroom door."Bella! Open up! We know you’re in there!" Chloe’s voice muffles through the wood. followed by Tina’s impatient: "Unless you’re doing somet
NOAH"Do you have another option?" Yes. A thousand options. All of them involve not walking into Kol's house like some desperate charity case."Are you high?" I stare at Hardin like he’s grown a second head. "Am I?""Go to Kol? Kol. The man who couldn't stand the sight of me growing up? The one
NOAHI wish I can wipe this entire morning off me with just dragging my hand down my face and letting out a sharp breath. "Drop it, Hardin."Yeah. I've already lost a footing my Mason divulging some of the things I'd never had said to Hardin. I don't intend to lose the remaining of my dignity."Do
NOAHTwo days. That's how long I've been here. I wouldn't call it exactly two full days as I occasionally leave with Giovanni to his place at noon but still... For one, I'm glad Isabella is safe and not here where Mason can get his filthy men watching her. He doesn't know I'm here. I know he's lit







