ANMELDENI turned to Richard with my eyes wide. “Mo–” I pinched the bridge of my nose. “Money laundering?"Richard held the file out to me. I stared at it like it had teeth and was going to bite me before I took it. I opened it, and my jaw was clenched as I went through the file. He was indeed involved in money laundering. Did I even know the man I call my father? Do I know what he was capable of?“This isn't it,” I said as I dropped the file as if it disgusted me, because it fucking did.“What else could be more shady than that?” Richard asked, his face dark, as if he was just understanding the gravity of what we were doing. I turned to the remaining space that we haven't searched. “That’s what we’re about to find out.”And I was dreading whatever it was that we were going to find, because I was finding out that I didn't know my father. That the man I'd lived under the same roof with all my life was a stranger who would get himself involved in shady things. It made my stomach turn. I looke
It’s been three days, and I have nothing. Three days… “And I have nothing!” I shouted up at the sky, and the gardener tending the flowers beside me gave me a look I totally ignored. I bite aggressively into a strawberry, the juice spilling down my jaw. I wiped that aggressively, too.I was running out of hope, options, and patience here. I was a heartbeat away from just storming into that office and screaming in his face until he told me what he knew. That would be torture enough, right?My phone rang, and I picked it up without checking the caller’s ID.“Isabella.”My heart skipped a beat, and I sat up as if he could see me. I couldn't say anything and just kept the phone pressed to my ear. “Are you there?”I cleared my throat. “What do you want?”He was silent for a heartbeat. “No hello?”I frowned at the phone as if he could see me. “And why will I say that?”“Because it’s just common courtesy?”“We’re passed that, Alexander.”He was silent for a few seconds. Then, “True.”“So w
“Isabella!” I went still when I heard his voice calling my name, my heart racing when I heard it so close to me. My back was facing him, and when I heard his footsteps growing closer to me, the first thought I had was to run, but my feet remained planted on the floor. “Isabella,” he whispered, and he stopped walking, standing barely three feet away from me. “It’s really true.”He was here. He was close, and I didn't know what to do or what to say. After the divorce, I didn't allow myself to think about what would happen if I came across him, because I planned on avoiding him, avoiding these feelings that’re making my throat tight. I wasn't ready to face him yet. Don't think I’ll ever be. “Will you look at me?” he pleaded, his voice so tight, it was like an arrow through my heart. “Please?”My body moved without my permission, and I turned towards him, very slowly, my heart racing so fast that I feared it might stop. When I was standing face to face with him, I could do nothing but
Even though I saw Leonardo’s hand move to grab me, I was still smiling because I finally got the reaction I was aiming for, and I also learned something new about him: he cared about Alexander. A whole deal. But that doesn't change anything, and it surely doesn't lessen the hatred I felt for both of them. They should deal with their problems.Before Leonardo’s hand touched me, Alexander’s hand shot out from behind me and caught his. Leonardo’s eyes snapped to him, the anger in them growing. “I told you I would cut off those hands if they ever touched her again,” he snarled, his voice a deep growl. “Watch yourself, father.”Leonardo forcefully tugged his hand out of his hold, those angry eyes moving to me. “What’s the name of this club?”“Like I already told Alexander, I. Don’t. Know.”“So what do you know then? Huh?”“What I already told both of you. Goodbye.”“Isabella, wait!” I held back my flinch when I felt Alexander’s hand on mine, the touch burning. I turned to him with a scowl
ISABELLAWhen I finally gathered the courage to come to this office, I told myself I wouldn't spend more than five minutes. That I would just tell Alexander what I knew, and I would be on my way, letting him figure out the rest. I didn't plan on seeing the pain and joy in his eyes when he saw me. I mean, why was that look there? He was the one who sent me away, after all. And he wasn't nice with it either.And then Leonardo? Yeah, it never even crossed my mind that I would be seeing him here. He barely left the house, and yet here he was, staring at me with his eyes hard.“What the fuck are you doing here?”Alexander was easy to deal with. At least he was sorry about what he did and felt remorse, so he wouldn't try to do anything that might displease me. But Leonardo? He didn't give a fuck. He didn't feel anything at all, so I knew he wouldn't hold back. I wasn't in for that today. My sisters just helped me come out of a dark place: they won't be there to perform that magic again.So
ALEXANDERI was in a meeting, bored out of my damn mind, and just waiting for them to discuss their boring numbers so I could return to my paperwork when Sebastian received a call. He excused himself and left the room. When he came back barely a minute later, he looked tense. My eyes followed him as he walked to me, leaning in and whispering in my ear, “Your wife is here.”My eyes widened. “What?”“The front desk just called,” he said, his expression unpleasant. “Said she’s waiting in the lobby.”I was immediately on my feet, and the man presenting at the end of the table stopped, all of them turning to me. “Carry on without me,” I said, already moving. “Sebastian will take my place.”I left the room without waiting for anybody to hear anything, rushing to the lobby, not caring that my employees were looking at me like I had grown a second head. I could only imagine how I looked: my eyes wide with shock, my steps hurried and not the usual slow, controlled strides they were used to.







