THIRD PERSON’S POVThe Doctor told her he had gotten out of danger, but he was yet to wake up, so all she could do was sit beside his bed, holding his hand and weeping and blaming herself for not thinking this through in the first place. Maybe it was ill-fated, just like her stepmother had said. Perhaps that was why her parents had abandoned her. That could be the reason her best friend was dead, too. Maybe she needed to run away from the world and hide somewhere she wouldn’t be able to cause harm to anyone.“You have to wake up, husband. Please.” She sniffed back a tear. “I can't leave without you too.” Her heart clenched tightly as she sobbed. She had lost everyone. He was her last family. And she doubted that she could survive another loss. It was just too hurtful.Her tears drenched his hand, her face against it. It felt cold, so cold that she feared that he was gone. Hours ticked by, yet nothing happened, and even when the doctor told her to head home and come back the next day,
ISABELLA’S POV“Thank you.” Alaric’s mother said as we sat outside the hospital door. Her hands were firmly on her lap.“What for?” She blinked. “For saving my son, " she finally said after a moment of silence, and I only got more confused.“He saved me,” I explained, and then I watched her slowly raise her head, her eyes tender again.“No, Isabella. You saved him from becoming a shadow of himself by taking him back.” Her voice was barely above a whisper, and next, her palms found mine. “I’m so sorry about how I treated you all those years. I have no excuse for what I did, but I hope you can forgive me.” Her eyes were glistening with tears now.But it was my choice. I was the one to go through the pain and live with it, so I slowly snatched back my hands.“I can't assure you that.” With that, I stood up and returned to Alaric’s side.Henry and he looked up at me. They had stopped talking.“I’m glad you both are okay,” Henry announced with relief. “We have to leave now. We will come b
ALARIC’S POVEver since she hugged me at the hospital, all I have wanted was to feel her again, her naked body against mine. And heaven knows how hard I tried to get past the hospital days and not fuck her brain out right there with my Doctor nearby. That was what her presence did to me. Every single time I saw her, my brain would fry into toast.So the moment we got to her place, I knew I had to make the first step, and that was why I stepped out half naked, demanding soap; then, when I noticed her control wall breaking, I put the last plan in action. Get too close for comfort and seduce her.I knew she couldn't restrict my body.Until she did.She was standing here laughing aloud as she munched on her pizza while watching a movie I couldn't even make out. She hasn't sent me a glance since she handed me the soap and left me in front of her room.What was I doing wrong?I couldn't help but ask myself.Had I become so undesirable? Was her love confession only because of guilt? Or to
ALARIC’S POVIsabella walked out of the kitchen, wiping her hand with a napkin while a smile curled the tips of her lips.“You didn’t tell me you were coming.” She pointed out while he closed the gap between them, placed his palm on her shoulder, and then trailed it down to hold her palm. Something glistened in his eyes, and it only came on when he saw her.“I heard about the incident.” He started. “Are you okay?” The news carried it? How come I didn’t know that? I had ordered Henry to keep it low, but I could see that was impossible given how the criminal was a dangerous one. The police had said that it would unravel a long chain of crime and we might have to lay low for a while, although I didn’t tell Isabella about that yet cause I didn’t want to scare her or let it affect the competence of her job. Besides, I had lived and breathed danger all my life; I was almost immune to it at this point, so nothing fazed me. Nothing except losing her, so all I needed to do was keep her safe.
ISABELLA’S POVToday was exactly two years since I married the man I had loved for five years. A smile caressed my lips as I tightened my grip on the steering wheel and turned my head to steal a glimpse of the pretty red and white cake sitting in the transparent box on the passenger seat. My phone dinged continuously, but every time I looked at it, it was just classmates from way back, expressing how lucky I was to be married to the once school hottie and a multi-billionaire. Maybe my marriage wasn't as rosy as people thought, but I was at least glad I got to be with him. Alaric Wolfe….His name rang in my head for the umpteenth time. The image from the first day I saw him seeped into my mind. It was my first day in college, and I was just a shy, nerdy girl with whom no one wanted to relate. Even my sister did her best to avoid me. “Who walks around in glasses and an ugly outfit like that? Reputation, girl. I don't know about you, but mine matters.” She had said, sounding so disgus
ISABELLA’S POVA sharp pain ran through my head as I drifted my eyes apart. The harsh, sterile light hitting my sensitive eyes caused me to blink. The smell of antiseptic filled the air, mixed with the beeping sounds of the machines. I tried to take in everything about my surroundings. Before everything went blank, the image found its way in. “Oh! You awake?” A gentle female voice said, and I turned my head slowly due to the pain of seeing a pretty lady who seemed to be in her twenties smiling at me. She was dressed in a nurse uniform. She had black hair and looked like she was pleased with her job. “How do you feel now?” She questioned; however, I felt my mouth was too dry to respond. It felt like I hadn't drunk a drop of water in ages. My throat was so parched, with my head throbbing.My whole body was on fire. It felt as though it was stung by needles, and I groaned. “What day is it?” I managed to croak out, my voice a shadow of itself. I could feel my energy draining with string
ISABELLA’S POV“See what the cat dragged in after four days.” Elena let out a smug look on her face. “Just enough time to have all the fun in the world while your husband suffers. Poor Alaric. It must be such a headache to be married to you.” She added, her tone dropping, causing me to clench my teeth.Two years after school, and yet nothing had changed. That is such old bitchy behaviour from a spoilt brat. I rolled my eyes and tried to walk past her, squeezing Mireille’s hand not to give a response. My whole body was on fire. The pain was getting worse with every second that ticked by, even though the Doctor admitted to giving me painkillers. I still had to show up some other days to get checked. “You don't get to leave when I’m talking!” She threatened, pulling me back and causing my head to let out a bang. My heart rate rose, and I could feel it hammering against my chest as memories of the accident flooded my mind. I could smell the lingering petrol in the air. The world was clos
ISABELLA’S POVI took a deep breath as my eyes ran through the well-light room. Tables and chairs were in every corner of the room, and so were people I had never met until this moment. My fingers were trembling from the nervousness. This was an art competition, and I didn’t even know if I was supposed to be there. Mireille had submitted one of my Alaric paintings to sign up for this. I saw contestant number 5 doing his own thing, and the crowd cheered him on. According to rumours, there were ten participants, most of whom had influential people or knew the judges. In contrast, all I had was Mireille.“I can’t do this,” I mumbled, and she immediately caught my palms in her, squeezing it gently.“Of course, you can. I know what you are capable of, Isa. If you ever feel nervous, remember the one time I peed myself in front of my crush and didn’t do the same.” I chuckled slightly, her words calming me a little.“Contestant 6, come up stage.” I heard one of the judges say into the microp
ALARIC’S POVIsabella walked out of the kitchen, wiping her hand with a napkin while a smile curled the tips of her lips.“You didn’t tell me you were coming.” She pointed out while he closed the gap between them, placed his palm on her shoulder, and then trailed it down to hold her palm. Something glistened in his eyes, and it only came on when he saw her.“I heard about the incident.” He started. “Are you okay?” The news carried it? How come I didn’t know that? I had ordered Henry to keep it low, but I could see that was impossible given how the criminal was a dangerous one. The police had said that it would unravel a long chain of crime and we might have to lay low for a while, although I didn’t tell Isabella about that yet cause I didn’t want to scare her or let it affect the competence of her job. Besides, I had lived and breathed danger all my life; I was almost immune to it at this point, so nothing fazed me. Nothing except losing her, so all I needed to do was keep her safe.
ALARIC’S POVEver since she hugged me at the hospital, all I have wanted was to feel her again, her naked body against mine. And heaven knows how hard I tried to get past the hospital days and not fuck her brain out right there with my Doctor nearby. That was what her presence did to me. Every single time I saw her, my brain would fry into toast.So the moment we got to her place, I knew I had to make the first step, and that was why I stepped out half naked, demanding soap; then, when I noticed her control wall breaking, I put the last plan in action. Get too close for comfort and seduce her.I knew she couldn't restrict my body.Until she did.She was standing here laughing aloud as she munched on her pizza while watching a movie I couldn't even make out. She hasn't sent me a glance since she handed me the soap and left me in front of her room.What was I doing wrong?I couldn't help but ask myself.Had I become so undesirable? Was her love confession only because of guilt? Or to
ISABELLA’S POV“Thank you.” Alaric’s mother said as we sat outside the hospital door. Her hands were firmly on her lap.“What for?” She blinked. “For saving my son, " she finally said after a moment of silence, and I only got more confused.“He saved me,” I explained, and then I watched her slowly raise her head, her eyes tender again.“No, Isabella. You saved him from becoming a shadow of himself by taking him back.” Her voice was barely above a whisper, and next, her palms found mine. “I’m so sorry about how I treated you all those years. I have no excuse for what I did, but I hope you can forgive me.” Her eyes were glistening with tears now.But it was my choice. I was the one to go through the pain and live with it, so I slowly snatched back my hands.“I can't assure you that.” With that, I stood up and returned to Alaric’s side.Henry and he looked up at me. They had stopped talking.“I’m glad you both are okay,” Henry announced with relief. “We have to leave now. We will come b
THIRD PERSON’S POVThe Doctor told her he had gotten out of danger, but he was yet to wake up, so all she could do was sit beside his bed, holding his hand and weeping and blaming herself for not thinking this through in the first place. Maybe it was ill-fated, just like her stepmother had said. Perhaps that was why her parents had abandoned her. That could be the reason her best friend was dead, too. Maybe she needed to run away from the world and hide somewhere she wouldn’t be able to cause harm to anyone.“You have to wake up, husband. Please.” She sniffed back a tear. “I can't leave without you too.” Her heart clenched tightly as she sobbed. She had lost everyone. He was her last family. And she doubted that she could survive another loss. It was just too hurtful.Her tears drenched his hand, her face against it. It felt cold, so cold that she feared that he was gone. Hours ticked by, yet nothing happened, and even when the doctor told her to head home and come back the next day,
ISABELLA’S POVWhen I confronted him to turn himself in so he could heal from the guilt, I thought my words would touch him and finally give my late best friend some peace. After all, only a man ready to change would go through the stress of clearing his late GF’s lawn. I figured he probably needed a boost.But instead, he held a knife against my throat after I threatened to call the cops myself.“You should have died back then.” His voice was rough and cold. It lacked all forms of humanity.My heart started to beat so fast as I looked around for help. The neighbor rushed out, screaming that she had dialed the cops and they were on their way here, probably hoping to scare him. But it didn’t. Instead, something wet and very hot slipped down my legs.The metallic feel of the knife was still cold against my skin.“You don't know what you just got yourself into, Miss. I advise you to go in there and tell them it is a fucking prank so I kill her!” He yelled, his other arm wrapped around my
ALARIC’S POVIf Isabella had planned to frustrate me, then she had done a good job because I couldn't help but feel so dumb as I stared back at the report Henry had sent two days after. The man from earlier was just a cab man.Fuck!Blame her for toying with me.Now, I couldn't help but wonder why she lied. Was it because she despised me so much? A strange feeling shimmered between my skin as I got dressed, my nerves unsettling because now all I wanted was to confront her and demand an answer. I wanted to apologize for the misunderstanding, too. She probably hated me because she thought I abandoned her. Maybe that was why she was with that guy from the other day, to spite me. I have yet to find out his name, but once I do, I will have everything about him sent to him, and then I will find his most profound weakness and threaten him with that.Anything to get those leeches off the love of my life.Suddenly, my phone rang, and I pulled it out to see her name spread across my screen. Ta
THIRD PERSON’S POVIt was on a Tuesday. Isabella had called Rex to ask if he knew who the company’s CEO was before he recommended him to her, and his response had shocked her to the bone.“He wouldn't stop pestering me. I’m so sorry I didn't give you a heads-up. He showed up at my home for days, standing under the snow and half-freezing, to get me to hear what he had to say. I just had to give in. It was either that or the police come visiting to retrieve his body.” He had paused. “He seems to regret his mistake, Isabel. I think you should give that poor man a chance, too. We all make mistakes, after all.” And that had made her laugh. Alaric wasn't a poor, innocent man. He was a manipulative jerk who knew how to get what he wanted.But never her.Now, it made her wonder if he had chosen about a thirty-minute drive away from the start of Durango for his company on purpose. Had it been in a bid to get close to her?She was sitting at the table, files spread right in front of her, along
THIRD PERSON’S POVMonday drew nearer than she thought it would, and yet she didn’t turn down their offer. Every time she wanted to, she would remember Mireille’s wordsLive for us.So here she was, sitting at the long oak table after spending about an hour choosing the right outfit: a fitted cream blouse tucked into high-waisted navy trousers, her hair swept neatly in a low bun. On her way in, she noticed how boring the building looked, passing across information that it lacked life. The secretary had informed her that the boss would be here soon, so she waited impatiently, and soon, the door opened behind her.“Good day…” Her words slurred the second she turned around and saw Alaric. He was dressed in a tailored black three-piece suit that looked like it was made just for him. The white shirt underneath was crisp, clean, and ironed, and the black tie was knotted to almost perfection.Almost because she had been the one to make his tie previously.“Miss Phoenix. Welcome to Stonebrid
ISABELLA’S POVI stood tall in the grand hall with crystal chandeliers hanging low, their light hovering around the wall and painting it in beautiful strokes. The tables were draped in velvet clothes with a sculptured piece in the middle. A week had passed, and finally, I was learning to live again. The hall swarmed with people dressed elegantly. Kelvin offered to come with me, but I refused because I didn’t want any spotlight. From where I was, I could see some teenagers sitting, and most of them looked nervous. It took me back to memory lane—the first time I was in a competition like this, too. Mireille.“You made it. I was starting to think you would change your mind. What do you think of Florida?” Rex said as he stepped in front of me.You don’t want to know.I mumbled under my breath, then flashed him a smile.“It’s nice.” I half lied when in actual reality, I just wanted to get the fuck out of there. It reminded me too much of my best friend, and breathing had become tedious.