ISABELLA’S POVBy the time Kelvin arrived, my legs were soaked by my tears. It seemed he could tell how hurt I was because he didn’t bother to ask any questions as he helped me into his car. Throughout the drive, all I could do was stare outside the window, hoping and wishing that this was a dream.But it wasn't. Because when the moment I pulled my eyes apart the following day, all I could see was the room that looked nothing like mine. I had been too drained last night to insist on being moved to a hotel. All I just wanted was some peace.My head throbbed hard from all the crying, and as I strode through the house, I caught sight of Kelvin.“You up early. How do you feel?” He asked, dressed in a brown leather jacket, black singlet and black pants with a black belt with silver buckle. He had a sunshade on with light orange-like glasses. “I have a meeting with a company in thirty minutes.” He explained. I nodded, my throat clogged. “What would you love to eat so I can get Anna to make
ALARIC’S POVI popped the drug out of the white container and then gulped it down with some warm water. Days had passed since the accident, and although the Doctor had suggested that staying in a familiar environment would trigger something in my memory, nothing happened. Everything still seemed void and blank. Still, I could tell something was missing deep down. My routine had been almost the same lately. Sleep, eat, and read the news, all hoping that something would come up to put all the puzzles together.The drug tasted off today, but I shrugged it off as my body was getting used to it. My fiancee wasn't home yet. She had gone to see my mother. They seemed pretty close, and they had been a great help in telling me all that I needed to know about my past and my relationship with Elena. It was weird how we didn't have any pictures together except when we were younger. She had said I didn’t like taking pictures.I walked around the house one more time, tracing my fingers over everyt
ELENA’S POVHis question had thrown me off board because I couldn’t tell how much of his memory he had gotten back. Even when I switched his drugs to vitamin C, that way, we would live together as one. I tilted my head, hiding my fear behind the smile I had on. “Of course, babe. That was before the accident.” I lied and awaited anything else, but weirdly, he didn’t say anything.He tried the other two, and I finally chose one. Somehow, it felt like he wasn’t involved in the planning of our wedding, but I was at least glad Mother had been able to convince him not to push it off until he regained his memory.Something I would make sure never happened.As we drove home, my mind kept returning to the room, and I immediately knew I had to get rid of everything in it. ****Night had slowly crept in, and finally, the tension had subsided. The feeling that he was suspecting me had drifted off. “Here,” I said, stretching the drugged water towards him while he sat on the new laptop we had go
ALARIC’S POVThe other night, somehow, he detected something in the water—not from the look but from the smell—and it made him wonder what type of person he used to be. Did he used to have a lot of enemies? Has he ever been poisoned?Deep down, he didn't feel bad that he didn't give in to her sexual urge because he saw her as a sister, which was weird. As he walked into his company, he took a deep breath. He had been away for too long and almost didn’t know it existed until Mr Henry, who claimed to be his assistant, called and said they had a project to handle. “Mr Alaric. The meeting starts in twenty minutes. Is there anything you would like me to do?” An average-height man walked over to him, a glass on the brink of his nose, making him look like a nerd.“Remind me of your name,” Alaric said, watching the man’s expression change.“Is this a joke, sir? It’s me, Henry.” He adjusted his glass again.“Oh! Of course, I know who you are. I was joking.” He lied, then chuckled dryly befo
THIRD PERSON POVAlaric had spent all night wondering if his wife had been an evil woman. Maybe that was why his mother was trying to protect him from her or the hurtful memories. He exhaled for the hundredth time as he awaited daybreak, then finally headed straight to the locked room with the keys and a hammer in case that didn’t work.It was funny how the door opened the second he turned the handle. He heaved a sigh of relief, and the full sight came into view. Female dresses were scattered over the bed, and unused makeup was at different angles. Shoes and bags looked outdated. Did he make his wife suffer? Maybe work multiple jobs like other men do? Did he treat her so poorly? Was that why she never showed up?He picked the first dress, taking a sniff of each, but there was no scent on them, nothing that reminded him of her, not the shoes or bags. And worse, most of them still had their tags on.Frustrated, he rampaged the whole room, hoping to find the painting, but it was nowher
ELENA’S POV“Just one fucking thing, and you can't even get that done!” My father roared, and the next, the vase was sent crashing against the wall above my head, with the pieces cascading over my body.I trembled in fear as tears stung my eyes. This was just like him. There was nothing I ever did that he was pleased with. At first, he despised my pursuit of Alaric until his company gradually went bankrupt, and now he needed this major partnership to stir the company back to the right path.“You are useless. So useless.” He slammed his fist into the wall in annoyance.We were standing in my father’s sitting room. His jacket was now off, and he was pacing up and down the room, and all my mom could do was watch.“I tried, father. I…” My words trailed off when another vase came crashing against my forehead and hitting the floor with a loud thud followed by shattering glass. Pain shot through me, and I bit on my lower lip, clutching the edge of my skirt tightly.It would soon be over, I t
ISABELLA’S POV“I’m afraid it is a family matter, Miss. We can't invade his home for that. Just go home and talk to your husband.” The plump policeman said again as he stroked his beard, the ring on his finger evident. “You seem not to understand, sir. I have been there, but he won’t let me in.” I informed him, irritation seeping in. I did. I went back there the second I got the papers, and Elena had instructed them not to answer me or let me in, not even when I banged the gate and screamed at the top of my lungs.“Then keep trying, Miss. Please leave. I have other cases to attend to. Someone could be dying somewhere right now.” He sounded displeased and tired.I let out a low groan, annoyed and eager to punch him in the face.My case was just as important as any other one.Before I could speak, he got up and walked towards his partner. I watched as they exchanged pleasantries.“Who is she?”The other policeman asked, and the plump man’s eyes darted over him with disgust.“Just some
THIRD PERSON’S POVWhatever Isabella thought a tour would contain, this was far from it. From the nauseous feeling to the unending noise to the fans occupying everywhere, this was the first time she would be among a crowd of this quantity, and now she was hiding in the van, hoping for a break from this. The first day had passed since they got to Columbia, and she had not seen Kelvin since he walked out of this van, telling Mina, one of his assistants, to attend to her every need. Her accommodation and food were sorted out.“K. Sol!!!” The distant voices echoed as she flicked through her phone, hoping for something to pull her out of this boredom. Would it be right if she requested to leave?She was deep in thought when there was a knock on the window, and she opened the door to let Mina in.“K,” She paused, breathing heavily. “He ran off stage mid-performance and has refused to let anyone in. I don’t know what to do, and Mr Neil…”Isabella’s heart started to pound fast as she thought
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.