ALARIC’S POVI burst in, shoving the door open with full force as rage shot through me. Isabella got up in a startle, and so did he.“You fucker.” I yelled as my fist collided with his cheek, causing him to grunt and stagger. “Stay away from my wife.” Blood was rushing through too loudly that I could hear it, and my heart felt like it had been lit on fire.“Ex-wife. You literally abandoned her for weeks.” He snarled, wiping his blood oozing from his nostrils. “You don’t deserve her!” “And you do?” I glared hard at him, ignoring the ache in my hand. Isabella stood between us, closer to me than him. She looked so confused.“At least I know how to treat a woman right.” The asshole let out, and to heaven, who made me the urge to rip his neck apart, consumed me, and I half stormed towards him, but she held me back.“I can handle this. I’m not a kid, and I know what I want.” I halt in my steps, my eyes trailing to her face.“And he is who you want?” My heart squeezed hard.I watched som
ALARIC’S POVI stepped out to see the staff gathered while she cried, explaining what never really happened. They didn’t have the guts to look me in the eyes, but I could tell they had a whole lot to say. The glances they exchanged, the judging side eyes, or was it the way they clutched their clothes, too? As though they expected me to launch forward and reap it off like the monster she claimed I was. I wouldn't blame them. I have heard worse growing up.“He needs to pay for this.” She screamed, clutching onto her dress. “I’m a woman of dignity and…” She faked a sob again.I let out a dry laugh. “Are you sure I molested you, Miss Jessica?” She glared at me, her lips slightly curling up before turning away.“See. He thinks he can get away because he is the boss. This could be you, or you, or you.” She continued, pointing at every female staff member, and I watched them step back, fear written all over their faces.“Fine. Let us check the cameras then,” I announced, but she didn't fli
THIRD PERSON’S POVAlaric had dozed off on his room’s couch, ignoring the ache that crawled his body. It was better since he was relieved Isabella was sleeping in his bed, which meant he still had control over some things. The morning sun had filtered into the room, filling the air with bearable noises. Alaric grunted, yawned, and pulled his eyes open; his wound ached a bit. He looked up to Isabella and found the bed empty. Dragging in a breath, he headed towards the bathroom to brush his teeth and wash his face. He was sure she was probably cooking.But he found the house unusually quiet when he stepped outside the room. There were no signs of them, even when he checked the rooms.A ton of thoughts ran through his mind, including a chance that she was kidnapped, but the voice in his head reminded him that she wasn't a kid and could take care of herself. He dialled her number, and her ringtone filled the air. Her phone was sitting on the dining table. He ruffled his hair.Suddenly, t
ISABELLA’S POVI knew asking Kelvin to stay was a tricky move, but it was for the best. My heart was too soft to turn him down, not after knowing his story. I would be like the monsters he feared if I did. Besides, he was there for me on days when no one was willing to show up. Just like Mireille, he was my best friend now, a part of my family, too.But boy, oh boy.Alaric’s face was scrunched in a frown as he sat opposite me, his spoon clinking against the plate. He was barely eating anything, just staring at the food.I knew I shouldn't notice. Nor care because it was seemingly for the best. We needed to keep our sexual urges out of our field of decision-making. I needed to be sure that forgiving and letting him back in was right. The best thing to do. If his mother meant every word or this was just an attempt to get me back in, only to torment me some more. I needed to be sure if what I felt for him was sex-related or if our love was more profound than that.With Kelvin around, no
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