005

ISABELLA 🌸

He’d said he waited for five years. But I had a hard time believing that. If there was anyone who wanted me gone more than anything…

It was Damien Alessandro Rossi.

“I’m not going to repeat myself,” I said bluntly. “But if you don’t get your hands away from my door, I’m going to scream for attention.”

He tutted, barely shaken by my words.

“And?”

“I’m going to tell them that you’re trying to force yourself on me,” his eyes widened slightly but returned back to normal seconds later while I added. “And it’s not going to be funny.”

Slowly, he retreated, but I knew it was only for that moment. I knew Damien too well. He loved the attention, but hated when he was the one begging for it.

Or if it was something bad that turned against him.

“I’ll leave,” he said quietly, his eyes boring into mine. “For now.”

I gritted my teeth. “Get out.”

“I’ll be waiting for you, Bella. Just know that.”

I slammed the door hard in his face and hurriedly used the keys. My breath caught in my throat as I turned around, my fingers fidgeting over and over again.

It was getting more difficult to face Damien. A part of me knew it was only a matter of time before my bravado faltered.

*

I didn’t see Damien again.

I went over to the Rossi estate later that evening to see my sister, hoping her anger had calmed down a bit.

But when I got there, the fire in her eyes burned more than what I’d seen before. She was in the living room, playing with Alix, and… I couldn’t stop staring.

Alix was all grown up. He’d gotten taller, had the same facial features as Axel, but somehow had Olivia’s expressions.

“Alix,” I called quietly, tears forming in my eyes. “Goodness. You’ve grown so much.”

Olivia turned to face me sharply after her son did. There wasn’t any recognition in my nephew’s eyes, and it hurt me that he couldn't remember me.

“Who are you?”

His voice was soft and filled with curiosity. I walked slowly to meet him, a single tear streaming down my left cheek.

“I’m your Auntie Isabella.”

“Auntie?”

Olivia stepped in before I could get to him, her hand stretching out to pull Alix away.

“Go to your room,” she ordered.

He tried to protest. “Mummy—‘’

“Now, Alix.”

Without another word, Alix turned around to leave, but not after sparing me another curious glance.

My eyes trailed after him as he climbed up the stairs, my heart sinking a little deeper. Olivia’s voice lashed at me immediately, still heavy with anger and resentment.

“Why are you here?” She demanded sternly. “I thought I made myself very clear the last time.”

My lips quivered. “Olivia, I… you shouldn’t have done that.”

“Done what?” Her eyes blazed as they glared at me. “Keep my son away from you? Try to make sure he doesn’t get brokenhearted when you disappear again?”

“Olivia—‘’

“—She waited for you,” she brushed me off angrily. “I WAITED for you. But what did you do? You ran off like we didn’t even matter to you.”

My tears were streaming down my cheeks, and my throat tightened when I watched her smile bitterly.

She wasn’t sobbing. She looked completely drained and like she couldn’t cry anymore.

“I’m so sorry.”

“Quit apologizing,” she snapped. “I don’t want to hear anything. All I want is for you to leave.”

“I want to pay my last respects to Mum.”

“Why?” She asked bitterly, then dragged her eyes over my body. Snorting, she lashed out again. “You’re not even wearing black!”

“That doesn’t mean I’m not mourning her.”

“It does,” she raked her fingers through her hair. “Do you have any idea what your disappearance caused? How much Mum ‘cried’ everyday? Wondering where she went wrong with you? Thinking she was the cause of your disappearance?”

I almost choked while talking. “I… I was deeply hurt, confused, and in a really bad state.”

“Right,” she gave another bitter chuckle. “You always have excuses for everything. Especially for running away.”

I stepped forward. “I was hurting too, Liv. Doesn’t my feelings matter? What about the pain I went through?”

“I lost my baby!” She screeched, tears streaming down her cheeks. “You want to talk about feelings? About pain? I gave four years of my life tending to Mum, taking her for chemo treatments, and ruling over the Moretti council—all at the same time.”

She panted hard, and I stayed silent, letting her pour out everything that burned inside her heart.

“I had to pause my life—told Axel to bear with me while I took care of things in your absence,” she continued after a shuddering breath. “Yes, he was helpful, always lending hands and making sure I never came home to Alix waiting up and crying. But I was broken by your disappearance. When I finally got pregnant, I wanted to keep it, but…”

Her breath trembled, and she darted her eyes away from me. I clasped my hands over my mouth, refraining from making a sound.

“When I saw Mum’s lifeless body, I… I snapped and… the baby…”

She couldn’t complete the words. She broke down completely, and I rushed towards her, trying to help her back to her feet.

“Olivia…”

“Get your hands off me,” she slapped my hands off angrily. “Don’t ever come close to me again.”

“I’m so sorry,” I sobbed. “Please, hear me out. Just this once.”

She stood up without my help, her eyes dark and cold as they glared at me. They were like sharp knives waiting to cut through my skin.

“You were a ghost in our lives for five years,” her voice cracked. “Stay that way. I don’t ever want to see you here again. Ever.”

Then she turned around to leave, storming up stairs with her heavy footsteps. I cried my eyes out after she left, crashing down on the floor.

I remained there, unsure of what to do or where to go. My body trembled as I cried, forcing myself to stop feeling… empty.

“Isabella?”

I didn’t hear the footsteps until I heard the voice. My body froze for a second, hating that he’d caught me in that vulnerable moment.

I wiped the tears off my face hurriedly and stood up. Not a single part of me wanted to stay there with him, and I turned towards the exit without sparing him a glance.

“Isabella…”

He reached for me, tugging at my arm as I walked faster. But he didn’t stop coming after me, and he caught my arm just as I reached the door.

“Look at me.”

“Get your hands off me,” I said calmly, but anger danced in my tone.

He forced me to face him, his fingers tightened around my arm before sliding down my waist.

“You’re crying,” he murmured, his eyes piercing through mine. “What happened?”

“It’s not your problem.”

I attempted to walk off again, but his hands pulled me back, hovering around my waist while his fingers brushed over my cheeks.

“You’re my problem.”

My breath hitched. “I told you to stay away from me, Damien.”

“And I refuse.”

My emotions heightened, and my hands balled into fists, slamming hard into his chest while my tears fell harder.

“Stop doing this to me,” I cried. “Just stop already.”

Rather than letting me go, his fingers were in my hair, pulling me closer into his chest so I would sob there.

And I did.

I allowed myself to become more vulnerable, my tears making it almost impossible to breathe properly.

Damien’s fingers stroked my hair, consoling me… comforting me even when I didn’t want it.

“Shhh,” he cooed, his voice gentle. “It’s okay, Bella. Stop fighting this.”

His lavender scent relaxed me. Slowly, I began to feel myself calm down, and my head remained buried in his chest.

We’d almost forgotten—I’d forgotten that we were still there in the open, under the eyes of everyone who was passing by.

It was too late to pull away from each other.

Someone walked in, caught us, and the voice called out in surprise. I froze after hearing it, but… I still didn’t pull away immediately.

“Babe?”

It was Caterina.