ISABELLAAfter my words landed, I risked a glance at Caspian. His face was a mask of utter devastation, a raw display of shame and regret. He looked like he'd accept any punishment his father would dish out later. I turned my head towards the door, and there stood Danica. Her eyes widened in surprise when she saw me. Oh, right. I'd almost forgotten – she was Caspian's secretary. Of course, she'd be here."Oh, Danica," I said, a hint of amusement in my voice as I threw a pointed look at Caspian. "You're late. Your boss must be expecting you."One of the board members cleared his throat. "Once we've completed the signing of these documents, we will inform you, Miss Sterling.""Thank you," I replied coolly, already turning to leave.But I stopped in my tracks when Mr. Thorne's voice boomed, "Danica, you're fired."Caspian opened his mouth to protest, but Mr. Thorne cut him off, his voice sharp with authority. "You too. You're fired as my CEO!""What? Dad! You can't do this to me!" Caspi
DANTE"Everything is set. Guns, transactions – all ready to go." I said, a satisfied smile spreading across my face as I double-checked the computer. Today's deal was a win. I took a deep breath, my gaze drifting to my phone. Isabella. I desperately wanted to call her.But the memory of our last encounter, the raw pain in her eyes, made me feel like a worthless piece of garbage, someone she'd never want. What the hell did I do? And more importantly... What could I possibly do to make her see me differently? To make her fall in love with me? The thought felt like a distant, impossible dream.My new secretary, Grace, approached me with a bright smile. "Sir, you have a meeting scheduled with Sir Rafael at the Belluci Hotel today.""Oh, right," I replied, standing up and slipping on my coat. I walked out, her footsteps echoing softly behind me. Grace was my old butler's daughter. I'd watched her grow up, seen her graduate from a top university, all thanks to her mother's tireless efforts.
DANTE"Please, Dante Belluci, I'm begging you," Caspian's father said, kneeling right there in front of me. "Please, don't hurt my son. He didn't understand what he was doing... I swear to you, the second he wakes up, he's going to learn a very hard lesson."Danica just stood there, her face a picture of someone who couldn't believe what she saw. She looked at me with this crazy mix of anger, fear, and total shock. A little gasp escaped her, and she put her hand over her mouth before just... walking away. I could hear her starting to cry in the distance."This is the second time your son has touched what's mine," I said, turning my back on him, my voice flat. "There won't be a third. I won't hesitate to take him out and bring your whole company crashing down if I want to. Don't forget why you're even in the position you're in right now. It's all because of the organization." I heard him let out this shaky breath like he was so relieved, but his face was completely white, like he was a
ISABELLA"Miss Sterling," the doctor said gently, "the examination reveals partial paralysis, specifically quadriparesis, or tetraparesis. This means you're experiencing weakness in all four of your limbs. It's a consequence of the severe accident you were in. Please know that in many cases, partial paralysis is treatable, and people can regain varying degrees of movement and strength. Recovery can take time, potentially several months, as your body heals and we work through rehabilitation."The doctor's explanation swung in the air. I didn't even know how to react. The trauma of the accident, the very violence of it, hadn't fully registered, yet here was this new reality: partial paralysis. I stared blankly at the wall, a profound sense of weakness washing over me, eclipsing any other emotion. This moment, this diagnosis, felt like the day I lost a part of myself. Was this my destiny now?"I'm really sorry." The female doctor left after explaining everything, but none of it registere
ISABELLAThree months. For three agonizing months, I'd been trapped in this body, a prisoner in my own skin. Seeing Dante flit around, effortlessly handling business, laughing with some new woman in the living room while I lay here, a useless weight, only amplified the crushing feeling of being a burden. I could move, yes, with Herculean effort, but the most straightforward tasks felt like climbing mountains.My days were a monotonous cycle. Physical therapy every morning, a humiliating two hours of pushing and stretching. Then came lunch, the maid patiently spoon-feeding me like a child because my own hands refused to cooperate. Sometimes, if Dante wasn't consumed by his world, he'd take over, a forced smile on his lips as he narrated some random story, his eyes occasionally betraying a weariness I couldn't ignore. I pity myself. What if he grew tired of this? Of me? The thought was a cold dread that settled deep in my chest, a constant reminder of my helplessness."I'm sorry…" I wh
ISABELLAA soft gasp escaped my lips, and then a sob tore through me. Tears streamed down my face as I choked out the truth. "Yes…"A bitter smirk twisted his lips, but his eyes held a deep, raw pain. "I knew it. I'm not that much of a fool not to see it. Because why would you, right? Why would you ever like someone like me… I'm a monster." He offered a small, heartbreaking smile before turning away and walking towards the door.The words I wanted to say, the confusing tangle of feelings that had taken root, remained trapped in my throat. Maybe it was better this way. Maybe he needed to hate me. Just hate me, Dante.I lowered my head, the sobs wracking my body, echoing in the silence of the room. My heart ached, a dull, heavy throb as if I had physically wounded him. And in hurting him, I realized with a sickening certainty I had hurt myself too. I hated this. I truly, deeply hated breaking his heart.I wiped away the last of my tears with the back of my hand and called out for the ma
ISABELLAEnrique listened intently as I recounted the past few months, his expression shifting from concern to shock to a deep, simmering anger. When I finally finished, a heavy silence filled the car."Isabella, I'm so sorry…" he finally said, shaking his head, his voice thick with emotion."I thought you knew about the Sterling's scandal, the embezzlement news?" I asked, a sliver of hope flickering within me.He frowned. "Well, it's possible that someone in the underground organization paid a large sum of money to suppress it, to take it out of any source, any news, to delete it from everyone's mind and internet history." He paused, then his gaze sharpened. "So, this Dante… is he your boyfriend?""No. Not exactly," I replied, a bitter taste in my mouth. "We had an arrangement. I felt more like his auctioned bride. He… he bought me at an auction held by my ex-fiancé.”Enrique nodded slowly, his jaw tight with barely contained fury. He reached out and gently squeezed my hand, his touc
ISABELLA“Yes.” He wasted no time, tossing his things into the trunk. "Let's go. He's probably already trying to figure out where you've gone. We need to hurry," he said, quickly pushing my wheelchair back to the van. He carefully lifted me into the back seat, securing my seatbelt. "You don't know the kind of man you're dealing with, Isabella.""Oh, I know exactly the kind of man he is," I replied, a weariness in my voice. "More than you can possibly imagine. And you're right, he's likely searching for me right now. And you're the only one who can help me, Enrique."He nodded grimly, then hopped into the driver's seat, immediately making a call. "Ready the plane for me, please."The voice on the other end responded instantly, "Yes, General."Enrique hung up and started the engine, pulling away from his house. A wave of relief washed over me. This was it. I was finally going to be free!I felt guilt as we arrived at the secluded airfield where a private jet waited, its sleek lines gle
DANTEThe silence in the mansion was heavy, like a thick blanket. Her being gone was real, a hole in the air of every room. I gripped the letter, reading it again. The fancy writing was a mean reminder of what she'd done. “You wanted to own me, Dante. Now you own nothing.” The words cut me deep.I was angry and felt betrayed. How could she do this? After everything I did for her, after the way I… cared for her, she used me. She played me like I was stupid. I pictured her leaving with that other man, the one Flora described. It made me burn with a cold anger.My men were looking everywhere – airports, ports, every lead. I had people watching, but she had just disappeared. This General, Enrique McCullen, was like a ghost. No recent trips, no friends outside the army. It was like he made her vanish.I couldn't even sleep. Her face was in my dreams, changing from scared to defiant. I remembered how she felt when I touched her, the way she sometimes looked at me like… like she cared. I was
ISABELLAThe cold Icelandic wind hit my face hard. It was so different from the humid air of the mansion I had left. This cold stung, but it also felt clean. I leaned against the porch of the small cottage. The expansive, dramatic view stretched out before me like a painting. Snowy mountains touched the gray sky. And the air felt quiet and old.Enrique and I had been here for three weeks. For three weeks, the air didn't feel dangerous. The quiet wasn't scary. My body started to relax. The tight feeling inside me from before was starting to go away.Granny Elín was Enrique's grandmother. She was strong. Her hands were rough but gentle when she helped me exercise each morning. Her Icelandic language sounded like music. I was slowly starting to understand it. It filled the cottage with stories and laughter. She accepted me without asking too many questions. She always offered strong coffee and her tasty rye bread.The first few days were tiring. I still felt like something bad was going
DANTEI softened my gaze, offering Flora a semblance of warmth, though my eyes held a silent, menacing demand. "Now, tell me, Flora. What do you know?"Flora dissolved into quiet sobs, as if her very life was draining away with each tear. I clicked my tongue, the sound sharp in the tense silence. "Flora, I don't want to kill you or anything… but you most certainly won't die if you just tell me the fucking truth!"Her body trembled uncontrollably. I gestured to one of the guards, who offered her a bottle of water. She gulped it down, her thirst evident, before whispering, "Sir, please… I really don't know…""Flora, you know me," I said, my voice low and dangerous. "If you lie to me again…" I pulled my phone from my pocket, the screen illuminating her tear-streaked face. "Your son is going to pay for what you've done."Her eyes widened, overflowing with fresh tears. "Please, sir! Don't touch my son! He's only in high school, his life hasn't even begun!""Oh, really? Then why are you lyi
DANTE"Sir, we can't reach Miss Isabella's phone," my secretary blurted out as he rushed into my office. A dark frown immediately creased my forehead. Why wasn't Isabella answering? I understood that the tension between us, the awkward distance, was a consequence of what had happened. But right now, all I wanted to know was if she'd eaten, if she'd done her exercises, if she was alright.Last night was… complicated. One of my business partners had unexpectedly brought his new secretary, Danica, to our meeting. She'd been hired just the other day, and we'd taken some photos for the deal's announcement. Never in a million years did I think she'd plaster them all over her Instagram, making it look like we were some kind of couple.I sighed heavily, rubbing my face in frustration. "Then call the fucking mansion. Ask what Isabella is doing." The anxiety twisting in my gut was a cold, unwelcome guest.My secretary's face drained of all color as he looked at me, his eyes wide with a fear tha
ISABELLA“Yes.” He wasted no time, tossing his things into the trunk. "Let's go. He's probably already trying to figure out where you've gone. We need to hurry," he said, quickly pushing my wheelchair back to the van. He carefully lifted me into the back seat, securing my seatbelt. "You don't know the kind of man you're dealing with, Isabella.""Oh, I know exactly the kind of man he is," I replied, a weariness in my voice. "More than you can possibly imagine. And you're right, he's likely searching for me right now. And you're the only one who can help me, Enrique."He nodded grimly, then hopped into the driver's seat, immediately making a call. "Ready the plane for me, please."The voice on the other end responded instantly, "Yes, General."Enrique hung up and started the engine, pulling away from his house. A wave of relief washed over me. This was it. I was finally going to be free!I felt guilt as we arrived at the secluded airfield where a private jet waited, its sleek lines gle
ISABELLAEnrique listened intently as I recounted the past few months, his expression shifting from concern to shock to a deep, simmering anger. When I finally finished, a heavy silence filled the car."Isabella, I'm so sorry…" he finally said, shaking his head, his voice thick with emotion."I thought you knew about the Sterling's scandal, the embezzlement news?" I asked, a sliver of hope flickering within me.He frowned. "Well, it's possible that someone in the underground organization paid a large sum of money to suppress it, to take it out of any source, any news, to delete it from everyone's mind and internet history." He paused, then his gaze sharpened. "So, this Dante… is he your boyfriend?""No. Not exactly," I replied, a bitter taste in my mouth. "We had an arrangement. I felt more like his auctioned bride. He… he bought me at an auction held by my ex-fiancé.”Enrique nodded slowly, his jaw tight with barely contained fury. He reached out and gently squeezed my hand, his touc
ISABELLAA soft gasp escaped my lips, and then a sob tore through me. Tears streamed down my face as I choked out the truth. "Yes…"A bitter smirk twisted his lips, but his eyes held a deep, raw pain. "I knew it. I'm not that much of a fool not to see it. Because why would you, right? Why would you ever like someone like me… I'm a monster." He offered a small, heartbreaking smile before turning away and walking towards the door.The words I wanted to say, the confusing tangle of feelings that had taken root, remained trapped in my throat. Maybe it was better this way. Maybe he needed to hate me. Just hate me, Dante.I lowered my head, the sobs wracking my body, echoing in the silence of the room. My heart ached, a dull, heavy throb as if I had physically wounded him. And in hurting him, I realized with a sickening certainty I had hurt myself too. I hated this. I truly, deeply hated breaking his heart.I wiped away the last of my tears with the back of my hand and called out for the ma
ISABELLAThree months. For three agonizing months, I'd been trapped in this body, a prisoner in my own skin. Seeing Dante flit around, effortlessly handling business, laughing with some new woman in the living room while I lay here, a useless weight, only amplified the crushing feeling of being a burden. I could move, yes, with Herculean effort, but the most straightforward tasks felt like climbing mountains.My days were a monotonous cycle. Physical therapy every morning, a humiliating two hours of pushing and stretching. Then came lunch, the maid patiently spoon-feeding me like a child because my own hands refused to cooperate. Sometimes, if Dante wasn't consumed by his world, he'd take over, a forced smile on his lips as he narrated some random story, his eyes occasionally betraying a weariness I couldn't ignore. I pity myself. What if he grew tired of this? Of me? The thought was a cold dread that settled deep in my chest, a constant reminder of my helplessness."I'm sorry…" I wh
ISABELLA"Miss Sterling," the doctor said gently, "the examination reveals partial paralysis, specifically quadriparesis, or tetraparesis. This means you're experiencing weakness in all four of your limbs. It's a consequence of the severe accident you were in. Please know that in many cases, partial paralysis is treatable, and people can regain varying degrees of movement and strength. Recovery can take time, potentially several months, as your body heals and we work through rehabilitation."The doctor's explanation swung in the air. I didn't even know how to react. The trauma of the accident, the very violence of it, hadn't fully registered, yet here was this new reality: partial paralysis. I stared blankly at the wall, a profound sense of weakness washing over me, eclipsing any other emotion. This moment, this diagnosis, felt like the day I lost a part of myself. Was this my destiny now?"I'm really sorry." The female doctor left after explaining everything, but none of it registere