Just the Three of Us

Third person pov

By the time Isabella emerged from the restroom, she had rebuilt her mask.

The bold crimson of her lipstick couldn't quite hide the puffiness around her eyes, but it would have to do. 

When she returned to the ballroom, Marco and Amelia were waiting, their faces carefully composed.

"Isabella, àmore, where did you disappear to? I was beginning to worry," Marco said, smoothly stepping forward. 

He paused, his eyes flicking over her face, registering the too-bright makeup and the redness of her eyes. 

“Isa?" He murmured sweetly, eyes earnest.

The way he could change from being cold and cruel to this….. made bile rise in her throat.

She shook her head, giving him a small smile, “I'm fine." Isabella finally said, her voice flat. 

But the man didn't seem to believe her.

Carefully, he reached for her hand but, skin crawling, Isabella took a step back, dodging the appendage.

"I'm fine Marco, I told you. Just needed a moment,”

"Really? You're okay?" He looked at his empty hand, a flicker of something unreadable in his eyes.

She simply nodded and walked past him into the crowd, offering polite smiles to acquaintances, but saying little.

Marco stared after her, a frown creasing his forehead.

Something was off. Isabella was different tonight, and he couldn't quite grasp what had changed.

Just then, Amelia approached the heiress, a glass of ruby-red wine extended in her hand. 

The chandelier lights glinted off the liquid, making it look almost black.

"Happy birthday, Isabella," she said, her voice a little too sweet, the anticipation in her eyes poorly concealed.

Isabella stared at the swirling wine for a long moment before finally taking it. 

She turned and walked back towards Marco, her movements slow, almost lazy.

She came to a stop Infront of the brunette.

Lifting her eyes to meet his, she asked quietly, "You really want me to drink this, My love?"

She locked her gaze on him, searching for any flicker of hesitation, any hint of guilt. 

But Marco simply raised his own wine glass, his expression genial. "Happy birthday, Isa," he echoed, and downed his drink in one gulp.

Isabella's heart clenched, a cold knot of heart break.

She slowly raised the glass to her lips—but in the very next second, her hand slipped. 

The glass crashed to the floor, shattering with a sharp, echoing crack that silenced the nearby conversations.

"Oh no, Isabella! Why are you so clumsy!," Amelia groused, her smile vanishing.

Marco, however, didn't say a word.

He just frowned and stepped forward to grab Isabella's hand, his fingers carefully checking for cuts.

Isabella stayed silent, her lips pressed into a tight line.

 If she hadn't heard what they were planning, if she didn't know the wine was drugged, she might have believed his concern.

But now, she knew it was all a performance.

After making sure she wasn't hurt, Marco called over staff to clean up the broken glass.

The party continued, but Amelia wasn't giving up. 

She kept finding excuses to approach Isabella, each time trying to get her to take something - a canapé, a different drink, even cake!

Each time, Isabella saw through her, avoiding the trap with a cool smile.

Finally, Amelia snapped. 

Losing her temper, the younger woman shoved Isabella towards a table laden with wine glasses.

The loud crash of glass filled the room as several cups shattered. Isabella, off balance, fell hard to the floor.

"Oh no! Isabella, are you okay?" One of the guests exclaimed.

"What happened? Why was she being so careless?" Another shouted.

The sudden commotion drew everyone's attention. 

Marco, who had been standing nearby, rushed over, his face a mask of concern.

Just as he bent down to help her, Amelia cried out again, her voice shrill with panic.

"Marco! Something's wrong—Sofia needs your help at the airport!"

"What?!" he roared, his face contorting with fury.

In that instant, Marco's hand, which had been reaching for Isabella, stopped.

 He let go of her completely.

Without a second thought, he pushed through the crowd and ran from the ballroom, leaving Isabella sprawled on the floor, shards of glass digging into her skin.

"Hiss..." The sharp sting made Isabella suck in a breath.

"Who's Sofia?" Someone in the crowd finally voiced the question everyone was thinking, watching Marco's frantic departure.

"You don't know? Sofia Moretti is the only woman Marco has truly loved." Someone hissed, sounding delighted at the little tidbit of gossip they were sharing.

"What? Then what about Mrs. Vitale?" There was morbid curiously in their voice.

"Oh, everyone in our circle knows the story. Isabella married into the Vitale family and because of that Sofia had to leave the country. But now that Sofia's returned... let's see how Mrs. Vitale handles it." They mused.

"Ohhh... so that's what happened."

"I always thought she was so classy. Didn't expect she was the other woman all along. Tsk..."

"Shhh, keep it down."

Isabella listened to the whispers swirling around her like venomous snakes. 

Watching Marco's retreating back, she couldn't help but let out a bitter laugh.

So this was it? Three years of marriage, a cruel joke. And everyone knew but her.

She picked herself up, glass embedded in her skin, but no one offered to help.

These were Vitale family's friends, not hers.

She shouldn't forget.

***

The party ended abruptly after her fall.

By the time Isabella drove herself to the hospital, it was late. 

The ER was quiet, nearly empty.

She'd just finished getting her hand bandaged when they walked in, Marco covered in bruises with his suit torn in different places and Sofia still as radiant as ever with her soft blonde curls and large brown eyes, Supporting him with small dainty hands.

The sight of them made her feel dizzy.

It was like looking at a mirror to the past. Three years ago to be precise, it looked like nothing had changed between them. The love between them was practically stifling. 

"Isabella? What are you doing here?" Marco froze when he saw her stepping out of the treatment room, then quickly moved in front of Sofia, shielding her without even thinking.

That instinctive move made Isabella's heart sink. She forced a tight smile and raised her heavily bandaged hand. "Thanks to your dear sister."

Marco frowned at the sight of her hand, wrapped like a mummy. 

He opened his mouth, but Sofia spoke first, her voice soft with concern.

"Isabella, that's not fair. Mimi is still just a kid. As her sister-in-law, shouldn't you be more patient?"

Isabella almost laughed.

‘A kid? Amelia was only a year younger than her. If she were a child, why was she scheming to drug her?’

"And what does that have to do with you?" she asked, her voice harsh.

Her eyes couldn't help but go down to the other woman's hand, clutched protectively in Marco's and she felt suddenly tired.

She was just... done.

She turned to leave, but Marco suddenly grabbed her wrist.

"Isabella, what's with your attitude? Apologize to Sofia. Now."

His tone was sharp, his face dark.

Even so, Isabella looked up into his cold eyes and felt nothing.

‘When one's heart was deeply wounded, was it really possible to unlove someone?’

"Why should I apologize?" she asked, her voice like ice.

"Because she's right. My sister is a kid. She's not mature and you know this so why are you being so petty with her?" He paused, then added, "And how could you talk to Sofia like that? She was just attacked and hasn't even recovered. Now you're making it worse. Apologize."

His grip tightened.

Ahhh. So that was it. 

Sofia had been attacked. That's why he rushed off. He fought and that's why he was hurt.

Isabella glanced at the blonde, whose eyes were red with tears. By nothing could hide the smug glint in her eyes.

What a spectacular performance. Truly, the woman should win an Oscar.

A cold smile tugged at her lips.

So when Sofia got hurt, he went ballistic. But when it's his own wife being drugged, he plays along?’ she thought bitterly.

The line of love and tolerance have never been clearer.

Isabella clenched her fist, then yanked her arm away. "You should focus on your injuries instead."

Without another word, she walked out of the hospital, leaving Marco and Sofia Standing there, the air thick with unspoken accusations and simmering resentment.