"Could it be Colton's?"
There was no single thought that hadn't passed through Isabella's mind. She was just twenty-two with a failed marriage and now even worse, with a child."Are you sure the doctor tested well?" Joan said on the other end of the call and Isa almost panicked.Placing her hands over her lips. she nodded."Twice. I don't think it's Colton's, Joan. It's been three weeks, he's infertile. There was this one time his mother carried out this test before the engagement and he can't have kids. And besides we didn't have sex for months now" Isa muttered."Oh my God" Joan softly exclaimed, worry furrowing her brows."Do you know what this means?""I'm three weeks pregnant, Joan. I'm pregnant for a stranger" There was a sublime crack in her voice before the door knob opened behind her."What are you going to do?" Joan's voice pierced through her ears and tears filled her eyes."I don't know" Isabella's heart was as troubled as the seas.And then a frail voice called unto her from behind."Bella" It was only Majorie that ever called her that and she put the phone away, turning to face her aunt—the only relative of her mother that she knew.That she had.Her mother had died a few days after she was born in a car accident and regrettably, Isabella didn't get to know her. Although all Majorie ever talked about was how much similarities she shared with Isabella.Her aunt took a seat on the bed, and Isa climbed up, allowing her grasp her callous hands. "I'm sorry" She felt the need to apologize but Majorie shook her head."There's nothing to apologize for, Bella. We all make mistakes, although i'm not sure this one is one of those" She had naturally a sing-song voice and Isa rested her head upon her shoulders. "What do you mean?""It isn't Colton's" She added, knowing Majorie knew of her infidelity dilemma. "Whom ever it might be, there is a destiny for this child. A very special one. Your mother was in a situation just like this, more of the many reasons i say you're just like her" Her aunt continued and she scoffed, halting the tears in her eyes."But mother had father, before he changed?”Majorie's fingers ran through her brunette hair with a hum."There were many things that happened back then that you don't know about, Isa. Many controversial things like your mother giving birth out of wedlock for your father, and then it was a terrible sin if i might add—that she considered to abort it" Her aunt said and Isa looked up at her."Did she?" She asked and Majorie smiled."Does she look like she did?"She scoffed lightly. "You're that child, Bella”“And your mother made it known how much she loved you before she died—even if it was for a few days but she loved you till her dying breath and was sure she wouldn't have forgiven you if she'd let you go. She said i take care of you, in a way that she would”“I love you, and i support you, i'd give you all the best advise that she would." She had tears swarming her eyes and Isa nodded."What would she advise me to do now?" She asked with frailty and Majorie held up her face."Keep it, Isa. You have no idea how much joy the child could bring. I'd want another you, ten thousand even" They both chuckled, holding their hands and Isa placed her head back upon her shoulders."I wish mother was here."She took the advise nonetheless and after thirty nine weeks, she found herself back in the halls of Saint Clarice, this time dripping profusely in sweat and Majorie tightening her hands. "You can do this!" She yelled as the bed was wheeled into a maternity word.Veins protruded through her neck as a flash of light struck her eyes. She shook her head in a pool of her own tears. "Push" The doctor urged and Isa wailed until there was a crack in her voice."I can't.""I can't. I can't" She said as her aunt brushed her forehead with hers."Yes, you can Isabella. One more minute of pain, for a lifetime of happiness" Their eyes met for a conscious second and Isabella let out the most thunderous yell she'd ever heard. And for a minute, she blacked out, letting her head fall back lightly.Drawing her back into consciousness was the shrill cries of a baby.Of two babies.Parting her sour eyes, Isabella's vision blurred the moment she sat up. She heard the snap of the umbilical cord and the baby's bloody frame was wrapped in a blue blanket."Here." The doctor handed her the female and she held her in her right hand—she couldn't tell the amount of emotions that flooded her very being."There's another one" Majorie's shrill voice called from behind and in her arms was another baby. Handing it over to Isa, she smiled."They're beautiful" A familiar voice echoed from the phone in her hands and Isa looked up to see Joan.Her eyes stung in tears as she nodded. "They are" Her voice cracked. The doctor excused the moment as Majorie sat right next to her. In that moment, Isa realized that her aunt was right.She was going to love this little things with all her heart, and protect them like her mother did to her."It's okay" She tried to subside the cries, rocking the both of them in her arms."It's okay, you're okay. You're with me" Isabella whispered, pressing her lips into their head one by one. "You're with me" She echoed."I am weak, i am clueless""But you will be strength, my guide and my reason to fight. My reason to live. I shall never lack, because as long as i have you, i have enough" She whispered beneath her breath before looking up to Majorie."What will you call them?" She asked.And although Isa hadn't given it much thought until that very moment, she let her eyes fall to her little ones and she just knew."Ryan—Ryan and Emily." She smiled, glancing back at her aunt."Emily" She echoed and Isabella nodded. "Like my mother, i will love her." She continued as she leaned on Majorie. In that moment, the future was bleaker than ever—but for the first time,Isabella wasn't worried. She had her twins, and she was okay.Seven years had passed, and Joan and Isabella were still as close as ever. With Joan running a bar back in Norman and Isabella, a very successful bakery of her own several miles away in Riverdale. Life was good turning twenty nine with two seven-year olds and a much larger house, a stable job and her peace of mind—but it wasn’t always like that. The many months after the twins’ birth was the toughest of her entire life. Isabella had to look for jobs while taking care of babies that hated to be quiet. Luckily, Majorie was there for the most of it but she could only do so much. When she started Bella’s bakery, it was barely thriving at this part of the town, until the Annual Baking Fair put her on the map—where she’d won two awards to her name and several hotels chased after her. One going as far as to offer her a store in New York City. But Isa couldn’t leave her twins, so she stayed. A month later, the offers died down but the customers never did. She heard the chatterings echo
The winds rustled through her hair and Isabella swiped it out her face. She stepped into the arrival unit and that familiar scent of Norman, Chicago hit her in the face. It was surreal, how almost nothing had changed since she was last here seven years ago—With her tickets by her knees, she looked up at the blinking signs before her eyes fell on her aunt. “You’re ready?” Majorie’s voice was gentle, holding her jacket with one hand and her suitcase in the other. Isa nodded with a smile, nudging her a bit. “I’m so happy you get to come with me.” She whispered and then she looked to her twins, walking towards her with ice-cream from the vending machine. “And they as well, maybe Norman can’t be as bad. It won’t” She added. “This was the first company that offered to take them along, i’d never leave them”“I could never” Isabella said and Majorie rubbed her shoulders. “You’re just like your mum, she would be so proud” She replied and just then Ryan slid, bumping into her knees. Isa le
"What are you doing here?" Leonardo arose from behind his desk, a finger pressed against the table and an arch coming between his brows. Isabella shivered, not knowing why in that moment, she did not move. He inched closer to her her, coming round the table."Are you stalking me, woman?"The scent of him piercing through her nose, that although it was just one night they were together, she could remember it, She could feel it—and could almost hear the exasperated moans from her lips. His shoulders were clothed in an expensive dior suit she was sure was worth a luxury but that night she'd seen them.Her nails had dug into them, whilst drawing him closer. A lot had changed since seven years, her whole life had. Now she never thought she'd meet the father of her kids, let alone have her as her boss, but somehow here she was. Leonardo Carter, a man feared by all, and the only man that she knew. Their eyes met and she almost choked on the lump that slid down her throat. She was like a mu
"I've signed it" After about half an hour, Isabella walked back to the front desk where Daniel was stood and handed him the papers. His gaze fell to her slender hands, muffling a smile. "It's about time" He stretched his hands and she reluctantly took it."You'll be around tomorrow, won't you?" Daniel asked, to the sheepish glare that was the audience of the receptionist and Isa darted her eyes across the room. "I'm not sure yet" She said and Daniel pulled away with a frown. "You work here now, Isabella""You wouldn't want to miss the grand opening."Isabella nodded as if giving it a thought. "I'll think about it, Daniel—" She caved in and he gave a coaxed stare. Isabella made her way towards the elevator, feeling Daniel's stare at the back of her head. She clicked the button to go down and she heard the shrill chuckles between the receptionist and him.A smile crept to the corner of her lips as she stepped in—maybe it was time to get back into dating, and it took Daniel for her to re
Joan’s shot glass rammed into the marble counter, making a clinch sound. The symphony of the orchestra set the mood in the large banqueting hall—themed with strident silver and turquoise. The latter matched with the dinner gown that Joan wore, out dressing even the staff at the event. And Isabella was right next to her with a simple high-slitted diamond gown. She’d only worn it back in high school and it only needed a few touches to resize. It comforted her that she hadn’t added that much weight over the past seven years. Her eyes fell on Joan, downing what was her nth drink that night. There was a sudden applause as Daniel mounted the stage with a woman a few inches taller than him. “We welcome you to the grand opening of Starlight’s very own, Marriott here in Norman, Chicago” The applause continued as his eyes wavered the expensive crowds for Isabella. She grabbed her phone from her purse. “I’m coming” Muttering to Joan, before taking her leave. She walked into the corridors, he
“I’ve never cummed like that before.”A needy moan escaped Joan’s lips as her back broke though the bathroom door. Placing her hands against the walls, she could feel the music reverberate through the concrete and into the pit of her stomach. Her eyes were closed, against his but she could feel herself being suddenly lifted up in the air.And her bottom met the hard edge of the sink. She was breathless, ravaging his jacket ferociously with her hands until it feel to the ground with a thud. “I want you to fuck me” She shut her eyes open, gritting through her teeth at the first man who’d shown interest in her that night. Isabella was right——if there was anyone that knew the lengths of Joan, it would be her best friend. But one particular length that shocked the woman in question was the size of his rock hard cock, the man before her. She gasped, clutching her lips with her violet painted fingers.She knew length did only half the job, but the way the man flipped her to her side showed
“So what made you move across town to Riverdale?”Daniel’s voice drew her attention and she zoned it back in. Perhaps it was his question that stomped her heart—she hadn’t told him of the twins of in fact anything that deep about her.Isabella made the conscious decision to take things slow, but sitting across him on that table in fine dining, she realized she was doing just the opposite of that. Her lips parted slightly before pursing again. “I wanted a change” She lied. Not exactly.That was merely half the truth, the rest involved her father telling her to never return to Norman as she walked out of her wedding chapel that day. Occasionally, she’d get sucked up in the memory of her flower petals dancing in the air between them—the look of shock on Colton and the rest of the congregation’s faces.Luckily, she never got to see them again, including her father and Samantha, her step mother who was nothing but evil. “Hey” Daniel tapped into the table and Isabella looked to him. “Whe
“He hasn’t picked my calls since yesterday”“I’m worried” Isabella paced around the corridors with the phone in her hands as she was sent to Daniel’s voicemail for the nth time since last night’s dinner that ended in shambles. Joan was by the mirror, applying mascara across her eyes and she turned back to Isa’s worrisome face before heaving a sigh.“So she just like blurted it out?“ She asked, referring to Patricia.“Who could blame her—“ Isabella’s shoulders fell. “She was really drunk and you needed to see the expressions on both their faces” She grunted. Joan pulled away from the glass. “Leonardo doesn’t really have a right to an opinion, i mean he moved halfway across the state, didn’t he ask any questions?” She said.“Besides all you owe him is that you do your work well.”Isa bit into her lips, surrendering her phone to the table. In that moment she might have thought it the best time to tell Joan that Leonard was in fact the father of her kids, but it was just never the right t