Chapter 3

Isabella's POV

As we sat in silence, lost in our thoughts, I couldn't help but wonder what would happen next. Our contract marriage had been the foundation of our relationship, but now that it had served its purpose, what would become of us?

Daniel broke the silence, his voice low and hesitant. "Isabella, there's something I need to tell you."

My heart skipped a beat. I braced myself for the worst. Has he changed his mind about us? Was he going to end things?

"I know that our marriage started as a business arrangement," he continued. "But I want you to know that I have feelings for you. Real feelings."

I felt a surge of emotion wash over me. Could it be true? Could the man who had been my rock through all the chaos and uncertainty feel the same way about me that I felt about him?

Before I could respond, my phone rang. It was a number I didn't recognize, but something about it made my heart race.

"Isabella?" the voice on the other end of the line said. "This is your mother."

My stomach dropped. I hadn't spoken to my mother in years. What could she possibly want now?

"I need you to come home," she said urgently. "There's something I need to tell you."

I hesitated. Going home meant confronting a past that I had spent years trying to forget. It meant facing the ghosts that had haunted me for so long.

But I knew that I had to do it. I owed it to myself, my mother, and Daniel.

"I'll be there," I said, my voice steady.

As I hung up the phone, I felt a sense of dread wash over me. What could my mother possibly want to tell me? And what impact would it have on the fragile new relationship that was blossoming between me and Daniel?

I couldn't shake off the feeling of unease as I drove to my childhood home. Memories flooded back, both good and bad, as I approached the familiar street. My mother's house looked the same as it always had, a two-story brick house with a well-manicured lawn.

I parked my car in the driveway and took a deep breath before getting out. As I walked up the path to the front door, I couldn't help but feel like a little girl again, about to face my mother's wrath.

But when I opened the door, I was surprised to see a different side of my mother. She looked fragile and vulnerable, nothing like the stern and unyielding woman I remembered.

"Isabella," she said, her voice quivering. "I'm so glad you're here."

I didn't know how to respond. For years, my mother had been distant and cold towards me.

"What's going on, Mom?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

My mother hesitated for a moment before speaking. "I have cancer," she said simply.

I felt like the floor had dropped out from under me. Cancer? My mother? It seemed impossible.

"I'm sorry, Isabella," she said, her eyes filled with tears. "I should have told you sooner, but I didn't know how."

I didn't know how to respond. My mother and I had always had a strained relationship, but hearing this news made me feel like we were starting to connect.

"I'm sorry, Mom," I said, my own eyes filling with tears. "I'm here now, and I'm going to help you get through this."

As I sat with my mother, holding her hand and talking about old times, I couldn't help but think about how this would affect my relationship with Daniel. Would he understand the importance of this moment, or would he feel neglected and left out?

I knew that I had to go back to him soon, but for now, I needed to be here for my mother. The woman who had given birth to me and raised me, despite our rocky relationship.

As I sat there, holding her hand and listening to her talk about her life, I realized that maybe there was hope for us yet. Maybe this was the moment we needed to heal old wounds and start anew. But as always, life had a way of throwing curveballs, and I knew that there were still many challenges to come.

Over the next few days, I spent all my time at my mother's side, taking her to doctor's appointments, making her meals, and just being there for her. Daniel called and texted me multiple times a day, but I didn't have the energy to deal with him. All I wanted was to be with my mother and make sure she was okay.

But one day, as I was making her breakfast, I heard a knock on the door. When I opened it, I was shocked to see Miranda standing there.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, my voice laced with anger.

"I came to see how your mother was doing," she said with a fake smile on her face.

I didn't believe her for a second. Miranda had never shown any interest in my mother before, and I knew she was up to something.

"Listen, Miranda," I said, stepping outside and closing the door behind me. "I don't have time for your games. I'm here for my mother, not to deal with your drama."

Miranda's smile faded, and she looked me straight in the eye. "Isabella, I know we've had our differences, but I came here in good faith. I heard about your mother's illness and wanted to offer my support."

I didn't trust her, but I didn't want to cause a scene in front of my mother's house. "Fine," I said, through gritted teeth. "You can come in, but I'm keeping an eye on you."

As we walked back into the house, I couldn't shake off the feeling that Miranda was up to something. But for now, I had to focus on my mother.

But as the days went on, strange things started happening. My mother's medication started going missing, and we couldn't figure out where it was going. Miranda kept showing up at our doorstep, always with an excuse to see my mother.

And then, one night, I heard a noise outside my bedroom window. When I looked outside, I saw someone sneaking around in the shadows.

I called the police, and they arrived quickly. When they searched the area, they found Miranda lurking nearby.

"What were you doing here?" I demanded, as the police handcuffed her and took her away.

Miranda just smirked at me. "You'll never be able to prove anything," she said, before getting into the police car and driving away.

I couldn't believe it. Miranda had been stalking me and my mother, and I had no idea why. But as I looked at the empty street, I knew that this was far from over. There were still many unanswered questions, and I had a feeling that Miranda was only the beginning.

Over the next few weeks, I tried to focus on my mother's health and recovery, but I couldn't shake off the feeling of unease. Miranda's sudden interest in my mother and her strange behavior had left me on edge. I couldn't understand what she had to gain from all this.

As I sat in my mother's living room, deep in thought, my phone rang. It was Daniel.

"Isabella, I'm sorry I haven't been in touch. How's your mother doing?"

"She's doing okay," I replied, my voice tired. "It's been a tough few weeks."

"I understand," he said, his voice softening. "Listen, I know we agreed on a contract marriage, but I want to be there for you. Let me come over and help you in any way I can."

His words caught me off guard. Despite everything that had happened between us, Daniel was still willing to be there for me.

"Okay," I said, finally giving in. "You can come over."

As I hung up the phone, I couldn't help but wonder if Daniel was sincere in his offer or if he had ulterior motives.

A few hours later, Daniel arrived at my mother's house. He brought food, helped with the cleaning, and even offered to take my mother to her doctor's appointments. I couldn't deny that his presence made things easier, and for the first time in weeks, I felt like I wasn't alone in this.

But even as I began to let my guard down around Daniel, strange things started happening again. My mother's medication continued to go missing, and I couldn't shake off the feeling that someone was watching us.

And then, one day, I received a message from an unknown number. The message was a picture of me, taken through my bedroom window. I felt a chill run down my spine as I realized that someone had been watching me, and I had no idea who it was.

As I showed the picture to Daniel, he grew visibly upset. "Isabella, we need to take this seriously. I'll hire a private investigator to find out who's behind this."

I agreed, and within days, the private investigator had uncovered a shocking truth. It turned out that Miranda had been working with an unknown accomplice to spy on me and my mother. The two of them had been stealing my mother's medication and had even been plotting to harm her.

As the police arrested Miranda and her accomplice, I couldn't help but feel relieved that the nightmare was finally over. But at the same time, I knew that there were still many unanswered questions. Who was behind all of this? And why had they targeted me and my mother?

As I looked at Daniel, I realized that he was the only person I could trust. With his help, I was determined to uncover the truth and put an end to this once and for all.