Chapter 6

Isabella's POV

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. My husband Daniel's biggest competitor, Diego Gomez, was actually his long-lost brother? It sounded like something straight out of a soap opera. But the look on Daniel's face told me that it was true.

"I can't believe it," I said, staring at Diego in shock. "How is this possible?"

"It's a long story," Daniel said, his voice tense. "But the important thing is that we have a common enemy."

Diego nodded, his expression serious. "Miranda and her associates have been causing trouble for both of us. If we work together, we can take them down."

I felt a sense of excitement and fear wash over me. This was a dangerous game we were playing, but it was also a chance to finally bring down the people who had been trying to tear us apart.

"I'm in," I said, nodding firmly.

"Good," Daniel said, his eyes meeting mine. "We need to start planning right away. Diego, do you have any ideas?"

Diego leaned forward, his hands clasped together. "I have some intel on Miranda's latest scheme. She's planning to sabotage your upcoming product launch, Daniel. We need to find a way to stop her."

Daniel nodded, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Okay. Isabella, can you handle the logistics for the launch? Make sure everything runs smoothly?"

I nodded, feeling a sense of determination rising within me. "Absolutely. I'll make sure nothing goes wrong."

Daniel smiled, a hint of pride in his eyes. "I knew I could count on you. And Diego, what can you bring to the table?"

Diego leaned back in his chair, a wry smile on his lips. "Well, let's just say I have some friends in high places. We can use them to our advantage."

I felt a sense of unease at his words. Who were these friends, and what kind of favors would they require in return? But I pushed those thoughts aside, reminding myself that we were all in this together.

Over the next few days, we worked tirelessly to prepare for the launch. Daniel and Diego handled the more high-stakes elements, gathering intel on Miranda's plans and strategizing ways to counter them. I focused on the more practical aspects, overseeing the venue and coordinating with vendors.

Despite the stress and pressure, I found myself enjoying the work. There was a sense of camaraderie between us, a feeling that we were all working towards a common goal. And for the first time in a long time, I felt like I had a real purpose in life.

Finally, the day of the launch arrived. The venue was packed with investors, reporters, and potential customers, all eager to see what Daniel's company had to offer. I watched nervously as Daniel took the stage, delivering a pitch that was both passionate and persuasive.

As he spoke, I saw Miranda and her cronies in the back of the room, scowling and muttering to each other. But there was nothing they could do to stop us now.

Just as Daniel was about to wrap up his speech, there was a sudden commotion at the back of the room. I saw Miranda and her associates rushing towards the stage, their faces twisted with anger.

But before they could reach us, Diego stepped forward, flanked by several imposing-looking men. "I think it's time for you to leave," he said, his voice calm but firm.

Miranda hesitated for a moment, then turned and stormed out of the room, her minions following close behind.

I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding, feeling a sense of relief wash over me. We had done it. We had triumphed over our enemies, at least for now.

Diego turned to face me and Daniel, a small smile playing at the corners of his lips. "Well, that was certainly eventful," he said, his voice tinged with amusement.

I couldn't help but laugh, the tension from the previous moments slowly dissipating. "You're telling me," I said, feeling a newfound sense of respect for Diego.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner," Daniel said, his tone apologetic. "I wanted to make sure that you were safe before bringing you into the fold."

"It's alright," I replied, placing a reassuring hand on his arm. "I understand why you kept it a secret."

Diego cleared his throat, drawing our attention back to him. "Now that the theatrics are over, I think it's time we got down to business."

I nodded in agreement, eager to get started on our plan. "What's the first step?"

Diego motioned for us to follow him to a large table situated in the center of the room. He gestured for us to take a seat, then began to outline his strategy.

"First, we need to gather as much information as possible about our enemies," he said, pulling out a folder filled with papers. "I've already got a team working on it, but we need to be thorough. We can't afford any slip-ups."

Daniel and I listened intently as Diego went over the details, nodding in agreement at his suggestions. It was clear that he had a wealth of knowledge and experience when it came to dealing with their mutual enemies.

As we delved deeper into the planning process, I couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement. For the first time since our contract marriage began, I felt like we were truly working together as a team. And with Diego's expertise on our side, I knew that we had a fighting chance.

Hours passed as we went over every detail of our plan, refining it until it was as foolproof as possible. By the time we were finished, it was well past midnight and we were all exhausted.

"Alright," Diego said, standing up from the table. "I think that's enough for tonight. We'll reconvene in a few days to go over everything again."

Daniel and I nodded in agreement, rising from our seats. As we made our way to the door, I couldn't help but feel a sense of gratitude towards Diego. Without him, we wouldn't stand a chance against our enemies.

As we stepped out into the night air, I turned to Daniel, a smile playing at the corners of my lips. "I think we might just pull this off," I said, feeling a newfound sense of optimism.

Daniel grinned back at me, his eyes shining with determination. "We will," he said firmly. "Together."

I turned to Diego, feeling a sense of gratitude and relief wash over me. "Thank you," I said, my voice trembling slightly. "I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't stepped in."

Diego gave me a small smile. "Don't mention it. It's what family is for." He turned to Daniel. "We have a lot to talk about."

Daniel nodded, looking relieved that the tension in the room had finally dissipated. "Yeah, we do."

I watched as they both headed out of the room, deep in conversation, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of curiosity. What had they been talking about? I made a mental note to ask Daniel about it later, but for now, there was something more pressing on my mind.

I turned to leave the room, but as I walked towards the door, I suddenly heard a loud commotion outside. It sounded like shouting and arguing, and my heart started to race with fear.

I cautiously stepped out of the room, peering down the hallway to see what was going on. That's when I saw them - a group of men in suits, all talking loudly and gesturing wildly.

My heart sank as I recognized them. These were the men who had been following me for the past few weeks, always watching, always waiting for the right moment to strike.

I knew what they were after - they wanted to frame me for a crime I didn't commit, and they would stop at nothing to achieve their goal.

I turned to run back into the room, but it was too late. The men had already seen me, and they started running towards me, their faces twisted with anger and determination.

I knew I had to act fast. I looked around frantically, searching for an escape route, but there was nowhere to go. I was trapped.

"Isabella!" I heard Daniel's voice calling out to me from behind. I turned to look at him, relief flooding through me. He was running towards me, his face set with determination.

He reached me just as the men caught up to us, their hands reaching out to grab me. But before they could get their hands on me, Daniel stepped forward, his fists clenched tightly.

"Get away from her!" he yelled, his voice echoing down the hallway.

The men hesitated for a moment, then stepped back, eyeing him warily. Daniel stepped in front of me, his eyes blazing with anger.

"What do you want?" he demanded, his voice low and dangerous.

One of the men stepped forward, smirking arrogantly. "We're just here to collect what's owed to us," he said, his tone mocking.

Daniel's eyes narrowed. "I don't owe you anything," he said, his voice cold.

The man laughed. "Oh, I think you do. You see, we have evidence that your wife here has been involved in some...shall we say, unsavory activities?"

I felt a cold shiver run down my spine. I knew what he was talking about - they had planted evidence to make it look like I had been involved in some sort of criminal activity.

But I had been set up - I was innocent, and I knew it. I just needed to find a way to prove it.

Daniel stepped forward, his face set with determination. "You're lying," he said, his voice low and dangerous.

The man shrugged. "Believe what you want, but we have proof. And we're going to make sure she pays for what she's done."

Daniel's fists clenched at his sides, and I could see the anger burning in his eyes. He was angry - angry that they would dare to threaten me, angry that they had tried to frame me for something I didn't do. I could see the turmoil and conflict within him as he tried to decide what to do next.

I stepped forward, placing a hand on his arm. "Daniel, we need to think about this. What kind of proof do they have? Can we dispute it?"

The man smirked. "Good luck with that. We have video evidence of her at the scene of the crime, and eyewitness testimony to back it up. Your little contract wife isn't as innocent as you think she is."

I felt sick to my stomach as I realized the gravity of the situation. They had fabricated evidence against me, and there was nothing we could do to dispute it.

Daniel turned to me, his eyes filled with a mix of anger and concern. "We need to go, now," he said, grabbing my hand and pulling me towards the door.

We ran out into the cool night air, and I could hear the sounds of sirens in the distance. We had to get out of there before the police arrived.

"Where do we go?" I asked, my heart racing.

Daniel looked at me, his eyes softening slightly. "I have a safehouse. We'll be safe there for now."

We ran through the streets, dodging people and trying to stay out of sight. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest as we ducked into a dark alleyway, hiding behind a dumpster as we heard the sound of footsteps approaching.

After what felt like hours, we finally reached the safehouse. It was a small, nondescript apartment on the outskirts of the city, but it was a haven compared to the danger we had just left behind.

Daniel paced back and forth, his face set in a grim expression. "We need to figure out a way to clear your name," he said, his voice low and urgent.

I nodded, feeling a sense of desperation and fear wash over me. How could we prove my innocence when they had fabricated evidence against me?

But I refused to give up hope. I had come too far and sacrificed too much to let this destroy me. With Daniel's help, I would clear my name and bring those responsible for framing me to justice.