Chapter 50 Could That Be Called Love?

Emily was furious, betrayed, and most of all, outraged. Aiden had just told her that he had feelings for her, and yet he had humiliated her by making her throw the glass away.

And not content with that, he walked around the room, very free, smiling and chatting with the homeless woman.

The rage was so great that Emily held back tears and clenched her fists, while she grumbled from a secluded corner of the room.

Isabella returned with her husband, Aiden approached the bar to order a drink, on the way, he gave Emily a look and winked at her.

She couldn't take it anymore, she wanted to leave that place.

He took advantage of the fact that his father was careless talking to the guests and tried to escape from that stupid meeting, walking at a brisk pace towards the door.

"Emily! Where do you think you're going? Maximilian's voice boomed with authority, causing everyone to turn to him when she was about to leave.

"I'm going to my room..." She turned, feeling a mixture of nervousness and annoyance at her father's scream. - I'm tired, father.

- Tired? This time? Doesn't it seem a serious offense to leave while we still have guests present? And, above all, without saying goodbye properly? Maximilian grunted from the poker table, without even turning to look at her.

"An offense?" Emily frowned, confused and angry.

I felt like I was going to explode. After everything that had happened, was she the one who was offending others? This was the last straw.

"What I think is an offense, father, is to be here celebrating my brother's marriage to that woman..." Emily pointed to Isabella, who looked down, upset and full of shame. “That... homeless that means nothing... This is a joke, father, and to have to celebrate it...

He spoke quickly and forcefully, as a mechanism to hold back the lump in his throat that accumulated from rage. His face stood tall with dignity, while his body trembled.

For the first time in a long time, she let her thoughts out without worrying about what her father said. She had much more to say, but she was interrupted by someone she least expected.

"Emily, that's enough!" Maximus shouted with a gloomy expression.

"What?" Emily looked at her brother, confused. I had never yelled at him like that.

"I forbid you to speak thus of my spouse!" Máximo took a step forward, firmly.

"Max...?" What...? She stammered, feeling her eyes fill with tears.

"You have no right to talk like that. Isabella is the heiress of the Sinclair’s and is now the lady of the Collins family, so I demand respect from you. Máximo continued, trying to control his anger and his tone, although he still sounded authoritarian.

“Respect? Emily was outraged. "And what about me?" I'm your sister, Max, a real Collins. Is this how you treat me? You've never spoken to me like that! Is it that nobody cares about me now? Why does it seem that everyone prefers that woman to me? He looked at the faces around him; everyone watched her in silence. He turned to Isabella. "I hate you." He blurted out emphatically before turning on his heels and leaving the room, slamming the door.

"Excuse me, everyone!" Maximilian got up from his chair. "Tomorrow I'll talk to her, it's better to wait for her to calm down, let's not let this incident tarnish this wonderful night. He explained and everyone nodded to continue with their activities, although somewhat uncomfortable.

While Maximilian was talking, Aiden took advantage of the fact that everyone seemed to be recovering from the scene and sneaked out of the room, after Emily.

Her cousin would be fine, Isabella was now with her spouse and Aiden was calmer now that he saw that Maximo defended her above all else, but Emily, she looked bad.

Not that Aiden approved of her behavior, nor the words she said, however, he couldn't help but feel bad for her and guilty for what she had done to him.

Although she had started everything herself, he couldn't let her go that way, after seeing Emily's sad expression and her beautiful, crystallized eyes, Aiden felt the eminent need to comfort her, to do something and he was precisely after her for that.

Very stealthily, he went out to the entrance room, where the stairs to the second floor were, and saw Emily upstairs, crossing into a hallway.

Very careful that no one saw him, Aiden followed.

*

Isabella heard Emily's screams and the insults that were directed at her, a small prick hit her in the chest.

She felt ashamed and hurt, although in some part, Emily's words were true, for she was nothing more than a homeless woman who was married to her brother.

With the bitter pain of that thought, Isabella heard her spouse's voice in a thunderous cry that she did not expect, Máximo defended her.

Isabella watched him perplexed, her heart jumped so hard that she felt that it was going to come out at any moment, her spouse was protecting her and not only that, but it was also her own sister, from whom she was defending her.

Isabella saw it, heard it, and still couldn't believe it.

Emily left, slamming the door, Maximilian said a few words, but none of that mattered anymore, all Isabella could see and hear, was Maximo, her mind and heart were fixed on him.

Could it be true, could it be true that Máximo had feelings for her? Isabella had to hold back tears of emotion at this thought.

"Are you okay?" Her spouse murmured, turning to her as soon as things calmed down.

Isabella's eyes were crystallized, was she going to cry? Máximo felt full of helplessness, he didn't want to see her like this, it hurt him to see her sad.

For this reason, he had to stop his sister, although it hurt him deeply to speak to her as he did, he could not allow him to speak to Isabella in that way and affect her as he had done, and all for what?, because of one of his attacks of rudeness.

He would talk to Emily afterwards, he definitely would, because she must have felt very hurt to have made that show in front of her father, but for the moment, Maximo could not separate from his spouse, not when Isabella had been the most affected.

"Do you feel well?" I'm sorry, Isabella. - Máximo took the girl's chin, raising her face, because she seemed dazed, she had not given an answer.

"You don't have to regret it, you didn't do anything wrong," she muttered, feeling her whole-body tremble.

"Emily... He shouldn't have talked to you like that...

"It doesn't matter, it's true..." Isabella looked down again. - I was homeless...

"You're the heiress of the Sinclair’s," Máximo interrupted her, frowning. "You're Isabella Sinclair de Collins, and that's all that has to matter. She has to understand it.

Isabella smiled slightly, raising her eyes to her spouse. His words were a balm for his wounds. Máximo stared at her, with that intensity that disarmed her.

The young woman bit her lip, containing her happiness and her desire to throw herself into her spouse's arms to laugh happily.

"I think we should go home..." murmured Maximo, swallowing thickly. His desire to protect his spouse went beyond just words; I wanted to wrap it completely, and in that place, I could hardly touch it.

"Your father...?" Isabella asked, confused.

"He won't say anything...

After some grumbling, excuses, and a brief goodbye, the couple left the Collins mansion.

"Aiden!" Isabella exclaimed, suddenly remembering her cousin just as they were about to arrive at the apartment.

"He must be fine," Máximo replied, looking away.

- We left him without saying goodbye, what a shame. Surely, he is looking for us around the house. Isabella leaned back in her seat.

"He left and didn't say anything," Máximo snorted annoyed. He didn't like to see his spouse worried about that man.

"What?"

"I saw him leave after my sister's thing happened, I'm sure he's already at home. Máximo blurted out, frowning, and then concentrating on the landscape of the window.

Why did Isabella care about that man, and more importantly, why did that bother her? Maximo was thoughtful remembering Aiden's words, was he really jealous?

He turned his gaze covertly to his spouse, she seemed worried, sure thinking of Aiden, a heat ran through Maximo's chest.

Why does it bother me, could it be jealousy? she wondered again in her thoughts, when the driver announced the arrival at the building.

They went up to the penthouse and entered the room together.

"I'm going to the..." Isabella couldn't finish speaking when Máximo took her lips in a possessive way.

He wanted her, he knew that, that he liked her much more than he had liked any woman who had ever passed through his life, but was there more than that, just a taste or an attraction?

It couldn't be true, he couldn't fall in love because he had forbidden it, yet there he was, kissing her passionately, pressing her against his body, sliding the thin zipper of her dress down her back, pushing her slightly towards the bed.

And he couldn't stop, he couldn't keep ignoring his instinct, she was his delight, Isabella was becoming his obsession and his greatest desire, could that be called love?