Chapter 7 I Know you...

"I don't understand... What's the problem?" Why was there so much fuss? Isabella, who was holding Aiden's arm, asked a little as they walked slowly towards the cabin.

"What?"

"I suppose that the fact that they choose an heir does not mean that the others are going to run out of money, does it?" Isabella explained.

"No, of course not, but there's a lot more at stake, cousin..."

"What do you mean?"

"You yourself heard what grandma said, the chosen ones will become the highest head of high society, practically unattainable", I imagine that you don't know much about it because you haven't been close to the family, but it's not just about money or being the richest" Aiden emphasized.

"What?"

"Our families, the Sinclair’s, as well as the Collins and a few other families in the country, are dynasties, our surnames and fortunes have been maintained through time since the time of the monarchy... "

 Isabella's eyes opened in surprise.

 "That's right, cousin, we have royal blood... We are not the owners of a company, a consortium or an international conglomerate, our family owns hundreds of companies in different branches, multiple properties, farms, clinics, banks, and an enormous influence on the social and political decisions of the country... It can be said that the Collins own half the country, and the Sinclair’s, the other part, because they are the two most important families... Now, imagine if that is unified... That's not about money, my dear Isabella, it's about power.

"Then it would be good for both families to be unified..." Isabella assumed thoughtfully.

"For those who are chosen, yes... But for my father and my uncle Hector, no... They will remain in the background, of course they will continue to wield great power and influence, but under the orders of the new heirs... It's not easy for them, because until now, they were the ones who gave all the orders in the family..." Aiden clarified.

"What?" Aren't the orders supposed to be given by Grandma Margaret? Isabella asked confused.

"Oh, no... Grandma was absent for many years, I think in a retirement home or something, I don't know... But she appeared recently and apparently, she did it only to drop this bombshell...

Isabella was distracted for a minute. That the grandmother had not been present for years? Why, she was trying to understand Aiden's explanation, when she felt someone pull her by the other hand, ripping her from Aiden's arm.

Within seconds, Isabella was abruptly turned.

With her heart racing and her mouth open, she was stunned to find herself in front of none other than Máximo Collins, who was looking at her carefully.

"Hey! What's wrong with you?! Aiden's voice was heard in the air, but neither of them turned around, they remained static for a moment, trapped in each other's gaze.

In the middle of the corridor, dimly lit by lamps, Máximo held Isabella by one wrist with determination, while he stared at her, from top to bottom, a few centimeters from her.

Maximo assumed that he had a shot of adrenaline, because his heartbeat became fast and uncontrollable, while Isabella, trembled at his grip, she would never have expected a situation like this, that man was on her like a hunter, with that frowning, intense and fixed gaze.

"What do you think you're doing, Collins?!"

Aiden took Isabella by the hand he had free and dragged her back to his side, Maximo let go of her, finally freeing himself, from those eyes, which look that had hypnotized him.

"I know you..." Máximo said very seriously, without even bothering to look at Aiden.

"What?" No... No, sir. Instinctively, Isabella backed away, denying everything, feeling the uncontrollable rhythm in her heart.

Why did she feel that way? Could it be that this man was afraid of her?

"Yes, you are..." Máximo took another step forward. "You're that girl, the homeless one..." He stopped when he heard his own words. "Well, the girl with a bit of a scruffy look we ran over this morning.

"What did they overwhelm? Homeless?" Aiden glanced at Isabella out of the corner of her eye, who was already back at his side, he remembered how his cousin was dressed that morning when he met her, as he boarded the cruise ship. Did your cousin really live as a homeless person?

Aiden hadn't bothered to ask about her appearance that morning because he thought it was rude, he thought maybe she'd had a bad day, fallen and gotten dirty or something, a more logical explanation, but a homeless woman?

"No, sir, you're wrong," Isabella replied in a trembling voice. "You... I think you're confusing me with someone else..." She lied in the middle of her nerves because she felt harassed by Maximo, by that look and his closeness.

"What are you saying, Collins?" How can you call my girlfriend, homeless man? Aiden stepped forward, covering Isabella behind his back.

Isabella looked at her cousin in surprise for an instant, although Maximo did not notice it, but Isabella did not deny Aiden, because she understood that her cousin helped her get out of this embarrassing situation.

"Your girlfriend?" For the first time, Máximo looked at him, frowning, his fists closed instinctively.

A strange sensation formed in his chest, it was a kind of flame that began to burn inside, making Maximo feel more uncomfortable and angrier.

"Yes, my girlfriend, any problem?" I invited her to accompany me on this journey. Aiden replied haughtily, noticing the tension in Collins, in each of his movements.

Máximo remained stiff, he already knew something about this Aiden Sinclair, because many talked about his carefree attitude, the boy was involved in some scandals and rumors for partying and womanizing, so it was not strange that he brought a girl to the cruise.

But, considering the young woman's demure appearance, that girl was definitely not the style that Sinclair used to engage with.

"Are you, his girlfriend?" Maximus asked, addressing her.

Isabella, who was still confused and with her pulse in a million, could only nod, she did not agree with her cousin's lie, but her instinct told her that she should keep Máximo at bay and this little lie would help her.

"Well... I am sorry for the confusion". Maximo grunted reluctantly and turned to leave. Isabella sighed with relief when he turned once more. "Excuse me, what's your name? He asked, still feeling the suspicion inside him, because those eyes, which look of the girl" he could never forget it.

"That's not your problem, Collins..." Aiden interjected. Isabella took him by the arm and took a step forward, trying to look a little more confident.

"My name is..." Isa... " At that moment, she remembered that he had told her name that morning, in the accident" Isa Soler.

"Isa?" that was too much of a coincidence, when the young woman in the morning had told him her name was Isabella. This must have been a bad joke or, did that girl have a lost twin sister and didn't know it?

Máximo narrowed his eyes at the young woman's answer, his instinct told him that she was lying to him, and he was about to confront her again, when a sound of footwork was heard very close to them.

"Maximo?" What are you doing here? Valeria asked, who was approaching them.

"What?" I know you. Máximo turned around raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, maybe you don't remember..." Valeria smiled shyly. "We met a few years ago at a charity event and we've met in other places..." Valeria cleared her throat and stretched out her hand. “Valeria Sinclair.

"Oh, of course..." He answered the squeeze formally.

"I realized that you left the restaurant alone and I thought that... Perhaps, if you liked, I could accompany you..." She excused herself.

Maximo looked Valeria up and down, frowning and turned to look once more at Isabella, who had clung to Aiden's arm again.

He took a deep breath, because he was already getting a tremendous migraine from the bad mood that had increased.

"It's not necessary, thank you. He replied dry and cold to Valeria, although he tried to sound as decent as he could. "I know my way to my cabin well, and I like to be alone. - He passed Valeria to leave.

Everyone was perplexed for a moment asking the same question, what had happened?

A second later, the sound of a suppressed laugh was heard, Aiden tried to control himself, because he could not believe the rudeness that Máximo Collins had just made to his sister.

Valeria turned around angrily, seeing how her brother made fun of her.

"Aiden, what were you talking about with Maximo?" Valeria asked, frowning and anxious. "Why was I here with you?"

"I... I don't know..." Aiden glanced sideways at Isabella, understanding that it was best not to say anything about what had happened. - That guy seemed crazy, I think he got confused or consumed something bad, because...

"How do you say that about Maximus?!" We all know that he is an unblemished man, unlike you. Valeria said indignantly.

"Then go and ask him yourself..." I'm sure he'll give you a nice answer like he did just now. Aiden replied angrily.

Valeria grunted furiously and frustrated, and then turned around and returned the same way she had come.

"Thank you..." Isabella murmured, her pulse still racing.

"Don't worry, cousin... You can count on me. Aiden replied feeling a little sorry for the girl.

There were many questions to ask, both Aiden and Isabella for her life and how she knew Maximo... As well as Isa to Aiden about the family, but that night, they both kept their comments to themselves.

On reaching the cabin, Aiden said goodbye to Isabella and walked alone to his room, when a strange idea came to his mind, "The attitude of Maximus Collins did not seem that of a confused man, but, rather, that of a jealous man..."

"No... It can't be" Aiden smiled to himself, because if that thought was true, his sister Valeria, would end up foaming at the mouth when she realized that she had already lost, before the game started.