//Ch 5//

[Isabella Hayes]

Dinner goes exactly how I thought it would, without Adrian there to shut my stepfamily up.

Richard pretends not to see me. Two out of my three stepsisters had already started making comments about what happened at my event.

“Adrian just walked out. Even he was tired of your bullshit. I love that for him. He deserves so much better than… what can I even call you? An infertile woman who cannot please a man? No, that’s still too classy.” Chloe said, her tone full of glee and undeserved smugness.

I am not infertile. Adrian is actually the one who doesn’t want kids. He’s been saying he’s not ready. Obviously, both families think I’m the problem, and I can’t badmouth my own husband. It’s just… not who I am.

I jabbed my fork at my plate, trying to drown them out. Alda didn’t like that. She’s the oldest out of the three, and the meanest. I mean physically mean. She’s shoved me, hit me, and attempted to cut me while I slept. She’s thirty-one, unmarried, with two kids for a man who shot Richard in the arm and robbed him of two hundred thousand. Yet somehow, I’m the problem child. The one nobody likes.

She is the pride and joy my mother refers to.

Chloe is publicly mean. She loves spreading lies about me more than anything else. There’s a sick happiness she derives from telling people awful things about me. Like when she told our neighbors, I lost my virginity to a homeless man.

Is that disgusting and untrue? Yes. Absolutely. Does she care? No. That’s just who Chloe is.

Chloe’s twenty-eight, also not married, not dating either. Neither of them has work experience.

They got the privilege of using the money Richard acquired before he retired.

Sophia is the only one here who doesn’t hate me or talk poorly to me. She used to. But something changed when she started high school. Suddenly, she was nicer to me, even going out of her way to defend me. Each time I was home from boarding school.

She’s twenty-four, we’re three years apart.

I’ve grown to trust and like her.

I must have been silent for too long because Alda kicked me under the table. I held back a wince.

“Are you even listening? Do you know how rude it is to ignore someone when they’re talking to you?” She huffed, actually seeming offended that I hadn’t been listening to her.

“Sorry.” It was easier to apologize than defend myself in this house.

I didn’t rub the sore part of my leg that she had just assaulted and focused on just making it through the next hour or two.

“She’s not really here, Alda. Her marriage is ending. Have some mercy. Pretty soon, Mrs high and mighty will be single, disgraced, and useless.” Chloe sang out what she hoped would be my future.

Alda’s face broke out into a smile. “You’re right. I can’t wait. Maybe then Adrian will finally notice the real woman that’s been waiting for him.”

I crinkled my nose, almost letting out a laugh. That could have ended everything had any of them noticed. They would have thrown things at me.

Sophia spoke up. “I think Adrian would rather drink piss than do that, Alda. Try another guy.”

The silence that followed those words was… magical. She’d just said it and continued eating as if nothing had happened. No one could insult, berate, or accuse her of being against Alda’s happiness because she’s considered part of the family… unlike me. The shock was amazing. I’ve never seen so many jaws on the floor at the same time.

Nobody spoke for the rest of the meal, and I was grateful for Sophia. I told myself to buy her a present.

After eating, Richard made the grand announcement that my mother wouldn’t shut up about.

“Three weeks from now, I’ll be having a will reading right here in this house. You’re all obligated to attend so you know what you’re receiving.” He sent me a look that I guessed meant I shouldn’t hope for anything.

Alda smiled once more, finally seeing another opportunity to throw an insult at me.

“What do you think you’ll get, Isabella? One of my father’s shoes? A dirty sock?” She snickered. “You'd better be there. Remember, we’re all you have. If Adrian leaves you, who will you call? We’re your only family.” She was taunting me. Knowing fully well that they’d be the first to abandon me if that happened.

I did what I always do around them, I nodded my head and agreed to show up. Even though the outcome was clear as day. I would get nothing. If they were right and Adrian… I know he won’t, but if he did, there was no family for me to fall back on.

I only have myself.

My silence made the rest of the night easier, and soon enough, I was back in my car, headed home.

I made it. Thank goodness. That was harder than spending three hours of my life last night, dealing with the pitying looks from the wealthy people of Aurelia after Adrian had stormed out.

I finally turned my phone on and found two text messages from Ethan.

Ethan Blake: Call me.

Ethan Blake: Bella, call me. It’s important.

Ethan has never texted me. He does not text. From what Adrian told me. He prefers phone calls or talking in person.

My heart dropped. Was Adrian hurt? That’s the only reason he would contact me. Oh my god.

Oh god.

I started breathing heavily, clutching the leather seat, hoping it would do something. I understand that that is ridiculous, but I couldn’t think clearly.

Before I could text him back and get an answer to the growing mountain of questions in my head, a text from Naomi appeared on the screen.

Naomi: You should have screamed at him.

The text had an attachment to the GossipQueen’s social media account. She runs the top gossip column in all of Aurelia. If something happens to an elite, she’ll be the first to post it.

Her most recent post, dated just an hour ago, was a photo. I read the caption before focusing on the actual image itself.

‘IS IT OVER FOR MILLIONAIRE ADRIAN COLE AND HIS BASIC WIFE ISABELLA HAYES’S MARRIAGE?’ ‘ ADRIAN SPOTTED WITH A STUNNING WOMAN AT THE VIVA LA PASION.’

The caption was devastating to read, but it wasn’t the worst thing to come from the post.

My eyes dragged upwards, and there it was. An image of Adrian coming out of one of the hottest clubs in Aurelia, with a woman I didn’t recognize. She was stunning, wearing the shortest dress I had ever seen. They were holding hands, laughing about something, unaware of the paparazzi lurking.

I tapped on the comments, like a damn masochist who wanted to be hurt more, hoping someone would write that she’s just Adrian’s coworker.

Instead, I saw a comment from a random person saying… ‘That is supermodel Olivia Hart.’

My cellphone slips between my fingers as my eyes widen to the size of saucers. That cannot be real.

I slapped a hand over the divider, getting the driver’s attention.

“Ma’am,”

“Pull over. NOW!”

He stared at me with worry before swerving off to the side of the road. I leapt out, falling to the ground. I needed the fresh air, or I might have fainted or vomited in the back seat.

The Olivia Hart, his assistant mentioned, was in fact his ex. And she’s the reason he ditched me tonight.

The same Olivia who abandoned him. Who drove him to almost drink himself into a coma? Ethan had to trick him into rehab just to save his life.

That Olivia…. Was back in the city. And apparently, back in my husband’s life.