Chapter 4 - The Plan

Isabella POV

I sent a message to my lawyer. Mr. Bennett.

I trust him with my life.

I remembered my last life when I was signing the company document to Ethan. He was begging me. He tried to stop me. He was the one that refused to let me sign the second document.

I pulled out my phone and typed the message.

Mr. Bennett. This is Isabella. I need you to prepare divorce papers. I want to divorce Ethan Carter.

I hit send.

My heart was pounding. My hands were shaking. But I felt something else too. Something I had not felt in a long time.

Power.

My phone buzzed. I looked at the screen.

Thank God.

I stared at the message. I blinked. I read it again.

Thank God.

I was surprised by his comment. How was I so blind?

The people that worked with my father never supported my choice of transferring my company to Ethan. They had warned me. They had pleaded with me. They had told me I was making a mistake.

But I called them enemies of my progress.

I called them jealous. I called them bitter. I called them people who did not want to see me happy.

I was wrong.

I typed another message.

I'm sorry for disappointing you.

His reply came quickly.

You never disappointed me, Isabella. You just lost your way. But you're finding it again. I can see that. I will help you fix the mess that you created.

I felt tears in my eyes. I blinked them away.

Thank you, Mr. Bennett.

Come to my office. We need to discuss the terms. And I need to know why.

I typed my response.

I'm going out with Sophia and Ethan today. But I will come up with an excuse. I'll be there soon.

I hit send.

Immediately, Sophia jumped out of her seat in the car and nearly snatched my phone.

My heart stopped.

Before she could see what I was up to, I swiped the screen. Another app popped open.

She grabbed my phone and looked at it.

She frowned.

"You've been on I*******m this whole time?" she asked. "I've been talking to you for ten minutes, and you're just scrolling through posts?"

I calmed myself down. I thanked God. It was I*******m. Not my messages.

She did not notice my plan.

I forced myself to smile.

"I'm sorry," I said. "I was just... I was trying to get an idea."

She raised an eyebrow. "An idea for what?"

I leaned closer to her. I lowered my voice.

"For your gift," I said. "And Ethan's. As a thank you for throwing me this birthday party."

Her expression changed. Her frown disappeared. Her eyes lit up.

She blushed.

"You're so sweet," she said.

She handed me back my phone.

"Concentrate on me now," she said. "We're almost there."

I nodded. "Of course."

She started talking. She talked about the gown she wanted. She talked about the color. She talked about the fabric. She talked about the designer.

She talked and talked and talked.

All I did was nod.

I did not hear a word she said.

We arrived at the boutique.

It was a beautiful store. Glass windows. Gold trim. Expensive dresses displayed on mannequins.

Ethan was waiting outside.

He smiled when he saw us. He walked to Sophia first. He kissed her cheek.

"You look beautiful," he said.

She giggled. "I always look beautiful."

He laughed. Then he looked at me.

"Isabella," he said. "You look nice too."

Nice.

In my first life, I would have blushed. I would have thanked him. I would have felt grateful for any crumb of attention he threw my way.

Now, I felt nothing.

"Thank you," I said.

I turned to Sophia. "You two go ahead. I want to get your gift."

Sophia's face fell. She frowned.

"You're leaving?" she asked. "But we just got here."

I nodded. "I won't be long. I promise."

She crossed her arms. She looked at Ethan.

He looked at me. His eyes were curious. Calculating.

"A gift?" he asked.

I nodded. "For both of you. To say thank you."

He studied me for a moment. Then he smiled.

"Let her go," he said to Sophia. "She wants to do something nice for us."

Sophia pouted. But she nodded.

"Fine," she said. "But hurry back."

I nodded. "I will."

I turned and walked away.

I did not look back.

I hailed a taxi. The yellow car pulled up beside me. I opened the door and climbed in.

I looked out the window.

Ethan and Sophia were walking into the boutique. His arm was around her waist. She was leaning into him. They were glued to each other.

I hissed.

"Cheating bastard," I muttered.

The taxi driver looked at me in the rearview mirror.

"Excuse me, ma'am?"

"Nothing," I said. "Just drive."

Within five minutes, the taxi stopped in front of the lawyer's office.

I paid the driver and stepped out.

The building was tall. Glass. Modern. I had been here before. Many times. With my father.

I walked inside. I took the elevator to the tenth floor. I walked to Mr. Bennett's office.

I knocked.

"Come in."

I opened the door.

Mr. Bennett stood up from his desk. He was an older man. Gray hair. Kind eyes. He had worked with my father for thirty years.

He smiled when he saw me.

"Isabella," he said. "It's good to see you."

I smiled. "It's good to see you too, Mr. Bennett."

He walked around his desk and pulled me into a hug.

I froze. I was not expecting that.

He pulled back and looked at me.

"Your father would be so proud," he said.

I felt tears in my eyes. I blinked them away.

"I hope so," I whispered.

He gestured to a chair. "Sit. We have a lot to discuss."

I sat down. He sat across from me.

He folded his hands on his desk.

"First," he said. "How are you?"

I nodded. "I'm fine."

He studied me. His eyes were sharp.

"Really?"

I met his gaze. "I'm better than I've been in four years."

He nodded slowly. "Good. Now, let's get down to business."

He opened a folder. He pulled out a pen.

"The law requires that you provide a reason for the divorce," he said. "What is your reason?"

I took a breath.

"Ethan is a cheat," I said. "And he is a married man."

Mr. Bennett's pen stopped moving. He looked up at me.

"What?"

I nodded. "He is my sister's husband. And she is pregnant."

His eyes widened. His mouth opened. Then closed.

He stared at me for a long moment.

"He was never my husband," I continued. "The marriage certificate I have is a fraud. I was the other woman. I just didn't know it."

He set down his pen. He leaned back in his chair.

He did not ask me for proof. I think he read the room.

"I see," he said.

He was quiet for a moment. Then he spoke again.

"You know that divorce means the company would be Ethan's, right?"

I chuckled.

He raised an eyebrow.

I leaned forward. I smiled.

"Stop joking, Mr. Bennett," I said. "Do you think I forgot the second document?"

He stared at me.

Then he laughed.

It was a loud, genuine laugh. He shook his head.

"You clever girl," he said. "You sound like your father. A very detailed man."

I smiled at the memory.

"I'm going to make him proud," I said.

He nodded. "You already have."

He picked up his pen. He began to type.

I watched him work. The sound of the keyboard filled the room.

After a few minutes, he stopped. He printed the document. He handed it to me.

"Here," he said. "The divorce papers."

I took them. I held them in my hands.

"Thank you," I said.

I stood up. I walked to the door.

"Wait," he said.

I turned.

He was standing behind his desk. His eyes were soft.

"Isabella," he said. "I'm proud of you. And I know your father would also be proud of you."

I smiled.

"Thank you, Mr. Bennett."

He nodded. "Once Ethan signs, come back with the divorce document and the second document. I will help you achieve anything that you want."

I nodded.

"I will."

I opened the door and walked out.

On my way home, I stopped at the cemetery.

I walked through the gates. Past the rows of tombstones. Past the trees. Past the flowers.

I found my father's grave.

Daniel Hale.

Beloved father. Beloved husband. Beloved man.

I knelt beside the stone.

"Hi, Daddy," I whispered.

The wind blew. The leaves rustled. The sun was warm on my face.

"I'm sorry," I said. "I'm sorry I didn't listen. I'm sorry I trusted them. I'm sorry I gave away everything you gave me."

Tears streamed down my face.

"But I'm back now. And I'm going to fix it. I'm going to take back what's mine. I'm going to survive."

I touched the stone.

"Help me," I whispered. "Please. Help me make you proud."

I leaned forward. I kissed the tombstone.

"I love you, Daddy."

I stood up. I wiped my tears. I walked away.

I got to the house.

The lights were on. The door was unlocked. I walked inside.

Sophia, Rebecca, and Ethan were in the sitting room.

Sophia was showing them the clothes she bought. She held up a dress. It was pink. Expensive. Ugly.

"What do you think?" she asked.

Rebecca smiled. "Beautiful, dear."

Ethan nodded. "You'll look stunning."

Sophia beamed. Then she saw me.

"Isabella!" she called. "Come see what I bought!"

I walked toward her slowly.

Now that I looked at her well, I could see it.

She was really pregnant.

Her belly was slightly rounded. Her face was fuller. Her hands rested on her stomach.

I was so dumb.

In my past life, when she told me she was gaining weight, I believed her. I offered to help her watch her weight. I offered to join her so she wouldn't feel alone.

I was such a fool.

I walked past Sophia. I walked past Rebecca. I walked to where Ethan was sitting.

He looked up at me. He smiled.

"Did you get the gift?" he asked.

I didn't answer.

I placed the divorce papers on the table.

Right in front of him.

The room went silent.

Sophia stopped talking. Rebecca stopped smiling. Ethan stared at the papers.

"What is this?" he asked.

His voice was calm. But his eyes were sharp.

I met his gaze.

"Divorce papers," I said.