Chapter 2

Calista met Isaac's gaze. His expression remained unchanged when he saw her.

When Calista was behind bars, she had imagined more than once how she would throw herself into Isaac's arms and cry her heart out once she was free. But it was only when she saw him in the flesh that she realized how cold and distant the look in his eyes was.

She had secretly harbored feelings for him since she was a young woman. There were rumors that he was the illegitimate son of an affluent family, but she didn't care about that. She'd charged ahead recklessly and pursued him like a woman possessed.

It hadn't bothered her that he'd been aloof, or that he'd been as polite and distant with her as he was with everyone else.

Calista had skipped grades and gotten into Isaac's college with outstanding scores. She'd pursued him all the way there and managed to make him spare her a glance after telling him that she'd gotten in based on her own hard work.

Despite that, she still had to follow in his footsteps for years, from graduating from college to moving on to graduate school. Then, just as she was about to apply for a PhD program, she accidentally ended up in bed with him.

After that, she threw herself into secretly helping Isaac. She poured money and resources to help him start a business and used everything she had to pave a path for him.

Upon achieving success in his career, Isaac gained the Halston family's recognition. He was brought back into the fold and was allowed to take over the family business.

Then, the Halston and Stone families were joined through marriage.

After falling pregnant and having Anthony, Calista shifted her focus in life to her family and child. Over time, she sensed that Isaac was seeing someone behind her back.

One day, Isaac openly brought his college junior onto the core team of Halston Group's AI department. Only then did Calista learn that the woman was his true love.

It was also Isaac who had brought said true love to the Stone residence, claiming that she was there as a company representative to celebrate Elizabeth's birthday, leading to Elizabeth later getting hurt.

Ultimately, Isaac had been the one to weigh the pros and cons, forcing Calista to take the fall for Caroline and end up behind bars.

Now, Calista stared at Isaac, wondering whether falling in love with him had been the start of her bad luck and misery.

Her thoughts drifted for only a second before everyone turned to face her. Connor hurried to her, looking happy. He reached out for her hand, but she instinctively shrank back.

His hand grasped nothing, and he looked at her in surprise. After all, they'd always been on good terms.

Connor wasn't used to seeing Calista's hair like this. It had been cropped short after she'd been imprisoned. In the past, as a pampered heiress, she would spend hundreds of thousands of dollars each year just to protect and nourish her smooth, silky locks.

But now, her hair was short and styled simply. It also seemed to be much thinner than before. He was unnerved by it.

Nevertheless, he said, "Everything's over now that you're back. You've had it tough for the past two years, Liss. Now that you're home, everything will remain as it always has. Don't worry about that."

The same? How could things be the same?

Calista would forever have a three-year imprisonment sentence on her record, and she would be labeled as someone who had hurt her loving grandmother. Could things really be the same in terms of her family, society, or even how Anthony viewed her?

The worst part of it all was Shirley and Caroline being in her home. That alone was enough to ensure that nothing would be the same.

Calista didn't believe for a second that no one saw what had actually happened on that fateful day. Yet, they'd all ganged up on her and accused her of the crime.

Things hadn't been the same for a long time!

Calista was disheartened. Meanwhile, Martin glanced at Isaac.

Isaac approached her and, for once, initiated a conversation with her. "Everything we promised you remains the same, and I've increased the dividends you were meant to receive in the last two years. Now that you're out of prison, you can move back in here if you want. I can also stay with you and your family if you prefer that."

Calista's head shot up as she looked at him in surprise. Knowing that he wasn't good at lying, she searched his eyes for any sign of it. However, all she saw was anticipation.

She didn't know why he would be expecting anything of her.

She was baffled. Wasn't Caroline his true love?

After spending a year in prison, Calista had well and truly understood that fact and had signed the divorce agreement without hesitation, even stipulating that she would leave the marriage without taking a single penny.