Chapter 4

Calista had to admit that she was stunned beyond belief. As far as she remembered, she could count on one hand the number of times she and Isaac had slept together during their three-year marriage before she'd gone to prison.

Isaac was aloof and almost frigid. He didn't seem to be interested in sleeping with her at all. He had focused most of his energy on work and was known for being a workaholic.

Calista had consulted a professional about this and learned that some people were just naturally uninterested in physical pleasures. So, she'd never tried to force him into anything.

Even the time she conceived Anthony was due to the Halstons placing a special incense in her and Isaac's bedroom to set the mood, hoping she would produce an heir.

She had only heard about it later. Still, she was already pregnant at that point, and Isaac seemed happy about it. Neither of them had pursued the matter.

But now, Isaac had Caroline by his side, and Calista had just served two years in prison.

So, Calista didn't know why sleeping with her would be the first thing Isaac wanted to do.

She wondered if she was overthinking. She was worried that if she shook him off, she would make it seem like she was the one who couldn't wait to get in bed with him. What if he hadn't gotten the hotel room for what she thought he wanted?

Just like that, Isaac took Calista out of the Halston residence. His car was parked right outside. They'd only been apart for two years, but he'd already upgraded to a more expensive model. It was clear that the Halston family's business was flourishing.

Isaac opened the car door and gestured for Calista to get in first. She glanced at him, wanting to see what exactly he was up to. She wondered if he was serious about wanting to sleep with her, but figured that it was probably just an excuse for him to say something to her privately. Well, this would be her chance to hear him out.

Almost as soon as Calista got into the car, Caroline came out of the house. Isaac's expression shifted slightly when he saw her.

Through the window, Calista saw the look on Caroline's face. She seemed somewhat disappointed. Isaac approached her and said something. Calista couldn't hear them as the car's soundproofing was impeccable.

Then, she watched them break apart. Caroline's smile was forced, but she seemed to be acting like she was generously handing Isaac over to Calista.

After that, Isaac got into the car and sat beside Calista. Both of them were silent in the small, private space. It was so quiet that they could practically hear each other's heartbeats.

Calista couldn't be bothered to say anything. And so, they remained silent until they got to the hotel. As expected, the hotel room had been set up for a romantic time, with roses used as decoration inside.

The ambience carried a flirtatious air, and the smell of the incense burning in the room made Calista frown as she was sensitive to that particular smell. Five years ago, the Halstons had burned this specific incense in her and Isaac's bedroom. Their actions had led Isaac to lose control and go wild with her, resulting in her conceiving Anthony.

It seemed that she wasn't overthinking, after all. Isaac hadn't brought her here to talk to her privately. He had other plans. He'd gotten a room at a hotel and had it decorated just so he could sleep with her!

Calista wondered if he had lost his mind. She stopped at the door and looked up at him. "Isaac, do you love me?"

Love—she didn't remember Isaac ever saying that to her.

As expected, Isaac stiffened and remained silent. He wasn't a good liar, so his silence was enough to tell her what she wanted to know.

Calista turned and started walking away. However, he ran after her and grabbed her arm. Then, he seemed to change his mind instantly. "Forget it. You've only just returned, so you might find this hard to accept. We can… take things slow."

She was confused at the mention of a "we." After all, they had gotten divorced a year ago. So, why were they still a "we"?

Besides, even if he were just acting like this out of guilt for not speaking up for her over what had happened two years ago, she no longer had time to take things slow with him.

For a split second, Calista was tempted to tell him that she was dying. However, she swallowed the words just as they reached the tip of her tongue. She didn't think there was a point to it. Did she still hope that he would pity her?

She said, "Two years ago, you would've clearly seen from where you stood that Caroline was the one who pushed Grandma. Does she mean that much to you? You went to such lengths to keep her record clean, even forcing me to serve time in prison on her behalf."

Calista had thought that she had accepted reality after spending two years behind bars. She thought that she'd seen everyone's true colors and that she wouldn't be affected by these people and things anymore.

Unexpectedly, she still got worked up when demanding answers from Isaac.

He seemed to be equally taken aback.

Calista stood there and looked at him, seemingly waiting for an explanation.

To her surprise, Isaac merely said indifferently, "I didn't see anything."

He was indeed a bad liar, yet the words flowed smoothly as he lied for Caroline's sake. His only tell was that he averted his gaze from Calista's.

He continued, "You've already served two years in prison. Is there any point in going over this again? Just let the past stay in the past. The Stones and Halstons will make this up to you and keep you safe. You can spend the final year of your sentence outside of prison. All you'll need to do is report to your parole officer each month."

Calista's hands trembled underneath her sleeves, and she wondered if this was all she deserved just because she'd spent two years behind bars. Couldn't she even say anything when she'd been falsely accused of a crime she hadn't committed? If even Isaac thought this, it was needless to say what the Stones thought.

"Do you know what it's like to be in prison, Isaac?" Calista growled.

Then, she turned to storm off.

Isaac grabbed her again. "We can have another child, Calista. Haven't you always wanted a daughter?"