Tous les chapitres de : Chapitre 41 - Chapitre 50

Isabella's POV.I walked toward Mom, trying to keep my expression neutral.“Surprise!” she said brightly, her arms outstretched. I forced a small smile and let her hug me tightly. Inside, however, my emotions were in turmoil.“Happy birthday, sweetheart,” Mom added, her voice warm and full of affection.“Thank you,” I murmured softly, keeping my tone steady.I could feel Ezekiel’s gaze on me like a weight, but I didn’t dare meet his eyes. I wasn’t sure if I’d find guilt or resolve myself there—and I wasn’t ready to confront him either.As Mom pulled away from the hug, she cupped my face in her hands. “How could I be far from you, love? It’s your birthday. I had to come back, no matter what,” she said, her tone brimming with love.I nodded, forcing myself to match her enthusiasm.“You should take a rest, Mom,” I said, stepping aside slightly, trying to regain some control of the situation.“Mr. Ezekiel and I will cook something for you.”The moment I said Mr. Ezekiel, his brows furrowe

We sat at the dining table for breakfast, the tension thick enough to slice with a knife. Mom took a spoonful of the fruit custard and hummed in delight, her voice dripping with satisfaction.“Umm... I’ve missed your delicious cooking, honey,” she said, directing a smile toward Ezekiel.He didn’t respond. His gaze, however, lingered on me.I smiled faintly at him, trying to mask the storm brewing inside me, but his face remained stern. Feeling the weight of his gaze, I deliberately shifted my attention to Mom and asked, “So, how was your trip, Mom?”The question hit its mark. Mom froze, her spoon hovering midair, as though she hadn’t expected me to bring it up. I could see the discomfort flash across her face.“I—Isabella!” she snapped, her tone sharp and defensive. “I didn’t go on a trip.”She recovered quickly, but her annoyance betrayed her. “I’ve had tons of work to handle. You know that.”I let out a soft laugh, playing it off casually. “Mom, I was just asking. Why are you so

We sat together at the dinner table, and though I wore a mask of calmness, my insides churned with turmoil. Every smile, every word they exchanged, felt like a needle pricking my skin.In the middle of our meal, Mom suddenly broke the silence. “Honey! Try this,” she said cheerfully, offering Ezekiel some salad.I glanced at him, expecting him to dismiss her. Instead, he smiled.He actually smiled.I narrowed my eyes but quickly looked down at my plate. I didn’t want to react, didn’t want to let them see how much it bothered me.“You try it too, Kathrine,” Ezekiel said, his tone softer than I’d expected. He served her a portion of the salad, and she laughed lightly, accepting it with a playful nudge.I was stunned. Ezekiel had been angry with her, distant even, and now this? How could he suddenly treat her as if nothing had happened?I poked at my food, gripping the spoon so tightly that my knuckles turned white. They started chatting—casual, light, their words and laughter filling the

Ezekiel kept his gaze on the road, gripping the wheel tightly. "Kathrine, you’re overreacting," he said, his voice steady but firm. "I didn’t say anything to hurt your ego."Kathrine turned to him, her expression tense, as she unlocked the door. "Ezekiel," she began, her voice clipped, "just go to work. I’m not in the mood to discuss this."She stepped one foot out of the car, pausing only to add, "Isabella always makes my life hard. This isn’t new to me. You don’t know her the way I do."Ezekiel arched his brow but didn’t respond. He knew pushing her further wouldn’t get them anywhere. He stayed silent, watching as she got out of the car and slammed the door shut with a thud.He tightened his lips, his frustration mounting, but he didn’t try to stop her. Instead, he sat there, his hands gripping the steering wheel, watching her through the rear-view mirror.Kathrine stood on the sidewalk, pulling out her phone and making a call. She didn’t seem in a rush, her posture almost defian

The music pulsed through my body as I moved to the beat, but my mind was elsewhere. It wasn’t just the rhythm carrying me; it was the storm inside me. My mom’s harsh words replayed over and over, and Ezekiel’s face kept coming to my thoughts.I wished I could scream it all out—tell my mother everything about what her boyfriend and I had done. Watch her flawless composure crack.But I couldn’t.I smiled while thinking.I opened my eyes and blinked, trying to ground myself, but something was wrong. The room wasn’t steady anymore—it was tilting. No, not just the room. Everyone around me seemed to sway, their movements exaggerated, surreal.No. It was me. I was tilting.I stumbled slightly, my legs feeling heavy, and my head spun as the edges of my vision blurred. My abdomen clenched suddenly, sharp.A bitter taste rose in my throat, and I felt panic surge. My eyes snapped at Dimitri, who was still moving to the beat.“Isabella?” he leaned closer.I opened my mouth to speak, but the words