MASK OFF

ISABELLA POVEva’s sobs echoed in my head long after she’d fallen asleep.The sound of her small body shaking in my arms, the way her little voice had broken when she asked me if she was “bad” for making people talk, it gutted me. My daughter, my bright and innocent child, was already carrying the weight of my mistakes.And I couldn’t breathe.I sat in Xavier’s study the next morning, staring at the neat pile of legal documents his lawyers had drawn up. Words like custody, petition, and full parental rights stared back at me, sharp as knives. My lawyer had already called twice, eager for updates. But when I picked up the phone, my hand trembled too much to dial back.What was I doing?Dragging Eva into a war, letting her be paraded in front of strangers who would dissect her very existence like a specimen. She didn’t deserve that. None of this was for her.It was for me.Or worse because Xavier wanted it.The realization made guilt rise in my throat. So I did the only thing that felt

Last Updated : 2025-08-22

DARK PAST

GRANDMA POVThe car rolled to a stop before the tall, iron gates of the Gustavo mansion. The black stone walls towered above me, cold and proud, but I wasn’t here to admire architecture.I stepped out, Heels tapping against the polished driveway. My driver looked at me nervously, but I waved him off.I didn’t need guards. Words could be sharper than any sword .. and today, mine would cut through the Gustavo pride.The butler opened the door, his hesitation almost laughable. He knew who I was. They all did. I didn’t wait for him to announce me, I walked straight into their grand sitting room, my cane echoing across the marble floor.Hilda Gustavo looked up from her chaise. Her husband, Lorenzo Gustavo, stiffened at the sight of me. Macy hovered at the corner, her eyes wide, pretending innocence as always.“Hillary,” Hilda said, forcing a smile. “What a… surprise.”I met her gaze squarely. “Surprise isn’t the word you’ll use when I’m finished.”Lorenzo shifted. “This is not your house.

Last Updated : 2025-08-22

HE'S MONSTROUS

ISABELLA POVThe door wasn’t locked.That was Xavier’s first mistake.When he left me alone in that isolated room, I thought he would seal it like always. But this time, the handle turned easily under my trembling fingers. My heart slammed against my ribs as I pushed it open.I didn’t wait. I didn’t breathe. I just ran.The mansion was too quiet, every creak of the floorboards louder than my own pulse. My bare feet barely made a sound, but in my head, it felt deafening. What if he came back? What if he caught me in the hallway?I swallowed the panic and forced myself to move. There was only one place I needed to go. His office.The door loomed at the end of the corridor, heavy wood with a brass handle. My palm was slick with sweat as I turned it. For a split second, I almost prayed it would be locked, that fate would save me from whatever truth lay inside.It wasn’t. The door clicked open.Xavier’s office smelled faintly of cologne and smoke, the curtains half-drawn, shadows cutting a

Last Updated : 2025-08-22

ESCAPE

ISABELLA POVThe doorknob rattled.My heart jumped into my throat. Whoever it was, they were trying to get in.I pressed my back flat against the wall, the laptop still clutched to my chest. My pulse pounded so loudly I was certain it would give me away. For a moment, the sound of the handle turning back and forth filled the office, each metallic click stabbing into my nerves.Then silence.I didn’t dare move. My breath was shallow, shaky.A full minute passed before I forced myself toward the door again. Slowly, carefully, I twisted the knob from my side and cracked it open. The hallway beyond was empty.Relief washed through me, but I didn’t waste another second. I needed to get to Eva. Now.I tucked the laptop under my arm and padded down the corridor. Every step echoed in my ears, every creak of the wooden floor made me flinch. Xavier could be anywhere, and if he caught me here… I pushed the thought away.At the end of the hall, I saw the familiar door to Eva’s room. My hands shoo

Last Updated : 2025-08-22

All Chapters of ISABELLA (The Night that ruined me): Chapter 111 - Chapter 114

MASK OFF

DARK PAST

HE'S MONSTROUS

ESCAPE