Semua Bab ISABELLA (The Night that ruined me): Bab 111 - Bab 120

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.

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

ISABELLA POVThe slam of the door echoed like a death sentence.I froze, my hands trembling against the wood as I pulled, twisted, pushed, but nothing. The knob wouldn’t turn. My heart hammered so violently it hurt.He had locked me in.I staggered back, breathing fast, the reality pressing down on me like a heavy weight. My child..my little girl..was in Xavier’s hands. The thought alone made bile rise in my throat. I pressed my forehead against the door, whispering her name like a prayer.“Eva… my baby…”I yanked at the knob again, nails scratching the wood until they hurt. I screamed, pounding my fists until my knuckles stung. “Xavier! Let me out! Don’t you dare touch her!” My voice cracked, raw and desperate, but only silence answered.No footsteps. No sound. Only the echo of my own despair.I slid down to the floor, my back against the door, shaking uncontrollably. Tears blurred my vision, but anger burned hotter than the fear. He thought he could take her. He thought he could own

EVA’S POVI was so sleepy.My eyes kept closing, but I didn’t want to sleep here. The kitchen chair was too hard, and the light from the big chandelier was too bright. I wanted my soft bed. I wanted Mommy’s warm arms around me.I hugged my knees tight. If I squeezed hard enough, maybe I would disappear and wake up back home.“Mommy…” I whispered. My voice cracked. My throat hurt. “Daddy…”Ma Hilda’s head turned fast. She was stirring something in a pot, and the spoon clanked so loud. She didn’t smile. She never smiled at me. Her eyes were sharp, like the point of a needle.“Stop that noise,” she said. “Crying, crying, crying. That’s all you do.”I froze. My lips pressed tight together. I didn’t want to make her angrier. But my eyes burned, and before I knew it, hot tears were sliding down my cheeks again.I wanted to say sorry, but my voice wouldn’t come out.My throat was so dry. I was thirsty.I slid off the chair and reached for the jug on the counter. My arms shook when I tried to

ISABELLA POV The sound of the heavy door slamming against the frame jolted me. My breath caught as my fingers scrambled over the phone. I quickly ended the call, deleted Drake’s number from the dialed log, and powered it off. My heart raced, pounding in my chest like a drum. I pushed the phone under the bed, hiding it where Xavier wouldn’t think to look.Please, Drake… please save Eva, I prayed silently, curling myself into the farthest corner of the bed. I hugged my knees tight, forcing myself to keep my face calm, though my entire body trembled.The inner door creaked open, and then Xavier stepped inside. His expression wasn’t the wild storm from earlier. This time, he looked almost gentle, too calm for comfort. That made me shiver more.“Isa…” he said softly, rushing to my side with a small bowl of water and a towel. He crouched down and reached for my face. “I’m sorry. You know I can never hurt you, honey. I love you so much. You just… you just annoyed me.”I flinched when the co