All Chapters of CRAVING ISABELLA: Chapter 151 - Chapter 160

ISABELLAEthan and I don't eat or exchanged words when we get to the place he suggested. I'm getting texts from Antonia who's really excited for this, and I'm getting texts from Chloe who has a major role to play in this. I mean, it's on her. Whether this works or not, it's all on her.A different text that's not from Chloe or Antonia enters my phone and I glance at it to read it. It's Noah. My eyes widen slightly as I read what he sent. He's asking where I am and if I'm going to be okay. He wants to know if I need a ride home tonight. "That your man?" Ethan asks.I nod. "I don't think this is a good idea." I mutter, raising my head. "Look, I'm sorry. I know I asked you to help me out. But... now I just feel really guilty and I know I shouldn't have let Chloe convince me. It was very nice meeting you though."The words are out of my mouth and Ethan just smiles. His smile is gorgeous but it's annoying. I need to leave. That's what I just said. "I think it's too late to back out." H

ISABELLAI don’t even remember leaving the restaurant.Everything after that is just… noise. Laughter. Strangers smiling at me like they know me. Someone saying congratulations for the hundredth time. Noah’s hand wrapped tightly around mine like he’s afraid I might disappear.Now I’m in our room while Noah's downstairs on a call. The door is locked, and I have my back pressed against it. And I’m staring at my hand. At the ring. It glints when I move my fingers, catching the light again, just like it did in the restaurant...“Oh my God,” I whisper to myself while I grab my phone.There’s only one person I need to call. The FaceTime rings once, twice, then her face pops up on the screen."I asked him to go there, Bella. Believe me I did."I let out a breathless laugh. She thinks I'm calling her about the fake date? “Chloe...”"Did it work? Wait... What did you do?” she cuts in, squinting. “Wait... no. What happened? Why do you look like that?”“Like what?” I ask, but I’m already smiling

ISABELLAI've been staring at the ring on my finger for... what? Twenty minutes? more? I'm not sure. It's just... After my first class today, I actively avoided Chase and Derek. The only person I couldn't avoid was Antonia. Of course, she'd hunt me down and get the truth from me. Sometimes I wonder why I keep getting cursed with intrusive female friends. They mean well, I know. But sometimes their relentless pursuit of the truth feels less like concern and more like an interrogation.Well, what can I say? I do need someone to tell. And if it's not Chloe, it has to be a girl. Only a girl will understand my point of view. Only a girl will think like me. Since Chloe is getting everything ready for her wedding which will be sooner than I think, I can't bring myself to burden her. Plus, she has real-life issues to worry about. Like Nadia... her job... while I'm just worried about my fiance leaving me for some job. It feels so petty, so selfish, to dump my anxieties on her while she's navig

ISABELLAI'm smiling. This is where he agrees and then everything goes back to normal. We'll get on with our lives. But Noah, he's not smiling. I didn't even miss the change in his expression even though it was subtle. Yeah, it's really subtle. He's still. It's the kind of stillness that settles over my boyfriend when he's trying to choose his words carefully. But I see it. I always see it."...Wait?" He says slowly.My stomach drops a little, but I don't let that deter me. "Yes, Noah. What?""You want me to wait?" He asks, likes he's making sure he heard me right. "Yes." I sit up straighter. That's right. I feel the sudden need to defend this before he even says anything. "I mean... it makes sense, right? It's just a couple of months. Then we can go together. We won't have to do long distance or... whatever this is."He exhales through his nose, leaning back slightly. And I wait for it. "That is not a good idea, Minnie."There. Said. I was expecting those words. They just hit harde

ISABELLAYup. I'm naked. I have just taken off my engagement ring, and I'm standing in front of Noah, silently waiting for his reply. He can't seriously watch me do this, can he? He cares about me too much to do that. "Why'd you take it off?" His eyes are on the ring. I shrug. "If you're leaving, then we're no longer engaged. So, what's the point of leaving?"He looks at me, then at the ring. "You're acting like a badly behaved child you know that."I don't care what he says. "A spoilt, little brat." He adds."Maybe I am. Or maybe I just don't want you to leave me alone like you did before. You keep thinking about the future. You didn't think about the future when you left before. And you also didn't think about how I'd cope. And now, you want me to sit back and watch history repeat itself all over again? You know that's not gonna happen, Noah. So you say whatever it is you feel like saying, I don't care. You are not leaving this country."He stands straight, then folds his arms ac