Bound by vengeance, torn by love

The Brother I Never Expected

ISABELLA'S POV

The announcement came at breakfast on the fourteenth day of living in Damien's penthouse.

Damian appeared in the dining room for the first time since the wedding. Just walked in while I was picking at the food on my plate because I had lost my appetite, he sat down across from me.

I froze with my fork halfway to my mouth.

"We have a business dinner tonight." His voice was the same cold, flat tone as always.

"You'll need to attend as my wife."

"Why?" The question came out sharper than I intended.

His eyes flicked up from his phone and met mine for a brief second.

"Because appearances matter in my world. And a man who just got married is expected to bring his wife to social functions."

"What if I say no?"

"You won't." He went back to his phone.

"Elena will prepare you. The car leaves at seven, don't be late."

Then he stood up and left. He didn't even wait for my response.

I sat there staring at the cold food. Trying to process what just happened. I was going outside, away from this penthouse.

Elena appeared an hour later with a dress bag and a box of jewelry that cost a lot.

"Mr. Cross has specific expectations for tonight." She laid everything out on my bed.

"You will wear this dress, these shoes, this jewelry. Your hair will be up, makeup natural but classy. You will smile, you will be charming and you will act like a woman in love with her husband."

Each instruction felt painful. A reminder that even this small freedom wasn't really freedom.

"What if I can't?" My voice came out small.

"What if I can't pretend to love someone who treats me like property?"

Elena's expression didn't change.

"Then you'll learn quickly. Mr. Cross doesn't tolerate failure. And neither do the people you'll be meeting tonight."

She left me alone with the dress.

I stared at the dress for a while, at each carved, stitched design, then I wore it. The dress fit perfectly.

The makeup took longer. My hands were shaking. I had to stop twice to breathe.

By the time seven o'clock came, I looked like someone else. Polished, elegant. Mrs. Isabella Cross. The woman in the mirror was beautiful and empty and nothing like me.

Damian was waiting by the elevator. He looked at me once. A brief scan from head to toe. He gave no compliment, no reaction. Just a slight nod that might have meant approval or might have meant nothing.

"Remember," he said as we stepped into the elevator, "you're happy. We're newlyweds and you're in love. Can you do that?"

I wanted to say no. I wanted to refuse.

But I knew better than to do such a stupid thing.

So I nodded. I hated myself for it, but nodded anyway.

The restaurant was the kind of place I'd only seen in magazines. Crystal chandeliers. White tablecloths, waiters in suits who looked really expensive.

Damian's hand settled on the small of my back as we entered. The touch made my skin crawl, but I forced a smile, I tried to play the part.

The dinner party was already in progress. Business people in expensive clothes making expensive small talk. They looked up when we entered. Eyes assessing my dress and my every movement.

The first hour was torture. I stood beside Damian while he talked business. I smiled when I was supposed to, laughed at jokes that weren't funny.

My face hurt from smiling. My feet hurt from the heels I wasn't used to. My chest hurt from holding in everything I wanted to say.

Then I saw him.

A man entered the restaurant. He came late. Apologizing to someone near the door. He was tall with dark hair and a smile that looked almost genuine compared to everyone else in the room.

Something about him felt familiar. Like I've seen him before.

He moved through the crowd easily. Shaking hands, making conversation. Working his way toward our group.

That's when our eyes met and time seemed to stop completely.

I knew those eyes, that face even though it had changed. He was grown up now, different from the boy I remembered.

Elias. My childhood best friend. The boy who'd disappeared from my life ten years ago without explanation and without goodbye. Just gone one day like he'd never existed.

My breath caught in my throat.

He recognized me too. I saw it in the way his eyes widened. In the way his smile faltered for just a second. In the shock that flashed across his face before he hid it.

Damian noticed. His hand tightened slightly on my waist.

"Elias." Damian's voice was cold. "You're late."

"Sorry, brother." Elias said calmly.

"Traffic was terrible."

Brother?

The word hit me like a punch. Elias was Damian's brother. How was that possible? How had I not known?

"Isabella, this is my half-brother, Elias Cross. He's the COO of Cross Industries."

"Elias, my wife, Isabella."

"It's a pleasure to meet you." Elias held out his hand. He was acting like we were strangers.

But when I took his hand, his fingers squeezed mine briefly.

"The pleasure is mine." My voice came out steadier than I felt.

Damian's eyes moved between us suspiciously.

"You two look like you've seen a ghost."

"She just reminds me of someone." Elias let go of my hand but his eyes stayed on mine.

"Someone from a long time ago."

"Small world." Damian's tone suggested he didn't believe in coincidences.

"If you'll excuse us, I need to speak with the investors."

He guided me away before I could respond. Before I could say anything to Elias.

Elias's eyes following me as I walked across the restaurant.

The next hour dragged like years. I stood beside Damian, smiling like his little doll but my mind was on Elias.

How was he here? Why had he disappeared ten years ago? Did he know what Damian had done? Did he know I was trapped?

Finally, Elias appeared beside us.

"Damian, the Millers want to discuss the Singapore deal. They're by the bar."

Damian's jaw tightened. He didn't want to leave me, I could see it in the way his hand tightened on my waist.

But business was business. And this was why we were here.

"Stay with Isabella." He looked at Elias. "Don't let her wander off."

Then he was gone, he disappeared into the crowd, leaving me alone with Elias.

Elias waited until Damian was out of sight. Then his whole demeanor changed. A big smile appeared on his face.

"Isabella." My name in his mouth sounded sweet.

"What are you doing here? What are you doing married to my brother?"

The concern in his voice made tears threaten to fall out. I blinked them back.

"It's complicated." My voice shook despite my best efforts.

"Let's go somewhere private." He glanced around.

"Too many eyes here."

He led me out to a balcony that overlooked the city. It was empty and quiet. Safe enough to talk.

The moment we were alone, everything I'd been holding back threatened to spill out.

"You disappeared." The words came out before I could stop it.

"Ten years ago you just vanished. No explanation, no goodbye. You just disappeared Elias."

Pain flashed across his face.

"I know. I'm sorry, my mother found out about our friendship. She forbade me from seeing you. I tried to reach out but she intercepted everything."

"Why?" Nothing made sense.

"Why would she care?"

"Because she was crazy." He said it simply.

"Because she hated anything that made me happy that she couldn't control."

The explanation should have helped. Should have made it better. But it didn't, I still felt the pain.

"Why are you here now? I didn't know you were Damien's brother.”

"Half-brother. Different mothers. Same terrible father." He leaned against the railing.

"I work for the family company. I have for years. But I never expected to see you here. Never expected you to be married to Damian."

The way he said it. Like it was the worst possible thing.

"It's not what you think." I couldn't tell him the truth.

"It's just complicated."

"Isabella." He turned to face me fully.

"Are you okay? Are you safe?"

The question broke something in me. No one had asked that. Not since this nightmare started. No one cared if I was okay.

"I don't know." The honesty escaped before I could cage it.

"I don't know anything anymore."

Elias pulled something from his pocket. A business card. But when he handed it to me, I saw numbers written on the back in pen.

"My private number." His eyes were intense and serious.

"Call me if you need anything. Anything at all. I don't know what's going on but I can see you're not happy. And if my brother has anything to do with that, I'll help you."

I took the card, clutched it really tightly.

"Why?" The question came out whispered. "Why would you help me?"

"Because you were my best friend. Because I've thought about you for ten years. Because whatever is happening here, I can see you need someone on your side."

Footsteps interrupted. Damian appeared like a shadow. His eyes went from me to Elias and back again.

"The Millers want to meet Isabella." His tone was neutral but I heard the edge underneath.

"Elias, they need you inside."

Elias nodded, gave me one last look. Then disappeared back into the restaurant.

I was alone with Damian again. His eyes studying my face.

"What did my brother want?"

"Just welcoming his new sister-in-law." The lie came easily.

"Being polite."

Damian's jaw tightened, he knew I was lying but he didn't push it. He just offered his arm and led me back inside to meet more people whose names I wouldn't remember.