Chapter 6 Secret Exposed?
1533 Words
Andrei remained silent, merely placing a cigarette between his lips and fixing Isabel with a mocking smile. "You have three seconds to buckle up."
"What?" She was slow to grasp his meaning.
With no prior warning, Andrei slammed the accelerator to the floor, causing a sensation of weightlessness that forced an uncontrollable scream from Isabel. She clutched desperately at the seatbelt, struggling to click it into place.
Andrei's laughter filled the car, a sound of pure enjoyment at Isabel's terror as he ramped the speed up to 180 and took on the winding mountain roads.
Turning to look at him, Isabel saw his light golden curls tousled by the wind, his eyes alight with thrill, a man lost in the sheer joy of speeding.
She had known of Andrei's infamous temper, but at that moment, he seemed downright mad!
He took the sharp curves without decelerating, and more than once, Isabel felt certain the car would launch off the road and end her life in a cliffside disaster that very night.
When the Pagani finally halted, Isabel was alive but felt as though she'd lost half her spirit to fear.
She pushed open the car door and stumbled over to the fountain at the entrance of the Howard Estate, where she retched for what seemed like an eternity.
Andrei approached Isabel, clicking his tongue in disapproval. "You really lack any semblance of manners."
Isabel wanted to snap back, but the vertigo and nausea from the ride robbed her of balance and voice.
The man responsible simply left her there, walking away after offering a chilling reminder.
"Remember to clean the fountain properly. Otherwise..." His smile deepened ominously. "Tomorrow, I'll have a proper 'punishment' for you."
After spending half the night cleaning the fountain, Isabel was certain of one thing: she would never meet anyone more dreadful than Andrei in her life!
Exhausted, she returned to her room, barely able to lift her arms. It was only then she remembered that she had been whisked away by Andrei, leaving Jones back at the bar!
"She quickly texted Jones to apologize.
Isabel: Sorry, I had to leave suddenly because of an emergency."
When she finally set her phone aside, sleep quickly claimed her.
*****
The following two days, Isabel spent in Bernard Howard's study, all to avoid "direct confrontation" with Andrei.
Thinking back to what had happened, she was overwhelmed with exhaustion. First, her deepest secret was almost exposed by that horrible man; then, she was set up and almost lost her dignity. The skin where he had touched still burned faintly even till now...
Why was Andrei Howard suddenly interested in her? What did he want from her? She had no idea.
Isabel sighed. She felt like a tiny boat caught in a violent storm for three excruciating days, in dire need of a shore to rest.
To her, Bernard was that shore.
Bernard, the man who had adopted her, was also Andrei's uncle.
As George's brother and the trusted manager of the Howard Estate, Bernard worked mostly from his study.
Unlike the distant and lofty George, Bernard was considered a gentleman by all—kind, courteous, and well-liked by everyone who met him.
Isabel knew she should trust that benevolent man who had saved her from a potentially dire fate in an orphanage, though they had only met a few times over the years.
"Hey."
Bernard's voice suddenly broke the silence as he appeared behind her in the study, causing Isabel to startle.
"Why don't you go out and enjoy yourself? You shouldn't spend all your time cooped up here," he suggested gently, his eyes warm.
Isabel instinctively stepped back, increasing the distance between them, her movements cautious and reserved.
Though Isabel had been under the same roof as Bernard for two days, every approach made her body recoil, her heart beating wildly as if warning her of some deep, lurking dread.
"I find the worlds within books far more appealing than the outside one," Isabel conveyed through sign language, her hands gracefully placing the freshly cleaned book back on the shelf.
Bernard observed her thoughtfully, his voice low and gentle. "Is your voice still unable to find its way out?"
"Yes, I'm sorry," she signed back, her hands shaping each word with precision.
Bernard's eyes filled with a deep, almost mournful pity, like he was grieving over a flaw in a beautiful artwork, his expression tinged with frustration.
For a fleeting moment, Isabel felt a pang of guilt, as if she bore the blame.
However, he quickly resumed the affectionate persona of a caring foster father, his smile warm as he inquired about her adjustment to university life and whether she found anything at Howard Estate discomforting as if he was marking off a task from some kind of list.
Despite being slightly unsettled by the concern six years too late, Isabel responded with fluent sign language, "Perhaps I haven't mentioned it, but I topped my class in the final exams last semester."
It seemed only right to inform her guardian of her academic success.
"You're a truly intelligent girl," Bernard exclaimed with a satisfied smile.
He reached toward her shoulder and was about to say something, but a servant's voice at the door halted his gesture.
"Sir, your guests have arrived."
"Thank you." Bernard naturally withdrew his hand and added, "My dear Isabel, if you find solace in books, you may spend as much time as you wish here in the study. Just refrain from touching anything on the desk."
"Of course." Isabel bowed in gratitude, feeling a swirl of emotions as Bernard's gaze held a complexity she couldn't quite decode.
As soon as Bernard exited the room, the knot of fear in Isabel's stomach unraveled. She selected a book and found a quiet spot by a sunny window, settling down to read.
Her intent was clear: to arm herself with knowledge of the outside world, preparing for her eventual departure from the Opes Federation.
Deeply engrossed in her book, she was startled when a voice, rich with curiosity, intruded upon her solitude.
"Why are you here?"
Isabel nearly let out a scream.
She looked up to see Andrei standing behind her, his muscular arms propped on the back of her chair, nearly enveloping her in his presence. They were uncomfortably close, as his masculine scent enveloped her, and the glimpse of his enticing collarbone was so visible beneath his partly open white shirt...
Blushing furiously, Isabel stood quickly, distancing herself from Andrei. In a raspy tone, she explained seriously, "Bernard is my guardian. I am here assisting in organizing the study."
"Is that so?" Andrei offered a vague response as he looked at the book in her hands. "You need two days to do that?"
Isabel hastily hid the book behind her and looked up at him with a determined expression. She had to admit he was one hell of a handsome man—gorgeous face, tall nose bridge, and fair and smooth skin. The only imperfections, it seemed, were the shade under his eyes that betrayed his insomnia and those eyes that were overflowing with disdain.
She knew she should keep silent around that intimidating man. Yet, recalling his earlier disrespect, she couldn't suppress her sarcastic retort. "Don't you know to knock before entering someone else's study? That hardly seems befitting of a noble."
Andrei's eyes narrowed menacingly. "You are merely an adopted girl, and yet you dare to lecture me? In this estate, apart from my father's room, no door requires my knock."
His magnetic voice, carrying a strong tone of authority, made Isabel subtly take a step back.
Looking at her cautious and submissive movement, Andrei's mode suddenly improved drastically, and the desire to conquer her erupted.
Leaning in, his presence overwhelming, his eyes flashed dangerously, like a predator zeroing in on its prey.
Isabel could vividly sense his breath looming around her neck. She was both embarrassed and angry, but she dared not move, fearing it would only encourage him to do something even worse. Thus, she closed her eyes and accepted it.
Just as his lips were about to touch her delicate collarbone, he suddenly snatched the book in her hands and said derisively, "Searching For Lost Land, huh?"
He snorted. "So, you're planning the escape route."
Isabel's face instantly flushed from her thoughts being exposed, but she still said stubbornly, "Whatever!"
"But as far as I know, other than the Opes Federation and some insignificant island nations, the only thing left is the sea. What, are you planning to dive into the ocean?"
Andrei's words instantly brought Isabel back to the night she attempted to escape. She could distinctly remember how her panic and fear miraculously disappeared the moment she plunged into the water. The sea was warm, tranquil, and soothing; she felt as if she had returned to her mother's womb.
At that moment, she could vividly sense a calling from the depths of the sea...
"So, you were lying!"
Andrei's voice dragged Isabel out of the pleasant memories, and the dreadful emotions of that night came flooding back.
He had found out about her secret!
Where else could she run to now?!
- Writer
