LETHAL GAMES

CHAPTER THREE

It had been a week since Sophia had arrived at the Castellanos mansion. She had thought that Isabella would be sent away the moment she arrived, but that wasn't the case. The brothers accepted her and Isabella. They gave her a room next to Isabella, and she received the same treatment as Isabella.

However, Carlo was the most fond of her. Always reminding her of how she looked like their mother. From afar, she had always felt a connection to the Castellanos brothers, thinking she had a crush on them, especially Matteo. However, now that the truth was out, and she was living in the Castellanos' mansion, Matteo avoided her like a plague. He almost never smiled at her but would laugh and chat with Isabella the least chance he got. This irked her a lot.

She had left her brothers to be here only to receive half of their love. She wasn't going to give up easily though. She was here to claim what was hers, and she was going to start by kicking Isabella out.

The few weeks she had been in the Castellanos mansion showed her how her upbringing was a vast difference to that of Isabella. Isabella was treated like a princess while she was made to work for everything she wanted. She was made to train, learn how to fight, use a gun and even go on missions. Yet here Isabella was, the princess of the Castellanos family, having maids at her beck and call. Going shopping whenever she wanted and driving any of the luxury cars she wanted. Sophia pretended to be nice to Isabella. She grew closer to her, their bond solidifying with every shared laugh and whispered secret.

Sophia, however, had other plans. As she watched her brothers dote on Isabella, a green-eyed monster grew within her. The love they had for their sister by choice was something she craved, something she felt was stolen from her. And so, she began to plot, to turn the tide of affection in her favor.

One afternoon, as they all sat around the dinner table, laughter filling the air, Sophia offered to bring dessert. On her way to the kitchen, as she passed by Isabella who was now on her way to the dinner table, she feigned a trip, sending a priceless vase shattering to the floor. She looked up at her brothers with wide, innocent eyes, her lip trembling.

"Isabella...she pushed me," she lied, her voice shaking with feigned fear.

The room went still, the shards of porcelain echoing the silence of their shock. Vincente's grip tightened on his fork, his eyes narrowing at the accusation. "Isabella?" he growled, his voice low and deadly.

Matteo was the first to react, jumping to Isabella's defense. "That's not true!" he exclaimed, his eyes flashing. But Carlo and Dante were quick to side with Sophia, their faces darkening with anger as they hurried to help her up.

Leo, the youngest, remained silent, his gaze flicking between his sisters, trying to read the truth in their eyes. He knew Isabella, knew she was incapable of such a cruel act. But the doubt grew like a tumor in the heart of their once unshakable unity.

"I didn't touch her, I swear". Isabella said, shock evident in her eyes.

"You pushed me. Why would you lie?". Sophia sobbed.

"No I didnt".

"Apologise Isabella". Vincente commanded.

"But I didn't do anything". She protested, looking at her elder brother. "Do you really think I can do such a thing?".

"It's fine if you don't want to apologize. I know I am not welcome here anyway". Sophia began to sob harder.

"Apologize now, Isabella. Apologize to my sister!". Dante roared scaring Isabella.

"I'm.... I'm sorry". She said and ran back into her room.

Over the following weeks, Sophia's manipulation grew bolder. She would whisper half-truths and outright lies into the ears of her brothers, painting Isabella as a selfish, cunning girl who sought only to divide them. The whispers grew louder, the accusations more pointed, until three of the brothers were firmly on her side, their hearts hardening against the girl they had once sworn to protect.

Only Matteo remained steadfast, his belief in Isabella unwavering. He saw the jealousy in Sophia's eyes, the desperation to belong. And he knew that their bond was being tested, that the very fabric of their family was at risk.

The day of reckoning came sooner than anyone had expected. Sophia brought her boyfriend home, but instead of taking him to her room, she sent him to Isabella's room. Isabella had just finished taking her bath and was drying herself when Alonso entered her bedroom.

Startled, she tried to scream, but he was fast enough to get to her before she could. Sophia had told him what he had to do, and he was more than willing to do it. He shoved Isabella back into the bathroom and locked the door, his hand over her mouth.

He stared at her, her flawless skin, sweet scent nearly made him want to take her instantly, but he had to wait. He had to follow the plan.

Meanwhile, Sophia had rushed to inform her brothers, Vincente, Carlo, and Dante, who were busy with a meeting, about Isabella sneaking a boy in. Carlo and Dante believed her instantly, but Vincente was skeptical. He knew Isabella too well to know that she stayed away from boys at all costs not to talk about bringing them home. She knew better.

Yet, he followed his brothers as Sophia led them to Isabella's room. When Alonso heard their footsteps, he released Isabella from his grip and began to undress.

"What are you doing?" Isabella gulped, holding on tightly to the towel around her body.

Alonso smirked. Just as he reached out for her, the door to her bedroom flew open.

"Isabella?". Dante called out.

Alonso, pretending to have been caught in the act, quickly opened the door. The brothers were shocked to see a naked man in their little sister's bathroom.

"What is the meaning of this, Isabella?". Carlos roared.

"I was.... I just.....here and...". Isabella was like a frightened mouse.

"Shut up. Is this how we raised you?". Dante spat. "And you, get out. Who gave you permission to come here?". He hissed at Alonso.

"I came to see Isabella". He replied as he quickly got dressed.

"No that's not true. I don't know him". Isabella protested.

"Isa, please don't lie. I know you are afraid of your brothers, but we have been together for two years. Please". Alonso lied.

Vincente gritted his teeth, his fingers clenched. "Two years?. Do you know how old she is?".

Alonso looked at Sophia confused.

"Even if you want to bring your boyfriend home, Isabella, shouldn't you have informed my brothers first?". Sophia interjected trying to shift the spotlight from Alonso.

"I don't know him, I swear". She repeated.

"How can you say that, we have been doing it-".

"Shut up!". Vincente hissed. "Pack your things, you are leaving". Vincente ordered. Making Sophia smile. "And you get dressed and get out". He bellowed at Alonso.

Sophia's plan to isolate and discredit Isabella was almost complete.

Isabella's heart raced as she tried to explain things to her brothers, but they wouldn't listen. She tried calling Matteo, who had gone on a movie shoot but he didn't pick up.

"I know what you think of me," she began, her voice shaking. "But I swear to you, on everything we hold sacred, that I don't know him. Please Vincente, she pleaded as her bags were being taken to the car.

"You have done nothing but cause trouble since Sophia arrived. Even making her stay here a living hell now this?. Dante glowered.

"I did not push her. I have never bullied her, never meant to cause any harm." Isabella sobbed.

Vincente's jaw clenched, his eyes boring into hers. "If what you say is true, Isabella, then what is a naked man doing in your room?".

The room was a minefield of accusations and doubt, the air thick with the potential for explosive anger. But Isabella was not one to back down from a challenge. She looked her brothers in the eye, her own resolve unyielding.

"I have never slept with a man in my life. I haven't even had my first kiss yet". She pouted, tears falling from her eyes.

"s**t". Alonso groaned.

The brothers turned to glare at him. They exchanged glances, their expressions a mix of anger and doubt. The bond that had held them together for so long was stretching, threatening to snap under the weight of secrets and lies. But Isabella knew that she had to fight, not just for herself but for the future of their family.

"Send her things back. I believe her". Vincente said.

Sophia remained quiet. She knew if she said anything she would be exposed. She quickly instructed Alonso to run by gesturing with her eyes. Unfortunately, or fortunately for her, the Castellanos bodyguards shot him dead.

One evening, Sophia invited Isabella out with a group of her newfound friends, promising a night of fun and freedom from the tension that had been building in the mansion. Isabella, desperate for a respite, agreed. But what she didn't know was that the nightclub they were heading to was a Marquez stronghold, a place where her very presence would be seen as a declaration of war.

The night was electric with energy, the pulse of the bass thrumming through the air. The sisters danced and laughed, their worries temporarily forgotten. But as the hours grew late and the club grew more crowded, Isabella noticed the glances, the whispers that followed her every move. It was then she realized that she had been set up.

With a sudden, choreographed move, the lights dimmed, and a group of men surrounded her, their intentions clear. Panic flooded her veins as she felt a rough hand on her arm, dragging her towards the back exit. But before they could make their move, the doors burst open, and the Castellanos brothers stormed in, their eyes scanning the room for any sign of trouble.

Sophia took the opportunity to act, feigning distress as she threw herself into Carlos' arms. "They're trying to kidnap me!" she screamed, pointing a trembling finger at the men retreating with Isabella. "Isabella did this! She's been working with them all along!"

The room erupted into chaos as the brothers took in the scene, their eyes narrowing at the sight of Isabella struggling against her attackers. Without hesitation, they descended upon the group, fists flying and tempers flaring. The men were no match for the mafia siblings, and soon, the club was a battleground of overturned tables and shattered glass.

But as the dust settled, and the truth began to emerge, Isabella found herself the accused, her cries of innocence falling on deaf ears. Vincente, the eldest and most feared, stepped forward, his gaze cold and unyielding. "Is this true, Isabella?" he demanded, his voice like ice. "Did you betray us?"

Her heart shattered as she realized the depth of their mistrust. "No!" she shouted over the din, her eyes pleading. "It was a setup! I never wanted any of this!"

But the damage was done. The brothers had been played, their bond with Isabella irrevocably damaged by the whispers of doubt. The night ended with Vincente's ultimatum, a command that sent her world spinning out of control.

"Leave our home," he told her, his voice low and final. "You are not welcome here any longer. Return to your true family and leave us to deal with the mess you've made."

Isabella begged, her voice breaking with desperation. "Please, I didn't do it! You have to believe me!" But the brothers were unmoved, their hearts hardened by the betrayal they believed she had wrought. They escorted her back to the mansion to pack her belongings, their eyes filled with anger and disappointment.