Chapter 14 The First Real Hurt
981 Words
The morning after their argument felt unusually quiet.
Normally, Isabella and Lorenzo shared breakfast together before he left for work. Even if they didn’t talk much, there was always a certain warmth between them.
But that morning…
The warmth was gone.
Isabella woke up earlier than usual.
For a few moments she lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, replaying the conversation from the night before in her mind.
"She’s not the villain you’re making her out to be."
"You’re being dramatic."
"Nothing is happening."
Every word had sounded reasonable at the time.
But the more she thought about it, the more something inside her heart ached.
Because the real pain wasn’t the argument.
The real pain was something else.
Lorenzo had defended Victoria.
Not her.
Slowly, Isabella sat up and glanced at the other side of the bed.
Lorenzo was already gone.
Her chest tightened slightly.
He had left early without waking her.
That had never happened before.
In the kitchen, Isabella prepared coffee quietly.
The large penthouse felt too big suddenly.
Too silent.
She poured coffee into a mug and walked toward the balcony.
Outside, New York moved as it always did—cars rushing through the streets, people walking quickly toward their offices, the city full of life.
But inside Isabella’s chest, there was a strange emptiness.
Her phone buzzed.
She immediately looked at the screen, hoping it was Lorenzo.
It wasn’t.
Just a promotional message from a*****e.
She sighed softly.
He must be busy, she told herself.
Still…
She couldn’t shake the feeling that something between them had changed.
Meanwhile, at De Luca Enterprises, Lorenzo sat in his office going through several files.
His mind was unusually restless.
The argument from the night before replayed in his head.
He hadn’t meant to upset Isabella.
But her questions had felt… accusing.
And he hated feeling accused.
Especially when he believed he hadn’t done anything wrong.
His phone buzzed.
A message appeared.
Victoria:
Coffee break?
Lorenzo stared at the message.
For a moment, he considered ignoring it.
But then he remembered the tension at home.
The uncomfortable silence.
The questions.
And suddenly, meeting Victoria seemed easier than dealing with the awkwardness he felt with Isabella.
He typed a short reply.
Lorenzo:
One hour.
Victoria replied almost immediately.
Victoria:
Perfect.
Later that afternoon, Isabella decided to leave the penthouse for a while.
She needed fresh air.
Her thoughts were becoming too heavy.
She walked through the streets of Manhattan slowly, eventually stopping at a small café near Central Park.
The peaceful atmosphere helped calm her mind.
She ordered a coffee and sat near the window.
For a few minutes, she simply watched people passing by outside.
Couples laughing.
Friends chatting.
Life moving normally.
She tried to remind herself that she was probably overthinking everything.
Lorenzo loved her.
He had married her.
That meant something.
Right?
Just as she picked up her cup, something outside the window caught her attention.
Her heart stopped for a moment.
Across the street…
She saw Lorenzo.
And he wasn’t alone.
He was sitting at an outdoor table with Victoria.
They looked relaxed.
Comfortable.
Victoria was laughing about something.
Lorenzo wasn’t smiling much, but he looked calm.
Familiar.
The way he used to look with Isabella before everything started feeling strange.
Isabella’s fingers tightened around her coffee cup.
She hadn’t expected to see them together like this.
Not after last night.
Not after Lorenzo had insisted that nothing was happening.
For a long moment, she just watched.
Victoria leaned forward, saying something that made Lorenzo shake his head slightly.
Then she touched his arm briefly.
The gesture was small.
But it felt like a knife twisting inside Isabella’s chest.
She immediately looked away.
Her eyes burned slightly.
She didn’t want to watch anymore.
Without finishing her coffee, Isabella stood up and walked out of the café.
She didn’t confront them.
She didn’t call Lorenzo.
She simply left.
Because suddenly…
Everything hurt more than she expected.
That evening, Lorenzo returned home around 8 PM.
When he entered the penthouse, he noticed something immediately.
It was quiet.
Too quiet.
“Isabella?” he called.
No answer.
He walked into the living room.
The lights were on, but she wasn’t there.
Just as he pulled out his phone, the bedroom door opened.
Isabella stepped out.
“Oh,” she said softly. “You’re home.”
Lorenzo nodded.
“Where were you today?”
“I went out for a walk.”
“You didn’t answer my message earlier.”
“I didn’t see it.”
Her voice sounded calm.
Too calm.
Lorenzo frowned slightly.
“Did something happen?”
Isabella hesitated.
For a moment, she considered telling him the truth.
Telling him she had seen him with Victoria.
But then she remembered the way he had defended her the night before.
So instead she said quietly,
“No.”
Lorenzo studied her face carefully.
“You seem upset.”
“I’m just tired.”
“You should rest.”
“I will.”
She turned to walk back toward the bedroom.
But before she could leave, Lorenzo spoke again.
“Isabella.”
She stopped.
“Yes?”
“I told you there’s nothing to worry about.”
She looked at him slowly.
For a moment, their eyes met.
And Lorenzo noticed something new in her expression.
Not anger.
Not jealousy.
Something sadder.
Something quieter.
“I hope that’s true,” she said softly.
Then she walked into the bedroom and closed the door.
Lorenzo stood alone in the living room.
For the first time…
He began to realize that this situation might be hurting Isabella more than he had thought.
But unfortunately…
It was already too late for the damage to stop.
Because Victoria Hayes had already planted the first deep wound in Isabella’s heart.
And it would only get worse from here.
- Writer
- chap_listContents
- likeADD