Beyond His Silence

chapter 5

CHAPTER 5 (Isabela’s POV)

The moment I arrived at Tara’s house, I was struck by the sheer size of the gate. It was massive, tall, and ornate, giving the impression that the property inside would be just as grand. Tara rushed toward me, arms wide, practically bouncing with excitement.

“Isabela! You’re finally here!” she exclaimed, hugging me tightly. “Come in, come in! You’re going to meet everyone!”

I smiled, glancing around. “Wow… Tara, your house is beautiful.”

Her mother appeared beside her, a tall woman with a warm smile. “Thank you, dear! Let me show you around.”

Before I could protest, she launched into an enthusiastic explanation of every detail of the house’s design.

“This chandelier was inspired by a trip to Morocco… and these floors, ah, these were hand-carved by artisans I met in Italy…”

I nodded politely, trying not to laugh as Tara looked utterly exhausted, rolling her eyes subtly at me. She leaned closer and whispered, “She does this with every visitor. Every. Single. Time.”

The house was even more impressive inside polished marble floors, elegant art pieces, and a soft hum of classical music in the background. By the time we reached the dining area, the entire family was already gathered. Tara’s grandmother sat comfortably at one end of the table, smiling softly. The twins small, bubbly, and full of energy ran around before being called back to their seats. Tara’s cousin, her nephew, sat nearby, quietly observing everything.

Tara’s father stood up when he saw me. “Isabela! Welcome,” he said warmly, offering his hand. “Tara has told us so much about you.”

“Thank you, sir,” I replied politely, shaking his hand.

As we settled into our seats, he looked at me again, clearly curious. “So… you and Tara schooled in the same university?”

“Yes, sir,” I answered.

He nodded thoughtfully, then smiled. “And you came back with a useful result, while some people” he glanced playfully at Tara “came back with low grades.”

Tara sighed dramatically, already used to it.

The twins burst into laughter, and her nephew nearly choked on his food. Tara just shook her head. “Dad, please…”

Her father laughed, clearly amused, then turned toward his nephew. “Look at her,” he said, pointing at me. “She is a hotie. This is the kind of girl you should date smart and beautiful. Don’t be shy. Just talk to her.”

The nephew swallowed his noodles quickly, eyes wide, then blurted out, “I love you too, Isabela.”

The table exploded with laughter. My face warmed instantly.

Tara laughed the loudest. “Stop it! Isa came with her boyfriend!”

“Oh?” her family chorused.

I smiled awkwardly. “Yes. I came with my boyfriend for his best friend’s wedding. He’s actually going to be the best man.”

Tara’s mother leaned forward, suddenly interested. “What’s his name? You know the island is small we should know the family.”

I hesitated briefly before answering. “His name is Nathan Abiola.”

The reaction was instant. Forks paused mid-air. Conversations died. Even the twins went quiet.

I blinked, confused. “What… what is wrong? Do you all know them or something?”

Tara stared at me in disbelief. “Wait. The Nathan you are dating is Nathan Abiola?”

“Yes,” I said slowly.

Her father let out a low whistle. “The Abiolas? Who doesn’t know them?”

Tara leaned in, suddenly animated. “Isa, they are big investors and developers in Malaysia, Thailand, Mexico… even in Africa.”

Her mother nodded. “They are like royalty,” she added lightly.

“And Maxwell’s wedding?” Tara continued. “It’s literally the wedding of the century in Singapore.”

My head spun as I looked from one face to another. “Nathan never told me any of this.”

Her mother smiled curiously. “So how are they? The family?”

I shook my head honestly. “I haven’t met them yet. I’ll see them tomorrow at their family house.”

There was a brief pause. Then Tara looked me up and down.

“You will go to their family house looking like this?”

Everyone burst into laughter.

“Hey!” I protested, laughing despite myself.

Before I could say anything else, Tara grabbed my wrist and pulled me up. “Come. Now. Immediately.”

She dragged me straight to her room and flung open her closet like it was a treasure chest.

As she started pulling out dresses, shoes, and accessories, her excitement filled the room. She talked nonstop about the Abiolas, their wealth, the wedding, their influence, the estate. Her eyes sparkled like this was her own dream unfolding.

But inside me, something felt off. The more she talked, the heavier my chest became. I smiled and nodded, but my thoughts were tangled. Nathan had never mentioned any of this. Not once.

“Tara…” I finally said softly.

She turned. “Yes?”

“I feel disappointed,” I admitted. “He didn’t tell me any of this.”

She paused, then softened. “I understand. But Isa… talk to him. Don’t overthink it.”

She suddenly grinned again. “By the way can I follow you to the wedding?”

I smiled faintly. “Of course. I would even love you to come with me.”

Later, the rain poured heavily outside, making it impossible for me to leave. Staying the night at Tara’s made sense. But even as we laughed and planned outfits, my thoughts kept drifting back to Nathan.

That night, I called him.

“Babe… I’m at Tara’s,” I said quietly. “I’m not really excited right now. Why weren’t you sincere with me? I found out everything about your family through Tara.”

There was silence. Then his voice softened. “Isa… I’m sorry, babe. I promise to explain everything properly when you arrive. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

“I’m just confused,” I whispered.

“I know. Please stay safe tonight. I’ll send a car tomorrow to bring you to my family house.”

I exhaled. “Okay… I’ll trust you.”

After the call, I sat quietly as Tara excitedly laid out accessories beside me. I smiled faintly.

Tomorrow, I would finally step into Nathan’s world and its be the start of something extraordinary, and despite my nerves, I couldn’t help feeling that I wasn't prepared for what is ahead of me.