EPISODE 5
1008 Words
An unexpected twist in fate.
Isabella happily walked back to her stepmother’s house, her smile never ceasing from her face as she continuously kissed her ring, her mind still reeling from all that had happened at that moment.
Just as she stepped into the house, she met her stepmother, Helene, who had a sneer on her face.
Isabella gulped, knowing that whatever would come out of Helene’s mouth would not be good, but she was ready to reply to her… as long as the issue of her mother was out of the discussion, or confrontation, as she would like to call it.
"Well, Well, well. Look what we have here. The little princess, back from her beautiful, oh sorry, perfect day,'' Helene said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
Isabella's eyes narrowed. ''What do you want, Helene? I am not in the mood for any of your drama. Please, I am in a good mood. Do not ruin it.''
"Oh, I just wanted to congratulate you on your...engagement, was it?'' Helene's gaze shone with malice. "How quaint. A proposal from a man like Sebastian. I'm sure he's just happy to get married to such a …dutiful daughter''.
Isabella's jaw clenched. ''My past does not have anything to do with me or Sebastian. So stop talking about it!''
''Ah, but they do, dear. They very much do. Your mother's...lies have left a stain on our reputation. And now, you're just continuing the cycle by marrying into wealth and privilege. I only hope your husband's wealth lasts longer than your father's, and you do not have to start feeding him halfway into the marriage.
The words were like a slap on her face, but she managed to maintain her composure. ''My mother's mistakes won't define me, Helene. And neither will your cruelty. And about my father…. I am sure your mother would have turned into ashes and dust six feet under the ground if my father had not helped her that day!''
Helene scoffed. "Cruelty? Ha! I'm just preparing you for the real world, Isabella. You're not as innocent as you think you are. And Sebastian will soon realize that. And about my mother…. I will soon cut your tongue off.''
Isabella's eyes shone with anger, but she maintained her composure. ''I'm not afraid of you, Helene. And I certainly won't let your venomous words dictate my life.''
With that, Isabella turned and climbed the stairs, leaving Helene standing there, alone …with her harsh words.''
Helene's eyes followed Isabella's frail figure, her expression a mixture of anger, hatred, and frustration. She turned to the nearby bar and poured herself a glass of wine, her hand trembling slightly as she raised the glass of wine to her lips.
"You think you're so much better than me, don't you, Isabella?'' she muttered to herself, her voice a low hiss, she was filled with hatred for Isabella. "But you're not. You're just a little brat who thinks she is more than that, the same man who has strength has, I will make him crush you! I will dash all of your hopes and push you so much till I break your soul, and you kill yourself!''
As she took a sip of her wine, her gaze fell upon a framed photograph.
. It was an old picture of her and Isabella's mother, taken at a charity gala many years ago. Helene's eyes narrowed as she stared at the image, her mind drifting to when she had been in love with David. She was ready to do anything to get him to notice her and dump his wife. Eventually, she did succeed and caught his eye….and ever since then…it has been a lot.
"You're just like your mother,'' Helene hissed, her voice barely audible. "Thinking you can just walk in and steal the spotlight. But I won't let you. I won't let you ruin everything I've worked for. I want this bright future for my daughter. I have worked so hard to bring her in and make her life a bed made of roses! One without thorns. I have to make her the queen and make her happy. And this life, this happy one, is hers. I worked hard to bring back your dirty deals and your mother’s past.''
With a sudden movement, Helene slammed her glass down on the floor, and it broke into a million pieces and the contents splashed on the floor, some staining her dress.
She stormed out of the room, her whole body shaking in anger and her evil mind was already thinking of ways to hurt Isabella even more.
Meanwhile, Isabella had reached her bedroom, her mind still racing from the harsh words of her stepmother. She closed the door behind her and leaned on it, taking a deep breath to calm herself.
She took another look at her ring, but this time she was scared of what would happen if Sebastian changed his mind and broke his promise of not judging her by her past. Just as she was lost in thoughts, her phone buzzed, distracting her. She picked it up, hoping it was Sebastian, but instead saw a text from an unknown number:
''Congratulations on your engagement, Isabella. But do you know who you're marrying?"
Isabella's heart skipped a beat, and she felt her throat run dry. Who was this? And what did they mean?
She quickly typed out a response: ''Who is this? What do you want?"
The response was fast as if it had been typed down and the sender's fingers were just about to press the send button. “Someone who knows the truth about Sebastian and why he is marrying you”
Isabella's mind raced as she tried to process this new disturbing secret. What secrets could Sebastian possibly be hiding? And who was this stranger who seemed to know so much?
With trembling fingers, she typed out a response: "I'll be there."
Her mind was racing… what would happen if she found out the truth… Would she be able to handle it?
- Writer
