Isabelle paced across the room, her gaze flitting from the intricate mosaic tiles on the floor to the grand oil painting of her ancestors that dominated one wall. The ornate gold frame seemed to mock her with its history of wealth and privilege, a privilege she felt was slipping through her fingers.
“He hired a new maid, Mom.” Isabelle finally blurted out, the words tumbling out of her like a cascade of rocks. “An annoying, fussy little thing who keeps humming while she cleans, and her feather duster is always in my face!”
Gina scoffed, her lips turning into a thin line. “Isabelle, you know Liam has a penchant for order. And he”‘s a busy man.”
“He left for a business trip this morning without even telling me.” Isabelle continued, her voice rising in frustration. “I woke up to a note left on my pillow, a single line mentioning “a brief business trip”, and that”s it. That”‘s not a man who cares about being engaged, Mom. That”‘s a man who just wants to maintain control.”
Gina sighed, a deep, audible sigh that seemed to carry the weight of years of disappointment. “Isabelle, you know why we agreed to this contract. We need Liam.”
“Need him?” The word tasted bitter on Isabelle”s tongue. “We” ‘re not beggars, Mom. We”‘re not desperate.”
“Desperate or not, we”‘re in a position where we need someone like Liam. His money will save us, Isabelle. It will give us the life we deserve.” Gina” ‘s voice hardened, the years of struggle and desperation etched on her face. “Don’t you see? This is our only chance.”
“But I don’t want this life, Mom.” Isabelle pleaded, her voice trembling with exhaustion. “I don’t want his money, I don’t want his penthouse, I don’t even want to be around him.”
“Isabelle, please, you”‘re acting like a spoiled child. This is a chance, a rare opportunity for us. We can’t throw it away. Don’t you understand? This is our future!”
“What future?” Isabelle cried, tears welling in her eyes. “Living in a gilded cage, pretending to be happy with a man I barely know, a man who doesn”t care for me? Is that our future, Mom?”
“Liam is a good man, Isabelle.” Gina insisted, her voice softening slightly. “It” ‘s just that he needs some time to adjust to this. He” ‘s used to being in control.”
“Control? He”‘s the one who”‘s controlling my life, Mom! He” ‘s the one who decided to get engaged to me without even knowing me, just because of our pathetic financial situation. This is not love, Mom. This is a transaction.”
“Love has nothing to do with this, Isabelle. This is about our survival. Remember what happened to us after your father left? Remember the struggle, the constant battles to make ends meet? We can’t go back to that, Isabelle.”
“But I don’t want to go forward with this, Mom.” Isabelle protested. “I don’t want to stay in that penthouse, I can’t live like a prisoner in my own life. I don’t want to be a trophy wife, a decoration on Liam” ‘s arm.”
“There will be consequences if you pull out, Isabelle,” Gina said, her voice cold and unforgiving. “Consequences that you and I will both have to face. Think about it carefully. This is not a game. This is our lives.”
The air in the room thickened with unspoken threats and simmering resentment. Isabelle, her heart pounding in her chest, felt trapped in a web of her own making. She knew that her mother was right. Pulling out would have devastating repercussions. But the idea of spending her life with Liam, of sacrificing her dreams and her happiness for a man who only saw her as an asset, was unbearable.
“I need some time to think,” Isabelle said finally, her voice barely a whisper.
“You have no time, Isabelle,” Gina replied, her voice hard as steel. “His plane is already in the air. Tomorrow, you have to move back into his penthouse.”
Isabelle, her heart heavy with a mixture of anger and despair, knew there was no point in arguing any further. She pushed past her mother, her footsteps heavy and deliberate as she walked towards the door. “I” ‘m leaving,” she said, her voice tight with suppressed emotion. “I need some space.”
The front door swung open with a bang, the sharp sound echoing through the silent house. Isabelle stepped out into the cool evening air, her eyes stinging with unshed tears. She had “t even made it across the street when a familiar figure emerged from the shadows.
“Well, well, well.” Kyle Barrett said, his voice laced with a mocking smirk. “Looks like you”‘re still playing the role of the dutiful fiancee.”
Isabelle” ‘s anger flared, a sudden rush of defiance replacing her despair. “Kyle, what do you want?” she asked, her voice sharp with annoyance.
“I wanted to warn you, Isabelle,” Kyle said, stepping closer, his eyes glittering with a mixture of malice and amusement. “I told you to stay away from him, but it seems you can’t resist his charm.”
“Charm?” Isabelle scoffed, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Liam Callahan” ‘s charm is about as genuine as a plastic flower.”
“Oh, he can be charming, alright,” Kyle said, his smirk widening. “He knows how to play the game. He knows how to lure women in with promises of luxury and power.”
“He also knows how to manipulate people,” Isabelle said, her voice calm but firm. “He knows how to play on their weaknesses, how to use their desperation for his gain.”
“Desperate?” Kyle chuckled, his voice a low rumble that sent shivers down her spine. “Are you desperate, Isabelle? Desperate enough to sacrifice your happiness for his money?”
“What makes you think I”‘m unhappy?” Isabelle challenged, her eyes meeting his with unwavering resolve. “I” ‘m doing this for my mother, not for him.”
Kyle stepped closer, his presence looming over her like a dark cloud. “You can’t hide from him, Isabelle,” he said, his voice dropping to a menacing whisper. “He” ‘s a predator, and you”‘re his prey.”
Isabelle” ‘s heart pounded in her chest, but she refused to be intimidated. “I” ‘m not afraid of you, Kyle,” she said, her voice shaking slightly. “If you don’t back off, I”ll report you to the police.”
“You” ‘re so brave, Isabelle,” Kyle said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “But you don’t understand the lengths Liam will go to protect his interests. He”s ruthless, Isabelle. He”‘ll do anything to keep you in his clutches.”
Isabelle” ‘s anger flared again, this time tinged with a healthy dose of fear. “Leave me alone, Kyle,” she said, her voice firm. “I” ‘ve had enough of your threats and your manipulation. Go away.”
Kyle laughed, a sharp, cruel laugh that echoed through the empty street. “You” ‘re playing right into his hands, Isabelle. You”‘re his pawn, his puppet.” He turned and walked away, his shadow disappearing into the night.
Isabelle stood there for a moment, her heart pounding, her mind racing. She knew that Kyle was right; she was playing into Liam” ‘s hands. But she couldn’t “n’t help but feel a strange sense of defiance, a realization that she was not entirely powerless. She had her mind, her own will, and she wouldn”t be his puppet.
She took a deep breath, the air cold and crisp against her skin. She was going to fight.
From across the street, a car idled at the curb, its headlights casting a long, pale shadow on the pavement. Liam Callahan sat behind the wheel, his face hidden in the darkness. He had been watching the entire exchange, his eyes narrowed, a glint of something dark and dangerous flickering in their depths.
The image of Isabelle standing her ground against Kyle, her voice firm, her eyes defiant, sparked a strange flicker of interest within him. He had thought she was just another weak, easily manipulated woman, a pawn in his game. But she was showing him something different, something unexpected.
He had left for a “business trip” this morning, not because of a real meeting, but because he needed to watch her, observe her, see what she would do without him. He had underestimated her, underestimated her strength, underestimated her will.
Liam tilted his head back against the seat, a slow smile spreading across his face. It seemed he had a new game to play. And this time, the stakes were higher than ever.