[FLASHBACK]
After leaving Jolene’s place, Isabella received a call from her father. She tried to talk some sense into him, but to no avail. Then, she stormed her way into Nathan’s mansion. Her eyes scanned the place and settled on a maid.
“Where is Nathan, bastard!?” she yelled at the maid. The thought of her father marrying her off to Nathan intensified her anger. The same bastard who treated Tatiana like trash on her wedding?
One thing about Isabella: she was very protective of Tatiana.
“He went to a function at Bliss Hall,” the maid responded, and Isabella stormed out again.
She drove to the venue and found many guests there. Her face was covered since she was now famous. She asked around for Nathan and finally found him in a room doing what he loved most.
Fucking another woman…
Isabella scoffed. Nathan was already married to Paisley, and he still cheated. Well, Paisley got what was coming to her.
Isabella was so glad Tatiana didn’t marry this man. Nathan would never change.
The woman with Nathan quickly disconnected herself from him and gasped. Fear flashed across her features.
“Fuck off. I have no business with you,” Isabella snapped at the woman, who hurried out of the place.
Facing Nathan, Isabella removed her mask.
Nathan smirked, knowing Isabella must have received the news from her father.
“How are you, my bride-to-be?” he asked with a small smirk.
“You will call my father and tell him you’re not getting married to me,” Isabella said in a threatening voice.
“Or what?” Nathan dared.
“Or I’ll bring you down. And I’ll bring my father down too,” she threatened, and Nathan laughed.
“Oh please. Just a little bit of fame, and you’re daring me and your father? Didn’t Tatiana tell you how dangerous I am? You should ask her why she ran away instead of destroying me,” Nathan chuckled as he stepped forward.
“I’m not making an empty threat,” Isabella said.
“I know,” Nathan stopped when he was close enough. He lifted his hand to touch her face. “You look so much like your sister. Younger. And it turns me on.”
Isabella’s hand flew to his face. Nathan’s head tilted to one side as a resounding slap echoed through the room.
“Don’t touch me. You’re disgusting,” she glared and tried to leave.
Nathan took her by the hair and yanked it backward. Isabella yelped in pain. He threw her onto the couch and hovered over her, pinning her hands above her with his weight crushing down on her.
“Let me go!!” Isabella yelled.
“Let you go after you hit my fucking face? No one dares do that and escape my wrath. No one!” Nathan yelled.
Isabella caught a whiff of alcohol on him. This bastard was drunk.
“Let go!” she yelled again.
“I’ll shove my cock in that sloppy mouth of yours and teach you how to use it.”
Isabella whimpered. Her eyes caught an empty glass on the table close to her. Her hand was small, so she managed to slip one out. Grabbing the glass, she smashed it against his face.
“Fuck!” Nathan cursed, and Isabella used the opportunity to get away from him. She reached the door and shot a glare back at the man who tried to stand.
“The human trafficking ring. You’re in this with my father, huh?” Isabella questioned, and Nathan’s eyes widened. “My guess was right. The woman I saw in my father’s secret room three days ago had a price tag on her body. It was confusing at first, but now I think of it… My father is capable of selling people. And he badly wants to collaborate with you because you’re part of his chain. You sell your artists too. I’ll destroy you both.”
Isabella ran out to the hall. Her face was covered, and her steps were hasty.
Nathan ran after her. People in the hall saw the blood dripping down his face and wondered what was happening. Nathan managed to reach Isabella, and when he did, Isabella swiftly turned and delivered a hard slap to his face.
Gasp filled the air. Shock flashed across the faces of many, including Paisley.
Nathan’s eyes reddened with anger. Oh boy! Isabella had crossed the fucking line.
Isabella ran out and drove to a place to hide. She called one of her most trusted uncles and narrated everything to him. Unknown to her, that uncle was part of her father’s human trafficking ring.
Nathan stood before Mr. Wallington, who had received the information from his brother. Dropping his phone on his table, his calm gaze shifted to Nathan.
“What did you tell her?” the man asked.
“I swear I told her nothing. You’re the one I should be asking. How in the world did Isabella find out? I’m not deep into this shit, but if your secret is out, I’ll be doomed too. I’m going to order a hit on her. I just need your permission.”
Mr. Wallington rested his finger on his chin.
At that moment, Paisley eavesdropped.
“Is that what you want? To have a part in the hit?” Mr. Wallington asked.
“Yes. She struck me in the eyes of many. I can’t sit and do nothing. That would hurt my pride.”
“Hmm. I have already prepared what I’ve stored for her. And you, do whatever you want. But when it strikes back, I won’t help you.”
“You don’t plan on keeping her alive, do you?” Nathan asked.
“That’s none of your business,” the man responded, and Nathan pulled out his phone to call Zero to order the hit.
Back in Isabella’s apartment, she waited for the call from her uncle but got nothing. She sighed and stared at Tatiana’s number.
Should she call her? Or maybe Jolene? She couldn’t keep this secret alone. She was confused about what to do.
Just then, smoke began to fill her room. It filled the room quickly, and its effects struck her like lightning. Her body weakened, and her sight blurred.
She tried to press her phone, but her nerves stiffened. Her uncle had betrayed her. Just how many of them were in this ring?
She needed to tell Tatiana. She needed to.
Her eyes began to close. The numbness took over, and she slowly crumpled to the floor. Her eyes closed.
Isabella’s unconscious body was laid on a table with different men surrounding her. One of them shoved three different injections into her neck.
“How far can the memory wiper go?” Mr. Wallington asked through the earpiece of one of the men.
“She’ll have memory loss of recent days of her life, sir,” the man replied, and Mr. Wallington disconnected from the earpiece.
The man who injected her left, and the other men from Zero began to remove Isabella’s clothes. A punishment for sticking her nose into something she shouldn’t have.
Pain was all Isabella could feel when she woke up. The men had left a television on for her to see her doom. And when she did, the world came crashing down on her.