Chapter 22
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A loud ringing tone interrupted the mood like shattering glass on a marble floor. At first, Isla startled, then, her face darkened. Not because of the sound itself, but because of the name that echoed each time the phone. repeated its alert.
“Delphine, love is calling. Delphine, love is calling p>
It went on and on until Gabriel finally reached for the phone.
Isla let out a breath and scoffed quietly. She also shook her head. Of course, it was too good to be true, she thought bitterly. For a brief moment, she had allowed herself to belleve that things between them were beginning to change. But the phone proved otherwise.
Gabriel rose from the bed, phone pressed firmly to his ear. He stood silently for a moment, listening to the voice on the other side. His expression was unreadable, his back straight and cold. After a long pause, his lips moved.
“I will be with you in five minutes p>
Then he hung up.
Turning, Gabriel’s gaze landed on Isla. She was still seated with her iPad in hand, her pencil pro, moving swiftly across the screen. She poured herself into her sketches as if they were her only shield, or better say, her only escape.
“I’m sorry. I need to attend to something important,” he said quickly. And without waiting for a reply, he left the room. Content originally comes from
Isla did not speak. She simply swallowed the bitter taste rising in her throat and kept sketching, forcing her attention onto the glowing screen in front of her. As her hand moved, her heart ached.
Days blurred into nights, and nights into days. More than a week passed, and Gabriel had not been around. The launch event was drawing closer, and it was only a few days away now–and Isla’s life was consumed by endless work. She barely noticed the passing of time, but she noticed his absence.
What hurt most was that she only discovered his whereabouts through her PA. And every time she was told about his absence, she had to pretend–pretend she already knew. Pretend that it was nothing. But only she knows how painful it was to know that her husband was somewhere with another woman, and that for over a week
Today was no different. Another busy day, another skipped meal. Her desk was buried in a mountain of documents, and her hand cramped from signing one after the other.
The office door suddenly swung open, startling her. She gasped, her pen slipping from her fingers. Her heart jumped, and when she lifted her eyes to the intruder, her breath caught instantly, and she rose from her seat.
“Mother,” Isla said softly, straightening her posture. Her lips forced a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. What a pleasant surprise. I wasn’t expecting you p>
Anna stood there with blazing eyes, her presence cold and intimidating. She didn’t answer right away. Instead,
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she allowed her gaze to sweep across the spacious, tastefully furnished office, taking in every detail. Only when she had finished did she move forward, sinking into one of the chairs across from Isla’s desk.
“I’ll go straight to the point,” Anna said, her tone harsh, almost cruel. “Leave my son. He doesn’t love you. He never did. The only woman he loves is Delphine p>
Her words hit Isla across her face and it stinged. Her chest tightened, and the tears she had been holding back for days brimmed instantly in her eyes. She blinked rapidly, trying to keep them from falling, but her voice betrayed her pain when she finally spoke.
“Mother, why?” Isla’s voice trembled, breaking under the weight of her emotions. “Why do you hate me this much? What have I done to deserve this? I have been nothing but a good daughter–in–law. What more do yo
you want from me p>
Her tone rose, vibrating with anger and sorrow. She had never asked for this marriage–it was forced upon her. She wanted out, but Gabriel refused to let her go. And now his mother sat before her, shattering whatever little strength she had left.
Anna’s lips curled with disdain. “I don’t want you with my son. That’s all. Gabriel deserves someone better than you. You’re nothing but an opportunist. A gold–digger p>
“What?” Isla’s voice cracked, disbelief spreading across her face.
Anna leaned forward, her cold eyes locked on hers. “Your family is nothing without my family’s wealth. Your mother, that leech, threw you into my son’s life just to secure fortune. She walks around bragging about your success as if it isn’t built on my family’s money. Aren’t you ashamed? Still clinging to a man who doesn’t love you p>
“Enough!” Isla’s hands trembled as her fists clenched tightly at her sides. Her eyes burned red as she glared at her mother–in–law. “You don’t have the right to speak to me like that p>
The next moment happened too quickly.
Anna rose sharply from her chair and with one swift move, her hand struck Isla’s cheek. The sound echoed across the office. Isla’s head snapped to the side, her breath catching.
Her cheek stung sharply, tears spilling despite her effort to hold them back. She pressed her hand against the red mark, her entire body shaking.
“Listen to me, you leech,” Anna hissed, towering over her. “Leave my son alone. He is in Madayaka right now with Delphine. I’m certain she will soon carry my grandchild. If you have any sense left, you know exactly what to do. ”
With that, she turned and stormed out, leaving Isla standing frozen, her hand still on her burning cheek.
The office was silent again, but Isla’s heart wasn’t. It ached, shattered, breaking into pieces she no longer knew how to gather herself.
Florence
Florence is a passionate reader who finds joy in long drives on rainy days. She’s also a fan of Italian makeup tutorials, blending beauty and elegance into her everyday life.