Chapter 10

"You misheard." Francis blurted it out without thinking. He instantly regretted slipping up. Nora smiled faintly, but there was a sharpness in her eyes she couldn't hide. "Wow, didn't expect her to be pregnant!" "Come on, Nora, Isabella's already been through too much because of you. Can you not mess with her baby too?" Francis' expression turned serious when he saw the look on her face. "Francis, you said you liked me, didn't you? Didn't you say you'd back me up no matter what I did?" Nora stared hard at him. Francis looked a little awkward. "This... isn't the same..." "I'm not asking you to help me. Just don't get in my way, okay? For me, please?" Nora looked at him pitifully, her eyes brimming with tears. "I finally made it back to Desmond's side. Don't you want me to be happy?" Francis had always had a soft spot for her when she looked at him like that. No one knew better than him how rough things had been for her this past year. He turned and walked out without another word. Eyes shut tight, he decided to let it go—just this once. Watching him leave, Nora's eyes turned cold. She quickly typed out a message on her phone— Two million. Get rid of a woman for me. … Isabella stepped out of the hospital and spotted a guy with yellow-dyed hair strolling ahead. Something clicked, and she slowed her pace to follow him silently. The guy walked in a lazy, cocky way, whistling at every pretty girl that passed by like it was his job. Isabella couldn't wrap her head around it—what was Nora doing with someone like him? When he turned into a nearby alley, she hesitated for a moment, unsure whether to follow. That's when someone suddenly grabbed her arm from behind. She jumped and turned around—to see Desmond right there. Her eyes lit up a bit. "Desmond, good timing, that guy just—" But he cut her off sharply, eyes cold. "You went to the hospital?" She nodded quietly. "Who said you could go visit Nora?" His grip on her wrist tightened, making her wince. She glanced back—the guy had already vanished. Turning back to Desmond, she said, "She's my sister. Isn't it normal to check in when she's sick?" He let out a cold laugh. "You actually care?" Clearly not in the mood to argue, he released her and said flatly, "Stay away unless I say otherwise. You'll deal with the consequences if you don't." As he walked away, Isabella stood there, breath caught in her chest. Was she really that awful? He just never believed her. That night, as she half-expected, Desmond didn't come back to the Elysian Court apartment. Wasn't hard to guess—no way Nora wanted to live with her anyway. Tossing and turning, Isabella couldn't sleep. The whole day played over and over in her mind. If her sister was going to treat her like this, then she'd have to get the proof and clear her name—once and for all. The next day, she got a call from her father asking her to stop by the house. She was surprised. In the past year, her parents made it clear they didn't want her around. At the Bennett house, for the first time in ages, her father greeted her kindly, asked how she was, even acted a little caring before finally saying, "Isabella, if things aren't working with Desmond, why not just get a divorce?" She took a sip of tea. Of course, that's why they called her back. Their love for Nora was crystal clear. And her? What was she to them? Trying to keep her voice calm, she said, "I do want to divorce him." Seeing their eyes light up, her heart grew cold. But she added calmly, "But not yet." "Why not?" What, did she have her eye on Desmond's money? As if. That was Nora's, in their eyes. Watching her parents' expressions shift from hopeful to disgusted, Isabella felt something sink deep inside her. She quietly placed her teacup on the table and rose to her feet. "Sometimes," she said, voice low, "I really wonder if you two even are my real parents."