Chapter 9

Desmond was caught off guard. Just moments ago, she had torn up the agreement right in front of him. Yet here she was, suddenly bringing up divorce? A surge of anger flared in his chest. Without thinking, he grabbed Isabella's chin, forcing her to look up at him. Her eyes were dull, distant. "I don't think I've had enough fun making you suffer yet," he said, voice low, lips curled into a smirk full of malice. Releasing her, he turned on his heel and walked out of the room. Isabella stared after him. Her fingernails dug into her palm, but she didn't even flinch at the pain. "Desmond, you'll regret not divorcing me!" she called after him. Her eyes stung. This back-and-forth, hurting each other over and over—it was exhausting. Sometimes, she couldn't figure out who was more tenacious—herself or Desmond. That same evening, She brought a bouquet of fresh flowers to the hospital for Nora. It wasn't out of kindness. There were things that needed to be said face-to-face. Standing outside Nora's room, she lifted her hand to knock, but her fingers froze mid-air as she heard voices inside. "I told you not to come here!" snapped Nora, clearly pissed. A cocky male voice replied, someone Isabella didn't recognize. "I'm broke. Just give me some cash, alright?" "I don't have any," Nora shot back. "Please. Everyone knows you're cozying up to Desmond again. Don't pretend to be poor." "How much?" Nora asked through gritted teeth. "A million." "Why don't you go rob a bank?" "No need. But if I don't get the money within a week, I'll make sure everyone knows we slept together—and the abortion." Footsteps followed—approaching the door. Panicked, Isabella slapped a hand over her mouth and ducked into the emergency stairwell next to the room. She watched the man walk past—messy yellow hair, puffing a cigarette indoors like he owned the place. Definitely not someone decent. Her heart pounded. The conversation she'd overheard echoed in her ears, mixing with the memory of when Nora casually mentioned she'd disappeared for a year for an abortion. She'd thought it was just a joke at the time… but apparently not. Taking a deep breath to calm herself, Isabella pushed open the hospital room door.Nora was lying in bed, casually scrolling through her phone. She jerked her head up when someone entered. The moment she saw Isabella, the stiffness in her face vanished, replaced with a sweet smile. "Isa, what brings you here?" "I brought you some lilies," Isabella said as she placed the bouquet beside the bed. "I remember they're your favorite." Nora gave a polite “oh,” her smile barely touching her eyes. “You're too thoughtful. It's just a little cut. Desmond insisted I stay—worried it might get infected or something.” The blatant showoff of affection was hard to miss, but Isabella wasn't fazed. She was only here for answers. "Why'd you lie about me, Nora?" Nora looked at her sister, whose features bore a resemblance to her own, and let out a soft laugh. "Because I like Desmond. You married him. What was I supposed to do—just stand by and watch? I had to make him hate you, push you away." Isabella's heart skipped a beat. She never imagined her beloved sister was capable of this. "Then why did you disappear for a whole year?" she asked, voice colder now, pressing on. A whole year, gone. Nora's hand clenched around her phone. It was clear someone had come to mind. Her whole demeanor shifted—her voice shaking, messy with rage. "Get out! Who do you think you are to question me?" She grabbed the water glass on the nightstand and hurled it at Isabella. Isabella dodged just in time. The glass shattered on the floor, the shards spreading out with a harsh crash. Isabella looked down at the broken glass, then slowly lifted her eyes to the now frantic Nora. There was no point in asking anything more. As Isabella stepped out, she almost bumped into someone coming in. "Sorry," she muttered quickly. "I've told you again and again, you need to be extra careful, especially now you're expecting," said a gentle male voice. Isabella blinked in surprise. It was Francis. "You… what are you doing here?" "Desmond was worried about Nora, asked me to check in on her," Francis replied. Isabella gave a small nod, "I should get going." After she left, Francis walked into the room. Spotting the shattered glass on the floor, he crossed his arms and scoffed, all traces of his calm demeanor gone. "Nora, seriously… you need to chill." "You just said Isabella's pregnant with Desmond's baby?" Nora stared at him, eyes dark and unreadable.