Chapter 6

When Isabella woke up, Adrian was sitting beside her with a smile. "You're awake?" After a brief moment of eye contact, Isabella reined in the resistance in her eyes and put on a meek, compliant expression. "I've thought it over. I... I'm willing to stay by your side forever," she said. He raised an eyebrow, his dark eyes unreadably fixed on her face. "Do you really mean that?" Isabella nodded, looking as though she had come to terms with it. "Yeah," she replied. "I did a lot of thinking last night. I might have freedom out there, but it's never as secure as being by your side." Seeing the lingering doubt in Adrian's eyes, she spoke again. "But if I'm to stay, I have conditions. From now on, whatever you give Samantha, you must give me something more expensive and better than hers." Only after a long pause did he finally speak. "Is that it?" "You also have to promise that the person you love most can only ever be me. Promise me you won't fall for her." Isabella got up and took Adrian's hands, staring straight at him with unwavering seriousness. "Before you get married, you must stay with me the entire time. No matter what happens, you can't abandon me. I want you to think of me every moment. Even at the wedding ceremony, the only one in your heart should be me." He raised an eyebrow slightly, the corners of his lips curving into a captivating smile. "And what if I have an impromptu meeting or an urgent business dinner?" Her lips pouted slightly, a mix of displeasure and something akin to a coquettish whine. "Then, take me with you. I want everyone to know you're mine, and that you belong only to me." Watching Isabella's possessive display, the doubts in Adrian's heart gradually faded. Still, he deliberately frowned, putting on a troubled expression. "But you know I'm getting married soon, and some occasions aren't appropriate for you to attend." Hearing that, her eyes instantly reddened. She threw herself into his arms, clinging tightly to his waist. "I don't care. All I know is I love you, and I don't want to be apart from you for a single second." Adrian looked down at Isabella in his arms, his lashes lowered, as though deep in thought. Feeling the slight tremble in her body, his heart softened, tight with tenderness. He gently patted her back, a faint smile lifting his lips as he said in a low voice, "I love you, too. I'll never leave you." For the next several days, he truly did as he said. He stayed by her side whenever they went shopping, traveling, and exploring. Whatever she wanted to do, he accompanied her through it all. Time flew by, and soon, it was the day of the wedding. Early in the morning, Adrian put on his tuxedo. He reluctantly pressed a kiss to Isabella's forehead. Just as he was about to leave, she wrapped her arms tightly around his waist. "Adrian, I don't want you to go." He smiled helplessly, turning to pull her into a hug and dotingly ruffling her hair. "Be good. It's just a formality. I'll be back with you soon." Isabella buried her face in his chest, her voice muffled. "Once you're gone, this huge villa will be empty, and I'll be alone. There's nothing to do here. I don't want to be by myself…" She lifted her head slightly, her eyes reddening as she forced out a bitter smile. "Never mind. I don't want to make things difficult for you. Just go." Adrian's heart ached for her. He sighed softly and responded, "Wait here for me." As he spoke, he took a phone from his suit pocket and handed it to her. Isabella hesitated, then reached for it. He didn't let go immediately, his voice dropping to a warning tone. "Babe, you'll be bored alone here. I'm giving you your phone back so you can pass the time. But you'd better not get any ideas." He leaned in closer, whispering in her ear, "Even if you do, it's useless. This is Northwell. No one would dare take you away without my permission." With that, he planted a kiss on her cheek and left the room. As soon as the sound of a car pulling away came from outside, the pitiful look in Isabella's eyes vanished instantly. She snatched up the phone. The moment it powered on, a flood of missed calls from Robert and Damien flashed on the screen. With trembling fingers, she quickly dialed Robert's number. The call connected instantly, and Robert's frantic voice came through immediately. "Bella, you finally answered your phone. We couldn't reach you for days. Your brother and I were going out of our minds with worry." Damien's anxious voice follows right after. "Bella, where are you? Are you in danger? Tell us right now." Hearing their panicked voices, Isabella's eyes stung. Choking back sobs, she explained everything that had happened recently, including the fact that she had been confined. By the time she finished, Robert and Damien were furious on the other end of the line. "Bella, I already sent bodyguards. They'll be there any minute. Your brother and I are taking the helicopter right now. We'll make sure they pay dearly for this," Robert said. Shortly after hanging up, the bodyguards Robert sent found the location. They scaled the walls and entered through a window, quickly removing the tracking device from her ankle. "Ms. Hart, we'll get you out of here now." "No. Before I leave, there's something I need to do," Isabella said before taking a deep breath. "Take me to the Sterling family's wedding." She wanted to see if the Sterlings could still accept their new daughter-in-law once they realized the woman Adrian was marrying was an impostor.