Noah accompanied Amber to the art exhibition. As an invited guest, she stood confidently on stage as she delivered her speech. Though she was the center of attention, her gaze never left Noah.

In the past, Noah would have returned her look with a warm smile. But this time, an odd sense of unease crept over him.

As he looked at Amber's glowing face, Isabelle's face suddenly came to mind.

The 18-year-old Isabelle had been just as confident and radiant. She had once challenged a top violinist to a duel in Genevera, and when she won, she threw herself into Noah's arms. 

Like a ball of fire, she had warmed his cold and distant heart.

No matter what difficulties she faced, Isabelle always wore a smile and met them head-on. Her smile was contagious. Whenever Noah felt troubled, just seeing her was enough to calm him.

Her love was passionate and bold. When she didn't like him, she rejected

Noah sent Isabelle a message, reminding her to arrive early, then got back to work with full focus.

The flowers at the venue had been flown in and dyed in a gradient of blue, just the way Isabelle liked them. In the center stood a massive crystal glass slipper, filled with the gifts Noah had carefully prepared for her.

He wanted to use tonight as a chance to let Isabelle know that he was coming back to her.

Just thinking about the joyful look on her face made Noah's lips twitch into a faint smile. She would be so moved that she'd throw herself into his arms in tears.

Before long, all the guests had arrived. But Isabelle was still nowhere to be seen.

Noah started to feel restless. He took out his phone and tried to call her.

He called five times, but no one picked up.

He sent her a message, but there was no response.

For the past ten years, Isabelle had always answered immediately

Isabelle personally covered Isaac with a white cloth. Only then did she notice that somehow she had lost one of her shoes, and her bare feet were stained with blood.

She sat down and wiped her feet with a tissue, but the blood mixed with dirt made them even dirtier.

Suddenly, she broke down. She clutched her chest and opened her mouth to scream, but no sound came out. Silent tears streamed down her face.

After a long while, she slowly stood up, went home to shower, changed into clean clothes, and put on simple makeup.

She wanted to give Isaac a proper farewell.

Isabelle took his death certificate and brought him to the crematorium.

Throughout the entire process, she remained silent, as if her soul had been drained from her.

When she saw the urn, she smiled through red-rimmed eyes. This was for the best. Isaac would no longer have to suffer, and she was finally free of all ties. Now, she could leave this place with Isaac in her heart.

In the end, she purchased a peaceful burial plot and had a simple headstone placed for Isaac. She didn't want to raise suspicion, and part of her couldn't bear the thought of him being lost and forgotten in Thornbridge.

Isabelle sat by the headstone holding the urn for a whole day and night.

She told Isaac stories from their childhood and shared all her feelings.

By morning, Isabelle left the cemetery with Isaac's ashes in her arms.

When she got back to the villa, she heard sounds of intimacy coming from inside. Her hand paused on the doorknob.

She hesitated for a few seconds, then entered the passcode and stepped in.

The place was a mess. Clothes were scattered everywhere. A shredded silk nightgown hung from her favorite Christmas tree, and several empty condom boxes were tossed carelessly into her favorite fruit bowl.

The air reeked of sex and perfume.

Amber was curled up in Noah's arms and covered in hickeys. Clinging to his neck, she kept moaning his name over and over.

"Noah, you're amazing. It feels so good."

Isabelle didn't even blink. She walked upstairs without sparing them a glance. Her heart was already numb. Nothing could hurt anymore.

The sounds from downstairs went on for a long time. Noah seemed to be in a great mood, and Amber kept crying out, begging him to stop.

After what felt like forever, the door creaked open. Noah walked into the room.

He had showered. The smell of body wash clung to his skin, but the red marks on his neck were still visible under his shirt.

Thinking about what had just happened in the living room, Isabelle's stomach churned with nausea. She covered her mouth and turned away to gag.

Noah's eyes darkened. "Do I disgust you?"

Isabelle said nothing, but her expression said it all.

He grabbed her chin and leaned in to kiss her lips. She struggled, but suddenly he pushed her down hard and held her still.

"I know you're upset. Once I've had my fun, I'll make it up to you. The divorce isn't real. We're bound to get back together eventually. But if you keep acting out, Isaac will be the one to suffer."

Isabelle's heart clenched. Isaac was already dead. Was Noah planning to desecrate his remains too?

But what Noah didn't know was that she no longer had a weak spot.

Finally, she said, "Noah, I don't want to get back together. We're already divorced. Please, just let me go. I can't take it anymore."

Noah's sharp eyes darkened. He released his grip and gently stroked her cheek, which was still red from his hold.

"Darling, don't talk nonsense. Where could you go without me? You need to behave and stop making me angry. You can't live without me, and I won't let you leave. I told you, I'm just having some fun. Sooner or later, I'll come back to you. You'll always be mine."

Hearing his twisted idea of love, Isabelle suddenly remembered something from long ago. Noah had locked someone who had offended him in the basement. That person was terrified of snakes, so Noah ordered for the room to be filled with snakes. The screams echoed until the person fainted from fear.

Noah was obsessive and crazy. He might never treat her that way, but if he didn't want to let go, he would never truly let her leave.

Shivering, Isabelle lowered her gaze and lied to him again. "Okay, you're right. I can't live without you. From now on, I'll behave."

Satisfied at last, Noah gave her a pleased smile and kissed her on the lips. "Darling, get some rest. You've looked half-dead these days, and it's starting to annoy me. Our anniversary is coming up, and I don't want you looking sickly."

Isabelle forced a smile and said, "Okay."

Perhaps he had been inside too long because Amber grew impatient. She stood by the door and urged, "Mr. Ashford, are we going to the art exhibition or not?"

Noah smirked. He covered Isabelle with a blanket, then turned and left with Amber.

Not long after, Isabelle got a call from the registry office. Her deregistration had been processed.

Without delay, she packed only the essentials, picked up Isaac's urn, and walked out of the villa for the last time.

She completed Isaac's deregistration and then applied for a new identity for herself.

With that, she opened a bank account in another region and bought a one-way ticket to Rosenhald.

The moment the plane took off, Isabelle felt lighter than she had in years.

Hugging Isaac's urn close to her chest, she looked out at the city that had once been her cage. Her eyes reddened.

From that moment on, she was no longer Noah's possession.

She had her own life now.

She was finally free.

Noah accompanied Amber to the art exhibition. As an invited guest, she stood confidently on stage as she delivered her speech. Though she was the center of attention, her gaze never left Noah.

In the past, Noah would have returned her look with a warm smile. But this time, an odd sense of unease crept over him.

As he looked at Amber's glowing face, Isabelle's face suddenly came to mind.

The 18-year-old Isabelle had been just as confident and radiant. She had once challenged a top violinist to a duel in Genevera, and when she won, she threw herself into Noah's arms. 

Like a ball of fire, she had warmed his cold and distant heart.

No matter what difficulties she faced, Isabelle always wore a smile and met them head-on. Her smile was contagious. Whenever Noah felt troubled, just seeing her was enough to calm him.

Her love was passionate and bold. When she didn't like him, she rejected him decisively. When she fell in love, she loved him without holding anything back.

As Noah though

Chapter 8