Isabella~
"Let's go, Bella." I considered talking to Xavier immediately, but when I saw him with James, I decided against it. I wanted to ask him why he was treating me this way, but before I could ask him any questions, Victor asked me to leave the courtroom. I still stood at my place, frozen, and looked at Xavier with a question-filled gaze, but Victor's firm grip on my hand indicated that he didn't want me to waste my time on Xavier anymore.
"Bella, please listen to me. You misunderstood me." His pleading tone forced my steps to halt, and I turned to look at his face. James was smiling mischievously, and Xavier's eyes looked at me with sadness. My heart briefly begged me to listen to Xavier, but as soon as I saw James' unceasing smile, I realized that this was all part of his shady scheme.
"Once a cheater, always a cheater; now I have nothing to listen to." I tried to control my resentment, but James' smile only made me feel worse about the judge's decision.
"Let's go, darling." I turned to look at Victor's face lovingly and walked out of the courtroom. Making him endure the same pain that he repeatedly inflicted on me fills me with a strange sense of satisfaction. Yet a part of me aches for Xavier, as much as I try to force that feeling down. My heart still ached for Xavier even after his terrible betrayal, but every time I thought about it, I forced myself to keep my feelings in check.
My struggle to move on from Xavier has intensified due to Alan's close relationship with him. Alan always insisted on inviting Xavier to our house. When I declined his invitation, he insisted that I take him to Xavier's hotel to meet him. Many times, I scolded Alan for his odd demands, but I don't like to scold him for personal reasons.
He is an innocent child, completely unaware of the bitterness of my past. Normally, Victor would drop Alan off at Xavier's hotel to protect me from encountering Xavier. However, today, Victor had to go out of town for some important work, and Alan stubbornly requested that I take him to Xavier.
I don't understand what magic he possessed in my child; he always wanted to play with Xavier alone. Alan was not willing to take my help on his school project. Alan also refused to accept assistance from his grandfather, so I was forced to drop him off at Xavier's hotel, even though I didn't want to see him again.
Xavier was waiting for Alan at the entrance of his hotel. I asked Alan to get out of the car to avoid meeting with Xavier. Alan insisted that I say hello to Xavier, but I told him that I had important work to attend to and hurriedly left the hotel premises.
I couldn't stop thinking about Xavier all day. Today, I didn't find any restlessness in his eyes. He didn't even try to talk to me or get near my car. He even avoided eye contact with me today. Why has his behavior changed? What was he hiding beneath that calm exterior that wasn't there before? In the evening, I reached his hotel to pick up Alan.
After waiting for 15 minutes at the entrance, Alan did not appear. I then decided to head inside the hotel in search of Alan. Xavier's cheap trick to talk with me burned my heart with anger. How could he use my son as a way to talk with me?
The hotel staff has now become friendly with me and greeted me, referring to me as Mrs. Thompson. I wanted to clear up their confusion, but I had to keep quiet because of a recent incident in my life. Even if I wanted to, the numerous rumors circulated by the news channels about my relationship with Xavier prevented me from clearing my name.
I silently walked towards his room and gently knocked. My heartbeat quickened, and awkwardness washed over me as I was standing in front of the closed door. After the passionate kiss we shared the previous time, I was hesitant to meet him in private. However, to bring Alan with me, I must confront him.
"Where is Alan?" As soon as he opened the door, I questioned him about Alan to clarify my motive for visiting his room.
"He is sleeping now. He burned his thigh today." He sadly informed me.
"What? How did this happen? How could you be so irresponsible, Xavier? Why did you take on Alan's responsibilities when you are incapable of caring for children?" I shoved him inside his chamber.
When I noticed Alan sleeping in Xavier's bed with his right thigh covered, I felt a wave of panic. I tried to calm myself, but anger boiled within me, twisting with guilt and worry as I took in Alan's small, sleeping form.
"Bella, calm down; his burns are only minor. I applied ointment on his leg." He offered me a glass of water to calm me down.
"Xavier, why are you always giving me new reasons to hate you? I am taking Alan with me now, and I will not allow him to meet you ever again." I tried to get Alan to sleep in my arms so that I could leave his room.
"Bella, don't be so rude to him because of me; I made him sleep after much difficulty. Although I sincerely apologize for this incident, please know that it was only an accident. Alan picked up the breakfast tray while I was in the restroom, and the coffee spilled onto his leg." His voice was full of sadness and regret, but I no longer trusted any of his justifications.
"That's enough, Xavier. After witnessing your betrayals so frequently, I no longer have faith in you. This is undoubtedly your new approach to exacting revenge on me." I tried to restrain my anger, but Alan's burning thigh heightened it even more.
"What are you saying, Bella? How could you possibly think this way?" He looked at me with wide eyes. I could feel his words digging into me, stirring things I didn't want to acknowledge.
"What did I say wrong?" I can no longer hold back my anger and unleash it on him.
"I love Alan like my own child, so how can you make such an accusation against me?" His tone was slow, but every word was filled with emotion, his gaze intensifying as if searching for any trace of trust left in me.
"Do you even understand what love means, Mr. Thompson?" I taunted him.
"Bella, I don't want to argue with you, so feel free to taunt me as much as you like, but please wait until Alan wakes up." Upon hearing his serene tone, I already felt defeated. I was expecting him to display his authority and rage, which he always did, but instead, he begged me to stay in his room. I sighed defeatedly, sat on the edge of the bed, and waited for Alan to wake up.
Despite my determination and mental preparation to avoid falling into Xavier's trap once more, I was taken aback when I discovered that he had left me alone in the room with Alan and returned after four hours. As Alan woke up, I assisted him in putting on his shorts, at which point Xavier entered the room and scrutinized Alan's leg closely. Xavier was examining Alan's leg with concern, and my fear intensified as I observed him examining Anna's leg.
"Alan, let's go." Before he could discover what I was trying to conceal from him, I quickly grabbed his hand and left Xavier's room.
"Bella, before you leave the room, could you please tell me where your son got the birthmark on his leg?" His remarks brought to life my deepest fear and halted me abruptly.