Isabella's Point of View
I should not be here.
My hands shake as I hold my small black purse. The fancy hotel looks like a castle made of glass and gold. Wealthy individuals stroll by me in beautiful gowns and luxurious suits. Their shoes are pricier than what I earned in an entire month.
However, I am no longer that frightened girl
I walk through the big doors. My red dress fits me perfectly. My hair shines under the bright lights. People turn to look at me. Some whisper to each other. I know what they are thinking. Isabella Morgan is back.
I left New York three years ago with nothing. No money. No friends. No family. Just a broken heart and a secret growing inside me. Now I am back. Strong. Beautiful. Ready to face the world.
The party room is huge. Flowers everywhere. Tables with white cloth. Waiters carry glasses of fancy drinks. Music plays soft and sweet. Everyone here has lots of money. Everyone here knows my name.
I inhale deeply. My heart races rapidly like a small bird attempting to escape
But I will stay. I came here to do a job. I need this job. Oliver needs this job.
Oliver. My sweet little boy is waiting at home. He does not know why mommy went to the fancy party tonight. He does not know his daddy is somewhere in this room.
I walk slowly across the floor. My high heels click on the shiny marble. Click. Click. Click. Individuals step aside for me. They were all looking at me as if I were a celebrity. A few grins. A few appear furious. Everyone recalls the events from three years back.
A man dressed in a black suit approaches me. He is aged with gray hair.
He smiles big.
"Isabella! You look wonderful. We missed you."
I smile back but my smile is fake. "Thank you, Mr. Peterson."
He wants to talk more but I keep walking. I am looking for someone. The person who will give me the big job. The person who can pay me enough money to take care of Oliver.
Then I see him.
Time stops. The music stops. My heart stops. Everything in the whole world stops.
Ethan.
He stands near the big windows. Tall and handsome like always. His black hair is perfect. His emerald eyes glisten. He dons a costly black suit that gives him the appearance of royalty.
Three years. Three long years since I last saw his face. Three years since he broke my heart into a million pieces.
He is conversing with other entrepreneurs. They pay attention to him as if he is the most significant individual in the world. As a result of his existence
Ethan Blackwell owns everything. Buildings. Hotels. Companies. He has more money than some small countries.
However, he is unaware of Oliver. He is unaware that he has a son.
I am unable to move. I am unable to breathe. All the suffering returns. Every pain. Every affection I worked tirelessly to erase. My chest feels constrained
My hands shake worse now.
Then he turns. His eyes look across the room. He sees me.
Our eyes meet. Green eyes looking into brown eyes. The same eyes that normally look at me with lots of love. The same eyes that looked at me with nothing the time I needed him most.
As soon as he spotted me, his face drained of color as if he had seen a specter
Probably he did. Maybe I am the ghost of his past coming back to appear to him.
He drops his drink. The glass fell down and broke on the floor with a loud crash. Everyone around him kept mute. They look at the broken glass. Then they look at him. Then they follow his eyes to me.
The whole room gets quiet. So quiet I can hear my heart beating. Boom. Boom. Boom.
Ethan starts walking toward me. His feet move fast across the floor. People move out of his way. He was looking at me without blinking . He looks angry. Like he was shocked.It was like he wanted to run to me and at the same time like he wanted to run away from me.
I feel like running. And every part of me screams to turn around and run out of this very hotel. Run back to Oliver. Run back to our safe little apartment where Ethan cannot find us.
But I cannot run. Not anymore. I am not that scared girl who ran away three years ago. I am a mother now. I am strong now. I have to be brave for Oliver.
So I stand there. I lift my chin up high. I gaze straight at him as he approaches me.
He halts directly in front of me. So near I can smell his fragrance. The identical fragrance he used to wear during our marriage. During times of happiness. When I believed we would remain together eternally.
"Isabel." His voice is dark and coarse. It seems he hasn't mentioned my name in ages.
"Ethan." My voice may seem quiet, but internally I'm shouting.
We look at each other. Three years of hurt and anger and love all mixed up together. Three years of wondering what if. Three years of trying to forget.
"You look..." he starts to say something then stops. His eyes look at my dress. My hair. My face. "You look different."
"People change." I keep my voice cold like ice.
"Where have you been? I looked everywhere for you."
The words struck me like a blow
He looked for me? After what he did? After he chose her over me?
"I was somewhere you could not hurt me anymore."
His face changes. Pain flashes in his green eyes. "Isabella, we must have a conversation."
"No, we do not have it." I begin to walk off.
He lightly takes hold of my arm
"Please. Just give me five minutes."
I look down at his hand on my arm. The same hand that used to hold me when I was sad. The same hand that wore our wedding ring. The ring he probably threw away after I left.
"Let go of me, Ethan."
He lets go but he does not move away. "You cannot just come back and pretend nothing happened."
"I am not pretending anything. I am here for business. Nothing more."
"Business?" His eyebrows go up. "What business?"
As I was about to answer, a woman showed up to us. She has blonde hair and blue eyes and a smile that looks so harmful.
"Ethan, darling, here you are. Have been looking for you."
My blood turns to ice. I know this woman. This is the woman who destroyed my marriage. The woman Ethan chose over me.
Veronica.
She looks at me without blinking her eyes "Well, well. Look what the cat dragged in."
Ethan looks angry. "Veronica, not now."
"Oh, but this is perfect timing." Veronica moves closer to Ethan. She holds his arm tightly as if she owns him. "Isabella, sweetheart, you look so tired. Motherhood must be so hard."
The world spins around me. My heart stops beating. She knows. Somehow, Veronica knows about Oliver.
Ethan looks confused. "Motherhood? Isabella, what is she talking about?"
I cannot speak. I cannot move. I cannot think.
Veronica smiles bigger. Her teeth look sharp like a wolf. "Oh, Ethan. You do not know? Isabella has a little boy. About three years old, I think. Dark hair. Green eyes. Looks just like..."
"Stop." The word escapes from my lips like a shout.
However, it is now too late. Ethan's complexion turns pale once more. His green eyes grow large. He looks at me in astonishment and anguish, mixed with a trace of what might be hope.
"Isabel." Currently, his voice seldom exceeds a whisper
"Is it a fact?" "Do you have a male child?"
I gaze at him. At Veronica's. With everyone looking at us. The secret I maintained for three years is about to be revealed. The hidden
truth that will transform everything.
"Answer me." Ethan's voice gets louder. "Do you have my son?"