Isabella walked into James' house that evening believing she was coming to repair what had been slowly falling apart between them. She had imagined a quiet conversation that would ease the distance that had grown over the past few weeks. She had hoped they would speak honestly, maybe even find their way back to the tenderness they once shared. After everything she had sacrificed for him, she believed their love deserved at least that chance.
When James fell ill and his family hesitated to help him, she had not thought twice before stepping in. She sold the last investment her late father left her in order to pay for his treatment. It was the only thing that tied her to her father's memory, yet she let it go because she believed in love and loyalty. She believed sacrifice was never forgotten.
That belief shattered the moment she entered the living room.
Lydia stood there holding a baby.
Isabella stopped walking as a strange silence filled the room. It felt heavy and unnatural, as though something had already happened before she arrived.
"James, whose child is that?" she asked.
Lydia answered calmly without showing any sign of guilt.
"This is his son."
The words felt unreal to Isabella, so she turned to James, hoping he would deny them.
"Tell me she is lying."
James did not deny it.
"He is mine."
The world seemed to tilt beneath Isabella's feet as the truth struck her.
"You betrayed me."
"It is not what you think," James replied.
"It is exactly what she thinks," Lydia added quietly.
The baby stirred in her arms, and James stepped forward to take the child from her without hesitation. The ease with which he held the baby destroyed Isabella more than the confession itself. It showed familiarity, comfort, and a bond that felt practiced.
"I...i..gave up everything for you," Isabella said as she stammered in disbelief.
"I did not ask you to,I am tired of your timid,shy and naive life.you don't work all you do is to stay at home doing home chores" James responded.
Before she could recover from the cruelty of his words, another voice spoke from the doorway.
"You finally see the truth."
Isabella turned to see Janet standing there with a satisfied smile.
"What truth?" Isabella asked.
"That you were never worthy of him," Janet replied.
Anger replaced Isabella's shock.
"You lied to him."
Janet did not deny it.
"I told him you were a prostitute and that you had a child for another man," she said calmly.
Isabella looked at James in disbelief.
"You believed her?"
James hesitated, and his silence confirmed everything.
"I sold my father's last investment for you when your own family would not help," Isabella said quietly.
Lydia moved closer to Janet as if sharing a private victory.
"I hate you," Isabella said.
"You should thank us," Janet replied.
"You were never meant to win."
Isabella turned toward the door, but something caught her attention. Lydia wore a bracelet that Isabella recognized immediately.
"How did you get that?" she asked.
"James gave it to me," Lydia answered.
"I did not," James said, confused.
"You left it here the last time you visited," Janet added quickly.
Isabella remembered losing the bracelet at Janet's house, not here.
Her eyes moved to the baby's blanket and she noticed the logo of a private maternity clinic. It was the same clinic where Janet's friend worked and where Isabella once went for a routine test.
"How old is the baby?" she asked.
"He is three months old," Lydia replied.
The timing unsettled Isabella.
"James, when did you reconnect with Lydia?" she asked.
"A few months ago," he said.
"Did you ever see her pregnant?" Isabella asked.
"I kept it private," Lydia responded.
"Tell her the truth," Lydia urged James.
"Do not let her manipulate you again," Janet said.
James looked at Isabella and spoke quietly.
"You should go."
"This is not over," Isabella replied.
"It is for you," Janet said.
As Isabella reached the door, the baby cried. The sound triggered a memory of Lydia arguing with a nurse at the clinic about adoption procedures.
She turned back and met Lydia's gaze. For a moment, Lydia's confidence faded and fear replaced it before she regained control.
Isabella stepped outside, but inside the house James continued to stare at the baby. For the first time, he noticed a birthmark that looked nothing like his.
In Lydia's bag lay a folded document.It contained some original documents of some of the properties of isabella's late father Williams.
They were properties that was supposed to be willed to isabella but it was secretly stolen.
As the one of the documents fell from Lydia's bag, isabella quickly turned to look at the document.
As isabella stared at the documents on the floor something inside of Lydia shaked in great fear.something was about to explode.