Chapter 2 No.2

Isolde POV

Ben's brow furrowed, his fork pausing halfway to his mouth. He looked at me, a blank canvas of feigned confusion. "What kind of question is that, Isolde? Of course, I'm with the person I'm meant to be with. You." He forced a smile, a brittle thing that didn't reach his eyes. It was the same smile he'd used when he'd charmed his way into my life, convincing me he was a diamond in the rough, a man of integrity. Now, it was just a performance.

"And what makes you so sure?" I pressed, my voice calm, betraying none of the turmoil raging inside me. I wanted to see how deep his lies went, how much effort he would put into this charade.

He set his fork down, leaning forward, an earnest expression plastered on his face. "Because you're smart, Isolde. You're supportive. You believe in me. You're always there for me." His words were hollow, clichés he'd heard in cheap romantic comedies. Not once did he mention my kindness, my laughter, our shared dreams, the small jokes that defined our intimacy. It was all about what I did for him, what value I added to his life.

I felt a bitter laugh bubble up in my throat, but I swallowed it down. Supportive? I was the one who secretly spent countless nights poring over his presentations, fixing his shoddy research, connecting him with the right people through my 'anonymous' network. Believes in him? I was the fool who sacrificed her identity to let him shine, thinking his success was ours. Always there? I was just a warm body, a stepping stone.

"Is that all?" I asked, my voice dangerously soft. "Is that all you see in me?"

His gaze darted around the room, from the half-eaten pizza to the framed photos of us on the shelf, avoiding my eyes. He was searching for an answer, a new platitude to throw my way. He found none. He couldn't articulate anything genuine because there was nothing genuine left.

He cleared his throat, adjusting his posture. "No, of course not, Isolde. You're beautiful. You're kind. You're everything I could ever want." He reached for my hand, his palm sweaty and cold. It was a repulsive gesture. The touch felt like a slimy slug crawling on my skin. I fought the urge to pull away.

"What if, Ben," I began, pulling my hand away gently, my voice still light, "what if someone else came along? Someone wealthier, more powerful, someone who could open all the doors you want opened? Someone like Haylie White, perhaps?" The name hung in the air, a silent accusation.

His jaw tightened. His eyes, for the first time, flickered with something akin to panic. But he quickly regained his composure, his mask slipping back into place. "Isolde, what are you talking about? There's no one like that. And even if there was, it wouldn't matter. We're getting married. You're my future." He tried to sound indignant, but his voice cracked slightly.

"Are you sure about that, Ben?" I persisted, pushing harder. "Are you absolutely, one hundred percent sure there's no one else? No whispers, no rumors, nothing you're hiding?" The words were a direct challenge, an arrow aimed straight at his heart, or what I once believed was his heart.

He grabbed my hand again, squeezing it tightly. His eyes were wide, earnest, and completely fake. "Isolde, darling, you know how much I love you. We're getting married. That's all that matters. Don't listen to gossip. People are always jealous of happy couples." He leaned in, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "You're the only woman for me. Always have been, always will be. We'll build our empire together, won't we?"

His performance was Oscar-worthy. The way his eyes moistened, the tremor in his voice, the desperate sincerity. It was a masterpiece of deceit. But I saw through it all. He wasn't trying to convince me of his love; he was trying to convince himself that he could still manipulate me. He was a cheap con artist, and I had been his easiest mark.

I pulled my hand free, the touch leaving a phantom itch on my skin. I stood up, slowly, deliberately. The sudden movement caught him off guard. He looked up at me, his face still a mask of feigned innocence.

"Haylie White," I said, my voice cutting through the silence like a razor. My eyes locked onto his, every ounce of my pain and rage distilled into that one name.

His smile vanished. His face went slack, a ghastly pale. The color drained from his lips. He looked like he'd seen a ghost. The air crackled with the sudden, undeniable truth.

"Haylie... what about her?" he stammered, his voice thin, almost a squeak. He tried to play dumb, to pretend he didn't understand. It was pathetic.

I laughed then, a low, humorless sound that surprised even myself. It was the sound of a heart breaking into a million pieces, yet finding strength in the fragments. "Don't pretend, Ben. Don't insult my intelligence." My voice softened, but the coldness in it was palpable. "It's over."

The words hung heavy in the air, final and absolute. He had his chance. I gave him every opportunity to confess, to salvage some shred of his dignity. He chose to lie. He chose to betray. He chose Haylie White. And now, he had lost everything. The game was truly over for him. But for me, it was just beginning.