Chapter 5 After Twenty Years

Isabella's pov

"Bella, I apologise to you for what my brother did to you. I never thought that he could go that low." Jessica ground her teeth. We are in my room. Jessica was trying very hard to cheer me up but his words were still echoing in my ear.

"There was nothing you could do Jessica. We knew him since our childhood. No one can stop him if he's committed to do something." I told her between my sobs.

"I think I deserve this. H-He was right I ruined his life. First I killed my mom, then I ruined his life. I aso deserved all those pains my stepmother gave me. Indeed I would've done something bad with her too." I sniffled, "Bella you-"

Jessica stopped when we heard a knock on the door. Jessica opened the door because I was busy in crying my eyes out. "Oh Haley, come in please." Haley entered the room, she gasped when her gaze fell on me. "Oh my god Bella, why are you crying?" She rushed to me, hugged me. I cried more in her arms clutching her tight.

When she pulled back, she was staring at me worried and furious. She cupped my face with both of her hand and caressed the bruises. "Who did this?" She asked Jessica, but her voice was distant. "Alexander!" Jessica word made aunt Haley freeze. She turned to her "B-But Alexander loves her." She countered in disbelief, "H-He hates me Aunty. He hates me more t-than anything." I clutched her tightly and cried more. "No baby-"

Aunt Haley stopped when the door burst open, "What's fucking nonsense going here?" My furious stepmother barged in the room. Her eyes went wide when she looked at my face, "What the fuck you did with your face?" She narrowed her eyes at me. "I-I -"

"I don't fucking care what you did and who did this? But whoever it was, he have serve you good, whore?" I closed my eyes and let my tears fall down my cheeks.

"And you-" she turned to Aunt Haley, "Haley!" She gritted her name "You are here to get her ready for dinner, not to play your so called mother-daughter melo drama.

"Sorry Ma'am." Aunt Haley apologised to her, she walked near me and stopped. She gripped my jaw harshly that my bruises hurt. She forced me to look at her, examined my bruises. She loosed her grip on my jaw and left it with force.

"Make sure he won't see this." With that she walked out of my room clicking her heels on the floor.

Haley rushed to door and shut it quickly.

"You alright?" Aunt Haley asked me with worried eyes, I nodded in response.

"W-What she w-was ta-alking about?" I asked Aunt Jessica out of curiosity.

"Your father ordered me to escort you to his office." She declared with smile ignoring my question, "H-He did what?" I couldn't believe my ears, "But why?" I queried, he never called me in his office. Even I was strictly restricted to go near his office. "I don't know about that." She shrugged her shoulders "Maybe he wants to talk to you about something." She estimated, her words made me nervous all of sudden. "T-Talk?" Did anyone informed him about last night? Or Maybe someone is coming on dinner. Dad never asked about me for inform about his guest "Wait, she was talking about dinner. Is someone coming for dinner tonight?" I looked at her expectedly. She shared a glance with Jessica before she turned to me "Mr. Knight and his family are coming to have dinner with your family." She sighed and continued "And they personally request your presence at dinner." I gulped my own saliva. Bile started raising in my throat. Mere a thought of him with me in a same room gives shivers down my spine. Ofcourse because of fear. The room instantly became cold like Antartica. I wish this ground shallow me right here, right now.

"Isabella." Aunty Haley pulled me out of my train of thoughts. "Y-Yes Aunty?" I asked her dumbfounded, "The bath is ready. Let's go." I nodded and walked in bathroom, still praying to god to kill me somehow.

I was sitting in front of mirror being tortured by these three wicked girls. Oh god, my nose is itching for sneezing. "Jessica!" I whined, "No means No!" Her glare made me shut my mouth. "I wonder where do these sneezes come from?" Clara rolled her eyes putting some hairpins in my hairs. "Your foundation made me." I glared at her, "Bullshit! I never saw anyone sneezing because of foundation." She grumbled, "Now you see me." I replied sassily , she huffed.

"Are you done?" I asked them, "Just a minute." They all grumbled in unison, I giggled at their reactions. Let me tell you, I hate makeup, there are so many stuffs in them. Mascara, eyeliner lipstick, eyeshadow, blah, blah, blah....

Total waste of time. But sometimes it's useful for me.

'You know when'?

When I have to hide my bruises. Like I'm doing right now. Ummm, actually three wicked are doing.

"Is she ready?" Aunt Haley entered in the room. "Yeah! Just a second Haley." Jessica said while giving final touch to my makeup.

"All done!" They announced in unison.

I looked at myself in the mirror. I was looking presentable, all thanks to the girls. I wore a royal blue dress. It reaches to my knee, they let my hair down freely. All my bruises were hidden by hevy makeup they applied.

"Oh my god Bella darling! You look beautiful in this dress." Aunt Haley gave me a compliment

"All thanks to girls." I looked at them and continued, "They did great job." I gave them compliment.

You always look beautiful Sissy. Clara said and hugged me, I hugged her back. What? You guys forgot about me? June whined, "Aww, come by cuties." We all shared group hug.

"Say cheese!" We all looked at Aunt Haley, she clicked a picture of us hugging. "It will be last long." She looked at the screen and laughed, we all joined in.

I am standing at front of brown door with aunt Haley and girl

"Don't afraid girl. He won't bite." I glared at Jessica, "I'm just nervous. I don't know what will he say. What if he came to know about last night?" I panicked, she rolled her eyes heavenwards.

"You won't find out until you go in there." She pointed to the door. "Then I don't want to find out. I turned on my heels and started walking to my room.

"Let's go." I said

"No." She stood there stubbornly. I gave her my best puppy dog eyes. "No, I can't." I shook my head negatively.

"Yes, you can." Clara nodded her head.

"And, you will." This time, June did. Jessica knocked the door before I say something in protest.

"Come in." I glared at them and inhaled deeply. I gripped the golden doorknob and turned it.

The door opened, unfortunately. I entered the office with my shaky legs. My eyes were glued at the wooden floor they whole time.

"G-Good E-eve-ening D-Dad." I stuttered out, I was looking at my sandals. Because they were the most interesting thing for me in this moment.

"Hmm. Take a seat." These were his four words he said after twenty years.

I nodded and took a plush chair and sit down, still not looking at him. I felt someone's burning gaze on me, making me nervous than I already was. I knew whom these belongs to. 'But why is he here?' I asked to myself.

"Good Evening Isabella. I hope you didn't forget you dearest Uncle just in a month." Uncle Christopher, I looked at him and smiled. He was looking handsome in black Armani suit. His was looking at me with his warm emrald eyes. I felt relieved that I'm not alone with my dad and Alexander.

"G-Good Evening Uncle. H-How ar-re you?" I smiled at him. "I was not fine until I saw your angelic smile." He patted my head. "I want you to meet someone." He looked past me, I gulped and turned around.

My breath hitched for a second. He was sitting on the chair beside me but not so near, thank god. He wore black suit with white shirt underneath. He was looking at me with evil smirk on his face. His eyes were holding glint in them. I tried to say something but no words came out of my mouth. It felt like I'm in a packed room full of people.

"Good Evening Ms. Isabella Whites. It's a pleasure to meet you, again." He extanded his hand. I looked bat his hand then him, debating should I take it or not. I looked at my father and Uncle Chris. They looked at us expectedly.

I took his hand and shook it. "G-Good E-eve-ening Mr. Knights!" He frowned deeply, before I retreated my hand his grabbed it in a death grip. I bite my lower lip to stop myself making any sound.

"Now get to the point." My dad said and opened the drawer.

"Here, sign this." He slammed a black file in front of me, I tried to remove my hand but he tightened his grip. I looked at Alexander, he was looking at my dad like everything was fine.

I opened the file with my other hand and read it. As soon as my gaze fell on the words written in them I slammed shut the file.

All eyes snapped at me.

"If you don't want to do this you are free to say no. We won't force you." Uncle Chris Assured, "I was about to say no but Alexander jumped in.

If you gentlemen won't mind, I would like to talk to Ms. Isabella Whites in 'private'. Only me him and that God knew what he was meant by 'private'.

"No!" I almost shout in panick. They looked at me with frown on their face. I blushed in embarrassment, "Ummm s-sorry, I m-mean there i-is n-no n-need to talk in private. I will sign the c-contr-ract.