Chapter 34 She Must Live in Pain Every Day
William stared at her blank expression, filled only with disgust. This wasn't what he wanted. He wanted her fear. He wanted her to spend every waking moment drowning in misery.
"This is boring."
Isabella's vacant stare shattered at those words. She watched him walk toward the door, horror flooding through her as he pulled it open.
From this angle, anyone passing by would see her naked body sprawled across his desk.
Instinct screamed at her to sit up, but William's voice stopped her cold.
"Move, and I cancel the deal right now."
Her stomach dropped.
The more afraid she was, the more he fed on it.
He yanked off his tie with one hand, unbuckled his belt with the other. His eyes were full of contempt, his voice dripping with humiliation. "Afraid someone will see what a filthy little whore you are? You have no idea how pathetic you look."
He moved to the edge of the desk, grabbed her legs, and dragged her closer. Then he lifted her hips and thrust into her without warning.
The nauseating fullness churned her stomach.
She tried to push him away. He pinned her wrists down.
"Isabella, you're worthless. The only thing you're good for is letting me use you like this. This is what you get for killing Beatrice."
He slammed into her harder. The force sent her thin body sliding across the desk. He grabbed her legs and dragged her back, pounding into her again.
"Look at yourself. Disgusting. If your sister could see you now, she'd be ashamed."
She didn't want to hear Beatrice's name. Not now. Not like this.
She felt lower than trash.
Footsteps echoed down the hallway.
Isabella's heart seized.
She didn't want to be seen. Her eyes found William's, desperate, pleading.
Tears slipped down her temples.
This was exactly what he wanted.
He ravaged her body, her will, making sure she felt every second of her own terror.
The footsteps grew louder. Isabella's pulse thundering in her ears.
"Please..."
William didn't stop. He moved faster, destroying the last shred of her dignity.
He didn't care how she felt. He only cared about her pain.
Her begging only made him harder. The more she suffered, the more satisfied he became.
Isabella's tense body went limp. Her expression turned blank. Her eyes stared at the ceiling, empty.
William slowed. He looked down at her, anger flashing across his face.
The footsteps were right outside the door now. Isabella's face remained completely still.
William let out a low growl.
The footsteps stopped.
Whoever it was started backing away. Going to William's office right now would be suicide.
William pulled out, grabbed a tissue from the desk, and wiped his hands like he'd touched something filthy.
"Get out."
Isabella sat up slowly. She picked up her clothes and put them on. A few buttons were missing. She tucked the fabric into her waistband as best she could, then picked up the data report and looked at him.
"Mr. Spencer, did the data pass?"
Fury surged through William. She was still thinking about that.
He smiled coldly. "Since you paid for it with your body, I'll do you the favor."
Isabella's face was blank, as if the woman who'd just been violated on his desk wasn't her at all.
"Thank you, Mr. Spencer."
William's chest tightened with rage.
The moment she left, he hurled the ashtray at the glass wall.
The crash echoed through the entire building.
Isabella walked out without flinching.
People stared at her as she passed. She didn't seem to notice. She walked into the elevator like a ghost.
When the doors closed, the small space felt almost safe.
No noise. No stares.
Back at the office, everyone turned to look.
The moment she stepped inside, her coworkers started whispering.
Thalia rushed over and pulled her into the restroom, concern written all over her face. "Isabella, what happened?"
Isabella blinked, finally seeing herself in the mirror.
She looked utterly wrecked.
Her hair was a mess. Her shirt was torn. There were bite marks on her neck. She looked like she'd been assaulted.
No wonder everyone had been staring.
Thalia quickly took off her jacket and draped it over Isabella's shoulders, pulling her into a hug.
"Who did this to you? Should I call the police?"
"Thank you, Ms. Wesley. That's not necessary."
Thalia thought about where Isabella had just come from—the Spencer Group. She remembered what happened at the party. Her face went pale.
"Was it William? Why would he do this to you?"
They were married, weren't they?
Why would he leave her looking like this?
There were rumors about Isabella, sure, but Thalia had never believed them. The Isabella she knew wasn't a terrible person.
What could have happened to turn someone so full of life into this hollow shell?
Isabella didn't answer.
Thalia sighed. "Go home. I'll handle the rest."
"Thank you, Ms. Wesley."
"Don't mention it. Just go rest."
"Thank you."
Thalia couldn't shake the feeling that something was seriously wrong with Isabella's mental state.
Isabella didn't go back to the villa. Instead, she took a car to the Tudor family home. She missed her parents.
She knew they didn't want to see her. So she waited across the street, hiding behind a tree, hoping to catch a glimpse of them.
Beatrice's death had destroyed the whole family.
Their parents couldn't accept it.
William couldn't accept it.
Neither could she.
"Sweetheart." Isla's voice came from behind her.
For a split second, Isabella's cold expression melted into a smile, like she was back in the days when her mother's voice was warm.
She spun around—only to see Isla walking toward someone else, taking Juniper's hand.
"Juniper, you came to see us again."
"Godfather, Godmother, I brought you some ginseng. You need to take care of yourselves."
Benjamin smiled warmly. "You always bring such expensive gifts."
Juniper smiled sweetly. "I'm your goddaughter. Of course I want to take care of you."
Isla looked at her with pure affection. "Juniper, we're so lucky to have you."
Isabella watched them laugh and chat as they walked inside.
No one noticed her.
Maybe she wasn't supposed to exist in this world at all.
She thought, desperately, 'Beatrice, do you see? Mom and Dad are happy. They love Juniper. Let her stay with them. I'll come find you instead...'
Isabella couldn't bring herself to leave. She stood in the biting wind for three hours, waiting. Finally, Juniper came out. Her parents walked her to the door.
Good. She could see them one more time.