Chapter 29 - Deception

After what seemed like ages for Isabella, she and Moira reached the location, a five stars hotel.

‘I should have gotten used to it by now, they are practically made of money.’

The car ride was quiet, she glanced through the window all the way there, trying to plan her next steps and Moira respected her need for space, she never asked a question, she was by far the most considerate person Isabella had met in years.

‘She confronted her cousin for a stranger like me, this speaks a lot of a person.’

As they were heading to the suite, Isabella couldn't keep it to herself any longer.

“I am really grateful for what you did.” She uttered remorsefully.

Moira’s face widened in a huge smile. “Don’t be grateful until we order more food that we can eat and drink more alcohol than we can handle.” She joked while opening the door and inviting Isabella inside the breathtaking beautiful suite. “Besides, I should take the blame for having an idiot cousin.”

Isabella burst into laughter, thinking that her new friend had that magic touch that instantly made her feel comfortable in her presence, which rarely happened with strangers.

“Do you have any clothes to change into?” Moira asked, glancing at her small bag.

“If it’s not much of a trouble, I’ll prefer to remain dressed like this.”

Eying her from head to toe, Moira concluded. “Nonsense. I’ll borrow you something to wear, this is a girl’s night, I want us to be cozy.”

Isabella forced a smile and nodded in agreement.

“You can’t tell my cousin, but this is a suite that I keep at the hotel permanently, it’s where I roll around with my boyfriend.”

“And why the need to keep it from him?”

Moira rolled her eyes and sighed. “It’s complicated. My boyfriend works for Edmund, and my cousin is very strict when it comes to his employees.”

‘I can imagine that.’

“Do I know him?”

“Mmm. I don’t think you met him. He’s in charge of security, so he is mostly out of your sight.”

“I see.”

“But enough about me, this night is about you!”

His cousin went into the other room, which Isabella supposed was the bedroom, and came back with a set of casual garments. “You go and change into these and I’ll order everything on the menu. Nothing heals a broken heart better than greasy food, lots of desert and wine, don’t you agree?”

“One hundred per cent.”

* * *

It was not long since Isabella left with Moira, yet Edmund was overwhelmed by a sense of loss. His soul felt empty, and there was a sort of claw that was clamping his heart, making his entire body sore.

The broken shade of her eyes cut through him like shattered glass, more than the dire words she fired at him. That look in her eyes reminded him of the pain he felt when Regina left him years ago.

‘How can her eyes display the same torment mine did long ago, does she really care so much about me?’

He registered the way she looked at him before their devastating fight, with admiration, blatant need, deep care and infatuation all together, the way nobody looked at him before, but he never imagined that she actually fell in love with him, until she just confessed.

To know that he brought pain to her innocent heart made his stomach churn in pain and to think that he had lost her made him loathe himself.

Deep down he was aware that he grew fond of her, or that he developed even deeper feelings, but he denied them, that was his coping mechanism after he had been hurt in the past.

He wanted to stop her, he really did, but she had already made up her mind about him, and it was his fault as he hid from her the fact that Regina was hosted in the house.

‘In fact, I should have never allowed Regina to come here, even if she was invited by my brother, if that is really the truth, which I doubt.’

To a certain degree, he was glad that Isabella got away from him. Not because he was happier without her, definitively not, but as much as he hated to admit it, she was in danger because of him.

He still had to investigate who attempted to kill him during the flight, and until then it was better that she was not in harm’s way, he would never forgive himself if something were to happen to her.

But what it was mandatory to determine and it was essential to do it as soon as possible was to get the full picture.

“What bullshit did Regina feed Isabella for her to react the way she did, all emotional and unreasonable, too nervous for me to get some sense into her?’

Before he thought it through, he found himself knocking at the guestroom’s door, where Regina was hosted.

“Are you inside?” He asked when nobody responded.

“Just a second!” He heard her voice, followed by some furniture noise.

He waited a few minutes outside, and just when he was preparing to leave, she pushed the door open.

He inwardly grunted as he caught sight of her clothing, she was again wearing a revealing nightgown, this one was of red color, the same shade as the gloss that complimented her plump lips.

She took his hand and dragged him inside, taking light steps until she reached the bed, then she sensually lowered herself on it.

“I knew that you would change your mind.” Her lips curled into a seductive triumphant grin, she spread her legs offering him a full view of her bare pussy. “Come here.” She patted the bed.

Her shining with raw primitive lust gaze ran over his body, stopping on the bulge in his pants. At that point, Edmund found the show she was putting in scene disgusting.

“I want it, Edmund!” She whispered, leaning over and stroking his cock through the fabric.

She was eager for an ardent response from him, but instead he grabbed her wrist and removed her hand.

The color on her face faded away completely, her features clouded up in a shocked expression. The urge in her eyes was replaced with bitter coldness and a hint of hatred.

“Why are you here?” She inquired, crossing her arms tightly on her chest, making her breasts pop up even more.

“What did you tell Isabella?” He demanded, his demeanor screaming danger.

“W-what do you mean?” She stuttered feigning shock, yet her eyes betrayed her.

“Cut the crap and jump to the subject. I’m not the one you left behind, it’s safe to say that you don’t want to play games with me, I’m sure you did your homework before my brother invited you here, if that ever happened.”

Her figure stiffened. “I tried to explain to her that I didn’t know you had a wife when I came to your office and that we did not have sex, something she implied and I denied, but she would not listen to anything I say. She already formed her opinion and when I tried to convince her otherwise, she spun around and left me talking, what was I supposed to do? I’m guessing she was also jealous of my flawless body, she did stare at me for a while.”

‘Her almost naked body that leaves nothing to imagination.’

“I want you out of here by tomorrow night!” His tone left no space for negotiation, his figure was shaking with rage.

He took deep breaths to reign his anger in, then he stormed out of the room to avoid a disaster.

‘She is a fucking liar! She ruined my relationship with Isabella on purpose, so she should prepare for the consequences.’