Chapter 47: A Dining in Hell

The next day, Isabella was already ready for the exams as she had read and seemed active. All she could feel was joyfulness as she jumped around in the hostel room with Tricia, continuously memorizing. It turned out that their first course was the same, and it made Tricia so happy because she had actually not read about it and planned on putting her hope on either the lecturers. But now that Isabella was a bookworm and had read all the courses, and they all seemed similar to her, she felt more positive and happy. She knew for sure she would pass through all the courses with flying colors as she jumped around, making sure that everything she read was still in her brain. 

She heard a horn from the veranda as she ran outside, and it was Alex, waving at her with flowers in his hands. Of course, he always brought bouquets of flowers anytime she had exams as a way of wishing her good luck. And funny enough, it always worked. It was only when he did not give her flowers that she always failed the exams. She felt even more positive and happy as she raced towards him and jumped into his arms, hugging him tightly as he tried his best to hold her without falling while also holding onto the flowers. She soon let go with excitement and kissed him on the lips. Just then, Rachel walked out of the hostel and stared at them. She did not even say a word. Ever since that night, they had not talked to each other as Rachel rolled her eyes and just walked away. 

Alex handed her the flowers with a smile. 

“I have good news. I have exciting news, and I know you would love it because I know you love my family gatherings,” Alex said as Isabella became suspicious. 

“What do you mean by family gatherings and why is it good news? Please tell me. I'm already eager.” 

Isabella insisted. 

“We are having a grand dining celebration for my auntie and my uncle-in-law who are now married. They want to have this huge dinner with all the families coming together from both sides, not missing one. Even the wives and the girlfriends of the sons of the family are all coming together, and you, of course, are a special guest by my mom. She especially wants you at that party, sitting close to me as the girlfriend of the first son of her family. Of course, she wants you there, and it is so grand that everybody is coming.” 

At that moment, Isabella's world shattered as the flower bouquet in her hand fell to the ground. Alex was surprised. 

“Isabella?” he muttered, but she seemed as if she had lost all her consciousness and could not even control her own emotions as he bent down to pick up the flowers and handed them over to her. 

“Hope everything is alright?” he questioned. 

But she did not even utter a word. She stood there for a while, continuously wrinkling her eyes, unable to believe that this was actually happening. Does this mean she would have to see Professor James again? Someone she was trying her best to avoid? Why would Alex even accept this invitation? And why was it a special invitation for her, which meant she couldn't even escape it? Just then, she remembered seeing John when she was walking toward the car. 

John had definitely planned all this. 

This was all John's plan. Just then, she had a quick flashback to the day when the deadline John had given her arrived, and she rushed towards him, giving him a recording of her telling James that it was over. 

“Now are you satisfied? Now you must be really, really satisfied because I ended everything with James. Can you now let me rest in peace and just let me go?” she said to John. 

She could remember John chuckling. 

“This is not enough evidence. It is not even a video. So how would I believe that there's nothing going on between the both of you again? Instead, the best thing for you to do is to show me proof physically. I don't want to see James making any advances towards you. I don't want him talking to you, and I don't want him touching you like you belong to him. I know how Professor James acts. He's trying to make you become his. Okay? You cannot even see it in his voice. He's laughing. He is so authoritative that he's actually laughing at what you said. I don't need that proof. And if you don't bring proof as soon as possible, I will fish out proof myself.” 

She remembered John's warning before he left. 

Just then, she came back to reality as Alex clapped his hands in front of her face. She blinked multiple times before finally smiling. 

“I am just surprised that your mom actually made me a special guest,” she immediately lied, knowing that Alex would want to attack her with questions about why she said something like that or why she acted so surprised and dropped the bouquet. She quickly collected the bouquet with excitement and an impetuous smile as she giggled. 

“I cannot wait for that gathering!” She lied. 

But deep within her, she just needed an excuse to escape and did not even want that day to come. Now she could not even concentrate on her exams anymore.

“I wish you the best of luck in your exams,” Alex muttered to her and pecked her on the cheek before walking away as he realized she seemed a bit too taken aback and wasn’t in the mood to question her reasons for acting that way. 

“What is going to happen to me now… oh my God!” Isabella muttered to herself. 

She needed help at this moment.

And at that moment Tricia also stepped out and from the way she saw Isabella she knew at that moment that something had gone wrong and Isabella needed help or else she might just end up crumbling.