Chapter 92

POV ISABELA

I decided I wasn’t going to spend another entire day crying.

I wouldn’t.

For days, I had felt trapped.

Trapped inside my own head.

Trapped inside the pain.

As if everything revolved around it.

That scene.

Those words.

That betrayal… or what I believed to be one.

And it was suffocating me.

So, that morning…

I made a decision.

I was going to do something.

Anything.

But I wasn’t going to stay still.

I wasn’t going to let myself sink.

I was going to keep my mind busy.

Distract myself.

Force myself to keep going.

And nothing is better than cleaning.

A deep cleaning.

The kind where you clean things you didn’t even remember existed.

The kind that leaves you exhausted… but with a sense of control.

I put on something comfortable—short shorts and a light top, something to wear around the house—tied my hair up in a high bun, and got started.

First, the living room.

I opened the windows.

Let the air in.

Dragged the couch.

Cleaned every corner.

Changed the cushion covers.

Organized the table.

Then I went to the kitchen.

Washed things that didn’t even need washing.

Organized the cabinets.

Threw away old stuff.

Wiped everything down.

Then the bedrooms.

Folded clothes.

Changed the sheets.

Opened closets.

Went through drawers.

And, for the first time in days…

My mind started to slow down.

The pain was still there.

But more distant.

Quieter.

As if the movement was pushing everything away… for a few minutes.

I was in the hallway, standing on a small stool, cleaning the top of a cabinet, when the doorbell rang.

I frowned.

Who could it be?

I glanced at the clock.

Maybe Alex.

He used to show up unannounced.

I stepped down from the stool.

Ran my hand over my shorts.

And walked to the door.

I opened it.

And the world stopped.

Noah.

Standing there.

For a second…

I thought I was imagining it.

My heart raced.

Hard.

Unsteady.

“Noah?”

My voice came out low.

Surprised.

Almost breathless.

“What are you doing here?”

He didn’t answer.

Not right away.

He just looked at me.

And that look…

It was intense.

Deep.

Almost tangible.

His eyes slowly traveled over my body.

Unhurried.

From my face… down to my legs.

And I felt it.

The heat is rising.

My body is reacting.

My heart is racing for a different reason.

“Noah…” I said, crossing my arms. “My eyes are up here.”

He blinked.

As if snapping back to reality.

Swallowed hard.

“Sorry…”

But he was still looking at me.

“But damn…” he muttered, running a hand through his hair, “how are you opening the door like that?”

I rolled my eyes.

“I'm cleaning the house.”

I gestured to myself.

“Cleaning.”

He let out a small, humorless laugh.

But his gaze…

It was still intense.

And it affected me.

More than I wanted to admit.

But then…

A thought hit me like a shock.

Isis.

My whole body tensed.

I grabbed his arm and pulled him inside.

“Get in.”

He stepped in, surprised.

I shut the door quickly.

And pulled him toward the back of the house.

“What is it?” He asked, confused.

“Isis is home”, I said quietly.

Immediately, he grew serious.

Tense.

“She could see you… or hear something…”

I ran a hand through my hair, nervous.

“And Daniel could show up at any moment.”

The mention of his name changed the atmosphere.

Instantly.

The air grew heavier.

Noah went rigid.

His jaw clenched.

And that…

That affected me.

My heart started beating faster.

“What are you doing here, Noah?”

He looked at me.

Straight.

Unwavering.

Intense.

Serious.

“I needed to talk to you.”

My stomach tightened.

“And I couldn’t wait another second.”

My heart pounded.

“What happened?”

He took a deep breath.

As if organizing his thoughts.

“I found out the truth.”

My whole body went still.

“Truth?”

He nodded.

“I scheduled an appointment for Luana today.”

My heart sped up.

“And on the way… she confessed.”

I felt the air leave my lungs.

“Confessed what?”

“She's not pregnant.”

The world seemed to spin.

“What?”

“It was a lie.”

I brought my hand to my mouth.

“Oh my God…”

“She said she drugged me that night.”

My body went cold.

“Drugged you?”

“Yes.”

His voice was firmer now.

More controlled.

“She put something in my drink.”

My chest tightened.

“She said she took me to her place… but nothing happened.”

My heart raced.

“Nothing?”

He shook his head.

“Nothing.”

And in that moment…

Something inside me broke.

And rebuilt itself at the same time.

A violent relief.

But mixed with anger.

Confusion.

And a sting of guilt.

“She said she was in love with me…”

He took a breath.

Hesitated.

“And also…”

His gaze hardened.

“She was paid to do it.”

My stomach twisted.

“Paid?”

“By my father.”

Silence.

Heavy.

Surreal.

“What?”

He nodded.

“He paid her to keep me away from you.”

My heart pounded even harder.

“My God…”

“And when he saw we got back together…”

His voice dropped.

Heavier.

“He told her to drug me… and fake the pregnancy.”

I stayed silent.

Trying to process.

Everything.

Every detail.

Every piece falling into place.

But then…

I crossed my arms.

“Didn't I tell you?”

He looked at me.

“Didn't I tell you the way she looked at you was different?”

My breathing was heavy.

“Didn't I tell you she’d be trouble?”

I shook my head.

“I felt it from the beginning.”

He lowered his gaze.

“I know…”

“A woman knows another woman, Noah.”

He took a deep breath.

“I should’ve listened to you.”

My chest tightened.

Silence fell between us.

Heavy.

Loaded.

Full of things unsaid.

Full of feeling.

But then…

A noise from inside the house.

My body froze.

“Isis…”

He immediately went on alert.

“And Daniel could show up at any moment…”

I ran a hand over my face.

My breathing sped up.

“We can’t talk here.”

He nodded.

Without hesitation.

“Then let’s meet.”

I looked up.

“Where?”

He didn’t think twice.

“The same hotel as always.”

My heart pounded.

Hard.

“Tonight.”

I swallowed.

Hesitated.

Because I knew.

I knew exactly what that meeting meant.

Conversation.

Confrontation.

Feelings.

Maybe… decisions.

Maybe… a point of no return.

But even so…

I nodded.

“Okay.”