Chapter 125: Complications

Isabelle’s Point of View:

“What’s wrong, Isabelle?” I heard mom say as she came out of the room and caught up with me. I was still in a daze from the conversation with Mr. Roman, cursing his name to the highest degree and replaying the conversation I was supposed to have with Achilles now.

“Isabelle?” She called out again, finally getting my attention.

“Oh, mom!” I said as my trail of thoughts ended. She looked at me, confused.

“Where are you lost? I thought after your talk with Achilles, things would be better, no?” she asked, her voice laced with obvious concern.

“Uh…” I exhaled. There was no use telling her what was happening. She’d know eventually, but right now it’d break her heart to see me sad again. “Everything’s better actually,” I put up a wide smile.

“Really? Tell me all about it!” She said, slightly excited.

“I will. I just need to see someone first,” I said as I left and went to the basement. There was someone I needed to see. Even though I would have loved to torture that monster personally, I wasn’t going to. Why should I lose my humanity over someone like him? At least when I had other people who’d be okay with it anyway, there was no use.

“Do you need anything, Mrs. Roman?” The man guarding the basement asked me as I reached the door.

“I need to see the monster that was brought in today.” I said and he knew immediately who I was referring to.

He nodded as he took me inside to the cage he was in. He was tied to a chair and still unconscious, all in the middle of a prison room way worse than a normal prison.

“Did Achilles check on him?” I asked the man who was guarding him personally as the door guard left.

“Yes, he did, Mrs. Roman. He told us to give him electric shocks every hour and also beat him up when he gets up.”

I smiled at him. “Thank you.” I left the scene since there was nothing I really needed to do there—he was already getting better punishment than I could have given him. Achilles knew exactly what he deserved.

I decided to think about the entire thing later. I didn’t need to dwell on that fact since Achilles wasn’t coming back very soon, so I could pretend I had a good life till I had to ruin it all by myself.

***

THREE WEEKS LATER...

My heart beat almost stopped when I heard all the people come in. Achilles came in with another set of almost twelve soldiers who were heavily injured during the war, while being severely injured himself. But as always, no one could tell that from his face.

All the people got sent to the medical room immediately. I couldn’t believe the last three weeks were over and it was time to do the worst thing anyone could have ever done to a person they loved.

Achilles spent fifteen minutes in the medical room before I saw him coming toward my room from the door. His face had a charming smile plastered all over it, and his eyes lit up as he noticed me.

“Isabelle,” He finally came to me and pulled me into a kiss. I melted into his sweet embrace as his sensual touch devoured all my senses, numbing all my nerves and calming my chaotic mind. I always felt so loved whenever he held me like this, so light and so delicate.

After our passionate kiss, he pulled back and smiled. “Everything fine?” he asked as he noticed the stress behind my smile.

I nodded slowly. He smiled and caressed my cheeks, making me close my eyes at his gentle gesture.

“I’m here till tomorrow morning. I’ve missed you so much,” He said and I opened my eyes, smiling sadly. I knew how I was about to ruin this for him, but I wanted him to smile. Smile for me, for as long as time had allowed us to.

“I missed you too,” I replied as I hugged him. He slightly winced but hugged me tighter.

I pulled back as soon as possible. “You’re hurt.”

“Hey, it’s nothing,” He said in a weirdly calm tone. “Everyone gets hurt in a war.”

“How long will this… go on?” I asked, trying to put a timeline on how long I had to wait before I got to tell him the truth.

“I don’t know, Bella. We can’t really know that, right?” He smiled, a similar sad smile wearing on his face.

I nodded slowly. “You should eat something. You must be hungry.”

“Okay,” He agreed and we went to the kitchen. Even though the chef had made a lot of dishes for the soldiers who came back, I asked him to eat less because I wanted to make something special for him.

After I took fifteen minutes to prepare the delicacy, I brought it to him and we sat down in my room.

“Thank you for this,” He smiled at me as he took a bite. I smiled back at him. It felt like it was new, the way I had noticed his generous smile, his captivating eyes and his marvellous nature this time around. I had seen everything and every part of him, but right now it felt like he was an angel of Earth I had overlooked. An angel I was supposed to hurt. Supposed to ruin. Supposed to taint.

“It’s really nice,” He said to me as he took another bite. “Why aren’t you eating?”

“Yeah… I’ll eat,” I said as I took a bite from my plate. It was mediocre, even though I had tried my best. I guess my mind wasn’t really in it.

After we finished the lunch quietly and in a really nice ambience, he stood up. “I should check up on others. I’ll come back later, okay?”

I nodded. “I, uh…”

He raised his eyebrow but I couldn’t say anything. “Nothing,” I smiled and he left with another smile.

How could I take that smile away from him? How could I be so cruel?

The next hour was anything but quiet. My thoughts were running wild, my emotions were all over the place and my heart was beating out of my chest. I heard a knock on my door and closed my eyes for a second. Okay, I had to do it. I had to be convincing or he’d catch up and everything would be ruined.

If he came to know about everything his father was planning, then he wouldn’t stop talking to me. If he didn’t… then his father… oh, I can’t even think about it.

Another knock rang and I hurried to open the door. Achilles looked at me with a small smile. “Hey.”

I just looked down, knowing I had to set the scene. I had to be cold.

“What’s wrong?” His voice echoed in the room again.

I looked at him, trying my hardest to hide my true emotions. He came closer to touch my neck but I pulled back. Something twitched in his eyes as he noticed me pulling away. “Isabelle.” His voice was definitive yet vulnerable when he called out my name.

I looked away. The tears were starting to form at the edge of my eyes, but I needed to hold them back.

“Isabelle, talk to me,” I could sense the sadness in his voice as he waited for me to say something. I took a deep breath and turned to him.

“I have to tell you something,” I managed to say in one breath.

“Tell me,” He said, confusion evident in his tone.

“I—I’m… I’m sorry but I…” I took another breath. “I cheated on you.”

His expressions didn’t change for a moment before he chuckled. “This is nothing to joke about, Bella.”

“That’s why I am not—not joking about it.”

He looked at me, the laugh vanishing slowly from his face. He took a step back, blinking a couple of times as if trying to blink the hurt away. “No, you’re lying.”

“I am not.”

“Isabelle, you…” He exhaled. “I don’t believe you.”

I was on the brink of breakdown by the hurt evident in his eyes.

“I—I will gather proof you’re lying,” He said and nodded to himself. “Yes, I will. Because you’re lying. My Bella would never—never…”

I closed my eyes as I heard footsteps leaving my room and the tears fell down on the floor. I closed the door and broke down like there was no tomorrow. There wasn’t. I broke him. Again.