Chapter 34: Emergency

Isabella’s POV

My phone rang, sharp and sudden, cutting straight through the noise of the club.

I flinched slightly, my heart jumping as I pulled it out of my bag. The screen lit up, and the moment I saw the caller ID, something in my chest tightened.

Mom.

A strange feeling settled in my stomach.

She didn’t call me at this time.

Not like this.

“Hold on,” I muttered, already turning slightly away as I answered. “Mom?”

Her voice came through, weaker than usual.

“Isabella…”

Every part of me went still.

“What’s wrong?” I asked immediately, all the teasing, all the tension from moments ago gone in an instant.

“I’m at the hospital.”

The words didn’t register properly at first.

Then they did.

And everything inside me dropped.

“What?” My voice came out sharper, louder. “What do you mean you’re at the hospital? What happened? Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” she said, but she didn’t sound fine. “They admitted me for observation. It’s nothing serious, I just… I didn’t want you to worry.”

That alone was enough to make me worry.

“You’re in the hospital and you didn’t want me to worry?” I said, already grabbing my things. “Which hospital? I’m coming right now.”

“Isabella—”

“Which hospital?”

She hesitated for a second, then told me.

“I’ll be there,” I said quickly, already ending the call before she could try to stop me.

My hands were shaking.

My heart was racing again, but this time it had nothing to do with Enzo or the dance floor or anything from earlier.

This was real.

I turned around quickly.

“Sasha.”

She appeared almost immediately, like she had been watching me the entire time.

“What happened?” she asked, her expression shifting the moment she saw my face.

“It’s my mom,” I said, trying to steady my voice. “She’s in the hospital.”

“What?” Sasha’s eyes widened. “Is she okay?”

“I don’t know,” I admitted. “She said she’s fine, but she didn’t sound fine.”

“Okay,” Sasha said instantly, already grabbing her bag. “We’re leaving.”

I nodded, relief mixing with panic.

“Yeah. Now.”

We started moving toward the exit, pushing through the crowd. The music felt louder now, more suffocating, like it was pressing against my ears.

I just needed to get out.

Needed air.

Needed to get to her.

“Isabella.”

I didn’t stop.

I knew that voice.

Of course I did.

“Isabella.”

This time, his hand caught my wrist gently but firmly, pulling me to a stop.

I turned, frustration already rising.

“Enzo, not now.”

His expression had changed.

Completely.

The amusement was gone.

“What happened?” he asked.

“My mom is in the hospital,” I said quickly. “I have to go.”

“I’m coming with you.”

“No.”

The answer came out immediately.

Too fast.

Too sharp.

His eyes narrowed slightly.

“No?”

“I said no,” I repeated, pulling my hand back. “I’ve got it handled.”

“You don’t even know what you’re walking into.”

“And neither do you,” I shot back.

“That’s exactly why you shouldn’t go alone.”

“I’m not alone,” I said, gesturing to Sasha. “She’s with me.”

Sasha raised her hand slightly in agreement, though her eyes were moving between us carefully.

Enzo didn’t even glance at her.

His focus stayed on me.

“That’s not what I meant.”

I exhaled sharply.

“I don’t need help.”

“That’s not your decision to make right now.”

My eyes narrowed.

“It absolutely is.”

There was a brief pause.

The tension between us shifted, heavier now, sharper.

And then—

That feeling came back.

Low.

Uneasy.

Something in my gut twisted, a quiet warning I couldn’t explain.

I looked at him more carefully this time.

At the calm way he was standing.

At the certainty in his expression.

At the fact that nothing about him seemed surprised.

Not even a little.

My stomach curled.

“You knew,” I said slowly.

His brows pulled together slightly.

“Knew what?”

“That something like this was going to happen.”

“I didn’t.”

I searched his face.

Too calm.

Too controlled.

“You expect me to believe that?”

“Yes.”

“I don’t.”

Sasha stepped in slightly. “Okay, maybe we don’t do this right now—”

“No,” I said, not looking away from him. “Because this is weird.”

“Your mother is in the hospital,” Enzo said, his voice steady. “That’s what matters right now.”

“Exactly,” I snapped. “Which is why I’m going. Alone.”

“You’re not going alone.”

“I am.”

“I’m coming.”

“No, you’re not.”

“Yes, I am.”

I stared at him.

“You don’t get to decide that.”

“And you don’t get to shut me out when something is wrong.”

My chest tightened.

“You don’t even know me.”

“I know enough.”

“That’s not reassuring.”

“It’s not meant to be.”

God, he was frustrating.

“I said no,” I repeated, my voice firmer now. “I don’t want you there.”

There was a pause.

A real one this time.

Then he stepped closer.

Not aggressive.

Not forceful.

Just enough that his voice dropped slightly, meant only for me.

“I’m coming,” he said quietly, “because if something is wrong, I’ll handle it.”

The words made my stomach twist again.

Handle it.

The way he said it.

Calm.

Certain.

Like this was something he had done before.

Many times.

I didn’t like it.

I didn’t like the way it sounded.

I didn’t like the way part of me believed him.

“That’s exactly the problem,” I said softly.

His gaze didn’t waver.

“What is?”

“I don’t know what that means when you say it.”

“You don’t need to.”

“Yes, I do.”

“No,” he said, just as quietly. “You just need to get to your mother.”

Silence hung between us.

Heavy.

Uncomfortable.

Because he wasn’t wrong.

And I hated that.

I looked away first.

“Fine,” I said, my voice tight. “You can follow if you want. But I’m not waiting for you.”

His expression didn’t change.

“I wouldn’t ask you to.”

“Good.”

I turned immediately, grabbing Sasha’s hand and pulling her toward the exit again.

This time, I didn’t stop.

Didn’t look back.

But I could feel it.

Feel him behind me.

Steady.

Unmoving.

Certain.

And for some reason, that didn’t make me feel safer.

It made my stomach curl.

Because whatever Enzo meant when he said he would handle it…

I had a feeling I was about to find out.