Chapter 11: Miranda's plans

Isabella couldn't stop thinking about what she had heard the night before. Miranda's words continued to torment her, but more than that, the hazy memory that had crossed her mind filled her with unease. She knew something was hidden in her past, something that was fighting to come to the surface. She couldn't allow herself to ignore it any longer, not when Ethan might be at the center of it all.

The next morning, as she walked through the hallways of the house, she stopped when she saw Alexander and Miranda having breakfast together in the dining room. The atmosphere between them seemed tense, although they were trying to disguise it. Isabella watched from a distance, feeling a mix of anger and fear. What were they going to do with Ethan?

Suddenly, Ethan appeared at her side, gently tugging at her arm.

—Are we going to do something fun today? —he asked with a mischievous smile.

Isabella smiled at him, but the worry in her eyes was impossible to hide.

—Of course, Ethan. What would you like to do?

Before Ethan could respond, Miranda lifted her gaze from the table and looked at her coldly.

—Isabella, I need to talk to you privately.

The tone of her voice left no room for discussion. Isabella felt a chill run down her spine. She knew that this conversation was not going to be pleasant, but she couldn't avoid it.

—Of course —she replied, trying to remain calm.

Miranda stood up elegantly and walked toward the library. Isabella followed her, leaving Ethan in the hallway. When they entered the room, Miranda closed the door behind them with a smooth yet decisive movement.

—I want to make something clear —Miranda began, her expression serious—. I know you've been here to take care of Ethan, but that doesn't give you any right to question the decisions Alexander and I make regarding him.

Isabella felt her heart race, but she forced herself to stay calm.

—I’m not here to question your decisions. I’m just concerned about Ethan's well-being —she said in a firm voice.

—That’s fine —Miranda replied, with a smile that didn't reach her eyes—, but I want you to understand that there are things you don't know. Ethan is a troubled child, and Alexander and I are considering what's best for him. We've already had this conversation, and I’m convinced that sending Ethan away would be the most appropriate thing to do.

Miranda's words hit Isabella like a blow to the chest.

—Send him away from home? —she asked incredulously—. He’s just a child! How can you even consider something like that?

Miranda looked at her with a mixture of coldness and disdain.

—It’s not your place to decide what’s best for him. You have no idea what it’s like to be a mother.

Isabella felt a knot form in her throat at that statement, but she couldn’t allow herself to lose control. Something inside her, something buried deep, seemed to be screaming to come out, but she still couldn’t understand what it was.

—I’m sure Ethan would be better off here, with the people who love him —Isabella insisted, her voice barely trembling.

Miranda stepped closer, and her smile turned more cruel.

—You don’t understand, do you? It’s not your place to worry about him like that. And to be honest, Isabella, you won’t last much longer here. Alexander and I will soon be getting married, and there will be no place for someone like you in our lives.

Isabella clenched her fists, fighting back the tears that threatened to fall. She couldn't let her get away with this, she thought. I won't let them. Just as she was about to respond, the library door burst open.

Alexander entered, his face showing surprise at the scene unfolding before him.

—What’s going on here? —he asked, frowning.

Miranda, quick as a snake, changed her expression to a sweeter one.

—Nothing, my love. I was just explaining to Isabella some of our decisions regarding Ethan. It's important that she understands our point of view.

Alexander looked at Isabella, who was still trying to compose herself.

—Is everything okay, Isabella?

—Yes... —she replied, swallowing the lump in her throat—. Everything is fine.

But inside, nothing was fine. She knew the war with Miranda had just begun, and that she couldn't afford to lose it. Ethan was her priority, and even though she still didn't understand why she felt such a deep connection to him, she knew she had to protect him.

After that tense conversation, Isabella spent the afternoon with Ethan, trying to keep calm. As they walked through the gardens of the house, Ethan suddenly stopped and looked at her with an unusual seriousness for a child of his age.

—Isabella, will you promise me you’ll never leave me? —he asked, his voice trembling.

Isabella's heart tightened at those words. She knelt in front of him, taking his small hands in hers.

—Ethan, I will never leave you. I’ll be here with you, no matter what happens.

The boy smiled shyly, but something in his gaze showed a deep fear. Isabella wondered what could scare Ethan so much. It wasn't just Miranda's distant behavior; there was something more, something dark that she still hadn't discovered.

Suddenly, a rush of memories hit her again. That delivery room, the bright lights, distant voices... and the cry of a baby. But this time, the image lingered a bit longer. She saw a small face, wrapped in blankets, and a hand reaching toward him... her own hand.

The world around her seemed to stop for an instant. Could it be...? The idea was impossible, but her instinct told her there was more to her past than she realized. Maybe... maybe Ethan wasn’t just a child she was taking care of. Maybe there was a much deeper connection between them, one she still couldn't fully understand.

As that possibility washed over her, she knew she had to find the truth. Her life, and Ethan's, depended on it.

Isabella couldn't continue with the uncertainty that consumed her. Miranda's words still echoed in her mind, and every time she looked at Ethan, she felt that something dark and deep loomed over them. The fear of losing the boy overwhelmed her, so at the end of the afternoon, she made the decis

ion to speak directly with Alexander. She couldn't wait any longer.