Chapter 42: Meeting from the Past

While Isabella walked back to the mansion, the news still swirled in her mind, filling her chest with a mix of pain and confusion. As she crossed the house’s doors, she went to her room, unable to think clearly. Memories began to intertwine, blurry fragments of an unknown woman, a hospital, a baby’s cry echoing in her mind like a distant sound.

Standing still by the window, she watched the rain fall, losing herself in her thoughts. It was then that she heard soft footsteps approaching. Alexander appeared at the door, looking at her with concern.

—Isabella —he said calmly—, are you okay? You seem... different.

She took a deep breath, feeling the urgency to share what she had just discovered. However, at the same time, a lingering fear made her hesitate. Alexander hadn’t left her alone since she confided her suspicions about her past, and although part of her longed to lean on him, the other feared the answers that might come with each step toward the truth.

—I went to the hospital... I picked up the results —she finally confessed, her voice barely a whisper.

Alexander stepped toward her, his eyes filled with uncertainty.

—What did they say? —he asked, attentive.

Isabella lowered her gaze, her hands trembling slightly.

—They confirmed that... that I was pregnant, Alexander. But I don’t know what happened after that. I don’t know if my baby... —her voice cracked, unable to finish the sentence.

Alexander stared at her in silence, a flash of surprise and worry crossing his face.

—Isabella, I feel like there’s someone who knows more than you realize about this —he murmured, his words heavy with meaning.

She looked up, meeting his gaze.

—What do you mean?

Alexander took a deep breath before responding.

—I mean Miranda. She might know more than she’s letting on...

Isabella, still feeling the weight of the revelation, fell silent as Alexander watched her, understanding that every word had been an effort. She felt a lump in her throat, as if the answers were about to be revealed but at the same time escaping her grasp.

—Do you think someone in this house might know something about my past, Alexander? —she whispered, her eyes reflecting a mixture of hope and pain.

Alexander nodded slowly, his gaze fixed on her.

—I’ve thought about it, Isabella. I don’t know how to explain it, but Miranda has shown strange behavior when it comes to you. She could be connected to what you’re trying to remember... although it’s just a hunch right now.

His words filled her with a deep unease. The thought that Miranda might know secrets about her life sent a shiver down her spine, but it also sparked a determination in her. Maybe, after all, the truth was closer than she thought.

—I need to know —Isabella declared, feeling that certainty growing inside her—. I need to find out who I am and what happened to... my baby.

Alexander gently took her hand, offering her calm.

—You’re not alone in this, Isabella. We’ll get to the bottom of it all... even if that means confronting those who’ve been hiding these secrets.

Isabella nodded, and for the first time in a long while, she felt the fear begin to dissipate, replaced by a firmness she never imagined she’d possess.

Isabella looked at Alexander, her eyes filled with confusion and fear, as if trying to piece together a puzzle that was growing darker by the moment.

—Alexander... —she said softly, almost trembling—. The woman in my dream... the one who took my baby. I... I think it’s Miranda, or at least someone who looks like her. But... much older.

Alexander frowned, unsure if her words made sense or if it was just a coincidence.

—Do you think that woman you saw... could have been Miranda in the past? —he asked, trying to process the idea.

Isabella nodded slowly, a chill running down her spine.

—It’s like I was seeing an older version of her, but the same coldness in her eyes. Something in her expression... and her voice... was so eerily familiar. I don’t know how to explain it, but I feel like it’s a part of my past tied to her.

Alexander took her hands firmly, looking at her intently.

—If Miranda is involved, we’ll find a way to uncover the truth. I won’t let her keep playing with us, Isabella. This time, she’ll be the one explaining herself.

Isabella let out a shaky sigh, her face still full of uncertainty, but with the determination to move forward.

—Alexander... I want to know everything, even if it hurts.

Alexander nodded, feeling his own doubts and suspicions beginning to take a more tangible shape.

Alexander looked at her steadily, a mix of determination and protection in his eyes.

—Isabella, if Miranda is really behind this... if she’s capable of something so terrible, I won’t let her keep hurting us.

Isabella took a deep breath, trying to calm the frantic beats of her heart. The idea that Miranda was somehow related to the disappearance of her son and the sense of familiarity she had experienced in her dream only deepened her doubts and fears.

—I don’t know where to start —she confessed, her expression vulnerable—. I’m not even sure what I’m looking for, but I know there’s something more, something hidden that she doesn’t want us to uncover. I need... I need answers, Alexander.

—Then we’ll start with the basics. We’ll investigate every detail of Miranda’s past. Any connection to yours, or anything that could reveal who she really is —he said firmly.

Isabella nodded, feeling determination begin to replace the fear on her face.

—But I also need to do something on my own. I’m going to ask for more information at the clinic where I was born, maybe they have some old files... or something that explains what happened. —Her voice cracked a little, but she breathed deeply, finding the strength to continue—. I have to face this, Alexander, even if it’s painful.

Alexander placed a hand on her shoulder, offering the support she needed.

—You’re not alone, Isabella. I’ll be by your side every step of the way. I won’t rest until we find the truth.

In that moment, they both felt that there was no turning back. This path would lead them to the truth, but it would also force them to face dangers and betrayals that were just beginning to surface.

On the other side of the door, Miranda listened in silence, her face still as every word from Alexander and Isabella confirmed her suspicions were true. She gripped the door handle so tightly her knuckles turned white, as a small, ironic smile began to form on her lips.

—So you want to find out the truth? —she whispered to herself, in a barely audible murmur.

Holding her breath, she leaned in slightly to keep hearing every word. Isabella mentioned her plans to visit the clinic, looking for any trace of what had happened in her past, and Alexander promised not to rest until they uncovered the secrets Miranda was hiding.

When she heard Alexander’s commitment to Isabella, fury took over Miranda. She won’t win, she thought coldly, her mind already planning a diversion. With careful steps, she moved away from the hallway and went to the room Alexander had prepared for her in the mansion, quickly dialing on her phone.

—I need you to prepare something... a distraction for Alexander and that woman —she whispered to the person on the other end of the line—. If they’re so determined to investigate my past, we’ll have to... divert their attention.

She hung up and looked at herself in the mirror with a satisfied smile. She knew it wouldn’t be easy to hide her secrets, but she was willing to do whatever it took. In her mind, the thought of Isabella getting closer to the truth was intolerable, and she wouldn’t sit idly by while her carefully constructed life crumbled.

Let them try if they want, she thought with determination. They have no idea what’s waiting for them.