Chapter 52 Chapter 52

Chapter 52 Chapter 52
  Isabella’s POV
  “You’re joking, right, Mother?” I let out a laugh, amused by the absurdity of her words. “This can’t be real.”
  But she wasn’t laughing.
  She just stood there, her expression grave—eyes filled with something I couldn’t quite place. Worry? Guilt? Fear?
  My laughter faded slowly. “No… this is a lie,” I whispered, my voice shaky.
  “My child,” she said softly, reaching for my hand. “I don’t know the full reason the Alpha made a deal with Zara… but she’s here to take your child.”
  I shook my head, chuckling nervously. “No. No, Mom, you’ve got it all wrong. Asher wouldn’t do this to me. He wouldn’t.”
  “I know how he looks at you,” she said gently. “I’ve seen the way he loves you. But something’s not right, Isabella. You need to talk to him. Ask him why Zara is really here. You deserve the truth.”
  I didn’t say anything else. I couldn’t.
  “I’m going,” I finally murmured, pulling my hand away and walking out.
  Sean was waiting outside by the car. His brows pulled together the moment he saw my face.
  “What’s wrong, ma’am? You look upset. Did something happen?”
  “Asher,” I said sharply. “Take me to Asher. Now.”
  He hesitated. “Is everything okay, or—”
  “I said take me!” I snapped, my voice firmer than I intended. My emotions were spinning out of control.
  He nodded quickly. “Okay. I’ll drive.”
  We got into the car. As the engine started, silence stretched between us, thick with tension. My mind was a mess—grappling with my mother’s words, trying to convince myself they weren’t true.
  Asher wouldn’t betray me. He wouldn’t.
  But the doubt… it was creeping in.
  “We’re here,” Sean said, pulling up in front of Asher’s company building.
  I barely registered his words as I stepped out and marched inside. People stared. I didn’t care. Let them look.
  I stopped at the front desk.
  “I want to see Asher,” I told the secretary, my voice sharp.
  She gave a tight smile. “I’m sorry, ma’am, but he’s with a visitor right now. You’ll have to wait—”
  “I said I want to see him,” I snapped, cutting her off.
  “I understand, but I can’t—”
  “Are you fucking kidding me right now?” I shouted, my patience gone.
  Sean stepped in. “Susan, this is Isabella. Asher’s girlfriend. I think it’d be a mistake to keep her waiting.”
  The secretary blinked, her confidence wavering. “Oh—I’m so sorry, madam. I didn’t realize… Please, go ahead.”
  I scoffed and walked past her, my heels echoing through the corridor as I stormed toward his office. My heart pounded with every step.
  I reached the door, raised my hand to knock—
  But no. I didn’t knock.
  I pushed the door open and stepped inside.
  And then I froze.
  My eyes widened.
  What I saw made my heart drop.
  “Isabella.”
  Asher’s voice cracked the air like a whip, his eyes wide as he took a step toward me. Panic flickered across his face. “Betty was just leaving.”
  I folded my arms tightly, jaw clenched. “Why is she leaving?” My tone was sharp, laced with bitter sarcasm. “Did I interrupt something important?”
  “It’s not what you think,” Betty jumped in before Asher could speak again. Her voice was calm—too calm. She looked at me with watery eyes and clasped her hands in front of her. “I came to apologize. I blamed Asher for my pregnancy even though I knew he wasn’t the father. I’m sorry—for everything I’ve done to you both.”
  Her voice quivered, but I didn’t buy it. Not one word.
  “I reached out to apologize… to make peace,” she continued, her eyes darting nervously to Asher. “He told me not to come near you, and I’ll respect that. I just—” her voice cracked, “I’m truly sorry.”
  Then she turned and walked out.
  “Isabella, please believe me,” Asher said, his eyes pleading. “I didn’t ask her to come. She just showed up out of nowhere, causing a scene outside. If I didn’t let her in, things would’ve gotten worse. I only wanted to hear what she had to say—nothing more. I swear I’m telling you the truth.”
  His voice trembled with worry, but I couldn’t stop the bitter laugh that escaped my lips. I scoffed, crossing my arms tightly over my chest, the ache in my heart twisting deeper.
  Asher’s brows furrowed, his concern deepening as he took a cautious step toward me.
  “Asher,” I said coldly, my eyes fixed on him. “Tell me how I’m supposed to believe anything you say.”
  He blinked, stunned by the weight in my voice.
  “All you ever do is lie to me,” I said, my voice rising as tears welled in my eyes. “How do I trust you now?”
  He came closer, desperation written all over his face. “No—no, Isabella, please don’t cry. I didn’t ask her to come. She showed up, made a scene outside. I only let her in so she could say what she needed to—”
  “Then tell me this,” I cut him off, my voice shaking. “Why is Zara here?”
  His expression shifted. He froze.
  “Be honest with me, Asher. I’m not asking for another excuse—I want the truth. Why is she here?”
  He hesitated. “She… she’s just here for a while. She’ll leave soon—”
  “After she takes my baby?” I choked out the words, each syllable burning in my throat.
  His eyes widened in horror. That reaction alone told me everything I needed to know.
  I stumbled backward as the room spun around me. “Oh my God…”
  “Isabella, how did you—”
  I collapsed to the floor, the weight of it all crashing down at once. Asher knelt beside me in a panic, reaching out to help, but I slapped his hands away.
  “Don’t touch me.” My voice cracked as I blinked away the tears. “How could you do this to me, Asher?”
  He was speechless.
  Uncontrollable sobs wracked through me. “You were supposed to protect me. You were supposed to love me.”
  And right then, in that moment, I didn’t know who he was anymore.
  “Isabella, please,” Asher pleaded, his voice cracking as he moved closer. “Just give me a chance to explain. I made a terrible mistake—I didn’t know you were pregnant, Isabella.” His tone was drenched in desperation.
  I stood on shaky feet, rage pulsing through my veins as I clenched my fists.
  “You didn’t know I was pregnant,” I repeated, my voice rising. “And that’s your excuse for giving away my baby before he even gets a chance to live?” I shouted, tears of fury streaming down my cheeks. “Asher, are you insane?”
  My voice trembled, but the storm inside me only grew stronger. “You knew how broken I was after losing my first child. You knew! And now—now you do this?” I slammed my fists against his chest, over and over, my sobs choking my words. “You’re heartless! You’re so—so heartless!”
  He didn’t move. He didn’t try to stop me.
  “Hit me, Isabella. As much as you want,” he said softly, tears spilling down his face. “I deserve it. I’ve done something unforgivable. But I swear to you—I would never give our child away. I—I wasn’t thinking. I was desperate… and foolish.”
  I froze, my fists hovering mid-air.
  “Then why?” I demanded through gritted teeth. “Why did you promise her anything in the first place? Why would you even consider it?”
  His legs gave out beneath him, and he dropped to his knees.
  “My people were dying,” he said, his voice trembling. “Zara came to me with a deal… If I gave up my unborn child, she would save them. I didn’t know the baby was ours. I thought—maybe Betty was telling the truth. And even then, I didn’t care, because it was Betty—I wanted her gone. I made a selfish, cruel deal thinking I could get rid of her and fix everything in one move. But it backfired. It all backfired.”
  His head lowered as guilt weighed him down.
  “I just wanted to protect my people. I wanted to be strong enough to save them… but I chose the wrong path. I know that now. I’m sorry, Isabella. I’m so sorry.”
  I wiped at my tears, heart still breaking but softening just enough to speak.
  “What now, Asher?” I whispered, my voice barely audible. “What happens to us? What happens to our baby?”
  He stood slowly and looked me in the eyes, his own still wet with emotion.
  “We fight,” he said with quiet resolve. “We protect our child. No one—no one—will take our baby from us.”
  He pulled me into his arms, and I melted into his chest, sobbing as he held me tight.
  “I’ve got you,” he whispered, stroking my back gently. “It’ll be okay. I promise you, Isabella—it will be okay.”
  I wanted to believe him so badly. I needed to believe him. Because if I lost another child… I wouldn’t survive it.
  “It has to be okay,” I murmured through my tears. “It has to be.”