Chapter 148 Married in Her Sister's Place
"Isabella's married?"
The news hit Donny like a blow he never saw coming. He sat frozen, completely blindsided. Marriage was the last thing he'd expected.
What made it worse was that over the past few days, he'd been casually asking around town about Isabella. No one had ever mentioned a husband.
Thalia watched his reaction, her voice holding a weary edge. "You should stay away from her."
"Why?" Donny caught the warning in her tone. "Is there something I should know?"
Thalia's brow furrowed. She didn't know where to begin.
Thomas was trapped in his house, unable to leave. Ambrose had barely survived, lost his memory, and been shipped overseas. Every man who came too close to Isabella was ruined.
She didn't want Donny added to that list.
"It's complicated. Just keep your distance. Don't seek her out, or you'll—"
"I'll what?"
"What are you two talking about? You both look so serious." Isabella's voice came from behind them.
Thalia cut herself off, shooting Donny a meaningful look before turning to Isabella with a smile. "We were just trying to decide what to order. There are so many local specialties—we want to try everything."
Isabella smiled. "Order whatever you want. It's on me."
Her phone rang. Only a handful of people had this number. She already knew who it was.
Sure enough, William's name flashed across the screen. A cold weight settled in her stomach.
"Sorry, I need to take this outside."
Isabella didn't want Donny to know about her marriage. She didn't want anyone to know about her relationship with William.
Thalia was used to this by now. Donny watched Isabella leave, his mind churning.
Isabella stepped outside the restaurant and answered without speaking.
William's voice was ice. "Where are you?"
She couldn't lie. Not about something he could verify with a single phone call.
"I went back to my hometown." The truth seemed safer.
"Who gave you permission? Get back here. Now." William hadn't stopped her from rebuilding the courtyard or moving to the apartment, but he'd never given her freedom.
His anger hadn't cooled yet, and he hadn't been paying much attention to her movements. But that didn't mean she could do whatever she wanted.
She didn't have that right.
When he needed her, she had to be there.
When she didn't respond immediately, his voice turned lethal. "If you're not back at your apartment by sundown, I'll have your grandmother's foundation dug up and turned into a fish pond. You'll never rebuild that house."
Isabella's eyes went wide, her chest constricting. She shook her head in panic. "No… don't touch it."
"Then get back here!"
William refused to show up at the villa and find her gone. Ever since the explosion, it was all or nothing—either he left her alone completely, or he demanded her physical presence.
Dead or alive, she had to be where he could see her.
"Okay. I'm leaving now."
Isabella ended the call, her hands shaking. If she left immediately, she could make it back before dark.
She knew William wasn't bluffing. He would absolutely do it.
She rushed back into the restaurant, breathless. "I'm so sorry—something came up. I have to go. I'll treat you both another time."
Thalia stood. "What happened?"
Isabella's face was tight with anxiety. "I have to get back."
Thalia read her expression and understood enough. "Alright. I'll drive you."
Isabella nodded gratefully. She had no other option but to impose on Thalia.
Donny rose quickly. "Thalia's been driving all day—she must be exhausted. I actually need to head back to the city anyway. I'll drive."
Thalia was tired. The roads here were rough, and the thought of making the return trip with barely any rest was daunting.
"That would be a huge help."
Isabella barely registered the conversation. She just needed to get back.
Her eyes were wide with urgency, William's threat looping endlessly through her mind.
If she couldn't rebuild the courtyard, where would her grandmother live? Where would she and her sister go?
"Please, we need to leave now."
Donny and Thalia exchanged a glance but said nothing. Donny took the keys and slid into the driver's seat.
Thalia claimed she was tired and wanted to sleep, so Isabella took the passenger seat to give her more room in the back.
Donny could feel Isabella's anxiety radiating off her in waves. Once the car started moving, she seemed to settle slightly.
The car hummed along the highway. Within minutes, Thalia was asleep. Donny's grip tightened on the steering wheel. He couldn't help himself. "Isabella… have you been happy? All these years?"
"Yes." She nodded automatically.
"What about your sister? Is she married?"
Isabella's expression went rigid. Her heart felt like it was being crushed in a vise, each breath sharp with pain.
Donny noticed her face change. "Are you okay? Do you feel sick?"
Tears welled in Isabella's eyes, but she forced them back.
"She… she's married. In a way."
She'd married in her sister's place. Married the man she'd loved most in the world, carrying her sister's dying wish forward with every breath she took.
Donny heard something off in her voice but assumed she was just exhausted from the day.
"It's about two hours. Try to rest. I'll wake you when we get there."
Isabella nodded, but she wasn't tired. She just wanted to get home.
Time seemed to crawl. Every minute stretched into an eternity, the landscape outside barely seeming to change.
Finally, mercifully, the car pulled up outside Sunshine Apartment.
Isabella barely waited for the car to stop before throwing open the door and bolting.
Donny stared after her, frowning. She was always so polite, so considerate. She hadn't even said goodbye.
Thalia rubbed her eyes and sat up, watching Isabella disappear into the building. She sighed, unsurprised.
"Thalia, Isabella seems—"
"Nothing about this should surprise you. Look into it yourself if you want answers. But I'm telling you again—don't get too close."
Donny sighed quietly and said nothing more. He started the car and drove Thalia home.
Isabella burst through the apartment door. Empty. Even though the entire space was visible at a glance, she checked the bathroom and kitchen anyway, confirming William wasn't there. She stood in the middle of the room, confused.
He wasn't here. So why had he demanded she come back?
He knew how much rebuilding the courtyard meant to her, yet he'd summoned her anyway. Just to make sure she never had a moment's peace.
A cold wave of grief swept over Isabella.
The sky darkened outside. She went into the kitchen and made dinner. By the time night fell, the door swung open. William walked in, his face a mask of displeasure. Isabella's chest tightened with fear. She hurried toward him.
"William, I made it back in time. And I made dinner."
William glanced at the table. The same dishes she used to make at the villa. The sight alone made his stomach turn.