Chapter 149 Let Him Burn It Out
William closed the distance in one stride. He hoisted her over his shoulder and carried her to the bed, dropping her onto the mattress hard enough to knock the breath from her lungs.
Isabella stared up at him, her eyes hollow as he unbuttoned his shirt. His hands moved to her clothes, yanking at the fabric.
She withdrew into herself. 'It doesn't matter. Let him burn it out. Once he's done, he won't touch Grandma's courtyard. Just endure it. Just survive this.'
Her eyes locked on the window, her expression blank and distant. She couldn't remember when William left. Couldn't remember if he'd been there at all.
Only a crushing exhaustion told her it had been real.
She clung to a fragile hope. William had burned through his anger. By morning, she could return to town. She could still rebuild the courtyard.
After dropping Thalia off, Donny sat alone in his apartment, staring at his phone. Finally, he couldn't stand it anymore. He called her back, his voice weighed down. "Thalia, what did you mean today? What happened to Isabella?"
"Couldn't help yourself, could you?"
Thalia heard the gravity in his tone and dropped the teasing. "It's complicated. Most of it is still out there online, but brace yourself. You're going to see things you won't expect."
Much of the news had been wiped away, but if you knew where to look, the truth was still out there.
If Thalia was warning him like this, it had to be bad.
"You gave up that position at State Medical Center to stay in town. You were waiting for her, weren't you? Back in high school, you said you wanted to fulfill someone's dream. That person was Isabella, wasn't it?"
Thalia remembered how driven Donny had been in school. Straight A's, relentless focus. When people asked why he pushed himself so hard, he'd said it was to make someone's dream come true.
Everyone had wondered who that person was. Thalia never imagined she'd been right under her nose—her own employee, someone she'd come to respect.
And now Isabella was married. To William. A man no one in their right mind would cross.
Donny didn't hesitate. "Yes. It was for her."
Thalia sighed. With anyone else, she'd stay out of it. But she'd come to think of Donny as a friend. She had to try. "Once you know everything, you'll walk away."
After all, the man behind Isabella was dangerous. Getting involved with him meant destruction.
Donny's voice was steady, certain. "No. Whatever I find, I'll still believe in her."
"Why?" Thalia couldn't understand.
"Because she's Isabella. That's reason enough."
Thalia knew there was nothing more to say. "Then look into it yourself. We'll talk after."
They hung up, both weighed down by the conversation.
Donny steeled himself. Whatever he found, it wouldn't change how he felt.
He opened his laptop and searched Isabella's name. The first results were all about William.
Isabella had married William.
Even though Donny had never met the man, everyone knew William's name. The wealthiest, most powerful figure in the city.
If she'd really married someone like that, why keep it secret?
Donny scrolled down. The headlines made his blood run cold.
#Isabella Killed Her Sister to Steal Her fiancé
#Isabella's Shameless Nightclub Performance Goes Viral
#William Publicly Humiliates His Unwanted Wife
Every headline was an accusation. Each one felt like a blade twisting in his chest.
He clicked on a video. Isabella being shoved off the edge of a yacht.
Another video. Isabella in a revealing costume, her body moving mechanically while her face remained completely blank. A puppet on strings.
His hands trembled as he opened another clip. Isabella being slapped across the face at a gala.
At some point, it seemed, humiliating Isabella had become entertainment for these people. William didn't love her—he made that clear by degrading her publicly. So everyone else felt free to join in.
Thomas had tried to scrub these videos from the internet, but the web was vast. Enough had survived for Donny to piece together the nightmare.
If William treated her this way, why did Isabella stay?
Donny immediately called a friend who worked as a private investigator. He needed to know everything. The whole truth.
He remembered what Isabella had said. That her sister had gotten married.
But her sister was dead, wasn't she?
Dead people didn't get married. Yet Isabella had married her sister's fiancé.
Something didn't add up. He thought back to the times he'd seen Isabella. She always smiled, but her eyes carried so much pain. And sometimes she spoke to empty air.
As a doctor, he recognized the signs.
At first, he'd assumed she was grieving. Now he realized it went much deeper than that.
The wait was torture. Sleep was impossible. He sat at his computer, searching for anything else he could find about her.
Isabella returned to town at dawn, running purely on fumes and willpower.
She remembered Donny had scheduled blood pressure checks for the elderly residents today. He'd made the appointment with Rodolfo yesterday, and Isabella wanted to know how the seniors were doing.
She'd barely arrived when Donny showed up at Rodolfo's house, medical equipment in hand.
"Mr. Dickson, you're here! Come in, come in."
Donny smiled as he stepped inside. "Mr. McCoy, I'm here for those blood pressure readings."
Rodolfo led him in. Hermione beamed when she saw him. "Mr. Dickson, you're early today. You usually come in the afternoon."
Her gaze shifted to Isabella, her smile turning knowing. "Don't tell me you came early just to see Isabella?"
Donny's ears turned red. Clearly, Rodolfo didn't know Isabella was married. Otherwise, he'd never make such a comment.
Isabella looked at Donny, managing a smile. "Do you do this often? Check on the elderly in town?"
Donny nodded. "I make rounds every few weeks. If I catch any problems, I contact their families right away. That way, nothing gets missed."
Isabella felt a surge of admiration. This was meaningful work.
"They're lucky to have a doctor like you."
Hermione patted Isabella's hand. "You think Mr. Dickson is wonderful too, don't you? If you don't have a boyfriend, you should consider him. He's very popular here—everyone in town tries to set him up."
"I…" Isabella's words died in her throat. She couldn't tell them she was married. Married to her sister's fiancé. They'd hate her if they knew.
This place was her last refuge. If she lost it, she'd have nothing left to hold onto.
Donny saw the panic flash across her face. It only confirmed what he already suspected—her marriage was a prison.
"Mrs. McCoy, let me check you first. Your blood pressure was high last time. If it hasn't come down, I'm telling your son."
Hermione's expression turned serious. "Mr. Dickson, I was just praising you, and now you're threatening me. I've been following your instructions—eating clean, sleeping better. I feel much better."
Donny was already setting up his equipment. "Then let's see. Give me your arm."