Chapter 27 Take Care of Her Instead of Beatrice?
Isabella used every bit of strength she had left to wrench her wrists free from the belt.
After being bound all night and subjected to his violence, her wrists bore two deep purple welts.
She changed in the dressing room and called a car to take her home.
She sank into the bathtub, scrubbing herself until her skin burned and stung.
After dressing, Isabella arrived at the office. Thalia greeted her with a bright smile.
"Isabella, well done. The Spencer Group approved the proposal. We can move to the next phase."
Isabella froze for a moment before it sank in—William had kept his word.
Except she vaguely remembered him filming them again last night, clearly planning to use it as leverage.
Thalia patted her shoulder. Isabella flinched instinctively, panic flashing across her face. Thalia's hand hovered in midair.
"Isabella, are you okay? You don't look well."
"I'm fine, Ms. Wesley. I should get back to work."
Thalia noticed her deteriorating state—like she was hollowed out, only seeming to come back to life when she worked.
That was why she kept urging Isabella to come to the office. Everyone needed something to hold on to.
Without that anchor, you couldn't survive.
The intercom buzzed. Isabella was needed in the VP's office. She grabbed the sketches she'd been working on to get his feedback.
She knocked on Thomas's door and placed the sketches in front of him.
"Mr. Spencer, these are the designs for the new quarter. Do they work?"
Thomas studied them carefully, marking a few spots with a red pen before handing them back.
"Good work. But these parts could use more weight."
Isabella took the sketches. His notes made the lines pulse with purpose.
Thomas folded his hands, watching her. Even with the blush masking her skin, her pallor showed through. Her eyes told the rest.
"The Spencer Group is very pleased with our proposal. How did you manage that?"
He had sent people twice before, both rejected. Only when they specifically requested her did he arrange it.
Isabella's mind raced, but she couldn't find an explanation.
Thomas leaned back. "You don't have to say. Since the project's secured, you'll be in charge of follow-up—"
"Mr. Spencer, could someone else handle it?" Isabella cut in urgently. "I take a lot of time off. I'm afraid it'll slow things down."
If she was in charge, William would have endless ways to torment her.
Thomas saw the fear in her expression. He had also noticed she had been wearing high-necked long sleeves since she started, covering herself completely.
"Alright. I'll assign it to someone else. You focus on design."
"Thank you, Mr. Spencer."
Back at her desk, Isabella picked up her pen and seemed to come back to life, lost in her own world.
With Thomas's guidance, her lines flowed smoother.
No matter what noise surrounded her, she heard nothing.
At lunch, Thalia stopped her.
"Isabella, let's eat together."
She always felt Isabella wasn't eating and wanted to bring her along.
Isabella was grateful to Thalia. Without her guidance, she might have left the company already.
"I'll treat."
Thalia linked arms with her. "I won't say no to that."
In her memory, Isabella had once been warm and cheerful. She shouldn't have become this silent.
They arrived at a nearby restaurant. Just as the food arrived, Thalia got an urgent call from headquarters. She had to leave immediately.
Seeing Isabella's discomfort, she gently squeezed her shoulder. "The food's here. Don't waste it. Take your time. We'll do this again soon."
After a few steps, she added, "I already paid. You can treat me next time."
Isabella stared at the table full of food with no appetite. She asked the server to pack it up.
The food had just been boxed when an enthusiastic voice came from behind.
"Isabella, it really is you."
Juniper rushed over and threw her arms around her. "I thought it looked like you when I walked in. I can't believe it's really you."
Isabella wasn't used to this sudden warmth and instinctively pulled away.
William followed behind her. Seeing the takeout containers in front of Isabella, his brow furrowed.
Hadn't the servants said she never ate? Turns out she was eating out alone.
To him, this was just another ploy for attention.
Isabella wasn't surprised to see them together. She didn't care.
"William said this restaurant is great, so he brought me to try it." Juniper's tone carried a hint of showing off. She glanced at the packed food. "You already ate?"
Isabella answered honestly. "Not yet."
Juniper immediately took her hand. "Perfect, let's eat together then." She looked back at William. "Is that okay?"
William didn't object, so she pulled Isabella down to sit with them, staying close beside her.
Isabella sat calmly, listening to them discuss the menu.
They chatted happily, Juniper occasionally touching his hand, as if Isabella were invisible.
She even thought they looked more like a couple.
If Beatrice knew about this scene, would she still have made her marry William?
Dishes quickly filled the table, nearly all of them heavily spiced. Red sauce glistened under the lights.
Isabella had run a fever of 101 degrees two days ago. Her throat was still raw. She kept her head down, slowly pushing around the plain bread and light salad on her plate with her fork.
Juniper cut a piece of spicy beef stew, thick with chili sauce, and placed it on her plate.
"Isabella, this is really good. Try it."
Isabella pushed the beef to the edge of her plate and continued eating her bread.
Juniper scooped up a bowl of peanut-crusted roasted chicken and set it in front of her.
"Isabella, don't just eat bread. You need some protein too. Even though your sister's gone, I'm still your family. I'll take care of you for her."
Take care of her?
She had been allergic to peanuts since childhood—the whole family knew. It would send her straight to the ER.
Isabella glanced at it briefly, then looked away, continuing with her bread and salad.
Juniper's smile stiffened. Seeing William's darkening expression, she quickly added, "It's okay. Isabella probably isn't used to these dishes. I'll order a few more."
She handed over the menu. Isabella ordered a simple roasted vegetable platter. When it arrived, it was still drenched in spicy sauce.
She looked down at the menu. The menu clearly marked it as extra spicy.
Juniper deliberately pushed the plate toward her. "I specially ordered this for you. Make sure you finish it."
Isabella stared at the layer of red oil, unable to stop herself from coughing lightly.
Juniper acted as if she didn't notice, continuing to pile food onto her plate until even the bread was soaked in spicy sauce.