Chapter 86 William's Heart Will Never Be Hers
After her medication, the nurse wheeled Isabella into the back garden, as she did each day, to let her sit in the sun. Isabella narrowed her eyes slightly, the warmth on her face stirring the memory of the small cat she had seen yesterday. She wondered if it had found a safe place to hide.
From behind a tree in the distance, Thomas watched her intently.
Her situation was dangerous. He couldn't be at her side every hour, so he had instructed the medical staff to keep a closer watch. The doctors said he would be discharged soon, but if he stayed away from home too long, his family would start asking questions.
He and Ambrose had already reached an agreement—they would work together to get her out safely. But the process was complicated, requiring absolute caution.
When Isabella returned to her room, she noticed the window no longer let in as much light—a layer of wire mesh now covered it.
She didn't ask questions. With the nurse's help, she lay back down on the bed.
Thomas had installed it while she was outside, a precaution to stop her from rushing to the window during one of her hallucinations. Even if he couldn't be there, she would be safer.
At noon, the door opened and Juniper stepped inside. Her eyes met Isabella's, and she smiled sweetly.
"Isabella, I've come to see you again."
Isabella knew there was no kindness behind that smile. Seeing that false face, she wanted to tear it apart.
"Don't glare at me like that," Juniper said lightly. "If you scare me, William won't forgive you."
Isabella let out a cold laugh. "Everything you do is to get William, isn't it? Too bad—he will never love you."
Juniper's smile froze. She grabbed Isabella's collar and yanked her upright.
"If it weren't for you and your damned sister, I'd have had him long ago."
Isabella's voice was calm, almost mocking. "He loves my gentle, kind sister. Not a poisonous woman like you."
"Poisonous? I was made this way! People like you keep stealing what I want. You all deserve to die."
She had schemed relentlessly to be with William. She had gotten rid of the woman he loved, only to face someone she despised even more.
Isabella was like a pest she couldn't kill—still alive despite everything.
"No matter how well you pretend, the day he sees your true face, he'll destroy you."
Juniper smirked. "Too bad you won't be around to see it. Your time is almost up."
Isabella knew she would eventually make her move.
She hated herself for not avenging her sister, for failing to rid her parents of this monster.
Juniper lifted her wrist, revealing the bracelet she always wore.
"You want this, don't you?"
Isabella's eyes locked on it. Juniper continued, "It's been digging into my skin. I think I'll sell it."
Anger flared in Isabella's voice. "That's the Tudor family heirloom. It's the love our mother entrusted to you. How can you sell it?"
"That's your Tudor family's property. It means nothing to me. It's ugly—if it weren't for showing off in front of William, I'd have smashed it long ago. Later I'll send it to Timeless Gold Exchange. If you want it, you can buy it back yourself."
Juniper shook her wrist, letting the light catch the bracelet, then walked out with a satisfied smile.
Isabella had heard of Timeless Gold Exchange—it was a place that bought jewelry. Juniper was serious about selling it.
She couldn't allow her grandmother's heirloom to be lost.
That afternoon, while the nurse was distracted, Isabella endured the pain and slipped out of the hospital.
From a car parked by the roadside, Juniper watched her leaving and smiled brightly.
A hand landed on her thigh, fingers kneading. "You're brilliant—one sentence and she's out of the hospital."
Juniper shoved his hand away, her eyes sharp. "I know her mind. She won't let that bracelet slip away. Make sure it's done without a trace."
Lester gripped her chin, his gaze roaming over her. "I've never disappointed you. Wait for my good news."
Juniper wanted Isabella to understand exactly who mattered to William.
Isabella reached Timeless Gold Exchange. She had just stepped from the car when a van screeched to a stop behind her. The door flew open, and hands dragged her inside. They left no trace at the scene.
She opened her mouth to scream, but a cold needle pierced her skin. The liquid burned into her veins, and her consciousness blurred. The last thing she heard was a voice on the phone.
"Yes. We've got her. Bringing her now."
Who wanted her? Where were they taking her?
When she woke, she was tied to a cold wooden chair. The air stank of rust and dust, the floor littered with broken junk. It looked like an abandoned warehouse.
She tried to rise, but her wrists and ankles were bound with coarse rope. A cloth stuffed in her mouth kept her silent.
From deeper in the warehouse came a sound—low, intimate laughter.
She looked up, and through the dim light, saw something that made her stomach turn.
Juniper was naked, braced against a wall, a man moving roughly behind her. His right hand was missing a finger, the scar stark under the light.
Juniper felt her gaze. She smiled, pushed the man away, and calmly began to dress.
The man bit her shoulder in protest, earning a sharp slap. He laughed, unfazed, and pulled up his pants.
Isabella's eyes narrowed on her. Disgust rose in her throat.
Wasn't she the one who claimed to love William? Why was she with another man?
Juniper pulled the cloth from Isabella's mouth, her voice dripping with triumph. "Awake? Let me introduce you. This is Lester—the one who burned your sister alive."
Isabella's pupils contracted, locking on him.
So he was the murderer.
"You didn't know, did you? That night, we stood outside and watched her burn."
There had been people outside... If they had tried to save her, her sister might have lived.
"I only regret we didn't burn you too. Then you sisters could be together forever."
Isabella's voice was a snarl. "I will kill you, Juniper. I will kill you."
Juniper patted her cheek. "Too bad you're in no position to kill anyone. But don't worry—I didn't bring you here to kill you."
Her glare brimmed with pure hatred.
"I brought you to show you who matters to William."
"You're disgusting. You say you love him, but you're here with another man. You dare call that love?"
Juniper grabbed her hair. "You don't understand. I just need to use him to climb higher. William is the only man I truly love."
Lester lit a cigarette, smiling without a hint of shame. "You really think it's wise to say that in front of me?"