Chapter 208 Book 5: Found Isabella At Last

Chapter 208 Book 5: Found Isabella At Last
Hudson raced ahead and opened the door to find a grinning Arianna holding a book in her hand triumphantly. “Hey, little one! What’s up? Come on in,” said Hudson, giving her a hug.
Arianna didn’t need an invitation. She had given birth to a baby boy three weeks back and today seemed more excited than ever. Seeing her, the whole family gathered in the living room.
“Okay, if I say that I’ve found Isabella, what will I get?” she asked, bursting with excitement.
“Anything you ask for, Ari,” said Weston, sitting down beside her. Arianna looked at all their expectant faces with a grin on her face.
“Anything, dear,” whispered their mom.
“Well, I came across this book and I found that the storyline resembles yours and Isabella’s, Weston. The author’s name is Isabella H. and she’s based in LA. I think this is our Isabella. What do you think?” asked an excited Arianna.
She handed them the book that she had brought with her and everyone looked at it in disbelief. “It looks like she’s written this,” said Hudson.
“Where did you find this book?” asked David Gray with interest.
“Uncle David, this book has ranked as The New York Times Bestseller consecutively for the last few months,” said Arianna. Everyone was stunned to hear that the little Isabella who had run away from home was a best-selling author in the country!
“How do we contact her for an autograph?” asked Weston at last, looking proud of his Isabella. Arianna smiled and took out her phone.
“I’ve found this author’s fan page,” she informed them. “Should I contact her?” asked Arianna excitedly.
“She’ll not respond. I have a feeling,” said David Gray.
“Uncle David, there’s no harm in trying,” said Arianna hopefully.
“Contact her, dear. Update us if she replies,” said Henrietta Gray.
“I hope she responds,” said Anna Sophia.
They looked through Isabella’s fan page. There were no profile pictures or any personal information given, except that she was based in LA.
“Leave the book, Ari, please. I want to read it,” said Weston in a quiet tone as he kept inspecting the book minutely.
‘Faded Dreams By Isabella H.’
“Sure, bro. I’ve read it already. You can keep it if you want,” she said, handing him the book.
Weston smiled. “Thanks, Ari. Ask for your treat, right away,” he told her. Arianna smiled back.
“Wait, bro. Let her respond and acknowledge that she indeed is our very own Isabella. She could be Isabella Holmes, or Isabella Hawke or Isabella Harris or...,” continued Arianna, but Weston interrupted her.
“Hang on, hang on. I’ve got the idea. I’ll wait for her to respond,” he said with a laugh. Arianna stayed for a few more minutes and then left, since she had to feed her little one.
Weston went up to his room to read the book. The female protagonist, Annabella Darlington, was twelve when she met the eighteen-year-old male protagonist, Colton Fray. The story started the same way as theirs. Colton’s twin brother, Grayson, seemed like a carbon copy of Hudson. Everything proceeded the same way as their love story did. On Annabella’s sixteenth birthday, the fight between Colton and Jordan was like that between him and Gordon. Colton started a relationship with Riona the same way that he did with Fiona. The pendant, and the dialogues, were all the same.
Reading it brought tears to his eyes, which couldn’t seem to stop when he came to the part where they confessed their love for one another in New York. Grayson was marrying Anna Mary while Annabella’s heart broke when Colton’s wedding to Riona was announced. Annabella left home with her dreams fading day by day. She learned to live life with her faded dreams. The end.
Weston wept after reading the tragic love story, wanting to declare that this couldn’t be the end of their love story. He wanted to say that he was still waiting, hoping for a happily ever after, but sadly, there was no way he could speak his mind. Breaking down considerably, he picked up a bottle of whiskey to drown his sorrows. He was unconscious in a matter of minutes without knowing what was going on around him.
David Gray had just finished dinner when he started feeling pain near his heart. He took some medicines, thinking it to be a case of flatulence but it didn’t help. After an hour, the pain was excruciating, and he lost consciousness. His wife rushed towards Hudson’s room in a state of panic. He and Anna Sophia rushed to see what had happened.
“Mom, dad has suffered a heart attack. We have to take him to the hospital, immediately,” said Hudson, calling for an ambulance immediately. His mom broke down completely and Anna Sophia tried her best to console her. The ambulance arrived in minutes and they took David Gray to the nearest hospital, accompanied by Hudson and his mom. Anna Sophia couldn’t leave the twins and Weston alone, so she stayed back. A few minutes later, Arianna called to inform her that Isabella hadn’t responded to her message.
“Dad had a heart attack, Ari. Hudson has taken him to the hospital. I’m so scared,” said Anna Sophia.
“Oh my God, when?” asked Arianna. “He was fine when I left.”
“Just a few minutes ago. Weston read the book and consumed a full bottle of whiskey. He’s out. So Hudson and mom have gone,” she told him.
“Oh, I’ll tell Laurence to give bro support. Just give me the details,” said Arianna. They disconnected the call after Anna Sophia gave her the details. Laurence rushed to the hospital. Immediately electrocardiograms, blood tests, and echocardiograms were conducted, followed by an angiogram, which detected a small blockage. Medicines were administered, and the doctors kept David Gray under observation. Hudson had a difficult time handling his mom. Laurence took her home and gave her the sedative that Hudson had asked him to.
“I don’t want to sleep, Laurence,” protested Henrietta Gray.
“Aunt Henrietta, do you wish to fall sick? How will you take care of uncle David then? We will get uncle David back soon.” Anna Sophia too agreed.
“Yes, mom, rest a bit, and tomorrow morning, you’ll find dad much better,” she reassured her. Henrietta Gray lay down and soon the sedative started to take effect and she dozed off to a peaceful slumber. Laurence went back to the hospital to find a relieved Hudson there.
“What happened? Any progress?” asked Laurence with concern.
“Yeah, the medicines worked thankfully. We don’t need to go for bypass surgery,” he informed. Laurence, too, heaved a sigh of relief.
“So when are they releasing uncle David?” he asked hopefully.
“They’ll observe him for the next twelve hours before releasing him,” said Hudson. He messaged his wife while Laurence messaged Arianna. Both boys stayed the night at the hospital, crossing their fingers that Hudson’s dad recovered fast.
Thankfully, no complications arose at night and by morning a haggard Weston arrived at the hospital looking apologetic. “I’m sorry, bro, I did not know. This morning Sophia and mom told me,” he said, looking guilty.
“It’s okay, Wes. I know what you’re going through. I’ve handled it with Laurence’s help and everything’s fine. Dad’s doing well. He will be released in a few hours. See him,” comforted Hudson. Weston went to see his dad, and Hudson forced Laurence to go home now that things were under control. After Laurence left, Hudson and Weston took their dad home.
David Gray had tears in his eyes when he went home to his worried wife. “You have no idea how scared I was, Honey,” he said, hugging his wife. The love that his parents shared was so strong that it brought a tear to Weston’s eyes. He longed for a love like theirs.
Arianna stared at Isabella’s fan page with anger. How dare she not acknowledge her message! She wrote another message. This time not a greeting, but something stronger.
I don’t know how you could stay away from people who love you. If you’re indeed my best friend, Isabella Harrington, then you would like to know that your dad, David Gray, has had a heart attack and is critical. He has done a lot for you and now that he needs his daughter; you are away, enjoying the fruits of success without a thought for those who are crying and wasting their lives because of you.
Your unfortunate friend, Arianna Willis Lennard
She left the message on her fan page and went about her work. Her job was done. If the author was indeed her friend, she was bound to read her message and feel something in her heart. The Isabella she knew was a kind and very helpful girl. After reading her message, she could never stay away. She didn’t say a word to the Gray family about her message. She wanted to be sure that she indeed was Isabella before giving others any hope. Laurence returned home the next day with the good news that uncle David’s condition had improved and he had been released. She thought of paying them a visit, but she wouldn’t tell them anything yet.