Chapter 135 Living Alone
ISABEL'S POV
“I just need to hang on for a few more days, I’m sure Melissa would soon get back to me,” I muttered under my breath as I stood in front of the small mirror nailed crookedly to the wall.
Calling it a mirror was being generous. It was barely bigger than my palm and could only show half of my face at once, forcing me to tilt my head from side to side just to see what I was doing. Still, it was all I had, and right now, it had to be enough.
I dipped the cheap makeup sponge into the powder and tapped it lightly against my cheekbones. Too much would ruin everything, too little would make the effort pointless. I needed to look tired, worn out, like life had dragged me through the mud and spat me out. Not dramatic. Not exaggerated. Just enough to make my mother’s heart ache.
Living alone wasn’t what I imagined it would be.
I honestly thought it would be easy. I had lived on my own when I was schooling abroad, and I survived just fine. Back then, I had space, comfort, and money. I never had to think twice before buying food or replacing something that got damaged. My bills were paid without stress. My life was smooth.
This… this was different.
Living alone was hell when you were the one paying for everything and you had no job. Hell, when your savings were almost gone and the landlord could show up at any moment, demanding money you didn’t have. Hell, when every knock on the door made your chest tighten.
Back in school, my father practically paid me a salary just for being his daughter. Money came in regularly, no questions asked. Now, my account balance was a joke. A reminder of how far I had fallen in such a short time.
I let out a slow breath and leaned closer to the mirror, carefully brushing excess powder from my face. My cheekbones looked sharper now. Hollow enough.
I couldn’t ask my mother for money. Not yet.
If I did, she would think that was the only reason I reached out to her. She would think I invited her out today just to beg, and that would destroy everything. All my effort to make it seem like I’d changed would go straight into the gutter.
No. Money had to come later. Much later.
That was when the idea about Melissa came back to my mind.
Things weren’t great for her and her husband right now, but I was sure they still had a spare room. Just one. That was all I needed. Somewhere to stay temporarily until Mom softened Dad’s heart and convinced him to let me come back home.
I didn’t need luxury right now. I just needed proximity. I needed to be close to the family again.
I was completely dry on cash, and the thought of working for someone else made my stomach twist. I was supposed to be a CEO. I was meant to sit at the top, not answer to anyone. Not after everything.
If not for Anna, my life wouldn’t be like this.
I clenched my jaw slightly and reached for the mascara. I applied it carefully, then deliberately smudged a bit underneath my eyes. Just enough to look like sleepless nights. Like stress. Like quiet suffering.
Perfect.
My phone buzzed on the small wooden table behind me, and my heart jumped. I turned quickly, hoping, praying, it was Melissa.
It wasn’t.
I sighed and turned back to the mirror.
For now, I had to focus on Mom.
I needed her pity. Her guilt. Her soft heart.
The YouTube video I watched earlier played again in my head. The girl had explained it perfectly, how to use makeup to look lean, fragile, like life was chewing you up slowly. I followed every step.
I added a little more powder to my jawline, blending it downward to make my face appear thinner. Then I lightly brushed some across my collarbone area, making my skin look dull and tired.
The final touch was the dress.
That was the painful part.
I picked up the gown from the bed, my fingers tightening around the fabric. This wasn’t some cheap dress. I loved this one. One of my favorites.
I hesitated for only a second before carefully tearing a small part at the side seam. Then another near the hem. Nothing too obvious. Just enough to look worn. Neglected.
It hurt more than I expected.
“These people have no idea what they’ve done to me,” I muttered as I slipped the dress on.
After I was done, I took one last look at myself in the mirror. It wasn’t perfect. The lighting in the room was terrible, and the mirror didn’t help either. But it was convincing enough.
Hungry. Tired. Lost.
Good.
I grabbed my bag and stepped out, locking the door behind me. There was no time to waste. I had to get there before she did.
The café we chose to meet at wasn’t too far from my place, I didn’t have the money to waste on a cab so I’ll rather walk it. It would also give me time to replay possible conversations in my head, choosing my words carefully. I didn’t need to say much. My appearance would do most of the talking.
As I arrived, I noticed her car almost immediately.
My heart skipped.
I had made it just seconds before her.
I stepped inside quickly, choosing a seat that faced the entrance. I barely had time to settle when I saw her getting out of the back seat of the car.
Alright, Isabel.
It’s time to go full actress mode.
They adored Anna so much because of her behavior, because of how innocent and calm she pretended to be. They had no idea she might actually be acting too, fooling them all while hiding the venom underneath.
As Mom walked in, I lowered my gaze slightly, blinking slowly so the mascara would smudge just a bit more. Then I stood up, forcing a small, weak smile onto my face.
“Mom,” I said softly.
She stopped.
Just stood there.
Her eyes moved over me slowly, from my face to my dress and back again. I could almost see her thoughts forming. The way her brows pulled together. The way her lips pressed into a thin line.
She noticed everything.
The lean face.
The tired eyes.
The torn dress.
Exactly as planned.
For a moment, she didn’t say anything. She just stared, like she was trying to understand how her daughter had ended up like this.
And then I saw it.
Pity.
Clear as day.
It was written all over her face, heavy and unavoidable. Her shoulders dropped slightly, and her eyes softened in a way I hadn’t seen in a long time.
My lips trembled just a little, not enough to look forced.
The first phase of the plan was already being built on solid ground.