Chapter 38 Chapter 0038

Chapter 38 Chapter 0038
•ISABELLA•

When I woke up the next morning, I found Antonio lying beside me.

For a moment, I stared at him, confused, until I glanced beneath the sheets and realized I was completely naked.

Shock rushed through me. I scrambled out of bed and hurried into the bathroom, wrapping a towel tightly around my body as if it could shield me from what had happened.

After a few steadying breaths, I returned to the bedroom and threw a pillow at him. It hit his shoulder, and he groaned before blinking his eyes open.

“Bella, are you okay?” he asked, pushing himself up and yawning.

“Please get out,” I said, folding my arms across my chest.

He gave a low chuckle. “Come on. We both had a good night, and you asked for it. Why am I being thrown out?”

“Because you took advantage of me again. I was drunk,” I replied, refusing to meet his eyes.

He sighed and slipped out of bed, coming to stand in front of me without bothering to cover himself. His confidence unsettled me more than his nakedness.

My breath hitched, and heat crept up my neck as I fought the reaction building inside me.

“You should get dressed,” I muttered, swallowing the dryness in my throat.

“Why? Do I turn you on?” he asked softly.

I hated that he could see through me. Every instinct urged me to close the distance between us and give in to the temptation, but I held my ground.

“I want to take a bath,” I said, annoyed at how easily I melted under his gaze.

He stepped closer and brushed his finger along my cheek, his touch gentle and disarming. “I will leave, angel. When you’re done, come down and join me for breakfast.”

He gathered his clothes from the floor and covered himself as he walked out, disappearing into his own room.

The door clicked shut, and I exhaled sharply before heading back to the bathroom.

By the time I finished bathing and dressing, I had convinced myself to act normal.

I would go downstairs, sit across from him, and pretend none of it had shaken me.

Instead, I walked into chaos.

Antonio and Melo were surrounded by six armed men with covered faces. Only one of them stood uncovered. Tom.

The moment his eyes landed on me, he smiled and stepped forward. “I told you I would come back for you, didn’t I?”

“What are you doing here, Tom?” I asked, my voice trembling as I glanced at Antonio.

Seeing him restrained twisted something painful inside me.

For a fleeting second, I imagined what freedom would look like if I took Tom’s hand and walked away. I had dreamed of escaping more times than I could count.

Yet the memory of everything that had happened with Antonio flooded my mind, and instead of relief, I felt fear. I found myself wishing he would break free and stop this.

“You don’t want to be here,” Tom said gently, extending his hand toward me. “You and I can finally be together. No one will stand in our way.”

I looked at his hand, then at Antonio. My heart battled itself. I had so many reasons to leave, but when I looked at my husband, only one reason mattered.

“Leave, Tom. I am not going anywhere with you,” I said firmly. “You ignored me and paraded another woman in front of me to prove you had moved on when I had done nothing wrong. You hurt me. So, you don’t get to show up now and pretend you’re my salvation. Antonio is my husband, and I am staying.”

Tom’s expression hardened. “You seem to forget that this pathetic excuse of a man bought you like property instead of chasing you properly. What makes you think you’re better off with him?”

I stepped closer until there was barely any space between us. “At least he is man enough to take what he wants. He is not a coward.”

Anger flashed across his face. He glanced at his men, then back at me. “I knew you would be difficult, Isa. I guess I have no choice.”

I expected him to storm out, but before I could react, he pressed something sharp against my neck.

A sting shot through me, and I gasped, clutching at the spot as dizziness swept over me.

“Isabella!” I heard faintly as the world tilted and darkness swallowed everything.



When I woke up hours later, I was in the backseat of a moving car. My head throbbed, and my vision was blurry before it cleared.

Tom sat beside me, watching me carefully.

“Tom, where are we? Where are we going?” I asked, peering out the window in confusion.

“My love, you’re awake,” he said with a satisfied smile. “Don’t worry. We will be home soon. Welcome to South America.”

His words hit me like another blow. As I stared at the reflection in the window, something felt wrong.

I leaned closer and nearly lost consciousness again when I realized what had changed.

My hair was shorter. The color was completely different.

I turned to him, fury burning through the lingering haze. “What did you do to my hair?”

He brushed his own newly dyed hair back, his beard now gone. “Just a small makeover for both of us,” he said lightly. “Antonio will never find us now.”