“I don’t believe this,” the suited man turned in his stance to further bore his grim sight at the tearing woman seated in front of him. “I have been calling a wrong man my father for thirty-one years.”

“Christopher is still your father regardless. He accepted you, loved you as his own,” she said, her voice trembling.

“He knew?” Charles scoffed as his mother confirmed it. “I still don’t believe that you kept this from me.”

“Charles,” The women spoke softly “ truthfully, if I had my way, I would have preferred you not to know. Rodrigo is sort of a bastard, Charles.”

He sighed.

He did love the man he called Father. Charles appreciated him for everything he had done. But it hurt. It hurt to know that he spent years calling the wrong man his father.

“So, if this letter hadn’t come, I wouldn’t have known about this.”

“I really wish it didn’t come,” Mrs. Oxford whispered.

Silence took over. Mother avoided her son’s piercing glares. Charles took another look at his mother, his eyes all set. “I have to meet Rodrigo Ordinaz.”

Shaking her head, tears forming on the surface of her eyes, she begged, “Please my son, don’t do this. Don’t give in to his demands. Is this about the wealth? Rodrigo’s wealth?”

He rarely saw his mother cry, so he could tell how serious she was with her pleading. But his mind was made up. He grew up wondering why he had features of a Brazillian, when both his parents were British. He certainly wasn’t going to miss an opportunity to find a complete answer to his question, even though his real father demanded him to get married for some heck reason.

“I don’t care about his money. Please mother don’t make this any harder, I have made my decision.”

“So, you’re going to get married.” Contrary to the usual excessive grins mothers wore whenever their child tell them they are tying the knot, the formal looking middle- aged woman had her face falling.

“It seems so.”

“Just be careful Charles.” And she got up, leaving him without saying more as she knew nothing could change her son’s mind.

His recent decision meant a change in his plans. Apart from looking for a wife, he needed to move to America where his real father has lived for many years. Charles needed to be closer to his recently discovered family.

But the conditions attached. Where was he going to find a woman that he could trust enough to get married to?

If his fiancee had shown up in their wedding as she promised, he wouldn’t be having this problem. He still had not forgotten her. It was difficult to forget a woman with a face like hers. Voice so seducing, it made you react instantly. Her body was so curved in the right places, Charles could almost see him running his hands through her soft skin.

It bothered him though, that he was yet to forget her. Isabella, his heart still hurt when he thought of her name every time.

She left him waiting at the altar, left without a note, vanished without a trace. She made him suffer heartbreak and it sure was a heartbreak, because he loved her and he had every reason to believe that she did too.

“Mr. Charles?” The voice of his secretary brought him out of his thoughts.

“Miss Kane, what is it?”

“The files are on your table sir,”

he noticed that her shirt had a few buttons loose and they definitely weren’t like that when she came in to announce the arrival of his mother. “What about the contract…?” he cleared his throat, she offered to pour him water. “What about the contract with Jubili Limited?”

“Here sir.” Her fingertips brushed his knuckles as she handed him the glass of water. “They have sent the copy of their signed contract.” Miss Kane was attractive no doubt, with her blonde silky hair that she never failed to flaunt. And her office wears always fitly brought out her body shape. But he had a strict no sex with employee policy and he sure wasn’t going to break it.

“I need you to have the private jet ready. By next week Monday, we will be leaving for America.”

“Alright sir. Is that all?”

He gave a curt nod. There was a slight disappointment in his secretary’s eyes,, but he did not notice that. He had gone back to relishing the beauty of the woman in his earlier thoughts.

Charles hated that he was doing it, yet a part of him seemed joyous as though Isabella was still in his life and was going to walk into the room any second soon, her eyes beaming with hunger for him.

***

Thousands miles away from Charles, Isabella had just ended a meeting with the bank’s representative. Tired. There was no other word can be used to describe her feeling at that moment. Slumping onto the brown leather couch, Isabella sighed with bitterness.

Getting up, she walked towards her desk and dialled her secretary to come inside.

“Hey Isa.”

“Caleb.” She sat slightly against the edge of the glass desk.

The blonde man walked towards her, his stride different because of some accident on his father’s farm. Something that had to do with chickens or something. On seeing the look on her face, he sat back and made a whoosh like sound, “I take it the meeting didn’t go well.”

“Things are actually worse. We can’t get more loans anymore, we risk being closed down anytime soon.” She faced him and asked, “What do I do Caleb? Nobody wants to form a meagre”

“I know you can’t bear losing this company, so we just have to try harder when it comes to saving the company. But Isabella, apart from some issues we have right here, you know where the main problem is.”

Being suddenly reminded of the burden waiting for her at home, heaviness befell her chest. “I am trying Caleb. I am trying to get him to stop being so wasteful but he will not even listen to me.”

“Leave him Isabella. Why don’t you just get rid of that man?”

The misery within her flashed through her face for some seconds, Isabella got up to hide it. “It is not that simple Caleb.”

Sighing, he uncrossed his leg, his hand went to his rough chin to scratch out some ideas, “There is a charity event on next Thursday.”

“Okay?”

“It is going to be held in Hotel Achilles and you and I know the kind of people that hold events there.”

“The rich part of this world. Go on.” Isabella took her seat.

“I can get us an invite and we can maybe mingle with the crowd and who knows, someone might be willing to merge. How much time do we have till the bank takes an action on closing us down?”

“A month.” Isabella said.

“Okay. Things are going to work in our favour at that event, I can feel it.”

Isabella just had to appreciate his optimism. Contrary to his bright declaration, Isabella was a bit unenthusiastic. She really was glad that she had Caleb, she was happy she had befriended someone like him.

“I guess it is time to go home.”

Caleb nodded and made to get up. “Yeah, yeah. Goodnight Isa. Stay safe.”

Safe.

She needed that word. An image flashed in her head that caused her to grimace. She did really need that word after few minutes she’s back home.

~

The whole room smelt like alcohol and that was a bad thing already.

“Gabriel,” Isabella gently called as she laid her bag and jacket on the nearest chair. The scent getting stronger as she walked, Isabella just had to wonder how many bottles he had.

The night before, she had counted close to fifteen bottles.

“Gabriel.”

“What the hell are you shouting my name for?”

Closing her eyes to prepare herself for the drama ahead, Isabella turned to face her husband of more than five years. Her husband that always got people asking; why are you with him?- anytime they are together. “Gabriel, why is the house reeking of alcohol?”

“Who are you to question me?” The tall man walked towards her, a scowl on his face. Grabbing her elbow forcefully, he continued, “This is my house and I can do whatever I want to in this place. Is that clear?” Isabella nodded quietly. “I fucking asked if that is clear!” he roared.