The third point of view:

Though Ailee suffered a superficial wound, Niklaus demanded the best treatment to be given to her. He had even planned flying her abroad immediately had Reina not calmed him down.

But it seems trouble is the only friend of the Spencer family, for less than an hour later, they received news from Pedro. All was not well.

Reina didn't remember much about Isabella but her heart broke at the sight of the girl when she was brought into the hospital. Thanks to Pedro's fast thinking, the irritant burning pain had reduced but doctors took charge to flush the rest of the spray from her eyes.

"What the hell happened?! " Niklaus was not relaxed at all, he stunk of bloodlust. Reina was the only person holding him back from committing murder.

"It was Jennifer. She attacked us when we tried rescuing Neon," Pedro narrated.

"Neon?"

"He's also admitted, sustained some head injury,"

"Why would Jennifer do that to her kid?" Reina was horrified.

"Isabella has been following her, she tried to take Neon away after we found out she's been abusing him,"

"I'm going to kill that bitch!" Niklaus fumed, about to strode out when Reina grabbed his arms.

"Niklaus, you'd only make things worse if you react with anger. You have to chill out," she pleaded.

"Then so be it," He declared and snatched free his hand.

However, Reina wasn't giving up on him. She blocked his way and drew him into a hug, refusing to release him even as he struggled against her.

"Niklaus, take a deep breath," she instructed.

"I'd be much better after punching her face; she dared to touch Isabella?!" He growled, his body vibrating with anger and trying hard not to toss Reina who clung to him like an octopus.

"Think about Ailee too, she needs you now more than ever, Niklaus,"

That comment did the magic because the raving beast inside of him was lulled, the molten anger in his veins, extinguished as well.

"I'm going to make her pay," Niklaus swore.

"We will," She promised him, clasping his face, "But now the kids need us more, alright?"

"Alright,"

After that incident of almost shooting his granddaughter to death, Sakuzi didn't have the guts to face Reina, hence releasing Niklaus without further delay. No one even remembered why they were fighting in the first place since everyone was concerned with keeping Ailee alive.

The man was burdened with guilt that he hadn't even called Reina to know how Ailee was faring, not that she would pick anyway.

Reina was so angry at her father it wouldn't surprise anyone if she removed herself from the family registry. Her father tried to hurt Niklaus amid her pleading? Where was the so-called love he claimed he had for her? Was a personal feud worth more than his daughter's happiness? Moreover, he almost killed Ailee in his process of exacting vengeance for his late son? That was unforgivable.

Meanwhile….

Isabella thought she was in heaven when she awoke. Everywhere was just white with holy radiance until her vision cleared.

"Oh, I can see?" She mumbled to herself. Taking in the look of the hospital room.

"You're awake,"

Isabella moved her head to the side,

"Pedro? What are you doing here? Don't you have something important to do other than watching me at my worst moment or are you always this useless? "

"As insulting as that sounds, I'm highly relieved to hear that," Pedro laughed heartily. If Isabella could whine her mouth like that, she was fine then.

"I'm glad you're okay,"

"Yeah, whatever. As if it would be easy to kill me, anyway," Isabella readjusted her head on the pillow, facing upward.

"Does my father know I'm here?" It suddenly crossed her mind.

"Yes, he was here with Reina earlier but you were sleeping,"

"That sounds like good news,"

"Yeah, Reina finally admitted to being Maya but the bad news is, one of your siblings was shot at,"

"What?" She sat up instantly.

Pedro patiently narrated to her what happened.

"I have to go see her," Isabella tossed aside the sheet with one of her legs already touching the floor when Pedro stopped her.

"You have to rest, your father made me promise him I'd enforce that. Rest assured, your sister is okay, she's brave just like you are," He said, looking her straight in the eyes.

Both stared at each other as if spellbound until Isabella broke off the contact. She laid back on the bed, staring fiercely at the ceiling as she ignored the blush creeping up her face.

An awkward silence reigned between them. How did the once bright mood change into an emotionally constipated one?

"You know Anabelle's really sorry," Pedro began.

"I'm not interested in that," Isabella sighed, hugging herself with her eyes closed in a bid to tune out Pedro's whinings.

"She broke up with me," He dropped the news.

Isabella's eyes snapped open.

"She did that?" She turned her head to him.

"Yes," He answered, holding her gaze.

"Then I'm sorry, I'm not the best at comforting the brokenhearted. Find someone else to call, cry, vent, talk about your ex, just not me," she said without a trace of warmth in her voice.

However, curiosity still got the best of Isabella cause she ended up asking,

"Why did she break up with you? Because we kissed? You practically cheated on her anyway - I was just the victim in the games played by both of you," she assigned blames.

"Yeah," Pedro took on the blame, "We played you but the kiss was not the reason we broke up,"

"Or maybe she's letting you go so I can have you just as she always does, the good-natured Anabelle! " Isabella seethed.

"That's not it, Isabella. Anabelle never loved me!"

"What?!" Isabella was shocked by that confession

"She wanted to date me so you can't have me,"

"You're joking, right? That is ridiculous," She laughed nervously, but Pedro's serious gaze shut her up.

Pedro said to her, "Anabelle was jealous of you,"

"Which is still ridiculous, why would anyone want to be like me, I'm messed up, " Isabella threw her hands up.

"Why won't anyone be jealous of you? You're brave -"

"Was it brave to get sprayed in the eyes?" she deadpanned.

"No, but you put yourself in the line to save someone that wasn't even related by blood to you, that's what makes you extraordinary. It's just like whenever a problem comes, you look it in the eyes, and boom! It vanishes. You're not afraid to say what you want, you attract people's attention effortlessly, you're just like a natural magnet and that's what Anabelle was jealous of! You're everything she desires to be! "

" Then she's the worst fool on earth to not appreciate herself the way she is. Everyone has their charm," Isabella spat

"Not everyone has your charm and that's exactly what I'm talking about!" He gestured, "Anabelle was jealous of us as kids, our closeness and how easy you draw people's attention. So when you left for years, she wanted to walk in your shoes - including owning everything that belongs to you.

"Eden's now the new family head which makes her the Spencer princess. She took over every one of your roles amid her sickness. Anabelle - "

"So you're trying to say I'm the reason for Anabelle's insecurity," Isabella pointed to herself.

"No, I'm just begging you to understand her. Not everyone can confront their problems like you, some of us are cowards who hide under the shadow of others, hoping for a time to emerge. So please Isabella, forgive Anabelle. The girl has realized her mistakes but she's quite ridden with guilt and might never recover if you don't look at her, please? " his eyes implored her.

"Fine, I'll see her but I still can't understand why someone would think the both of us fell in love at childhood...."

Or maybe she did. Anabelle was right to have been jealous. She had been quite close to Pedro anyway during their childhood - not that she would admit that. Anabelle and Pedro might have broken up but Isabella was sure he still had feelings for his ex-girlfriend

"About that kiss earlier…" Pedro brought up the case, " I want you to know that -"

"It was nothing," Isabella intercepted,

"I was having a panic attack, then you steadied my heartbeat by stealing the air in my lungs through the joining of our lips, nothing else. Stuff like that happens in dire situations such as someone drowning and requiring mouth-to-mouth respiration to resuscitate he or she," Isabella blabbered for the first time in her entire life. Why's the room suddenly hot? Where was the Ac?

"I was going to say it meant something to me," Pedro confessed.

Isabella gulped, why was her heart thundering against her chest? What's with this role reversal? She's the one always doing the chasing and seduction, not the other way around. That way she's more in control, knowing when to step back if things go south.

"I'm not asking you to date me immediately considering the shit that went down between the trio of us, but I just want to know you feel the same way I feel, Isabella," Pedro took her hand - after a great struggle - and placed it on his thudding heart.

"I'm tired of being lied to, tell me you feel the same way. And if you don't, I'll just let you go," He caressed the top of her palm still on his chest.

For the first time in Isabella's life, she wanted to run.