Isabella's POV

As soon as Jayden entered the large gate of Gabriel's home, he asked the driver to halt the car right after he entered so I could drop.

I can feel his eyes on me till I get to the door. I turn back slowly to see him looking just like I thought he would.

He waves at me, signaling me to go inside. I am sure he wants me to go in to be sure that I am not lying about wanting to come and see Sabrina.

I wonder what he is afraid of.

It amazes me to know that he is actually scared of me leaving him. I want to have a good feeling about this but I know I shouldn't. I shouldn't get ahead of myself. All Jayden is after is making sure that everything goes as planned. This is just about him.

Only about him.

If I leave now, he will be the talk of the town. The bachelor who has been thought to never want to have anything to do with any woman ever again suddenly got married and after a month, he is divorced.

It will make a good headline in the New York Times newspaper but I am sure he doesn't want to risk it.

A year is enough to gain the trust of his shareholders and business partners. A month is too early.

I really did not have the intention of leaving. I didn't even think of it as an option. I know I am stuck in here for several months to come and I have accepted my fate but I just couldn't wrap my head around what was happening.

We kissed. It was enjoyable and passionate but he keeps pretending like it didn't happen. Not only that, he doesn't want us to talk about it and clear the air between us.

Yet, he doesn't want me to leave.

If he is to consider my emotional state of mind, then he ought to be the one to suggest that I leave. Right now, I am on the verge of letting it out. I want to cry but there is no one to console me in the house if I cry.

Then, I decided to come to see Sabrina. She seems like someone who would understand my plight. Going to Grandma's place is not a nice idea.

Now I think I should become very serious about my decision to go to Verona. I won't stop him from sponsoring the trip but I need to talk to him about Alejandro's number.

October starts next week and I need to start packing my bags to go on the trip. I'm sure it will do a lot of good for my emotional health and well-being.

I hope the trip will come with glad tidings.

He waves at me again and I blink once, to see that I am still standing in the front yard. Quickly, I turn back and open the door to enter the house.

Everything seems quiet and I remember I didn't see any maids the first time I was here.

Does Sabrina not like maids? Who helps her with the house chores now that she is carrying a baby?

Just before I can find my way to the living room, taking the same direction Gabriel and I went through the other time, I hear laughter and I turn to see a lady at the end of the staircase.

She doesn't look familiar and I wonder who she is. She is staring up at someone on the staircase. I halt in my tracks and the person comes into view.

It is Sabrina and she is dressed gorgeously in a lavender gown. It seems like they are going out.

I clear my throat to indicate my presence. It actually gets their attention because I hear Sabrina gasps softly.

"Isabella?" She calls out, as though she can't believe I am here, this night and alone. "Isabella, what are you doing here?"

I smile at her and the other lady folds her arms around her bosom as she studies me with curiosity.

"It seems you are heading out, I came to see you", I tell her, the smile still on my face.

"See me? Are you talking about Gabriel and me because Gabriel is actually out with your husband…"

"No!" I cut her short sharply. I know Gabriel and Jayden are going to meet. "I came here to see you."

She must be asking to be sure that this surprise visit has nothing to do with my first ever visit when I came to question them about Jayden's private life which Jayden himself told me a week after Gabriel had informed me.

"To see me?" She glances back at her friend before coming toward me with concern. "Is everything ok?"

"Yes", I nod eagerly. "I just want to spend time with you, that's all."

"Aww, that's so sweet of you", she gives me one of her cutest smiles while I fidget with my hands nervously. Seeing her with a friend isn't what I planned. Now I know I won't be able to talk freely since she has company.

"We were actually on our way out to a girl's party, do you care to come with us?" She asks me politely.

I look down at my dress in response. I didn't make any effort to look good. I was in such a hurry to come down here and have Sabrina throw jokes that will have me laughing till I forget my sorrows and use it to go through the whole week.

"I'm not dressed for outings…"

"Nah, it's fine", she waves it away. "It's just something little between my friends and me. Let's go?"

I hesitate for a while, weighing the possibility of going. If I don't go, I will have to head back home and continue to wallow myself in self-pity and boredom.

"Yes", I let out a short laugh.

"Great", she says and moves closer, her right hand crawling its way to my back. "This is my friend, Eunice, Eunice meets Isabella, Jayden's wife", she introduces us to each other.

I stretch my hand for a handshake and the lady gasps. She is wearing a lacy white bodycon gown. It is extremely short and sexy. She has a small face and she looks like the type of girl Sabrina keeps as a friend.

"Jayden's wife?" She turns to Sabrina who grins mischievously while my hand hangs in the air.

Sabrina nods.

The lady gasps again. "He later got someone who took the offer to become his contacted wife?"

Wait, how did she know about the contract between Jayden and me? Did Sabrina tell? Or… is she the one who almost got married to Jayden?

"Yes", Sabrina smiles at her as she nods again. The lady stares at me with envy in her eyes before it gets replaced with curiosity.

"How are you coping with the rules?" she asks me but I don't know what she is talking about. I drop my hands.

Before I can speak up, Sabrina beats me to it. "Isabella, Eunice was the friend I told you about. Things didn't work out between her and Jayden."

"I thought as much", I express firmly, examining her carefully. She is regarding me with a look I can't place. Probably thinking that I don't worth being the billionaire's wife because of how simple I am dressed tonight.

"Why didn't it work out between you two?" I find myself asking the only question on my mind. There is absolutely no need to hide anything from her since she knows about it too.

"I am more than surprised to know that he got someone and that person is you. You are too pretty to be in this…"

"Eunicee doesn't follow the rules and Jayden's rules were too stringent for her…" Sabrina answers the question instead.

"What rule?" I cut Sabrina short with interest in knowing what actually happened. All the rules starred in the contract were simple or is there something I am missing out on?

Sabrina shrugs and turns to Eunice to answer the question. "The rule of no strings attached. I can't do that. Who the hell can?"

"Obviously, Isabella can", Sabrina chips in and they both laugh.

"That guy is too hot. I was already imagining how much pleasure I would derive from taking a hold of his…"

"Hey, shut up, don't spoil my girl", Sabrina interrupts her as I watch them in amazement.

Wow! This is it. Jayden didn't get married to this girl because she wanted strings attached.

"How are you coping, anyways?" She questions after she sobers up from another short laughter.

How am I coping?

"Pretty easy", I shrug indifferently, careful not to let my face show what I am feeling.

"Easy you say?" She gasps again and makes a shitty face at me. I laugh. "Are you in love with him or what? How can you accept such an offer if you are in your right senses?"

It is supposed to be a joke but I am offended.

"Yes, that's true", Sabrina agrees with her to my astonishment. "You must be in love with him."

"What?!" I exclaim loudly. "Of course not."

"Yes, you are", Eunice insists.

I shake my head vigorously in disagreement. "No, I am not."

"Yes, you are", Sabrina agrees to it too, making my mouth drop open.

Unconsciously, a red flush creeps to my face and their laughter pulls me out of my reverie. I was actually thinking of the kiss between Jayden and me.

It happened but I don't think I allowed it because I am in love with him, right?

As if hearing my thoughts, Sabrina and Eunice turn to face each other with their mouths agape, and then they both scream. "She is in love with Jayden Russell!"

****

Is this true? Is Isabella in love with Jayden?

Don't forget to vote and comment.

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