Jayden's POV

Italy has become my second home for the past six months since Isabella flew out of America. I have been moving from one state to the other all in the name of searching for my wife.

I am so sure she is in Italy. Jude and I saw the plane take off that morning and I quickly booked a flight to Italy too.

I didn't know the specific location she was going to but when I asked around, I was told it was Verona just like I presumed.

I searched Verona for days without the sight of the woman with black straight hair. I thought she was going back to round up her supposed trip which I cut short or probably to meet up with Romeo but I didn't see any of them.

Alejandro didn't see her either.

I left Verona for Tuscany just like Alejandro advised but it was still the same. I am still coming to Italy every weekend to find her.

Even if I hadn't received Grandma's call last night, I would still be on my way home by now.

My plane landed in America a few minutes ago and Jude is driving me to her Grandma's place.

That woman almost went crazy with the thought of Isabella missing. Telling her that I saw Isabella running out of my mansion that morning didn't do anything to pacify her.

She believed that Isabella would never be found. She didn't ask me any questions about why we fought, maybe because Isabella must have told her everything.

I go to visit every two weeks. To check how she is doing and also to know if she has heard from Isabella.

The answer is always the same. Nothing. 

No calls. No text messages. No appearance.

I could see how honest she was. I couldn't even think that she might be lying to me about Isabella not reaching out.

Sometimes, I have this strange feeling that something bad must have happened to Isabella while other times, I feel she is fine but doesn't want to be found.

But I want to find her. I want to seek her forgiveness. I want to make things right and most importantly, I want her to know that I want my baby.

I didn't hate children right from time. I loved them and wanted many of them but the trauma of losing my wife and child to the cold hands of seath in one night left me with hatred in my heart.

The baby had died first. Even before she gave up the ghost.

Sometimes, when I don't blame myself for Helena's death, I blame the baby. She knew he was dead.

Her hands were on her stomach. She couldn't feel any movement and that made her give up.

If she wasn't pregnant, maybe she would have survived it. If she hadn't left the house in anger, maybe she would still be alive and I would have a lot of children with her.

But she was pregnant and angry.

Our baby meant the world to her. It meant everything to me too until that night when I saw life being squeezed out of the woman I loved with everything in me.

Who will understand that I am still traumatized from all of that? I didn't tell Isabella for a reason. She only knew about my hatred for babies, not the reason behind that hatred.

I do most of my business deals in Italy now. I used to have a branch in Italy until I had some issues years back and then Helena's death made me shut it down completely.

Italy is home but I stopped going to Italy entirely after she died because we planned to give birth to our baby there.

But I went to Italy months ago, when Isabella was on a trip here, just because I missed having Isabella around the house here and I didn't even remember what made me stop going to Italy.

Most of the time, my presence here is needed but Gabriel has been really supportive.

His wife is almost due and my new Assistant is hardworking just like Isabella. 

I didn't fire Anna. My mother did. I wanted Anna to leave on her own free will but I didn't even have the time to go on with my plans to frustrate her till she got tired of working for me. 

Mother was surprised to see her in my office after I told her about how I caught her having sex in my office. She fired her.

I wasn't bothered because she was the one who brought her in the first place. I asked Gabriel to organize an interview for the applicants and he chose the best out of the 200 people who applied to be my Assistant.

I still work as hard as I used to but there is a difference. Most of the time, my mind is elsewhere, miles away, oceans apart.

Isabella is not in my sight but she is always in my mind. I get worried and concerned and I miss her.

Her smile. The way she bites her lips. Her frown. Her tone of concern. I just wished I could turn back the hands of the clock so I could make things right but the deed is already done and all I can do right now is to find her and make amends.

I didn't mean to hurt her. I never knew I was going to create an indelible scar in her heart by confirming what happened between us as nothing but a mistake.

My domestic staff has been really loyal. I gathered them all before I left for Italy and told them never to disclose what happened that morning; about Isabella running off with her luggage. I told them we have a little misunderstanding and she would soon be back home.

Mother has been questioning me too about her absence and father but I told them she is away to Italy on a business trip.

Now I am beginning to wonder if she is really in Italy and where exactly she is hiding. My private investigator couldn't track her phone and I don't know when all of this will end.

The car takes the left turn and within minutes, we are a few distances away from her Grandma's house.

I want to see her first before going home to take a shower and then go to work. I wonder why she called me.

Jude parks the car in the driveway and comes down to open the door for me. Leaving my suitcase, I climb down from the car and head towards the front door.

Before I can get there, the door is thrown open by Safina, Grandma's maid. She flashes me a welcome smile before letting me in.

"Good morning, Safina", I greet politely with a smile.

"Good morning, Jayden", she replies with a bow.

Before I can ask about Grandma, she appears, her eyes looking extremely tired and swollen.

Has she been crying again?

Instinctively, I move closer to her and pull her in a hug to assure her that everything will be fine. I promised her that I would find Isabella and I am not getting tired of this search anytime soon. 

If not for anyone but for this woman who made Isabella accept this contract in the first place.

She sobs as I pat her back, my emotions in place too as I blink to control them.

"I will find her. You don't need to cry, Grandma. I assure you she is fine."

She releases me from the hug and smiles at me amidst her tears.

"Sit down!" She instructs with implacable authority as she wipes her face with a handkerchief.

"Is everything ok?" I demand, watching her closely. Something must have triggered the tears. The last time she cried, she saw a picture of Isabella's childhood. I wonder what it is now.

"Yes and no," she smiles again and my curiosity intensifies.

"Isabella…"

I sit up, my ears are wide open and my eyes too. This is about Isabella. Did something happen to her? Is she back? Has she heard from her? Did Isabella reach out to her?

"She called me", she inform me and I almost grab her hand in relief. I can't believe I have also been treading slowly on the belief that she is indeed alive and not dead or lost.

"Isabella is in Paris", she announces and my jaws drop. "We are going to Paris tomorrow to find her. You and I."

****

Jayden and Grandma will be going to Paris to find her. Do you think they will find her?

Will Isabella go elsewhere before they get to Paris?