Isabella

~28~

"Answer the fucking question, Bels."

I looked at him pleadingly. He couldn't possibly be thinking straight. He couldn't possibly be doing this to me!

"Shayne, please.. let's talk about this. Okay? Look, I know you're angry...but but..."

"Answer the question now!"

I shifted back. "Ok-okay fine! I do! You happy now?! Now, please, Shayne, don't do this to me. Let's just talk... please. Antonio, please just let us talk, please."

"By the power ordained in me, I now pronounce you both husband and---"

"Wait!" It was Antonio.

"Wife." Mario finished.

It was too late. I couldn't believe it. I was married to Shayne. No, it couldn't possibly be true. There was no way, Mario was ordained. There was no way I could be married to Shayne Walker. What sort of trickery is this?

"You can have your son!" Antonio said as his men unhanded Ian. "Now, let my sister go."

Shayne stared at him calculatively. I lifted my gaze and looked at Shayne. There was no way he just did that to me. What on earth did he take me for? A toy?! Something to be used and discarded whenever he pleases?

Just before Shayne could envelope Ian into his arms, I pounced on him. We both tumbled on the ground, as I dealt him several powerful blows.

"Isabel, let him go, right now!" I heard Antonio say. I didn't bother listening to him because I was so ready to tear him apart right now.

"How dare you?! Argh!" I screamed as I ripped his jacket with my bare hands before wrapping my hands around his neck, ready to choke him to death. He just looked at me. He didn't even want to fight back. The more he held back, the more infuriated I became. Out of rage and annoyance, I pulled out a knife and stabbed him with it. That was when I felt a blow to my face. Mario had punched me.

"Argh!" I reached for Mario but before I could lounge myself at him, Antonio grabbed me.

I yelled in frustration when he grabbed me. That was the last thing I remembered as I slipped into darkness.

¶

I opened my eyes to a foreign room. I realized I was in chains and the hangover I was feeling at the moment wasn't helping either.

I sat up and just then, the door opened and Antonio walked in.

"Still in chains, I see." I managed to speak out with a fake smile.

"My men weren't sure of what you would do." He said softly as he sat beside me on the bed. "I'm sorry about what happened."

"Is he dead?"

He sighed. "You know it won't be that easy to kill Shayne Walker."

"I'm his wife now, aren't I?"

He sighed again. "That wasn't how I wanted things to go."

I snapped my head to look at him. "That wasn't how you wanted things to go? That wasn't how you wanted things to go?! You kidnapped his child! Why did you?! Why aren't you dead in the first place?!"

"I'm sorry, Isabella. I should have shown myself to you sooner."

"No..." I shook my head. "This can't be happening. You-you're supposed to be dead. And that marriage, that mar-marriage has to be fake. There is no way in hell I'm married to Shayne. No way!"

No. This could ruin things in so many ways. This could destroy my plans in ways I could never imagine.

"God, this can't be happening. Mario...He couldn't be ordained right?"