"Did you read this?" He asked, holding up the report sheet. I shook my head, not wanting to deal with whatever it was in it
"No, I don't want to," I muttered, my voice trembling with emotions. But Leonel didn't give up so easily. He came and sat down beside me, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder.
"Issa, you should," he said gently, urging me to take the paper from him. I stubbornly refused at first, not wanting to relive any more pain. But after a lot of convincing, I reluctantly took the paper from him.
As I opened it, my heart raced with anxiousness of what I might find. What If, what's inside is worse than how Doctor Clarkson explained. I couldn't bear to read anything that would further wound my already broken heart.
"Issa just read it" Leonel urged me when he noticed my dilemma. Taking a deep breath, I mentally encouraged myself and began reading through the words inscribed.
"I'm sorry if what I said scared you darling, but that was the only way I could make the situation appear real to your husband, Pablo. I didn't need anyone to tell me that your previous reports were fake, and he brought you to the hospital to confirm that.
You do not have any illness, you're perfectly fine isadora. Those medications are supplements and vitamins that will help improve your health. I know he may want to take you to another hospital, but you don't have to worry about that, I left my phone number beneath this letter, you can always reach out to me and I'll come to your aid. Additionally, if you ever figure out that he plans to take you abroad for more medical tests, do not fail to reach out to me also.
I don't know what you may be going through sweetheart but I need you to hang on, everything will be fine. If you ever need someone to talk to, feel free to come to my office, I'll always be opened to you.
Yours sincerely
Doctor Mara Clarkson
Tears rolled down my cheeks as I read through her words, my heart sank and my breath caught in my throat.
"I...I'm not sick," I whispered to myself, trying to wrap my head around the news.
I sobbed uncontrollably, my tears staining the letter that was now crumpled beyond recognition. Relief and happiness rumbled in my belly
Just then, Leonel wrapped his arms around me, and I felt his own tears on my shoulder. We didn't need words to express our joy.
After what seemed like an eternity, we pulled away from each other and he handed me his handkerchief.
"Yes, sis, you're fine," he whispered to me, "You still have a life ahead of you, you still have a long way to go and I really do hope that you have the best out of it."
I looked up at my brother and gave him a smile. He pulled me into another hug, and this time, I hugged him back tightly.
I sat in front of the mirror, my hands carefully applying makeup to my face. I grabbed my favorite eyeshadow palette and began blending the shades onto my eyelids. I then lined my eyes with a black eyeliner to create a polished look. A few coats of mascara completed my eye makeup.
Next, I turned to my hair. Using some bobby pins, I twisted my curls into a beautiful bun, leaving a few tendrils to frame my face. I let out a sigh of relief as I saw my hair perfectly coiffed, a soft smile appearing on my lips. I added a simple silver hair accessory to complete the look.
Satisfied with my facial appearance, I reached for my lip gloss and applied a light coat, giving my lips a subtle shine. I glanced at my reflection in the mirror and smiled.
I then walked over to my closet and pulled out the burgundy dress I had picked out for the occasion.
The dress fitted like a glove and the color complemented my skin tone perfectly. I couldn't help but admire how the fabric hugged my curves in all the right places.
I then walked over to my dresser and grabbed a beautiful ruby set of jewelry that my brother had given me on my 21st birthday. The deep red stones matched perfectly with my dress, and I loved the sentimental value they held.
Before leaving the room, I spritzed some of my favorite perfume all over my body, making sure I smelled as good as I looked. I placed my phone in my clutch and took one last look in the mirror, feeling ready to conquer the night.
I reached the living where everyone was waiting for my arrival.
As I was about to take my first step, I heard Gabriele exclaim
"Oh my word!" I looked down to see Gabriele, gazing at me with admiration in his eyes. His gaze caught the attention of Leah and Amanda.
As I made my way down the stairs, Gabriele ran over to me and hugged me tightly. "You look beautiful Issa," he said, causing me to smile and peck his cheek.
"You look handsome too," I replied, causing him to blush. He then stretched out his arm and did a dramatic bow.
"May I, mi lady?" he asked with a mischievous grin. I couldn't help but chuckle as I slid my hand into his small one.
"Yes, my lord," I replied, playing along with his playful antics.
"You look stunning, Issa," Leah complimented with a smile, her eyes filled with admiration. She was dressed in a yellow mermaid-style dress. I returned the compliment, admiring her dress. Amanda, smiled at me with admiration and came to give me a hug.
As we pulled away, I noticed Pablo walking towards us with a look of fury on his face. But the moment his eyes fell on me, all the fury disappeared and was replaced with a look of lust and desire. He licked his lips as his gaze roamed over my body.
"Sexy," he groaned, causing me to squirm uncomfortably. I could feel the tension in the air and I glanced at Amanda, who had a hurt look in her eyes. Leah and Gabriele also noticed the change in mood and their excitement soon disappeared.
Even though Pablo and Amanda weren't together for love, I knew the reason for her hurt look.
The least he could do was show her some respect. It wouldn't be a crime if he looked at her the way he looked at me, because Amanda was beautiful. Some random, occasional compliments wouldn't hurt either.
I shook my head, trying to push those thoughts away. But just as I was about to speak, the guy I saw with Alvaro, on the night Leonel paid me a visit walked in.
And it made me realize Alvaro was nowhere to be seen. I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't show up. Alvaro never seemed to abide by Pablo's wishes.
"Mr. Pablo, the cars are ready," he said, catching Pablo's attention. Pablo nodded, but his gaze was still fixed on me.
"We'll be there soon, Diego," Pablo said, not taking his eyes off me. I was starting to get really irritated by his persistence.
"I'll be right back, I just need to use the restroom," I murmured and excused myself. I needed to escape for a moment, so I went to my room. I wasted a little bit of time to avoid riding with Pablo.
The hall was beautifully decorated with sparkling lights and elegant flower arrangements.
People hung around chattering, sipping on expensive drinks while dressed in their finest outfits. I walked behind the family, alongside Diego, my eyes darting around cautiously.
As we made our way through the crowd, a deep croaked voice pierced into my ears. I peered through my lashes to see an old man, around the same age as Pablo, approaching us. He held a glass of wine in his hand and his wrinkled face was adorned with a warm smile.
"Oh dear friend, Tristan," Pablo greeted with a light chuckle, embracing the old man in a friendly manner. They began conversing, leaving the rest of us bored. And I inwardly rolled my eyes, already anticipating a long and dull evening.
"You didn't tell me Leah wasn't the only daughter you had," the old man, Tristan, commented while staring lustily at me. I squirmed uncomfortably and unconsciously shifted closer to Diego for comfort. He noticed my discomfort and wrapped his hand around my wrist, a small gesture that brought me some solace.
I looked at him through my lashes and thanked him with a small smile.
"It would be a sad story if our long-term relationship were to end because of a woman, Tristan. Nelly is by your side, you should focus on your wife," Pablo snapped angrily, breaking the tension in the air.
Nelly, Tristan's wife, glared at me hatefully, but I ignored it. She should be glaring at her husband instead of me, she doesn't have any rights to blame me for the situation because tonight I was not dressed indecently.
We made our way to our appointed seats after the tensed encounter with Tristan.
I sat beside Leah, far-away from Pablo, i couldn't risk him trying to touch me.
While my eyes roamed around it finally caught sight of the person I've been waiting to see all day.
He was wearing a navy blue suit that perfectly hugged his muscular physique. The fabric of his suit seemed to be tailor-made to fit his broad shoulders and toned arms. My fingers itched to touch the fabric, to feel the warmth of his body through it.
His muscles were evident through the fabric, but not in an overpowering way. He emanated confidence and strength, yet there was a gentleness about him that drew me in.
Approaching with a magnetic allure, his well-groomed stubble framed his jawline that was not just chiseled but defined with an enticing precision, amplifying his attractiveness.
The rugged yet appealing aesthetic was perfectly complemented by the dark hue of his flawlessly styled buzz-cut hair, adding an extra layer to the captivating presence that drew my gaze.
In the symphony of his captivating details, his heterochromic eyes became the focal point, a mesmerizing interplay of a shade of blue that could rival the sky and a deep, forest green reminiscent of an untouched wilderness.
The depths and intensity within them created a connection that transcended the ordinary, making it seem as though he possessed the ability to peer unerringly into the very core of my soul.