bCHAPTER /bb021 /b

ISADORA’S POV

9:00 AM

“Was there any need for this stupid clock?” I grumbled as I slowly got up, rubbing my eyes. The rm was meant to wake me up an hour ago, but it failed miserably. I /stretched my arms above my head, feeling the slight ache in my back before dragging

myself out of bed and into the bathroom.

Toilet flush.

I took my toothbrush and began my morning routine, brushing in slow circr motions while staring at my reflection in the mirror. My hair was a mess, my skin looked a bit dull–maybe because I stayed up tootest night. After spitting out the foam, I rinsed my mouth and sshed cold water on my face, letting out a small sigh. Stepping out of the bathroom, I noticed that one of my maids had already brought my usual morning orange juice with ginger, just as I requested every day. I grabbed the ss and took a sip, letting the cool citrus vor wake up my senses.

After a few minutes of stretching, I hopped onto my treadmill, setting the speed to afortable walking pace. My feet moved rhythmically as I stared nkly at the wall in front of me, my thoughts drifting.

Adrian.

I hadn’t heard from him.

I worked out for a full hour before stepping off the treadmill, slightly out of breath but satisfied. Without wasting time, I headed into the bathroom for a shower. The hot water rxed my muscles, washing away the sweat. By the time I stepped out, steam filled the room. I wrapped a towel around my body and walked toward my vanity table, towel–drying my hair as I picked up my phone.

-1 checked my messages.

Still nothing from Adrian.

I frowned, tapping my phone against my palm. I had sent him a message yesterday, yet there was no response. My patience was wearing thin.

I tried calling him.

Ring… Ring… Ring…

No answer.

Sessfully unlocked!

phessfully un

I narrowed my eyes, gripping my phone tighter. avoiding my calls again?

I tossed my phone onto the table, frustrated. Since the night we slept together, he had been acting distant, and I didn’t like it one bit.

b1/4 /b

“I just hope you didn’t use me like a sex doll that night,” I muttered to myself as I picked up myb, running it through my damp hair. “I’m not something that people use and dispose of.”

I scoffed, shaking my head. “I know I’m a gem.”

Some people might think my rtionship with Adrian is toxic, but I don’t care. I’ve been through worse–far worse than this.

A smallugh escaped my lips as old memories surfaced.

When I was seven, my mother constantlypared me to our neighbor’s daughter.

“Look how well–mannered she is. Look at how gracefully she carries herself. You should learn from her!”

Those words tormented me daily.

Back then, I was a tomboy. I loved ying basketball and running around with boys, and I didn’t care about dresses or makeup. I was rough, wild, and full of energy. I can still remember the number of arms I nearly broke during school fights.

But my mother hated it.

She wanted me to be just like the neighbor’s daughter–poised, delicate, obedient.

But I refused. I loved myself for who I was.

That was until the day she told me she regretted giving birth to me.

I think something in me shattered that day.

After that, I did everything to be the perfect daughter she always wanted. I changed my dressing style, abandoned my tomboy habits, and learned proper manners. When I turned fifteen, I started experimenting with makeup and beauty routines. Eventually, I perfected my appearance.

But focusing on myself, and making myself this beautiful came with a price, my grades from school and college were all bad, but that was just the beginning.

By the time I was in high school, I was the girl every guy wanted.

But I wasn’t interested in any of them.

Not until the day Adrian walked into my life.

I remember it so clearly. My parents‘ business partners wereing over, and I made sure I looked my absolute best. I wore my finest dress, and my best shoes, and styled my hair perfectly.

Then I saw him.

Adrian sat on the couch, carelessly scrolling through his phone, lookingpletely uninterested in his surroundings.

He didn’t even look at me.

And that was what drew me to him.

He was the first guy who didn’t fall at my feet.

Mrs. Westwood took a liking to me immediately, thinking I was a well–mannered youngdy. But Adrian? He barely acknowledged my existence. Adrian and his mom starteding quite often and Adrian didn’t speak to me until his mom officially introduced

us

Little by little, we started talking.

I thought we had a connection.

I was sure he felt the same way.

Then everything changed.

The worst day of my life happened when Adrian’s parents died and as my parent’s biggest investors ourpany slowly began to crumble.

We weren’t leaving thevish lifestyle we once used to live, things were getting tight.

That was when my mother came up with a brilliant idea.

“Marry Adrian.”

If I married Adrian, he could take care of our family. He had the wealth, the power, the name. And I liked him.

And I was certain he liked me, too.

So, on the day I nned to confess my feelings to him, I got hit with the most painful betrayal of

my life.

Adrian was getting married.

To that slimy dog named Olivia.

I still remember how many bottles of whiskey I downed that night, trying to drown the unbearable sting of heartbreak.

Tnever saw iting.

How? Why?

He gave me all the signs. He wanted me. Then suddenly, he married another woman.

It didn’t make sense.

Maybe Olivia used some kind of trick. Maybe she manipted him. Maybe she was holding him down in that, marriage with something.

But I wasn’t going to give up on him. I refused to give up on him. I didn’t care if he was married. I didn’t care how long it takes.

I was going ito /ihave Adrian,

b3/4 /b