"Bella?" he called again with more concern as it seemed like she was about to cry. "What happened in there?" He swore within him to deal with Manifold no matter what if he did as much as stab Isabella with words.
Isabella's eyes darted to the marbled floor below and she said nothing.
As he saw Richard approach them, his eyes caught Manifold's tall figure which had a gloat in its steps as he conversed with the shorter man beside him.
"Richard?"
"He cooked up a tale and made himself look good. Now that we have contradicting statements, we can only depend so much on the witnesses we have."
"What did he say in there?" Charles stole a look at Isabella who was trying to hide into his side. Definitely, whatever that bastard said made her instantly... distant.
Richard who stole a look at Isabella sighed and then said, "He claimed to be a good husband to her. And he painted her to be a cheat."
Charles almost laughed. More like scoffed. "A cheat?"
Then his eyes fell on Isabella's hair. That was why she was so distant. In the first place, Isabella hated people lying against her. And such happening in the state she was in was bound to throw her into a mix of emotions.
"We have to be strong henceforth. Isabella has to be."
Charles absent mindedly pulled the still quiet Isabella closer to his chest. He was going to lend her his strength and he would make sure she gets out of the damned marriage.
"Well, hello there." Charles almost swore at the man in front of him. He was quite audacious to walk up to them. "You said it and it happened. We are finally in court," he said a bit too excitedly.
"What do you want?" Charles almost growled.
"I am here to speak with Isabella. Isabella?" he called.
Charles felt her stir and as her eyes met the smirking man in front of them, he suddenly wanted to pull her back so she would be hiding by his side again.
"Isabella, don't be a silly woman. I will make sure you don't win this. I will make sure you become mine forever."
"Is that what you came here to say? You came here to show how stupid you are?" Charles wished he could tear the man apart right there.
"Isabella..." Gabriel ignored Charles spitting. "Just forget about this drama you have started and come home. I am willing to forget that you have been with this man here." He eyed Charles. "I will call it even since I have also being with other women."
"Okay, that's enough," Richard butted in, his voice almost wearing disgust.
"I want her to know-"
"Leave Gabriel," came Isabella's voice which wore some kind of thickness.
"What?" he asked with disbelief.
Isabella finally left Charles's side. "Do you really think trying to paint me as the cheat and terrible person will make me become weak and scared?" Her eyes narrowed. "Not a chance." She took a step forward. "Instead, your claims will make me feel so recharged." Her voice wore a kind of threat and Charles smiled.
That was his woman all right.
"Every God damn time I recall the lies you told today, I will be so driven to expose you and every bad thing you have made me go through. Do you think I am bluffing?" She locked eyes with him. "Just try me first."
"Ahh! Whatever." Gabriel threw his arms in the air as though protesting. "I will still make you regret."
"I told you Manifold," Charles's deep voice took over. "I will be the one to make you regret and I will have you rue the very day you decided to get married to Isabella."
"You are all crazy to think she will easily get to leave me. It's a pity her coke-sniffing father isn't here, he would have-"
"What did you say about my father?" Isabella asked sternly.
Gabriel gave her a short smile. "It sure is nice that I managed to keep you in the dark for so long. You should at least thank me for that."
"What did you say about my father?" Isabella repeated, Charles could feel the heat she brought in.
Gabriel chuckled nervously and scratched the back of his head. "The thing is, he uh..." Charles was amused. Was Gabriel being nervous? "He used to uh..."
His attorney pulled him aside and whispered something into his ears. As he locked eyes with Isabella, he said, "Isabella, your father was the worst kind, that much I can tell you. See you in battle."
He walked away with swag, Charles wasting his glares on his back.
Soon, his attention returned to Isabella who he held gently. "Hey," he said.
She looked up at him and said, "He said my father was the worst kind... That means..." Her eyes darted as she seemed to be mentally sorting out things. "That means there is a lot more about him I don't know. A lot more I should have known before letting him sell me off. Charles?"
He cupped her cheeks in response.
"Why am I so unlucky?"
"Why would you even ask such a question?"
"You can see how things have been for me for a while now. What else would you call it if not having no luck?"
"I would call it finally realizing how your life should be. You stayed with Gabriel all this while for your father and when you learnt he had died, what did you do? You saw a way out of your misery." He moved even closer, her scent hitting his nose.
"You are a very lucky woman Isabella because not everybody gets a chance to know the truth like you did."
"When did you become like a sage?" Isabella teased Charles who in fact didn't know he had it in him to sound so full of wisdom.
"I guess that's what happens when I am with you."
"Eh-ehm."
"Oh, Richard, I totally forgot you were here."
"Yeah," the man's brows popped. "You were busy." Charles could almost hear the remaining part of the response his friend said with his eyes.
"How is it going to be with the witnesses? We should have a stronger hold on the case with them right?" Charles asked, pulling Isabella to his side, his arms firmly around her.
"Yes we should."
"Who do we have so far?"
Richard assumed a thinking pose. "We have Caleb, Mrs. Rosafield- the neighbour and Isabella's doctor. I will ask her doctor to come along with her medical reports."
"That's fine. We should get going, right?"
"Yes, I will update you as time goes."
"Thank you Mr. Richard," Isabella said.
"You are welcome. And thank you for doing this. Goodnight."
They bade their farewell and soon Charles and Isabella walked out, silence between them, their arms around each other.
~
"What do you want to do when we get upstairs?" Charles asked Isabella as he turned off the car's engine.
"Uh... sleep?" Charles smirked. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Nothing. I just love seeing your face, that's all." He loved how she looked away to hide the small blush her face wore anytime he complimented her right.
Damn, she was just so cute and amazing. She made him feel like jumping on his bed all day like a five year old.
"I-" A knock on the window of the driver's side interrupted Isabella.
"Yes Miss Kane?" Charles asked as his eyes met hers.
She leaned in a bit. "Mr. Oxford, your father is here to see you ."