There was nothing more to say. The affair had been discovered, and the next step was to finalize their divorce. Isabelle was not prepared to tell Daniel everything but he found out, thanks to her stupidity. After she confessed the affair with Kenneth, she thought Daniel would physically hurt her, but he didn’t. Instead, he left her alone in the room.
Isabelle cried because, at one time, he was the man he loved so much, but his infidelity with other women made her into a bitter woman. Kenneth was a tool she used to avenge her broken pride and broken heart. She just didn’t expect to fall in love with Kenneth in the process.
An hour later, she heard a knock. Assuming that it was Daniel, she immediately opened the door, but it was not Daniel but Kenneth. She was shocked to see him becoming bold as to visit her in the room she shared with Daniel.
He appeared intoxicated, so Isabelle didn't bother expending her energy to send him away. Instead, she closed the door in his face, and the memory of his expressions at that moment lingered in her mind, even though it had only occurred a few hours ago.
She didn't want to let her emotions get the best of her while sending him away because it was the right thing to do. Although she no longer had any feelings for Daniel, she was still legally married to him. Before Daniel could return and find her crying over another man, she wiped away her tears and forced herself to sleep.
Isabelle was on the verge of sleep when someone began pounding violently on the door. Assuming it was Kenneth, she initially ignored it. However, the persistent knocking didn't cease. If it weren't for her concern about other family members being disturbed, she would have never opened the door. Daniel stumbled and would have fallen flat on his face if she hadn't caught him with her arms.
She asked him a question but he didn't respond and simply went straight to bed. Isabelle anticipated that he would undress since he usually couldn't sleep well while intoxicated unless he was naked. However, she had no reason to worry because when he was in such a state, he was incapable of doing anything at all. The man beside her was as naked as a newborn baby, and all she desired was to get some rest. She was exhausted, after all.
Several hours later, Isabelle awakened to the delightful aroma of freshly roasted coffee beans.
"Wake up, sleepyhead," he whispered.
"Daniel?" Isabelle immediately sat up, realizing that he was sitting very close to her, holding a cup of coffee in his hand. For a moment, she felt disoriented, as if she were no longer in her own room. Her eyes darted around, locating her luggage, which was indeed present. Then she noticed the difference in the wall color.
"I hope you like it here," he announced, and she couldn't help but wonder what was going on with him.
"Where are we?" she inquired.
"In my vacation house," he replied. "I'm sorry I couldn't inform you about our sudden trip, but I just wanted to distance you from my brother," he said through clenched teeth.
"Is it necessary?" Isabelle asked.
"Yes, if we want to salvage our marriage," Daniel replied.
"Daniel, my decision is final. We need to go our separate ways. You can be happy with anyone else, and I will try to find happiness as well. There's no need to prolong the agony," Isabelle explained, expressing her reasons for their separation.
"Let's give it a try, Isabelle," Daniel pleaded.
"Do you think it's worth it?" she inquired.
"Why not? You're the only one in my heart, and those women were just temporary flings," Daniel stated.
Isabelle smirked at his ridiculous reasoning, finding it utterly unacceptable. "You and I are fundamentally different. You claim to love me, but you've had multiple affairs since we got married. No, Daniel, I don't think we can go back to normal."
"Do you love him already?" Daniel asked.
"No! But I don't love you anymore, and that's enough reason for me to set you free. Just be happy with your new girlfriend and leave me alone," Isabelle replied firmly.
"Give me a month to fix this," he negotiated.
Isabelle pondered his request, deep in thought, carefully considering his proposal. Should she give it another try? "I don't think it's a good idea, Daniel," she finally said.
"Isabelle, please!" Daniel kneeled in front of her, begging.
"You don't have to do this! Just accept the fact that we're over!" Isabelle insisted.
"I can't live without you. Please, give me another chance," Daniel continued to plead, tears welling up in his eyes.
"One month," Isabelle agreed. "But do you really think we can start over?" she asked.
Daniel gazed at her for a moment, then smiled. "Of course, baby! We used to love each other so much. I believe it's possible," he claimed.
"Okay, we'll try," Isabelle assured him, willing to cooperate in revitalizing their relationship.
"Thank you, baby."
They spent the whole day cleaning the cottage, arranging the furniture, and tending to the backyard, where they had a small herb and spice garden. As the sun set, Daniel invited Isabelle for a cup of coffee on the balcony, which offered a perfect view of the sunset from its uphill location.
"I missed doing this with you," he suddenly mentioned, reminiscing about their past when they used to travel together to watch beautiful sunsets.
"Shall we go for a ride?" Isabelle suggested, hinting at exploring the area for the time being.
He smiled at her, and once again, she found herself captivated by his charm. Had she allowed his brother to touch her because she missed Daniel so much? She bit her lower lip, realizing that it might be the case.
Daniel agreed, and soon they were on the road, heading towards the nearest beach. He drove with speed, causing Isabelle to hold onto him tightly. She missed the old times, and throughout the ride with her husband, she regretted her involvement with Kenneth. She regretted everything!
"I'm sorry," she told him as they sat and watched the sunset.
Daniel held her hand and gently squeezed it. "It's my fault, baby. I neglected you all this time," he apologized.
Suddenly, the weight of her actions hit Isabelle. Yes, he had made mistakes, but she shouldn't have used his brother to hurt him. "Do you think you can really forgive me for being with Kenneth? It happened more than once, Daniel. I'm so sorry!" she confessed.
Daniel pulled her close, embracing her tightly. "We both made mistakes against our marriage vows, but if we work together, maybe we can salvage it, baby," he said.
Isabelle felt a sharp pain in her chest, a mix of fear and regret overwhelming her. She took a deep breath, considering every possible solution to her dilemma, weighing each choice, and trying to find the right path. Ignoring the pain, she nodded and allowed him to kiss her forehead.
"I'm not sure how we're going to start over, but I'm willing to try," she promised.
"Good," he replied.
After watching the sunset together, they decided to have dinner at a nearby resort, enjoying a sumptuous seafood meal. During dinner, they didn't discuss their current situation but rather talked about their future plans. They discussed expanding their business and the possibility of having a baby, although Isabelle expressed reservations until it was certain that Kenneth hadn't impregnated her.
When they returned home, the cottage was quiet, creating a perfect atmosphere for a fresh start. "I'll take a shower first," Isabelle informed Daniel as they entered their room. He nodded, removing his coat and hanging it near the door.
It was a quick shower to wash away the dirt from their earlier joy ride. When Isabelle emerged from the bathroom, she saw Daniel lying on the bed, covered by the quilt. She couldn't tell if he was naked underneath. When he looked at her, she smiled and walked towards the small closet to choose her nightwear.
As she joined him in bed, she noticed that his eyes were already closed. Thinking he was asleep, she turned to face the wall. But then, he placed his arm around her waist and rested one leg on her thigh, a familiar sleeping position from their past.
Isabelle expected him to try to caress her as he used to, but he made no such attempt. What if she took the initiative? Slowly, she turned to face him and traced his lips with her finger. Feeling bold, she closed the distance between them and kissed him. When he didn't respond, she used her tongue to nudge his lips and then gently sucked on his upper lip. Startled awake, Daniel pushed her away.
"Not now, baby," he said firmly.BD268