It was too quiet in there.
Charles didn't expect chairs to be flying out of the room, but it was uncomfortably too quiet.
No one passing by would be able to suspect that the duo behind the doors was discussing something intense.
Restlessly, he began to pace the corridor. As he rushed air out of his mouth, Charles began to contemplate barging into the room.
His sudden presence wouldn't be hated by Isabella, so he might as well do it.
But before he could push the doors open, something told him to stay back for a minute or more.
Charles did as that tiny voice advised, his feet still hasty.
When Charles took a break from the seemingly endless pacing, he was about to walk to a nearby window when he heard a familiar feminine voice call him.
"Miss Sands." Her name rolled out of his tongue as though it was pure poison. After the crazy stunt she pulled, she vanished and his thoughts of punishing her disappeared as well.
But, as his hard gaze stayed fixed on her, he recalled the day he almost lost Isabella again and his hatred toward Christina Kane grew.
"Good day, Mr. Oxford."
Shyly, she stood in front of him, her hands clutching a mini purse whose off-whiteness matched her blue outfit.
"You haven't left."
It was taking Charles every nerve within him to desist from lashing out at her. He just couldn't get the image of her being so... sexual with him out of his head.
But he couldn't act rashly. Isabella was in the other room dealing with something more important.
His hands forming into fists, Charles calmly questioned her silence with a slight raise of his brow.
"I uh..." Her thick lashes batted seriously as she seemed to struggle to find a stable stance. Looking straight at him was a problem for her and that gladdened Charles who wanted her to feel guilty as much as possible. "I decided to take a small vacation to help me gather my thoughts together."
"Hmm." That was not the statement he expected from her.
Feeling highly disappointed, Charles eyed Miss Kane who failed to utter more words after her ridiculous statement.
The silence between them grew, and Charles started to find her presence greatly unpleasant. Quickly, his feet turned, ready to walk away. But her feverish voice stopped him.
"I am very sorry, sir." Charles faced Miss Kane and he noticed the welling in her eyes which wore a serious plea. Head ducked in shame, she continued, "I was stupid. I let my foolish desires get in the way. I shouldn't have done that. I deserve to be punished."
Charles scoffed. " You must have been insane. Of all things you could do, Miss Kane. Of all things."
Sighing as he stared down at her, Charles suddenly realised what he wished to do about her. Then, he said, "I am really disappointed, Miss Kane. Even if you wanted me that much, you shouldn't have teamed up with my mother. Can you see where that has landed you?" His frown deepened. "You don't have a job anymore. And, if I decide to put you behind bars, you will be left with a criminal record. And you know how that affects your future. So, what do you think I should do with you?"
"I-"
Charles did not ask that question to receive a response, so he cut her short. "I wish you all the best, Miss Kane. It was nice working with you."
Miss Kane sharply raised her head, her eyes bulged with shock. Taking a deep gulp, she stuttered, "S... Sir...?"
"Leave before I change my mind."
Charles turned and faced the door that he wished would hurriedly swing open.
He was more concerned about Isabella than the woman behind him.
Christina Kane walked out of that space after rolling out many apologies and appreciation.
But, Charles stopped listening to her after the first word she spoke and he had no time to check if Miss Kane had fully left that area because a loud scuffle came from the room.
Without double thought, Charles rushed into the room where he met Isabella standing above Ben Idoh who had two upturned chairs sprawled by his side, his entire body shivering greatly.
"Bella, what's going on?"
She ignored Charles's concerned words and bent her knees to focus on the man whose eyes were already fluttering violently.
"Why did you do it?" Isabella asked quietly, her voice laced with threats. "Why?"
"I..." The man began to make choking noises and that brought Charles's attention to the syringes that were scattered around Ben Idoh. They were all used.
"Do you think you can go this way?" Isabella moved closer. Without mercy, she clutched the collar of his shirt. "Do you think I will let you go so easily after all you have done? Uh?" She screamed and the man soon started to chuckle. " Is this funny to you?" Charles could see that her grip was getting tighter. "You freaking killed my father! You drugged him to death!"
Ben Idoh gave more chuckles which were soon easily interrupted by fits of cough. When his throat was slightly cleared, he began to talk. "Isa... Your father... he was a big sinner. H...He deserved it."
"You fucking bastard!" The air in the room grew still as Isabella lifted her right arm. Her trembling hand drawn in a fist, she was ready to deliver a huge blow onto the man's face.
"Isabella..." Charles moved closer to her to prevent her from doing something crazy.
Ben Idoh looked like he was moving closer to death's entrance. Isabella's touch would easily end Idoh's life and Charles didn't want that.
He desired to see the man pay for his crimes but he didn't want Isabella to get involved in making him suffer.
"Let's call 911," Charles suggested as his heart wrenched when he saw the great fury that rested on his wife's face.
As Isabella lowered her hand, her head hung and the room was plunged into silence.
After a strained gasp from Ben Idoh, Isabella got up and reached for the phone in his pocket. Charles watched curiously as she punched some numbers. When she was done, Isabella placed the device on Idoh's heaving chest.
"There..." The tiredness in her voice was something else. It made Charles wonder about the things that happened while he was outside. He also wanted to know how Ben ended up drugged. His curious and concerned thoughts were interrupted by Isabella's voice. "Speak to 911 yourself. If you survive drugging yourself, know that you will never have peace till you leave this world. If you don't survive... Oh well..."
Pausing her quivering voice, Isabella began to take steps toward the exit. Charles noticed the tears in her eyes that were threatening to fall and he was about to reach for her hand when she trotted out of the room.
Before he raced after her, Charles took one more look at Ben Idoh whose lips kept shivering, making it hard for the man to form a statement. Charles had no desire to pity such a soul.
All he wished as he pried his gaze off Ben Idoh was for the man to rot as he paid for his sins. He deserved that much after pushing Isabella to a place that almost became her grave.
Seconds later, Charles was halting Isabella's unstable footsteps with an embrace from behind.
When she relaxed into his hold, Charles nuzzled her hair. Isabella let out a light exhale and he hugged her tighter.
"Anthony..." The way she uttered his rarely used name made his heart squeeze. He could read her ache and he almost began to regret telling her the truth about her father. But it was for the best that she got to know about it. "Th... that man killed my father," she said, her voice shaky.
"And, he will pay for it," Charles assured her as he made sure his embrace had not failed. As though she would disappear if not held tightly, Charles increased their body contact.
"He overdosed my father and watched him die."
Charles soon realized that he had to get them out of that environment and he had just the idea of where to go. "Isabella?"
"Yes, Charles?" She sniffled, running her hands through her face.
"I want to take you somewhere."
Her head shifted to the side a bit so he could see the tears that managed to trail her beautiful face. "Where?" Isabella asked.
After placing a small kiss on her head, Charles soon dissolved his hold. With no desire to let her remain in that space for too long, he grabbed Isabella's hand and walked towards the elevator, determined to make her feel less shitty.