"I assure you, I will make this case a win for us all," Attorney Richard spoke, his naturally narrowed gaze wearing a small smile.
"You had better. I can't bear the thought of that Manifold guy being in Isabella's life at all," Charles replied, grabbing Isabella's hand after, giving it a warm squeeze.
The stylish man in front of them smiled as he took his eyes off their intertwined fingers which Isabella had relaxed into.
She was already used to having Charles around, nothing seemed to be wrong anymore.
"As long as the case remains solid, we have no problem." Richard adjusted his suit jacket, then combed through his hair which was carefully styled with curls here and there. "Honestly, as long as Isabella cooperates and gives us the information we need along with some admissible evidence, we are good to go. So, Miss Shade..."
Isabella tore her eyes from the weird paintings that decorated the office. There was a particular blue one that made no sense. "Yes, Mr. Richard?"
"The bulk of the job falls on you. So please, do not leave out any useful information."
"Am I giving my statement now?"
"Do you wish to?" Richard asked, his palms tendered.
Isabella's chest became heavy. Did she really want to relive every bad time with Gabriel?
No.
But if it meant gaining freedom, she was going to summon her strength and go through with it to the last detail. If possible.
"Yes," came her low voice. "I will do it." Charles's hold reassured her again.
Reaching for something in his drawer, Richard asked, "Do you mind me recording your statement?"
"No." Then he brought out a little dark-coloured device and placed it close to her after pressing a button on it.
Motioning towards the device, he said, "Whenever you are ready, Isabella."
"I don't even know where to start." She chuckled bitterly.
"Anywhere. Anyhow. Just relax, okay?" Isabella nodded and stole a look at Charles who was looking very worried. This time, she was the one that assured him with her gaze.
"Uh..." She drew a long breath. "Two months from now will make six years that I have been married to Gabriel. I still remember the first time I met him." She looked to the side as though about to watch the flashback.
"My father came to visit me in London with a strange man. After a long talk about how he was in serious debt, he finally told me I was his only resort. I was his only chance of getting out of the payment."
"How?" Richard asked.
Her eyes met his honey-like ones. "All I had to do was get married to the stranger and not only will the debt be cleared, but his company would also finally become mine. Story cut short, I got married, as you can see."
Looking down at her lap, she sighed, before continuing, "Life was hell with Gabriel. I remember a week after our wedding, I broke a mirror in his room and he did this to me."
Her hand drew back the sleeve of her tee shirt to expose a scar on her shoulder blade. A long line that almost curved its way to her back.
Charles shifted and stared at it, his anger not hiding anymore. "Why Isabella? You should have run away."
"You think I didn't try to?" The tears had come already and she could not hold them back. "Every damn time he hurt me during our first years together, I ran a lot. But nobody-"
Her trembling hands went to her lips as the tears came even more.
"Isabella you don't have to do this," Charles begged. His hold on her hand finally left and he cupped her cheeks gently, wiped the strand of tears on her small face, and cooed, "You don't have to do this."
She shook her head. "This is the only way, Charles. This is the only way I can run away from him for good."
"I know. But you can do this later." Isabella could see the ache etched on his heart in his eyes and that made her want to cry some more.
Sniffling, she shook her head again and said, "I will just do it now. I want to. Mr. Richard?"
"Are you sure you want to continue?" Even his round, quite shiny face looked sad. Sad for her.
"I am sure." She gave Charles a convincing look and faced the lawyer.
"Did you tell your father about the maltreatment?"
"He turned me back each time I did. I still remember him saying I had to endure it since I was in no position to bargain."
"But... Wasn't  he the one that got you into the whole situation?"
"Let's just say my father is a foolish, manipulative man. He is also wicked. Till he died, he never called me personally to know how I was doing." She sighed. The topic of her father could have her developing high blood pressure if she bothers herself with it greatly.
She continued, "Back to Gabriel, the physical torment stopped after a while. But one thing that never stopped was the emotional torture and the-"
As her torturous words paused, she felt as though Gabriel was in that room rushing himself in and out of her like he did numerous times. Isabella immediately reached for Charles's hand for support.
"Did Gabriel force himself on you?" Richard asked unbelievably. No response came from Isabella, but the tears that fell some more gave the two men the answer.
"Damn it!" Charles hit the wooden desk hard. "I swear-" A groan came instead of the bitter words.
Isabella closed her eyes as the tears came even more and the pain in her heart became more prominent. "He..." Trying to speak didn't exactly work at that moment. But she had to say something that would assure her freedom. "Some weeks ago, he for-"
Speaking about it wasn't going to work as she thought.
And the men understood her.
Charles asked, "Did it happen recently?"
"It was the day you asked me to marry you."
Charles hit the table again and threw his head sideways in anger.
"I think that is enough for today Isabella. Please..." Even Richard seemed to be lost for words. "Just go home, Isabella. I will take care of everything from now on."
"Let's go." Charles wasted no time and got up. "You need to rest."
Isabella whose sniffling continued was kind of glad that was all. She didn't think she would be able to cope if she had gone down to details.
Especially about...
"Let's go," Charles said again and grabbed her hand.
~
No one said anything as their feet walked them into Charles's room where she apparently would be staying in till everything was sorted out.
Almost having a blank mind that was getting desperate for some sleep, Isabella made for the bed. But a hold on her elbow drew her back and had her against the wall.
Her eyes met a set of worried and pained green orbs and she managed a small smile. "Hey, Charles," she whispered. Charles watched her still, a word not escaping him. "What is wrong?" she asked sadly. Her eyes blinked tiredly. "I need to sleep and-"
"Let me..." he interrupted her, then paused his response. Suddenly, his outstretched hands found support against the wall and he had her within his perimeter. Then he said quietly, "Let me protect you like this."
Her eyes fluttered.
"I will protect you from the world this way. Let me be the reason you will find peace again."
"Charles..."
"I don't mind if you call me Anthony. Just..." He bit his lip and ducked closer. "Just never leave me."
Isabella smiled and reached for his cheek. "I will be foolish to make that mistake again." This time, her heart fluttered.
Charles planted a quick kiss on her palm before saying, "Promise?"
"With everything I have."
"You will let me protect you?"
"I will let you love me too," she replied.
Then he smiled. A huge, cute smile that lit up her whole being. "I am glad."
"Me too. I..." His lips cut her short.
"Will you also let me take you? Should I pleasure you like never before?" he asked in between the heated exchange.
Tiptoeing for more access, Isabella smiled and said, "Yes, please."