Chapter 8

Isabella's POV

Honestly, I didn't want him to keep pestering me at all.

Facing this hypocritical man, I felt like all the air was being sucked out of my lungs.

"I didn't go anywhere. I was just resting, Julian. Don't you remember? I've been working night shifts for a whole week. I needed sleep."

"Resting?" He let out a cold laugh. "Isabella, stop talking nonsense. I already went to your room—there was no one there!"

"It's such a huge estate. Who says I can only sleep in my own room?" I met his gaze without backing down. "You wouldn't understand, Julian. Sometimes I wander into other rooms. Perhaps there are some unexpected surprises to be found there."

Julian's jawline tensed so tightly that veins visibly throbbed at his temples.

I knew he understood what I was implying, but hypocritical people, beyond their hypocrisy, are even better at refusing to admit their guilt.

"Enough, Isabella. Stop with this useless talk. Just tell me honestly where you went yesterday. You should know that everyone spent the entire night searching for you with flashlights in that dilapidated estate of yours where only the front hall has electricity!"

"Oh, then you must not have used the right method."

I tilted my chin up slightly. "If you had used a 365nm wavelength ultraviolet lamp—UV-A, that is—you might have found some... other things."

Julian's pupils constricted sharply.

As an attending physician, there was no way he didn't know what I was talking about.

In darkness, that specific wavelength of light could clearly reveal traces of semen stains.

His expression instantly turned ugly.

He knew I had seen it.

After several seconds of silence, he finally spoke, his tone carrying a hint of impatient explanation. "Isabella, Clara and I were just having casual fun. You know how it is at those kinds of occasions... had some drinks, and things easily just..."

"Is that so, Julian? I don't recall my parents' personally arranged invitation list including that woman. If she didn't come with you, I can call the police right now and report her for illegal trespassing!"

After things had been said to this extent, he was still trying to muddle through with me?

He might as well say that because my family's estate was too old and decrepit, some insects or something might have crawled into Clara's vagina, so he had no choice but to personally give her a gynecological examination—that would be more convincing!

"Enough! Isabella, stop talking to me in that sarcastic tone."

He frowned, as if all the mistakes were on my side.

"So what if I really did sleep with Clara? Don't talk as if you care about me so much. If it weren't for the fact that as the future heir of the Hawthorne family I could help your Kensington family share the burden of those enormous debts, with your pride as a noble young lady, you wouldn't necessarily be so devoted to being with me either."

"Well, you're right about that."

I looked directly into his eyes and said word by word, "As long as someone can help me pay off the debt, I don't necessarily have to marry you."

In truth, I felt no sense of rebellious satisfaction in my heart—only a nearly numb sadness.

All those genuine feelings I had tried to carefully approach him with and give to him could be casually reduced to a transaction of interests.

He so matter-of-factly used the word "mercenary" to interpret all my compromises and affection.

As if by attaching the label of money, he could betray and hurt me without any psychological burden.

Julian, you'll never know—what truly made me feel despair wasn't your act of betrayal with another woman, but rather how you used this condescending attitude to personally crush to dust that last little bit of hope I had for you.

It was you yourself who, in the most vicious way possible, let down my feelings.

Just then, Julian's gaze fell on my left hand.

More precisely, it fell on the vintage-cut diamond ring on my ring finger.

He froze.

Those eyes that always carried arrogance showed, for the first time, pure shock and bewilderment.

"That ring... Isabella, why are you wearing that ring?"

But the next second, he suddenly raised his head, his eyes turning dark and furious.

"Damn Adrian Hawthorne! I knew he was still the same complete fraud as before! An incorrigible libertine!"

He suddenly closed in on me, warning, "Isabella, you don't actually think that by wearing the ring he stole from his grandfather, you can legitimately claim to be a daughter-in-law of the Hawthorne family, do you! How ridiculous. You probably don't even know what disgraceful things this shameless bastard has been doing abroad all these years."

"Damn it, last night when your Kensington estate's old butler Robert said you got in his car, I even thought his old eyes were playing tricks on him."

"Isabella, have you really fallen so low that you'll throw yourself at any man who crooks his finger at you?"

Just then, urgent barking suddenly came from outside the door.

Lucas had somehow rushed upstairs, his shadow moving swift as lightning.

He positioned himself in front of me, a low growl rumbling in his throat as he barked wildly at Julian.

"That stupid dog again!"

Julian lifted his foot with disgust on his face, wanting to drive it away.

But he underestimated Lucas's determination to protect me. Lucas lunged forward and bit down on the edge of his leather shoe.

"Ah—! You damned beast!"

Julian shook his leg awkwardly but couldn't shake him off no matter what.

"Let go, Lucas."

I crouched down and, imitating how Adrian had done it in the car earlier, gently patted Lucas's head. "Good boy, calm down. That's enough."

He obediently released his bite and retreated behind me, still watching Julian alertly.

"Julian, I once thought I could marry into the Hawthorne family with dignity and become your legitimate wife."

I stood up and raised my left hand, letting the ring refract cold light in the dim illumination. "But I'd rather have this ring placed on my finger with dignity than have it shackled on by your disgusting fingers."

"Julian, let's break up."

His face turned ashen and pale, and he seemed to want to say something more, but I didn't want to hear any more nonsense.

I turned around and mercilessly drove him out of my room, then shut the door behind him.

The lock clicked into place with a snap, isolating all the noise and sordidness outside.

I pulled Lucas to the bed and quickly rummaged through the clothes and daily necessities I needed to take with me.

My movements were fast and mechanical, but at some point, my vision suddenly became blurred.

Warm liquid fell onto the back of my hand without warning, burning so hot it made my chest ache.

I didn't want Adrian to see me in such a wretched state.

So I crouched down, buried my face in Lucas's soft neck, rubbed against it hard, and said quietly to him, "Don't tell Adrian, okay?"

Lucas seemed to understand my grievance.

He lay quietly at my feet, resting his fluffy big head on my knee, his warm tongue licking the tears from the back of my hand again and again.

I wrapped my arms around his neck, feeling the warmth radiating from his body, and finally couldn't help but cry out loud.