From a distance, she watched, anger running through her veins.

How dare her son get married without her being there? Even if she did not agree to his choice, as his mother, she had every right to witness that moment that comes but once- well, except he divorces the woman and gets married again.


Even her husband who had informed her of the hurried ceremony didn't mention even subtly that she could come. Instead, he had asked her why she hated the woman called Isabella.

From the car which she stalked the duo, she noticed how wide Isabella's smile was and she definitely did not miss how transformed the woman was.

Why? Claire Oxford then wondered.


Why did it have to be her Charles could fall in love with?

She knew Isabella's type because she was once like her. A broken woman sold into an unwanted marriage where untold things happen. A bit of freedom was all it took Claire Oxford to become less stupid and realize there was more to life than the repeating craziness she was in.


When she got back on the streets with a smaller Charles on her back, she tried to survive. She would have found herself in prostitution had she not found Christopher.

Or rather, had he not noticed a homeless woman exposed to the cold while she cuddled her child with every form of warmth she could possibly give.

Christopher gave her a new life and she clung to it. But of recent, contrary to the love and affection Chris and her shared, she began to draw away. And it was all because of the re-emergence of her past.

As the woman relaxed into the leather seat, she realized she had found an answer to her husband's question.

A part of her feared that Isabella's taunted past will later come for her and when it does, her son will definitely suffer with her.

Claire nodded slowly to herself. Yes, that was it. No mother would love her son to suffer a slight bit. So, if Charles's happiness laid in getting rid of Isabella or her past or everything all together, she was going to do it.

And her son's twisted thinking wouldn't stop her.

"Let's go," she commanded the driver as she saw that Charles and Isabella had entered their car.

"To the airport ma'am?" The Australian accent could not be doubted.

"Definitely." She rolled up the window and decided to get her rest before the task ahead.

~

He did not let her make it into the room. He tackled her gown right from the entrance and soon, all she had on was the very two piece lingerie set the woman at the store had excitedly picked for her while reprimanding Isabella's choice of wardrobe.

"This is it Isabella," he growled from behind, still not laying his hands on her soft, eagerly waiting skin. "This is what could have happened had you not run away."

She bit her lip gently. Was he going to have her regret that day at that moment? He did mention he would do it in a way she would love. And she could only think of ideas.

If only he could just get to it. Her entire system had been yearning for a while. If she could recall well, it was after the charity event she actually began to feel that way.

While she engaged her mind in thoughts, her eyes caught an object flying across the room. So, she had to turn and what she met caused her legs to go weak.

Perhaps it was the dim light in the room that caused the change, but, Charles looked so good without clothes on. He usually did. But that evening… he looked like he and Adonis could compete without bias.

Nothing was lacking, nothing was in excess, he looked just right.

"Your turn," he thickly said. The look in his eyes showed that he loved the reaction he was getting from her. As she reached for the hook of her bra, he beat her to it and his fingers gave her that jolt she had been waiting to feel again.

Soon, her breasts became free and pressed against his hard chest which she could not wait to run her hands through again.

"Charles…" a small moan escaped her as his hands slowly slid all the way down. She thought he was going to touch her a bit because the look on his face seemed like it, but he just easily tore the soft material.

She could have complained- the lingerie set was not cheap. But she found his move a turn on. Holding his hot gaze still, she bit her lip as she got tired of waiting for his next move. So, she placed her hands on his torso and pushed him towards the bed.

It was easy to because he let her do it.

When his legs hit the end of the bed, she sat him down and straddled him, awed by how good being naked with him felt as though it was the first time.

"What now Charles?" she asked and slid her center over his shaft slowly, hoping to finally drive him into doing things to her.

"The floor is yours tonight love." He held a handful of her hair and had her stop her sensual movements with his other hand on her hip. "Do as you wish. After tonight, things will finally go my way."

Isabella's eyes wore confusion even though she felt excited. "You won't touch me tonight? I won't feel your hands run through my skin tonight?" she asked, her voice drawing with sexiness.

Yes, she still had it in her.

Charles smirked. "Be patient love. For now, do as you wish with me."

"B-but… I want you to touch me now."

"No."

"No? But you've been touching me all these days."

Charles was almost laughing and she hated that. "Bella," his thick voice started. "I am not saying I won't ever touch you. I will. But when I do, I want to make sure to remind you not to ever think of leaving me."

"Is that your revenge?"

"It is better experienced than heard."

"So what happens now?" She felt like a fool. She had been all excited.

And did he ask her to do as she wished? She didn't want that at all. Isabella knew how less fiery the intercourse would be if she was the only one doing the work.

He knew it too.

Damn. Charles sure did know how to torture her.

"You either touch me or we go to sleep." He definitely was torturing her and enjoying it.

"But-" His lips widened and she got off him while wondering his reason for asking her to strip. Why did he even strip?

Her hands ran through her hair as it all seemed crazy.

"Let's sleep then." She gave him a gruff reply and pulled the blanket over her naked body. "Look at the bright side though," he continued as he had his body moving towards her. "We are finally married."

Isabella smiled and she let him pull her into his own nakedness even though she knew how crazily annoying it will get when her body reacts to the firm contact.

But one other thing she knew for certain was that she finally was going to have a very good sleep after a long time.