"What?"

Isabella never saw herself telling Charles that part of her past so soon. In fact, if she had a way, she would have made sure that he never finds out. But then… she just told him he was once a father.


Rather, she just informed him that he would have been a father if not for the situation surrounding her life then.

"You were carrying my child?" A visibly angry Charles asked as though wanting to be certain he had not heard the wrong thing. She gave a short nod to his question. "What happened then? Wait a minute…"

His head tilted to the side, his fingers danced in the air in eccentric circles as he seemed to reason something. "Isabella?"


"Yes Charles?" She wasn't surprised that tears were already falling from her eyes. She took a second to wipe her face before looking his way again.

"What you are trying to tell me is that, you were aware you had my child inside you, yet you agreed to marry a stranger. With my child inside you?" Isabella could tell he was trying not to raise his voice.


"Charles, I found out after I got married to him. When I found out, I was confused and I honestly thought of running back to you since being with Gabriel wasn't so amazing. But Gabriel found out about the pregnancy, so he got angry and I got angry too because of his reaction and in the process, he…"

The growing hardness in his eyes lessened instantly and he shifted a bit closer. "What did he do to you? He is the reason you miscarried right? What did that man do to our child?"

Isabella's chin bloated for a second as her crying intensified as the pain she felt back then kept tugging her. It then made her wonder if she would ever forget everything. Or would she continue to live her present with the past never failing to pop in once in a while.

Her sniffle brought her back into the reality and she faced Charles who wore pure concern on his face. "He… he punched me…" She gulped hard and released a painful gasp after. "He punched me right here."

She slapped her stomach several times, her head shaking as she felt really sorry for herself.

"Wh-what?" Charles showed a kind of weakness she had never seen before. His lips quivered as his shivering right hand left his side and fell right on her stomach. "Right here?"

She nodded. "After, he starting calling me names and he didn't stop dragging me on the floor. All I know is, after I got treated at the hospital, I went straight to my father. After a safe night with him, do you know what he did?" A bitter chuckle came from the woman.

"He drove me back to Gabriel's place while I was sound asleep. When I called him few days later after the doctor told me I would have difficulties when it comes to conceiving, he told me there was no way I could leave.

He said Gabriel will always find me even if I run miles away and that strangely scared me. And I found it hard to think of running away.

But you came along..." She wore a smile and faced Charles. As soon as she saw his face, Isabella almost started another bout of tears. Her hands came to his face and her thumbs did the job of wiping off the tears he had streaming down his face. "Don't cry Charles." She managed to smile as she said those words. "Crying doesn't fit you."

"It doesn't fit you either." Her face broke into a grin, her hands still not ceasing to wipe his soft face.

"I love you Charles," she blurted out as she found herself still caressing his face even after the tears were long dried.

His large hand left her stomach and he placed it on hers, sending more warmth than his closeness already provided. As he locked eyes with her some more, he asked, "Why did you have to suffer so much?"

"Hmm." She looked thoughtful. "Maybe it is my punishment for being stupid enough to marry a stranger because my father said so." Charles began to draw lines on her skin with one of his lengthy fingers. "I sometimes wonder why I didn't think of running away after my father dropped the marriage bomb."

"Did you even think of me at all?"

Isabella's eyes fell to the ground sadly as she replied, "After I got married to Gabriel, I tried hard not to. But I did anyway. And that made me feel so guilty."

"You didn't seem to feel guilty when we met again. You were majorly stubborn."

"I was actually a bit frightened," Isabella replied, her eyes closing after as she relished the feel of his finger over her skin.

"Of me?" Charles looked absolutely amused.

"No. I was frightened because I was afraid I was still in love with you."

"You could have greeted me with that instead. Do you know how red you were after I kissed you? You could have beat me up if you had the chance," Charles said, a bit of enthusiasm undoubtedly in his voice.

She pulled her hand away and gave him a small beating on his chest causing him to chuckle. "You don't have to say it that way. I wasn't angry. I was surprised."

"I really am the master of surprises."

Isabella let out a scoff. "You wish." Charles laughed again and drew her closer into his welcoming and homey chest. As a recall of her attitude from when they met again played in her head, she let out a small sigh before saying, "Thank you Charles."

"What for?" He traced his touch over her upper right arm.

"For not giving up on me."

She could feel him smile as his husky voice which made her insides stir replied with, "I could have never dreamt of doing such."

"What are you going to do about Daphne though?"

The man heaved a huge sigh. "I am certain she is lying."

She shifted so she could look him in the eye. "But you both had sex right?"

"Yes."

"Unprotected?" Charles cleared his throat and she smiled a bit. "It doesn't worry me that you were with her. That was when I wasn't in your life. So, please answer the question Mr. Oxford." Her eyes and voice teased him further.

"You are so… Never mind. To answer your question, I don't remember if it was protected or not."

"Hmm. I guess we have to wait till she gives birth then."

Charles frowned. "Why are you so calm about it?"

"Truthfully…" She leaned closer as though she intended to tell him a secret. "I might look calm but it is kind of chaotic inside my mind right now."

"Hmm." His hovering fingers came to her lips as he said, "We should do something about that."

"Yeah?" The man who was already leaning closer shifted backwards as his phone's ringtone filled the air. He didn't say much after he answered the call. So, as soon as the call ended, she had to ask worriedly ask if something was wrong.

He nodded slowly and hugged her closer before saying, "That was Augustus." Isabella certainly still remembered the man with the hat. "He just found out that Gabriel escaped from prison."