Chapter 2

Adrian left to meet some business partners. Her eyes scanned the opulent ballroom; nobody seemed out of place. Conversation flowed, laughter echoed, and a few steps away, Adrian charmed a group of investors with practiced ease. Isabella’s fingers tightened around her glass stem. A profound unease prickled her spine. She was no longer the sole focus of attention.

She exhaled slowly, maintaining a composed expression. There would be no scene, not tonight, not here. However, once they were home, she would no longer restrain herself. Adrian would finally confront reality tonight.

The drive home felt suffocating. Adrian sat beside her in the back of their elegant black limousine, one arm casually draped along the seat, the other occupied with his phone, likely responding to work-related messages. Isabella watched the city lights blur past the tinted glass, her thoughts racing.

The evidence was undeniable. Adrian’s personal account consistently paid for receipts from upscale hotels registered under Celeste’s name. Texts revealed whispered promises and late-night meetings. He had cultivated a second life, complete with a separate apartment lease. The DNA results were the most damning evidence. And Isabella had been completely unaware of its existence.

Her throat tightened. She turned to the man to whom she had dedicated her life, the man she had defended, loved, and fought for. He looked up at her gaze, offering a slight smile. “You’re quiet,” he observed.

Isabella’s heart screamed, but she forced a smile in return. “Just tired,” she replied.

Adrian’s eyes softened. His thumb brushed her wedding band as he reached for her hand. “Tonight was wonderful. You were flawless.”

The harsh laugh threatening to erupt was swallowed. Did he say that to Celeste, too?

Their vehicle pulled into their estate’s long driveway. The mansion’s tall windows glowed warmly against the darkness—the ideal home for the ideal couple. Tonight, however, it would become a battlefield.

As soon as they entered, Isabella turned abruptly, her voice breaking the silence. “Sit down.”

Adrian’s eyebrows rose. “What?”

“Sit. Down.”

He paused, sensing something in her tone. He slowly lowered himself onto the pristine white couch in the living room, removing his jacket. Tension crackled between them. Isabella stood before him, fists clenched at her sides, her heart pounding.

“I know, Adrian.” The words pierced the illusion they had maintained for years.

Adrian’s forehead furrowed slightly. “Know what?”

Her laugh was hollow and chilling. “Don’t deflect. Don’t mock me. Don’t lie.”

He maintained a neutral expression. “Bella, you’re not making sense.”

She produced her phone, holding it up and tapping the screen. Images filled the void between them: Adrian and Celeste in a restaurant, his hand on hers; the separate apartment he rented for her; Adrian leaving the apartment. Then, the final image—a fleeting shot of two children.

Adrian’s face remained inscrutable. He tilted his head, leaning back slightly. “Where did you get these?”

Isabella gasped for air. Don’t deny. No surprise. Remain calm.

She clenched her phone tighter. “So it’s true.”

A long silence followed. Adrian ran a hand through his dark hair, letting out a deep sigh. “I never wanted to hurt you, Bella.”

Her vision blurred as she exhaled sharply. But you did. You ruined me.

He leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees. “It’s not what you think.”

Unshed tears burned in her eyes. “Not what I think? There’s another woman. A mistress. Children. How is that not what I think?”

Adrian’s face was unreadable as he stroked his fingers across it. “It was… complicated with Celeste. It happened before our marriage.”

She stopped. Before? Her mind raced, piecing together the timeline. The twins were two years old. That meant—

“You knew,” she whispered. “You married me knowing you had children with another woman.”

Adrian remained silent. The silence was the ultimate betrayal.

Isabella felt her breath stolen. She stumbled back. “Why?”

Adrian stood, his imposing presence suddenly oppressive. “Because I love you.”

She shook her head, a bitter laugh escaping. “Love? You call this love?”

His mouth tightened. “This wasn’t… something I anticipated. I had no intention of—”

“Getting caught?”

His silence was answer enough.

Tears welled in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall, to break down—not in his presence. She turned and walked towards the stairs.

“Bella—wait.”

At the bottom of the stairs, she gripped the railing until her knuckles whitened. “Do they call you ‘Daddy’?”

The question hung between them, loaded like a gun.

Adrian took a deep breath. He didn’t answer. He didn’t need to.

The silence shattered something deep within her. Isabella forced herself to breathe, swallowing the lump in her throat. Without another word, she left Adrian standing alone in the living room and climbed the stairs.

The crushing weight of his betrayal descended upon him. For the first time, Adrian Marsden felt a sensation dangerously close to terror.