Revenge

The visit

Third Person's POV

Laurens and Elaine Stevens are having breakfast at the table. It is very quiet at the breakfast table this morning as both are busy with their own thoughts. Elaine's eyes looked red and puffy from all the crying last night, and she is still angry beyond words at her son, but she is a mother. Her heart is not happy about the fight with her son, but she is more worried about the visit she is planning. She knows her husband wants to go with her, but she wonders if she should allow him. He can be just as rude and stubborn as her son.

"Laurens, I think I must go and see Isabella by myself this morning. I just think it will be better if I can talk to her woman to woman." Laurens looks up from his breakfast, and he does not look happy.

"I think both of us should go, Elaine. After all, it is my fault. I am the one that made Paul marry her." He blames himself and his son for this mess. He should have known Paul was too young and immature to get married or take responsibility for a woman at that age, or ever! His son is a big disappointment at this moment. Paul is good in business, and besides the restaurants, Paul has also started a trading business on the side, and it is doing excellent. Paul has grown up the last few years, and he does not see his son in so many magazines and newspapers with a new girl in every photo. For the last few years, his son has been with one girl most of the time, and her name is Sandy. She is the daughter of Cliff Moore, the owner of the largest hotel group in the world, and he thought she might be the right woman for Paul, but Sandy is a socialite and only known for her famous father. She never achieved anything on her own. Now Laurens thinks that Isabella will be more suited for his son. She is responsible, beautiful, and has reached so much in just six years. He shakes his head as he thinks about it. It is just impossible. Paul messed it all up about six years ago.

 Laurens gets up with a sigh. Elaine got up as well. She hardly touched her food as she was very nervous about the visit to Isabella's office today. There is no denying it. The child is Paul's. He looks just like Paul with his dark blond hair and big green eyes. She thinks of the beautiful lady on the TV with her black hair and blue eyes. Her eyes were hard, and she did not sound warm and loving when talking about their family and the Johnson family. Elaine is nervous as she walks to the car, but she is determined to get to know this extraordinary woman and the little man that stood next to his mother while she was giving her speech. Elaine wonders if the little guy knows who his father is. She never got to get to know Isabella back when Isabella was married to Paul. She was unhappy about the marriage and thought her son could do better than the unattractive little fat girl. Therefore she never visited them back then. She also felt sorry for the poor girl Paul married and talked to Paul about treating her. Still, she could not get herself to go to Isabella and speak with her as she felt guilty that her husband and Isabella's father made the poor girl marry Paul. She knew her son, and she knew he would never be attracted to Isabella. After Isabella left, she never tried to contact Isabella either as she thought it was better for Paul and the poor Isabella if they went their separate ways.  Her heart is breaking inside her as she thinks back. If only she knew back then that the poor girl was all alone and had a baby. She would have stood by Isabella, and she would not have let her be alone in this world. No wonder that Isabella has turned into this cold woman. She was alone with a baby and had to build a company all by herself. The woman Isabella turned into must be because of what had happened to her that night. Isabella did not even dare to contact Elaine because she was never like a mother to her. Elaine has deep regrets about the past, but it is too late for regret now, and she must go and beg Isabella for forgiveness. Even if Isabella does not want them to see their grandson, she will understand that it is their own fault, and they deserve not to be part of Isabella and her son's life. She can only hope that Isabella will not hold it against them after all these years.

As they pull up to Charlie's Place, Elaine has a determined expression on her face as she gets out of the car. She wants Isabella to forgive her, even if Isabella never forgives her son or her husband. Elaine has no illusions about a happy reunion. She walks into the restaurant, the person in charge of the front of the house walks over to her and her husband.

"Good day, Sir, Madam, may I please have your surname?"

Elaine looks at him and says, "We do not have a reservation, and we are only here to talk to the CEO, Isabella Johnson."

He looks at Elaine and asks, "Do you have an appointment with Miss Isabella?"

Elaine looks at him and says, "No, but please tell her Mr. and Mrs. Stevens are here to talk to her, even if it is just for five minutes."

He walks away, and after a while, he comes back and says, "Miss Isabella will see you." So he walks in front of them and leads them to a big office on the restaurant's third floor. He takes them to Suzie, and she leads them to a big door, Suzie knocks on the door, and a cold voice of a woman answers and says, "Enter."

Suzie opens the door and lets them in. She looks at Isabella making her eyes big as she closes the door behind the couple. Isabella looks at Suzie and smiles coldly as she turns her graze to Laurens and Elaine Stevens. She never really had anything to do with them back then, but she knew that her father and Mr. Stevens planned the marriage and she was not happy having them here, but she also knows that she will have to face all of them one by one at some time or another, might as well get it over with.

"Mr. and Mrs. Stevens, please have a seat." She says, looking at them coldly, showing them to a seat in front of her desk. She does not ask what this visit is all about, as she already knows. It is about Charlie. They want to get to know Charlie, and she is not going to allow it. She wants nothing to do with them and does not want any relationship with the Johnson or the Stevens families. Her only goal is to destroy them. She looks up and looks at Laurens first. He seems uncomfortable, and then her gaze turns to Elaine. The older woman's eyes are still a bit red and puffy from all the crying the previous night.

Before they can say anything, Isabella speaks, "If you are here to talk to me about MY son, you are wasting your time, I have a copy of the divorce agreement, and I know my rights. Neither you nor your son has any say over my son."

Elaine looks at her and says, "We know Isabella, but we were wondering if it will be possible for you to forgive us. We were never there for you. I never made an effort to get to know you back then, and it is my fault, not Paul's or my husband's but mine. I should have been more of a mother to you." Isabella looks at her her eyes show no emotions as she starts crying again. Finally, Isabella gets up, takes the holder with tissues from her table, and holds it out to Elaine, but she says nothing.

"Isabella, we do not care if you are out to destroy our business. That is something besides the point, and it is only business, but please, we want to get to know our grandson." Laurens now speaks.

Isabella looks at them, and although she is not an unreasonable person, this was her son they were talking about. She is not willing to let him become like her brother or Paul, and letting these people into his life may turn him into those two as these people were the ones who raised Paul after all.

"I am really sorry, but my son will not become like Paul, and letting you into his life is a risk I am not willing to take. My son is fine without his father, he never knew him, and he never will, he is fine without grandparents, and I will never let him be spoiled by the likes of you or my parents. I love him. He is the only person in this world who has always loved me and that I have always loved. We never needed you, and we never will. I do not hate you, but I also feel no obligation towards you either. You do not owe me anything, not even an apology.  After all, we hardly knew each other back then. All I ask of you is to please leave my son and me alone." Elaine burst out crying again, and Laurens looks like he just got a slap in the face.

He gets up and says, "Sorry we wasted your time Isabella, come to Elaine, we are not getting anywhere here, and it does not help you sitting here crying. This woman has no heart for older people who just want to see their grandson. Yes, Isabella, we made mistakes with Paul, and we regret it every day, but I thought that at least being a parent would soften your heart towards two old people."

Isabella smiles and says, "Do not play the guilt game with me, Mr. Stevens. Six years and none of you cared where I was or what happened to me. You did not care whether I was dead or alive. So now that you know I have a son, all of a sudden, I am good enough for the Stevens family? You know your way out."

Elaine looks at her husband as if she wants to kill him. Now he has done it!

She walks over to Isabella and says, "I can understand why you do not want us to see your son Isabella, and I am sorry for my son's and husband's behavior towards you. I am also sorry that I was not there for you all those years ago, we will not bother you again, and I will make sure Paul stays away from you and your son. Thank you for seeing us, and I am relieved that you do not hold grudges against us."

Elaine gets up to go with her husband, and she puts her personal card in Isabella's hand and says, "If you ever change your mind about giving us a chance, please give me a call, or if Paul does not leave you and your son alone, give me a call."

Elaine takes her husband's hand and walks out with him. The two older people look defeated. For a second, Isabella's cold heart almost melts, and she wants to run after them and say she has changed her mind, but then she thinks of Charlie, and she is not ready to take any chances with her son's life and his happiness. Her face turns cold again as she looks at them as they walk out.

She turns to Suzie, and Suzie says. "Charlie's school called. They want to see you after his classes."

Isabella frowns and asks Suzie, "Why?"

Suzie looks at her and says, "Charlie fought at school."

Isabella sighs. This was his first day in school, and he fought. Maybe she should not have kept him out of school and home-schooled him all this time. Isabella sits in her office. She wonders what Charlie fought about at school. She gets up when it is time to fetch him and drives to his school, not looking very happy.