Love Made Me Do It

8. How It All Started (Part I)

Isabella groaned in frustration sitting over the leather couch right next to Emerald, who held her hand as a medic applied medicines over Isabella's wound on the left side of her head that was also previously injured when she visited her mother.

The large office room was entirely sparkling with mahogany and ebony black wooden furniture, the darkness subsiding within the aura.

Sitting in the left corner, near the large wall length window, Isabella looked out, avoiding everyone else, cutting the loud clatters and arguments going around the place.

The large mahogany desk was centered over the north corner of the office, where Nicholas stood leaning against it, wearing a formal shirt over his trousers, his sleeves rolled up and his forehead creased with anxiety as he talked over the phone.

Alexander stood at a distance, right corner further away from him near over the black rexine the couch near the entrance door. While Crystal sat sobbing over the couch.

As soon as Alexander arrived at the place of unfortunate incident, Isabella lost her consciousness but gained it once he laid her inside the car.

She tried moving but he tightly held her shoulders making her stay still, "Don't you dare move! You've got a lot to explain."

He hissed at her, grabbing her shoulders too tight making her wince in pain.

They arrived at Nicholas's Mayoral Office, which was the safest and securest place they could've found at the moment of distress.

"How long had he been chasing you?" Alexander asked pacing towards Crystal who had tears messed up her entire face.

Isabella heard the voice and looked up at Crystal's direction, opposite to the female medic's direction who was tending to her wounds.

"Don't move." the paramedic whispered softly at Isabella.

Crystal sobbed silently and for the first time Isabella felt pity for her. Pity that she could relate to getting the unwanted attention Crystal got from Jesse.

"You can't go back and change that..." Emerald said in a raspy voice. Her head and arm bandaged from the wounds she had when she was mishandled by those men.

"Just focus on what happened now and try to stop it from happening again." She suggested in a bored tone.

Alexander turned towards Nicholas, passing a fuming gaze. Understanding the fiery tone of his eyes, Nicholas walked towards Emerald.

"You should go home." He said in a calm tone that everyone in the room sensed had a secret meaning behind it.

Emerald scoffed, getting from her seat and walking towards the large wooden door. "I'll wait outside the office."

She understood whatever the conversation was going to happen, she wasn't going to be involved into it and so wasn't Isabella. They were just showing Isabella the courtesy of letting her rest as she was the one who saved them from the horrible night.

Emerald stood outside bored, resting her aching back against the cold ceramic wall. The black leather couches were also present outside the assistant station but Emerald didn't just want to sit.

She heard confused footsteps, rushing towards the scene. She straightened up and saw Mr. And Mrs. Brandon Mayhew, rushing who had dreaded expressions covering their faces.

What Emerald found surprising was the fact that Mrs. Amy Mayhew, the woman who was in her fifties and still had the same grace of her young age, with a little wrinkled skin and streaks of grey in her hair, rushed past Emerald without even glancing a slight look. Emerald knew how much accepted she was by the entire family, much more to Isabella's presence and Mrs. Mayhew's odd behavior only grew her tensed. 

While Brandon Mayhew who stirred behind her, still spared a glance at Emerald, acknowledging her presence but moved further on inside the room, following his wife. His persona, still carried that dark and dominating presence, making a mark of his presence inside any room. 

Just like the one, he entered in and saw his wife hugging their daughter, while his sons stood near the golden frilled desk, imprinting an image of the post-trauma scene. He joined his sons, while he kept a firm acknowledgement of Isabella's presence. 

He had a full blown idea about his son Alexander's involvement with the woman. He never had any one on one interaction with her nor he knew the nature of the relationship his son shared with Isabella, but something about that woman always irked him. Channeled his instincts that there was something tormenting inside that woman that could bring havoc to his family. 

Ignoring Isabella, Brandon leaned over to his son's side. 

"Is he alive?" He asked, looking at Alex.

He nodded his head curtly, "Do you want him to stay alive?"

Brandon spared a glance at Nicholas who shook his head negative, "Not a very smart choice."

"Who else was there with him?" Brandon questioned now looking over at his daughter, who sat shivering and sobbing in his wife's arm. He knew how much traumatized his little princess was, as he never exposed her to the demonic world, he himself grew up in. 

"The senator's son." Nick pounced effectively. 

Brandon nodded his head and then looked at Isabella. The medic was done with her and packed up her stuff, leaving her sitting back over the couch, where she leaned and closed her eyes, trying to dissipate the pain, in her sore muscles.

"Who shot?" He asked looking back at Alex. Brandon did had an idea about the whole situation but he still urged, to see Alex's response to the entire situation.

Alexander and his father never went along, but he knew the key to his power that he now holds to control lives of people was just a spare ones, he was nothing until Brandon held the original key. 

"Isabella had a gun." He notified his father, truthfully. 

Brandon nodded and patted Alex's shoulder, "Did you know about that?"

Alex's muscles went stiff at the peculiar question his father chose. But he didn't budge or showed any subservient, just what his father was pushing him into. 

"Yes!" 

Brandon nodded his head, letting go off his shoulder and turned towards Nicholas, "Emerald is standing outside, take her home. They'd had enough for the night. I'll take Crystal and we'll decide tomorrow what we have to do with The Paytons." 

_________________________________________________

The entire car ride from the Mayor's office to Alexander's home was simply silently perplexing. Isabella's head was spiraled with thoughts, while her guts were wrenched in anxiety. She knew, Alex's unusually quiet behavior wasn't in terms of her sympathy to her injury. He barely cared even if she had ten inches blade stabbed in her back; He would still snarl a comment or f**k her from behind. 

She knew it was his silent message, asking her to prepare for the storm that was to come. But Isabella had reached to the point where she didn't care even if he took her by force, she was too dead to react.

She wasn't like this, in fact, she was the one to breakdown easily when she graduated and moved back to Cherwood. 

Managing her father's business was the biggest obstacle in her way to survive. She had little to zero idea, about the whereabouts of any thing. Her mother was submitted to Dr. Louisville's institution and there were no signs of her recovery as her behavior was getting only more and more compulsive. 

The doctor's couldn't put any trigger to Pamela's mental breakdown, while Isabella was stressed when her father/mother's old assistant Mr. Brown visited her two weeks after her return back to Cherwood. 

"Ms. Grace... I know you have missed a lot of opportunities in life to come back to this town and continue this business."

He stated, fixing his thin framed squared glasses, over his wrinkled skin, pushing back the strands of grey streaks, messed over his forehead while he sipped the green tea Isabella served him. 

She sat from across him, wearing a worn out cardigan inside the same living room where her mother had tried hitting her during her mental attack.

After noticing her lost-ness, Brown cleared his throat a little too loud and she almost shook her self to be attentive and listen to him. He passed down a file towards her, that was thick enough to give Isabella another anxiety attack. 

"This has all the information on the company's investors and partners. After your father's death and now given to your mother's condition..." He paused, knowing what a grieve matter it was to the beautiful young girl who now seemed stuck, in a never ending deadpan whole. He almost pitied her but he continued, "...many investors are pulling back."

Isabella shook her head, almost shock at the revelation, "But aren't they the one to stick through this... I mean... we need them." She almost didn't know how ridiculous she sounded to Brown, who shook his head. 

He knew that his boss had never involved the mere beauty in his business and now this was the one go down in history, with a soon to be dulled expiration date. 

"This is not how business works... At least not in this town." He c****d and Isabella felt more than even confused. Her anxious brain unable to settle at any thought. 

"Anyways... I came here to notify you about my two weeks notice." He pondered on what he had actually come to fulfill his duty for. 

Isabella's mind unnerved as she realized what he was talking about. She nodded her head, taking in his words. "You should try to settle in the accounts for many of our employees, who have many years of service pending towards the company. And you should do this before our accounts hit the negative."

She steadied her brain, finally grasping to his words, "How much time do we have until then?" She gulped, trying to get as much information as her clouded brain could have. 

Brown felt a little anxious at her attentive behavior but chose to ignore it, "If we could save four of our biggest investors, then we don't." 

She nodded her head, "How much chances do we have of saving them?"

Brown felt rather intrigued at her calmly instinctive manner, "Ten to fifteen?" 

She nodded her head, "Can you leave me your number?"

___________________________________________________________

Standing outside the glass wall, Isabella held back her tears, studying the woman wearing a grey hospital outfit, hair messed out with grey prominently showing, roaming around aimlessly in the huge room, which contained only one grey rectangular table and a steel chair. 

There were several pictures of serene sights, laid still around the table but the woman with disoriented condition chose to roam between the two black walls. 

"Her behavior has been the same."

Isabella heard Dr. Charles speak behind her. She turned around and saw him giving her a weak look. She nodded her head and moved out of the observation room, while Charles followed.

"You know you cannot give up." He nudged at her, while she stood in the wide silent corridor, leaning against a wall. 

She held her tears back, looking over at the monochromatic LED ceiling. Sniffing back her sobs, she nodded her head, "Can I get the receipts for bills?"

Charles gave her a skeptical look, "You don't have to worry about that!"

She looked at him for a moment and then towards the far end of the corridor where the green doors were held and nodded, "I have to. If I don't then no one will."

Shaking his head, Charles, took her to his office. Offering her a seat, he called onto his assistant to organize to for the receipts. Charles noticed how Isabella's mind was wandering with much compulsive thoughts but refrained to pass any comment. 

Once his assistant had provided him with the bills, he passed them onto Isabella, leaning against the desk in front of her and holding her hand as she was about to give them a look. 

"Your insurance is already covering for it..." He gently caressed her soft skin, "And even if there is any problem with the insurance company, you don't have to worry about your mother's bills..."

Isabella cut him by getting up and getting her hand free of his grip, which seemed reluctant to let her go off, "Thank you, Dr. Lousiville, honestly, I have no idea how I would've survived for this long without you but now... I really need to do somethings on my own. Thank you for taking so much special care of my mother and I hope to continue her treatment with you." 

She smiled and turned to left, Charles sat peacefully, watching her go. He gritted his teeth, wanting to punch a hole through the wall and let out his frustration and tell Isabella right away what his real motives were but he didn't want to scare her. At least not for now. 

Entering inside the large spacious cubicle office, Isabella had an idea about everyone's gaze at her but she ignored everyone's stare and continued her way towards the main office. Passing down the fogged glass separation, Isabella entered towards a station that had two offices sat up right next to each other.

"This way." Brown offered and led her inside the larger one.

She was no Familiar with the scent and essence of the place. And it didn't even feel like home.

She saw the leather swivel chair and a knot of anxiety tightened around her guts.

Sitting down at the white leather chair, Isabella gestured at Brown to have a seat opposite to her. 

"You still have thirteen days left at my place." She stated and he nodded his head.

"I have a number of tasks for you before you leave."

________________________________

Isabella stood inside her office, wearing the black coat over her pencil skirt, with a sleeveless chiffon turtle neck black top sticking to her body. She looked up at the blank wall, where she had posted as much as information about her partners and investors, gathering all the information with the help of Mr. Brown, preparing herself before hand for the meeting. She had no idea how she will convince a room of businessmen, who were holding their spikes, ready to attack her the moment she would enter the conference room.

But she had to take her chances.

Gulping down her fear, her gaze went up to another paper, stick to a corner. It was Pamela's institution bills. Isabella had collected them earlier from Charles, because she wanted to keep a keen eye on that, to motivate herself. If her business was to go down than the insurance was to pull back as well. So she had to save the business for her mother.

Breathing in one final time, she walked towards the conference room and gulped hard, noticing the rows if vicious men staggered their gazes at the young Gazelle, who was just as much of a prey to their harsh predetermined depositions.

She stood ahead of the table and cleared her throat finally speaking.

"I know many of you are here to pull back."

A whisper of laughter and scoffs escaped the room.

"And I'm not here to stop you."

Her statement did get everyone's attention, as the men were stunned by her bold and careless aura. But they were definitely intrigued just what Isabella wanted.

"But do remember this... None of you was anything when my father started this business."

"But it doesn't mean we have to sacrifice ourselves when this business clearly isn't going anywhere now."

A hard voice spoke up, and Isabella recognized the old bulged man to be Dante Payton. Jesse's father. He was the old head of security real for Cherwood and now was a businessman, who controlled the imports and exports of the city. All courtesy to his loyalty to the Mayhews.

"That is what you think!" Isabella c****d back. Displaying the presentation behind her on a projector, showing the stats. "... It never went down, we can still work it up."

"We are not idiots, we know Toby never got you into business." Another one of the investors spoke up. 

Isabella didn't let that shatter her confidence and stood confidently, "And there is no more Toby. That's why we need to focus now. Grace Bakers is the largest chain of bakery supplies in Cherwood, even if you invest somewhere else, the consumer trust and name that my father built over all these years, no one can do that. It would take years. So why go somewhere else when we can do better than we were?" 

She then started putting forth the plans, she had for the future of their chains and many of them did seem interested, by the end, she was pretty confident she was able to convince many of the investors, at least those who mattered. 

Once the meeting was over, many people agreed to extend their contracts with the chains, but the lease would be only centered around two years, giving Isabella another chance. Once everyone left, Isabella noticed how a young man who was previously sitting right next to Dante, stayed back. She noticed her blond hair and blue eyes, his sharp features already giving her a nostalgia as she recognized him.

He finally looked at Isabella with a snarling smirk, that told Isabella he was a screwed head. He walked up to her and extended his hand. 

"We haven't met formally, I guess?"

Isabella passed a cold smile, "Jesse Payton, I am guessing?"

He smirked, sensing her aloof attitude which did intrigue her, "I must say, life did a good number on you. Six years ago, I honestly wouldn't have pictured you this way." 

He gave her notorious look, grazing her head to toe. She noticed his perverted gaze and gulped down hard, swallowing her anger from hitting him across the face. 

"Well, neither had I." Isabella commented coolly and turned over her heels towards Mr. Brown.

"I see you did an effective thing today." Jesse called her, making her turn towards him, "... But I can get you a something better."

Isabella c****d at him, signally him to complete what he meant. He smirked viciously, "The Mayoral's ball, Friday night. City's biggest investors will be there. I don't have a date. We can accompany each other. I see it as a win win."

Isabella smiled softly at him, "I will clear my schedule and let you know."

She walked back to her office, followed by Brown. She stood by the window and looked outside, though she stood at a height of fourteenth floor, she could still see Jesse silhouette, leaving the premises of the skyscraper. 

"Shall I go to this ball, with him?" She asked Brown, whom she knew was an entrusted man. He was leaving her enterprise for another better opportunity and she didn't blame him. 

"Well... if you want me to honest; Jesse Payton, doesn't carry a nice reputation with the ladies but he does have a lot of contacts."

She nodded her head, turning towards him, "Can you do me another favor before you leave?"

Brown nodded, "Recruit someone as your replacement. Find me another Brown, if you can."

Mr. Brown nodded, his head filled with pride about his hardship and how Isabella didn't dissipated years of his loyalty to her father. 

"My daughter Anna, had recently graduated from Berkeley, if you may not mind, you can interview her." He referred. 

She nodded her head, "Call her in tomorrow."

______________________________________________________

Isabella's palms were sweating heavens, she hadn't imagined facing so many people would be that difficult. Everyone around the place looked at her as if she was alien and those who knew her; looked at her with sympathy. 

She hated spending each and every moment inside the hall that was filled with sparks and glitters, giving her an anxiety attack. 

She remembered how beautifully her parents used to blend with people and carried out conversations. She was always an outlandish to such places, her ambitions never catered what she had achieved now. She never wanted this. 

"Hope you are enjoying?" She heard Jesse's voice, ring besides her ear and noticed her was too close to her. She slightly moved sideways, creating a gap between them and nodded with a small smile. 

She shrugged, if anything Jesse had been the worst company, swirling around other people whom Isabella distasted to her core. 

Jesse grabbed a few drinks and excused himself again to join another group of hissyfits.

Isabella groaned almost grabbed her throbbing head and sipping through her margarita. 

Her gaze roamed for a moment around the room, until it settled down on a familiar figure; his tall and broad shoulders, fitted inside the coat, endorsing his tall height. The familiar dark of his eye, caught with Isabella, his hair puffed and studded. But she knew it wasn't him. His gaze wasn't just as sharp as she knew it to be. The presence of Emerald in his arms, notified that it was Nicholas not him. 

Emerald looked at Nicholas and followed his gaze at Isabella. She whispered something in his ears and excused herself from the group of people that had centered them and walked towards Isabella, who knew Emerald's gaze was hawk and taunting. 

Emerald passed her a fresh glass of cocktail with a sharp smile. Isabella accepted it and noticed how she was stunned and sharp. She had seen some of her new features in different magazines and her rumored relationship with Nicholas. 

"Who would've thought, we'd see you again." Emerald c****d at Isabella, looking over the glass of drink.

Isabella gulped hard, feeling nervous over Emerald's attention towards her. She wasn't much important to have someone like Emerald's attention on her. 

"Heard you are re-building your father's business?" Emerald c****d at her. 

Isabella nodded silently. 

"Your mother went cuckoo?" She smirked again. This boiled Isabella's blood. This wasn't the first time anyone had thrown that question at her tonight but the way Emerald put it, felt stinging so Isabella decided to ignore her.

Emerald leaned ahead and whispered into Isabella's ear, "Nick could help you with some investors... But first ask me to have some mercy on you." 

She gave Isabella a cold smile, who stood confused at her words. She couldn't put a perfect frame to Emerald's words but it surely had a warning in them.

Emerald looked over Isabella's head, "Oh what a bad date you have been the whole night..."

Isabella looked ahead and saw Jesse standing right next to her, wrapping an arm around her waist.

"She was getting bored so I decided to give her some company." Emerald smiled coldly and gave a stern look to Isabella and left the two alone. 

"I thought you were enjoying?" Jesse squeezed on to Isabella's waist, which made her feel uncomfortable. 

Getting free of his hold, she turned towards him, "I feel tired, I will call it a day."

She left him behind and walked outside, passing the valet her number, who ran to grab her car. She stood outside the city hall, even though it was mid summer, yet the night carried a chill in the atmosphere. A black, dark tinted Maybach stopped in front of Isabella and a slim blond passed besides Isabella and went inside the car, as the valet opened the door for her. 

A silhouette of a man flashed in front of Isabella's eyes that was enough to leave her heart in turmoil. It was enough to give her entire body goosebumps as she wondered if it was really him or just her mind yearning to see him. As she hadn't seen him throughout the whole night.

The car roared away and the valet finally came ahead with Isabella's car. The entire night she couldn't sleep and shifted uncomfortably on her sides; wondering if the Maybach was really His?

On Monday, when she went in her office, she was greeted by her new assistant, Mr. Brown's daughter Anna. Hiring her was Isabella's best decisions as Anna proved herself to be loyal and trustworthy enough to be a companion of Isabella in her professional problems. 

Anna informed her that about thirty of their investors have sold their shares to their enterprise without informing them, which now left Isabella with only fifty-one percent of the shares, which was only the ownership of the chains, while the rest of the power was in the hands of a major buyer, who had anonymously bought all the shares overnight.

It didn't only scared but confused Isabella, as who would be so determined in stumbling such a centered business. She knew however did this had the power and influence enough to break through connections and buy the shares but what she didn't get was, why attack her business?

"Call our accounts head and his team; prepare a meeting with them and also call our finance head; ask them to find out about this buyer." She ordered Anna. 

The whole day she spent, lost; thinking what will she do, if the buyer was some eccentric who would want to sell her business off. She couldn't afford any foreign investment or pressure on her business as personally she was still turmoiled between her mother's condition and maintaining the name of her father's business.

Throughout the whole meeting, everyone suggested her to compromise with whoever the new investor/buyer is and convince him to stay put; as their business was in a sensitive state to face any other clash.

Her finance head, the old bald Paul, finally came to her office at four and informed Isabella, leaving her heart as vulnerable as it could get.

"The new investor is Alexander Mayhew. I was contacted by his team an hour ago. I wanted to tell you right away but they made me push it further as they sent me further details. They stated that they want to put the shares up for open investment."

Isabella gulped hard; she knew if her shares go out open in wallstreet, her business would be left more than vulnerable. She couldn't afford her business turning into a stock market black joke.

"Can you get me a meeting with Mr. Mayhew?" Her voice shook as she dared to ask that question. 

Paul shook his head, "They have asked you to visit him tomorrow at three."

______________________________________________________________

Isabella's hair were tied in a neat bun, her face had minimal of makeup, she wore a suspender's skirt black and white dress. Sitting in the large waiting area, her heart drummed loudly inside her chest, her anxiety growing by multiple folds as the clock begin stricking quickly towards three. She heard clicking of footsteps approaching her and finally stopped near her. 

"Ms. Grace? Mr. Mayhew is ready to see you."

Isabella nodded her head and followed the short, sleek, mid-aged assistant who took in Isabella's phone and finally opened the door for her to enter into the den of the devil.