Love Made Me Do It

12. I Need A Name

Isabella stood stunned watching Charles in front of her, who had a keen mockery plastered over his face that seemed to hold a challenge for her.

He held his gaze right over her face, wanting to shove out how far she must had heard.

She simply smiled at him and bent down, picking up his phone, walking towards his desk and keeping it towards his side, stretching back, she picked up another phone off the desk.

"Told you, couldn't get hold of my new phone." She laughed out a little and Charles shared a curt smile.

"I'll see you some other time." She smiled at him and walked out of the room, Charles studying her for once as she finally walked out.

Isabella scurried her feet, her heart palpitating inside her chest, palms sweating, the hair on her nape standing erect.

Throughout the whole drive, her mind played flashbacks of time when she first met Charles. He was always sweet and kind to her. For the past three years their meetings had been cut short to only seeing each other at the time of something important related to her mother's condition which wasn't improving.

She had never sensed his behavior to be possessive over her, the way he did today.

Her mind was numbed throughout the whole day, laying on her bed, she kept thinking about what she heard Charles saying over the phone. He definitely was prescribing medicines that would alter someone's mental health. And the mere thought of it scared Isabella.

She got up and walked towards her home office, which was a small cornered room at the end of the narrow hallway and had only a table console and a backless couch resting against the wooden framed window, while a small swivel chair rested near the table. She pulled the chair and opened  her laptop. She went through some files that were her mother's medical reports.

Charles always did her the courtesy of sending her mother's reports to her by email. Isabella couldn't afford to visit him, knowing Alex wouldn't appreciate while she told Charles that she was too busy with business, to pay him often visits.

She never scrunched too hard about the reports and only guessed that nothing much changed about her mother's conditions but today after listening to Charles, her mind was filled with dread, reading through the reports and noticing how they were awfully similar with no new tests other than certain scans and blood levels performed on her mother every month. They seemed like the same reports with changed dates.

Her heart panicked. Picking up her phone she dialed her college friend, Cheryl who was working in logistics in a psychological institution in New York.

She was in constant touch with Cheryl, who had also offered help regarding her mother but Isabella trusted Charles due to his professional and polite behavior.

After catching up on each other's health, Isabella decided to bring her concern in light.

"Could it be possible that a person's delusional behavior could be induced with medicines?"

Cheryl felt confused at the sudden question.

"What do you mean? Is everything alright?"

"Yes, just asking for a friend. She... Umm..."

Isabella felt confused, she wasn't thinking when she dialed Cheryl's number. She was just panicking.

"Her boyfriend has been acting unusual ever since he had started taking some medicines so she wondered if it could be because of those pills."

"Well... It depends on the nature of the pills and the intensity of the behavioral problems."

"Which means...?" She lingered her concern, biting her lips with nervousness.

"Well it depends on how much a person's behavior has changed. If it is severe then the medication was directly targeting the brain that could cause complete psychological changes but if the person only has certain impacts on short term memory loss or insomnia than it's most definitely just some side effects."

So far Isabella did get an idea about the situation she was creating within her mind. But she wanted to make sure if it was crucial enough to be true.

"And how do you know if it's the medicine that makes then behave this way?"

"If there is no trauma prior to the intake of the medicine than it's definitely the medicines. Otherwise you always have blood tests to testify it."

Isabella sighed looking towards the scratched wooden surface of the table that she had nervously scrunched with her nails.

"If I get you the blood sample, can you get it tested for me?"

She asked, nervous but determined to dig to the core.

"For my friend. Her healthcare just expired and they can't afford so..."

She immediately covered up,

"Of course, there won't be any problem. Just let me know when will you visit?"

"Soon!"

____________________________

Entering inside Alexander's office, she was unflattered to find the place empty.

The large mahogany desk, California wood furnace coffee table, the Rexine black couches centering whole adjacent to it was his table that stood ahead of the matte black ceramic shelf.

She kept her bag on the coffee table and walked towards the large glass wall that extended throughout one end of the room flashing the view of the entire city.

She called Alexander for lunch. Ever since her discovery of Charles's potential harm to her mother for some unearthed sinister reasons, she had been in complete state of turmoil and wanted to discuss some information out of Alex as he was the one who had urged her to necessarily stay away from Charles. She wanted to know if his demand had a specified reason or some pettiness over his possessions.

Alexander informed her that he was busy for lunch so she didn't push and decided to pay him a surprise visit which she barely ever did. Besides she was desperate and he was leaving for God knows how many days that would make it impossible for her to hold her curiosity.

She walked towards the mantelpiece and studied the pictures, frames of certified excellency awarded to Alexander for his brilliant work in business. She noticed how all of his picture were around from college and ceremonies only. There was only one picture with his mother standing at his graduation ceremony. In her three years with Alex, she had calculated one thing - that he didn't get along with his father.

She heard the office door open and turned to see Alexander walking inside but having a thin slender feminine arm wrapped his arm.

Something ticked inside her. For all she didn't expect Alex to stand her up for another woman and that also to be.... 

Isabella scrunched her gaze noticing the sinister smirk on Mckenzie's face, as if proud of a victory.

She sternly looked at Isabella and noticed her gaze stuck on Alexander's arm and purposely tighten her hold around Alexander's arm.

Alex stood shocked to see Isabella inside his office. She barely ever came to the place and that only if he had summoned her but to see her standing inside his office, whilst he told her he would be busy. He noticed her scornful expressions as she gazed death upon McKenzie's hold on his arm. 

He cleared his throat, freeing his arm from McKenzie's grip and looked at Isabella, without sparing a glance at Mckenzie. 

"I think you should leave, I'll see you at the airport." He informed her. 

McKenzie who had just had the perfect lunch date with Alexander, even though it was strictly business, she still enjoyed it. As Alexander didn't rush through the whole thing and seemed interested in everything she said. Now, she was rendered scorned and bitter because of Isabella's appearance and Alex's sudden cold shoulder. 

But McKenzie was never to hold her head low, she nodded at Alex, before sparing a glance at Isabella and turned at her heels, not before taking a small pause and stretching out on her toes and reaching for Alex's cheek, placing her plum lips softly on his freshly shaved jaw, she pressed it firmly and stood straight, "Thank You for a wonderful time." 

Isabella rolled her eyes, annoyed of McKenzie trying to be as petty as possible but only looking desperate for Alex's attention. Alex noticed how Isabella seemed angered and jealous and a slight smirk appeared on his face. 

He held McKenzie's arm and pulling her closer, he kissed back her cheek, even taking McKenzie by surprise. This triggered Isabella's anger even more. She thought about the time this morning when Alex was being nice to her and now seeing him being cozy to a woman he clearly knows has feelings for him, quaffed Isabella's heart. 

Picking up her purse, Isabella stormed out of the office, while Alex only felt funny. He liked how Isabella was jealous, finally he got a hint that even she felt something other than hate towards him. McKenzie stood at a distance from Alex, waiting for him to say something but realizing that he might get rude again, she also decided to bid him a farewell. 

As soon as McKenzie got out of the office she saw Isabella waiting inside the elevator, seeing this as a golden opportunity, McKenzie rushed towards the elevator and got inside while there was another man; probably an employee. As soon as his floor came he got outside the elevator while Isabella felt an awkward tension, she also felt a wave of anger generated inside her heart that she didn't want to exist. She was here to discuss something important with Alex who again succeeded in diverting her off her plans. 

Classic Alex - always want to be the center of attention!

Isabella thought bitterly but suddenly realized that it is indeed Isabella herself that eventually fall for his petty traps. 

She was swindling in her own thoughts when she felt McKenzie turn towards the mirror of the elevator, fixing her lipstick. Isabella rolled her eyes, she knew it was another one of McKenzie's trivial attempt at prompting Isabella was about to happen. 

"What a wonderful day!" McKenzie sighed, while Isabella awkwardly pouted looking ahead at McKenzie's reflection in the elevator door, where she caught Isabella's sight as well.

"I wonder what happened to your head." McKenzie stated looking over the bandage at Isabella's head. 

Surprisingly, even for Isabella, she just remembered about her wound and felt even more tensed that Charlie didn't seem to ask her about her injury. Something about that didn't sit right with Isabella. 

The elevator doors opened up and Isabella walked out, stuck in her thoughts of as to what was wrong with Charlie and then Alex as well. She was irritated how he didn't bother to stop her or sent his secretary behind her to get her back to his office. She wanted to discuss plan A with Alex and that was getting her mother moved from Charlie's institution. But as now Alex would be gone for a while, she had to resort to plan B. 

While McKenzie darted outside the building in to her BMW, smiling ear to ear.

She took out her phone, and saw through her rear view mirror, Isabella leaving the parking lot. She dialed in a number;

"Oh My God! Crys.... You won't even believe what just happened." She chimed, connecting her phone to her air-pods, letting down her sun roof of the car. 

Crystal sniffed her breath in for a second, "Mac, I am really not in the mood right now..." 

McKenzie snorted a laughter, ignoring Crystal's shaky voice, "Pfft! What I have for you, it will definitely cheer your mood."

Crystal remained silent for a second wanting McKenzie to say something good that might actually cheer a very disturbed Crystal.

"I had lunch with Alex, he was all over me and then we went back to his office, where... wait for it... Isabella the w***e was there and Alex kissed me in front of her..."

Crystal remained silent and it was in that moment she realized that she had been so blinded by her arrogance and glitz, she always looks down on Isabella as a low life person due to her lack of social class. If anything Isabella had saved Crystal's life and not just that but also put her own life at risk. 

"I have to go..." Crystal cut off the call and immediately got off her plush pink bed, standing under the candle spiral blue chandelier, she dialed Emerald's number. 

Emerald's phone lit up on the night stand as it silently vibrated. She grabbed the phone and saw the caller name, she rolled her eyes in annoyance. Somehow, she believed that Crystal was a spoiled brat, who just stuck around Emerald because of her parents' high status and glam. If like Isabella, Emerald also belonged to a middle class family, Crystal would never had cared for Emerald as well and created troubles for her just the way she did for Isabella. 

Keeping the phone back on the nightstand without answering the call, Emerald sat straight up. It was day time yet still she was in her bed, wrapped in her silk lingerie, looking at the man in front of her, standing in the wall length mirror, fixating his tie. 

Emerald, clutched the sheets of her bed in palms, nervous as asking the man she loved with all her heart, what she had been lingering to ask for a while. She cleared her throat and grabbed his attention. 

Nicholas stopped fixing himself for a while and looked over at Emerald through the mirror, her long slender legs resting over the messed up sheets of the bed, painted pink toes, perfect smooth skin of her body, everything about that woman screamed perfection. There was not a single time in his day where he didn't think about f*****g the living brains out of her body and she was an antidote to his exhaustion. But a part of him also revolted her. 

"I was supposed to be at a shoot!" Emerald complained just as the usual and Nicholas ignored her. "You sent a car to pick me up, now what the f**k am I supposed to tell everyone when they will ask me why the f**k did I violated a contract?"

"You didn't seem to be thinking this while I was f*****g you." Nicholas retorted coldly. 

Anger peaked inside Emerald's veins. She looked over at the nightstand where a bottle of her vitamins rested, picking it up she threw it across the room towards Nicholas. He angrily dodged it, making the glass bottle hit the wall, shattering with a loud thud. 

Ignoring Emerald's petty attempts at attention, Nicholas continued fixing his cuff links. 

"I need a f*****g name!" Emerald scream on top of her lungs, "I need a name, I can't continue being your f**k partner in front of the world." 

"Then hide it!" Nicholas stated casually. "You were the one who wanted to show it to the world!" 

Letting go of an angered breath, Emerald looked up to him, "I need a name." 

Nicholas stood watching her through the mirror for a while and realized it was one of those times where she was going to become stubborn again. Taking a deep breath and composing his posture, he turned towards her and walked up to her. Bending over her a little, he grabbed her chin, pulling her face close. 

"You come to me for a good time..." He hissed looking venomously into her eyes. 

Emerald tried pushing her face back, getting away from Nicholas but he only tightened his grip around her chin, "You knew from day one what this was, so don't f**k with me! you come to me for a good time and don't mind me putting my d**k inside you without a name."

Clenching her jaw tightly for once, he let go, looking over her shoulder on the nightstand, "Pick up, it's Crystal!"

Emerald felt annoyed at how he ordered her, but she also didn't had any other option. If complying to his demands was the only way she could keep him around, she was ready to do that as well.

Just as Nicholas walked out of the room, Emerald picked up the phone, "Yes, Crystal!" She said in a dry tone. 

"Hey Em! What's up? Where are you?" Crystal asked in a lousy tone. Usually she was compulsive and persuasive but today she seemed to miss that in her tone and that somehow triggered Emerald's concern.

"Crys.. what's going on?"

"Could we go to Isabella's place?"