Love Made Me Do It

11. I Will Protect You...

"What is it?"

Alexander mumbled, taking his seat over the swivel chair and looked over his butler, Ray.

He wasn't any usual, old man butler. In fact, he was a mid-aged, ex-militant, a kung-fu pro bub, with a tall and chiseled physical appearance.

"It doesn't belong to Ms. Grace..." He announced in his thick Australian accent.

Alexander c****d at him, giving him an annoyed look, gesturing him to finish it out at once.

Even Alexander had an idea that it wasn't Isabella's gun. He doubted that Charles might had given to her.

Ray cleared his throat. Even though he was highly skilled yet he was afraid of Alexander being his master, he had seen him kill. It doesn't take much of his brain to think before he kills anyone.

"The gun is an old .45 mm pistol, bought in 2004 by Pamela Grace."

This caught Alexander's attention.

"It is a licensed gun, bought under the reasons of personal security and even her father, Mr. Toby Grace, possessed a shotgun which was confiscated by the police after her mother's, mental breakdown as she used the weapon to try to kill Ms. Isabella."

"When was the shotgun bought?" Alexander asked, trying to get a clear picture.

"Also in 2002. And the guns in the bullet are also those from 2004. It has never been used. Ms. Grace used it the first time last night." Ray concluded.

A little beam of satisfaction dinged inside Alexander's heart that indeed Isabella wasn't keeping it for him. She already had it. If she were to hurt him or use it against him, she could've done that years ago. Maybe she also doesn't want to hurt him!

That little hope was enough to calm Alex's swindled mind.

He breathed in, relaxing a little on his seat. "What about Dr. Louisville?"

"He's in Morocco on a conference, it would be around twelve in afternoon over there."

Another sensation of calmness rushed through Alexander's heart that Louisville was not around town when he contacted Isabella.

Which only meant, she was only trying to tease Alex and get on his nerves.

"Keep an eye on Louisville, once he comes back, inform me about every move of his."

He ordered Ray. Alex still wasn't going to let Charles get away from his eyes, he doubted man's motives regarding to Isabella.

He'd known about him, as his mental institution ran over Alexander's funds but the day at the charity ball, where Alex took Isabella as his date and Dr. Charles was also there.

He came up to the couple, when Alex waa holding onto Isabella's waist, sensing it was her fourth drink and she was drinking too compulsively, to get wasted. Alexander removed her glass off her hands once she was finished and sniffed the glass. It was strong vodka.

"You take another sip of alcohol and I will screw you bad." He glared at Isabella, definitely disappointed in her obnoxious behavior.

They'd been together for almost a year now and Isabella only got on his nerves.

She only nodded her and submitted, as her head felt light.

"Ms. Grace, it's lovely to see you here."

The two turned towards a viciously calm voice of Dr. Charles who stood all studded in a suit, sparkling in his Armani.

Isabella passed her a small smile, her head still feeling a little too dizzy. Sensing her smile to the young man, Alex squeezed her waist, making her jerk into his chest.

Charles gawked at Isabella, his eyes lingering over her face, studying her eyes that looked at Alex. Charles eyes traveled down to the crest of her perfectly molded breasts, her curves through her dress that flashed the skin over her hips. There was a flame of jealously in his eyes when he studied Alexander's hold over her bare skin.

He cleared his throat and smiled, looking at the couple, "Do you mind if I may take Ms. Grace for a lovely dance?" He pointed towards the dance floor.

Alex noticed the unquestionable desire for Isabella in his eyes, he was about to say no when Isabella stepped out of Alex's brave and offered her head, "Of course, he wouldn't."

A warm smiled played over Charles's cold face as he took Isabella towards the dance floor.

Alexander's eyes burned watching Charles hold her, touch her bare skin over her curves, roam his eyes freely over her body.

On their way home, Alexander drove like madman. The high-speed of his Ferrari, quivered Isabella's heart but she dreaded the agonizing look on his face that screamed that he wanted to kill someone but remained menacingly silent. She wanted to question his mood but something told her that his behavior has to do something with her. At this point she wasn't too aware of his actions and his threatening silence that pointed towards a wavering storm.

Once they reached his Penthouse, he got out of the car without even sparing her a glance. Her lips quivered with fear, sensing he might hurt her. She was still scared of him, somewhat deep inside her mind.

After spending a good ten minutes in the car and weighing her options she decided to go upstairs into Alex's Penthouse, she knew running off would only piss him off even more.

Once she entered inside the luxuriously large, living area of the wide apartment, she saw Alex standing towards the large window that shadowed the view of the entire city, his hand resting against window pane while his other held onto a scotch. The sound of her heels clicking against the marble tiles, denoted her presence in the room.

Still keeping his posture still, he took a sip of his drink;

"You remember three months ago, when that investor who tried to make a move on you in your office, during a meeting, where I wasn't even in the city?"

Isabella remembered that young blond entrepreneur who came up to her and even asked her out for a date and tried kissing her. But she clearly remembered no one knew about the incident, other than her assistant Anna.

"You ever wondered, why didn't he come back?" The venom in his voice evident.

Isabella always thought that maybe her refusal made the man never come back but now she highly doubted that to be the only reason.

"He's rotting in a low grade company in San Francisco, a job I fixed for him after I ruined his little business for him and had his leg and arm broken."

Isabella remained awfully silent, her body trembling with multiple thoughts about Alexander's words and the warning behind them.

He turned towards her and walked upto her.

"I did that to him when I only heard about him trying to touch what belongs to me. Now imagine, what would I do to your precious lover boy..." he grabbed Isabella's chin and pulled her up, "... Dr. Charles Louisville... Isn't it?" He c****d with a vicious smirk and Isabella's eyes filled with tears.

"There's nothing..." She tried reasoning out and it only infuriated him more.

He jerked her face up, "I wasn't done talking." He hissed, "... Now, if I ever see that lover boy lingering around you ever again, I will do things that you wouldn't like."

Pushing her back, he threw her over the couch. Gathering her thoughts she questioned.

"But he is my mom's..."

"I know!" he cut her off, "I know he treats the psycho lady but be it! i don't care. If you have to move the old lady away to some other mental institution just tell me! I don't give two flying fucks." He bent down, pushing her face back into the headrest as he spoke in a treacherous tone, "But you are never! ever to see him again!"

Sending her one final warning, he straightened up and walked towards the large wooden staircase, halting his steps midway, "I don't expect you late in the room."

Isabella's closed her eyes, grabbing her head in her hand, every single moment of her life that lead to that one flashing right through her eyes. She let tears run down her cheeks, her silent sobs, hurting her trachea, forcing her to cry out her pain but she swallowed the lump inside her throat and got up, walking her way upstairs.

_______________________________________________

There was a series of compulsiveness, the flashbacks, the memories it all seemed to real to her. Her eyes again remained stuck at the unbeknownst figure in front of her, Her heartbeats rushing adrenaline through her body, her body surrounded by nothing but vacuum, as she felt out of breath, looking at the bloodied back of a man inside what seemed like an expensive leathered seat of a car. 

The man laid limp, making no movements. In the same scenario she remembered an unknown man, the same bloodied back, turning towards her, his face covered with scars and wounds and protecting her from that incoming truck that sped like a jammed brick on the accelerator.

But now, the man didn't move. Isabella gasped as she felt the shotgun seat move and Alexander turned towards her, moving a huge body off him, what seemed like a chauffeur. Alexander's entire face smudged with blood and a large scar over his left eyebrow. He moved backwards, holding Isabella's face in her hands.

"Don't worry!" the usual cold seeth of his voice was lost. There was a sense of breathlessness in his voice yet his tone was soothing for Isabella.

He moved his hand from her cheek. The traces of blood over his palm visible to her. While his hand went towards her belly, reaching her lower abdomen and holding her, "I will always you protect you two...!"

His figure cut off by the blazing speed of the lightning truck that honked it's way towards the road and crashed right into them.

Isabella gasped out loud, opening her eyes and laying still on her bed. Her breath unnerved and her body shaking from the impact of her nightmare. The same one she kept having reoccurently but only a different this time. It was't the limp man protecting her but Alexander. 

The thing felt absurd to her. An impartial picture of her subconscious that was still adamant at making her believe that Alex wanted no harm to her. Which she highly doubted but to believe. 

She tried getting up from the bed but her head stifled with an agitating amount of pain, specially her wounds from last night. She shifted slightly and felt a hand over her back, assisting her to sit up straight. She looked up and saw Alex standing over her side of the bed and helping her to sit up straight.

She gulped hard wondering if he had been there the whole time, and watched her as she jerked out of the nightmare.

The sudden image of his fiasco last night flashed through her eyes and anger soon took over her. But before she could've retreated for his behavior, Alex extended out his hand with certain pills on it and held a glass of water in his other. 

"Have these before breakfast." he said in a calm tone. 

Isabella didn't have much energy in her to argue or fight so she simply took in the pills and gulped them down, still keeping a snarl over her face. 

Seeing the frown despaired on her face, Alex sighed slightly, deep down he knew he had screwed up bad and let Isabella's complicated mindset, takeover his, as he may or maynot have slightly overreacted. 

He bent down and sat right next to her, while she kept her gaze fixed on her hands in her lap, all the while sensing his movements. 

He gently patted her bare thighs, as her nightgown slipped past her skin. She shifted in her position slightly and he noticed her more than usual cold attitude. He finally let go off a knotted breath, anxiously and spoke up;

"You should've told me about the gun." 

She finally looked up to his face and realized it was Alexander's cold way of apologizing. He never said sorry, not matter how wrong her might have gotten in any situation, perhaps a small 'It was a misunderstanding' but never a 'Sorry'.

Isabella let go off a small cold laughter, "You should've known, I knew you would figure it out eventually. But again, you barely think with your brain." 

Alexander passed her a cold glare, his hand snaked around her neck and pulled her nape closer, "Perhaps I don't. Particularly when it comes to you." He smirked and brushed her lips against his. 

The desire to take her underneath him and make senseless love to her was indeed too much, looking at her bare body, covered by the silk cloth that wrapped beautifully around her curves and perfect cold hardened molds that peaked under the flimsy material of her gown, but his eyes roamed around her face and he noticed the small skin-cut scar right corner to her lips and band-aid wound on her right temple. 

His other hand slightly ran over band-aid wound, gently studying her skin underneath. Her painful expressions were enough to define how deep and irritating the wound was to her. He removed his fingers off her scar and moved his hands away, positioning her back to lay down on the bed, which came as a surprise to Isabella. 

For once, she thought he was still going to have his way with her like he always does, he never cared even if she was sick or injured but today seemed like an exception, where Alex seemed to not only be cautious about her injuries but also seemed to be taking care of her, as his touch seemed gentle and he didn't push over her boundaries by his snarly comments.

Studying her fatigued body once more, Alex realized she needed nothing more but complete rest. 

"You should stay here, Lana could take care of you and once you feel okay, you could leave for your own home." Alex settled with his statement once, leaving Isabella once again astonished. 

He never cared to give her options or speak soft with her. He just gave his orders in his usual stern tone and neither did he ever shared any reason on inside intel with her, just like he was at the very moment. 

"I will be leaving for Rome tomorrow so if you go to your house today, then I'll probably see you after I get back." He announced as he got up and crisp out his suit jacket and stood tall, walking towards the doorway, only to stop and turn towards Isabella, pointing at the small square box placed over the wooden mantelpiece over the corner fireplace. He then finally exited the bedroom, walking his way outside the manor, into his car. 

Throughout the whole way, he kept thinking about Isabella, how he softened towards her. He was still agitated about her stubbornness over not telling him about the gun, but her act of bravery in defying her life, just to save Crystal's life, who infact always had her end up in trouble. She bled herself just to save Crystal and Emerald. If that wasn't being crazy enough, Alexander than understood nothing beyond that. He suddenly did respect her for being courageous and brave.

His car stopped in front of the large City Tower. Getting outside, he got inside the City Hall, guided in by his security into the Mayor's office, that was an exigency point last night. His brother talked over the office phone, once he noticed Alex entering. Setting aside his phone he exhausted up, seeing Alex walk all crisp and afresh while he still rotted in his now disoriented wrinkled button up and trousers from last night.

"Didn't sleep?" Alex questioned, walking towards the minibar and fixing himself a bourbon.

"Your clothes seem pretty fresh for a s**t faced person." Nick retorted seeing the dark shadows underneath his brother's eyes. 

Alex stifled a reply and simply passed him the drink and noticed the empty Steuben placed on Nick's desk.

"What's the situation?" Alex asked, taking a seat right across Nick. 

"I just got off the phone with Mom. Dante's been blowing up my phone the entire night asking to forgo his son. He was already shot twice in lower and upper limb, courtesy to your girlfriend." Nick added on purpose, his gesture was enough to let Alex know what he was referring to.

"It was her mother's. An old one." Alex roughly elucidated.

"Anyhow... Now Dad is neutral on the situation while Mom wants Jesse, behind the bars." 

Alex shrugged, "Why would Dad be neutral?" He inquired. 

"And Mom be so adamant?" Nick disputed. 

The two brothers nodded their head, grasping on the bone of contention.

"Do you think there's more to it, that the old lady and man are hiding from us?" Nick added.

"There isn't any other explanation." Alex predicated.

"What could it be?" 

Alex ran a finger over the rim of his empty glass, "Whatever it is, if we were to know, they would've told us by now. But let's just pray it doesn't involve the Paiges."

"Why would it involve...?"

"Do you ever wonder, why Jesse never looked like his Father or mother?" Alex put in the question randomly, making Nick growl in confusion.

"Why does any of this have to do with this situation and the Paiges?"

"I don't know, but if you come to think about it; neither his mother, Shelly nor Dante, has blond hair or blue eyes."

"What are you trying to imply here?" Nick's wariness evident in his tone. 

Alex shrugged, "If I come to think of it now, Dante never appreciated his son's participation in his business as much as he did for his other son, what was his name again?"

Nick knitted his eyebrows in confusion, sensing that the conversation was headed towards a moot point, "Christian?"

"Yes, Christian, weird guy. Though, father-alike, in features and so does his other daughter. But Jesse, oldest son, weird as ass different looking among the entire family." 

Nick gave his brother a curt, "So, you think there's more to the story."

"Definitely more than we know."

_____________________

Sunlight sparkled into the large living area, crossing the enormous glass window, reflected off the surface of the shiny blue water.

Inside the room, mahogany furniture with Roman couches centered around a wooden coffee table, while shelves and mantel pieces enhanced to the decor of the room, with a specific maroon mantelpiece decorated right on top of the fire place.

Amy Mayhew sat one of the couches, looking right outside the window, across the lush green lawn decorated with white stones for pavement, leading right into the ocean.

She still wore her night gown, holding a cup of coffee in her hand, her situation disheveled, her mind turmoiled from the events of last night.

She felt a soft rub on her shoulder. Startled, she turned to see her husband taking a seat besides her. She let her head rest over his arm on her shoulder, lingered for his touch, that still nerved her reckless brain at times of disaster as such as the one, they were facing at the moment.

"You didn't come to bed the entire night." Brandon reminded his wife.

She sighed and shifted in her seat, turning to look at him, "How could you expect me to sleep?" Her expressions reeking of stress.

Brandon stifled in his spot, he knew his wife was correct in every manner to react as such but he also needed to think, wise through his brain and not let his emotions win over him.

" I understand, Amy." Brandon mumbled but was cut off by Amy.

"Then why don't you tell Nick to put that asshole behind bars."

Brandon stifled another sigh and scooped a bit away from his wife, "Dante has done a lot for this family." he reminded his wife about Dante's self-less duties for the security of this family.

Amy groaned, rolling eyes and holding her tears back, "That was his duty and we were not threatening his family and besides since when Dante started caring about Shelly's son? As long as I can remember that kid was always a matter of trifle between the couple."

Brandon held back his anger from snapping, he knew the situation needed an immediate solution but he also knew his wife was being completely selfish.

"Dante might seem to not care but he cares more than his own blood about..."

"Eric's blood?" Amy c****d which made Brandon into complete silence.

The name still twitched anxiety and triggered memories for the couple, it was still a matter of grieve for them.

Amy scoffed continuing her point, "Jesse just proved himself as his father's son. Just like his father..." she paused, remembering the sinister man and his deeds that crumpled the entire family at once.

Listening to Amy's words Brandon stood straight, "I have made my decision, I am going to give this chance to Dante for his duties to this family. As soon as Jesse will get out of hospital, he'll leave Cherwood."

With that Brandon walked out of the living room but Amy's words halted his steps.

"And what makes you think, he won't come back for Crystal."

Brandon stood straight for a minute, reminiscing his wife's words, "The fear that we'll inoculate in his heart."

He left the room, turning left towards the main foyer, while towards the right of the doorway stood hidden into the shadows of the large Roman pillar --- Crystal, who had tears in her eyes while her mouth covered with her palms. She sprinted towards her room, already listened too much than she should had.

___________________________

Isabella's eyes opened again, she shifted in the bed, letting her heavy eyes rest on the covered heavy mahogany and blue engraved tasseled at the corner laced drapes that exhibited a darker aura on the royal blue furniture carved on the sides with crystalline glass.

After Alex left she decided to nap herself good again as she felt too exhausted and tired. For once she didn't care about her meetings and office work. Her mind was still fatigued from the events of last night and she wanted to rest her throbbing head.

Resting against the bed post, her gaze went towards the mantelpiece where Alex had left her the box. She knew it was a new phone as he had completely thrashed her previous on, by slamming it into the wall during on of his rage shows.

Slowly getting out of the bed, she wrapped her silk robe around her body and walked towards the box. Her mind suddenly wavered remembering about Charles call late at night. It could've been something about her mother. Or probably definitely about her mother. She didn't find another reason for him to call her that late at night.

She grabbed the box to the new iPhone and opened it up, to see an updated version. A small note folded on top of of the large blank screen of the phone.

She picked it up and read it;

'The only way to have you get rid of the old one.'

A slow smile crept around her lips. She opened the phone and saw it had the same screensaver from her previous one, which was her parent's wedding picture. She then surfed through the phone and realized that Alex had her entire information transfered to this one.

At the right top corner, right next to the service provider name a small black dot remained still which she found it to be weird as her previous phone didn't had that.

Ignoring everything, she searched through her contact to call Charles.

She realized that Alex hadn't had Charles number copied in her phone on purpose.

She smiled again, finding the whole situation of him acting out of pettiness over his jealous, to be humorous.

Rolling her eyes she kept the phone down and walked towards the bathroom, only to be stopped by a small beep on her new cellphone.

She picked up to see Alex's name flashed across it as "Alexander The Great".

She laughed out a little knowing it was him getting petty again, as her previous phone had his number saved as 'Alex - Devil'.

Alexander The Great: Hope you like the new phone.

She bit her lip nervously. He had never been that caring before and if for anything, she didn't want to be the reason to ruin his good behavior even if it was temporary. She was finding it relaxing somehow.

Isabella: Not until, you don't slam this one against the wall as well.

She couldn't help and act out of her sarcastic self.

Alex: Nothing gave me more satisfaction than doing what I did with your old phone. Especially with the ringin' it was more satisfying.

Isabella rolled her eyes, laughing out loud. She didn't know he was being serious or not but the best part about having to talk over the text was she fondled his tone the way she wanted. Perhaps creating an ideal Alex for her.

Isabella: I won't thank, for the new phone.

Alex: I know.

Isabella read her text over and over again, not knowing what to say next. She opened up the emoji box and searched for something that wouldn't look too rude. She cursed thinking only if things would've been less complicated between them as simple text wouldn't had been so difficult to construct.

She saw Alex's side of the texts form the 'typing' cloud over and over again but after several minute nothing came which only made Isabella exhale in disappointment.

Shaking her head, she kept the phone aside and went to get fresh.

It was already afternoon by the time she got dressed in a casual sun dress, she made her way downstairs and saw a lot of housekeepers bundled around the kitchen was something unsual.

Everyone turned to look towards her and began scattering around, while only the chef, Diego, stayed back.

The chef was an old grey haired, bulged tummy, man with thick silver mustache lining his lips. He flashed a yellowed teeth smile at Isabella. He was an old one around and Alex respected him a lot for his services for the Mayhew family over a long period of time.

He was among the only few staff members who were polite and less judgemental towards Isabella.

"They were just congratulating me over my grandson." he announced with a smile.

Isabella heart flattered at the mention of his pregnant daughter finally delivering a son. She had remembered him talking about her one too many time.

She nodded her head and smiled, "Congrats!"

A big part of her heart was happy to see the scene of celebration but a smaller, envious part of her heart staggered at the sense of someone having a happiness that she might never get.

Even though her lips smiled but her eyes held a secret of sadness.

"I didn't know, I would've gotten her something." She smiled sadly at Diego who served her some pasta and croissants.

"Oh no need for that." Diego chimed, "Mr. Mayhew already had sent the gift baskets from you and him. My daughter was absolutely thrilled to have all those goodies."

A tinge entangled her heart with the taught of Alexander considering to name her in while gifting someone close to him.

After the evening lunch, she made her way towards the institution to visit her mother or Charles as a matter of fact. She knew he usually worked till late, so, she decided to pay him a visit and consult him regarding her mother's unchanging situation.

Once she reached the mental facility she recognized how everything seemed more in a hazard than usual. The doctors were scattered around with nurses and checking upon their patients, walking in and out of different doors. Male and female nurses, shifting patients around, while the administratives also shifting back and forth from the reception, where the three souls were wended with work.

Isabella walked upto the reception and greeted the usual brunette, short heightened boy she usually checked in with while visiting Charles. Whereas whenever she visited Pamela she would pass directly towards the ward that was centered on the opposite side of where the office was.

She cleared her throat and grabbed onto the man's attention.

He had stress knitted over his eyebrows that seemed to to relax looking at Isabella. He passed her a small smile. But his gaze didn't miss roaming over the bandage on Isabella's head.

"Excuse me..." He dialed into the phone, which was quite unusual of him. Usually he would simply let Isabella pass in but today he seemed extremely cautious and so did everyone around the place.

She guessed they were having an annual inventory or some sort of HR reshuffle.

"Ms. Grace is here." He spoke over the phone, probably informing Charles's assistant.

He listened to for a minute and then looked at Isabella, pressing the mic of the headset over his shoulder, "Dr. Louisville is in a meeting, it might take him an hour to finish."

"It's fine, I'll wait." she passed him back a smile.

"Very well." He nodded and spoke into the phone and let her pass by.

Entering into his floor, the entire place seemed in a state of frenzy. People rushing by here and there while she simple walked towards his office which had a separate cabin area. She opened the large wooden door and entered the reception area where his assistant sat. She smiled over her glasses looking at Isabella. She had known Isabella to be closer to Charles as he had directly ordered to let her pass by, without an appointment. It was allowed to only his parents and brother.

Isabella smiled back at his assistant and took a seat on the black double seater couch, adjacent to the fogged glass wall of Charles office that had thin lines piercing the view on the inside.

She glances a view of a number of executives centered around Charles's desk, while he stood, bawling around them, listening and arguing.

She sighed, turning her gaze towards the room and noticing all the pictures that hung down the walls.

Charles was just a successful man, taking over the medical field, featured in major TV shows and magazine covers that were framed on the walls, with his pictures with different celebrities and Political personalities from all over the world, where he was praised for his philanthropy. He wasn't just a renowned name around the states but throughout the whole word, which was a reason why Isabella trusted him blindly with her mother.

The murmuring sound from inside the room grew louder and Isabella turned her head to see an infuriated Charles yelling on top of his lungs. She keenly peeked through the fogged slits on the glass wall and noticed how his entire aura had turned different than she usually saw him as.

He always carry a stealth and calm in his tone but the way he yelled at his employees, thrashing the shelves, throwing things around, one metal cup almost dodging his employee who lunged away and crawled out of the office, while everyone else also followed him out.

"He has been in a mood ever since his return this afternoon." His secretary spoke startling Isabella out of her thoughts.

"He wasn't in town last night?" She asked queried about the reason behind his phone call.

"Town? He was out of states. He came back from Morocco, right this afternoon and just split the entire office right through the middle." She signed and continued her work.

Isabella's mind was left dwindled with the reason behind Charles's call at four in the morning.

She felt something curbing in the entire scenario and thought that it was probably not the best time to check on him, with her mind unsure with several thoughts. She got up and was about to leave when she heard him calling her name.

She turned around nervously and saw him standing in the doorway.

"You're leaving?" He c****d.

There was a hidden sinister in his gaze and expressions that were grim and serious and something told Isabella it wasn't the right thing to stay.

"I thought you were busy." she shrugged.

His gaze went towards her forehead studying the bandage. He was informed by his employee that Isabella had left her facility previously injured but he was also a doctor who could study wounds effectively.

He let a small smile settle on his lips, which wasn't enough to satisfy Isabella.

"I'm not busy, come inside." He stepped sideways, gesturing her to follow him.

She stood for a second weighing her options, deciding what was the most reasonable thing to choose at the moment and she realized backing down wasn't a positively potent thing to do.

Sighing she followed him inside his office, while he closed the door behind as she settled at the seat. She noticed how his usually well maneuvered office was an entire mess.

She remembered how everything was always in perfect place but today; it seemed to be in a mess that wasn't even bothering Charles.

"I had been calling you since last night." He began, walking towards the minibar and fixing himself a drink. "Bourbon?" he offered but Isabella simply rejected.

"I changed my phone, couldn't get hold of the new one." She simply reasoned.

"So you suddenly changed your phone while I was calling you at four in the morning?" He turned and questioned sipping through his drink, while his gaze holding Isabella still.

She felt being stripped naked and explored through her soul, to have information extracted out of her. She turned her gaze away from him. Suddenly everything seemed too much for her.

"Why were you calling me at that time?" She retorted back.

He small smirk formed at the corner of his lips. "So, I'm guessing your boyfriend didn't like my midnight interruption?"

His ability to Geek question out of question so playfully was suffocating Isabella who felt it hard to pin point his intentions at exploring her love life. He had never acted this way in the past three years, knowing about her relationship with Alex, he never questioned as such. So, it was all in all a depressing experience for her.

"I'm guessing you still have work on your mind. Maybe I'll come by some other time." She smiled slightly getting up and picking her purse.

She was about to turn on her heels whilst he stopped, "What really was the problem? The call, time or your boyfriend?"

Isabella chest tightened, his unconventional behavior was sending her off the track. He had never been questioned her relationship with Alex and somehow the unknown reason behind his unorthodoxed call at four in the morning had raised many questions in her mind.

She cleared her head, grasping into her perspective and stood with her back facing Charles.

"You seem tired from your trip to Morocco. You should try relaxing your mind." 

Her words were sharp in a monotonous tone that irked Charles.

He watched her back, waving suspenders flow of her hips. His gaze burning holes into her skin that he longed to touch.

He tightened his jaw, clenching the glass in his hand as his veins bulged out of his skin, which seemed to break the glass any moment until he was interrupted by the ringing of his personal cellphone.

Keeping the glass down, he picked up his phone and growled seeing the name flashing on the screen.

"I told you, not to call me until next week." He mumbled into his phone, gritting his teeth.

The person on the other end said something that made Charles's patient reduce to zero.

"I told you to give her the purple ones. How f*****g hard is that to remember?" Charles talked back and turned towards windows, facing opposite to the door, listening to the other person on the phone.

He growled loudly as he yelled, "The white ones are supposed to help her get her f*****g memory back, you piece of s**t! That's why I told you to give her those purple ones!" He slammed his phone back onto the table, as it slid down and landed onto the wooden floor, against a woman's feet.

He followed his gaze up and stood shocked to see the person standing in front of him, with nothing but pure dread covering her face.