"I'll help you in getting her into your hands and also those designs, but you need to collab with us to show your sincerity " Margaret said looking at both the men before her.
Clara on the other hand who sat beside was fuming but still stayed silent knowing her mother's real pack of thoughts.
George successfully got engaged to Isabella under Margaret's persuasion with elders from Dubois family, but he fell into Margaret's lurking trap before the night he's to get married to the woman he always wanted.
He got drunk in the joy of holding his beloved woman's hands for a lifetime but his male instinctive behaviour was emphasised with drugs and his distracted mind made him roll on his bed with another woman.
And the woman he loved was sold by his family to a mafia gang which trafficked women.
His beloved woman's parents died the very next morning due to a preplanned accident.
George was so immersed in the past, he didn't realize someone banging on the window at his side.
"Boss...Boss..." a man in black clothing shouted to bring the man seated in the car out from his thoughts.
George who still had his handheld high above his head dropped the bottle with a crashing sound leaving the space right next to him scattered with broken glass pieces.
"What?!!" George rolled down the window glass and said as he came back from his thoughts.
"That house you wanted me to keep an eye... I found no movement around that house recently. I think she moved out" the man said.
"What..?! Fetch me her location right now" George burst out before driving his car away into the darkest streets of the brightly lit city.
Leaving the smooth roads of the city, George rode towards the suburbs in the far east finding his way towards a dark den-like centre.
He walked into the deep corners of the place to find a man like he always did.
"How long are you gonna make me wait? Tell me...to which kind of bastard's room you sent her that you're unable to find his location for five years?" George roared gazing at the man seated on the chair before him.
"Mr Romano, I told you already for thousand times we only got her only up to our gates, but she was picked by a bunch of men away before we could grab her. I've shown you the footages too. she wasn't here at all on that night" the bulky man said pulling a stack of pictures from a file.
"These are the pictures of her I received since she escaped from here. She worked in almost all places around the neighbourhood with exception of only one place. I've never found her walking around here" the man said pointing to a picture.
George moved his eyes towards the photo and gazed at the words written on a board next to a small building with flower bouquets and flower pots packed outside. "George flower house"
"This..." George closed his eyes and chuckled like a lunatic.
"She hates you to this extent and you still want to find the father of her child. You became too crazy. Just follow your dad's words and get married to the girl he had shown you" the bulky man sighed deeply.
"...Are you sure? I've always thought she was tortured because of my dad's plot but someone else targeted her"
"You go ask her yourself...how would I know about that?" the bulky man sulked.
George returned to his house to search for all the people Isabella had connections with but all he got was a small list of people including her and his families and a few of her college friends.
After a long time of contemplating, one scene struck his head. He closed his eyes to have a recollection of the man's face.
'He's not someone from this country. Why would he? I should confirm first' George thought with a determined face.
----
Helena's Apartment
"Hey... Bella. I just sent your details and sketches to the contest. All you need to do is wait for their invitation" Helena said while handing Isabella a cup of coffee and placed a folder on the table beside her.
"Okay... but what's this file folder?" Isabella questioned before pulling the papers assembled within the folder.
"See for yourself..." Helena shrugged and took a sip from her cup.
"This...you mean this guy changed his routes into fashion from architecture" Isabella gaped at the papers in her hands.
"I found about it when I ran through the contest webpage. He came out from his family business group to start a chain of stores. He's searching for designers in France to spread his business" Helena pointed at a particular page.
"Ace" Isabella looked at the words painted on the store building.
"But he's someone with a good vision. Why would he leave his family's decades-old architecture business and enter the fashion industry on his own?" Isabella murmured with narrowed eyes.
"How would I know? Maybe he changed his interests. But you still want to compete in the contest? You didn't forget what happened after you joined the interior designing contest arranged by this man five years ago and won the award. That bastard George trapped you into marriage for your designs" Helena said in a dull tone putting down her cup on the table and gazed at Isabella.
"What's there to worry? That's all a history different from the present situation. This is a fashion contest something completely unrelated to interior designing. Moreover, what will he do in the fashion industry?" Isabella tossed the papers away and sipped on her coffee leisurely.
"Imagine if George entered the contest using some other fashion designer or he used something to lure you. You know what that Margaret and Clara can do to destroy you. What if they're determined to disturb you again using this contest?"
"I know...that contest did change my life. I got stuck in Romano's and Margaret's plans. I had a one night stand with a random man and gave birth to Tina. But listen, I already lived through the most terrible times. But, now I'm confident, I can withstand any trouble coming my way. You stay unwavering. I'm good and satisfied with what I've decided to do" Isabella said before she walked into her room. While hugging the baby girl beside her she slowly drifted into sleep.