"About the portraits,mom gave one to me the week she died." Xander said although emotionless but his voice break in the end. "He has ocean blue eyes and a golden hair' she says,mom was happy I took dad grey eyes and black hair,she regrets often but untill when I came home on my seventeenth birthday with a dyed hair,she smiled genuinely for the first time."
"She loved you just the way you are."Isabelle sigh hardly believing Debra would regret over having a son like Xander. "She just wished you were all there,I'll tell you a secret,one I never told anyone."
Xander raise his brow and sip his wine surprised at the turn their conversation is taking. "I feel special."
"I guess I'm good at that,you know I lied about something,I didn't fall unconscious when your mom died."Xander brow twitch. "I heard her mutter your name and run.."Isabelle added.
"Run?why?"Xander asked but shook his head understanding that he would never get an answer from her. ' How did it happen? It's strange for a girl to come out perfectly fine when the car was crushed'The man beside that cemetery whisper again,Xander shrug it off.
"Mom visits his grave every month before she died and now that she's gone I do that on her behalf."
"I don't remember visiting her,I'll do that soon."Isabelle pick up her plate and stroll to the kitchen. "You're a good son."
"I never was,I do the opposite of everything she wants when she was alive and I still see that man crouched down beside my brother grave even when she told me not to."
Isabelle lift her chin walking to her room,one she got by force. "Is he a relative of your mom?"
"I don't know,sometimes I think mom is having an affair,but the guy is too young for her,I mean mom and dad never quarrels but I believe nothing is well between them so she could resort to that."
"They said mom slept with Hans dad and I told her about it....that day our relationship broke,don't ever doubt your mom or judge her,sometimes we ruin things instead with our inquisition." She said and open her room door.
"Is my life really in grave danger?"Isabelle stop in her track and turn to look at xander,she nod as an answer.
"Then,always protect me ,don't ever leave my side,'Cause I can't defeat the bad guys without you."Xander nod to the maids to come and take care of the table,Isabelle blink and a smile graze her lips.
"Goodnight ma'am.".The maids bow a bit.
"Goodnight."Isabelle answered.
"Morning ma'am."Isabelle groan to herself,waving, nodding and making gestures to her colleagues in R&D,she head towards Ian office,she'd a lot of things to do and she as to get it done immediately so they would all focus on the fashion week that'll be held on Saturday within is few days to Sasha wedding.
She put her I.d on the scanner and wait for it to be confirmed but nothing happened and she had to do nothing but knock.
"Issy." James hug her from behind starting with his show again,this time she let him do whatever he wants which took him unexpectedly. "Don't make this boring."James snarl.
"I'm not interested,how did the surgery go?."Isabelle straighten his black hoodie.
"Perfect."he smile. "Okay,what's wrong with you?"
"Nothing,are you okay?."
"No."James reply shortly and look at the door. "We should leave yunno."
"Why?James,I'm not here to see you."
"I know,but I'm sure you're not here to see the people inside."James whisper,just then the door unclose,Zuzzana,Ian and Xander came out,James tighten his jaw.
"Morning ma'am"Ian bow and quickly head out to take the files to the manager,Isabelle wet her lips.
"Hi."Zuzzana beam. "We were having a meeting about the fashion week,so bad you weren't there."Zuzzana sneer. "Hi James"
"When did we become friends?and who's this new guy?how did she end up working here?."
"You ask a lot of question,how are you doing Ms. Augustyn."Xander smile professionally at Isabelle.
"I'm good as always,I'll take my leave."
"You should."Zuzzana burst in. "You aren't needed here anyway."
"Zuzzana enough,just stop with this attitude."Xander snap in irritation. "Gary woke up last night."Isabelle nodded and glance at Zuzzana.
"I hope he lives long and you too."Isabelle said,James and Xander exchange looks,Isabelle lock the door and ruffle her hair,the images,the scene,the eyes all came back like a rain downpour,her eyes,she noticed Zuzzana eyes.
'Ian or Xander?'
'Ian or Xander?.'
'Ian or Xander?.'
"STOOOOOOOOP."
Isabelle block her and fall to the ground,but the eyes,the color...
FLASHBACK: ~~~~
"You love blue?"Little Isabelle point at a particular picture,a girl,one with a long blue hair,blue eyes and Rick she noticed stared too long at the poem book.
"Yeah,ocean blue"Rick kiss her cheek while closing the poem book. "I'd a son who has this eyes."
"Blue is significant to me Isabelle,very significant."triplicate whisper. "Blue reminds me of the thing I want but will never have."
FLASHBACKS ENDS:~~~~
"Arrgghhh."Isabelle push the desk with all of her might,trying to get an answer a short but real answer,the truth but she found none,except for one lingering,one haunting,one she vowed to never take seriously,one who create doubt in her heart but repeats the words Xander whispered '
'Then,always protect me'
Zuzzana eyes were always grey because she knew the girl,the famous singer whose sister was kidnapped,the newspaper clips of her faces but now it's blue, one cold as hell.
************************************
"Please don't tell me Zuzzana is now working here?"James yell. "What the fuck is wrong with you?"
"I needed to let her see Gary."
"After having an affair with her and obviously still going on about it."Xander massage his temple when James hit the desk making his laptop fall.
"I'd sex before and not after my marriage,I've never had one since we got married."
"True story."James scowl.
"Heavens James!,I have nothing to do with that woman and besides this is the last time she's coming here because Gary is awake."
"What a fool!,she'll be back Alex,she's never gonna let go but you know why I feel wronged?it's because I helped you to get Isabelle back,I brought her back and this is all you can do to keep her?."
"Calm down,you just had surgery,you should be careful from now on,how are you?"
"Your guy gave me the death certificates."James ignore him,Xander breath hitched for seconds. "He went to Paris with his new girlfriend."
"Oh..nice."Xander stutter. "I can't get a divorce."Xander said after a while and James sigh. "How did it become so easy?."
"Divorce are the easiest nowadays,she publicly announced the fashion week event Xander,she did the press conference boldly with the Augustyn name,the bounty hunters are after her now,this is the time you do this."
"She wants a Divorce and you don't expect me to give it to her." Xander raise his voice.
"Of course not."
"What do I do?"
"Win her over,first that girl need to disappear and make sure there is no one chasing after her like the man I saw with you earlier."James pick up the broken laptop.
"Ian?."
"That guy."
"C'mon,Ian and Isabelle don't been talk."
"Wow you're the biggest fool in the universe."James throw the laptop across the room making Xander grit his teeth. "I'll pay for the damages."
"Unbelievable."Xander bellow.
" Ms. Isabelle."Isabelle halted but still drop her bag in the car. "Hey."
"Ian." Isabelle called smilling. "How's the fashion week preparation for you?."
"Going well,can I ride to the cafe with you?"Ian lean on her car and put both his hands inside his pocket.
"Nope,I'm not going to the cafe,what happened to your car?"
"Mom took it out,without my approval,you don't seem to be in a good mood."Ian smile and tilt is head when Isabelle open the car.
"Come in,I owe you one anyway."Jed glance at Ian and almost bit his lips off seeing the smiles on his boss face. "Something wrong?"She ask him and he immediately enter the car.
"Thank you ma'am."Ian mumble and got out of the car I'm front of the cafe. "You sure you don't want any?"
"I don't know." Isabelle stride to the cafe. "I don't know what I want this days."she sit on a brown chair carved in form of a baby.