Isadora couldn't utter a word, as her whole body was shaking, sweat dripping down her face. How could she thought he didn't know, she was the one there, her mouth opened slightly but not even a whisper came out.
"Answer me," he bellowed, his brow coming together.
"I...was just passing by....I didn't mean to..." She answered in fear, shuttering in every statement.
Just then she felt his hand grasp her neck, fear enfold her as she couldn't move an inch and chill ran down her spine. It got tighter and tighter she was gasping for air, she struggled to breath as his hand got tighter.
She wondered if this was her last day, there was no one to save her, she was alone with him. Even if she went extinct no one would know, someone as Maxwell can sweep someone's death under the carpet, no doubt about that.
Maxwell tried to control himself, he just couldn't. He noticed Isadora's becoming weak, that's when he came to his senses that Isadora was carrying his child and he quickly let go of her, leaving her to fall on the ground with a thud.
As his grip released, Isadora's chest heaved with ragged gasps, like a bird fighting to escape a cage. Her breaths came in short, sharp bursts, as she struggled to calm the storm in her lungs. With a gentle touch, she cradled her neck, soothing the tender skin like a mother comforting a wounded child.
Maxwell squatted to her level, using his finger to raise her chin, he whispered "Don't ever think of getting me angry, this is just a warning for you not to cross my path."
"Take this, buy anything you need to take care of yourself and the baby," he said, dropping a card beside her, having no sympathy for what he has done. He walked out of the room without sparing her another glance.
She coiled herself up, shivering like someone who a gun was pointed at. Her hands grasps tightly around her knees as tears rolled freely down her eye, wetting her cheeks. She has never experienced such in her life, she thought about how she was going to survive.
She crawled into bed, covering herself up with the blanket, like it was a shield protecting her from the outside world. She tried closing her eyes but the memory of what happened earlier constantly flashed back, making it difficult for her to sleep.
After turning from side to side, shuttering and opening of her eyes, different body adjustment, she couldn't get herself to sleep. She tiredly got up and checked the time, it was 9: 00 pm. Making her way out of the room she decided to check up on the girls.
She got to Piper's room, she gently opened the door and found her asleep. She quietly closed the door and headed to Sophia's room, hoping it's not a wrong timing. On getting there, she hesitated before she finally had the courage to open the door. When she did so, part of the room was dark. The bedside lamp was the only light, casting a warm glow that chased the shadows away, keeping the room from being swallowed by the darkness. She assumed she was asleep and decided not to disturb her.
Her gaze lingered on Sophia bed, wondering why she would cover herself completely. She walked over to the bed, and slide down the blanket only to reveal a pillow. She gasped in surprise as her hand swiftly uncovered the whole blanket, revealing a set of arranged pillow with no one there.
"Where did she go?" She asked herself, as she recalled suddenly the conversation she heard from Sophia and the boy at the mall earlier.
She made the bed looked like it had been untouched, and hurriedly walked out of the room. She guessed Piper might have an idea of her sister's whereabout, cause at that moment she was clueless at where she might be. She went back to Piper's room, Isadora woke her up with a gentle touch and she opened her eyes instantly.
"Aunty," she whispered, yawning as she sat upright.
"Sorry to disturb your sleep, but did your sister mention anything to you about going out tonight?" She inquired, going straight to the point.
"No but I over heard her talking to someone on the phone this morning, she said she was going to a party, if I remember correctly, Jordan's party," she explained, in a soft drowsy tone.
"Who's Jordan?" She queried further.
"He's a boy from her class, why all these questions Aunty?" She asked.
"It's nothing, so do you have any idea about the address?" She probed, getting impatient.
"I think so," she said, and told her the address she overhead Sophia saying. Isadora put her back to sleep before she left the room.
She sneaked to Mrs. Agnes room, unfolding the situation and trouble at hand. Mrs. Agnes face lit up after some moment of thinking, and she said, "We can't do this alone with the idea I've got, we need just one person and I know who, Vanessa."
Together they went to Vanessa's room, a co-worker, whom Mrs. Agnes trusted so much. After a brief explanation to Vanessa of what's going on, Mrs. Agnes voiced out her idea.
The plan was for Vanessa to masquerade as Isadora, and Isadora to disguise herself as Vanessa - a clever swap to fool the mansion's watchful eyes. This daring deception was the only way Isadora could slip out unnoticed that night. Meanwhile, the resourceful Mrs. Agnes would conjure up a convincing forgery of Maxwell's signature, allowing the 'fake' Vanessa to slip past security with a fabricated tale of a family emergency - a small white lie to secure a quick exit.
With a shared nod, they made the exchange. Vanessa and Isadora swapped roles, donning each other's attire to complete the disguise.
"Be careful okay," Mrs. Agnes, advised Isadora.
"I will, I'm only doing this cause I don't want to get in trouble with Master, they put the girls under my care," she explained, her reasons for agreeing to the plan.
"Make everything snappy before we get caught," Vanessa warned, as they were playing a dangerous game.
"Thank you for helping out," Isadora said, her voice full of appreciation.
"Glad to help a co-worker, now go!" Vanessa said, as Isadora put on her glass, leaving the room.
Mrs. Agnes went back to her room, while Vanessa went to Isadora's room to act as her without getting noticed.
Isadora successfully came out unnoticed through the mansion's front door, heading towards the gate her heart raced rapidly. She was frightened as the thought of Maxwell finding out clouded her thought.
"What if there's camera planted everywhere? What if that's how Maxwell got to know about her eavesdropping? What if he's seeing her right now?" These thoughts continued to flood through her mind as she was now standing face to face with the security man, she was ready to face whatever comes her way as she knew there was no turning back.