CHAPTER TWO
With a fast breath, Isabella began to push air from her lungs quickly and noisily. Her heart thundered in her chest, each beat pounding like a drum, and her pulse raced like a runaway train. Her blood pressure suddenly skyrocketed.
Minutes passed by, and Isabella was still on the ground, struggling to gulp out air, blood was also gushing out from her forehead at that same moment. She had sustained a deep cut on her forehead when she fell to the ground from James' hard push.
On the other side stood James, whose face twisted in a snarl, his eyes blazing with fury, and his fists clenched at his sides, as he stared at Isabella, and felt like walking up to her and just strangling her to death. After all, nobody will ask about her. She was just a nobody.
But the fear of the police's investigation quickly made him wave off the thought. The father's company was so dear to him so he didn't want his useless wife to be the reason he was not going to inherit it.
Sighing deeply, he walked to the tap, turned it on, and then sanitized every damn place where Isabella's body had touched him. To James, Isabella was bad luck herself so was everything that pertained to her and he didn't want to attract anything.
After some minutes of sanitizing himself to his satisfaction, he then turned and walked back to his car. Opening the door, he stormed into the car and banged the door.
Before driving off, he stared at Isabella through the window. His face twisted in rage, as he spoke, "Next time, I won't spare you. I gonna make sure you don't live. And don't dare leave my compound in this mess, make sure you get them cleaned up before I get back home." He warned, pointing his index finger at his servant.
Suddenly his phone started to ring. It was the same caller that had called him earlier. Dipping his hand into his pocket, James brought out his phone, "I'll be there in just twenty minutes. Please wait for me." Saying this, he pocketed his phone and drove off leaving Isabella to the ground in pains.
He couldn't care less if she died or survived. It was none of his business. And besides, he wished she could die.
Minutes turned to hours, and Isabella was still on the ground lying helplessly. Tears welled from eyes down to her cheeks bitterly. Her clothes already birthed millions in blood.
"Isabella, what have you done to deserve all these?" she asked herself, as tears welled down from her eyes. She lowered her head to the ground, flinching in pain.
After about an hour, she slowly regained some strength. With difficulty, she finally managed to get up and trudged wearily as she went inside. Her neck throbbed with sharp, stabbing pain, and her head spun with each movement, as she struggled to walk upstairs.
As she got into her bedroom, she sluggishly walked to the mirror to view herself. She discovered her neck was filled with bruises. That's how her life has become now.
After viewing herself in the mirror for some time, she then removed her clothes and underwear and carefully placed them on the ground although she was in much pain. But she didn't want the clothes to get worn out since that was her favorite clothes and she didn't have many clothes.
James had refused to get her clothes and had also restricted her from working to earn some income to take care of herself.
There was this time when she had once approached him to get her some wear, but he ignored her and walked out on her. Thanks to God he was in a good mood the time Isabella approached him or she would have ended up getting beaten up as always.
She had been managing her trashed clothes for over a year now. And washing and wearing was the pattern she adapted to since she didn't have enough clothing.
She walked into the large tiled bathroom which was filled with a fresh scent, and began to take a shower.
As Isabella was taking her bath, minutes passed by and her phone began to ring. The phone was on silent so Isabella couldn't hear it ringing, even if it was on ringing mode, she probably wouldn't have picked it up since she was still in the bathroom battling to bathe.
The phone kept ringing and it drained her battery from 30 percent down to 20 percent. The battery in her phone was so weak that it needed to be changed, but she couldn't afford to get a new one. Even the phone itself wasn't also a good one. The screen on it cracked and it was half blind. It was all a scrap but she was managing it.
Hell! She couldn't even afford to get herself decent clothes to wear, and there was no way she could have afforded to get a new phone.
On seeing there was no answer, the unknown caller stopped to call.
After about an hour of being in the bathroom, Isabella finally came out of the bathroom, she had a towel wrapped around her. Still in pain, she managed to walk to her wardrobe took one of her worn-out clothes and underwear, and put them on. When that was done, she managed to lean down and sat on the bed beside her cheap mobile phone.
Clenching her fist, Isabella entered into a train of thoughts as she recalled how she had gotten herself into her current situation, that's ruining her life for good.
A year ago, on campus, Isabella received a phone call from her parents a month after she graduated from college that they were relocating to a new site since they could no longer tolerate the high discrimination of the poor in the site they were currently living.
Isabella was so worried that her parents might not attend her graduation since the new site they were moving to was too far. And barely won't be able to afford the transport fare.
But her worries were waved off since her parents had promised her that they'd surely be there for her. She trusted her parents with her whole life so she worried less.
Isabella was at the same time so happy that despite all the life struggles she and her family was going through, she was finally going to graduate, get a well-paid job, and take good care of herself and her parents.
But unfortunately, things turned out ugly for her. A day before her graduation, she got a call informing her that her parents had an accident, and her dad died on the spot, leaving her mum with broken bones.
With a broken heart, she felt like ending her life. There was no need for her to live since her source of dreams was getting shattered.
Her dad was already dead. Her graduation was at the corner and her mother was already admitted to the hospital. Where the hell could she even raise the huge amount of money the doctor was calling to pay for her mother's hospital bills?
In the quest to look for money to save her mother's life, Isabella had to leave the campus to look for possible means to raise some money for her mom's treatment.
She reached out to her rich uncle whom she believed might be of help since he was a well-to-do man, but was disappointed when her good-for-nothing uncle asked her for sex in return for his help.
Feeling disappointed, Isabella began to apply for the post of a maid. After endless searches, she was fortunate enough to get hired by the second richest family, 'The Lintons.'
Luckily, after explaining everything promptly to the Lintons, she was able to come up with the complete money for her mom's treatment. But on one condition: Isabella had to sign a contract with them to serve till the money expired. That was not an issue for her, her mom's life was what mattered to her.
And Isabella was the happiest, she had gotten the money to pay for her mom's treatment. At least, her mom can live again. Although her dad is dead, she can fulfill her dream and live happily with her mom.
Without delay, she rushed to the hospital and got the bills paid which enabled the doctor and nurses to begin to carry out the surgical operation on her mom.
While all these things were going on, her coursemates had already graduated from college with their degrees. Some of them reached out to her to extend their condolences.
She bothered less, she only wanted to save her mom. Once her mom is saved, she can serve the Lintons and then resume when she has stopped her academic career.
But unfortunately for her, things didn't go the way she expected it to be. After a week of surgical operation on Isabella's mom, she got a call from the hospital that her mum didn't make it.
She felt like such a failure for failing to save her mum, the only family she had left. She wept bitterly the whole night she got the call. But she was faced with no other option than to accept her fate.
After her mom's and dad's funeral, she began her service at The Linton's mansion since she had already signed the agreement paper. She served them wholeheartedly. She took them like a family since they were God's sent. They came for her aid the day she needed it the most, although everything shattered.
Days turned to months, and months turned to years and she was still serving The Lintons. The family's warm smiles and gentle touches enveloped her, making her feel like a cherished member of their household.
Being trustworthy, honest, and submissive, the family had their only son, James, get married to her since it was rare to get her type of person.
But three months after their marriage, her husband changed and started to mistreat her.
"Where the hell is that daughter of a nobody? where is that witch? A loud, thunderous voice suddenly snapped Isabella out of her long hour's thoughts. And she shivered as she realized whose voice it was. It was her husband's voice.
James had just arrived back from work. He had an appointment with his client and they had finished with everything so he had decided to come home early to process some things online with his computer.
"Isa, Isabella, come out here. Now!" James demanded. And his voice sounded mad.
She knew she was in trouble again. Her worst nightmare was back, but she didn't know where she had erred this time around.
Quickly dropping her bloody clothes and underwear to the floor, she picked up a race downstairs, running as possible as she could.
On getting downstairs, she walked outside and was surprised to see another expensive car in the sun-drenched courtyard, which had lush greenery and vibrant flowers. She wondered who the person was since the person wasn't forthcoming out of the car.
She quickly waved off the thought and embraced up to face James' wrath. She could feel the anger in him already.
On setting his eyes on Isabella, James didn't waste any time, he quickly walked up to Isabella.
Getting closer to Isabella, he asked, looking furious, "What the hell is that thing still doing over there?" He asked, pointing at the morning mess.
Looking confused and shocked, Isabella couldn't say a word. She had probably forgotten to clean up the mess James had caused earlier. Nervously scratching her head, she couldn't speak up.
"Isabella, I asked you a question!" James thundered again.
James didn't like it when he'd be snubbed, and Isabella was aware of it. She'd better speak up or face the consequences.
Opening her mouth to speak, Isabella replied politely, "I'm sorry, I forgot to…."
Before Isabella could finish her sentence, James gave her a tight slap on her face, leaving a red handprint on her cheek.
"Didn't I tell you before Leaving? Oh, I see!" James said, nodding his head, as he laughed maliciously.
"You were waiting to see what could be done? Before the count of one, I wanna see this place get cleaned up." James shouted as if were talking to a little child. His voice dripped with venom, his words cutting like a knife.
He was so cruel towards his wife even in the presence of his visitors. Sometimes, the visitors wondered if Isabella was truly his wife.
Placing her hand on her cheek, Isabella's eyes were formed with tears, but she quickly held them back and walked inside to get a mop and a waste bin.
Walking sugglishly out of the room, a hint of surprise formed in her face to see James still standing, and waiting for her to get the mess cleaned up. What a cruel man indeed!
"Walk like a human, you lazy ass, and get this place cleaned up," James shouted.
"Okay sir," Isabella responded politely, as she increased her movement.
Without delay, she began to gather the mess and discard them into the waste bin. Suddenly, she felt the urge to glance over the Porsche car again. She wondered again who the person inside the car who had refused to step down was.
As Isabella was lost in thought once again, James' thunderous voice got her back to work.
"Hey, you fool! What the hell are you staring at?" James' angry voice came out. "Make that snappy and get your stinky body out of the way." He shouted.
Isabella began with the cleaning, and within a few minutes, She was done with it. She had the waste bin positioned outside the gate.
After that was done, she turned to head back inside. Suddenly! Her ears captured James' voice calling out, "Sop! Descend, we are now within the walls of our abode."
She paused and pivoted, only to be met with a sight that widened her eyes in astonishment.
"Who is this young woman he has brought home?"