"Wait, Isabella!"
Mila rushed after Isabella, grabbing her arm before she could get far down the hallway.
"What do you mean you know who poisoned you?" Mila asked, looking so shocked.
Isabella turned to face her, her eyes blazing with anger.
"I know exactly who did this!" Isabella maintained firmly.
"How could you possibly know that? You have been unconscious this whole time! You didn't even know who left the food in your room." Mila shook her head in disbelief.
"I don't need to be conscious to know who wants me dead in this house." Isabella shot back.
"Please, you need to calm down. Don't do anything rash! You are still weak from the poison. You need rest!" Mila pleaded, sounding worried.
"Let me go, Mila. I need to deal with this now so they will know I am a force to reckon with." Isabella yanked her arm free, nearly stumbling in the process.
"Isabella, please! Think about what you are doing!" Mila called after her, but Isabella was already storming down the hallway.
She walked straight into the living room, where she found all three brothers. Lucas was sitting on one of the sofas, reading a book while Liam and Damien were engaged in what appeared to be a serious conversation by the fireplace.
"Perfect timing." Isabella muttered under her breath, as she saw the boys.
She walked right up to Lucas, who looked up from his book with mild interest.
"Oh, you are awake! How are you..." Lucas was going to ask about her health but Isabella cut him short.
"Why did you poison me?" She demanded, gritting her teeth.
At the blunt confrontation, an amused smile made its way onto Damien's lips while Liam jumped to his feet, knocking over the small table between them.
"What? How dare you accuse my brother like that? Have you lost your mind?" Liam snapped at her, looking bewildered.
Lucas remained seated, his expression calm and unbothered. He closed his book slowly, placing it on the side table with deliberate care.
"Are you feeling better now?" He asked instead as if she hadn't just asked him a question.
His calm demeanor only fueled Isabella's anger. Without thinking, she swung her fist and punched him on the jaw.
The impact sent a shock through her arm, but she didn't care.
"Now, this is entertainment! Finally, something interesting happening in this boring house." Damien chuckled from his corner.
On the other hand, Liam was annoyed.
"Stop this nonsense right now! You can't just go around hitting people and making wild accusations!" Liam shouted, stepping between them.
"Wild accusations? Of course, you wouldn't know what your sweet brother has been up to!" Isabella scoffed in annoyance.
Lucas touched his jaw gently, still maintaining his composure.
"What exactly are you doing, Isabella?" He asked her, his voice low and gentle.
"Don't act like you don't know! How can you be such a hypocrite? Acting all concerned when you are the one who tried to kill me! Your perfect mask doesn't fool me!" Isabella spat at him.
"What is going on?" Alpha Evan's voice boomed from the doorway, making everyone freeze.
Mila stood behind the wheelchair, looking worried. Liam quickly went to his grandfather, taking over from Mila and pushing his wheelchair into the room.
"I'm glad to see you are awake and looking better, Isabella, but what is this commotion about?" The Alpha asked, his eyes surveying the tense scene.
"I heard you have been busy investigating the poisoning incident well, look no further because the perpetrator is here with us." Isabella replied sharply.
"What? Who?" The Alpha asked, furrowing his brows.
"Him!" Isabella declared firmly, pointing an accusing finger at Lucas.
At that, to her shock, Alpha Evan let out a small chuckle, the sound completely unexpected in the tense atmosphere.
Isabella looked at the old man in shock.
"I'm sorry for laughing." He said, noting her expression.
"But that is quite funny. Lucas would never do such a thing." He added. Isabella scoffed.
"Right, it would be hard to believe because you don't know his true personality!" Isabella said.
Lucas shook his head slightly but didn't bother defending himself. He just sat there, watching her with those unnervingly calm eyes.
"My dear, I understand you are upset about being poisoned, but Lucas isn't that kind of person. He is more than what you think." Alpha Evan said to her gently, wheeling himself closer to her.
"How can you be so sure, grandfather?Do you know what he does behind closed doors? Have you seen how he looks at me when nobody is around?" Isabella protested, running her hands through her hair in frustration.
The old man shook his head.
"Why would he want to harm his betrothed?" Alpha Evan asked simply.
"No, I didn't hear that right. His what?" Isabella asked, furrowing her eyebrows.
"His betrothed..." The old man repeated, this time, slowly.
The room fell silent. Isabella froze, her arms dropping to her sides.
"You are going to get married to Lucas." The Alpha stated matter-of-factly, as if it was what she should know already.
Isabella's lips parted widely in shock.
Her eyes darted between Lucas and her grandfather, searching for any sign that it was some cruel joke.
"You are joking, right?" She asked, looking bewildered.
"I won't joke about such matters, my dear." Alpha Evan replied firmly. Isabella let out a dry chuckle devoid of any real humor.
"No, this is not happening!" She mumbled under her breath.
"But... why?" Isabella found herself asking in disbelief.
The old man's expression softened, and he reached out to take her trembling hand in his.
"I have been sick and bedridden for a while now, and I don't know when my time will come. Before I die, I want to see you settled down. That way, I can rest in peace and tell your parents in heaven that you are in good hands." He told her gently.
Isabella was stunned and speechless for a moment. She looked between Lucas and her grandfather, trying to process the revelation, but Lucas was expressionless.
"When... when did you plan this?"