Isabella's heart hammered a frantic rhythm against her ribs as she took in the opulent Moreau estate. Cilla's words, "It's beautiful, isn't it? It'll be your home," felt heavy with unspoken implications. The house, a monument to wealth, felt less like a sanctuary and more like a gilded cage.
Cilla's call summoned the family, a flurry of introductions blurring into a kaleidoscope of unfamiliar faces and polite smiles that didn't quite reach their eyes. "This is my brother, Huk," Cilla announced, gesturing to a tall, imposing man. "His son, Tuki, his wife, Soph, and little Sophia."
The harmony shattered quickly. A woman, her face pinched with disapproval, muttered, "Mother, that girl…?"
Cilla cut her off smoothly, her voice hardening. "This is Julian's stepsister, Lucy. Show some respect. She's going to be Julian's wife, my daughter-in-law."
A stunned silence followed, broken by Lucy, a striking woman with sharp features and a sharper tongue. "What? Julian's getting married? Seriously?"
Cilla's reply was crisp. "He doesn't know yet, but he will."
Lucy's skepticism was blatant. "I don't know who I feel sorrier for – Julian or her." She gave Isabella a withering look. "We all know Julian. He'll walk all over her." Turning to Isabella, she added, "So, you… what's your name?"
"Isabella," Isabella replied, her voice quiet but firm.
"Isabella," Lucy repeated, the sarcasm thick. "Julian's got a heart of stone. This is doomed. And you," she addressed Isabella again, "try talking some sense into my brother. What's your net worth, anyway?"
Isabella, completely thrown, opened her mouth to answer, but Cilla stepped in. "He saved Julian. That's all that matters."
Lucy scoffed, her laughter echoing. "So she's broke. You know Dad's gonna flip. He'll hate this."
Cilla's voice tightened. "Your father's not here." Her phone rang, cutting through the tension. It was Dr. Will. "Your son…" he began, his voice strained.
"What?" Cilla demanded, her face paling.
"He's gone," the doctor said, his voice barely a whisper. "He bribed his way out."
Cilla's eyes narrowed on Lucy. "What did you do?"
Lucy shrugged, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Nothing." She laughed, a sound that grated on Isabella's nerves.
The door opened, silhouetting a figure against the fading light. The tension in the room thickened, a palpable sense of anticipation hanging heavy in the air. Who had arrived, and what would their arrival mean for Isabella, Julian, and the already fragile peace of the Moreau family?