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Hundred and Forty–Three
Isabella’s POV
It was midnight by the time we got back to the mansion. I was feeling much better now. The party was mostly over and the guests were already gone but surprisingly I wasn’t worried about that.
I couldn’t believe I was pregnant. I was having a baby! Me? A baby?
I was over the moon about the news. There was a palpable joy that radiated through me and it was the same for Alexander. He was already talking about baby names on our ride back to the mansion.
My joy was put on hold as I remembered something else that my mind. had completely forgotten. The piece of paper Antonio had given me.
Quickly I let go of Alexander and went into the hall to check for my purse but the hall was empty now and as I searched around I could not find my purse.
“Is everything okay?” Alexander asked, startling me. Of course, he had followed me in here. He must have been confused when I pulled away from him abruptly and ran away from him.
“Have you seen my purse? I asked him, a little panicked. I knew he hadn’t seen the message inside, if he had we wouldn’t even be having this conversation but there was a possibility he had handed it over to a maid or a friend.
“I’m sure the maids will have it with them.”
“You aren’t sure?” I snapped.
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“You didn’t get the maids to keep it?”
“No, Isabella. I was too busy panicking about my wife collapsing in the middle of a party to be sure whether or not her purse was safe.” He said dryly, staring at me with a confused expression on his face. He walked towards me and pulled me by the waist against him.
“Did you have something important in there?” he asked softly, tucking a loose strand of hair at the back of my ear. I stiffened at his question. It was a reminder that I was lying to him by not telling him about Antonio.
“No, I just really liked the purse. It was my mother’s.” I lied. I felt like shit lying to Alexander but I didn’t know what else to do. I needed to find my bag so I could read what was in that note.
“Oh.” He said simply and hugged me tighter.
“I’m sorry, I’ll get the maids or guards to search for it, is that okay?”
“I nodded, knowing that it was far from okay, I had to find that purse before someone found what was inside the paper before I did.
“Now, come on. You need to rest, you’ve been through a bit this week
I nodded and followed Alexander straight upstairs. He ordered the maids to bring up some fruits right before he led me to our bedroom. He took off my uncomfortable dress and we both climbed into our bath. The lavender scent of the bath bomb should have helped me relax but all it did was make me more antsy.
“Feels good doesn’t it?” he murmured as he massaged my shoulders.
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“Hmm,” I murmured absentmindedly. I was still worried about the purse and the information it contained to fully enjoy the bath. What did Antonio want to tell me that he couldn’t have said with his stupid mouth?
I took deep breaths in order to quell my anger. I couldn’t have Alexander suspicious about anything. We finished soaking in the bath an hour later and Alexander led me to the bedroom after cleaning me up and getting me ready for bed.
A few minutes after I was dressed in shorts and Alexander’s pajamas shorts, one of the maids brought up some fruits. I questioned her about my purse and she told me she had no idea where it was.
I asked for Lisa but was told she had retired to her bedroom. Apparently, she fell ill minutes after I was rushed into the emergency room. Alexander and I fell asleep in each other’s arms.
I woke up three hours later when I could hear Alexander snoring beside me. His hands were around me and my back was to his chest.
Carefully, I tried to pry his hands off me but he stirred in his sleep. I held my breath until his breathing was even again. I waited for what felt like forever before I tried to get away from his grasp again, succeeding this time.
I tiptoed to the door and as quietly as possible I opened the door and sneaked out of the room. I let out a breath of relief when I was finally out in the hallway safely without rousing him awake.
The mansion was eerily quiet as I climbed down the stairs. Everyone had gone to sleep save for the guards who didn’t bat an eye when they saw me. They bowed and I smiled in response.
I began to search for my purse. I started in the hall, checked every table and corner of the hall but couldn’t find it. I searched the kitchen, the
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store room, the living room but came up with nothing.
I was already hyperventilating with worry, I had hidden the piece of paper well but there was a possibility that someone could find it.
“Isabella,” Alexander’s voice startled me out of my thoughts. I spun around to look at him, he was standing at the entrance of the kitchen
barefoot and shirtless.
“Alexander!” I said like a kid that had just been caught stealing cookies. from the cookie jar.
“What are you doing down here at 3 a.m.?” His voice was hoarse and groggy as he spoke and his eyes, sleepy.
“I thought I’d come down, I couldn’t sleep,” I said as I twiddled my thumbs.
“You are looking for your purse aren’t you?”
I nodded. There was no point in lying now. He shook his head in disbelief.
“Come here you, strange woman,” he said as he walked up to me, pulling me into a hug. He kissed my forehead. “You have to be the most stubborn woman in the world.” He murmured.
“I just can’t afford to lose that bag, it was my mother’s favorite.” I was irritated with myself at the ease at which I was now lying to
Alexander. His face softened at my explanation. He cradled my face in his palms, forcing me to look up at him.
“Don’t worry, we’ll get back your purse, I know how much it means to you. It’s sentimental and I get why you are worried, but you need to be resting.” He said and for some stupid reason, I felt like crying.
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Vouchers
My mother’s face appeared in my mind’s eyes, and the realization that I’d never see her again weighed on my heart. Although the purse wasn‘ t even hers, I had only her belongings to remember her by and suddenly it wasn’t enough.
Alexander noticed me crying and he tightened his hold, whispering soothing words to calm me down. He let me cry on his chest for several minutes before carrying me back to our room.
**
I woke up more exhausted than I had been the previous day. Alexander was gone but on his side of his bed laid a piece of paper. I picked it up and read its content.
‘No leaving your bed today.‘ I rolled my eyes at him. There was
absolutely no way I was going to stay in bed all day doing nothing. I opened to the other page and it read ‘I know you won’t listen, but I got you breakfast, eat!‘
I glanced around and found a tray of food on the coffee table and beside it was a big bouquet of roses. I climbed out of bed with a huge smile on my face and moved to the coffee table.
Picking up the bouquet, a card Fell out. “Congratulations on our baby!” I was smiling like a fool at his gesture. He really knew how to make a woman blush.
Quickly, I finished my breakfast, showered, and went downstairs. Lisa was in the kitchen when I got down. She bowed when she saw me, a wide grin on her face.
“Congratulations ma’am.”
I stared at her blankly.
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“We heard about your pregnancy…”
“Oh yeah, thanks, Lisa.”
“Are you hungry, what are you craving?” she said, stumbling over her words.
“No, no. I’m fine, I’m full as a matter of fact. I came here because I’m looking for my purse. Please tell me you’ve seen it.” I said with a pleading tone
“Oh, yeah, I’m şure I left it in your private quarters.”
I blinked and face–palmed myself for not thinking of checking my own suite. “Are you okay?” Lisa asked, eyeing me up and down.
“I’m great, thank you.”
I said and ran upstairs, opened my door, and went straight inside. I glanced around but couldn’t find it. I moved into my walk–in closet and there it was on my closet couch. I picked it up and quickly opened the clutch. I was relieved when I found the tiny piece of paper inside.
Taking a seat on my closet couch, I read the content of the piece of paper. I immediately tore it up, shaking my head. There was no way what Antonio had written in there was true. I didn’t believe it, I couldn’t. Alexander would never do that to me.
“My parents were murdered,” I said firmly to myself. “But even as I said it out loud, I realized I had no idea who was responsible for my parents‘ death.
My phone rang in my hand and I checked the ID and it was Alexander. My stomach fell.
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