At the hotel, Isabella was wiping her hair as she emerged from the bathroom. Suddenly, her vision was consumed by a shadow. Before she could look up, she was slammed against the wall. The next second, fevered kisses rained down on her.
Recognizing the familiar scent, Isabella tilted her chin up, loosened her grip on the towel, and returned his fervent kiss.
A simple kiss wasn't enough to satisfy him. The man roughly pulled off her robe, causing Isabella to furrow her brows. As always, this man was crude and straightforward.
She felt his lips trail down her neck, his warm breath caressing her earlobe, sending a shiver through her body.
The next morning, Isabella slowly opened her eyes. As she tried to get up, her body ached as if it had been torn apart. Memories of his relentless desire throughout the night resurfaced—she had drifted off to sleep at some unknown hour. Looking at her radiant skin, untouched by any trace of their intimacy, Isabella gave a faint smile.
The sound of water in the bathroom suddenly stopped. Lifting her eyes, she saw him approaching. Her gaze lingered on his chiseled muscles, and she couldn't help but swallow hard.
The man was handsome—his sculpted features sharp and well-defined. His deep-set eyes, high nose bridge, and thin lips formed an irresistible combination. His lean frame showcased a perfect six-pack, and at nearly 1.9 meters tall, his long legs further emphasized his impeccable proportions.
Noticing her gaze, he smirked and closed the distance between them. He bent down, took her chin between his fingers, and spoke in a teasing tone, "Up for another round?"
His voice was deep, rich, and pleasant to the ear.
Leaning her elbow on his shoulder, Isabella traced his cheek with her fingertip and laughed coyly. "You're quite the eye candy, but unfortunately, I have other plans today."
With that, she threw off the quilt and attempted to stand, but her legs gave way, causing her to tumble into his arms.
Raising an eyebrow in amusement, he caught her by the waist. "Oh? Not interested, huh?"
Isabella playfully squeezed his chest and smiled. "Just milking you for all you're worth." She calmly extricated herself from his embrace.
The man began dressing, the cut of his suit revealing its expensive craftsmanship. Despite their two-month acquaintance, she knew nothing about him except his surname—Ray. Hence, she simply called him Mr. Ray.
Perched on the table with her legs crossed, Isabella chuckled. "Do we look like secret lovers?"
His hand paused mid-action while adjusting his tie. He glanced at her with his deep eyes, and after a brief silence, replied indifferently, "something for something"
Hearing his response, Isabella neither agreed nor refuted it. Seeing him ready to leave, she smiled lightly. "Care to join me for breakfast?"
"No need. I have other matters to attend to," he replied softly. He gave her head a gentle pat before withdrawing his hand and calmly leaving.
Watching his retreating figure, Isabella shrugged. This was how it always was between them—a night of passion, then parting ways.
She took a clean set of clothes from the wardrobe and changed. As she examined her reflection in the mirror, her phone suddenly vibrated. Picking it up, she answered with a hint of confusion, "Hello?"
Before she could say more, a sharp voice burst through the receiver. "Isabella! What's the meaning of this? You were actually thrown out like garbage? Did you really think you could keep it a secret?"
Frowning slightly, Isabella asked, "Thrown out?"
Back at the Caleb family villa, Grace, the lady of the house, sat with her arms crossed, her face twisted with disdain. "Isabella, you’re utterly useless! You couldn’t even hold on to your husband. Now you’ve been kicked out of the William family! Beg William Lucas immediately. Crawl if you must, but make him reconsider the divorce!"
Leaning back lazily on the sofa, Isabella smiled faintly. "Auntie, even if I wanted to grovel at his feet, I’d need the chance to do so. Besides, our marriage was nothing more than a formality."
Before she could finish, Grace’s palm landed hard on Isabella’s cheek. "How dare you speak like that, you useless thing?! If this marriage falls apart, our family will be humiliated. You’ll be thrown out of the Caleb family too! We won’t support an ungrateful wretch like you!"
Pain surged through Isabella’s cheek, but she remained calm, her lips curving into a faint smile. She met Grace’s glare head-on. "Auntie, I married into the Caleb family rightfully. Even if I am a failure, I am still a failure under the Caleb name. In fact, if not for this so-called failure, the Caleb family would’ve gone bankrupt long ago."
Grace’s face twisted with rage. "How dare you talk back to me?!"
She raised her hand for another slap, but Isabella seized her wrist mid-air.
Grace tried to pull back, but Isabella’s grip was firm. "Auntie, until the divorce is finalized, I’m still the lady of the William family. You should be careful. I wouldn’t mind dragging you down with me."
"You? Embarrass me?" Grace sneered. "To the William family, you’re nothing more than a worthless dog!"
Isabella’s eyes narrowed. Her voice dropped to a slow, icy tone. "If the William family finds out you faked Caleb Snow’s illness to avoid marrying your own daughter to the disabled William John... I wonder how they'd react?"
Grace’s face drained of color.
Isabella released her wrist and smiled calmly. "Since my husband dislikes me, I see no reason to cling to him. Auntie, I’ll handle the divorce. I have other matters to attend to. We’ll talk some other time."
With that, she turned and left, her steps poised and unhurried.
Behind her, Grace gritted her teeth. "Once you lose the William family's support, I’ll make you pay."
Stepping out of the Caleb residence, Isabella raised a hand to her swollen cheek. She let out a bitter chuckle. Taking out her phone, she scrolled through her contacts. Upon seeing a familiar but distant name, she pressed the call button.
The phone rang for a long while before a cold voice answered. "What is it?"
Even over the phone, his icy tone made her shiver. Steadying her breath, Isabella spoke, "Mr. William, as your wife, I just received word that we are to divorce. Should I feel happy about this?"
Suppressing her emotions, Isabella forced herself to remain composed. In this marriage, she had always been at a disadvantage—whether it was the wedding or now, the divorce.
"If I recall correctly, our agreement still has six months left. Don’t you think you owe me an explanation for ending it early?" Her voice was calm but laced with bitterness.
William Lucas’s voice remained emotionless. "You no longer hold any value."
Hearing those words, Isabella wanted to laugh but couldn't. "A wonderful answer, Mr. William. Rest assured, I won’t cling to you."
"Hmm." His cold response was followed by the call ending abruptly.
Listening to the disconnected tone, Isabella’s face was unreadable. She slowly lifted her head, her posture straightening with pride. Without the slightest trace of sorrow, she turned and walked away.
