In His Grasp: A Mafia Romance novel Chapter 49

Chapter 49: Did Your Cousin Do Something to You?

He felt that Isabella's fall had been too severe. Her face was badly bruised and swollen, and as Emanuele examined her, he couldn't help but feel that something was amiss.

"What could make your face look like this, Isabella? Can you explain it to me?" Emanuele touched Isabella's cheek and noticed it wasn't a typical bruise. It seemed to bear the imprint of a hand.

His breath turned icy, like a winter's chill, as he said, "Isabella, you're not being truthful. Did your cousin do something to you?"

Initially, Isabella's steadfast demeanor made Emanuele believe her. But as he examined the facial injuries more closely, he began to suspect that they might be intentional.

Hearing Emanuele's question, Isabella shook her head and quickly replied, "No, it was me. I injured myself. If it were really my cousin bullying me, I'd have shouted and made Tony aware of it."

Emanuele continued to study Isabella's expression. She still seemed determined, like a warrior. It was strange. Emanuele had years of experience dealing with adversaries, and he could tell that these injuries were not typical of a simple fall. However, Isabella's unwavering determination made him reserve his doubts.

Emanuele applied some ointment to her face and then inquired about her hands and feet.

"No, just my face hit the ground. The rest of my body is fine," Isabella confirmed.

After Emanuele left the room, Isabella breathed a sigh of relief. Luckily, he hadn't pressed further. But the thought of her confrontation with Chloe still sent shivers down her spine. Today marked her first act of defiance against Chloe's orders, a small but significant step in her progress.

However, she knew she needed to do more. When Chloe attacked her, she should learn to fight back. One step at a time, Isabella thought, feeling somewhat fatigued as she buried herself under her covers.

Emanuele left Chloe's room and called Tony to ask some questions.

"Tony, did you notice anything unusual when Isabella's cousin visited today?"

Tony shook his head and replied, "She was waiting at the door when Miss Gould came back from work. She entered the apartment with Miss Gould and took a quick tour before heading to Miss Gould's room to have a conversation."

Emanuele squinted. "When did she leave?"

"She stayed in Miss Gould's room for about half an hour and then left, taking two of Miss Gould's dresses with her."

To take Isabella's dresses? Emanuele knew that aside from a few pieces from her previous life, the rest of Isabella's wardrobe had been provided by him. So why would Chloe take Isabella's dresses?

Emanuele had Tony pull up the surveillance footage from the apartment. However, it only covered the living room area, showing Chloe and Isabella talking, with nothing appearing amiss.