Cheated Once Cherished Forever: The Billionaire's Bride novel Chapter 148

Isabella was jolted awake by her phone's ringing. She was so exhausted from the night before that she didn't even have the energy to toss and turn, let alone notice when Theodore left.

The phone seemed to have been ringing for a while. When she woke up groggily and checked it, she saw over a dozen missed calls, all from the same unfamiliar number.

Whoever it was had called repeatedly, so it had to be urgent. As she debated calling back, the phone rang again. She answered.

Jessie's voice came through. "Isabella…"

Isabella didn't expect this. After that night at the hotel, Jessie had vanished. Both Alexander and Theodore had sent people to track her down, but there'd been no trace of her. Why was she calling now?

"Jessie?"

"Isabella, please let me go. I'm begging you—give me a way out. I know I was wrong…"

It seemed she'd been found.

Isabella's voice was cold. "Now, you're asking me to let you go? The first time you set me up, I could convince myself you were coerced. After all, we used to be such close friends."

Jessie's sobs crackled through the receiver.

"But then you schemed against me again with those despicable tactics! You want me to let you go, but did you ever think of letting me go when you did all that?" Isabella continued.

"I was just so jealous!" Jessie cried. "We're so alike, but why do you get to live so well and marry into wealth? What about me? I'm clawing to survive in this world! We used to eat together every day, but now, I can only peek at you through the cracks of the hellhole I'm in. I can't live with that! But I know I messed up, so please… Tell them to let me go, Isabella…"

"I've already given you a chance, Jessie. If you're not satisfied in your hellhole, you can sit in prison. What you did isn't something I can just forgive and make go away."

With that, Isabella ended the call, ignoring Jessie's pleas.

…

Isabella had just finished breakfast when Caleb arrived. She was surprised to see him and said, "Caleb, you're back! What about Ms. Collins? Is she back too?"

"Yes, Mrs. Sinclair. Emma's back as well. Don't worry, she's fine," Caleb said.

"We've arrived, Mrs. Sinclair," Caleb said.

Isabella didn't respond.

Caleb glanced back to see that she was lost in thought, her beautiful face calm and composed. It was almost as if it would be a crime to trouble her with anything. No wonder Theodore doted on her so much…

"Mrs. Sinclair, we're here," Caleb prompted softly.

Isabella snapped out of it and looked up, embarrassed to see him staring at her. She thanked him and got out of the car.

The elevator doors began to close after she stepped inside, but someone hit the open button from the outside. She looked up to see Alexander stride in, an inexplicable air of intensity around his tall frame.

"M-Mr. Sinclair," she stammered.

He glanced at her and frowned. "Why do you look like you're scared of me today?"