Chapter 92 The Picture of Misery
In the sterile confines of the hospital room, Alexander remained faithfully by Isabella's side. Isabella was a picture of desolation, her tears cascading unchecked down her cheeks.
Alexander made no move to stem her flow of sorrow. Instead, he sat in silent contemplation, ensconced in a chair beside her bed, his thoughts a whirlpool of confusion and concern.
In time, Isabella's sobs began to subside, her tear-streaked face a testament to her anguish. She noticed that her emotional display had done little to rouse Alexander from his introspection, and she ceased her crying.
When the room had fallen into a quiet lull, punctuated only by the rhythmic beep of the hospital monitors, Alexander turned his gaze toward her. "Feeling any better?" he asked, his voice a gentle whisper in the stillness.
Isabella's response was steeped in melancholy. "Alex, I'm sorry. It's my fault you two fought."
"The lunch was my mother's idea, and she arranged it without informing Ava. She was likely as surprised as you were, summoned separately by my mother. You may have misconstrued the situation."
His words sent a shiver of apprehension through Isabella. Was Alexander defending Ava? Could he not fathom the possibility of his mother and wife conspiring against her?
"I..." Beneath the safety of her blankets, Isabella's hand curled into a tight fist. Now that Alexander had softened his stance, she knew she had to tread carefully. Speaking ill of his family could easily backfire, turning him against her.
Biting her lip, Isabella chose her words carefully. "Alex, Ava was there too, and I was taken aback. I had assumed your mother had only invited me. After everything that transpired, I couldn't help but wonder if they had planned it together. I'm not certain of what truly happened, but the humiliation I endured was very real. Even your mother cannot deny the way she belittled me at the restaurant. If she harbors such disdain for me, why invite me at all?"
"And Ava, why did she throw water at you? What transpired just before that incident?"
Isabella's heart fluttered nervously. She knew the truth of the matter, but revealing it to Alexander was out of the question.
"Why the silence? Did you provoke her in some way?"
Alexander's brow furrowed, a flicker of unease in his eyes. Could he have misunderstood Ava?
"We had a disagreement," Isabella admitted, her expression one of contrite innocence. "We began discussing you, and emotions ran high. Women can be so emotional, you know."
Implying that her altercation with Ava was over Alexander was a safer narrative than revealing the unadorned truth.
Alexander remained silent, mulling over her words. Perhaps Isabella had a point. But Ava didn't harbor any romantic feelings for him, did she? Why then would she engage in a confrontation with Isabella over him?Perhaps it was simply a matter of marital ties. Even without love, Ava might feel a sense of protectiveness towards him, fostering resentment towards Isabella.
Reflecting on his own quarrels with Ava, he realized it wasn't entirely implausible for Ava and Isabella to clash over him.
With a sigh, Alexander reached out to gently pat the blanket covering Isabella. "Alright, I understand."
In retrospect, the midday fiasco seemed almost farcical. He had never anticipated his mother engaging in such theatrics, especially considering he believed she had withdrawn from the family business, her marriage to his father merely nominal.
"Alex, I fear what this might do to your relationship with the Mitchell family. I don't want you to sever ties with them because of me. That would cast me as the villain."
"I'm sorry, Isabella. I apologize on their behalf." As Ava's husband and Mia's son, if they couldn't muster the courage to apologize to Isabella, the responsibility fell to him.
"Alex, you must know I could never hold you accountable. All I need is your loyalty. I can weather any storm and endure any hardship. Even if the world turns against me, as long as I have you, I can persevere." Isabella's eyes welled up with fresh tears, her vulnerability a poignant sight that tugged at Alexander's heartstrings.
"Isabella, there's something I need to ask you," Alexander broke the silence, his voice echoing softly in the sterile room.
