Chapter 38

(Moments ago)
While shopping around, Joyce asked if she had noticed something.
"Don't be too obvious Belle but later glance at your right. You will see a woman in a black shirt and pants. She was also at the restaurant where we had lunch,” her friend said as they checked some clothes on the rack in a small shop.
She did glanced at the woman after several moments. Since the place wasn’t crowded, it was easy to spot her. . She was right outside the shop while texting. She frowned. She got one top from the rack then pretended to inspect it.
"I think Luke probably hired someone to follow you. He has all the resources. And since he's very possessive, there is a chance that he would do that,” Joyce whispered. “Don’t worry. We will find out,” she added.
Then in a voice which she was sure that the female could hear, Isabelle said, “Let’s go to the other shop near the elevator.”
They went to different shops and they were able to prove that the woman was really following them. She pretended to be looking around too. That was when she decided to finally call her husband.
(End of flashback)
Now they were in the restroom. Isabelle angrily put her phone back to her bag after talking to Luke.
"Belle are you okay?" asked Joyce.
"It's confirmed!" she said in a pissed voice and her friend sighed.
She then decided to do something. She removed her ponytail. “Do you have a red lipstick?” she asked Joyce who looked at her with a puzzled expression but still handed her one.
"Do you need to go home early or is Roy doing some overtime work tonight?”
“He’ll be home around ten,” she replied.
“That’s good then.”
"What are you doing?” Joyce asked when she took off her cardigan. She was now in a slinky black top.
Isabelle knew that she was surprised. Joyce was aware that she preferred nude color lipstick and Luke didn’t want her in tight-fitting clothes. She had the cardigan on when she left the house simply because of him.
"Well, I will give my dear husband a dose of his own medicine," she said with a smirk.
***
Luke wanted to throw his phone out of anger as he was talking to Cindy.
“Were you being careful not to be seen?” he hissed.
"Yes sir. I did everything so they won’t notice me,” she defended herself.
"Then why the f*ck did my wife call me to ask such a thing?!"
"Maybe she was just bluffing sir.”
He cursed. "This will be your first and last day working for me! Try to be more careful dammit! How many jobs have you had before this?” he asked.
The line was silent for a while.
“Cindy!”"
"E-er sir, this is my second,” she admitted in a small voice.
"F*CKING SHIT!!" he raked his fingers through his hair.
That agency had a lot to answer for!
***
When it was almost dusk, Isabelle asked Joyce to drive them to a bar. She had a feeling that the woman Luke hired was still tailing them. It was her plan to go to a bar to teach her husband a lesson.
"Wow Belle! I didn't know that you go to these places too! This means we can go to some of the good bars I know next time! " Joyce said with a big smile.
"To be honest, this if my first time. I just want to piss Luke,” she said honestly as she sipped her wine.
Joyce giggled. “I must say that your husband is really amazing! Imagine hiring a female snoop?”
"Well that’s my husband!” she said sarcastically.
"Hi ladies .Can we buy you drinks?" one of the two men who approached them asked.
Isabelle’s brow arched as she eyed them. Both were pleasant looking but she wasn’t interested of course. Flirting is not her thing so she she wasn’t planning to have these guys join them. She didn’t want Luke to smack anyone tonight. She would only teach him a lesson.
She went back to her drink and said," No thanks. We are waiting for our husbands."
"Ops! Sorry! But in case they don't come, we will be glad to keep you company. By the way I am Patrick and my friend here is Joseph."
Joyce was the one who answered him when she didn't react and didn't even turn to look at them again.
"Sure,” she told them.
"Can we have your names?" the taller one asked.
Before Joyce was able to reply, she said without looking at the guy," I'm Lea and she is Trixie."
"Okay Lea and Trixie. Nice to meet you both. We will just be on that corner," he pointed at their table before finally leaving.
"Whew! Those guys are hot!” Joyce commented.
She rolled her eyes and asked, “Do you think there is a back door?".
"Yes I think so. Why?"
She rose from her chair.
"Let’s use it. For sure the lady in black is waiting for us at the parking.” she suggested and Joyce nodded.
***
"What the f*ck do you mean that you lost them?” Luke asked Cindy angrily.
"Sir I didn’t go in the bar because they would suspect that I am following them. I have been waiting for an hour at the parking when I noticed your car drove away and your wife’s friend’s car was gone."
"DAMMIT!! Go home! I wasted my money on you!!" he furiously told the snooper he hired as he banged the steering wheel with his fist.
He was near the bar where Cindy last saw his wife. His eyes narrowed when his phone started to ring again. He was ready to push the decline button when he thought that it was Cindy. But his brows knitted when he saw that his wife's number.
"Where the hell are you?!" he rasped.
"I asked Mario to go home and don't you dare reprimand him! He obeyed me because I told him a lie that you are going to pick me up!" Isabelle said through clench teeth without answering his question.
He was now breathing heavily. He was about to explode. He was gripping the steering wheel. The traffic light was red so he had the chance to talk to her without driving in his angry state.
"I asked you were the f*ck you are!"
"Why are you asking? I'm surprised that you don't know where I am, my dear husband. What's happening? Where's your hired spook?" she asked sarcastically .
"Dammit babe! I have no time for these! Tell me where you are so I can come and get you!" he demanded.
"I will go home when I want to!” she said before ending the call.
He angrily threw his phone on the passenger seat then cursed. The traffic light turned green.
Isabelle angrily put hers back in her bag. Her husband was really unbelievable. She should be the one angry for discovering what he did. She was so happy when she left the house not knowing someone would be watching her.
"Wow Belle! I can imagine how angry Luke is. You better go home before things get out of hand.”
" I don’t care if he’s mad! We won’t do anything bad. I just want to teach him a lesson! I am furious because he doesn’t trust me and he was willing to pay someone to follow me like a criminal! This is the first time I went out in weeks and he did this?” she hissed.
Joyce heaved a sigh and shrugged her shoulders. "Okay it’s up to you. Anyway he’s your husband and you know how to handle him. I just hope you can solve this as soon as possible when you get home. So where do you want to go next?" she asked.
Isabelle chewed the inside of her cheek as she thought.
"Let's go to the best bar you know.”
***
Victoria? Guess who is in the same bar as me?" Eunice asked on the phone.
"Who?"
"Luke's naïve wife," she said with a smirk as she looked at Isabelle and Joyce who just sat down on a table near the corner.
"Is he with her?" she asked.
"Nope. I think you better act fast. We can do the first step of our plan tonight. I am betting my life on it that the lovebirds quarreled. Luke wouldn’t allow his gullible wife to go to a bar. For sure he doesn’t know she’s here, “ Eunice said while sneering.
"Okay! Leave it to me. Tell me where that bar is," Victoria said.
"Okay. The bitch is in a sexy purple top. You can't miss her! Come quickly!" she commanded.
Eunice observed the surroundings after ending the call, She was glad that only few customers were inside. She ordered another drink to kill time. She noticed that Isabelle had four glasses of margarita already. And now she was on her fifth. She smirked. She was right. The two had a fight again. She knew that Isabelle had a low-alcohol tolerance. Luke had beaten up Reed last time she got drunk. Whatever was Victoria planning tonight would work well once Isabelle was roaring drunk, Then she saw a man came to their table. He sat across from Isabelle. After maybe two minutes, he got up and walked away looking disappointed.
Looked like Isabelle rejected him.- Eunice thought and rolled her eyes.
She felt that Isabelle was playing hard to get. She took a sip of her drink. She waited for a few more minutes before deciding to approach them. She halted when she saw Isabelle made a call so she waited until she ended the call before walking to them.
***
Isabelle just hung up when she heard someone call her name.
"Issa?"
She and Joyce turned. She frowned. She didn’t expect to see Eunice who bent to kiss her on the cheek. She introduced the two women to each other before Eunice sat too.
"What a surprise to see you here. I am curious why Luke isn’t with you.”
She smiled but didn’t answer her.
"Anyway, Issa, can I talk to you in private before I leave? It will only take a minute," she said.
She just nodded and tried to stand up. She swayed a little so Joyce stood to help her.
"Are you okay Belle? Can you stand by yourself? " her friend asked.
Eunice also rose to hold her other arm. "Are you fine?" she asked with concern evident in her voice.
"Yes," came her short reply with a smile.
"If you like we can talk next time,” her voice had a trace of regret.
Isabelle straightened. She wanted to hear what she she would say.
"I'm okay. Let’s talk now. Please wait for me here," she told Joyce who just nodded.
"Let’s go outside. It’s too noisy here. There are some benches we can sit on,” Eunice said and walked ahead and she just decided to follow her.
When she was near the door, a man who was in a hurry bumped into her. She almost fell but the tall man held her waist to steady her. Their eyes met. Since it was brighter in this area, she saw his face clearly. He was good-looking. She straightened quickly and put a distance between them. The way he was looking at her was kind of creepy. He even squeezed her waist a while ago.
"Sorry Miss," he apologized in a hoarse voice.
She just nodded and quickly followed Eunice.
"Want to sit down?" the other woman asked when they got outside.
“I prefer to stand up. What do you want to tell me?"
She lit a cigarette then sat down on the bench. Though Isabelle didn’t want to sit, she did. It looked like they were going to talk about something serious.
"Seems like you and Luke argued again as usual. I don't think he would allow you to wear something like that and go to a bar without him," she commented but she didn’t reply.
They were both facing the parking lot of the other bar. Probably the other woman was just fishing for something with what she said. She didn’t want to give her too much information though she owed her. Luke even talked to Beth and she hoped the help would stop telling Eunice what had been happening at their home.
"That must be very hard. I mean your husband not trusting you. I’m sorry that was just my two cents,” she said and threw her a glance before going back to her cigarette then looked at the parking lot.
"Where is this conversation leading to Eunice?" she asked with a creased forehead.
Eunice might have been nice to her but she didn't feel comfortable telling her about her relationship with Luke. She didn’t even discuss it with her in-laws.
Still not looking at her she asked, "Do you know that your mother-in-law hired someone to watch you in the US?"
Isabelle’s eyes widened.
"And why the f*ck do you know that?!"an angry male voice asked.
Surprised, they turned to where it came from only to be more astounded. Luke was glaring at them.