chapter 10: Shocking Truth

Autumn
I talked with many dangerous people in my life, but the woman I was with now had a different aura that put me on edge. If I could, I would chop her into pieces. I didn't know why I was feeling like this.
"Why do you want to meet Bel?" I asked seriously.
We were sitting in the living room. Her eyes scanned the whole house.
"Ada did change a lot of stuff," Nora spoke and her eyes fell on the dining area. "However, some things didn't change."
Who was this woman?
"Why are you avoiding my questions? How do you know Mom and Dad?" I asked in annoyance.
She smirked, arching an eyebrow at me. "Mom? You can't possibly be Aubree 'cause she had dark brown hair. And she should be thirty by now." She paused for a brief moment and said, "Time flies fast..."
I clenched my fist in anger. This woman was driving me nuts.
Control, Autumn.
"I will be asking this for the last time. Why are you here and how do you know the Becketts?" I inquired, trying to keep my calm.
She made herself comfortable on the couch. "You are Ian's wife, aren't you? The leader everyone fears. When I tried to get information about you, most of them shivered even by hearing your name."
That was it. Nora pulled the last straw of patience out of me. I stood up and ordered, "Get out of here before I throw you out."
She didn't even move an inch after my threat. Instead, she gave me an evil look.
"Aut, I am here," Isabel announced. She looked at me and Nora before approaching us. "Who are you, Miss?"
Nora got up and cupped Isabel��s cheeks. "Oh my, you're so grown up. I thought I would never see you, dear." She kissed Isabel's forehead.
Isabel was taken aback at her movement. She slightly pushed Nora away. "Excuse me. Do I even know you?"
She heaved a sigh. "Who knew I would see this day? My own daughter is asking if she even knows me? I curse my luck!" Nora placed a hand on her forehead dramatically.
"What?" I and Isabel spoke in unison. "Daughter?"
Nora said, "Yes. You're my daughter, Isabel."
Isabel let out a humorless chuckle. I couldn't help but laugh too.
"From which angle do I look like your daughter? And who the hell are you even?" asked Isabel.
"You wanted to meet Bel just for this stupid thing? You came from Italy with this hope that we would believe you? Get lost, woman." I pointed my index finger towards the door, showing her the way.
Nora gritted her teeth in anger. "I knew that stupid Ada would feed you with lies, Isabel. She isn't even your mother. Nor is Simon your father. You are my daughter!"
"Don't insult my mom. You're lying," Isabel said in disbelief. I put a hand over her shoulder.
"Of course, she is," I assured her. "A stranger comes out of nowhere and says you're her daughter, after twenty-seven years. Wow! That makes so much sense."
Nora tried to touch Isabel but I stood in between them. "Get out, Nora. You're older than me, so I am trying to respect you. Don't make me go crazy."
Suddenly, Nora let out her tears as I stood there in shock. Was she bipolar?
She was smirking a few minutes ago and now, she was crying. I shouldn't have let her inside the house in the first place.
"Please let me tell you the whole truth from the beginning. Please, Isabel. Hear me out," she begged.
"No, sh��" I was interrupted by Isabel.
"What do you want to say?" When I furrowed my brows, Isabel gave me a small smile and said, "It's okay. I know she is lying. Let's hear some more lies."
We sat back on the couches. I instantly texted Ian, seeing as he was online.
Autumn: Plz, come home quick.
Asshole Ian: Can't wait to see me, wifey? ;)
I rolled my eyes.
Autumn: Some woman came out of nowhere and started feeding us with the gibberish of Bel being her daughter. I am sitting with them now. Come ASAP. I got no good feeling about this.
Ian saw the message, but he didn't reply. I assumed he was already on his way home.
"I am Ada's cousin, Nora Bohamen. Simon had a brother named Jace Beckett. When I came to the States with Ada, I met him. We fell in love and we got married. Then I got pregnant with you," Nora let out and further continued, "After your father died, I was scared of raising you alone. I let Ada and Simon handle you and I left for Italy. I just wanted to give you a stable life. That's it."
Isabel cackled. "You're totally lying. Ada Beckett is my mother and Simon Beckett is my father. Hear it out once and for all."
I popped in the conversation, "What proof do you even have, Nora?"
Nora smiled, already making me feel bad for asking for proof. She took out a report and shoved in towards me. "Check it out. It contains the details regarding my pregnancy," she said confidently.
I hesitantly opened the file. This woman seemed overconfident.
Isabel started to check the papers with me. Everything was there. The day Isabel was born, the name of her real parents on the hospital birth certificate��everything.
Isabel's mother and father's names were not Ada Beckett and Simon Beckett. It was Nora Bohamen and Jace Beckett. She was really Isabel's mother. That explained them having the same rare brown curls. But why did Ada and Simon hide the truth from Isabel?
"It's fake," Isabel spoke in a louder voice. "Get out of here. It's fake."
Nora begged, "Honey, I am sorry for leaving you before. I just wanted to give you a stable life, as I said. Please, forgive me."
I asked, getting annoyed at Nora, "If you wanted to give her a stable life, then why are you back now?"
Nora almost changed her expression, glaring at me, but she covered it up with her crocodile tears again.
"After twenty-seven years, I understood that I couldn't live without my daughter anymore. I wanted my daughter to know her real mother's existence." She grabbed Isabel's hand. "Let's go back home, honey."
Isabel pushed her hand away and said loudly, "Take the same plane you got here with. I don't care even if you are my mother. I just have one mother, and that's Ada Beckett. Get it in that thick head of yours. She's my mom. She raised me, not you."
"Isabel, dear��"
"No!" Isabel threw the nearby vase, breaking it into pieces, and ran upstairs. Knowing her, I instantly ran after her. When I tried to open the door of her room, it was already locked.
"Bel, open the door. Bel!"
"Who the fuck are you? Where are Autumn and Isabel?" I heard Ian yell at Nora all of a sudden.
Without wasting a second, from the staircase, I called for Ian, "Ian, Isabel locked herself in the room."
He quickly got upstairs.
"Isabel, open the door. I'm here." After Isabel didn't respond, Ian looked at me and his eyes darkened as he ordered, "Tell me everything."
Gulping, I told him everything from the beginning. He even went downstairs and brought the papers to check it.
"No... it can't be..." Ian shook his head in denial, letting the papers fall on the ground.
I tried to grab his hand. "Ian..."
"Isabel is my own sister. Mom and dad won't lie about this. It is not true. It is so not true. It..."
"Ian..." He pushed my hand away and marched downstairs. Looking back at the closed door of Isabel's room, I followed Ian.
"Ian, stop." He avoided my voice as I called him again, "Ian!" He walked out of the mansion without saying a word. I mumbled to myself, "I think I should leave him alone for now."
Nora said, "Can I please talk to my daughter?"
I wanted to hit the woman so hard. However, I had to control myself because, first, she was Ada's cousin. Second, she was also Isabel's mother. Third... never mind.
"I'll talk to her first. You may go and rest meanwhile." I gave her a tight-lipped smile.
She nodded and left. I didn't have to guide her 'cause she already knew everything here.
I went back to Isabel's bedroom and knocked on the door. "Get lost! Ada is my mom!" I heard her broken voice.
"Bel, it's me."
After a brief second, I heard the door click. I slowly entered the bedroom. She abruptly pulled me into a hug.
"Aut, she's not my mom. She cannot be my mother. Only Ada is my mom. Mom was there with me during my ups and downs. She always supported me, adored me. She never left my side. Even my dad loves me a lot. How can they not be my parents?"
I caressed her hair, waiting for her to speak whatever she had going on in her mind.
She hiccuped and continued speaking, "This random woman cannot just come out of nowhere. Send her away, please. I don't want to go anywhere with her. This is my family. Ian, Steven, and Aubree are my own siblings."
I whispered, "She can't take you away, Bel. We are here for you. I am sure that whatever Mom and Dad did, they had their reasons."
She nodded. "I'll never blame them, Whatever reason they had. I don't even want to know what it was. They did for my welfare and they will continue to think about me in the first place. Just make that woman go away."
I wiped her tears and tried to assure her by saying, "Everything will be fine, alright?"
I sat on the bed and she laid beside me. I caressed her hair, making her drift into a deep slumber. She had enough drama for today.
If Nora doesn't go away or does something stupid, I will take the matter in my hands.
Out of all that happened, where are you, Ian? My heart was uneasy at the thought of not knowing his whereabouts. Now, I knew what you felt, Ian. Please come home, soon.
I couldn't properly digest the fact that Isabel was not being his real sister. The way Ian must be feeling right now... I couldn't even imagine.
Was he okay?
I took my phone and texted him.
Autumn: Wherever you are, just take care. I am here to take care of Bel. Come home soon.
I bet he didn't even read my text so I closed my eyes and prayed, "Please take care of yourself, Ian. Wherever you are, be safe."