Chapter 99
Matt came up the steps behind me, a rare seriousness softening his usually playful face.
“Caroline’s right,” he said. “I just want to make sure you’re not doing something... shady. You know how we are. If you’re doing anything illegal just to take care of us, sis—I won’t be okay with it.”
My throat tightened, a sharp knot catching at my voice. It felt like the ground beneath me was thinning, becoming less real with every breath.
“I’m not doing anything illegal,” I said—quiet, but firm. “I promise you both.”
Even as the words left my mouth, I could hear the hollowness in them. Worse—I could see the doubt in their eyes.
“I haven’t even started work yet,” I added quickly, trying to sound more convincing. “My boss doesn’t like lateness, so he had the car delivered to make sure I’ll be on time when I begin.”
It was such a flimsy excuse, like duct tape slapped over a cracked dam. And we all knew it.
Matt frowned deeply. “Did someone pay you to smuggle drugs?”
“What? No! Are you serious right now?” I tried to laugh, but the sound came out brittle—almost foreign. “Come on, Matt. I don’t even do drugs. I’ve never touched them. I don’t even smoke. You really think I’d go that far?”
He didn’t answer. He didn’t have to. The silence said enough.
“I trust you, sis,” Matt said finally. Then he turned and walked back into the living room—like pressing me any further would hurt him more than help me.
But Caroline stayed.
She stood there, arms folded, eyes cutting through me like truth serum. She always saw too much.
“Well?” she asked. “What are you going to tell me?”
I met her gaze, holding it longer than I wanted to. Her stare felt like standing under the sun too long—warm and burning.
“I don’t think there’s anything I want to tell you yet, Caroline,” I said slowly. “When I’m ready, I will. Just... please know I’m not doing anything illegal. We need the money, and this job—it might actually give us a shot at something better.”
Caroline shook her head, frustrated but calm. “We do need money. But not at your expense. You might not be doing something illegal, but that doesn’t mean it’s not hurting you. You could be making life easier for us while making it harder for yourself. That’s not okay with me.”
God, she always knew exactly where to aim.
“Can we talk about this when I get back from work?” I asked, already feeling the weight of the day before it had even begun. I still had to meet Levi. And if there was one thing I couldn’t afford to be today—it was late. I didn’t have a truck to use as an excuse, now I had a freaking Ferrari. And A Ferrari didn’t just drive on the road. It devoured it. Speed. Power. Precision.
The moment I laid eyes on it, I almost squealed. The car was a beast wrapped in beauty.
I deserved this.
Yes. I did.
“Sure,” Caroline said with a shrug, then followed Matt back inside.
I lingered at the doorway for a moment, watching them settle onto the couch again, already half-lost in whatever show they were watching. A life I was part of—but slowly stepping away from.
Then I turned. Gripped the keys. And with a burst of energy that surged from the soles of my feet to the top of my head, I ran toward the car—crying and laughing all at once.
“FUCKING FUCK!” I exclaimed as I got close. This car was beautiful. I ran my hands over the exterior, my heart racing in joy.
I flung the door open and jumped in, laughing—a sound that bubbled up from somewhere deep inside. For the first time in forever, I felt like Isabella again.
It was insane—how the same man who once made my world go dark could now make it shimmer with color.
My hands trembled as I reached for the ignition, heart pounding like a drum. I ran my fingers along the steering wheel, the leather smooth and warm beneath my touch. This wasn’t just a car. It was proof. A sign that I might just get my life back.
I threw my head back against the seat and laughed. Loud. Real. Giddy.
“FUCK! Fuck! Fuck!”
The engine purred to life beneath me, a deep, delicious growl that sent a shiver across my skin.
“You all can hear this, right?”
I deserved this.
Yes. I did.
And then—
Just as I was about to shift into drive, I saw her.
My friend.
Now my enemy.
Standing there.
Watching.
What the hell was she doing here?
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