Loveless♣

Chapter Eighteen

He entered the room stealthily,closing the door gently behind him.Isabella sat up straight immediately,her heart racing.Then it slowed down when she recognized the dark figure.
"Papa,"she muttered,and rubbed both eyes sleepily.She yawned."I thought you were asleep,Papa."
Her father did not reply.He came closer and sat at the edge of the bed.The strong smell of alcohol hit the little girl's nose.She squeezed her face and pinched her nose.
"You reek,Papa,what did you take?"
He smiled.Isabella had always been very bold,and very beautiful.Just like her mother.
"Just some spirits,muy belle,"he told her.His voice was hoarse.His eyes,bloodshot.He could not sleep,could not eat.All he could think about was his wife.
Dead.She was dead.
" Muy belle,there's something you need to know."
She frowned and cocked her little head to the side.
"What is it,Papa?Is it Bel?Is she okay?"
After Marabella had collapsed on stage,much to the shock of the whole of Paris,she had been rushed to the nearest hospital.Specialists had been flown in from America to check up on her.Marabella had been diagnosed with brain cancer,same as her mother.Isabella's heart had torn into a thousand pieces.She felt deeply responsible for her sister's illness.If only she had paid attention...
Marabella had been admitted to a special high class health centre courtesy of the French government.She was after all,one of their stars.No..had been one of their stars.The Bronze Bellas' reign had ended as abruptly as it had begun.
At first,there had been a lot of love from all over the nation.
There were letters,gifts and flowers from prominent and influential people in France.They offered their deepest condolences to the girls.
However,after a month or two,the presents stopped.There were no more visits to Marabella's hospital,no more letters or calls.
No one cared anymore.
Even the government had withdrawn Marabella from the hospital she'd been placed in after a year,politely informing the family that they could not continue to cater for their child as the country had other pressing matters of which they needed the money to handle.
Bella had spat in their faces,and cursed them loudly.The officials that had come to remove Marabella were startled by her actions.She was only eleven.Marabella was moved to America by her mother's sister,Ignacia.There,she found an affordable care centre for her.It wasn't much,but Isabella and her father were penniless.All the money they'd made had either been transferred to Spain for her mother's treatment,or to buy the expensive but necessary medication Marabella required.
"Your mother is dead,muy belle."
Isabella sat very still as waves of shock rippled through her.Her eyes were wide open,unblinking.
"Lo siento,Isabella,"her father said gravely, grasping her hands.
He began to cry on her legs.He was a tall brawny man who'd always seemed so strong,so Isabella was even more shocked to see him in tears.
She tried to will herself to cry,but she couldn't.
She just sat there,frozen.
Her mother was dead.Her sister was an invalid.Her father was penniless.
He looked up at her suddenly. Isabella frowned.There was a strange look in his eyes,as though he was possessed.
"Papa?"she asked cautiously.
He touched her face,gently,like she was the most delicate thing in the world.His eyes darkened.
"Don't worry,muy belle,I'll take care of you.I won't let anyone hurt you."
He began to take off his clothes quickly.Isabella grew frightened and shifted backwards.
"Papa,what are you doing?"she squeaked.
He jumped on the bed,and she bolted to the other side.
"Come here,Bella,that's a good girl."
She shook her head quickly.There was fear in her eyes.Her father did not look like her father anymore.He was unrecognizable.She whimpered.
"Papa!"she yelled,willing for the man she loved to come back.She looked at his eyes,they were cold and devoid of all emotion.She clutched her nightgown tightly.
He moved slowly towards her,like a predator.
"Don't be afraid,muy belle,I'll take care of you.Come."
"No!"she shrieked."Help!Papa,ja! Yo no comprehendo!'
She bolted for the door,but he was too fast.He grabbed her little body with one arm and threw her on the bed.She scooted to the edge,he dragged her back.Soon he was on top of her,crushing her with his weight.Isabella screamed with all of her strength,he clamped his mouth down on hers.She gagged.His breath was foul.She wailed,squirmed and tried to wiggle her way out from underneath him,but he was a big brawny brute of a man and all her efforts were futile.
He raped her.

Two hours later,Isabella was standing by the window,her nightgown soaked in a large amount of blood,her arms folded.There were no tears in her eyes,just a cold distant look.The door opened and Aunt Ignacia rushed in.She'd sped to the house after Isabella had called her on the and informed her of the horrible thing that had happened.
She looked at her niece,gasped,then looked at the dead body on the bed and screamed.His head had been smashed in with the edge of a trophy.The trophy was still stuck to his head.His eyes were white and wide open.She looked at her niece, covered in blood,and let out a sob.Isabella turned to face her.She looked at her father's dead body,and then back at her aunt.There was no form of remorse in her eyes.
"I want to leave,Aunt Ignacia.Help me,"she said.Her voice was low and eerily calm."Por favor."
Her aunt let out a shaky breath,and nodded.She led the little broken girl,out of the room and out of France.