The Drenched Truth (Power Series)

*part 2

By the looks of it, her mother must have had a busy day and Isabella could feel a sudden suspicion rising within herself, her green eyes fell on the book and note that her mother was busy with before she came in.

"Isabella, your father has requested that you go shopping soon. He already deposited a great amount of money in your bank account this morning."

Jeannette began with a dead sound in her voice, ignoring her daughter's earlier outrage and Isabella's suspicion grew.

"Why?" she questioned her mother

"Well, just look at yourself. You have grown so much and besides, as I was busy saying before you so rudely interrupted me; you will be turning twenty tomorrow and we have decided that it is perhaps time you dress more appropriately according to your age."

Her mother rose to her feet and walked around the table towards her with a slight judgmental light still in her eyes, clearly not approving of what she saw.

"Why this all of a sudden?" Isabella questioned, turning so she could face her Mother. She gave a slight click sound of her tongue, folding her arms.

"Do you always have to question everything?"

"When it comes from father...."Isabella began but Jeannette interrupted her daughter;

"Isabella, please!" She had a stern expression on her face and she walked back to her seat, lifting her hand to silence Isabella

"See this simply as a birthday gift."

There was silence in the room and Isabella was in deep thought, but as a maid entered the room with a tray of tea she snapped back to reality and her mother thanked the maid and glanced up at her as she poured herself some tea.

"Would you like some tea?"

The young woman shook her head and folded her arms with unease, not trusting the silence. As much as Isabella has tried to avoid the reality of her life, she knew there was no turning back now. Perhaps her only thankfulness to this situation should be that her father had, at least, waited till she turned twenty instead of marrying her off at the age sixteen like in the olden days. But even so, she wanted to run away from all of this even though she knows such a possibility is slim.

"So, do you still need me for something?"

"Actually, yes I do..." Her Mother sat down again, pulling her cup closer and then looked up with no expression at all. "Your father and I decided that we will be hosting a party in your honor tomorrow….and…."

Isabella gasped, throwing her hands up in the air. "I knew it! It was too good to be true! So, what now? You decided that bribing me would soften the fact that you are doing things against my will?"

'Here they go again." Jeannette inwardly thought to herself. She knew this was going to happen. She pursed her lips together, placing her palms on the table to restrain herself from questioning her inner self the same questions she has asked herself before.

Why did God give her such a strong-willed daughter?

"Don't be so dramatic Isabella, it is just a party and the money is simply just a gift."

She stated in the calmest way she could but there clearly was oil in the fire already and she knew, as well as her daughter, that the term just a party was a lie.

"See Mother, that's where you're so wrong and you know it. It's not just any party; you know it’s a way for father to announce an engagement for me. An engagement, might I add, to a man I do not love or even know! The money was never a simple gift and you know it! I have read enough of his books in the study to know that it's called BRIBING."