To Find Isabel

Chapter 22

"Where do I begin."

"Wherever the story starts," I eagerly say.

"Well, he kidnapped her."

I grinned, "Your boss has nothing better to do than kidnap people."

"This was different. He kidnapped her because he fell for her." He looked at me for a reaction, but I sat there like a clear slate. He continued, "He kidnapped her on her birthday, and gave her 365 days to fall in love with him."

Now if you were told to love someone who could give you all these fancy things, who could refuse.

"This was before the problem with Alexander arose."

"I see," I muttered, "go on."

He spoke of how she didn't enjoy the lavish shopping like I didn't.

He mentioned a club and how Isabel was partially the cause of the now standing conflict between Alexander and Victor.

"He made you dress modestly, because there were incidents before," Dante smirked.

"Incidents?" I repeat.

"Let's just say, that Isabel was a bit of a troublemaker," he snickered.

At that time, she was stubborn and determined to leave. Just like I was.

"That night when you showed up at Victor's room at the hotel, he told me of when Isabel did the same thing."

I didn't realize I had triggered so many memories. It wasn't just what I said a couple nights ago. I had been digging the wound since day one.

"And then the boat," he smirked at the memory, "You know the one that we took you on for the business dealing? That where it really started."

She fell off the boat and Victor had saved her.

That's when she understood that he really did love her. That he really wanted her.

I stared in disbelief as Dante narrated more of the story. What fantasy fiction was this.

"How does this link to me?" I question.

"The gelato shop, the boat, the club, Paris, the shopping," he listed, "were all places he went to with Isabel."

I looked at him.

"You acted very much like she did," he laughed, "And when Victor strapped you down on the flight, I couldn't help but think of when we first traveled in that flight with Isabel."

I rolled my eyes. That was the most painful thing I had gone through with all the belts cutting off my circulation.

"Everything about you, the room you stay in, the colors you wear, your personality, and even you fainting," he huffed, "It's like a repeat of a fairytale to him."

I couldn't help but smile.

"So basically," I pause, "He sees Isabel in me."

"Precisely, dove. Your presence embodies her. That's why he doesn't want to lose you."

"Why is it so difficult for him to tell me that I remind him of his ex?" The sun blazed from behind the clouds and I squinted to look at Dante.

"It's because," He stammered.

"Because?" I repeat.

"She isn't," he took a deep breath, "an ex by choice."

He hung his head.

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