3 .3.

Isabelle's birthday was just around the corner and soon she would be sixteen.

Ever year her mother would throw a formal party. Invited guests were family members. Isabelle hated them, she hated the way they looked at her, all they did was gossip about her mom's private life and how her father left them.

At her fifteenth  birthday party, as she greeted the guests Mr Carl, her mother's business partner stopped her to ask.

"How is your mother? I guess throwing a party to get her mind off things isn't such a bad idea considering what she did." He laughed shamelessly with a glass of champagne in his hands.

"And what exactly did she do?" Isabelle held up all seriousness , the fake smile she had on her face had vanished.

"Oh don't act like you don't know. Your mother cheated, that's why your father left her for a much more elegant and well mannered woman".

Isabelle watched how he praised the woman, which means he had already met her.

"My mother never cheated, so you can go ahead and shove that rumor down your throat.". Isabelle took a step closer glaring at him before walking away.

She'd hear them laughing behind her mother's back.

That was why she hated the world. It was filled with back stabbers and liars.

There was no such thing as love, the only real love there is was what existed between her and her mother.

Isabelle stood in her room looking out the window. She fixed her gaze on Noel taking care of the rose bush in the garden.

Isabelle sensed something, she felt someone's presence in her room watching her. The hair on her neck stood still.

She turned to see Candice.

"What is it you want?" Isabelle asked.

"How would the preparations be this year?"

"There would be no preparations or whatsoever. And if anyone comes to visit do not open the gates".

Stunned by that answer Candice wished to object.

"We could bake a small cake just to wish you a happy birthday".

"I'll wish myself a happy birthday. Come to think of it my mother's birthday was her death day. Can you imagine how cruel this world is to take someone you love away from you"

"I can imagine" Candice replied with a sigh.

"No! You cannot imagine anything. All you Mrs Clark and Noel do is to laugh and gossip"

"Well at least we do laugh and not stay up on our rooms or library all day mourning over someone who is already gone. We try to make ourselves happy, do you think it was easy for Mrs Noel to take it? She loved your mother". Candice said, almost yelling.

"Do not talk about love to me. Love died when my mother died. Happy early birthday Candice you may leave now"

Candice and Isabelle shared the same birthday date but Candice was three years older.

"You have so much money,us here who care bout you but you choose to waste your life behind these walls".

Candice was right, Isabelle knew that but chose not to think about it.