chapter 26

Isabella's face went rigid, her expression frozen in pure astonishment. Her wide eyes, round and unblinking, looked as though they might pop from their sockets, like overripe fruit on the verge of bursting. Inside her mind, thoughts collided and twisted, a chaotic tangle of confusion and shock, as if a ball of yarn had been hopelessly knotted beyond repair. She struggled to find the right words, but they slipped away, just out of reach, leaving her silent. The harsh truth weighed heavily on her—her relationship with Damian was as lifeless and dull as a butter knife, devoid of any spark or excitement.

Isabella's mouth hung open, her jaw dropping as the shock overwhelmed her. When she finally spoke, the words spilled out with the force of a waterfall, each one soaked in unwavering determination. "I had no idea about your past with Damian," she began, her voice firm. "I was completely in the dark until this very moment.