Black’s Mistress

"We're fine." She said, causing Isabella to roll her eyes.

"Fine?" She asked, spite in her tone. "Surely you should be saying the truth to us, Laura, we are your family after all."

Mrs. Moreno turned to Isabella, confusion etched on her face.

"Do you know something?" She asked.

"How would I? I'm not the one married to him now, am I?" Isabella asked with a cynical smile on her face.

"I'm sure they're fine," Leonardo said, turning to give Annalise a sickening smile. "As fine as fire and ice could be, be careful little one, don't let the burn hurt too much."

Annalise said nothing, content with toying with her food. A great sense of discomfort had settled itself on her chest, forcing her to struggle to breathe. It felt as though she was on a show right here - a mannequin left to the entertainment of the Morenos and she hated every second of it, she was beginning to dread accepting this invite.

Isabella had fixed her with a hard stare. "Do you even care about him? Do you care to know the things he likes, and what he's truly like?"

"Of course, you'd know Isabella, why don't you tell us all? Should we get pens and papers?" Leonardo asked.

"Stai zitto! - shut up!" Isabella said through clenched teeth.

"Stop being so pathetic please," Leonardo said with a yawn. "It's getting boring.

Annalise watched their interactions with dancing eyes, darting from person to person rapidly as she tried to keep up with the conversation. She could tell there was a simmering dislike between Isabella and Leonardo, she wondered where it came from.

Isabella's eyes were currently sending death glares at him as though she would kill him with her bare hands if she could, and Annalise wondered what she could make of such intense emotions. Did it have anything to do with Nicolás's illicit affair with her?

"You too should as well be honest with yourselves and get married, all these bickerings," Mrs. Moreno said in a playful voice trying to diffuse the situation. "It tires me."

"Hell would fall over!" Isabella barked.

Leonardo laughed, "I appreciate the intensity Isabella, but your difference from my type is as obvious as anything. Now, Laura, on the other hand." He said, twirling a finger through Annalise's hair.

She froze at the contact and so did everyone else but more at the audacity

Mrs. Moreno spoke through gritted teeth. "What are you doing?"

He grinned at his mother. "You told me to be honest," He said with a nonchalant shrug.

"He's going to kill you! What is wrong with you?" His mother screamed in an exasperated tone.

"Nicolás isn't going to do anything! He doesn't care about her a bit!" Isabella cried out causing all eyes to turn to her in confusion.

"She doesn't matter to him so I need all of you to stop making it seem like she does," Isabella said in a cold tone.

"What do you mean?" Mrs. Moreno asked.

Isabella shrugged and said nothing.

"No, Isabella, I don't want you to keep doing that. You obviously know something so come out and say it rather than dropping subtle hints."

Still, Isabella remained silent, her eyes fixed on her plate that she wasn't even eating from.

"It's a waste of time mother," Anders said, smirking. "Isabella would never say anything to betray Nicolás's trust."

Micheal laughed. "Nicolás's trust? No one has our brother's trust and most certainly not her." He said, shaking his head.

"That's enough of both of you. I am tired of every one of you acting like kids, insensible, wild kids. Where are your manners?" Mrs. Moreno asked, seething."

"Why, Mother, do let them," Leonardo said leaning back on his seat and wrapping an arm around the back of Annalise's seat, she stiffened when his finger grazed her back.

He looked at Isabella with humor. "You're still seeing him, aren't you?"

Annalise felt her heart rate increase at the question. Was this really common knowledge? That Nicolás was having an affair with Isabella? Then if it was, why didn't they get married to each other? Why did the Morenos have to drag her into this whole mess? She felt like breaking down, falling to the floor, and crying her heart out because she was exhausted from it all already.

"What are you saying?" Mrs. Moreno asked angrily. "Would you learn to shut up and act sensible Leonardo? You don't get to throw such baseless accusations and most especially not in front of Laura. Apologize immediately!"

Leonard sat upright and gave his mother an intense look.

"Baseless accusations?" And he laughed, deeply genuine laughter as though he'd found something terribly hilarious.

"You're the only one Mother who doesn't know about Nicolás and Isabella's affair." He said.

Mrs. Moreno froze in her seat, slowly her apologetic eyes rested on Annalise before they made their way to Isabella.

"This isn't true right? It's one of this idiot's moves to rile something up." She asked.

Isabella flared. "And what if it is? What does that change? Don't you always say I'm like your daughter or has that changed when it comes to your actual blood? Am I not good enough for Nicolás?" She asked, a tear dropping from her eyes.

"Emotional blackmail," Leonard whispered."Typical."

Annalise was still frozen in her seat or was as though she was stuck in an out-of-body situation, witnessing everything happening.

"Dear Lord, not this." Mrs. Moreno said, a grim expression on her face.

Isabella got up and slammed a plate on the floor angrily causing Anna to flinch in fright.

"Why can't it be?" She asked. "I love Nicolás and I have loved him since we were young."

"Isabella…" Mrs. Moreno tried to speak.

She turned to Annalise, looking her directly in the eye.

"And I promise you all that nothing would ever separate us, not even this mockery of a marriage you forced him into so you better get used to me Laura, you're going to be seeing me for a fucking long time!"