At city A's airport, Isabella Thompson once again set foot on her home turf, her eyes filled with anticipation as she gazed towards the other end of the terminal.
Three years had passed since she last visited this city, and finally, she was about to meet the man who occupied her thoughts day and night. She could finally be around him without any societal pressures.
In order to earn a status suitable for Steven Russell, and to win over his parents, who had reservations about her common inland background, Isabella Thompson decided to study abroad; a commitment that consumed three years of her life.
Now, she had become a renowned international designer and attained a status worthy of Steven Russell. She had won the acceptance of Steven's parents, who had scheduled their wedding day and insisted on Isabella coming to finalize the marriage promptly.
The quick shifts in Steven's attitude had given Isabella a sense of discomfort, but the idea of marrying her beloved seemed to have shattered her shackles.
She didn't want to stay on foreign soil any longer, estranged from the warm familiarity of home. So she quickly booked her flight ticket, even turning down invitations to parties held by business tycoons.
Without telling Steven of her plan, Isabella planned to surprise him with her return. Once she left the airport, she hopped into a cab and headed to their future marital home, prepared by Steven for her.
As the car slowly moved along the road, Isabella watched the scenery change. She began to imagine how Steven might have grown, matured, and become more impressive in the time they spent apart. How excited would he be to see her again?
A warm, heartfelt smile curved her lips. The efforts they had rendered to earn their parents' approval were countless, but now, they could finally be together without reservations. Isabella started daydreaming about their wedding ceremony, herself looking radiant. And Steven, holding her hand, asking her if she was willing.
Smiling at her reveries, she suddenly found the car had stopped. Isabella quickly gathered her luggage and headed toward her to-be marital home.
To check if Steven was home, she had video called him earlier and found out that he was preparing their wedding home. Hence, she headed straight for her new home.
To prevent Steven from discovering her at the airport, Isabella had deliberately hidden her return to the country.
She arrived at the entrance of the apartment, ready to knock on the door, only to find it half-open. Wondering why anyone would leave the door ajar, she pushed it open and entered.
Putting down her luggage at the doorway, she quietly traversed the first floor but could not find a trace of Steven. "He might have stepped out. Perfect! I can check how well he's prepared our wedding room," Isabella said.
Isabella went straight to the second floor, for she knew that the furthest room was theirs, all arranged according to her wishes as a renowned designer!
As she was walking to the door, she appeared to hear a strange sound coming from inside.
Isabella was taken aback. She stood at the door motionless, continuing to listen to the voice coming from inside.
"Steven, no, be gentle. Do not harm the child in my stomach." A woman's voice, filled with suggestive tone came from their newlywed room.
Isabella felt her head explode with a bang! It was as if a bolt of lightning had struck her!
Even if she was naive, she knew exactly what was going on! But she never expected Steven to treat her like this, and even let her witness such intimate scene.
She denied the truth, refused to believe that Steven would do this to her. They had been together since high school. How could Steven do this to her after all the effort she put in for him, they were about to get married.
Just as she thought that the man inside was not Steven, another familiar voice rang out and shattered her last sliver of hope.
"Baby, don't worry, I'll be gentle, I won't hurt our little baby."
That voice! She couldn't mistake it for another. His voice was just as mesmerizing as it had been for so many years, always sounding so pleasant.
"Steven, I love you... but, I don't want you to marry Isabella. I volunteered to be the bridesmaid for Bella in order to be closer to you. I've carried your child, moreover, I have loved you from high school, but in your eyes then, you only saw Bella and not me."
"Don't worry, I won't marry her. Even if she has turned into a swan from an ugly duckling, it cannot change the fact that she was once an ugly duckling! How can she compare with you."
"I only love you too. When I was with her, it was because she seemed pure and fun, and also reasonably pretty. Until now, as she is about to marry me, I have never touched her, just holding hands and kissed. She’s like a dummy, I won't like her whatsoever."
Those familiar voices that once bewitched her, had at that moment, turned into sharp knives, stabbing her heart relentlessly.
She had loved him for eight whole years! Unbelievably, in these eight years, she was nothing in this man's mind. All her efforts for him were in vain, she was nothing more than a 'fool' in his eyes!
Tears finally welled up, blurring her vision, yet she managed a tearful smile. Her heart ached terribly, making it hard for her to breathe!
In the three years she spent studying abroad, she worked tirelessly day and night, sometimes only sleeping three hours a day, all to be with him sooner. The thought of having a man waiting for her return filled her with fighting spirit. She finally became an internationally known designer in three years.
Nobody knew how much she had given, how much she had endured, but in this moment, all her efforts seemed worthless.
Isabella gazed at the heartbreaking scene before her, she truly wished that she had never met Steven. She must be a fool; if she wasn't, how could she have fallen in love with such a scumbag and invested so much in him.
Through the crack in the door, she saw two people embracing each other without restraint. Her legs started to give out, struggling to support her weight. She reached out for something to hold onto.
Unexpectedly, she pushed the door open. The crack widened until everything inside the room was visible to Isabella’s eyes.
