Chapter 5
Not His Children
Elara Winterfell.
My hands shook as I picked up my phone to call Isabel. Isabel picked the call on the first ring.
"What do you want, Lara?" Her voice was that of irritation. "To get Connor back? I'm sorry that's not possible…"
"But, why would you do this to me?" I was already tearing up as I listened to the heartless voice of my best friend. "You know the truth. You know me, Isabel. You know that I would never cheat on Connor. I love him!"
There was a loud laugh on the other end of the call.
"Lara?" Isabel called sweetly. "Are you that dense to think that Connor is actually the father of your child?"
"Yes, Isabel! I'm very sure. I would never…"
"You don't get this, Lara." Isabel sighed. "Alright, tell me what you remember from the night you slept with him."
"I know it happened during my boss' party– Rowan Nightshade's birthday party."
"Okay? What else do you remember?"
I struggled to remember the details of the party, but I kept coming up at blanks, but I could vividly remember my first sexual experience with Connor.
"I don't remember everything, but I know that Connor and I had sex that night."
This time, Isabel giggled on the call. "You think the man you slept with was Connor Reece? Your boyfriend?"
My heart dropped to my stomach at that. "What do you mean, Isabel? Of course, it was Connor! I know I was a little drunk, but I'm certain I was with Connor." My voice was shaky, and my palms began to get sweaty.
Isabel snorted. "You mean you've dated Connor for years now, and you don't even know what his body feels like?"
"What are you trying to say, Isabel?"
"Well, I was sleeping with Connor throughout the whole night, and I wasn't drunk, so…" She trailed off.
"What?" Isabel's words sounded like a thick explosion in my ears, and I felt disoriented for a few seconds.
"Oh, come on, Lara..." Isabel scoffed. "You've been keeping your body from him for years now. A man has needs, you know."
"You…you…you…!" My voice tightened as I was trying to find the perfect words to curse at Isabel. "You thief! You snatched him from me! I thought you were my best friend, Isabel. How could you?" My voice had begun to crack, and I was vibrating with anger.
"Only children get snatched because they almost have no will of their own, Lara. Not Connor. Connor made his decision, and he chose me, not you…"
"But…"
"Your pregnancy?" There was a pause, then a wicked chuckle. "I set you up with one of the low life bouncers in the club. You see…" Isabel's voice got lower. "I spiked your drink when you were not watching and sent you off to one of their rooms. Oh, the look on your face after that night…"
"No…" I could not believe my ears as I leaned back on the wall of my room and my feet dragged me down to the floor. "No… You didn't do that… I slept with Connor…"
"The three different men who took turns with you were Connor? Were you that drunk that you don't remember that you serviced more than one man? There are videos, you know…"
"No…" My voice shook heavily this time as the weight of what Isabel said hit me. This couldn't be true. "That's not true…" My voice was filled with disbelief. "Why? Why? Why would you do that to me, Isabel?" My voice broke.
"Isn't that simple enough for you to decipher?" Isabel replied nonchalantly. "I hate you. It's that simple."
"But…" I was still in disbelief. "You stood up for me when I told Connor about the pregnancy. You…"
"It was all an act, Lara! Are you that dumb?" Irritation filled Isabel's voice this time. "If I acted any different, Connor would just think I'm just like the other girls. I had to make sure my act was that of a friend who genuinely cared for you, like I always did."
"Isabel…" I could all but whisper. I could not understand why this was happening to me, why Isabel would do this evil thing to me.
"And, oh," Isabel continued, "Thank you for the car, we received it. It's mine now. And the house is next. I hope you're done packing the little things that belong to you because I am coming for the house within this week, and after all is done and settled, Connor and I will go for our honeymoon in the Maldives…"
"Maldives…?"
"Oh yeah…" Isabel chuckled. "That was always your dream, right? Now it's my reality." The mocking tone did not escape my ears. "I'm taking everything from you one by one until you have no one and nothing to turn to, Lara." There was a sinister edge in Isabel's voice.
"Why do you hate me so much? What have I done to even deserve this from you? Why, Isabel? I trusted you with my whole life. You were my best friend. I told you the deepest things about me and I…" I started choking on my tears as I spoke with the pain that threatened to claw out my heart. "Why, Isabel? Why are you this wicked? How long have you been…"
"Shhh…" Isabel quickly shushed me. "I don't have time for this, Lara. Connor is having his evening shower, and he will be done anytime from now, okay? I need to be in my best mood for him, and I don't want thoughts about you muddling with my mind." She paused for a few seconds before she continued. "And the reason I hate you? Well, I just do. There doesn't have to be a reason. Or maybe there is… You've always been so pure, and I got tired of it and decided to take everything you consider pure…"
"I will tell Connor everything you've just said to me! I will…" My voice deepened in agony as the tears streamed down her eyes in torrents. "I will make sure you go to jail for this! I will make sure…"
"You will make sure of nothing, honey…" Isabel shushed me in a sickly sweet voice. "Besides, who will believe you? Connor? The press? Who will? I would easily turn tables on you, Lara" Then a wicked chuckle escaped Isabel's mouth and the cruelty of it sent shivers down my spine.
"People will believe me…" I tried to retort weakly, but I knew Isabel was right.
Being married to Connor Watson had its perks, and this was one of them. Isabel could turn everyone against me because of the power she now wielded as a Watson.
"Goodnight, Lara."
The phone slipped from my hand as soon as Isabel ended the call, the tears still spilling from my eyes, and I remembered the earlier conversation I had with Rowan Nightshade. Those deep brown eyes had stared into the depths of my soul and gave me a threat that had shaken me down to my core…
And now? My children didn't even belong to Connor…
My life was about to be destroyed both by Isabel, and Rowan Nightshade…