C3 Chapter 3

Isabella

I was opening my eyes and closing it from time to time trying to come back to my consciousness once again. until I found someone in front of me, looked exactly like Xander! but with a thick beard! and crumbled clothes when I opened my eyes.

I remembered that he was wearing those clothes that freaking night when he raped me! but with no beard!

I gulped nervously feeling burning in my dry throat. but finally, I asked a question to one of the nurses that was standing next to me checking on my situation as I guessed "I— how much—"

I stammered, it was so hard for me to talk. she patted on my chest gently and gestured to me to not speak "madam, please relax. you have been sleeping for five days! and your husband! was staying near you without eating or sleeping all that period!"

she said amused and gestured proudly and more with envious eyes that someone loved me to that degree.

I thought he was back! or in another meaning, I hoped so. but it didn't come to my mind that when the nurse made a path to see Xander instead stepped hesitantly and slowly towards me "Isabella!" and with a trembled voice more like whispers he called my name.

That rapist dared to talk to me! and call my name!

"Xander?" I raised an eyebrow more like questioning myself! could it be really him! my heart didn't believe that what happened previously was real fact! and that I lost my virginity by force and that my fiance didn't save me and kicked me out of his life boldly!

My rapist was my savior? And the one who was standing next to me at that moment! How could anyone be able to believe it?!

It's nonsense!

I felt aches in my heart as if I had a heart attack already. drums in my chest, suddenly I was surrounded by too many doctors and nurses yelling at Xander to get out immediately from the room.

I didn't know if my life was ended that day in the hospital or when Xander raped me. but my suffering started after that day.

Echoes in my ears only by Xander's voice as clear as crystals in my ears "I WILL MARRY YOU ISABELLA!"

—.

After what happened in Zack house and what Xander has done to me and the way I was humiliated and kicked out animalistic by Zack's father. I couldn't stay for one more second. I wished to die but life grabbed into me more and more.

I opened my closed eyes once again to find myself in the hospital. and the one who rushed to help me was Xander. he was sitting next to me praying with eyes filled with tears to come back to life again.

He glared at me with eyes filled with regret, or that what I felt!.

I asked him to get out of the room and leave me alone for a while.

I stayed alone for some time trying to understand what fate is doing to me, but I couldn't answer my suffering except trying to stand up and run away from the hospital.

And yes, I stood up and asked the nurses "please, I want clothes. could any of you ask Xander to go and get me clean clothes?"

One of the nurses nodded and stormed out of the room with a broad smile to tell him.

and that's when I found my chance to escape.

I snaked on my tiptoes, I stole some glances at the door to check if he was out or left. and once I saw him leaving the hospital. I dashed off ignoring all the nurses calling my name. with bare feet and a hospital barely naked! I ran as fast as I could in the street. Everyone was looking at me but I didn't look back. I was jumping and passing cars almost got hit twice.

I fell down many times, but I insisted on recharging myself with power and getting up and running every time.

All I was seeking to do was reach my parents' house, hug them, cry, and tell them what crime happened to me.

Finally, after more than an hour of running, I reached my house, knocked insanely on the door, hardly breathing, and my feet were bleeding. I stumbled by the door of the house almost injured everywhere.

my mom opened the door and gasped squealing when she saw my case and how miserable and injured I was "Isabella! what happened to you?"

immediately my father heard my mother whining and helping cries, he rushed towards me and carried me by his arms and gently placed me on the couch in the living room.

I was panting trying to reclaim myself and breathe normally to talk.

Dad patted my shoulder then my mom started crying heavily and started wiping and cleaning my feet.

I smiled weakly in depression at my mom and said to her "please, mom, calm down. I'm fine."

My mom shot me with pity looks then started asking me, "where did you go? We did search for you everywhere! What happened and why are you wearing hospital patients' clothes?" she bombarded me with too many questions.

I sighed and before I could give her an answer, suddenly my father yelled at me and asked me another question "Why in the hell Zack canceled the wedding, Isabella?" his tone was blaming mixed with a stern voice.

I stammered and gulped nervously, suddenly I felt like naked when I remembered what happened to me. subconsciously my body started to shiver and I said "Dad, I—"

my dad cut me off angrily "Zack sent us some money with a letter saying it is payment for spending some time with you! what does that mean?"

I hopped off the couch immediately to fall down on the floor to my father's feet and cried heavily telling him "no dad! he is an ass! he abandoned mend me— after.. after.." I couldn't say the word! I couldn't say I was raped! as if the memory hit my brain all of sudden as if it happened minutes ago.

The scene was intense in front of my eyes.

I squealed and whined loudly "he abandoned me after his brother raped me."

and that's when my tears streamed like rain on my cheeks, and my heart throbbed painfully too fast in my chest like hammers. I was going to faint again but I tried to stay awake.

I didn't imagine why a girl like me just turned eighteen years old and was going to get married suffered from a disaster like this?!

and that's when the thunderstruck hit me with my father's words "Shut up and don't say any more words!"

I raised my head looking at my father dumbfounded as if I have been killed one more time "dad! I'm a victim! I didn't do anything!."

until my mom suddenly hollered at me with broken eyes "it's a scandal! Who will marry you now?! Did you know that after Zack canceled the wedding that no one will dare to propose to you? they will call you by slut!"

her words were too harsh! I couldn't believe she could call me a slut!

"Mom!" I widened my eyes shockingly at her.

I didn't know that my father and my mom would blame me too! I wanted to come back to them to protect me not to hear that!

my dad pulled me from my hair roughly to stand up on my feet and stared at me with rage and disgust as if I was a whore! He warned me firmly "if you told anyone of what happened they would destroy you and send me to jail for the rest of my life! so shut the fuck off. you became a curse and troublemaker!"

I blinked and begged him "dad please do something! please. Xander took my virginity by force and that wasn't enough for them but they kicked me naked in the street and —."

and then I remembered who saved me when I lost my consciousness! and who yelled at his father and his brother with no fear for me. who stood by my side in the hospital for days without eating or sleeping. He was Xander!

and with a firm slap from my father, I came back to my real disaster. my father hollered at me "you are a fucking slut! starting from now you will be imprisoned in that house as a maid! got that? I don't want to hear anything about what happened ever again!"

all the words in the universe were totally erased from my brain especially when I saw my mom crying without commenting on my father's harsh and insulting remarks. she didn't stand by my side and on the contrary, she avoided eye contact with me and said "bitch! my daughter became a bitch?! I better see you as a maid!"

her words were like a knife stabbing my heart, how would I live in a nightmare like that? if my dad and my mom couldn't protect me and defend me! Then who will do it?!

Suddenly my dad madly turned into a monster and started slapping my face with all of his strength, punching me everywhere, and kicking me in my stomach by his shoes as if he wanted to kill me at that moment. I was receiving all the strong beats and hits silently without defending myself, not even running away. Seriously, I wanted to die at that moment.

only my weak whining and suppressed moans from the pain was the only voice coming out of my mouth.

until the beating stopped. I opened my eyes to find a firm grip squeezing my father's wrist. I raised my head to see who dared to barge into our house out of nowhere!

and that's' when I heard his confident voice while gritting on his teeth " I will marry Isabella tomorrow!"

I shook my head and screamed, "no no no I will never marry you."

but my dad growled threatening me "then I will kill you now!"

"no one will kill her! no one will touch her until my death! Did you hear what I'm saying? never! and get your hands away from her or I will break your fucking bones." Xander pushed my father while threatening him.

"What do you want Xander? didn't you get enough from what you have done to me? Why do you insist on marrying me? I'm just slut! slut!" I yelled, slapping my face and whining with a broken voice.

but he carried me gently between his arms and sighed while wiping my tears and whispered "you are mine, Isabella. soon you will understand everything but at the right time. but you are mine and only mine forever."

——