Chapter 489

The bodyguard extended a velvet box toward her. "Ms. Morgan, this is from Mr. Powell."

Isabella turned, her gaze falling on the delicate bracelet inside—the same one from tonight's auction.

"Mr. Powell wishes to express his gratitude for your... performance," the bodyguard continued, his tone carefully neutral. "He insists you wear it daily. A reminder of his... appreciation."

Before she could refuse, the man clasped the bracelet around her wrist, the diamonds glinting coldly under the lights.

Isabella's pulse quickened.

A gift from Dominic?

Her mind reeled.

This was the same man who had orchestrated her terror—who had forced her to leap from a building to escape his twisted game.

And now? A lavish bracelet worth a fortune.

Was this a reward? A warning?

Her teeth sank into her lower lip.

Dominic Powell didn’t give gifts. Not like this.

Unless...

Had he known at the auction that she was bidding against him?

The realization sent a chill down her spine.

He was utterly deranged!

Dominic Powell seethed with rage when Isabella Morgan dared to suggest calling off their engagement. To punish her for dancing with other men, he'd unleashed snakes upon her.

Now, witnessing her trembling form, drenched and pale, a flicker of remorse crossed his features. He pressed an ornate bracelet into her palm—a twisted peace offering.

Did he truly desire her hand in marriage this desperately?

Isabella shut her eyes, her nails biting into her palms. She'd sooner lose her mind than wed this monster.

She needed an escape—a way to sever this cursed bond.

Alexander Whitmore arrived moments later, his usually composed demeanor fractured by concern.

The sight of him shattered Isabella's composure. Hot tears spilled down her cheeks as a sob tore from her throat.

"What happened?" Alexander's voice was low, edged with something dangerous as his gaze swept over her disheveled state.

Wordlessly, she collapsed against his chest, her body wracked with tremors.

Alexander stiffened momentarily before shrugging off his tailored coat, draping it over her shoulders to shield her from prying eyes. The weight of hostile stares prickled along his spine.

"Enough tears," he murmured, though his tone lacked its usual steel. "Let's get you to a doctor."

When he moved to guide her, Isabella's knees buckled. A sharp gasp escaped her as pain contorted her delicate features.

Alexander's gaze dropped, comprehension dawning instantly. "Broken ribs?"

Isabella gave a weak nod, crimson still trickling from her pale lips.

The severity of her injuries caught him off guard.

His breath stuttered as he swiftly bent down, gathering her into his arms with urgent care. The elevator doors slid shut behind them as he headed for the emergency exit.

Outside the Grand Marquis Hotel, Evelyn was flagging down a cab when the sudden commotion at the entrance drew her attention. She turned instinctively.

Alexander emerged, his usually impeccable hair damp with perspiration, cradling a figure wrapped in his tailored suit jacket. The way his jaw clenched with barely restrained panic sent an icy shiver down her spine.

Though the woman's face remained hidden, the telltale glint of emerald caught Evelyn's eye. That distinctive bracelet - its intricate gold filigree framing a single flawless stone - shimmered mockingly under the porte-cochere lights.

The air left Evelyn's lungs in a painful rush.

She'd recognized that piece immediately. The same one Claire had gushed about during their phone call earlier. "He must've bought it for you," her best friend had insisted with wedding-chapter enthusiasm. Against all logic, Evelyn had let that fragile hope take root.

But now, seeing it adorn another woman's slender wrist - a wrist currently draped across her husband's shoulder with terrifying intimacy - the fantasy shattered like dropped crystal.

The taxi driver honked impatiently. Evelyn stood frozen on the curb, watching Alexander's car peel away into the neon-lit night. Somewhere beneath the roaring in her ears, she registered the bracelet's clasp - that distinctive lion-head design she'd admired in the auction catalog - glinting like a betrayal in the rear window.

The revelation hit Evelyn like a tidal wave.

Her fingers trembled as she clutched the delicate velvet box. Inside, the diamond bracelet glimmered under the soft lighting, mocking her with its cold brilliance.

She had been so certain.

The way Alexander had been acting lately—the lingering glances, the secretive smiles—she had convinced herself it was all for her.

But she was wrong.

The note tucked beneath the jewelry confirmed it.

"For the one who holds my heart."

Evelyn's breath caught.

The handwriting was unmistakably Alexander's, but the name scrawled at the bottom wasn't hers.

Isabella.

Her stomach twisted.

Isabella Rhodes—Lucas Bennett's sister, the woman who had always hovered at the edges of Alexander's life with quiet persistence.

Evelyn's chest tightened.

All this time, she had believed the gifts, the attention, were signs of rekindled affection.

But they weren't meant for her.

They never had been.

A bitter laugh escaped her lips.

How foolish she had been, reading into every gesture, every word, as if they were promises.

Now, the truth was undeniable.

Alexander's heart belonged to someone else.

And Evelyn?

She was just a spectator in her own marriage.

The bracelet slipped from her fingers, landing on the dresser with a hollow clink.

She turned away, her reflection in the mirror a stranger—eyes shadowed with hurt, lips pressed into a thin line.

Outside, the evening stretched on, indifferent to her shattered illusions.

Somewhere in the city, Alexander was probably with her, whispering sweet nothings, oblivious to the wreckage he'd left behind.

Evelyn clenched her fists.

She wouldn't cry.

She wouldn't beg.

But one thing was certain—she wouldn't be fooled again.