to protect herself and her child. She would be as strong and resilient as her mother had been for her.
She slowly stood, her legs shaky and weak. Her stomach churned and she tried desperately to ignore it. Clutching the rim of the sink, Isabella turned on the faucet and rinsed her mouth out with water. She splashed her face and glanced up in the mirror.
Her hair, which had once been her glory, fell limp against her shoulders. She was pale, her eyes dull and her lips colorless. She saw the strain tightening her features. She was a mess. It would take hours to make her appearance presentable. Normal. Even longer until she felt that way.
The morning sickness was worse today, Isabella decided as she reached for a towel. Was it from the lack of sleep? The stress? Why did it have to be today, when she needed to be strong as she faced Antonio and demandedher plane ticket? She couldn’t show any weakness around him.
“Bella?”
Panic radiated from her chest to her arms and legs when she heard the authoritative knock on her bedroom door. No! He couldn’t come in here. He couldn’t see her like this. Bella propelled herself forward just as Antonio entered her bedroom.
She slammed the bathroom door closed but it was already too late. He had seen her. He had stopped in mid-step at the sight of her in a T-shirt and panties. She could only hope her skimpy sleepwear had distracted him from the dark circles under her eyes and the greenish cast of her complexion.
“Why are you hiding in the bathroom?” he demanded.
“I’m not dressed,” she said.
“I’m well aware of that.” His voice was close and she knew he stood on the other side of the door. “But I’ve seen you in a lot less. Come out.”
“No.” She rested her head against the door and fought the urge to slump to the floor. Her body was punishing her for the sudden movement and the jolt of panic.
“Is this because of last night?”
“Maybe.” She took a few shallow breaths but her stomach still threatened to revolt.
“I told you, I’m not interested in my brother’s castoffs,” he taunted.
“Yes,” she said, and swallowed hard, “you really proved that last night.”
Antonio sighed and she pictured him raking his hair with his hand. “We need to meet with the doctor in an hour.”
“That isn’t necessary,” she insisted. “I’ve been to a doctor recently and everything is fine.”
“You may be okay with that but I want a second opinion. Why wouldn’t you want to visit one of Italy’s top obstetricians?”
Isabella’s shoulders sagged in defeat. When Antonio explained it like that, she really didn’t have a reason to decline. “I’ll be ready soon.” If she was lucky .
“You still need to eat breakfast.”
The idea made her gag, which she tried to cover up with a loud cough. “No, thanks. I’m not hungry.”
“Then eat dry toast. Or have a cappuccino.”
She grimaced as she pictured the milky drink. Oh, God. She was going to be sick again.
“Bella?” He turned the doorknob.
“Fine,” she said in a high, urgent voice. She didn’t care how it sounded. The less she argued, the faster he would leave.
She fought against the nausea, her skin going hot and cold, as she listened to Antonio’s familiar footsteps. When he closed the bedroom door she ran to the toilet and vomited.
That had been too close, she decided as she lay on the floor. If Antonio had known she had been sick he wouldn’t have left her alone. While she wouldn’t mind having someone take care of her, Antonio would have seen how weak she felt. She couldn’t allow that.
She was no longer his lover and was now a hindrance. An inconvenient obstacle. She was the reason he wouldn’t inherit what was rightfully his. Isabella couldn’t forget that. If she showed a chink in her armor, if she revealed any vulnerability, Antonio would take advantage. It was his nature.
She had to get out of here.
And I will once I’ve visited the doctor , Isabella thought
She slowly stood, her legs shaky and weak. Her stomach churned and she tried desperately to ignore it. Clutching the rim of the sink, Isabella turned on the faucet and rinsed her mouth out with water. She splashed her face and glanced up in the mirror.
Her hair, which had once been her glory, fell limp against her shoulders. She was pale, her eyes dull and her lips colorless. She saw the strain tightening her features. She was a mess. It would take hours to make her appearance presentable. Normal. Even longer until she felt that way.
The morning sickness was worse today, Isabella decided as she reached for a towel. Was it from the lack of sleep? The stress? Why did it have to be today, when she needed to be strong as she faced Antonio and demandedher plane ticket? She couldn’t show any weakness around him.
“Bella?”
Panic radiated from her chest to her arms and legs when she heard the authoritative knock on her bedroom door. No! He couldn’t come in here. He couldn’t see her like this. Bella propelled herself forward just as Antonio entered her bedroom.
She slammed the bathroom door closed but it was already too late. He had seen her. He had stopped in mid-step at the sight of her in a T-shirt and panties. She could only hope her skimpy sleepwear had distracted him from the dark circles under her eyes and the greenish cast of her complexion.
“Why are you hiding in the bathroom?” he demanded.
“I’m not dressed,” she said.
“I’m well aware of that.” His voice was close and she knew he stood on the other side of the door. “But I’ve seen you in a lot less. Come out.”
“No.” She rested her head against the door and fought the urge to slump to the floor. Her body was punishing her for the sudden movement and the jolt of panic.
“Is this because of last night?”
“Maybe.” She took a few shallow breaths but her stomach still threatened to revolt.
“I told you, I’m not interested in my brother’s castoffs,” he taunted.
“Yes,” she said, and swallowed hard, “you really proved that last night.”
Antonio sighed and she pictured him raking his hair with his hand. “We need to meet with the doctor in an hour.”
“That isn’t necessary,” she insisted. “I’ve been to a doctor recently and everything is fine.”
“You may be okay with that but I want a second opinion. Why wouldn’t you want to visit one of Italy’s top obstetricians?”
Isabella’s shoulders sagged in defeat. When Antonio explained it like that, she really didn’t have a reason to decline. “I’ll be ready soon.” If she was lucky .
“You still need to eat breakfast.”
The idea made her gag, which she tried to cover up with a loud cough. “No, thanks. I’m not hungry.”
“Then eat dry toast. Or have a cappuccino.”
She grimaced as she pictured the milky drink. Oh, God. She was going to be sick again.
“Bella?” He turned the doorknob.
“Fine,” she said in a high, urgent voice. She didn’t care how it sounded. The less she argued, the faster he would leave.
She fought against the nausea, her skin going hot and cold, as she listened to Antonio’s familiar footsteps. When he closed the bedroom door she ran to the toilet and vomited.
That had been too close, she decided as she lay on the floor. If Antonio had known she had been sick he wouldn’t have left her alone. While she wouldn’t mind having someone take care of her, Antonio would have seen how weak she felt. She couldn’t allow that.
She was no longer his lover and was now a hindrance. An inconvenient obstacle. She was the reason he wouldn’t inherit what was rightfully his. Isabella couldn’t forget that. If she showed a chink in her armor, if she revealed any vulnerability, Antonio would take advantage. It was his nature.
She had to get out of here.
And I will once I’ve visited the doctor , Isabella thought
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