Chapter 27: chapter 27

Isabelle's POV-He was right. Why would he let a married woman by his side? It was obvious that I should go with my husband. Then why do I feel betrayed? I feel like I meant nothing to him and that's ok too. What could I mean to a Gangster? He was just keeping us safe because he felt that we were in danger because of him. That is true though. We really were in danger because of him. He is an outlaw and I am married. I look to my left and saw Richard. I feel nothing, nothing at all seeing him after almost 5 yearsYes, I did feel something the moment I heard his voice and saw him standing near Eva, I felt nauseous. I felt scared to the bones. I remembered the last day I saw him, all 5 years ago, the day he left me all black and blue after he raped me.I shuddered remembering those memories. Anita was the one who kept me standing on my legs when I was facing him in Xavier's house. Right now I am going to live with that same person, who tortured me, again and again, all those years that I lived with him in the past. I looked out of the window. Why does this journey is getting longer and longer? Why I am feeling like I left something very important behind? My mind was going back to the time when my dad first brought Richard to our home. He kept on going how he saved my dad from the loan shark who wanted to kill my dad. From that day on he started to visit our home regularly. He started to work with dad. One day when he was having dinner with us, he suddenly said to my dad that he should stop my studies. I was in the last year of management degree at that time. And to my surprise, my dad agreed to it instantly. I was sure that he was brainwashing my dad somehow.I used to help my dad in his garage but when Richard started, my dad banned my entry in the garage. I guessed it was his doing too.But what could I have done? He had helped dad so I had to respect him. He never misbehaved with me but he always stared at me with his hungry eyes all the time. Sometimes I felt that he is not what he pretends to be. He shows that he helps my dad but from the day he came to join my dad, my dad started to stay out most of the time, he started drinking too much.  I remember the day when my dad suddenly announced my marriage with Richard. I was still in college so I tried to convince my dad. I told him that I don't like Richard. But he was convinced that Richard is best for me. Within two weeks after that announcement, I signed my lifetime imprisonment. I got married.A hard break brings me back the present time. The car had stopped. I was looking at the house where I lived for all my life but the house I despise more than my own life.I looked at the backseat. Eva was sleeping. Richard get out of the car and tried to pick Eva up. I get out fast, I didn't want him to touch her."No. Stop. I will take her." He didn't protest.He went up to the door and ring the bell.Is he out of his mind? He is outside, who will open the door if no one is in the house.Then the door opened. There was a young girl standing with a little boy. Who are they? What they are doing in my house?"Did you clean all the rooms?" Richard asked the girl."Who are they?" I asked."Oh, I forgot to tell you. She is our maid. She will do anything you tell her to do. This is her brother." Richard introduced them. He was almost glaring at the little boy. The girl hid the boy behind her. She looked in my direction but never in the eyes. Her head was down all this time. "Her name is Leah. Leah, she is your ma'am. My wife." Richard said. Leah didn't say a word. She just bowed even more. She will hurt her back at this rate. I gave her a smile but she could not see that because she was not looking at me. "Nice to meet you," I told her. She looked up in shock. Like she was not expecting me to say this. "Isabelle, you can go and rest. If you need anything you can tell me." He said. He was behaving like what he did 5 years ago, never happened. I was so frustrated but I had no energy to fight with him so I went upstairs with Eva still in my arms. I stopped for a second to look at the two new people. I saw Richard was still standing in front of Leah. He lifted his hand, my heart dropped in my stomach, and saw that she also flinched away from him. I guess she did it for the same reason as me.I thought he would hit the girl.My heart was getting heavier with every second passing by.***********