The Heiress’s Contract Marriage With Her Enemy

Chapter twenty: You're So Pathetic 

The doctor was finally gone…

Isabelle locked the door behind him without a word. 

She didn't need anyone else hurting the twins. The silence in the house was annoying, but almost peaceful, until she heard a pair of familiar giggles from upstairs. 

Pushups her legs, Isabelle rushed up, her heart lightened a little just from the sound.

In their room, Aron and Aurora were sitting on the floor, surrounded by pillows and a ridiculous mess of toys. 

Isabelle stepped in with a tray of soft, warm food, something gentle for their little stomachs. They both lit up when they saw her, their minds bubbled with happy noise.

'She came! Isabelle came! I want pudding!'

Isabelle hid her smile. They still didn't know she could hear them. 

But hearing their voices always made something in her chest soften. Maybe they weren't totally broken by this world yet.

"You two better not puke on me today," Isabelle warned, setting the tray on the small table between them.

Aurora clapped her hands. Aron picked up a spoon with a heroic amount of mashed potatoes on it and flung it completely missing his mouth. 

The potatoes landed on his foot.

'Oops. It looked easier in my head.'

Isabelle crouched down and started wiping it off gently. 'That's okay, you'll get better.'

'She's not mad…' Aurora whispered in her mind. 'I like her more than the mean Reign. She smells like flowers.'

Isabelle bit her lip. She felt like crying and laughing at the same time. 

Being so focused on keeping them happy she didn't notice Reign walk into the doorway until he spoke.

"What are you doing?" His voice was lowered and annoyed.

Isabelle didn't even turn around. "Feeding your niece and nephew. Trying to make sure they stay human."

Reign folded his arms. "My staff was going to feed them."

"They're scared of your staff," she snapped. "You would be too if you would know what I know."

He frowned. "You keep saying that. What does that mean?"

Isabelle stood and picked up Aron. "Here. Since you're their uncle, why don't you try holding him?"

Reign blinked, stepping back slightly. "No, I'm good—"

She shoved Aron toward him anyway. Reign caught him with a groan. "Ugh, what do I even—"

Aron stared up at Reign and said one thought in his head loud and clear: 'I'm gonna throw up now.'

And he did…

Right down Reign's black shirt.

Reign froze like someone had stabbed him. "Oh my god—"

"Phuushaaaaa!!!" Isabelle burst out laughing. She couldn't stop it. It was real, painful laughter from her chest.

 Aron, now empty-stomached and proud, gave a tiny thumbs-up in his mind.

'Mission completed.'

Reign stared at her, his mouth open in disbelief. "Did you just... trick me?"

"I would never," Isabelle said through laughter.

He handed Aron back like he was radioactive. "I'm leaving. This house is cursed. I'm cursed."

"You've always been cursed," Isabelle replied.

"Maxx says he's sorry by the way. But I'll make sure you'll never meet him again. The same goes with Simon."

'Who's Simon?' Aron looked at Aurora.

'Our uncle from few days ago.'

'The funny haired one?'

'Yes-'

"Googoo gagaa!" Aurora spoke loudly.

"Excuse me, and what makes you think that I don't want to meet them?"

"Believe me. It's better if you don't." Reign left no space to strike back.

"What if I want to?" Isabelle's mouth frowned a litte.

"I don't care what you want. If you need friends, go make your own. Don't get involved with mine." 

This sentence reached the part of Isabelle she didn't know was possible. Growing up, she only had one best friend, and even then, she passed away. 

Then, her only friend was Charlotte…but the more they matured, they distanced from each other, leaving Isabelle with no one on her side but family and her burden. 

"You know, just when I start to think that the broken mirror could be fixed-you find many more ways to break it again. You're a waste of a human being, Reign."

"I don't care what you have to say, Isabelle. Put them to bed and go to sleep."

"You know, you might pretend that you're some icy-cold CEO, but deep down you're empty…just like your character. You're scared to show any weakness or vulnerability to the world. You're insecure. You're too paranoid that people will use that against you."

Reign's eyes widened from her words, and he gulped…hardly. 

"It's never bad to be careful when you're surrounded by snakes."

"No, it's not. You're wrong…"

One corner or his lips went up, "and what makes you think so?"

"Because not the whole world is evil, but you are. You are used to causing bad things to people, torturing them, and the minute something doesn't go your way…-"

"Shut up, Isabelle…it's for your own good."

"No…I'm not afraid of you, Reign; kill me if you want, but I will never bow to your evilness."

"You will submit to me, Isabelle. You're my wife-you belong to me."

"Only on paper, remember?"

"You're acting weird now. Is it because Maxx gave you a little attention? Is it because you believe he will save you from this marriage?" Reign rolled his eyes while smiling.

"No; the only one who needs saving is you, Reign. And please take this into consideration before it's too late."

"So it is the attention you like…you're a slut, just like your sister Char-"

Reign didn't get a chance to finish the sentence before Isabelle struck him again. 

"You don't get to say that about her, about anyone!"

"Tttss. Whatever." Reign muttered, shaking his shirt. "I'm going on a business trip tomorrow. I need a break from these damn voices in this place."

Isabelle looked at him. The satisfaction after striking him died from her face.

"What did you say?" she asked quietly.

Reign raised an eyebrow. "I said I'm going on a business trip—"

"No. Before that."

Reign narrowed his eyes. "That you love attention?" He was careful with his words. 

"No," she said again. "You said the voices."

He went still.

The weird and uncomfortable silence stayed between them stretched like a string being pulled tight.

"What voices?" Isabelle stepped closer, Aron now clinging to her shoulder. "Reign. What do you hear?"

Reign looked away, rubbing his neck like he wished he hadn't said anything. "Forget it."

"No." Isabelle's voice was stricter and commanding. "You said voices. You hear them, don't you? The twins. You can hear them too?"