"How far along are you with uncovering what happened the night Isabelle was framed?" Christian asked Sean as they watched the launch of one of the company's applications online. They were seated in one of the building's boardrooms. "I enlisted a private investigator." Sean paused, unlocking his phone. He had received audio recordings from conversations held between his investigator, Dylan, and Tiffany. "It seems like her ex and best friend know something, but whatever it is, they won't say." "Here, listen to this." Sean played the first of the two recordings after muting the live video they were watching. In the recording, Dylan maintained that Isabelle had gotten super drunk at some point during the party. She had decided to go rest but had come back and called Sam. He said he didn't see her until the next day, in a disoriented state."How can he allow his girlfriend to sleep at his friend's place during a party and leave her there unsupervised?" "What sort of a stupid boyfriend wa

"How long?" Christian picked up the phone, staring at the words on the screen. "How fucking long have you been receiving these messages?" He gripped the device with enough strength to crush it in his hand."Christian." Isabelle put her hand on his shoulder, but he pushed it away a little too roughly for her liking. "Unlock it." He threw the phone at her and stood, watching as she picked it up with shaky hands. "No." She defiantly held her chin high, holding the device. "Someone just sent you a text about me, and you don't want to unlock your phone?" He shook his head in disbelief. Isabelle was afraid of him seeing the number of times Stanton had called. She couldn't imagine Christian stumbling on her recent calls."It doesn't matter. Plus, it's an unknown number." Isabelle shrugged, trying so hard to brush off the matter. Maybe then Chris would let it go. He looked at her from where he stood, at the phone that was in her hands, and then at her foot that was tapping subtly on the ru

"The number's registered under one Robert Jenkins." Christian got the report back concerning the unknown number that had been texting Isabelle. "Address, anything else about him?" "I need every bit of information about him emailed to me this instant." Christian hung up, finding the name awfully familiar. He still couldn't shake off the feeling that it might have been his father behind it all. He had, after all, found him getting intimate with Isabelle at the office. He had also enlisted Sarah to spy on Isabelle."Is everything okay?" Isabelle walked out of Christian's office adjoining room, dragging her legs. She could feel a nice soreness between her legs as she walked. "Umm, of course, why?" Christian snapped out of his thoughts about his father. "You seemed deep in thought. Have you gotten any information yet regarding the phone number?" Isabelle stood beside Christian, who was seated behind his desk, his laptop already powered on. He was itching to look at the email to get a de

"Alarm?" Isabelle questioned, a look of confusion replacing her rage. "We'll explain later. I need to access the CCTV camera in your apartment remotely." Sean rushed to his computer, almost pushing Christian out of the way. "CCTV? You installed surveillance cameras in my apartment without my permission?" Isabelle heaved, swallowing the urge to pull her hair, when the two men focused on the computer. Christian stood beside Sean's chair, leaning over with his palms on the desk. They paid no mind to her as Sean typed furiously, his phone pinging incessantly. "I am talking to you!" Isabelle shouted, shaking Christian, trying to get his attention. "Someone just broke into your place, and what you care about is the alarm?" Christian didn't even glance at her as he shook his head, waiting for Sean to access the footage. Isabelle's eyes shifted to the screen, her eyes widening. For a minute, she forgot how to blink, standing frozen on the floor. She could feel her insides stirring and her

Isabelle's mother paced from left to right on her front porch. She held a glass of water in her right hand and a white, tiny pill in her left. Her head felt heavy and painful, as if someone were incessantly hammering her on the inside. Her teary eyes were fixed on the empty street in front of her house. "What is the matter now?" Her husband and Isabelle's father stepped out, standing by the blue front door. The middle-aged man clicked at his wife's behavior then dragged her inside the house."How many times have I warned you against pacing on the front porch?" The man barked, slamming the door."I'm sorry." Mrs. Jenkins whispered, her eyes never meeting her husband's. Isabelle had always thought that the marriage between her parents was good. She had no idea what happened behind their closed bedroom door."The neighbors are already spreading rumors that you are crazy." He sized up her trembling form, clicking loudly."I miss her." Mrs. Jenkins whispered, biting the inside of her chee