CHAPTER 1

       

Hi, Y'all!!!! 

Before starting this book and getting acquainted with the characters, I strongly advise you to read the first book, "Take A Chance On Me". It is a free book. It will allow you to comprehend better some events in this sequel. Have a good reading! 

        The night breeze hit Isabelle hard and made her tremble. She rubbed her arms to ward off the chills that were enveloping her worn-out body. She looked up at the sky that was beginning to turn dark blue and wiped away her tears. Isabelle was alone on her wedding night. Her… husband went away leaving her behind. Once again, she managed to make a fool out of herself. Shawn played her good, promising a happy ending he never delivered. Isabelle closed her eyes and took a deep breath. But there was no use, the weight on her heart was still there, and she was feeling even worse.

          How could something so wonderful turn into nothing in a matter of minutes? Why was there still so much pain in store for her? Why wasn’t she enjoying that happiness promised to her by Shawn? If he wasn’t ready, why did Shawn agreed to take this step? Isabelle had asked him a thousand times if he was all right with it; if marrying her was what he really wanted. A thousand times Shawn had said yes.

          He had his laughs and gave her the coup de grace in due time. Why didn’t Shawn let her go? If Shawn wanted revenge, if he wanted to destroy her...well, he succeeded. Now he could stay away from her. Isabelle no longer had the desire to fight for a love that had never been hers, that wasn’t meant for her since the beginning.

          Her father's words as he was beating her came back to Isabelle’s mind...

‘You are just a stupid bitch! You sold yourself to that arrogant son of a bitch who will throw you away like the piece of garbage that you are when he will get tired of you! You gave him the only thing that was giving us some leverage for what I intended to do with you. Now you are worthless! You are less than nothing!'

          And he was right… Shawn had used her for his purposes and then he threw her away. A slight sigh came from deep inside Isabelle’s soul and completely embarrassed, Isabelle hid her face in her hands. How she wanted to go back in time to that evening when she had given into his manipulations… To the moment she agreed to marry Shawn… If she knew then what she knew now, she would have run away from him. She would have found refuge somewhere safe, away from his deadly charm. The ink on the marriage license was still fresh and yet she was alone… Once again, she had no place to go…

          Isabelle shook her head with sadness and a bitter laugh left her lips. Everything that had happened in the days before that Sunday when they got married had been so wonderfully emotional. Marie and Lucy had managed to surprise her, taking care of everything from the bride’s bouquet and flower arrangements to the refreshments, from a quite acceptable guest list to the wedding cake. Everything had been taken care of with such precision that would have made any wedding planner in the world die with envy. Those two women together looked like a tornado, devastating and lethal. They had worked day and night, preparing everything in great secret, asking Isabelle a lot of questions. They allowed her to make a single crucial decision: the wedding dress.

          In order to buy the perfect one, Isabelle asked for her two ‘wedding planners’ and Shana, Lucy's granddaughter, to accompany her. After looking around for the right dress, after looking around in every single store, the moment Isabelle decided to abort the mission… she saw the one especially made for her! She tried it on and it was as if someone had sewed it especially for her, it needed no alteration. When she came out of the fitting room, the three women were left speechless.

‘My sweet girl, you look like a royal princess...’ Lucy whispered when she saw her.

‘You are gorgeous, Belle!’ Shana said quite overwhelmed.

          It was a ball gown and it had a fitted corset, a cinched waist, and a wide full skirt that had layers of tulle. Even the color -ivory- was perfect. The corset and the upper part of the gown were studded with white Swarovski crystals. Dressed like this, Isabelle seemed a real princess. She did not want to wear a veil, because she wanted Shawn to see her face, to look into her eyes while she walked down the aisle. So, Isabelle chose a tiara to complete that royal look.

‘Dearest, you will be the most wonderful bride in the whole universe with this ball gown. When he sees you, my nephew will find it hard to breathe, trust me,’ Marie exclaimed putting a hand on her heart trying hard not to cry.

          And Isabelle believed Marie’s words. There was no reason not to. Isabelle was happy because she was marrying her… unconventional Prince Charming. They had a bumpy start, but the love Isabelle felt for Shawn had pushed her inevitably into his arms. She became his woman in every sense of the word. And now the final step towards happiness… Finally, all the stars were aligned for the most unique event. I order to make this even more spectacular; Isabelle had the perfect wedding gift for Shawn, something he will absolutely adore.

          The wedding ceremony had been particularly thrilling. She and Shawn got married in Marie’s rose garden, right in the spot where Shawn told her he loved her for the first time. That evening, her heart was filled with such complete joy that Isabelle could hardly breathe. All the Graysons took part in this happy event, even her sweet little ‘demoiselles’.

          Marie asked Frannie and Diana, to be the flower girls, scattering rose petals along the bridle path. Both of them seemed like two perfect dolls, wearing little fluffy, white dresses. Not having other friends, Isabelle asked Shana to be her bridesmaid and Shana accepted gladly. This situation had offered the two women the opportunity to get to know each other better, becoming very good friends by the end of the week. Isabelle allowed Shana to choose the dress she liked to wear for the wedding and Shana had not let her down. She was perfect with her light blue silk lace dress.

          Christopher Grayson, Shawn's uncle, had agreed to walk her down the aisle and give her away to Shawn, taking Andrew’s place in this case. While taking her steps towards Shawn, Isabelle could not stop smiling. He seemed as happy as she was. They were getting married; they were going to finally start their life together. Nothing and no one else mattered at the time but them and their happiness.

          Isabelle vividly remembered the ceremony, especially the wedding vows part. While looking Shawn in the eyes, while listening to his words, she felt such a strong emotion wrapping her entirely. What he said to her just entered her heart and soul. It was the most beautiful declaration of love she ever heard… and her husband to be looked so sincere.

          ‘My love, for a long time I’ve wandered in the dark, convinced that I have no right to love, to happiness. My heart was empty and it has been like that until I met you. We did not start on the right foot, but in time, I saw the real you. Belle, you are the one who brought the sun into my life. The one who took my empty heart in her hands and filled it with her love, and her sweetness.

          Now that I have found you, now that I have you in me, I can’t understand how I managed to live without you, how I survived without your love. Now that you are here, in front of me, I know I’d be lost without you. Everything I wanted and needed, everything I once dreamed of, had come true when you entered my life when you found me. Thank you for saving me. I love you now and forever.’

          Those words... Isabelle could not believe that the tough, arrogant man she met a few months earlier was there, pledging his love to her. But at that moment, she did not know that Shawn was just playing pretend. For her, what he said was so wonderful… Isabelle smiled sweetly and answered him back.

          ‘I have always loved you, even before I was born. This is a fact. You are and you will always be my center of gravity. This too is a fact. You are the missing piece that made me what I am today. You made me a better woman. For this huge gift you gave me, I will love you forever.

          Every day and every night of our life together, I will be with you in your heart and in your arms as long as you will want me. Your joy will be mine; your dreams will be my dreams too. I will make you feel my love every single moment. And if at times, life will seem unbearable to you, just hold my hand as you are doing right now, and I’ll guarantee you that all the hurt will pass. I love you endlessly!’

          By saying those words to Shawn, she had exposed herself and her feelings to the entire world. Isabelle had always been a very private person and expressing her love for Shawn in front of all the guests, people she did not know well or at all, had been very difficult for her, but also liberating.

          When the pastor finally presented for the first time Mr. and Mrs. Grayson to the world, Isabelle's heart exploded with happiness. She had become the wife of the man she loved and will love for all of her life. That very moment she thought that the Baldwin's curse vanished into thin air. She and Shawn were bound to stay together forever. She would always be by his side, in his work, and in his life. She will never become like her mother, selfish and petty, but she will be the perfect wife for Shawn.

          But then and there she couldn’t see that Shawn was not about to return the favor. He was having other thoughts about the future… his future away from her. In his mind, there was a woman, and that woman was not her, his wife.