Chapter 140: don't disappoint me

3rd pov

The hurried footsteps of Marquees Wiltshire reverberated in the silent area of the underground area of duke's Luca palace. His expressions were cold and menacing.

Finally his steps halted as the guard who was showing the way stopped in front of a room, he took out the keys from his uniform and opened the door.

The room was nothing like prison, but a bedroom with minimum furnishings, there was a bed at the centre of the room, an oak table with two chairs, and a small cupboard to keep things, a small chandelier in the middle just above the bed, but instead of silk, everything was of cotton and rough clothes, there was no carpet on the floor, making it cold.

Isabella was sitting on the bed with her head bent on her knees, her nails were dug deep in her palms.

There were pieces of a porcelain vase, scattered all over the floor with flowers, pillows and blankets. The room was a mess, as if the earthquake had just hit it badly. 

Isabella moved her head, as she heard the sound of the opening of locks and looked towards the door.

Her eyes were red, and her whole body was seething with anger. She was about to shout at the guards when her eyes fell on her father entering the room. Finally her eyes gleamed back as she stood up and walked towards her father.

"Father, you are finally here, see what she had done to me?" she yelled as she looked back at the room.

Marquees Wiltshire looked at the guard who bowed and walked out of the room. Only then did his eyes fall back on his daughter.

"What kind of mess have you created now?'' His voice had no sympathy or care for her but anger that made her cower back.

"I had done nothing father, as you have said, to keep a distance from Marianne for a while, I didn't even go to the palace. I was in town, buying a gown for the upcoming party at the palace, when Marianne came there and snatched the gown from me."

"And when I denied giving it to her, she shouted and called me names. She was such an aggressive at that time, father, and when I tried to defend myself, she used her knights to send me here. She did this intentionally father, she wanted to take revenge." sobbed Isabella, there was not a single tear in her eyes before, but now tears were running out of her eyes like a broken dam.

"Don't show these fake tears to me, they would not work on me, now tell me the truth what have you done, before i will show you what is the result of lying to me."

"Haven't you created enough mess by losing the case? I had told you clearly, if you will not win, I will not support you anymore, yet you are here creating more and more problems, since when have you learnt to be defiant, Isabella?" He said everything in a calm and low voice as if he was reading a book to her or sharing some news, but Isabella knew better.

The underlying threat behind her father's words was enough to make her sweat with fear.

"I am telling the truth father, I did nothing. If you do not trust me, you can go and confirm from the store in the town, father. She just wanted to insult me, taking the side of a mere tailor to humiliate me in the public, she even called me a cheap paramour." she replied pleading, the hope and smile she had when she saw her father was long lost, and only fear remained.

"Are you sure, because if i found out that you were still telling lies, then you know the result." he threatened in a colder voice. Isabella gulped visibly as she took two steps back but nodded.

"I am sure, father, i would never have the courage to lie to you." her voice was low yet clear.

Her father stood there silently judging her reactions and then chuckled, there was no anger or pain for Isabella in his eyes but relief that it happened. His chuckle was like several needles poked into her skin at once.

She hated this, hated her father and everyone who just looked at her as a tool without caring how she felt.

"If what you're telling is true, then it means she had started drinking the tea. That is a good news, we just have to make sure that she will continue to have it" he said with a better mood, then his hands moved towards Isabella who instinctively took steps backwards and impinged into the borders of bed, she winced but his father did not notice it at all.

"Stay here, until Cassius come, cry your eyes out, he should feel pity for you, you just have to find a way to enter in his bedroom once, i will handle everything else, and one more thing, when you come out find ways to stay around Marianne and provoke her further, try to make her as violent as possible, then things would be much easier.

And stop crying over small things, your tears should be shed to gain sympathy from Cassius and Killian, you are not a kid to throw tantrum around me" he said in a scornful voice, disgust was clear on his face, Isabella looked down and meekly nodded, only then did the man felt better and he smiled.

He walked towards the door without sparing a second glance at the girl who had turned into a mess. Just when he touched the knob of the door he added,

"I am giving you my last chance Isabella, don't disappoint me this time." with that without waiting for any reply he opened the door and left her alone. when the man left, the girl who was standing there lowering her eyes, lifted her face, but her face had no meekness but an evil glint that would burn the whole empire.