Blackmailing His Runaway Bride by Dance-is-me (carter reed .txt) 📗

After a strained gasp from Ben Idoh, Isabella got up and reached for the phone in his pocket. Charles watched curiously as she punched some numbers. When she was done, Isabella placed the device on Idoh's heaving chest.

"There..." The tiredness in her voice was something else. It made Charles wonder about the things that happened while he was outside. He also wanted to know how Ben ended up drugged. His curious and concerned thoughts were interrupted by Isabella's voice. "Speak to 911 yourself. If you survive drugging yourself, know that you will never have peace till you leave this world. If you don't survive... Oh well..."

Pausing her quivering voice, Isabella began to take steps toward the exit. Charles noticed the tears in her eyes that were threatening to fall and he was about to reach for her hand when she trotted out of the room.

Before he raced after her, Charles took one more look at Ben Idoh whose lips kept shivering, making it hard for the man to form a statement. Charles had no desire to pity such a soul. 

All he wished as he pried his gaze off Ben Idoh was for the man to rot as he paid for his sins. He deserved that much after pushing Isabella to a place that almost became her grave. 

Seconds later, Charles was halting Isabella's unstable footsteps with an embrace from behind.

When she relaxed into his hold, Charles nuzzled her hair. Isabella let out a light exhale and he hugged her tighter. 

"Anthony..." The way she uttered his rarely used name made his heart squeeze. He could read her ache and he almost began to regret telling her the truth about her father. But it was for the best that she got to know about it. "Th... that man killed my father," she said, her voice shaky.

"And, he will pay for it," Charles assured her as he made sure his embrace had not failed. As though she would disappear if not held tightly, Charles increased their body contact. 

"He overdosed my father and watched him die."

Charles soon realized that he had to get them out of that environment and he had just the idea of where to go. "Isabella?"

"Yes, Charles?" She sniffled, running her hands through her face.

"I want to take you somewhere."

Her head shifted to the side a bit so he could see the tears that managed to trail her beautiful face. "Where?" Isabella asked. 

After placing a small kiss on her head, Charles soon dissolved his hold. With no desire to let her remain in that space for too long, he grabbed Isabella's hand and walked towards the elevator, determined to make her feel less shitty.