ISSABELLE

After Ryan's outburst, Issabelle suddenly felt as though she was looking at a stranger, he did not resemble the Ryan that she had loved with all her heart, and whom she had got married to. The man that she had married was so warm, gentle, loving, full of compassion, while now he had become cruel, so cold and hurting.

She kept on thinking to herself, "How dare he accuse me of sleeping with someone else ?" He hurt her when he asked her not to act innocent. He told her that she dare not pass someone else's child as his. Issabelle cried bitterly. They were tears of betrayal. He had dared to accuse her, that she had gone to bed with somebody else. He didn't heed to her protest when she said she hadn't. He accused her that probably he was not able to satisfy her so she had gone to bed with someone else. Issabelle tried to reason it out with him, but he gave her a cold and disdainful look, not wanting to listen to anything that she said. As Issabelle looked at him, she fell that a deep chasm of pain, anger, hatred, and betrayal existed between them.

She turned back and walked out towards the door, to the bedroom. She went and picked up her things, and left his home with dignity and bravery. He asked her where she was going, she retorted back, "I am leaving you, Mr. Dickson". He tried convincing her to stay back, but she refused. How could she stay back, when he had doubted her of sleeping with someone else. He had called their child a bastard when the child was, in fact, a proof of the love and affection that they had once shared.

Issabelle left Ryan, but not before informing him that, from then onwards he should stay out of her life, and she also intended to do the same. She told him that when her child would enquire about his or her father, she would tell him that he had disowned it.

She left him, but not before forgetting to whisper to her baby to remember, "I love You, I'll always love you, I will bring you into this world".

Issabelle went back to Mrs. Baker's place, as she had nowhere else to go. With a firm determination, she met her lawyer and asked him to file a divorce petition on her behalf. She blatantly refused when Ryan offered her an allowance. She had too much pride left with her. She would not take any charity from him. She would bring up the child herself, she was determined about that. Issabelle informed Mrs. Baker, that she had nothing more to do with Ryan or her marriage. Her baby and its upbringing would be her concern, then onwards.

People who knew Issabelle felt that she had changed overnight. She didn't seem like the Issabelle they knew, who was full of warmth and had a loving nature. She had become cold and distant. When she was offered the house by Ryan, she determinedly refused not only the house, but also the furniture, and all the wedding presents.

It seemed that Issabelle was completely broken and shattered, she kept asking herself, how could he have accused her of being unfaithful? how could he have labeled their child a bastard?

Issabelle went back to the boutique, to inquire whether the vacancy there still existed? ( As she had taken a break from work, for the last three months). Her boss Lara assured Issabelle, that she could join back whenever she wished. She told Issabelle that clients still kept asking for her. Issabelle informed her, that she would join the next day itself.

Issabelle came to know through some mutual friends that Ryan had left England. He was offered an option by Mr. Morris Parker to get married to his daughter Naomi, and join the firm "Parker and Dickson". He had refused the offer and had joined a Canadian University as a professor. Issabelle did not react to that news. That news did not matter to her anymore. She was only bothered about the well being of the baby, and the preparation for its arrival. She was in fact planning that as soon as she could she would rent a small flat for herself and her baby. She had, in fact, started putting longer hours at the boutique. She had ample work as clients demanded that they wanted only Issabelle to design for them. She was in fact offered extra perks by the satisfied clients, besides the very good salary that she had been receiving.

Issabelle kept herself engrossed so much in work, that she did not get time to think about Ryan the whole day. But memories used to haunt her when she tried to sleep. She kept thinking about the love that they had shared. Why had he not informed her about his medical condition? Was that also not betrayal on his part? How could she have become pregnant, when according to him, it was impossible for him to father a child? Issabelle knew that she had never been unfaithful to him.

Issabelle's doubts were laid to rest after she had spoken to her Gynaecologist. With vigorous determination, she immersed herself in her work, but she equally took care of her diet, for her baby's sake. Emma also got married very soon and left for the U.S with her husband. It was only Mrs. Baker and Issabelle left at Mrs. Baker's flat, and of course Issabelle's little baby inside her womb.

Mrs. Baker started making preparations for Issabelle's delivery. She converted the bedroom adjoining, Issabelle's room into a Nursery. She was very happy and eager to welcome a new member to their house. She got the place repainted, with the cartoon character's adorning the walls. The ceiling was painted with silver stars. The room was filled with ample toys. She got the room fitted with necessary child alarms and CCTV surveillance, that could be monitored, both in her bedroom as well as Issabelle's. She was eagerly waiting for the arrival of her first grandchild.