Stuck in The Marriage Pact
Chapter 41: be honest with husband

Chapter 41: be honest with husband

Isabella entered the penthouse anxiously after Carol opened the door for her. She noticed Collon bowing his head immediately, then made her way to the room until she found her phone lying on the floor near the door.

She picked up the phone and noticed a crack on the screen, making her think that Hunter was angry enough to throw it or maybe even see what was inside because she hadn’t set a special password.

"But he shouldn’t be mad if he truly gives me freedom. This is hard to understand," she thought anxiously, then exhaled sharply and entered the room.

She closed the door and observed the silent room until she saw Hunter emerging from the wardrobe, wearing only long black pants and looking at her coldly.

"Oh my God... Is he going to be mad?" She averted her gaze and swallowed nervously as Hunter approached her.

Seeing Isabella’s anxiety, Hunter instead focused on her bare feet, which were red and missing her heels.

"You’re barefoot, where are your heels?" he asked flatly.

"Um... I...," Isabella looked at Hunter nervously. "I left them on the street... It was hard to walk far in heels." She finally lied.

"Who told you to walk far?"

"No one..."

"Then why walk? Do you not want to ride in the same car as your husband? Don’t you think about how confused Grandpa and Grandma were when you just left? What wrong did they do to deserve being left in confusion?" Hunter asked patiently.

"Sorry," Isabella whispered.

"You don’t need to apologize." Hunter sighed, looking at Isabella, who was bowing her head as if she regretted it, but it didn’t make him feel pity. Instead, he turned away and walked toward the sofa. "You have the right to do whatever you want, including meeting your ex... Or do you still call him your lover?"

Isabella was silent, frowning at Hunter.

"I know you don’t take this marriage seriously... But at least respect my grandparents... They’ve been so kind to you, they care about you... They have high hopes for you. I know one day they will be disappointed when we have to part... But at least don’t disappoint them and make them worry now," Hunter said anxiously, recalling the old faces of his grandparents. "They’re just old people with simple wishes... Their wishes could also bring us happiness if we could fulfill them. But I know you can’t... It can’t be done this way. But with you involved now, at least they’re happy... They think they’re going to have great-grandchildren soon, and seeing one of their descendants married is enough to make them happy. But with things like this, with you just leaving, it saddens them... They’re already thinking our marriage isn’t going well... It’s like breaking their previous happiness," he continued, then looked out at the view from the glass wall.

Isabella stood still, her face sad, suddenly thinking of Jake and Katrina, who truly cared for her. She quickly approached Hunter, looking at him anxiously.

"I know I’m wrong... But can you keep your composure when you’re with my family?" Hunter asked, turning to Isabella. "I just... I just can’t bear to see them disappointed... Even though in the end, they might be," he added.

"Hunter..." Isabella reached for Hunter’s hand. "You’re not at fault at all. I’m the one at fault... I’ve been jealous, I don’t like how you care about Sarah... Even though I’ve never really given you clarity about us."

Hunter remained silent.

"I’ve never dared to make a decision... I’m always haunted by guilt... I feel like I can’t truly leave Joe, but I also can’t fully focus on him when I’m with him because your shadow always clouds my mind," Isabella said, her eyes welling up with tears. "I’m really confused... The war in my mind makes it impossible to think clearly, and I’m always irritable... I want to be angry... It’s so hard!" she continued in frustration.

"What makes you feel guilty?" Hunter asked.

"I feel like a traitor," Isabella replied, wiping her tears. "Every time I’m with him, I feel like I’m betraying you as my husband, but when I’m with you and we’re intimate... I remember him... I remember how sad he was when he couldn’t help me out of my problems, so he let me marry you... Maybe you say he’s a jerk and doesn’t love me because he didn’t fight for me, but maybe he just couldn’t..."

"He could, but he wasn’t confident in himself; he didn’t love you," Hunter muttered, narrowing his eyes.

"I believe he loved me," Isabella replied, frowning. "He often cried because he had to let me be with you here..."

"Then it’s not your fault; you shouldn’t be sad thinking about him, especially since your current situation is also because he was never really useful as your boyfriend... I don’t want to praise myself or compare him to me. But I’m a man... Men understand other men!" Hunter said firmly, patting his chest. "When a man is truly useless to the woman he loves, he’ll let her go, let her find happiness... That’s love... Love isn’t selfish... Love doesn’t invite suffering... And what’s happening now? He’s seen you struggling alone with your problems; he should have the decency to stop bothering you!"

Isabella shook her head.

"He’s not bothering me, he..."

"He’s bothering you!" Hunter insisted before Isabella could finish. "He knows the consequences when you married me, but he’s still acting as if he’s forgotten... If he had any decency, he wouldn’t interfere with your work... He’s only thinking about possession. He’s worried you’ll be mine forever, it’s just regret from his foolishness... I’m sure, he was too lazy to fight for you before, but after you were with me, he realized he wanted you..."

"How can you say that?" Isabella asked, narrowing her eyes. "This is about love. Anyone would be hurt seeing their lover with another man!" she continued sorrowfully.

"Yes... It’s very painful. But all that wouldn’t have happened if he’d been able to prevent you from marrying another man. Even before you married me or before you got entangled in huge debts, he could have had you completely if he loved you. But what happened?" Hunter asked, raising an eyebrow, and then pointing to Isabella’s chest. "He was never truly sure and kept making you wait... You were even so frustrated waiting for him to propose to you, right? You were upset because he seemed to have no plans for the two of you... Isn’t that right?"

Isabella was stunned, not expecting Hunter to know about the proposal she had been waiting for.

"You realize his flaws, but you’re too weak because you pity him... But he’s not a man who deserves pity!" Hunter emphasized again, turning away and clenching his fists, as if very angry at Isabella for being so weak and foolish just because of love.