Trapped in a loveless marriage, Isabella Cruz thought she could survive Alejandro Santiago's cold indifference. But when he hands her divorce papers and tells her his first love is returning, her heart shatters. Pregnant with his child and unwilling to beg for love, Isabella walks away, determined to never look back. Two years later, Isabella has transformed into a powerful and breathtaking heiress, catching the eye of every eligible bachelor at a prestigious gala. When Alejandro spots her across the room, he's floored by the woman she's become and devastated by the realization that he never truly knew her. But as secrets unravel and passions ignite, Alejandro must fight not only to win Isabella back, but also to claim the family he never knew he had. Can Isabella trust the man who once broke her heart, or will she choose a future without him? In a world of power, wealth, and betrayal, love might be the ultimate risk.
Chapter 1 001
The grand chandelier cast a warm, soft glow across the sprawling living room of the Santiago penthouse. Every piece of furniture had been chosen with a meticulous eye, from the marble floors that gleamed beneath Isabella's feet to the plush, custom-made Italian sofas arranged in perfect symmetry. To anyone else, it would have felt like a dream, the pinnacle of luxury, but tonight, the opulence suffocated her.
Isabella sat on the edge of the velvet armchair, her spine straight, hands folded tightly in her lap. She didn't dare look up at the man pacing in front of her, his footsteps heavy with frustration. Alejandro Santiago-the man she had loved, married, and spent the last three years trying to please-was in a rare state of unrest.
"I can't keep doing this, Isabella," Alejandro finally said, his voice sharp, cutting through the silence like a blade. He stopped in front of her, towering over her with an intensity that sent a chill through her. "This charade... this marriage."
Her heart clenched, but she didn't let the pain show on her face. She had grown used to his coldness over the years, though it never stopped hurting. Every day she told herself that maybe, just maybe, today he'd see her for who she really was. That he'd see her love, her dedication. That he'd love her back.
But today wasn't that day.
Isabella lifted her eyes, meeting his dark, stormy gaze. "What are you saying, Alex?"
He flinched at the name-'Alex'-as if it stung to hear her say it. It wasn't the formal 'Alejandro' he preferred, the name everyone else used in his world of high-powered business deals and boardrooms. No, 'Alex' was a name meant for a different kind of intimacy, one they had never truly shared.
"I'm saying," he bit out, his jaw tightening, "that this needs to end. Our marriage. Us."
The words hung in the air, heavy and final. Isabella felt the ground beneath her shift, as though everything she had been standing on, every piece of hope, was crumbling beneath her.
She swallowed hard, trying to steady her voice. "Is this because of Vicky?"
Alejandro's eyes flickered for a split second-a hint of something, perhaps guilt, perhaps regret-but it was gone as quickly as it came. His face hardened once more.
"This has nothing to do with her," he lied, his tone devoid of any emotion. "This marriage was a mistake from the beginning. You know that. It was just... it was just for my grandfather's sake."
Isabella's throat tightened. She had heard this line before, the same excuse that had been used to justify everything between them. Their marriage had never been about love-at least not for him. It had been a contract, a duty to his family, to his grandfather's dying wish. But for her, it had always been real.
"And what about us?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "What about the last three years?"
Alejandro's gaze was cold, unyielding. "There is no 'us,' Isabella. There never was."
She flinched, his words like a physical blow, and her hands clenched tightly in her lap. How could he stand there, so composed, so distant, when her entire world was shattering at his feet?
"You're wrong," she said softly, her voice trembling despite her effort to stay calm. "I loved you, Alex. I've always loved you."
His expression remained impassive, as though her confession meant nothing to him. As though her love was a burden he couldn't wait to discard.
"Love isn't enough," he said flatly. "I need more than this. I need someone who understands me, someone who can stand by me in the way I need."
Isabella's heart twisted painfully. "You mean someone like Vicky."
Alejandro didn't deny it this time. He simply looked away, his jaw tightening again. "Vicky is coming back," he admitted. "We have a history, something deeper than... whatever this was."
There it was. The truth, laid bare. Vicky Soriano-the woman who had left Alejandro years ago, chasing her career in Paris, had always been the ghost in their marriage. No matter how much Isabella tried to convince herself that Vicky was in the past, she had always known that she was living in another woman's shadow.
"And what about me?" Isabella asked, her voice breaking. "What about us?"
"There is no us," he repeated, his tone final. "This was always temporary, Isabella. We knew that from the beginning."
A lump formed in her throat as she stared at him. How could he be so cold, so detached, after everything they had shared? Didn't he see how hard she had tried to make this work, to be the wife he needed, the partner he never asked for but had?
"I'm filing for divorce," Alejandro said, his voice slicing through her thoughts. "I've already spoken to my lawyer. You'll get everything you need. I'll make sure you're taken care of."
The words were supposed to be comforting, but they felt like a death sentence. He was dismissing her, casting her aside like a business transaction that had run its course.
"I don't want your money," Isabella said bitterly. "I never wanted your money."
Alejandro's eyes darkened, and for a moment, something flickered in his gaze-doubt, hesitation, regret. But it was gone just as quickly as it had appeared.
"That's not what it looked like," he muttered, more to himself than to her.
Isabella stood, her hands shaking as she faced him. "You really think I married you for your money? After everything?"
He didn't answer, but the silence spoke volumes.
Tears burned at the back of her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. Not here, not in front of him. Not when he was so willing to believe the worst of her.
"I never wanted your money," she repeated, her voice trembling. "I wanted you. But clearly, that wasn't enough."
Alejandro's jaw clenched, and for the first time, he looked away, unable to meet her eyes. "This is for the best, Isabella."
"For who?" she demanded. "For you?"
"For both of us," he said quietly, his voice barely audible.
Isabella took a step back, her heart breaking with each word. She had tried so hard, given so much, and in the end, it had all been for nothing. He didn't love her. He never had.
"I'll sign the papers," she said finally, her voice hollow. "But know this, Alejandro-one day, you'll realize what you've lost."
She turned and walked away before he could respond, before he could see the tears that finally spilled down her cheeks. The world outside the penthouse was a blur of city lights and noise, but Isabella felt nothing as she stepped into the elevator, her body numb with pain.
As the elevator doors closed, she placed a hand on her stomach, the weight of her secret pressing down on her like a stone.
He would never know. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction.
Not now. Not ever.
Alejandro stood in the center of the living room long after she had left, staring at the door as if expecting her to return. But she didn't. The silence that followed her departure was deafening, and for the first time in years, he felt something unsettling-something that gnawed at the edges of his carefully controlled world.
Regret.
He clenched his fists at his sides, trying to shake the feeling. This was what he wanted. This was what needed to happen. He couldn't afford to be distracted, not with Vicky coming back. His life was moving forward, and Isabella-Isabella was just a remnant of the past, something he had to let go of.
But then why did it feel like he was the one being left behind?
Alejandro's phone buzzed in his pocket, and he pulled it out, grateful for the distraction. It was a message from Vicky.
Can't wait to see you tomorrow. Missed you so much. xx
He stared at the words, but they didn't bring him the comfort he expected. Instead, his thoughts drifted back to Isabella-her face, her eyes, the way she had looked at him before she left.
She had loved him. He had seen it in her eyes. But love was messy, unpredictable, and Alejandro couldn't afford messes in his life. He needed order, control, and Vicky... Vicky was the one who fit into that picture.
Still, as he walked toward the window, staring out over the city skyline, the image of Isabella's tear-streaked face lingered in his mind, refusing to fade.
The divorce papers would be filed. The chapter would be closed.
But something told him it wasn't the end.
Not yet.
Chapter 1 001
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Chapter 2 002
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Chapter 3 003
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Chapter 4 004
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Chapter 5 005
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Chapter 6 006
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Chapter 7 007
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Chapter 8 008
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Chapter 9 009
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Chapter 10 0010
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Chapter 11 0011
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Chapter 12 0012
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Chapter 13 013
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Chapter 14 014
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Chapter 15 015
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Chapter 16 016
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Chapter 17 017
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Chapter 18 018
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Chapter 19 019
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Chapter 20 020
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Chapter 21 021
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Chapter 22 22
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Chapter 23 23
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Chapter 24 24
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Chapter 25 24
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Chapter 26 26
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Chapter 27 27
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Chapter 28 28
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Chapter 29 29
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Chapter 30 30
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Chapter 31 31
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Chapter 32 32
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Chapter 33 33
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Chapter 34 34
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Chapter 35 35
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Chapter 36 36
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Chapter 37 37
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Chapter 38 38
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Chapter 39 39
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Chapter 40 40
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