Because his brother's girlfriend was staying at the house, Julian Sullivan was temporarily staying at a hotel.
During the meal, Alexander Sullivan suggested Julian move back home.
Julian glanced at Isabella Roscente, who appeared indifferent, and declined.
He said he wouldn't be staying long anyway, and the hotel was fine.
Alexander didn't insist further.
He only asked Julian to come home for meals more often.
After dinner, Alexander's assistant and driver, Liam Lowell, first drove Julian back to the hotel.
Then he drove Alexander and Isabella back to the Sullivan residence.
The black Range Rover sped down the road.
Alexander and Isabella sat in the back seat.
Alexander hadn't spoken since his brother got out of the car.
Isabella hadn't spoken a word since getting in the car.
Alexander turned his head to look at Isabella beside him and sighed.
"Julian rarely comes back home. I wanted to have a proper meal with him. Are you angry because I didn't let you leave?"
Isabella pulled her gaze back from the car window and glanced at him without saying anything.
Julian wasn't dislikeable.
He was such a simple, young, and friendly man.
It was hard to believe he was Alexander's brother.
She simply hated him by association.
"You can go home, take a good shower, and go to bed early. Your fastidiousness is really--" He knew the smell of him on her would make her uncomfortable.
Yet he had deliberately rushed her out of the house.
Now he felt some regret.
"I want to see Jacob." Isabella suddenly changed the subject.
Alexander was taken aback.
"Where is Jacob? I want to see him!"
Ignoring his reaction, Isabella looked at Liam driving via the rearview mirror.
She noticed his expression stiffen and his instinctive glance toward Alexander.
Isabella leaned forward, grabbing the driver's seat headrest.
"Liam, you're the one taking care of Jacob, aren't you? Is it you?!"
The sudden accusation made panic flash across Liam's face.
This confirmed Isabella's suspicion.
She hadn't seen Liam often.
Alexander had another assistant, a younger man named Connor Evans, who usually drove her when she went out.
She had only seen Liam twice: this time, and when she first arrived at the Sullivan house a year ago.
This time, she keenly noticed Liam seemed to avoid her gaze.
She sensitively guessed that the person looking after Jacob might be Liam!
Now she was frantic.
She grabbed Liam's clothes.
"Tell me, is it you? Are you the one burning Jacob? He's only four! Do you know what you're doing? How can you abuse a child like this? Are you all heartless?!"
She didn't care that he was driving.
The mere thought of Jacob's cries from being burned shattered her heart into icy fragments, stripping away all reason.
The car swerved slightly under her pulling, nearly hitting the flowerbed in the middle of the road.
Before she could cause more interference, Alexander pulled her back forcefully.
"Have you lost your mind?!" he shouted at her, his face dark.
He pinned her hands.
She struggled violently, still desperately questioning Liam.
"Tell me, how is Jacob now? Say something! Let me see him just once! What right do you have to keep me from seeing my own son? You selfish monster!"
The last part was, of course, directed at Alexander.
Alexander locked Isabella in his embrace and ordered Liam, "Find a place to pull over. Get out!"
Liam quickly found a spot to park, got out, and left.
Only the two of them remained in the car.
Alexander held her tightly, both restraining and comforting her.
"I told you, last time was just to scare Jacob. He wasn't actually burned. He's fine. Why won't you believe me?"
Tears streamed down Isabella's face.
She still struggled to break free, but the difference in their strength was too great.
She strained until her face turned red but couldn't escape his grip.
She looked up at him, crying.
"Why won't you let me see him? It's been a year. I'm going crazy missing him..."
Inside the car, the overhead light was off.
By the dim streetlight outside, he saw her tear-streaked face.
Her eyes were full of despair and pleading.
Even the hatred she usually didn't hide very well seemed to have faded.
It seemed that if he just let her see her son, she would forgive him for everything he had done to her.
After a moment of silence, Alexander's stance remained unchanged.
"He's doing well. You don't need to worry about him. As long as you stay obediently by my side, he will grow up safe and healthy. Stop making a scene."
Isabella stared at him blankly for a moment, then her body went limp, and she stopped struggling.
Alexander released her.
Red marks from his grip were visible on her wrists.
A flicker of pain showed in his eyes.
Isabella turned away, shrinking against the car door, and said nothing more.
Alexander drove them back to the Sullivan house himself.
He parked the car in the garage, opened the rear door, and carried the catatonic Isabella out.
He carried her into the main house and upstairs.
He carried her into the bathroom, undressed her, and washed her entire body.
He washed her meticulously and gently.
He squeezed shower gel into his palms, worked it into a lather, and spread it over her body.
He massaged and cleansed her gently.
He thoroughly cleaned her intimate parts, which had only been hastily wiped with a tissue before.
After washing her, he dried her completely and carried her back to bed.
He initially wanted to kiss her, but remembering her fastidiousness, he held back.
"Goodnight," he said, tucking her in and kneeling by her bedside.
She still didn't speak.
The man turned off the light, stood up, and walked toward the bedroom door.
Just as he was about to close the door and leave, Isabella, lying on the bed with her back to him, suddenly spoke.
"Alexander, choosing separate rooms was very wise of you."
The man paused.
She meant that if they shared the same room and the same bed, given how much she hated him, he would likely die in his sleep.
Alexander didn't take her words to heart and smiled slightly.
He reached out, closed the door for her, and left.
Inside the room, plunged into temporary darkness as her eyes adjusted, the moonlight from the window soon illuminated the woman lying awake on the bed.
Meeting Julian today had given her another feeling.
She inexplicably felt he bore a slight resemblance to Jacob.
It wasn't really a strong resemblance.
The innocence and youthfulness on Julian's face were very childlike, similar to many children.
Seeing him made her miss Jacob even more.
She didn't understand why Alexander wouldn't let her see Jacob.
Even if he was using Jacob to threaten her, what harm was there in letting her see him?
She might even feel grateful to him.
Why was it absolutely forbidden?
Or... was there some hidden reason she didn't know about?
What could it be?