Twisted Fate: Second Chance Heiress

Chapter 10: Caught in a tangled web

~Isabella’s POV~

Stretching out my hands, I gathered a hand full of paper towels from the table and dabbed all over my blazer to lessen the stain, but the damage had already been done.

“Who the hell are you?” I thundered the question, darting my eyes back at the woman with a victorious smirk stretched across her lips, still clutching the empty wine glass in her hands.

Stepping forward, “Your lucky it's just wine instead of chemical acid” she bluntly threatened. “Consider this a lesson to teach you to stay away from someone else's boyfriend!”. raising her voice she threw the accusation, alerting everyone around us in the cafe. As prying eyes now glared in our direction witnessing the drama that unfolded between us.

My jaw dropped. “Excuse me?” I exclaimed, clearly bewildered by her utterance.

“What the hell are you talking about?” I asked, with my face twisted into a scowl, irritated by her behavior but mostly her audacity.

She doesn't respond, but instead takes another step closer, too close for comfort.

In an attempt to protect myself from another possible attack, my instincts kicked in as I swiftly grabbed my still full latte, splashing the warm, milky liquid directly into her face. Retaliating her gesture from earlier. As soft murmurs of the cafe's staff and present onlookers drifted around the room.

She gasped, sputtering, as the coffee dripped down her chin, onto her designer dress.

“Now we're even!” I muttered, stepping back with a defiant glare.

Her eyes blazed with fury, and her face obviously contorted with shock. Probably caught off guard by my reciprocation. I didn't know what scuffle she must have had with the real Isabella to make her come all the way here to challenge me, but I wasn't about to give her an easy victory.

And who was this boyfriend she spoke off? I pondered.

Before the tension could escalate further between us, a familiar voice boomed from the background. “Ivy Stop!” and I looked up to see William.......Isabella’s alleged boyfriend pushing through the cafe patrons moving towards our direction, his jaw still a little swollen from last night.

Ivy? Was that her name?

And why was he even here?

But before I could grasp the situation the next thing I knew she broke down hysterically, sobbing profusely, looking fragile and helpless at the sight of William who now stood in-between us, his eyes narrowing at the scene before him.

“Did you see that William. she began, with her manicured hands wrapped around his muscled biceps as though seeking protection, while jabbing an accusatory finger at me.

“D-did you just see how she attacked me? I came here to talk things out with her calmly, but instead she splashed her coffee in my face” she let out, as my eyes bulged out at her disdainful accusation.

“That’s a lie, you liar!” I shouted back.

“It was you who suddenly attacked me out of nowhere like a raging mad woman” I furiously let out, while pointing at my wine soaked blazer.

“Your the liar here Isabella” she spat out, lunging forward again, but William quickly intervenes between us.

“Ivy, enough,” he said sharply, pulling her back behind him. “You’re embarrassing yourself.”

Standing behind his frame the woman Ivy shot back a venomous stare at me, as she wiped off the milky liquid from her face. I honestly had no idea what her problem was with Isabella was and judging by Williams swift intervention it was obvious he knew who she was and so I asked.

“Who is this woman William” looking straight into his eyes. But he said nothing as his jaw tightened, averting his guilt contorted face away from my gaze. As his lips part to say something, Ivy quickly chimed in.

“Oh please don't act like you don't know who I am. I'm his......girlfriend!” she loudly pronounced, her words taking me aback.

Girlfriend? Seriously?

Didn't he just tell me last night that he was Isabella's boyfriend. My boyfriend?.

The thoughts gnawed at my chest making me even more confused, and then I remembered our conversation last night when he mentioned what had happened between us and with the current situation that unfolded before me, it instantly clicked. As it turns out there was a love triangle between three of them and Williams was clearly two timing both the real Isabella and this Ivy woman, hence why she attacked me earlier.

“Now that you know William is mine now, do me a favor and let him go” she continued, as a smirk stretched across her face, still holding on tightly to Williams arm.

“Girlfriend? I questioned, “But the not what you told me last night” I let out , looking directly at William still standing there speechless. Hearing my words ivy's face flushes turning red at her cheeks.

I felt a sudden memory flash of my situation with Robert my ex husband and the night that changed my life forever.

The divorce. Our argument. Jodie's reappearance back in his life and now this.

I always thought Isabella and I had nothing in common, but clearly we did.

We both fell for shitty men who didn't appreciate our efforts and presence in their lives. And one thing was certain.......they always chose the other woman.

William leaned forward “Isabella, I__I can explain” he finally let out, but I step back away lightly avoiding his grip.

“Don’t even think about it” I retorted as my irritation grew rapidly, holding up my palm to stop him from coming any closer. But instead he doesn't listen, breaking free from Ivy's grip he took another step, his hand reaching out as if to grab my arm.

In a flash of pure adrenaline, I brought my hand up and slapped him hard across the face. The sound echoed through the quiet cafe, silencing the murmurs of the other customers. William’s head snapped back, a fresh red mark blooming on his cheek. Ivy jerked from the impact, stunned, standing behind him.

“Get away from me!” I hissed, my voice trembling with a mixture of anger and fear.

“Isabella, what is wrong with you?” he growled back, his hand clasping at his red cheeks and brows furrowed with fury. “First you punch me, now this”.

Just as William seemed poised to retaliate, a calm, authoritative voice cut through the tension. “Is there a problem here?”

My head snapped towards the sound. Only to see Dante standing there, leaning against the doorframe, his arms crossed, a dark suit accentuating his imposing figure. His gaze swept over the scene, a flicker of something unreadable in his eyes as he took in my disheveled state, Ivy’s coffee-stained face, and William’s bruised cheek.