Chapter 73

Christian

Christian walked to the front and leaned against the door, patiently waiting for Isobel to walk through. Wwas going to leave her mouth, he knew that it was going to be good.

“Hey.” Isobel barely whispered as she walked through the door. Christian looked at the face of his formernoticed how it looked as if she hadn’t slept in weeks.

“Hey.” He greeted her back. The voice in his head told him to yell at her for betraying him, but the feelinlonged for his childhood friend. Isobel had her bad side, but also her good side and he had to admit, he presence.

“I-“ They both spoke at the same time and looked down smiling. “You go first,” Christian told her.

“I’ve heard from my father about what happened today, and I’m so sorry.” Isobel started speaking as a ther cheek. “I don’t want him to suffer because of my mistakes, and trust me or not—I know that it was ahave to live with that for the rest of my life.” She stepped forward, while Christian took a step back.

“I feel sorry towards you, and towards Serena—and I know that all of this is my fault and I know that I shto even be alive, and I know that you probably don’t ever want to see me again—but I never got the chaapologize…I’m sorry.” Isobel whispered the last words.

Christian sighed and thought about what to say. He was pissed and he knew that they wouldn’t even be wasn’t for her and Enzo. He knew that Serena would’ve still been here, enjoying her pregnancy as she shwasn’t for them—but he also knew that Isobel’s apology was sincere.

“We’ve known each other for years, and you’ve betrayed me—just like that. Didn’t our friendship mean you?” Christian was finally ready to hear the answer he had been waiting for.

“N-no, of course, it did,” Isobel clarified. “Our friendship was real, our friendship is real—I’ve never mean—“

“But you did, and you threatened an innocent man’s life in the process,” Christian said. The image of theshaking, and being willing to die for his family over something which he had no control over was somethhadn’t left Christian’s mind.

“Yes, but I’ve also protected Enzo’s name and took all of the blame on me.” Isobel reminded him.

“Isobevictim here. I am, Serena is—and my daughter is. Not you and not Enzo. We wouldn’t even be here in thiwasn’t for you.”

“And Serena wouldn’t have been able to reunite with her family in peace if it wasn’t for me—“

“In peace? Isobel, get out.” Christian spoke and closed his eyes, trying to remain as calm as possible. Theright, but to him, Serena reuniting with her family could not be compared to not only her life but also thebeing in danger.

“I didn’t mean it like that…” Isobel sighed. Christian stared into her eyes which were full of regret and didcontact until she had turned around to walk away.

He knew he was about to do something which would make him an idiot, but he didn’t want them to endlike this. “Wait.” He breathed, causing Isobel to turn her head again.

“I will give you one last chance to apologize, choose your words wisely.” He told her as he waited for herthen.”

“Christian, we’ve been through a lot together—the picture of you holding me in your arms as a baby, whone year old should tell enough about the bond we share. You are my best friend and I don’t want to losnot expecting you to forgive me right now, but…I can’t stand the feeling of you hating me.

You might noI am really sorry—and I regret everything.” Isobel stared at the ground as tears left her eyes.

“What I did was pathetic, sad—terrible, and it was all because of jealousy and I know a simple sorry can’tyou as a friend. I’m sorry.”

Christian had felt the same way as he missed the conversations the two had often shared. There was no eIsobel had done, but he still felt as if he was partly to blame. He couldn’t help but think whether things wdifferent if he had not given her any false hope and rejected her from the start.

The one thing which had held him back from accepting the apology was Serena.

Serena was stuck in a safe house because of her, and he knew that she was not fond of Isobel. But she waEnzo, so somewhere he held that little bit of hope that she would also be able to forgive Isobel.

“Okay.” Christian shrugged his shoulders. “O-okay?” Isobel asked surprised.

“I forgive you…it doesn’t mean we’re friends again, but I forgive you.” Christian found it in his heart to acapology. “Thank you.” Isobel sighed relieved.

“Do you think we can go back to what we were…as friends?” Isobel asked, knowing that they could nevethan that. “I don’t know.”

“Do you think Serena can find it in her heart to forgive me?” Isobel asked next, only to receive the exact don’t know.”

“You’ve hurt a lot of people, Isobel, not everyone is going to be as forgiving as me.” Christian reminded made up his mind to not forgive her a long time ago, but here he was—forgiving her after all. “Thank yomentioning Enzo’s name.”

“Sure, no problem.” Isobel smiled. “I visited him after he…lost his mind—and tried to explain to him howyou, and I don’t know if it got through or n—“

“It did, thanks.” Christian told her. He felt conflicted because she shouldn’t be getting a ‘thanks’ at all, bushe was the reason why Enzo had calmed down did something to him. Especially with Lucio being ill, Enzback to normal for Lucio not to suspect anything. Christian couldn’t even imagine what Lucio’s reaction were to find out the truth.

“That’s good, I’m happy to hear that.” Isobel smiled.

“So you’re having a girl.” Isobel tried to start a conversation, but it was one Christian was not ready to haforgiven her, but he would not forget how they had gotten here in the first place.

“Are you asking me about the baby you tried to get killed?” He casually spoke.

Isobel stared at Christian in embarrassment, unsure of what to say—until Christian decided to speak up. it’s late.”

“S-sure, yes—I should.” She stammered.

“Thank you for forgiving me,” Isobel spoke one last time before she had turned around to leave.

Not long after the apology, Christian felt guilt washing over him and realized that this was something hewith Serena first, but it was too late to turn back now.

He had promised himself not to betray her ever again, but he had once again failed to keep another pro

But this time he was going to tell her the truth.