Isabella's POV
I avoided everyone like my life depended on it. After I sneaked into my room, at 5.am., in the morning, I left Ethan still asleep and snoring lightly.
I locked my door, curtains drawn, and my phone on Do Not Disturb.
I told Maria I had a migraine when she knocked with a tray of tea and toast. She left it outside with pushing. One of the things I liked about her.
But Sasha wasn't buying it.
My phone lit up around noon with her her flashing like an accusation.
I stared at the message until the screen went dark. Then It buzzed again.
I kicked my foot in the air, groaned, and typed back quickly before I could grit it.
I didn't want her inside the main house. Not today. Not with Noah's taste still lingering in my memory and Ethan's quiet stare burning burning holes in my brain.
She showed up at 2:05 wearing jeans, an oversized hoodie, and some funny looking sunglasses pushed up into her hair, looking like she'd come to interrogate someone.
I met her at the back gate near the rose garden. She didn't hug, just looked me up and down like she was cataloguing evidence.
"You look like shit," she said.
"Thanks."
She stepped closer. "What's happening? You've been weird since brunch. And don't give you that 'wedding stress' crap again. I know you."
I sighed. Led her to the stone bench under the willow tree, far away from the house, so no one could eavesdrop.
"I said I'm fine…" I lied.
She sat beside me and crossed her arms. "No you're not. You're jumpy. Pale. Avoiding eye contact. And Lila was acting like she owned you at brunch. Spill girl."
I looked at the roses inside of her face. "I saw something," I said finally. "At home. Something I shouldn't have."
Sasha leaned in. "Like what?"
I swallowed. "My dad, with Lila, im the pool house."
Her eyes went wide. "Fucking hell!"
"Yeah."
She was quiet for a second. "Did you confront him?"
"No. I just… watched."
"And then what?"
I laughed bitterly. "Then I went to my room and touched myself thinking about it."
Sasha didn't flinch, didn't even judge me. She just nodded slowly. I felt better at her reaction.
"Okay," she said. "That's… a lot."
"There's more."
She waited.
"Camilla knows I saw." I paused to breath in slowly. "She's been… touching me. Teasing me. Last night she…"
I stopped. Sasha's eyes narrowed encouraging me to speak. "She what?"
"She lingered me," I whispered. "In her room, with a stethoscope and everything. Like it was a medical exam."
Sasha's mouth dropped open. Then she laughed, disbelieving. "You're kidding… right?"
"No I'm not."
She stared at me foe a long moment. "And you let her?"
I nodded.
She exhaled. "Jesus, Bella."
"There's more," I said. "Lila too. I went to her room, she… made me come. And Camilla texted her while it was happening."
Sasha leaned back on the bench. "Fuck."
"Yeah… shitty as fuck."
She was quiet for a beat. "I slept with Noah."
I turned to look at her. "What?"
"Last Christmas," she said. "When you were all at the ski house. He cornered me in the basement. We were drunk, it just happened. I didn't tell you because I thought it would freak you out."
I felt something cold settle in my chest. "You slept with my stepbrother."
She nodded. "And liked it. More than I should have."
I started at her, my turn to be shocked. "I was jealous. Of you. Of how everyone in that house gushes over you like you're the sun. So I took something. I took him."
I felt sick. Not angry. Just… sick.
"Why tell me now?" I asked.
"Because you're drowning," she said. "And I'm part of why. I wanted to hurt you. But really I'm sorry."
I looked away, towards the house. "I don't know what to say."
"You don't have to say anything," she said. "Just… be careful. This family is fucked up, and you're in the middle of it."
I laughed for the first time today, a hearty one. "I know right."
She stood up and hugged me tightly.
"I'm here," she said. "If you need me. Even if I'm an asshole."
She walked away. While I stayed on the bench until the sun started to set.
Then I went back inside feeling like a big weight have been lifted off my chest.
Sasha's POV
I walked out the back gate and didn't look back. Isabella was in deep shit. Deeper than I realised.
I pulled out my phone and texted Alex.
His reply was instant. Like he slept online.
I stared at the message. Then typed back.
I pocketed the phone. And I wondered how long it would take before the whole thing blew up.