Page 68 of Angel's Whisper

“But you wanted me to share my medical condition, right?” Isotta snapped.

“They are not the same thing,” her father defended.

“But they are, Dad,” she sarcastically commented. “You have your secret, and I have mine. If you want me to share, then you go first.”

There was so much vim and venom in her voice. Francesco tried to remain levelheaded, but that was proving to be difficult. He wanted to say that it wasn’t his idea that Valentina be banned, that he went along with his mother’s decision. But Francesco knew he couldn’t say that. He knew he had to remain a part of the united front, which he had originally had no interest in being a part of.

“They are not the same, Isotta. One had to do with you, your health, our concern for your health,” Francesco insisted. The other -.”

“The other had to do with a failed intent on the part of those people who supposedly cared about us. She didn’t want to be sold out like I’ve been. Could you really blame her?”

“But you agreed,” Celestina suggested lowly.

“I did, Mother, because you and my grandmother convinced me it was my responsibility. La familia,” Isotta countered. “But seeing how you treated my sister, did I really have a choice?”

“Isotta,” she sighed.

“Where is my sister? Where is she?”

Again, Isotta’s voice elevated past anything they’d heard before.

“She’s not here,” Francesco replied, his voice intentionally low. “She is away. That’s all you need to know.”

Isotta stood up from her seat slowly and thoughtfully and leveled a direct gaze at her father.

“That’s all I need to know,” she repeated. “Well,” she said, smoothing out her skirt. “All you need to know is that my business is my business. It is my body, even though you sold me to the highest bidder. You didn’t need to have my husband’s second position when I told you first. I am an adult. Your contract doesn’t extend to my privacy, even though you think it does. You only wanted to intervene to demonstrate that you still have authority in my life, but you don’t. You abdicated that authority when you forced me to say I do.”

Isotta started out of the room as she entered, with no direct look at either of her parents. Celestina was at a loss for words. Francesco couldn’t believe her gall. But then she paused at the door.

“Oh, and one more thing. Finding my sister is also my business. And I will find her.”

She didn’t pause when she heard her name being called from the room she’d just left. Isotta didn’t stutter step when she heard feet moving behind her, the voice still calling out to her to wait, to talk some more. She made her way to the front door, not waiting for a servant to open it.

The chauffeur alerted to her presence and came around and opened the limousine door.

“Take me to Massimo’s house. Take me home.”

“Yes, ma’am,” the driver replied.

“Hold on! Isotta!”

The driver hadn’t quite closed the door, so Isotta couldn’t ignore her mother’s voice. She didn’t look her way, though. Celestina didn’t stop advancing after she stepped out of the door.

“Isotta, please. Come back inside –“

Her voice muffled but not on its own. The chauffeur had slipped behind her and covered her mouth with his leather-gloved hand. Even though Celestina’s eyes widened in response, and she tried to kick and fight him off, he was too strong for her. The driver shoved Celestina into the opened car door and closed the door behind. Isotta was shocked at the quick movement and was even more surprised to see her mother in the car with her.

“What happened?” She asked. “What is going on?” Isotta questioned.

Celestina, still in shock, had the presence of mind to try and open the car door. She pulled against the handle, but it didn’t budge. It didn’t give. The chauffeur climbed into the front seat, turned on the ignition, and put the car in gear. Isotta tried her door with the same result. She started to beat on the glass, and Celestina did the same.

“Help! Francesco!” Celestina frantically called out. She looked for her husband to come, for someone to hear her screaming, but there was no response.

“What are you doing?” Isotta asked him. “What are you doing??”

The driver looked in the rearview mirror as he drove up the driveway.

“Relax ladies. You’ll be at your destination shortly.”

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