Chapter 3
Benjamin, who was in my arms, was startled by Jude's voice. His lips quivered, and he looked like he was about to cry.
I gently patted Benjamin's back, softly comforting him. "Don't be scared, Benny. It's okay."
My voice was so gentle I barely recognized it as my own. It felt like an instinct wired deep into me, a reflex to protect my child.
Jude watched me soothe Benjamin. He noticed the way I treated Benjamin so gently compared to how cold I was toward him. The pain in his eyes almost spilled over.
"Isabelle, you weren't like this before," he said.
He was saying this again. I felt a flicker of impatience.
I said, "Mr. Shelton, people change. The old Isabelle? You killed her. Now, all I want is a fresh start. So please, don't come looking for me again."
With that, I turned my back on him, holding Benjamin close, and walked away.
"Isabelle!" Jude called out my name from behind, his voice echoing through the hallway. "Benjamin is my son. You can't just take him from me."
His voice was tinged with a wild, desperate madness.
I didn't look back, only picking up my pace.
When I stepped out of the hospital, the sunlight was so harsh it made my eyes hurt.
I hailed a cab and headed back to the studio.
That afternoon, Paul called me.
"Ms. Deleon, Mr. Shelton has been admitted to the hospital," Paul said. "He had a stomach bleed and just got out of surgery."
Paul sounded completely wiped out.
"Okay," I replied.
"The doctor said he's been under a lot of stress lately, not eating right. And today's incident really set him off..." Paul's voice faded.
Paul hesitated, like he wanted to say more.
"So?" I retorted. "Do you want me to go see him at the hospital?"
"Ms. Deleon, I know you probably really hate Mr. Shelton right now," Paul said gently. "But at the end of the day, he's still Benjamin's father. Seeing Benjamin today really made him happy."
"Paul," I interrupted him. "First, I don't hate him. Hate is a powerful emotion, and Jude's not even worth that.
"Second, I'm busy with work. I don't have time to visit someone who means nothing to me.
"Third, if he really wants to see Benny, he can sign the divorce agreement first, and then book an appointment with me."
I hung up after that.
My world finally returned to quiet.
That evening, I was nursing Benjamin when the doorbell suddenly rang.
I glanced through the peephole, and my brows knitted as soon as I saw who it was.
It was Amelia Shelton, Jude's mother. She looked furious, clearly here to confront me.
I opened the door.
As soon as Amelia saw me, she swung her hand at me, aiming for a slap.
Holding Benjamin close, I twisted to the side, dodging her attack.
Her hand missed, and she lurched forward, thrown off balance by her own force.
"Isabelle, you cold-hearted bitch," Amelia spat. "Jude's in the hospital with a stomach bleed, and you're just sitting here? Is your heart made of stone?"
Her voice was so sharp it made my ears ache.
I set Benjamin back in his crib and slipped his noise-canceling earmuffs over his ears.
Then I shut the bedroom door and headed to the living room.
Amelia was standing there, hands on her hips, glaring at me.
"Are you done?" I asked calmly.
"Y-You..." Amelia sputtered, thrown off by how unfazed I was.
She was left speechless, her face flushing red with anger and frustration.
She spat, "Isabelle, I must've been out of my mind to ever agree to let Jude marry a jinx like you.
"You were married to Jude for two years and didn't give him a child. Now that you finally gave birth to his kid, you want to run off with him? No way in hell that's happening.
"You want a divorce? Fine. But the kid stays with our family."
Her words got increasingly nastier.
I walked over to the water dispenser and poured myself a glass.
The water slid down my throat, clearing my mind and making my thoughts razor-sharp.
I said, "First, Jude and I are legally married. My right to have children is protected by law. I don't exist just to give your family an heir.
"Second, Benjamin is my son, and I won't back down when it comes to fighting for his custody.
"Third, this is my home. Leave now, or I'll have you charged with trespassing."
I spelled it out for her, clear as day.
Amelia was at a loss for words.
She was probably used to the old me, the daughter-in-law who obeyed her every word and just put up with everything.
But now, faced with someone who was completely immune to her usual tricks, she couldn't cope.
"You... you think I won't dare?" Amelia pointed a shaking finger at me furiously.
"Try me," I shot back, pulling out my phone and making a show of dialing 911.
Amelia started to panic. She was a high-society lady, and nothing mattered more to her than her reputation.
If the cops hauled her out of her daughter-in-law's place, word would spread like wildfire and the Shelton family would be a total joke.
"Oh, you think you're clever, Isabelle. Just you wait," Amelia said.
She threw out a few more threats, then slunk out.
I locked the door and headed back to the bedroom.
Benjamin was already asleep, his cheeks rosy and adorable.
I looked at him, but there was nothing stirring inside me.
My job was just to raise him. That was it.
For the next few days, Jude didn't bother me at all. He was probably still stuck in the hospital.
Meanwhile, my studio landed a big contract, a full-scale design for a new resort.
I led my team, and we started working around the clock, barely catching our breath.