"Nineteen..." Isabella replied, her voice so quiet it barely floated past her lips.
A few gasps and raised brows followed.
"Oh my god! Nineteen?" the yellow-dress girl nearly choked on her drink. "So you were still in school when Leo was already handling entire business deals and mafia meetings?"
"Must be nice to skip all the hard work and just... fall into the right bed," someone muttered from the side, not loud enough to be sure who said it but loud enough for Isabella to hear.
Her throat tightened. She clutched the hem of her sundress under the table and stared down at her lap, wishing she could disappear.
Alexa gave a soft laugh again. "She’s not like that. Come on, Bella’s innocent, she probably still believes in fairy tale love stories."
That line caused more laughter, louder this time.
One of the girls whispered, "Bet she doesn’t even know what Leo’s like when he’s actually mad."
"Or in bed," another one added with a wicked grin.
Isabella’s cheeks flushed deep pink. She wanted to say something to defend herself but every word dried in her mouth. Her fingers trembled. They didn’t know how hard she worked. They didn’t know anything about her, and still, they talked like she was just... a decoration.
"She’s probably never even kissed anyone before Leo," someone said, teasing.
Isabella stood up suddenly. Her chair scraped the floor and the sound cut through the laughter like a crack.
"I need some air," she mumbled, voice shaky.
Alexa blinked, fake innocent. "Oh? Already? We were just talking."
"I’m feeling dizzy," Isabella replied, not waiting for permission, not looking at anyone, just walking toward the back door with her eyes blurry.
Outside, the cold breeze hit her face like a slap. She hugged her arms to herself, trying not to cry again.
After taking a deep breath, Isabella wiped her cheeks and tried to steady herself. She wouldn’t cry anymore—at least not in front of them. Her legs still felt shaky, but she turned back toward the villa, walking quietly with her eyes fixed on the ground. She didn’t want to look at anyone. She just wanted to reach her room and lock the door.
As she passed by Alexa’s side, she didn’t see it but Alexa’s eyes flashed sharply, and with a tiny flick of her fingers, she gave a silent signal to the girl in yellow dress. The girl shifted her leg slyly, just enough to stretch her pointed heel into Isabella’s path.
Isabella didn’t even realize what happened.
Her foot caught on something, and before she could balance herself—
She fell. Hard.
The sound of her body hitting the floor echoed in the room.
And then came the laughter.
Loud. Cruel. Echoing against the walls.
"Oh my god—did she just trip?" someone snorted.
"Oops!" the girl in yellow said with a dramatic gasp that didn’t match the smile on her lips.
Isabella’s palms scraped against the cold floor. Her knees ached. Her heart thudded. And her eyes—her wide, shocked eyes—blurred again with tears.
She didn’t move for a moment.
Because in that moment, it felt like everything collapsed–her pride, her hope for this trip, her tiny efforts to blend in.
Laughter continued.
She could hear it–sharp, loud, merciless.
A few of them were whispering, "She’s too clumsy."
"Probably faking it for attention." "This is Leo’s wife?"
Alexa knelt beside her with fake concern, placing a hand on Isabella’s arm. "Bella! Are you okay?" she asked sweetly. "You really need to be more careful."
Isabella looked up at her, seeing nothing but poison behind that smile.
Her lips trembled, but she said nothing. Not a word.
She got up slowly, brushing her dress with trembling hands.
"Hey, drink some water," one of the guys said casually, handing her a glass with a smirk that Isabella didn’t notice. Her hands were still shaking from the fall, her cheeks burning with embarrassment, and her heart thumping hard against her ribs. She nodded slightly and took the glass with a small "Thank you" under her breath, her voice barely audible. She brought it to her lips and took a big gulp, hoping it would calm her nerves and soothe the tightness in her chest.
But the moment the liquid touched her throat, she froze.
It wasn’t water.
Her eyes widened, and she coughed—once, then twice—before her whole body tensed up. The taste was sharp and bitter, and a strange burning sensation spread down her throat. Her lips trembled as she pressed a hand to her mouth, trying not to spit it out in front of them. Her vision blurred slightly, and her knees gave out beneath her. With a soft thud, she sat down right there on the cold floor, dizzy and light-headed, the glass slipping from her fingers and rolling to the side.
And then came the laughter again.
It rang around her like a cruel echo–mocking, heartless, loud.
She heard someone snort, "Looks like she can’t even handle one sip."
Another voice joked, "She probably thought that was real water!"
The room swirled around her as she tried to steady herself, but her head felt heavy, and her limbs didn’t want to listen. She blinked rapidly, trying to stay conscious, but even the sound of the laughter was starting to fade, like she was slipping underwater.
The world around Isabella spun like a slow, cruel carousel. Her ears buzzed, and voices turned into muffled sounds, as if someone had dipped her head underwater. The laughter that once rang so sharply now sounded far away—distant echoes of mockery. Her vision blurred at the edges, shadows flickering like waves of dark ink smearing across glass. She blinked rapidly, trying to focus, trying to breathe but the dizziness grew heavier, crashing over her like a tidal wave.
Her heartbeat pounded in her ears, fast and uneven, and the floor beneath her felt like it was swaying. She clutched her dress with trembling fingers, trying to stay conscious, but even the strength to lift her head was fading. Her throat still burned from the drink, and a cold sweat formed along her neck and back.
She heard someone say her name...maybe but it was swallowed in the noise. She couldn’t tell if it was concern or sarcasm. The lights above looked too bright now, and her eyes fluttered shut for a moment... just a moment...