Dante stood frozen for a moment.
Isabella was leaning heavily against him.
Her face was pale, her hair messy, one cheek swollen, her head wounded, and her lips bloody.
His eyes moved towards her injured hand.
Then her face.
Then the hand Bianca had used to grab her hair.
"Isabella?"
She clutched his shirt.
"It hurts..."
Her voice was barely audible.
"I'm so hungry..."
And then she fainted.
Dante immediately tightened his arms around her.
"Isabella!"
He gently tapped her cheek.
"Open your eyes."
There was no response.
His expression changed instantly.
"Marco!"
Marco rushed towards him.
"Boss!"
"Call the doctor. Now!"
Marco immediately took out his phone.
Dante looked at Bianca.
Then Fiona.
Both women stood silently.
"What happened to her?"
Bianca crossed her arms.
"She was being disrespectful. I just taught her a lesson."
Dante slowly turned towards her.
"Did you touch her?"
Bianca rolled her eyes.
"She slapped me first! And besides, she's just a maid."
Dante's eyes darkened.
"Don't you dare speak about my woman like that."
Bianca stepped forward.
"Dante, you're making this ridiculous. I am supposed to be your future wife!"
He looked at her coldly.
"Don't call yourself that."
Bianca's expression changed.
"You're choosing her over me?"
Dante didn't answer.
He adjusted Isabella carefully in his arms.
"Marco, lock both of them in the basement."
Bianca stared at him.
"What?"
"You heard me."
"Dante! You can't do this!"
He ignored her and carried Isabella upstairs.
Fiona lowered her head.
She had never seen Dante look so furious.
And for the first time, she realised that her jealousy had brought her into dangerous territory.
Dante entered his bedroom and placed Isabella carefully on his bed.
Her hair was scattered across the pillow.
He gently moved it away from her face.
"Isabella, wake up."
Nothing.
He looked at the marks on her wrist and the swelling on her cheek.
His jaw tightened.
He had left her in the care of his staff.
He had specifically instructed them to look after her.
Yet this was what he had returned to.
The doctor arrived shortly afterwards.
Dante stood beside the bed while the doctor examined her.
"How is she?"
The doctor checked her pulse and blood pressure before examining her injuries.
"She's suffering from severe exhaustion and dehydration. She appears to have been eating very little and working continuously without proper rest."
Dante's jaw tightened.
"Is she going to be alright?"
"She should recover with proper treatment. I've started fluids and will treat her injuries. She needs nutritious meals and sufficient rest."
The doctor cleaned her wounds, applied medication, and started an IV drip.
He also checked the bruising on her back.
"She needs to avoid strenuous activity for several days."
Dante nodded.
"Do whatever is necessary."
After finishing the examination, the doctor gave him further instructions and left.
Dante sat beside Isabella.
He gently took her hand.
For the first time, he noticed how rough her palms had become.
Her skin was dry, and there were small cuts across her fingers.
He remembered how soft her hands had felt when he had first held them.
His fingers tightened around hers.
"I'm sorry, Isabella."
For all his cold words, his composure finally broke, and warm tears spilled down his face onto her hands, betraying the pain he was fighting to hide.
He lowered his head.
"I didn't know they were treating you like this."
He gently brushed her hair away from her forehead.
"I never wanted you to suffer."
He paused.
"Do you know something? I've been having trouble sleeping for years."
He gave a bitter smile.
"But when I was in your apartment, surrounded by your silly arguments and endless questions, I slept peacefully."
His voice became softer.
"After leaving your apartment, I couldn't sleep again."
He looked at her unconscious face.
"I thought capturing you would solve everything. I thought having you near me would be enough."
He swallowed.
"But these last two days without you..."
He shook his head.
"They were hell."
He gently kissed the back of her hand.
"I don't know what to call this feeling. I only know that I can't stay away from you, I want to protect you, even if it costs me my life.”
He paused.
"I can't let you go, Isabella, I love you Isabella."