Slip of Love, Fall of Fate

"Ms. Summers, are you sure you want to terminate this pregnancy?" Solana Summers has been lost in thought, but the repeated questioning suddenly snaps her back to reality. She stares wide-eyed, as if she can't believe what she is seeing. When the doctor, Aidan Bates, urges her again, she realizes she has been reborn. In her previous life, it was on this very day that she discovered she was pregnant and made a choice that cost her dearly. Aidan urges her once more. "Ms. Summers?" "Yes!" Solana answers firmly, her voice trembling ever so slightly. This time, she won't make the same mistake again. Chapter 1 The baby growing inside Solana Summers belonged to Isaiah Jeffries, her uncle by title, but not by blood. When Solana was just seven, her parents were killed in an overseas explosion during a business trip. The Summers family once helped Isaiah, so he took her in and raised her himself. Young Solana was so well-behaved that it broke people's hearts, so he handled everything personally without handing her off to others. Just like that, Isaiah raised the seven-year-old girl into a 17-year-old young woman. At Jeffries Manor, Solana only grew close to Isaiah and loved to cling to him alone. As she became older and her feelings bloomed, she couldn't help falling for the man who had saved her. On the night of her 18th birthday, she got a little drunk and used the liquid courage to confess her feelings. Then, on impulse, she stood on her toes and kissed him. Isaiah had always been self-disciplined. Yet, that night, he had just one drink and was already burning up. His mind was foggy, and the soft touch of her lips completely shattered his self-control. When he woke up and saw the messy bed, he shoved her away harshly. It was Solana's first time seeing hatred in his eyes as he flew into a rage. She didn't understand what was happening either. She had only kissed him once, and what happened after that had been an accident. However, Isaiah thought it was all a setup. He shouted, "Solana! What have you done? I'm your uncle!" Solana tried to explain, but he wouldn't listen at all. He just kept emphasizing that he was her uncle and that they shouldn't be doing this. For the first time, Solana argued back, "But you're not my real uncle, and we're not blood-related." That was their first fight, and Isaiah was so furious that he moved out of the Jeffries Manor. Solana didn't see him again until a month later, only because she was pregnant. The family patriarch, Cedric Jeffries, forced Isaiah back to Jeffries Manor to discuss their marriage. Under pressure from the family, he agreed to marry her. Solana thought her life would finally be complete with just three of them, a family of their own. However, married life was nothing like she had imagined. On their wedding night, Isaiah spent the night at Alyssa Hill's place instead. The next day, he packed up his belongings and never returned. He spent his whole life loving Alyssa, while Solana stayed behind to raise their daughter, Harper Jeffries, all alone. Isaiah despised her, and because of that, he also resented Harper. Even Harper, whom she had raised with her own hands, grew up to hate her, resenting why she had brought her into this world only to be denied a father's love. After Solana's death, Harper immediately went to Isaiah and accepted Alyssa as her mother. Solana was already in tears from just thinking about all this. The doctor, Aidan Bates, had seen plenty of scenes like this before. Nonetheless, he still kept his tone patient as he asked again, "Ms. Summers, are you sure you want to terminate the pregnancy?" "Yes!" Solana's voice trembled slightly, but her answer was substantial this time. This time, she would not repeat the same mistake. She immediately scheduled the abortion, deliberately ignoring the contempt in Aidan's eyes. "Where's the father? Get him to sign the consent form." She replied, "Dr. Bates, I don't have any family left. I can sign for myself." When Solana lay on the cold operating table, she knew that whatever connection she had with Isaiah had ended for good. In this life, she would let him be with his true love! When she left the hospital, she didn't hesitate to pull out her phone and call her mentor, Sarah Brooks. She said, "Ms. Brooks, I've made up my mind. I'm accepting the offer to continue my studies in Fruances." Chapter 2 After leaving the hospital, Solana went straight back to the Jeffries Manor. She had already submitted her application to further her studies abroad. In ten days, she would be flying to Fruances. As soon as Solana stepped through the front door, Cedric called her over. She discovered that several Jeffries family elders were also present. She looked around, but she wasn't surprised that Isaiah was not there. Ever since their accidental night together, he had been avoiding her. Even though he eventually agreed to marry her under family pressure, he was no longer the same toward her as before. When Solana walked in, all the elders turned to her with kind smiles. Their eyes naturally drifted down to her belly. Cedric called out warmly, "Sol, come and sit beside me. Tell me, what kind of wedding do you want? I'll have Reuben and Jocelyn make the arrangements." Reuben Jeffries was Isaiah's eldest brother, and Jocelyn Wright was his wife. Then, Cedric brought out an old wooden box that looked aged and worn. "This bracelet once belonged to my wife. She told me to pass it down to Isaiah's wife one day. Try it on quickly!" Solana was about to decline since she would be leaving soon. Besides, this bracelet was meant for Isaiah's wife, not her. Just then, the door was pushed open, and Isaiah walked in. Their eyes met, and Solana noticed a fair-skinned, beautiful woman standing behind him. It was his first love, Alyssa. Cedric's face darkened the moment he saw Isaiah's cold expression. Then, when he spotted Alyssa trailing in behind him, his gaze turned even more frigid. Cedric snapped, "I called you to discuss your marriage to Solana. Why on earth would you bring an outsider into this?" Alyssa's pale face flushed instantly, and she timidly tugged at Isaiah's sleeve. The latter gave her a reassuring look, and she followed him inside. Seeing the unfriendly looks from the elders, he offered a weak explanation, "You can decide the wedding details yourselves. Why did you have to call me? "I was discussing business with Alyssa, but your urgent phone calls forced me to bring her along. Alyssa and I are just friends." Cedric snorted and began discussing Isaiah and Solana's wedding plans right before Alyssa. Isaiah appeared to listen absentmindedly, but Solana noticed the intimate gestures he and Alyssa were making under the table. She hooked her foot around his calf and rubbed against it repeatedly. Solana suddenly remembered bits from her past life. Isaiah would occasionally bring Alyssa in front of her after their marriage, showing off their affection as if to flaunt it. Just like now, they made disgusting little gestures in front of her as if no one else existed. Not only that, but Alyssa would also deliberately show off intimate marks for her to see. If this had been the Solana from her previous life, she would have felt sick. However, she felt nothing at all now. Cedric had to call her name multiple times before she snapped out of her thoughts. He said. "Sol, don't worry. "Sure, it's all a little rushed, but Reuben, Jocelyn, and I already went over everything. You're not missing out on anything!" Reuben asked which guests from the Summers family's side should be invited, saying he'd send out the wedding invites first thing tomorrow. Meanwhile, Jocelyn smiled and took her hand, carefully advising her about early pregnancy precautions. Cedric deliberately coughed, and it was only then that Isaiah looked their way. "Isaiah, your wedding with Sol is set on the tenth! Stay home these next few days and work with Reuben and Jocelyn on wedding preparations. Understood?" Cedric struck his cane hard on the floor, his expression serious. It was only then that Isaiah reluctantly pulled his leg back and grunted his agreement. The moment she heard the wedding date, Solana's face froze. That was the exact day she would be flying to Fruances. She thought, "This time, no one will know I'm not marrying Isaiah." Chapter 3 As she watched the pair in front of her getting flirty under the table again, Solana felt a sharp pain in her lower abdomen. She was still weak from the abortion procedure. After sitting with the Jeffries for so long, her back ached too much to continue. Since Cedric had nothing more to discuss with her, Solana excused herself, saying she was tired and needed to rest. She lay on her bed, looking at every decoration in the room with a heavy heart. Isaiah had personally arranged every corner of this bedroom. He used to take care of everything for her, down to the most minor details, but now the distance between them had never felt greater. Her nose stung, and she was on the verge of tears. Solana hadn't been back in her room long when Isaiah walked in without even knocking. She was startled, and she could not help but wonder how long it had been since they'd spoken after he moved out. Even when they inevitably ran into each other in this house, he wouldn't even look at her. Now, it only took her one glance, and she could sense the fury radiating from him. Sure enough, the first thing Isaiah did was to mock her. "Congratulations, Solana! You finally got what you wanted! "I just never imagined that someone so young could be so scheming. I kindly threw you a party for your 18th birthday, and you deliberately spiked my drink with that drug!" He added, "Well, now you've achieved your goal! First, you schemed to sleep with me for a one-night stand. Then, you schemed to get pregnant with my child. "Finally, you used family pressure to force me to marry you. What brilliant tactics! Solana, is this how I raised you all these years?" Isaiah furiously accused Solana, angrily kicking the bedroom door. "You win, Solana! I'll marry you out of obligation! But my love will always belong to Ally, so don't you dare wish otherwise! "After the wedding, I'll move out to live with Ally. Since you wanted to use the baby in your belly to force me into marriage, you'd better take good care of that child and stay home obediently, guarding the title of Mrs. Jeffries that you earned by sleeping your way to the top!" He finished saying everything as if he were lashing out. Then, he stared at Solana intently, waiting to see her break down or cry. Yet, she didn't say a word, and her face remained blank. His heart inexplicably panicked for a moment, but he quickly steadied himself. He thought Alyssa was right. If Solana could think up such despicable tactics to get him into bed, her cold reaction was another act. Thinking she was probably planning to scheme against him again, he told himself to be on guard this time. Isaiah would never imagine that Solana had truly given up this time, and it was all because their child was already gone. In her past life, she had loved him as much as she loved that child. But in the end, she paid a terrible price for that love for the rest of her life. Fortunately, this life would be different. She wouldn't attend the wedding because she had already bought her plane ticket to Fruances. In ten days, she would leave this place and ditch him. Solana dragged her weak body up and walked toward him, pointing toward the living room where Alyssa stood waiting. She said, "Are you done talking? If so, please leave. "Don't keep her waiting. I'm tired and want to rest." Isaiah stood still, looking at her in disbelief. After just a few days apart, he seemed not to recognize her anymore. At that moment, Solana felt waves of pain in her lower abdomen. However, she endured it and forcefully pushed Isaiah out and was about to close the door. Just then, the abortion procedure slip fell from her pocket. Isaiah frowned deeply, and his voice dropped low as he asked, "What procedure? You're having surgery?" Chapter 4 The moment the procedure slip hit the floor, Solana instinctively snatched it up and stuffed it away as quickly as she could. However, Isaiah's sharp eyes had already caught sight of the words "procedure slip" on the paper. Her heart pounded so hard it felt like it had jumped to her throat, and she could even hear the thumping of her heart in her ears. She fumbled for a moment, trying to come up with something believable. Finally, she mumbled, "It's nothing; it's just a simple dental procedure. Dr. Bates said I should take care of any dental issues early during pregnancy, or it'll cause trouble later." Solana deliberately brought up the pregnancy. Sure enough, Isaiah's face darkened after hearing it, and he didn't pursue the matter further. His brow relaxed slightly, but he still maintained a cold expression as he said distantly, "Come on, I'll take you to the hospital for another check-up." Solana waved her hands frantically, and she was panicking. "Oh, no need. You should go take care of your business. I—" "I said I'm taking you to the hospital. Didn't you hear me?" Upon hearing his tone grow noticeably heavier, Solana had no choice but to timidly follow behind him and shut her mouth. As they passed through the living room, he suddenly stopped and explained the situation to the elders who were still discussing wedding plans. Solana's mind was racing, wondering what she would do if Isaiah discovered the truth at the hospital. While distracted, she accidentally bumped into him. Her soft chest pressed against his back, and an unusual emotion arose as Isaiah cleared his throat, his face showing discomfort. The elders on the sofa were all pleased with Isaiah's attentiveness toward her. Nonetheless, one person noticed his subtle reaction. Alyssa's eyes dimmed as she silently clenched her fists. Isaiah had initially planned to drop her off at home along the way. However, she suddenly offered to join them at the hospital. She said, "Isaiah, Sol is a girl after all. It would be inconvenient for you to go to the hospital with her. Having me there would be helpful." Solana hadn't wanted her to come along. Just sitting in the same car with her was already uncomfortable enough. Then again, she couldn't show her reluctance too obviously. Isaiah barely understood anything about her pregnancy, but Alyssa was a woman, too. This meant Solana would be in trouble if she noticed anything suspicious. Solana sat in the back seat, lost in thought. Meanwhile, Alyssa, who was in the passenger seat, stopped talking and began fiddling with the car's decorative accessories. Isaiah had always been a neat freak. His car was usually spotless and fresh-smelling with a minimalist interior. Solana particularly loved little trinkets and always wanted to redecorate the vehicle. However, he refused, not even wanting to change the car's air freshener. Once, when Solana had low blood sugar from hunger and opened a pack of crackers in the car, Isaiah snatched them away and ruthlessly threw them out the window. "No eating in my car." She endured the discomfort while frantically searching through her bag, hoping to find a piece of candy to relieve the pain. Sadly, she found nothing and had to suffer the entire ride home. She even nearly fainted by the time they arrived. Yet now, Alyssa had not only redecorated the car's interior to her preferred style but had even changed the air freshener. Solana finally realized the difference between being loved and unloved. Her heart suddenly ached as she clutched her chest and turned to look out the window. It had started raining when they left, and it was getting heavier, with large raindrops pounding loudly against the car. As the car headed toward the hospital, Solana's heart began to race again. Chapter 5 Just then, Alyssa suddenly cried out from the passenger seat. "Oh no! Isaiah, what should I do? I forgot to close my window! "The little plant you gave me is still on the windowsill, and with such heavy rain, I'll be heartbroken if it gets ruined. That's the little plant you potted for me on my birthday. "It's the only thing that gives me hope when my depression kicks in. I treasure it more than my own life!" Through the rearview mirror, Solana noticed Alyssa's gaze directed right at her. She suddenly realized that Alyssa was doing this intentionally. "I'll turn around and send you home right now!" Isaiah agreed without hesitation. "Yes! Isaiah, you're the best!" Alyssa beamed, her face lit up with the happiness that she didn't even try to hide. Then, she looked hesitantly toward the back seat. She said uncertainly, "Isaiah, this means Sol will have to make an extra trip with us. Won't that delay her doctor's appointment?" The car suddenly screeched to a stop on the roadside. Isaiah pointed at Solana coldly, saying, "Get out and go to the hospital yourself. There's an umbrella in the trunk." Solana was taken aback for a moment. Nonetheless, she quickly recovered and responded, "Okay," and quietly opened the car door. "But Isaiah, this new dress I'm wearing today was also a birthday gift from you. What if it gets soaked?" Alyssa asked this just as Solana was getting out of the car. "We need to use the umbrella, so we can't give it to you." Isaiah didn't give her a chance to get the umbrella and drove off immediately. The pool of water on the ground splashed as the car sped away. Solana stepped back to avoid it, only to look up and meet Alyssa's smug little face through the car window. She sighed helplessly and quickly took shelter under the awning of a nearby shop. It was raining cats and dogs to the point that she was already soaked through just from getting out of the car. Solana shivered from the cold. As the recent abortion had weakened her body significantly, she crouched down powerlessly and hugged herself. Usually, it was easy to catch a ride around here. However, the sudden downpour had turned the smooth roads into traffic jams, causing the available cabs in the area to dwindle. She glanced at someone nearby who had been fumbling with the rideshare app for a while to no avail. That was when she realized that getting a cab home wasn't a feasible option. So, she forced herself to stand up despite the cold and walked in the rain. However, she hadn't gone far when sharp pain and waves of cold hit her lower abdomen. She hadn't eaten anything all day. Moreover, she hadn't had any time to rest after the abortion procedure that morning. Unable to hold on any longer, she collapsed in the heavy rain, her vision going black. When Solana opened her eyes again, she saw white walls and Isaiah's grim, cold face. She was startled and quickly jumped out of bed, only to notice the IV needle still in the back of her hand. Solana worriedly touched her lower abdomen, worried that her abortion had been discovered. "Who told you to get out of bed? Lie back down! You're 18 years old, yet you still can't take care of yourself? Did you know your blood sugar levels dropped again?" The second she heard the words "blood sugar," her expression softened with relief. Under Isaiah's firm gaze, she obediently lay back down. It was only then that she looked around and realized that this wasn't a hospital, but Alyssa's home. "Isaiah, didn't you drop Ms. Hill off? Why—" Isaiah cut her off, clearly irritated. "Why did I come back for you and bring you here, too? Do you have any idea how much trouble you caused? Grandpa went off on me like mad!" It finally hit Solana that she had accidentally triggered her emergency protocol when she collapsed. Her emergency contact was Cedric, who had suggested that she make it him. The reasoning he gave was that everyone else in the family was busy, but he would always be free to answer Solana's calls. She never expected this call to go through. The call connected, but Solana didn't respond. So, Cedric immediately called Isaiah, furious to learn he had abandoned her halfway. Isaiah had hung up and turned the car around right away. He didn't even listen to a word Alyssa had said because his mind was entirely on Solana. She couldn't get hurt. If anything happened, Cedric would kill him. Soon, he found Solana collapsed not far from where he'd dropped her off. He knew about her chronic hyperglycemia and was about to take her to the hospital. However, Alyssa said the hospital was still some distance away, and the roads were jammed. Hence, it would be better to take her back to Alyssa's home first and call the family doctor. That was how Solana ended up lying in the guest room at Alyssa's house. She hadn't expected this to happen and said, "I'm sorry for causing you trouble. I feel much better now, so I won't disturb you and Ms. Hill." She sincerely apologized and wanted to give them space. In her past life, she'd always been jealous of Alyssa. They fought so many times because of it, and he always called her immature. Yet, now that she was being mature, he seemed even angrier. "You're still thinking about other people at a time like this?" Chapter 6 Solana wanted nothing more than to leave, but she didn't want to argue with him. So, she quietly followed his order and lay back down. She quietly thanked him, "Thank you, Uncle Isaiah." Isaiah's cold gaze fell on her face, feeling like she was somehow different from before. In the past, she loved clinging to him most, chattering nonstop whenever she saw him. If something like this had happened, she would have already been crying and complaining to him. Moreover, she hadn't called him "Uncle Isaiah" in a long time. At some point, she had started calling him by his name. Thunder rumbled outside as the heavy rain continued falling. She obediently finished the IV drip under Isaiah's supervision. "Solana—" Isaiah was about to ask what was wrong with her lately and why she had become so well-behaved when a scream came from the next room. His expression grew serious, and he instinctively rushed out. "Ally must have been startled awake by the thunder, and her depression is acting up again. I have to go comfort her." Solana nodded silently, tears streaming down her cheeks. Although she knew he didn't have feelings for her, she couldn't help feeling heartbroken when he abandoned her. Suddenly, a large hand landed on top of her head. "Be good. I'll be right back. Sleep for now, and I'll take you home later." Isaiah didn't know why he returned after just stepping out of the bedroom. He felt uneasy, as if Solana might disappear at any moment. He rushed to the adjacent room again, picked up the screaming and frantic Alyssa, and took her to the safe room in the basement. In her past life, Alyssa's episodes would strike suddenly, and Isaiah would shut himself in the so-called safe room with her. He would ignore the world for days until she calmed down. Solana remembered one night when Harper was just six months old. Her temperature spiked, and she started convulsing from a seizure. Solana was so scared she called Isaiah in tears, begging him to take Harper to the hospital. However, he scolded her for being inconsiderate, saying Alyssa couldn't be left alone during her episodes and told her to figure it out herself. At that time, Solana had just given birth a while ago. What could she possibly do? So, she braved the freezing snow with Harper in her arms. She didn't even have time to change; she just went out in her pajamas and slippers to flag down a ride. She didn't know how many times she knelt in the snow before a car finally took them to the hospital. At the hospital, Harper was administered emergency care. Solana was only 19 at the time, and she had never experienced such an emergency. She was shaking so severely that she could barely sign the forms. She knelt outside the ICU and called Isaiah countless times, but he never answered once. Afterward, he even blamed her, telling her not to disturb them with such trivial matters when Alyssa was having depression episodes. A knock at the door brought Solana back from her thoughts. "Ally wants seafood bisque from The Palate. I'm going out to buy it for her. Can you watch her for a bit?" She was stunned. Although she had initially planned to text Isaiah and leave, given the current situation, she had to agree. Just minutes after he left, Alyssa emerged from the safe room. She looked at Solana with disdain, her lips curling in mockery. She looked nothing like a depressed patient who needed constant companionship. Solana could immediately tell that Alyssa was faking it. After all, she had suffered from severe depression in her past life, and she knew what real depression patients were like. Alyssa said, "You think using the baby to force him into marrying you makes you special? He loves me. He will always love me. You'll never compare to that." Seeing that she hadn't provoked Solana's anger like usual, Alyssa felt the frustration building. Then, she suddenly smiled and added, "Solana, however much he used to love you, that's how much he'll hate you now!" Solana looked at her in confusion, not understanding. However, Alyssa only laughed louder and returned to the safe room. Moments later, terrible screams could be heard from inside. Solana's heart clenched. Without thinking, she sprinted toward the basement. Chapter 7 Solana silently prayed that nothing would happen. After all, she had just promised Isaiah she would help watch Alyssa. Moreover, she was leaving soon and didn't want to create any unnecessary conflicts. If something happened to Alyssa, Isaiah would punish her again by locking her in the dark room at the mountain villa. Just thinking about that dark room made her whole body tremble. The day her parents died in the accident, she stayed home alone for one night before Isaiah came to get her the next day. No one ever knew how she managed to get through that night. She had hidden inside a pitch-black closet, too scared to fall asleep. From then on, she developed severe claustrophobia. Isaiah knew about it. That was why he'd always made sure not to leave her home alone. However, in her past life, Alyssa frequently provoked her after their engagement, and he locked her up several times to vent his anger on Alyssa's behalf. Even though Alyssa was always the one who started the trouble, Isaiah only believed what Alyssa told him. Moreover, Solana still had many things to do before going abroad for her studies. So, the last thing she wanted was to be locked up. As soon as Solana rushed to the basement door, her heart went cold. Alyssa was facing away from her, and there was a large pool of blood on the floor. "Alyssa! Don't do anything stupid!" Solana shouted as she sprinted toward her in panic. However, she froze the moment she saw what Alyssa was holding. Alyssa was cradling a bloody, limp bundle in her arms. Then, she turned to look at Solana with a sinister smile. Suddenly, she shoved the bloody bundle into Solana's hands and screamed, "Solana, why did you kill Poppy? That was my therapy dog that kept me company for seven years. "How could you be so cruel? Aren't you afraid your baby will pay the price for what you've done?" It was only then that Solana realized she was holding Alyssa's therapy dog, Poppy. So, the cries she'd heard earlier had been Poppy's. Alyssa had just brutally killed it herself. She instantly understood what was happening, but it was too late. Before she could throw away the dead dog, both her hands were held tightly by Alyssa. "Give me back my Poppy! Give me back!" Alyssa's grip was frighteningly firm, and Solana couldn't break free. Just then, Isaiah appeared behind her. "Solana Summers, what are you doing?" He was furious, grinding his teeth as he roared word by word. Isaiah felt his blood had run cold. The seafood bisque slipped from his hand and crashed to the floor, splattering everywhere. He had only been gone for such a short time, and this had happened. Alyssa was now crying herself hoarse, collapsing into Isaiah's arms. "Isaiah, Poppy was with me for seven whole years. Every night, it slept beside me. Without Poppy, how can I go on living? I might as well die!" He immediately held her tightly. "Ally, don't talk nonsense. Seeing you like this breaks my heart! You still have me. From now on, I'll sleep with you every night, okay?" After saying this, he immediately turned to meet Solana's gaze. Before she could explain, he scolded, "Solana, I asked you to help watch Ally, but you killed her therapy dog? "Wasn't she traumatized enough already? Are you trying to drive her to suicide before you're satisfied?" He growled, "You're young, but you're so evil. I must've spoiled you rotten! Apologize to Ally right now, and keep apologizing until she forgives you!" Solana was on the verge of tears. Then, she caught Alyssa smiling smugly at her, silently mouthing the words, "I won." However, Solana didn't care about that. All she wanted now was to calm Isaiah down. She tried to explain, "Isaiah, it wasn't me. She—" Before she could finish, she received a hard slap across the face. Her ears rang instantly, her mouth filled with the metallic taste of blood. "You're still lying? What? Are you trying to say Alyssa killed her therapy dog and pinned it on you? You've lied about her so many times before. "I thought you'd changed after you got pregnant, but I was wrong. You're still the same—rotten to the core. Go back to the Jeffries residence and lock yourself in the room! You're grounded!" Solana's blood ran cold. He was really sending her back to that dark room she feared most. Chapter 8 Solana had no idea how she made it through the night. It felt like she had been transported back to the night her parents died. It was only when the first rays of morning sunlight streamed through the window that she felt a spark of life return to her body. That was when Solana noticed the bedsheets beneath her were torn because she had been gripping them too hard. Not only that, but her arms and palms were also covered in bloody marks from her nails digging in. Isaiah had people watching her around the clock. Everything in her routine was tailored to pregnancy care, with three nutritious meals delivered to her room at scheduled times. They had even confiscated her phone. The staff who brought her meals would drop off the food and leave immediately, never speaking a word to her. Solana was frantic with worry. She could not contact Sarah, and her phone and essential documents remained locked away in her confiscated bag. A week before the wedding, Isaiah had a staff member, Harvey Clarke, deliver a wedding dress to Solana to try on. Yet, he still refused to let her leave the room. She knew this might be her only chance, so she tried speaking to Harvey. "Ms. Summers, Mr. Jeffries is currently out of the country. Everything's being handled by Mr. Slater. I'm sorry, but I can't pass along any messages." Solana was surprised to hear that Isaiah was out of the country. Their wedding was in just a few days, and there was no way Cedric would let him leave now. Besides, it had already been three days since she'd last returned to Jeffries Manor. Why hadn't Cedric checked in on her? After answering her question, Harvey stepped aside to make a phone call, briefly reporting the situation. Once he was done, he handed the phone to Solana, gesturing for her to take the call. Assuming it was Isaiah, Solana immediately began apologizing for her mistakes. She was running out of time. In just seven days, she needed to catch her flight overseas and escape this place before then. However, the voice on the other end wasn't Isaiah's; it was his assistant, Jacob Slater. He said, "Ms. Summers, before Mr. Jeffries left, he instructed me that if you acknowledged your mistakes, I should inform you that he'll return to the Jeffries Manor early on the wedding day to pick you up and fulfill his promise to marry you." Solana couldn't care less about the wedding. She just wanted to get out of here as quickly as possible. She pressed further, "Where is he? Can I speak with him on the phone just once?" There was a pause on the other end before he replied apologetically, "Mr. Jeffries said that if you asked, I should tell you honestly that Ms. Hill's depression has worsened due to the stress you caused, so Mr. Jeffries took Ms. Hill overseas for a change of scenery." He continued, "Mr. Jeffries also instructed me to tell you that he informed those at Jeffries Manor that he's taking you on an early honeymoon abroad because your pregnancy is making it increasingly difficult for you to get around. "Mr. Jeffries emphasized repeatedly that when you return to Jeffries Manor that day, you'd better stick to that version of the story, or he wouldn't mind confining you again and keeping you in the mansion until you give birth." A sharp pain shot through Solana's chest. It was as if a blade had pierced straight through her heart. However, she quickly shoved aside that crushing feeling she once knew so well. She had to think of a way out. Solana had considered faking stomach pain. Since she was supposedly pregnant, the people guarding her wouldn't want to risk anything happening to her. However, if she did that and a doctor examined her, they would discover that she had already miscarried. If Isaiah found out, he might lock her up for even longer in his rage. She couldn't take that risk, so she could only continue waiting. Over the past few days, she had been very compliant. Eventually, the people watching her started to let their guard down. With Isaiah's approval, she was allowed to walk freely within the mansion. The day before the wedding, a large team of staff arrived to prepare for the ceremony. Solana played along and then told Jacob she wanted her backpack returned so she could use her phone to invite Sarah to the wedding. Jacob returned her bag and personally watched her dial Sarah's number before stepping outside. She seized the opportunity to hide her essential documents under the layers of her wedding dress. Learning that Sarah had already handled the relevant procedures for her after she had been unable to reach her, Solana felt relieved. She then asked Sarah to help her contact a lawyer to transfer the multimillion-dollar luxury home that Isaiah had given her as a wedding gift into Alyssa's name. After hanging up, Solana glanced toward the doorway. Jacob had given her some privacy and hadn't immediately confiscated her phone again. Then, she opened her WhatsApp, skimming through the unread messages, but she didn't bother replying to any of them. After that, she checked her Facebook and went straight to Alyssa's profile. Alyssa had just uploaded many photos, all of which were intimate vacation shots of her and Isaiah abroad, accompanied by extremely suggestive captions. Solana knew these photos were set to be visible only to her, specifically designed to provoke her. She looked down and smiled softly, taking screenshots of each one. Then, she bundled them together with previously saved images and the photo of her abortion procedure slip, scheduling them all to be sent to Isaiah's email. The send time was set for when her flight was scheduled to take off. Solana looked up toward the window. After a full day of dress fittings and rehearsing various wedding ceremony procedures, it was now completely dark outside. Once everything was settled, she handed her phone to Jacob without being asked. Just then, the phone rang. Solana nervously glanced at the screen, her heart pounding hard. She had just discussed with Sarah that she would be picked up and brought back to Jeffries Manor early the next morning, and that would be her best chance to escape. When she saw Isaiah's name on the screen, her panicked heart finally settled. Isaiah's voice came through, sounding much gentler than usual. "Sol, be good and wait for me to pick you up tomorrow morning." "Okay." After hanging up, Solana followed Jacob back to Jeffries Manor, waiting for Isaiah to get her early the next morning. Dawn was just breaking when the people at Jeffries Manor began bustling about. Taking advantage of the dim light, Solana quietly changed into a servant's uniform and slipped out through the back door. Sarah was already waiting in the car at the end of the street. Solana hurried toward the corner. Before getting in the car, she turned back for one last look at the mansion. From this moment on, she would be free. In this life, Isaiah would be erased from her world. So, she bade goodbye to everything here. And goodbye, Isaiah.