Isabella entered a monochro-thed cafe, glancing around at the sparse crowd until she spotted Joe sitting and waving at her.
She imdiately approached him, carrying her small bag.
"Joe..."
Joe stood up right away to greet Isabella with a hug.
"I knew you would co for ," he said.
Isabella remained silent, thinking about Hunter who had seed disappointed before she left.
"I missed you, and I was so worried about you too." Joe released his embrace and then invited Isabella to sit in the chair next to him. "I kept thinking about you all night... and I'm sure this will always happen. So I've thought of a solution for us," he continued.
Isabella placed her bag on the table, frowning at Joe.
"What kind of solution?"
Joe leaned in closer to Isabella.
"When will you get paid from that contract marriage?" he asked softly and seriously.
"Um..." Isabella moved her head slightly away from Joe. "I... I don't know, but maybe after today. I haven't asked Mrs. Juliana Brown yet."
"Will that paynt be enough to pay off your father's debts?"
"Yes... First, I'll get a hundred thousand, and in the second and third months, I'll get the sa amount."
Joe took a long sigh, moving his head away from Isabella, looking anxious.
"What's your plan?" Isabella asked.
"Let tell you... Just letting you sleep with him for one night already made uneasy. I feel like I'm going crazy... I don't know what will happen to when I have to see you as his wife for three months?" Joe shook his head, his eyes wide, but his thoughts were on Hunter.
"Joe... you have to trust , this is just a job!" Isabella reassured him.
"Yeah... I know..."
"You don't need to worry. Even though I'm with him, I have you in my heart!" Isabella reached out and held Joe's hand with both of hers. "You just need to be patient..."
"I can't!" Joe cut off Isabella's words.
Isabella imdiately frowned, confused.
"I can't see you with him, for three months or even after this, I can't," Joe said anxiously. "Just leave him..."
"What?" Isabella imdiately let go of Joe's hand, looking at him in surprise.
"Leave him... Leave him after you get the hundred thousand dollars. If that's not enough to pay off your debt, I'll help with my money," Joe explained.
Isabella was stunned, seemingly shocked by Joe's plan.
"Please... do this for ... It's also for you... I'm sure you must feel uncomfortable," Joe said, holding Isabella's hand, his eyes pleading.
"You're crazy!" Isabella imdiately pulled her hand away. "You want to be a fraud? Do you think I won't get into trouble because of your plan? Do you think it will be easy to run away after signing an agreent?" she asked in surprise.
"We will go far away... You with , I'll protect you!"
"That's impossible!"
"Don't you trust my abilities?" Joe asked, disappointed.
"Joe..." Isabella sighed, looking at Joe with frustration. "When we make a mistake, we won't have freedom, especially when dealing with the Brown family. They have power, we can't fight them..."
"I can, I'll hide you, or you can leave a letter to that family, saying that you can't continue your duty... And they shouldn't mind the money you already got because you already did your initial duty," Joe replied angrily. "I've thought about this all night. We'll go to Philadelphia, where we'll stay at my friend's unused house... I'll go back to work, and you have to keep hiding until the situation is safe. I can provide for you... All your needs!"
Isabella was stunned, staring at Joe who was so enthusiastic about explaining his plan, but she kept thinking about Hunter sitting in the wheelchair, his disappointed face, and then about his grandparents who were so kind to her.
"Please... believe , everything will be fine..." Joe pleaded again.
Isabella bit her lower lip, looking at Joe with hesitation, imagining running away with him, then Hunter being disappointed, also his grandparents, then Loraine being angry and might beco the target of Juliana Brown's anger.
"I'll do anything to make you happy and safe," Joe said again.
"No..." Isabella shook her head. "I don't want to be selfish by becoming a traitor, a fraud... that's not !" she stated firmly.
Joe was silent, seemingly pained by Isabella's statent.
"I won't take risks just to be with you, it could put Loraine in trouble!" Isabella reiterated.
"Just to be with ," Joe said softly, looking disappointed. "Do you think being with is not sothing special?" he asked.
"You are special, but nothing will be special if it only causes problems," Isabella answered anxiously. "If I do what you plan, it ans my little brother will be in trouble... Because the Brown family already knows him as my brother... I don't want anything bad to happen to him."
Joe smiled faintly, turning his face away.
"You're worried about your 22-year-old brother..." He looked back at Isabella. "He's not a kid anymore, he can protect himself. Even because of his stupidity, you're in this situation. Of course, your father had many debts because he needed to support your brother... Don't sacrifice yourself for him again... he should be the one responsible for paying off your late father's debts, not you!"
"Joe!" Isabella imdiately stood up.
Joe was stunned in surprise, looking up at Isabella who seed angry.
"Why do you speak as if my brother doesn't an anything to ? He just finished his education not long ago... He doesn't yet have the strong ability to bear these burdens... Instead, you..." Isabella said angrily and reluctantly. "You should have tried hard to help before I got involved in the agreent with Juliana Brown... If you loved so much, you should have done everything to save . But you didn't do that... You always promised happiness for but so far it was just a promise... We've been together too long... I was never more than just a girlfriend... This... This..." She turned her face away, unable to finish her words.
Joe imdiately stood up. "Now you bla ."
Isabella looked back at Joe.
"I'm not blaming you, I'm just thinking whether you're worth fighting for... Thinking whether I'll gain anything if I break the contract just for you while I also see many problems ahead if I break that contract..." she explained with doubt, looking at Joe who seed shocked. "You should... you should understand what would make sure to leave everything for you." She imdiately turned away and chose to leave the chair.
Joe was stunned, seemingly understanding Isabella's words as he turned to look at her and saw her slowly disappearing from his view.
'If I have to leave everything for you, you should show seriousness to ... Why would I sacrifice a lot for a man who will only make his girlfriend... I do love him, but I can't sacrifice a lot without knowing certainty from him,' Isabella said to herself as she continued walking out of the cafe.
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