《The Billionaire's Pretend Wife (Isabella)》


 Chapter 1 One

    Chapter 1 One


    Muffled sounds filtered through the door of the room on the first floor¨Ca mixture of groans, moans, and


    grunts. Inside the room, a man drove his hips between the legs of his lover, chasing an orgasm.


    ¡°Keep it quiet,¡± Raymond groaned as his lover¡¯s moans took a new high as he drove deeper into her.


    ¡°Someone can probably hear you in the hallway!¡±


    The woman looked up at him. ¡°Who cares? Maybe I should scream so Isabelle can hear us. It looks


    like you need a little help breaking up with her.¡±


    Raymond squeezed his eyes tight and focused on the pleasure building in his abdomen. His girlfriend


    was thest thing he wanted to talk about while fucking her sister.


    ¡°Why are you still with her, anyway? You have me, why do you still keep that worthless woman


    around?¡±


    Raymond pulled his length out of Naomi, and when his tip was on the very edge, thrust back into her. A


    loud gasp left her mouth as he picked up the pace of his thrusts. Good, he thought as she threw her


    head back as he took her hard. There was no better way to shut her up than fucking her harder.


    ¡°Oh my God¡­Ray¡­yes¡­yes¡­¡±


    While the couple lost themselves in each other¡¯s embrace, the front door of the house opened and


    Isabelle stepped in. Her mind was preupied as she took the stairs. The visit to the hospital to see


    her beloved caregiver had taken a toll on her.


    Ruth had been diagnosed with acute kidney failure, and Isabelle felt guilty and helpless that she


    couldn¡¯t do anything to help. After everything Ruth had done for her growing up at the orphanage,


    Isabelle wished she could help her get the treatment she needed. But that required a lot of money.


    Money she didn¡¯t have.


    She wasn¡¯t going to give up, though. She was determined to exhaust all means to try to get the money


    Ruth needed for the¨C


    Isabelle came to a stop in the hallway of the first floor as a strange sound reached her ears. At first, she


    thought she was mistaken, but before she could walk away, another sound came.


    It was a loud moan, and it wasing through her sister¡¯s bedroom door. Isabelle sighed and rolled


    her eyes. She was about to walk away when the next noise toe through her sister¡¯s door stopped


    her cold.


    ¡°Oh my God, Raymond. You¡¯re the best!¡±


    Raymond? Why was her sister moaning out her boyfriend¡¯s name?


    Her heart thundering in her chest, Isabelle stepped up to her sister¡¯s door.


    ¡°You like that, uh?¡±


    Isabelle¡¯s mouth fell open at the masculine voice. It really was her boyfriend!


    ¡°Yes! Oh my¡­ohhh¡­¡± Her sister¡¯s voice faded into a long moan.


    Isabelle was gripped with such shock that she didn¡¯t know what to do. A part of her didn¡¯t want to


    believe this was really happening. Her sister and her boyfriend?


    She shook her head. No.


    ¡°I can give you everything that she can¡¯t, Ray. Dump her!¡±


    Isabelle jolted as her sister¡¯s voice came again, more stable this time.


    Raymond¡¯s voice was lower, but she caught his words. ¡°I told you I¡¯ll take care of it, Naomi.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been saying that since forever. I refuse to share a man with that worthless orphan! If you don¡¯t


    break up with her, I¡¯ll tell her about us.¡±


    ¡°Naomi¨C¡±


    Isabelle had heard enough. Gripping the door handle, she twisted it and shoved the door open. It flew


    open, hitting the wall behind with a bang. There were a couple of shouts as the two people on the bed


    in front of her scrambled out of each other¡¯s arms.


    ¡°Isabelle?¡± Raymond called out her name, his eyes wide.


    Isabelle stood in the doorway, her entire body trembling with rage. But she folded her hands into fists


    and clenched her jaws tight, determined not to break down in the face of the two traitors.


    Raymond was looking around the bed, in the sheets, over the edge¡­ He finally found his boxers and


    pulled them on. Then he rose to his knees, a desperate look on his face. ¡°Isabelle¡­it¡¯s not what it looks


    like,¡± he imed, seeking her eyes.


    Isabelle huffed. Not what it looked like? Did he think she was stupid?


    ¡°How dare you?¡± she seethed through clenched teeth.


    Raymond shook his head. ¡°It was a mistake, I swear. Let¡¯s go talk.¡±


    She hated the look on his face. He actually managed to look contrite after she caught him fucking her


    sister! How shameless. Still, it was that look that took her down memoryne and made her heart


    squeeze painfully.


    She had always thought Raymond was the ideal boyfriend. He was sweet, attentive, and romantic. He


    treated her well and often surprised her with gifts. She never could have imagined that it was all a lie.


    To imagine that she had fallen for him¡­


    ¡°We are done!¡± she told him, her voice firm.


    ¡°No, no,¡± Raymond cried, crawling to the edge of the bed and getting down to the floor on his knees.


    ¡°Don¡¯t do this, Isabelle! Look!¡± He pped his face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He pped himself again and again.


    ¡°I¡¯m so stupid, I¡¯ll never do it again. Please don¡¯t break up with me!¡±


    Isabelle stepped towards him. As she got closer, he attempted to reach out for her, but she stepped out


    of his reach. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡±


    Not with those hands that were just on her sister. Those hands that had held her so gently while he told


    her how much he loved her. While he lied¡­


    Drawing her hand back, she swung it forward and pped him across his face. While Raymond


    grabbed his smarting face, she repeated, her voice as cold as she could make it, ¡°We. Are. Done.¡±


    On the bed, Naomi gathered the bedsheets around her as she watched the exchange between the two.


    Good, just what she wanted.


    Her celebratory moment halted when Isabelle looked over at her, her brown eyes giving her a cold


    gaze. Naomi threw her head back and faced her, ready for whatever insults she wanted to throw at her.


    But all Isabelle did was give her a nk look, as if she couldn¡¯t care less.


    It made her hate her even more. How dare she look at her like that, as if she was above her or


    something? She was just a parentless reject her parents should have never adopted.


    ¡°No, Isabelle, don¡¯t go,¡± Raymond resumed his begging as Isabelle turned around to walk away. ¡°I


    swear I¡¯ll never do it again!¡±


    ¡°Let her go!¡± Naomi hissed, disgusted by his pathetic begging.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°What is going on here?¡± a stern voice demanded.


    Naomi shut up as her parents appeared in the doorway. Isabelle stepped to the side, her eyes on the


    floor. Raymond got off his knees quickly and backed towards the bed.


    Francis''s eyes fell on his eldest daughter. ¡°What is going on here, Naomi?¡±


    Naomi looked away, her eyes ring across the room as she held onto the sheet around herself. She


    didn¡¯t answer her father¡¯s question, but she didn¡¯t need to. The evidence of what had transpired was


    open for all to see.


    ¡°You are engaged to Jacob Garcia, and you¡¯re busy having an affair with your sister¡¯s boyfriend?¡± their


    father demanded.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about Jacob Garcia,¡± Naomi said. ¡°I won¡¯t marry him.¡±


    ¡°Stop this nonsense right now,¡± Francismanded. He turned on Raymond and pointed at him. ¡°You,


    get out!¡±


    Raymond moved to do just that, but Naomi crawled to the edge of the bed and grabbed his arm. ¡°We


    are having a baby.¡±


    The room fell into total silence.


    Isabelle looked up at her sister, her mouth going dry.


    ¡°What did you say?¡± Lucy, their mother, demanded.


    ¡°I¡¯m pregnant with Raymond¡¯s baby. I can¡¯t marry Jacob Garcia.¡±


    Francis paced the room, shoving his hand through his hair. ¡°Do you have any idea what you¡¯ve done,


    Naomi? We had an agreement with the Garcia family! What do we do now?¡±


    ¡°Isabelle! Yes, she can marry him,¡± Lucy spoke suddenly.


    Isabelle¡¯s attention switched to her adoptive mother. Lucy¡¯s eyes were on her.


    ¡°What? No, I¨C¡±


    ¡°Your sister is pregnant with another man¡¯s child. You¡¯re the only daughter we have to fulfill our


    agreement.¡±


    Daughter? Oh, now she considered her their daughter?


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Isabelle, but your mother is right,¡± Francis said, giving her an apologetic look. ¡°We cannot


    break our agreement. We¡¯ll have to present you as our eldest daughter so you can marry the Garcias¡¯


    eldest son.¡±


    Isabelle shook her head. No, she wasn¡¯t going to be forced into marriage with a man she didn¡¯t know.


    All this, after finding out that her boyfriend was cheating with her sister?


    ¡°We took you in, fed you, clothed you! This is the least you can do to show your gratitude,¡± Lucy told


    her.


    Isabelle bit her tongue. Why did they bother to take her in if they considered her a burden? You would


    think they were forced to adopt her!


    She felt her anger melt the moment her adoptive father ced a hand on her shoulder and gave her a


    soft look. Francis had always been warm towards her. ¡°How about this? Marry Jacob Garcia, and I¡¯ll


    cover the medical expenses for Ruth.¡±


    Isabelle¡¯s eyes widened as she gazed at her father. ¡°What?¡±


    He nodded. ¡°You know that she can¡¯t afford it.¡±


    Marry some strange man so she can help Ruth pay off her medical bills? Isabelle wished she had a


    better option, but there was none. Her family had backed her into a corner, and each day Ruth stayed


    without treatment, her condition worsened.


    She would never forgive herself if something happened to Ruth just because she didn¡¯t want to meet


    her family¡¯s demands. Ruth had done so much for her¡­


    ¡°Okay,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ll marry him.¡±


    Isabelle thought that if this was the only way she could repay both Ruth and this family, then she was


    willing to sacrifice her marriage.


    But she didn''t notice the smugness in Naomi''s eyes and the sly grin at the corner of her mouth.

 Chapter 2 Two

    Chapter 2 Two


    Isabelle twisted her fingers on herp and cast another look past the seated guests to the entrance of


    the gardens where her wedding was taking ce. Her brow furrowed slightly when there was no sign of


    Jacob Garcia or any of his family members.


    The ceremony had been supposed to start two hours ago. All the guests from her side of the family


    were already there, but not one from the groom¡¯s side.


    Now, she was reduced to nerves as she sat and waited. Was he going to make it? She had never met


    N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    him, but she had heard that he was an idler. What if he decided to not show up? To be forced into


    marrying a stranger only to have him ditch you at the altar¡­


    All this not long after what happened with Raymond and her sister. The two were seated on the front


    row, and she was doing her best to ignore them. Naomi had been stuck to Raymond¡¯s side since they


    arrived, and a fewments had been thrown around about what a beautiful couple they were.


    Isabelle tried not to let it get to her. While it still hurt, she had epted that she and Raymond were


    history. Even if she wasn¡¯t marrying someone else for Ruth¡¯s sake, she would never have forgiven him.


    To not only cheat but to do so with her sister? How had she not found out sooner?


    Where did he get the guts to attend her wedding, anyway? Naomi probably dragged him along just to


    rub it in her face.


    Naomi huffed loudly from her seat, interrupting Isabelle¡¯s stream of thought. ¡°I knew that man was


    nothing but worthless trash. How dare he keep us waiting? If he didn¡¯t want to get married, he should


    have said so. What a coward!¡±


    Isabelle closed her eyes momentarily, wishing her sister would shut up. Naomi was the reason she was


    in this predicament, to begin with. Now, she had to pretend to be the eldest daughter of her family to


    save their reputations.


    A murmur rose around her as the guests reacted to Naomi¡¯s usation.


    ¡°Poor girl. I heard he¡¯s joblessand a son already abandoned by the Garcia¡¯s. Who wants such a


    husband?¡±


    ¡°She could do better.¡±


    ¡°He is an useless drunk.¡±


    ¡°I''ve also heard of many of his vices. He was sent abroad to study early, but never heard of him getting


    any degree, maybe he was expelled long ago so he couldn''t even find a job.¡±


    ¡°So shameless. Who keeps the bride waiting?¡±


    Isabelle focused on the altar ahead and tried to shut out the rumours. It didn¡¯t matter. Whether Jacob


    was an idler, poor, drunk, or not, marrying him was the only way she would be able to pay for Ruth¡¯s


    treatment. She would focus on that.


    As the gossip deepened, Naomi spoke up again. ¡°Seriously, our family can do so much better. It¡¯s such


    an embarrassment to have to wed my sister to him. He is obviously alienated by his own family. Why


    should we ept him?¡±


    Why was sheining so much, Isabelle wondered. She wasn¡¯t the one marrying him anymore,


    was she? Plus, it wasn¡¯t as if she cared about Isabelle¡¯s feelings, so why was she acting as if she did?


    Naomi suddenly appeared in Isabelle¡¯s face. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Isabelle. This is embarrassing.¡±


    Isabelle shook her head and remained in her seat. She was going to wait as long as it took for Jacob to


    get there. If he got there. Surely, the Garcia family wasn¡¯t going to back out of the agreement on the


    wedding day, were they?


    Naomi reached forward to grab Isabelle¡¯s arm, but Isabelle shot to her feet and stepped back. ¡°Let it


    go, Naomi! There must be a good reason he¡¯ste. Let¡¯s just wait.¡±


    Maybe he was caught in traffic. Or he had not been well-informed when the ceremonymenced.


    Naomi scoffed, ready to get into a tirade. But then, the two sisters noticed that the crowd around them


    had gone silent. Isabelle turned to see what had captured their attention when she saw the man


    walking towards the reception area.


    Her breath caught in her throat as the man stepped into clear sight. Tall, handsome, and well-dressed


    in a dark blue three-piece suit that properly outlined his broad shoulders, lean physique, and long legs.


    And his face¡­oh, his face. His angr jaw, prominent brow, those dark eyes that seemed to be looking


    right through her even from a distance¡­


    Isabelle¡¯s face flushed and she looked away momentarily as she realised that the man¡¯s eyes were on


    her. Was this really Jacob Garcia? She hadn¡¯t expected him to look so¡­put together. Idlers weren¡¯t


    supposed to look like they had walked out of a men¡¯s fashion magazine.


    When she looked back up, she was taken aback to find Naomi had already left her side and was


    rushing towards the man, a big smile on her face.


    ¡°Hi! I¡¯m Naomi.¡±


    Isabelle held back her scoff. She wasn¡¯t even surprised at her sister¡¯s sudden warmth towards the man


    she was bad-mouthing just a minute ago. She wouldn¡¯t be surprised if Naomi felt ready to marry him


    now that she saw he wasn¡¯t as shabby as she thought. But that wasn¡¯t possible now, was it? She was


    pregnant with Raymond¡¯s baby¡­


    Isabelle was expecting the man to entertain her sister, but instead, he brushed right past Naomi and


    came up to her. He stopped in front of her and caught her gaze before bowing his head slightly. ¡°I¡¯m so


    sorry to keep you waiting. It was not intentional.¡±


    Isabelle felt her heart swell at his politeness and gesture. The nervousness that had built during the


    long wait evaporated as she nodded. If this was truly his real nature, the idea of marrying a strange


    man didn¡¯t seem as daunting as it had before. ¡°It¡¯s alright. I¡¯m happy you made it.¡±


    ¡°May I?¡± he asked, offering her his arm.


    ¡°Sure,¡± she replied, hooking her hand on his arm and letting him walk her to the front for the ceremony


    to begin.


    As the couple made their way to the altar, Naomi watched, simmering with anger. Was this man really


    Jacob Garcia? He didn¡¯t look like a jobless idler at all. She had lied about being pregnant to get out of


    the marriage agreement because she had thought he was worthless. And now here he was, looking


    like a prince? She clenched her teeth together, her anger doubling as she saw how he looked down at


    Isabelle. That bitch!


    But, she decided, him dressing well didn¡¯t mean anything. He probably borrowed the suit he was


    wearing. Or hired it.


    A man with so much vanity! Naomi was even more sure that he must be a liar!


    As they came to the front and stood next to each other, Isabelle was aware of the many surprised


    gazes directed at Jacob. And how many of the guests leaned towards each other in gossip. She could


    bet everything she had that the tune of the gossip had now changed.


    But, whether or not the gossip was in a positive light, she didn¡¯t want to spend more time there. She


    wanted to be done with the ceremony as fast as possible. It wasn¡¯t as if this was her dream wedding.


    Her fantasies about her wedding had usually involved a man she was deeply in love with. A man she


    wanted to spend the rest of her life with. Instead, she was getting hitched to a stranger whose name


    she didn¡¯t even know. And the man she had dreamt of walking down the aisle to? He was now standing


    beside her sister.


    It was time to let go of her silly fantasies. Her life had never been a fairytale, and it looked like it wasn¡¯t


    about to get any better.


    Isabelle¡¯s eyes went back to her groom, purposely avoiding his eyes. The man was handsome, way


    more than Raymond, she found herself thinking. But then again, maybe that was her broken heart


    trying to soothe the ache.


    She shook her head. His looks shouldn¡¯t matter. After her father made the payment for Ruth¡¯s


    treatment, she would remain married to the man. Rather than his looks, she should be more worried


    about whether he truly was a drunk and womaniser. She could give up marrying for love, but that didn''t


    mean she would be happy ying house with a man like that.


    As her eyes appraised him, theynded on the brooch on his suit jacket. She frowned a little as she


    recognized the piece. She remembered it was the work of a master she had seen in an exclusive TV


    interview and thest piece he had painstakingly worked on before retiring. She was impressed by its


    design and exquisiteness.


    Such a piece is not something that can be purchased with a price. How could Jacob get it?

 Chapter 3 Three

    Chapter 3 Three


    Jacob noticed the moment Isabelle noticed his brooch and frowned. He looked down at the pricey


    jewellery and smiled.


    ¡°Do you like it?¡± He leaned in, getting closer to her ear. Lowering his voice, he whispered, ¡°It¡¯s actually


    a replica of an artifact. One of my friends presented it to me.¡±


    She nodded and pulled back, her face flushing. ¡°Yeah, uh, it looks real,¡± she said, pulling her hand from


    his arm and stepping away.


    He was happy his little lie had worked¨Cotherwise, how would he exin wearing a priceless master-


    designed brooch when he was trying to pass off as a nobody? But he was also confused as his bride


    withdrew from him, as if suddenly shy of their closeness.


    Mh. Was she putting up a show? ording to his source, the eldest daughter of the Cruz family was


    anything but demure. He had expected to meet a bold seductress. But his bride seemed to be doing


    her best to avoid his gaze, and now, she was putting physical distance between them.


    Before he could think of a way to draw her from her shell, the woman who had attempted to way him


    appeared, a man in tow.


    ¡°Hello, Jacob,¡± she greeted him, a tight smile on her lips. ¡°I¡¯m Naomi, Isabelle¡¯s sister. This is Raymond,


    my boyfriend.¡±


    Jacob appraised her casually. Now, this was the kind of reaction he had expected to get from the eldest


    daughter of the Cruz family. A woman who looked at him with apparent desire in her eyes. Not one who


    blushed so easily and avoided his eyes.


    But, wasn¡¯t she being a little too obvious in front of her sister? Not to mention she was with her


    boyfriend.


    Jacob gave a cursory nce at his bride, only to find that her expression had changed. Her flustered


    look was gone, and now, she was staring at the two with a closed-off attitude. Did she not like them?


    Raymond turned his attention to Isabelle, looking a bit squeamish. ¡°Isabelle¡­uh, you look beautiful.¡±


    Jacob caught a slight tightening in Isabelle¡¯s jaw as if she was grinding her teeth. When she didn¡¯t pay


    attention to him, Raymond stepped back to Naomi¡¯s side.


    ¡°I heard that you¡¯re jobless. It must have cost a lot to hire that suit. But don¡¯t worry, since we are going


    to be family now, my boyfriend can offer you a job at hispany,¡± Naomi told him before turning to


    Raymond. ¡°Right, babe?¡±


    Isabelle bristled at her sister¡¯s shamelessness. How dare she say something like that? She looked


    N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    towards Jacob, afraid that Naomi¡¯s attitude had offended him.


    She was surprised to find him regarding the two with a slight lift of his mouth, not looking offended at


    all. In fact, he looked more amused than anything. What came out of his mouth surprised her even


    more.


    ¡°Thanks for the offer, but I¡¯d rather be an idler than work for you.¡±


    Naomi huffed, turning her nose up in the air. ¡°So much pride. Are you nning on living on my sister¡¯s


    money?¡±


    Isabelle stepped forward and got in her sister¡¯s face. ¡°That¡¯s enough, Naomi. We¡¯d like to begin the


    ceremony now.¡±


    Naomi scoffed but still stepped back. ¡°Good luck with your pauper,¡± she said as she dragged Raymond


    with her towards the exit.


    Isabelle was happy to see them go. The day was already unpleasant enough without having to see


    their faces.


    With Naomi gone, the ceremony started and proceeded smoothly. Nobody from Jacob¡¯s family showed


    up, but Isabelle decided that was a non-issue. What mattered was that the agreement between the two


    families was now fulfilled.


    After bidding farewell to their guests, it was finally time for Jacob to bring Isabelle to their new home.


    Jacob was relieved the ceremony was over. Now, all that remained was to take his bride home to show


    her the kind of life she was about to begin living. If he was lucky, she would cancel the marriage as


    soon as possible and set him free. That way, he would have fulfilled his mother¡¯sst wish to marry the


    eldest daughter of the Cruz family. It wouldn¡¯t be on him if she hated his lifestyle and divorced him¡­


    ording to what he had heard about the Cruz¡¯s eldest daughter, she would probably not even want to


    spend a night in the small house he had prepared.


    So when his new wife walked into the small, old house and told him that it looked nice, he was caught


    by surprise. While it was a tidy house, it was like a studio apartment¨Ceverything from the bedroom to


    the living room and the kitchen was all arranged together. The Cruzs lived in a huge mansion. How


    could she be so calm about the arrangement?


    As Isabelle looked around her new home, she thought that it was inconvenient. She had hoped to have


    a separate bedroom from her new husband, but it seemed as if that wasn¡¯t an option. There was one


    room and one bed.


    In fact, it looked so much like the servants¡¯ quarters tucked away at the back of thepound of her


    family¡¯spound. Practical, but nothing luxurious about it.


    But at least it looked nice. While it was a far cry from her adoptive family¡¯s mansion, it looked homely


    and tidy enough. The size wasn¡¯t an issue to her. Before Francis and Lucy adopted her, she had lived


    at the orphanage, sharing a dorm with many other girls. She had learned from a young age to be


    thankful for having a roof over her head. Not many orphans were as lucky.


    The one bed¡­that was the real issue. There wasn¡¯t even any extra space where she could move in an


    extra bed for herself. Her eyesnded on the three-seater sofa in the house. She could fit there, right?


    While his new bride took in her new home, Jacob moved to the bed and removed his jacket. Maybe


    she was okay with the house, but had she thought about the mechanics of the entire arrangement?


    There wasn¡¯t much privacy in the room. They would be sharing a bed, a bathroom, and everything else.


    Would she be able to maintain her cool if he undressed in front of her?


    As he reached for his tie, he turned around to face her. She was beautiful, that much was clear. Her


    ck hair was gathered at the top of her head in some kind of fancy bun. A few strands at the front


    were untamed, framing her round face. She was actually kind of cute too¡­


    He shook his head at that thought. Cute? God, how mushy.


    Besides, he didn¡¯t care whether she was cute, hot, or in ugly. He wasn¡¯t nning on staying married


    to her for long.


    He saw the moment her eyes reverted to him as he unbuttoned his shirt. She blushed instantly and


    turned away, muttering apologies.


    Jacob smirked, finding her reaction amusing. She faced the wall and even brought her hands up to


    cover her eyes.


    They were going to be sharing this house from today onwards. Was that how she was going to react


    any time he changed? She was bound to see his naked body at some point.


    ¡°Would you like to take a shower first?¡± he asked her.

 Chapter 4 Four

    Chapter 4 Four


    A shower?


    Isabelle looked towards the bathroom. It was the only private ce in the house. It at least solved one


    of her problems. She would never have to change in his presence. She wished he did her the same


    courtesy and stopped undressing in front of her.


    ¡°Yes,¡± she said, nodding. Still keeping her gaze from him, she walked towards where her suitcases


    were sitting. Opening one, she looked for a towel and a change of clothes.


    Then, without another word to him or a nce towards his side, she hurried towards the bathroom,


    opened the door, and disappeared inside.


    The bathroom was not as spacious as the one back home, but it had enough space for a shower, the


    toilet, and counter space. There was no bathtub, but that was fine. She could live without those rxing


    herbal baths she had gotten used to at her family home. A small price to pay, she decided.


    Looking at herself in the mirror, she cursed softly. Her face was still covered in all the makeup she had


    worn for the wedding. She had forgotten to bring along her makeup remover from her luggage.


    cing the towel and change of clothes on the counter, she opened the door. She was one step into


    the room when she noticed that Jacob was now shirtless. She froze for a second, her face burning as


    she took in his bare torso. His abdomen muscles were well-formed, and the V-line above his


    waistband¨C


    ¡°Like what you see?¡±


    Mortified, she looked up to find him watching her, a lopsided smirk on his face. She stepped back


    quickly and closed the door behind her.


    Ugh, why was she so nervous? She would have to stop being flustered so easily around him.


    Moving away from the door, she decided that soap was a good enough makeup remover. Sighing, she


    got busy removing the pins in her hair.


    When Isabelle left the bathroom, she was a lot moreposed. She had spent the time in the shower


    berating herself for being so jumpy around him and resolving to change that. If she showed him that


    she was nervous, he would undoubtedly take advantage of her.


    Jacob was leaning against the counter in the kitchen, sipping on a ss of water when she appeared.


    She gestured towards her suitcases. ¡°I¡¯ll unpack while you shower.¡±


    He nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve left half of the closet bare for you,¡± he told her.


    She nodded, looking towards the closet¡¯s double doors. Like everything else in the house, they would


    be sharing that.


    She was happy to have some time to herself as he showered. But it didn¡¯tst long as he soon


    reappeared, looking fresh. She was just finishing unpacking her clothes and shoes.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t want to marry me, did you?¡± he asked as she stuffed her empty suitcase above the closet.


    After stowing her suitcase away, she took a deep breath and turned to him. ¡°Of course not. It was our


    family¡¯s agreement, and I¡¯m happy to honour it.¡±


    ¡°Really? You don¡¯t look happy about it. Not used to your new circumstances?¡± he continued, his eyes


    focusing on her face.


    She turned away and headed towards the kitchen. ¡°I¡¯m just not used to you,¡± she told him. Then she


    got busy looking for a ss and filling it with water at the sink. Wrapping her hands around the ss,


    she turned back around to face him.


    Jacob took a seat on one of the two armchairs in the house and regarded Isabelle. Was she really just


    nervous, and didn¡¯t mind being married to him? Maybe if he was open about his thoughts about the


    entire arrangement, she could drop her act.


    ¡°I only married you because it was my mother¡¯s wish. I don¡¯t want, or even need, this marriage. So,


    while we are married in their eyes, I don¡¯t consider you my wife. Let¡¯s act as a normal couple in front of


    others, but stay clear of each other¡¯s private lives.¡±


    Isabelle nodded. ¡°Okay.¡±


    Okay? That was all she was going to say?


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean you can have other lovers,¡± he noted, recalling what he had heard about her


    debauchery. ¡°Just because we are only pretending to be a normal couple doesn¡¯t mean you can sleep


    around.¡±


    She looked up at him then, her smooth brow frowning. What, did she expect him to allow her to have


    other men beside him? It was one thing that pretending a unless asshole to put her off. But to actually


    allow her to have a lover when everyone thought she was his wife? No way in hell.


    ¡°Of course, if you want sex so much, I¡¯m willing to act like a husband in that manner,¡± he offered.


    Isabelle coughed into her ss of water. ¡°No,¡± she said when she recovered. ¡°No thanks. We are only


    a couple outside this house.¡±


    ¡°What, you don¡¯t think I can satisfy your needs?¡± he asked. Women had always flocked to him. A


    woman of her character, who was known to have no shortage of lovers, must surely appreciate what he


    was offering.


    ¡°As you have mentioned,¡± she told him, ¡°we are only pretending to be a couple. I¡¯ll do well in that


    matter. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t be involved in any rtions with anyone as long as I¡¯m your wife. Just don¡¯t


    meddle in my life.¡±


    Isabelle gobbled down her water and turned away from him as she ced the ss back. The nerve of


    him to talk to her as if she was a cheater when he was the one everyone knew was a womaniser. He


    knew nothing about her. And yet, it appeared that he had already pegged her as someone who would


    have sex with him when they were only pretending to be a couple. Ah! If anything, she should be the


    one warning him against embarrassing her by keeping up with his reckless lifestyle.


    Jacob did not miss the sharpness in Isabelle¡¯s voice as she told him she would adhere to his demands.


    She couldn¡¯t be offended, could she? It was no secret that she slept around with many men¨C


    He frowned. Why wasn¡¯t anything adding up? At first, he had thought that she was acting to fool him


    into thinking she was someone she was not. But, not only had she notined about being warned


    about having lovers, but she had also refused his offer to take care of her sexual needs.


    Then there was all that blushing, being flustered¡­ And iming to not mind being married to him. Him,


    the poor illegitimate son of the Garcias. She, the spoilt first-born daughter of the Cruzes who could date


    any wealthy bachelor worth millions.


    It didn¡¯t seem that she would be so willing about the entire arrangement. If anything, she should be


    looking down on him, telling him that he couldn¡¯t tell her how to behave.


    Was she really the eldest daughter of the Cruz family who he had received information about?


    Rising from the armchair, he approached her. He touched her shoulder when he got to her so that she


    could face him.


    She did, her eyes meeting his. ¡°What?¡± she asked, sounding a little annoyed. He had really offended


    her, hadn¡¯t he?


    ¡°Are you really the eldest daughter of the Cruz family?¡± he asked, watching her face closely for her


    reaction.

 Chapter 5 Five

    Chapter 5 Five


    Isabelle¡¯s heart hammered away in her chest. Why was he suddenly asking that? Had she said


    something to give herself away?


    If he found out the truth and cancelled the marriage¡­ No! She couldn¡¯t let that happen. If he


    discovered her family¡¯s deceit, her parents would no longer cater for Hannah¡¯s treatment.


    ¡°Of course I am,¡± she replied, crossing her arms across her chest. ¡°Why would you ask that?¡±


    He didn¡¯t answer immediately. Instead, his eyes narrowed as he continued to stare at her. It made her


    even more uneasy.


    ¡°You are the Garcias'' eldest son, right?¡± she asked, attempting to shift the attention from her to him.


    Jacob shoved his hands in his trouser pockets and rocked on his feet. ¡°I am.¡±


    She nodded. ¡°Well then, it¡¯s all good, right?¡±


    Was it? Jacob wondered as he studied Isabelle.


    Knowing that he was going to marry a strange woman to fulfil his mother¡¯s wish, he sent someone to


    investigate the eldest daughter of the Cruzes. He had needed to know about her so he could figure out


    how to encourage her to divorce him quickly.


    But now, he was wondering whether his source had gotten his information wrong.


    When Jacob appeared at the wedding, he was ready to meet a haughty woman who would turn hostile


    at the sight of their living arrangement. Because ording to his source, his intended bride would


    never settle for such a life.


    The reality was turning out to bepletely different.


    Isabelle was not showing any animosity towards the situation. Did she really not mind being married to


    a poor man she wasn¡¯t even in love with? Was she so devoted to her family that she was willing to


    sacrifice her own desires to ensure they met their end of the agreement?


    Because if that was the case, Jacob was afraid it would be so much harder to get her to divorce him.


    But that couldn¡¯t happen. Whether this woman was who she said she was or not, he didn¡¯t care. As


    long as he was concerned, he had fulfilled his mother¡¯s wish and married the eldest daughter of the


    Cruz family.


    Now, all he needed to do was find a way to end the entire thing. What besides passing off as a


    notorious man could make a wealthy heiress divorce you?


    ¡°It¡¯s all good,¡± he replied finally. ¡°It has been a long day, we should go to sleep.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Isabelle said, then her eyes slid past him to the only bed in the room.


    Jacob held out one hand to her. ¡°Care to join me?¡±


    She shook her head quickly. ¡°I¡¯ll take the sofa.¡±


    ¡°The bed is big enough for both of us,¡± he pointed out.


    ¡°You¡¯re only my husband on paper, Jacob. Other than that, you¡¯re a stranger to me. I don¡¯t share a bed


    with strangers.¡±


    He took a step towards her, crowding her. ¡°You don¡¯t?¡±


    Isabelle swallowed as he stepped closer. ¡°I don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll not try to touch you, if that¡¯s what you¡¯re worried about,¡± he assured her.


    Did he really think she would agree to sleep in the same bed with him when they were in a fake


    marriage? Ah, or was this one of his ploys to seduce her? She had heard that he was the yer, after


    all. And not long ago, he had offered to satisfy her sexual needs¡­


    She cleared her throat and gestured to the sofa. ¡°I¡¯m good with the sofa.¡±


    She actually wasn¡¯t¨Cafter the long day she had had, she was hoping for a good night¡¯s rest. Now, not


    only was she trapped in a room with a strange man, but she also had to make do with a sofa. None of


    that screamed ¡®good night¡¯s sleep.¡¯ Forget having a good rest. She would be lucky if she could get a


    few hours of shut-eye.


    Jacob shook his head and took yet another step towards her. She wished he would stop doing that. It


    was getting harder to focus on the important things with him getting in her space. The closer he got, the


    more attuned she became to the scent of his soap, the slight dampness of his hair, the curve of his


    upper lip¡­


    She shook her head mentally. Those were not the kind of thoughts she was supposed to be having if


    she was determined to keep everything tonic.


    ¡°No, I can¡¯t have that, he told her. ¡°If you won¡¯te to bed with me, I¡¯ll take the sofa.¡±


    Would he really do that?


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t have to. It¡¯s your bed, after all.¡±


    ¡°Our bed,¡± he corrected. ¡°And, fake or not, you¡¯re my wife, and I won¡¯t let you sleep on the sofa.¡±


    She looked at him, met his gaze for a second, and then looked away. So, even after saying they would


    only pretend to be a couple in public, was he going to treat her like his wife indoors?


    ¡°Thanks, then, if you¡¯re sure,¡± she told him.


    ¡°But,¡± he said, reaching forward to lean one of his hands on the counter next to her. ¡°Do we really have


    to resort to that?¡±


    Isabelle swallowed, her throat going dry at his sudden closeness. His arm brushed against her side and


    she stepped to the side, attempting to create more space between them. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°We are both adults,¡± he said, his eyes running up and down her body openly.


    Was he checking her out? What exactly was he trying to do? She tried to maintain herposure, but


    it was hard when his dark eyes rose to hers. They prated hers, and for a second, she forgot how to


    breathe.


    It wasn¡¯t her fault that he was so good-looking¡­


    The closer Jacob got to Isabelle, the stronger the whiff he was getting of her soap or shampoo or


    whatever it was she had used in the bathroom got. And damned if he didn¡¯t want to close the few


    remaining inches between them and press his nose into her neck, or hair, just to take a deep inhale.


    Dammit¡­was it really possible to y house with this woman without crossing the lines he had


    intended to draw even before he met her?


    He was loving her reactions to him a little too much. As he got closer, she looked as if she wanted to


    bolt, but also as if she was trying hard to act like he wasn¡¯t affecting her. Her chest was rising a little


    more rapidly, and her hands had closed into fists.


    Maybe while they were stuck in this situation, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to have a little fun¡­


    Moving quickly, he stepped in front of her and ced his other hand on her other side, effectively


    caging her to the kitchen counter.


    Her eyes widened instantly as her hands dropped to brace herself on the surface behind her. ¡°What¡­


    what are you doing?¡±


    He leaned in, closing in on her, bringing his lips to her ear. ¡°Would you like us to be a real couple¡­


    behind closed doors?¡±


    Her wide eyes fixated on him. ¡°I¡­I¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a beautiful woman,¡± he whispered, making a point of keeping his voice as low as possible. ¡°I


    wouldn¡¯t mind sharing a bed with you. And, of course, doing other things that a normal couple would.¡±

 Chapter 6 Six

    Chapter 6 Six


    Isabelle¡¯s face burned red at Jacob¡¯s words and proximity. Why was he suddenly acting this way? She


    had already made it clear she wasn¡¯t going to share the bed with him, let alone sleep with him! He must


    be teasing her!


    N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    His lips so close to her ear, he whispered, ¡°What do you think?¡±


    What did she think? She couldn¡¯t think, for one. The only thing she knew was that she needed to get


    out of that situation¡­


    Quickly, she ducked under one of his arms and sprinted across the room to the bathroom. She didn¡¯t


    care how she looked like running away. She would deal with the embarrassment the next day. Now, all


    she had to do was remain in the bathroom until he went to sleep and she could slip back into the room.


    Heaving a sigh, she walked to the mirror and took in her appearance. Her face was a raw shade of red,


    and when she touched her fingers to it, she felt how hot it was. Whenever was she going to stop having


    such a reaction to him?


    When Jacob woke up the next day, the first thing that registered in his brain was the mouthwatering


    aroma filling the room. At first, he thought he was dreaming. Then he opened his eyes and checked the


    kitchen.


    It was Isabelle. She was moving behind the counter, flipping something on a pan on the stove. Rubbing


    his eyes, he sat up and shifted his long legs to the floor. She really was making breakfast.


    While he was still staring at her, she turned, a pan in hand. Her eyes flew to him and she gave him a


    small smile.


    ¡°Morning. Breakfast is ready.¡±


    ¡°Morning,¡± he replied, finally getting to his feet. ¡°I¡¯ll pop into the bathroom for a sec.¡±


    As he went, he tried wrapping the entire thing around his head. It seemed as if everything about her


    was catching him by surprise. But then again, he hadn¡¯t expected to wake up to breakfast prepared by


    his pretend wife.


    When he got back into the room, Isabelle had already prepared the breakfast table. He joined her and


    appraised the bowls of steaming food. And a pot of freshly brewed coffee that she got hold of and


    asked, ¡°Coffee?¡±


    He nodded, smiling. ¡°Yes, thank you.¡± When was thest time he had a home-cooked meal? He


    couldn¡¯t remember.


    As the two sat down for breakfast, Isabelle noticed how heartily Jacob ate his portions. She knew she


    was a good cook, but she hadn¡¯t expected him to wolf everything down as if it was the most delicious


    meal he had ever had.


    ¡°Wow, that was very delicious,¡± heplimented when he was done. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± she replied, unsure of how else to react. He looked genuinely pleased.


    ¡°You¡¯re a very good cook. I wouldn¡¯t mind eating your food every day.¡±


    Was he serious or exaggerating? Well, it didn¡¯t matter¡­


    ¡°I have to go somewhere,¡± she told him, rising from her seat. ¡°You will wash the dishes.¡±


    She headed over to the bed and picked up her purse as he asked, ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    To her parents, but she wasn¡¯t going to tell him that. It wasn¡¯t any of his business, anyway. They had


    agreed to stay out of each other¡¯s business. ¡°See youter,¡± she told him instead, leaving quickly.


    A few minutes after Isabelle left, there was a knock on the door. When Jacob went to open it, he found


    Kevin, his assistant, on the other side.


    ¡°Good morning, Boss. I brought your breakfast,¡± Kevin said as he walked into the house.


    Jacob closed the door and went in after him, heading for the kitchen table to continue gathering the


    used dishes. ¡°I already had breakfast,¡± he informed his assistant. ¡°Isabelle made it.¡±


    Kevin watched in astonishment as Jacob cleared the table. ¡°You what? She¡­ But¡­ But you only eat


    food from the restaurant.¡±


    He knew how picky his boss was with food. He only ever ate food from one restaurant. To imagine that


    he had eaten breakfast prepared by his new wife¡­


    ¡°Stop gawking and help me clean up,¡± Jacob admonished. ¡°I have somewhere to be soon.¡±


    ***


    Isabelle had only one agenda for her visit home; to get the money for Ruth¡¯s treatment. She was


    already nning on how after getting the money, she would go straight to the hospital to see that


    Ruth¡¯s treatment began right away.


    Lucy, Francis, and Naomi were in the dining room, having breakfast.


    ¡°We are having cash flow problems at the moment, so we can¡¯t pay the bill right now,¡± Lucy said,


    sipping on a cup of tea after Isabelle told her what she wanted.


    ¡°What?¡± Isabelle eximed. ¡°You told me that as soon as I married Jacob, you would pay her bill!¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯m telling you that we don¡¯t have the money right now,¡± Lucy told her.


    ¡°Then why did you promise that you would pay the money if you knew you couldn¡¯t? Ruth can¡¯t afford


    to wait any longer,¡± she pointed out, getting upset. She felt like she was having a nightmare. How could


    they do this to her? The only reason she agreed to marry Jacob Garcia was because her parents


    promised to pay Ruth¡¯s medical bill right away. How could they now tell her that they couldn¡¯t after she


    had married the man?


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll try to get you the money before this evening,¡± Francis offered from his ce at the


    head of the table. ¡°When I go to my officeter, I¡¯ll have my ountant¨C¡±


    ¡°Francis!¡± Lucy interrupted him. ¡°You know very well that we cannot afford to pay the money right now.


    Do you know how expensive treatment for kidney failure is? We cannot afford to use any funds from


    thepany at the moment. She can wait!¡±


    ¡°If she could wait, I would have looked for the money elsewhere instead of agreeing to marry some


    man I¡¯ve never even met!¡±


    ¡°Where is he, anyway?¡± Naomi asked. ¡°How could he let his new wife go back to her parent¡¯s house


    alone the day after the wedding? Doesn¡¯t he want toe to greet his inws?¡± sping her hands


    below her chin, she gave Isabelle a sympathetic look. ¡°Oh, or is he too ashamed to step foot here?


    Maybe he doesn¡¯t have a nice suit to wear today?¡±


    ¡°Shut up, Naomi!¡± Isabelle snapped at her. How dare she make fun of her when she was the cause for


    all this! She should have never agreed to get married in Naomi¡¯s stead. How stupid could she be to


    think that the Cruzes would keep their end of the deal? When had they ever treated her fairly?


    ¡°How dare you talk to my daughter like that?¡± Lucy shouted, putting her cup down and shooting to her


    feet. ¡°Only one day out of this house, and you¡¯re already behaving like an ingrate?¡±


    ¡°Lucy¨C¡± Francis tried to calm her down, but she held a palm out to him, shutting him up.


    ¡°The nerve of you to storm in here and start demanding money, as if we owe you anything. You are no


    longer a member of this family, do you hear?¡±


    Isabelle folded her hands into fists as she met Lucy¡¯s hateful gaze head-on. In her peripheral vision,


    she saw Naomi rise from her seat too.


    ¡°Throw her out, mother. If I ever see her face in this house again, I might just throw up.¡±


    Isabelle scoffed. ¡°So after having me marry him in your stead, you now dere that I¡¯m not a member


    of this family?¡±


    ¡°You never were,¡± Lucy told her, grabbing her arm and pushing her away. ¡°Get out!¡±


    Isabelle grind her teeth together as she caught herself on the table to keep from stumbling to the floor.


    She wished there was something she could say or do to make them keep their promise. But after


    everything they had put her through, she knew it would be in vain. They had used her as they wanted,


    and now they didn¡¯t need her anymore.


    Straightening, she turned on her feet and stalked out of the room. Naomi went with her, escorting her to


    the door. She opened it and as Isabelle was walking through it, she pushed her from the back, causing


    her to stumble onto the porch outside.


    ¡°Go back to wherever you came from,¡± she sneered.


    As Isabelle stumbled onto the porch, she was about to fall, but someone caught her in their arms.


    Puzzled, she looked up.


    ¡°Jacob?¡±

 Chapter 7 Seven

    Chapter 7 Seven


    When Jacob got to his new inws house, he didn¡¯t expect to be weed by the sight of his wife all


    but being thrown out of the house.


    As Isabelle stumbled onto the porch, he reached forward quickly and caught her arms, steadying her.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± he demanded, taking in her face. Her face was flushed, her lips pursed, while her


    eyes were teary and red.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± she muttered, turning her face away from him and freeing herself from his grip. ¡°What are


    you doing here?¡±


    Jacob looked towards the open door, where Isabelle¡¯s sister had been standing a few seconds ago.


    Turning around, he spotted Kevin who was carrying several shopping bags. ¡°Kevin, bring them into the


    house,¡± he told him.


    ¡°Okay, boss,¡± Kevin agreed and walked past the couple into the house.


    ¡°What is that?¡± Isabelle asked as she looked closely at the bags Kevin was carrying.


    ¡°Gifts for my new inws,¡± Jacob answered, and then reached for her hand. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go inside.¡±


    As Isabelle went back into the house in Jacob¡¯spany, she wasn¡¯t sure what kind of reaction to


    expect. After all, she had just been kicked out of the family¡­


    Lucy and Naomi were waiting in the living room, with Naomi already going through one of the bags


    Kevin had brought inside. Francis was nowhere to be seen, and Isabelle figured he must have


    disappeared into his study.


    ¡°Hello, Mrs Cruz,¡± Jacob greeted politely, letting go of Isabelle¡¯s hand and shaking hands with her


    mother.


    Isabelle held her breath at the exchange. Her fear was that her mother, or Naomi, would say something


    insulting to Jacob. Or throw them out together. After all, they didn¡¯t think highly of him¡­


    ¡°Oh my God!¡± Naomi squealed, attracting everybody¡¯s attention. She rushed to Lucy with a jewellery


    box in her hand, a tiered diamond ne lying on the velvet interior. ¡°Mum! This is the ne I


    wanted you to get me!¡±


    Isabelle¡¯s eyes widened as she gave another look at the bags Kevin had brought in. They were all from


    luxury brands¡­ Oh no.


    Recalling the brooch Jacob had worn to the wedding, she realised that they could all be fake. How else


    would he be able to afford such expensive gifts?


    ¡°Look at this scarf,¡± Lucy said, reaching into another bag and retrieving a flowery silk scarf. ¡°It¡¯s so


    beautiful!¡± Clutching it to her chest, she turned to look at Jacob. ¡°Thank you so much, Jacob. These


    gifts are amazing. You¡¯re such a good son-inw.¡±


    As her mother and sister cooed over the gifts, Isabelle rose to her toes and whispered in Jacob¡¯s ear,


    ¡°They are fake, right?¡±


    Before he could answer, Naomi hurried up to them with another jewellery box. ¡°How did you get this


    choker? It was a limited edition when it got out and I didn¡¯t manage to get one¡­you¡¯re literally the best,


    Jacob. Thank you!¡±


    Isabelle couldn¡¯t even focus on the irony of how Naomi was suddenly addressing Jacob after how she


    treated him at the wedding. Did she even remember offering him a job as a security guard? Or did she


    forget all of that the moment she saw the gifts? Her stomach was suddenly queasy as a feeling of


    dread took over. What would happen if they found out the jewellery were fake?


    Rising back to her toes, she tugged Jacob by his jacket to whisper to him again. ¡°If they find out, you


    can say it was my idea.¡±


    Jacob looked down at her, his eyebrowsing together. ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    She nodded. ¡°They are my family. I know how to deal with them.¡±


    What¡¯s the worst they could do to her, anyway? They had already kicked her out. They weren¡¯t going to


    pay for Hannah¡¯s medication. If they found out, she could say that she fooled them with fake luxury


    goods to save face for being married to a poor man. They would probably ridicule and insult her some


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    more, but it wasn¡¯t nothing they hadn¡¯t put her through already.


    It was quite hard for Jacob to contain his smile as Isabelle assured him of protection if her family found


    out that his gifts were counterfeit. In truth, they weren¡¯t. But the thought that she was willing to take the


    me if they were and he got busted¡­ It made him feel warm all over. Who knew his pretend wife


    would go so far to protect him even if they were just a nominal couple?


    His attention was drawn from Isabelle when Lucy Cruz approached him, a ttering smile on her lips.


    ¡°Thank you so much for your gifts, Jacob. They must have cost a fortune. You didn¡¯t have to.¡±


    ¡°Do you really like them?¡±


    She nodded. ¡°Yes. And, they are all from my favourite brands. It¡¯s almost like you know what I love.¡±


    Her gaze shifted to Isabelle. ¡°I¡¯m so happy to know that my daughter is in the hands of a capable


    husband.¡±


    Jacob refrained from scoffing out loud. While he had only seen Naomi pushing Isabelle through the


    door, before that, he had heard Lucy¡¯s voice asking Isabelle to leave. It was obvious that she didn¡¯t


    treat Isabelle with love. But now that he had shown up with expensive gifts, she was busy putting up an


    act in front of him.


    He couldn¡¯t stand by and let these people continue mistreating his wife like that.


    ¡°Why did you throw her out of the house, then?¡± he demanded.


    Lucy¡¯s eyes widened, as if she hadn¡¯t been expecting such a question. Crossing her arms across her


    chest, she stuttered, ¡°Wh¡­what are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°You threw my wife out just before I arrived,¡± he reminded her.


    Lucy shook her head. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t! Why would I do that to my own daughter?¡± She turned to Isabelle.


    ¡°Did you tell him that I threw you out?¡±


    ¡°I heard it myself,¡± Jacob told her.


    ¡°Look, there must be a misunderstanding. Isabelle was¡­she was¡­she had an argument with her


    sister¨C¡±


    ¡°I know what I heard, Mrs Cruz,¡± Jacob cut her off. ¡°And since it appears you don¡¯t treat my wife well, I


    have to take away my gifts.¡±


    Lucy¡¯s mouth fell open while Naomi eximed, ¡°What?¡±


    Jacob ignored them and beckoned to Kevin, who was standing near the entryway. ¡°Kevin, put


    everything back into the bags and take it away.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t do that!¡± Naomiined, her grip on the box she was holding tightening.


    ¡°Yes I can,¡± Jacob told her. ¡°I meant to appreciate my wife¡¯s family for bringing her up and giving me her


    hand in marriage, but it happens that you don¡¯t consider her a part of this family. There¡¯s nothing to


    thank you for.¡±


    Lucy was beside herself as Kevin gathered all the gifts and put them back into the bags. If she had


    known Jacob Garcia would show up, she never would have asked Isabelle to leave. She couldn¡¯t


    believe he was taking back all his gifts. To miss out on benefitting from a rich son-inw just because of


    something she had said!


    Beside her, Naomi seethed as she took off the diamond ne she had already worn around her


    neck. This had to be a nightmare. There was no doubt that Jacob Garcia was truly a wealthy man. Only


    an extremely wealthy man could afford the kind of gifts he had brought. And they weren¡¯t even fake!


    She almost shed tears as she realised the kind of life she had missed out on. If only she had married


    Jacob as intended¡­ She should have never trusted hearsay that he was poor and unreliable. Now,


    instead of her, it was her wretched adoptive sister who was beside him.

 Chapter 8 Eight

    Chapter 8 Eight


    Isabelle was taking in the spectacle unfolding before her when Jacob took her hand and led her


    towards the front door. Of all the ways she had expected Jacob¡¯s visit to go, that was definitely not one


    of them. She could still hear her mother and sister¡¯s grumbling as the door closed behind them.


    Jacob kept his hold on her hand all the way to the front of the house. When he let go, he came to a


    stop and regarded her. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me you wereing to your parents¡¯ house?¡±


    She looked towards the door, half-expecting her mother to appear with more ttering words for Jacob.


    While she did, she jogged her brain for an excuse to give Jacob. It wasn¡¯t as if she could tell him that


    she came to collect money that her parents had promised on ount that she married him¡­


    ¡°Isabelle?¡± Jacob¡¯s voice urged.


    Looking away from the door, she faced him and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that. When I left the house, I got


    a call from my father asking me toe by immediately. I didn¡¯t have time to tell you.¡±


    She remembered that when she left their house that morning, he had asked where she was heading to,


    and she had refused to tell him. Hopefully if he thought her trip to her family¡¯s home came up after she


    left, he wouldn¡¯t question her any more.


    ¡°You should have told me,¡± Jacob told her. ¡°It looks like with me around, they wouldn¡¯t have dared to


    treat you like that.¡±


    Isabelle met his gaze for a few seconds and then looked away. She wished she could read him. Exactly


    how much of the argument had he heard? If he heard the part about her taking Naomi¡¯s ce to marry


    him, everything would crumble. She couldn¡¯t afford that when her parents¡¯ were already bringing up


    excuses to not fulfil their part of the deal.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t all that serious,¡± she said. Rubbing her arms, she asked, ¡°How much did you hear, anyway?¡±


    Sheughed awkwardly. ¡°It¡¯s so embarrassing that you witnessed my family fight.¡±


    If she pretended that her major worry was saving face, he wouldn¡¯t suspect that she was hiding


    something, right?


    ¡°Just your mother asking you to leave and your sister pushing you out of the door,¡± he replied.


    She released the breath she was holding. Good. And it didn¡¯t sound like he was lying. If he had heard


    more, how could he remain so calm? Plus, when he went into the house, the only issue he brought up


    was how Naomi and Lucy treated her. If he heard anything about how they switched brides, he surely


    wouldn¡¯t have ignored that.


    ¡°They didn¡¯t hit you or anything, right?¡± he asked, cing his hands on her shoulders and taking a step


    back to inspect her. He looked her over, from head to her shoes, as if looking for any sign of physical


    harm. As if he was ready to storm back into the house and raise more hell if anyone did hit her.


    She shook her head, his gesture catching her by surprise. Was this all part of acting like a couple in


    public? ¡°No, they didn¡¯t.¡± When he released her, she asked, ¡°Why did you defend me? You didn¡¯t hear


    the entire argument. Maybe I was the one in the wrong.¡±


    ¡°You are my wife,¡± he replied. ¡°I must take your side. It doesn¡¯t matter to me who was right.¡±


    ¡°But we are just a pretend couple.¡±


    ¡°You are still my wife,¡± he said. ¡°Besides, we are in public. I said I would treat you like my wife when we


    are inpany, didn¡¯t I?¡±


    So that was how he would treat his real wife? She hadn''t expected a pretend husband to really step up


    to the role. And if this was how he would treat his real wife, that showed he was a much better man that


    the rumours had portrayed. To think that he was doing the same for her when they were just


    pretending¡­he must be a true gentleman.


    Also, remembering the way he had put Lucy and Naomi in their ce filled her with a feeling of


    happiness. All along, when the two bullied her, no one defended her. Her adoptive father was usually


    quickly silenced by her mother, in the same way she had done just that morning. It was a nice break to


    have someone stand up for her. Even better, to not only defend her, but also effectively silence her


    mother and sister. It was almost as if he truly cared for her.


    ¡°Why are you smiling?¡±


    Jacob¡¯s voice brought her back down to earth and she immediately wiped off the smile she hadn¡¯t even


    noticed had formed.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± she said quickly. ¡°Nothing.¡± It wasn¡¯t as if she could admit her rosy thoughts to him. Her eyes


    wandered to Kevin, who was standing to the side with the shopping bags. ¡°About the gifts¡­they are


    not genuine, right?¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Jacob followed her gaze and shoved his hands in his pants¡¯ pockets. ¡°They are, but I actually borrowed


    them.¡± He looked back at her. ¡°I know that¡¯s not very manly of me, but I didn¡¯t want your family to


    ridicule you if I brought cheap gifts.¡±


    Isabelle shook her head instantly. ¡°Oh no, you don¡¯t have to do that for me. Forget them, I don¡¯t really


    care what they think. If they have a problem with your status, that¡¯s on them. It¡¯s not an issue to me.¡±


    It warmed her heart even more that when he borrowed the gifts, it wasn¡¯t to save his own face, but to


    protect her from her family. He must have figured they would do something like that after the way


    Naomi behaved at the wedding. Heavens, if he kept taking care of her like this, she might just forget all


    this was just for show.


    On the other hand, Jacob couldn¡¯t believe what he was hearing. But he figured that after everything he


    had witnessed so far, he really should stop getting surprised at how kind Isabelle appeared to be. At


    this rate, he could stop waiting for what he thought was her true personality to appear. He had a feeling


    he was already witnessing the real deal.


    ¡°Just make sure you keep them safe because if any of them gets damaged, we will not be able to


    ¡°Of course,¡± he told her.


    It urred to him that if Isabelle was anything like he had been told, keeping the gifts safe for return


    would be thest thing on her mind.


    No, she would be more like her mother and sister, salivating over them and demanding to keep them


    so she could dress morously. She wouldn¡¯t spare a thought about how he would be able to afford to


    pay them back when he was apparently jobless.


    She would hate the fact that her husband was too poor that he had to borrow gifts to impress her


    family. And she definitely wouldn¡¯t assure him that she didn¡¯t care about his status.


    At this point, it seemed that nothing he had heard about her checked out. It was clear that if he wanted


    to know the kind of woman he was married to, he would have to forget what he had heard and start


    paying attention to her instead.

 Chapter 9 Nine

    Chapter 9 Nine


    After settling in her new home, Isabelle had one more thing to do: find a job. The sooner, the better.


    She was no longer getting any money from her parents, and Jacob¡¯s financial situation wasn¡¯t the best.


    So the sooner she got a job, the better it would be for all of them. Once she found a job, maybe she


    could look for a new apartment to rent. While the house they were living in wasn¡¯t exactly the worst, it


    was practical at best. Living with Jacob in the same room when they were only pretending to be a


    couple had its own share of challenges she wished to fix soon.


    With a good job, she could be able to afford to rent a good apartment where they could each have their


    own rooms. Also, once she found a job, she would have fewer things to worry about and finally focus


    on finding ways to raise funds for Ruth¡¯s medical bill.


    She had high hopes of finding a job quickly. Just the other day, she had received a call for an interview


    from Larson Group, a famous designpany that was renowned in the fashion industry. They


    reached out to her because she had won first ce in a designpetition and received many


    des.


    Isabelle was determined to ace the interview and get the job. Working for Larson Group would be a


    dreame true. As a jewellery designer, it was the most lucrative spot she could hope for in the


    industry. As long as she got a job with them, she would have a decent ie.


    Other than a good pay, she would also get a chance to work with some of the best talents in the


    industry. She would also have ess to the best resources that would help her advance her skills and


    build her experience quickly.


    If she was lucky, she would get to meet thepany¡¯s CEO. Larson Group¡¯s CEO was a legend in the


    industry, but, oddly, not much was known about him. But Isabelle didn¡¯t need to know anything about


    him to know he was someone worth meeting. Leading apany like Larson Group and achieving its


    level of sess and poprity was no mean feat. Meeting and learning from such an aplished


    figure would be an honour.


    She arrived at thepany at half-past eight, half an hour before the time scheduled for her interview.


    That was enough time to gather her wit and ensure she waspletely calm for the interview.


    Interviewing for such apany was surely no joke¨Cshe had to be on her A-game. There were


    definitely other talented designers eyeing the same spot, and she couldn¡¯t afford to make any mistake.


    After getting past security at the lobby of thepany building, she got into an elevator to take her to


    the floor where her interview would take ce.


    While she waited for the doors to close, she caught sight of a familiar figure in the lobby. She craned


    her neck, trying to get a clearer look, but he was obstructed by a group of people. She felt like she


    knew him¡­ The doors closed, and she shook her head. She was overthinking. How could she


    recognise anyone from their back?


    At exactly nine o¡¯clock, Isabelle and the other interviewees were led to the interviewing room. It was set


    up like an examination room, and she was directed to take a seat at a desk. She politely greeted the


    interviewers as she took her seat. It wasn¡¯t until after she was seated that she recognised one of the


    panel members.


    It was impossible to forget the girl. Her name was Ann, and they had been ssmates in college.


    Isabelle remembered her well because they had oncepeted for the same schrship. Isabelle won


    the schrship, and since then, Ann had a grudge against her.


    ¡°Hello, Isabelle. It¡¯s so nice to see you here,¡± Ann greeted as she approached with an examination


    paper in hand. Her bright voice caught Isabelle off-guard. Was this the same girl who had sneered at


    her all the way through college?


    ¡°Hi, it¡¯s nice to see you too, Ann,¡± she replied, smiling. Ann was probably only being nice because the


    other interviewers were around. She was d for that. Otherwise, it would have been too awkward.


    ¡°Here¡¯s your paper,¡± Ann said, giving her the paper. ¡°All the best.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Isabelle replied, getting ready to begin the exam.


    When Isabelle was done with the interview, HR told her that the results would be emailed to her. She


    left to go back home, hoping for a positive response. The exam paper, although she had noticed it was


    prepared for more experienced designers, hadn¡¯t been hard on her. She had confidently answered the


    questions and felt that she would pass.


    However, a little worry nudged at the back of her head because of Ann. Having someone who hated


    her on the panel deciding whether to give her a job or not didn¡¯t exactly bring on positive feelings. She


    knew very well that if Ann was influential enough and didn¡¯t want her in thepany, it wouldn¡¯t matter


    how well she did on the paper.


    After Isabelle left the interview room, the panel of interviewers went through her examination paper. It


    didn¡¯t take long for them to realise that she had done exceedingly well on all the questions.


    ¡°Wow, this is amazing,¡± one of the female interviewersmented after seeing her impressive


    answers. ¡°Ann, you gave her a paper meant for senior experienced designers, but she got everything


    right. Are you guys sure she is just a beginner?¡±


    Another interviewer nodded. ¡°She won the design championship for junior designers. She is brilliant for


    someone with so little experience. It will be great if we can bring her on board before anotherpany


    snatches her up. I¡¯m already excited to see the pieces she works on.¡±


    ¡°Guys, I think you are exaggerating,¡± Ann said from her spot on the panel table. ¡°She is good, but not


    any better than others we have interviewed.¡±


    The interviewer sitting next to her turned to face her. ¡°You are kidding, right?¡± he asked. ¡°She managed


    to finish a paper that was above her level on time, and with very good answers. I feel she even did


    better than many senior designers who have taken the same examination. She is definitely above the


    mark among her peers. Personally it¡¯s been a while since I came across such a brilliant interviewee.¡±


    ¡°Just because she scored well on the paper doesn¡¯t mean she is the right designer for ourpany,¡±


    Ann argued, hating how her co-workers were praising Isabelle. She hadn¡¯t expected Isabelle to


    no way she was going to let that woman work at Larson Group. Going to the same college with her had


    been unlucky enough.


    ¡°But she essentially passed the interview,¡± the female interviewer told her. ¡°This examination is


    designed to reveal a designer¡¯s strengths and weaknesses. Someone with poor skill or knowledge


    cannot possibly pass the paper, let alone so well. Also, don¡¯t forget we have managed to find some of


    our best designers in this manner.¡±


    ¡°If you had given her the right paper for her level,¡± thest panel member put in, ¡°she would have


    undoubtedly aced it too. Come on, you have to admit she is the kind of person we are looking for. Why


    N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    exactly do you think she is not a good fit for thepany?¡±

 Chapter 10 Ten

    Chapter 10 Ten


    ¡°Yeah, please do tell us,¡± the man sitting next to her encouraged.


    Ann crossed her arms across her chest and pursed her lips before saying, ¡°I just don¡¯t have a good


    feeling about her, that¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°That cannot be a good reason to not hire her,¡± someone pointed out. ¡°It sounds as if you have a


    personal grudge against her. You need to give a good reason  why you don¡¯t rmend her for the


    position.¡±


    ¡°I do not have a personal grudge against her,¡± Ann imed firmly. ¡°But yes, I know her from school. We


    were ssmates. That¡¯s why I know she might not be the kind of person we want in thispany.¡±


    ¡°What kind of student was she?¡±


    ¡°The kind that cheats on exams,¡± Ann said. ¡°Look, I didn¡¯t want to bring this up because I¡¯m not sure it¡¯s


    relevant now, but who knows? Maybe she hasn¡¯t changed at all. Back then, she copied a ssmate¡¯s


    design and won an award with it. The other student was disqualified. I have no idea how she managed


    to convince the professor that she was the original designer, but¡­¡± she trailed off, observing her nails.


    ¡°But what?¡± the other woman panellist asked.


    ¡°I think she slept with him. I mean, she had a reputation for stealing other girls¡¯ boyfriends.¡± Ann


    shrugged. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t put it past her to have seduced the professor to have him ept the design as


    originally hers.¡±


    ¡°Oh my God,¡± the other panellist said, covering her mouth in shock. ¡°That¡¯s horrible.¡±


    ¡°You mean she is a cheat?¡± the man asked. ¡°That¡¯s very disappointing. I had high hopes for her.¡±


    Ann rolled her eyes. ¡°She probably wouldn¡¯t have graduated with a certificate if she wasn¡¯t cheating


    and sleeping her way through college. Imagine working with someone like that.¡±


    ¡°Oh no. I¡¯m getting shivers just from the thought.¡±


    ¡°You should have told us all this from the beginning. Do you think she somehow knew what would be


    N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    on the exam today? I thought she was just impressive but knowing this now¡­who knows, maybe she


    has a connection with someone who leaked the paper to her.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, we cannot trust someone with such questionable morals. I feel bad for the other designers who


    her.¡±


    ¡°If we allow her into thepany, her ipetence will affect us. Or worse, she¡¯ll steal designs here


    too and cause conflicts among co-workers.¡±


    As her colleagues butchered Isabelle¡¯s personality, Ann could barely keep her smile to herself. Well,


    that was easy. She had known her usations would work. Nobody wanted to work with someone who


    stole others¡¯ ideas or slept around with bosses to curry favour.


    ¡°So, do we all agree to reject her?¡± she asked, just to make everything official.


    ¡°Definitely.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    It looked like her job here was done¡­


    ***


    By the time Isabelle got back home, her fears that her grudge with Ann woulde in the way of her


    really hated losing the schrship to Isabelle in college. Keeping her from getting a job at the most


    lucrativepany in the industry seemed like a good way to get back at her.


    She was unable to rx or even concentrate on looking for other jobs. The HR official she had talked


    to had told her that she would receivemunication about the oue of her interview within the


    day. That was good. It meant she would know whether she had the job soon and would no longer need


    to worry herself sick.


    About an hourter, her phone rang. Her heart hammered in her chest as she took a look at the caller


    ID. It was an unknown number, and she suspected it was from thepany.


    After taking a deep breath to calm herself down, she received the call. ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°Hi, this is Larson Group. Am I speaking to Isabelle Cruz?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m Isabelle.¡±


    ¡°Okay. I¡¯m sorry to inform you that you¡¯ve not been selected for the position. We wish you all the best.¡±


    Isabelle¡¯s heart crashed in her chest with disappointment. ¡°Thanks for letting me know.¡±


    After the other person hung up, she held the phone to her chest and closed her eyes. There went her


    opportunity to work for the Larson Group. But it was okay. There were many morepanies she


    could work at. They may not be as grand as Larson Group, but they were good and she could grow as


    a designer working for one of them.


    Composing herself, she went back to herptop to look for openings in the industry. She had to find a


    job soon.


    ***


    When Jacob came back home that evening, Isabelle was still at the table, on herptop. She was so


    engrossed in her work that she didn¡¯t pay much attention to him when he appeared.


    That gave him the perfect opportunity to study her. She was dressed in an elegant white pantsuit, the


    kind one would wear to work. He knew that she was looking for a job, so he figured she must have had


    an interview.


    The suit looked quite good on her¡­ It not only gave her a professional look but also emphasised her


    delicate appearance. And, it wasn¡¯t anything fancy, like the overpriced type one would find at luxury


    shops. It was simple and practical and at the same time well-designed. It looked like his wife had very


    good taste in clothes.


    But the suit wasn¡¯t the only thing that captured his attention. She looked especially captivating as she


    sat there, her rosy lips puckered slightly as she typed on herptop. Apparently, she looked adorable


    even while concentrating on whatever it was she was working on. He felt like he could stand there and


    watch her all night¡­


    Clearing his throat, he made his way to the couch and took a seat. He was tired from the day¡¯s


    activities and wanted to rest. But at the same time, a part of him wanted to just sit there and stare at


    her. If he did that, she would probably feel ufortable. Or ask questions he didn¡¯t have answers to.


    She was his pretend wife, yet there he was, looking at her like he wanted to hold her close and¡­


    He shut down that line of thought and shifted his gaze to the papers on the table around herptop. He


    wondered what kind ofpanies she was looking for a job at. With how diligent and focused she


    appeared, he was sure she would be a ster employee. That and her kind personality. Also, given how


    she had adjusted to the sudden change in her lifestyle seamlessly, she sounded like the kind of person


    who could be useful to apany during uncertain times.


    His eyes widened as he caught sight of something familiar under her resume. Reaching forward, he


    pulled it from underneath. His suspicion was right, it was a pamphlet of the Larson Group.


    If she had that pamphlet, that meant she had been at thepany¡­


    Looking at her, he asked, ¡°Isabelle, did you apply for a job in the Larson Group?¡±

 Chapter 11 Eleven

    Chapter 11 Eleven


    Isabelle looked up and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. She eyed the pamphlet in his


    hands and shrugged. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Then she looked away again and focused on herptop. But Jacob didn¡¯t miss her tone, and how her


    face fell at his question.


    ¡°And?¡± he urged.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t get the job.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± he mumbled, frowning. ¡°Can I take a look at your resume?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    He took the document and sat back on the sofa. The more he scrutinised the document, the deeper his


    frown grew. From what he was seeing, it didn¡¯t make sense that she wouldn¡¯t pass an interview at the


    Larson Group.


    ording to her resume, she was a top student at her college and even won a schrship after


    winning a design contest. That aside, she had recently won a design championship. Both were enough


    proof that she was a brilliant uing designer.


    ¡°Why were you rejected?¡± he asked after looking through her resume.


    ¡°Probably because I didn¡¯t pass the exam,¡± Isabelle replied. But even as she said that, she doubted it.


    She had gone over the paper and her answers in her mind about a hundred times, and she was sure


    she had gotten everything right.


    ¡°Is that what they told you?¡± Jacob asked.


    ¡°No, they called and just said I didn¡¯t make it.¡±


    ¡°That makes no sense,¡± he said, frowning down at her resume.


    Isabelle looked up at him. He sounded almost enraged about it.


    ¡°There must be a good reason to reject such a talented designer,¡± he added.


    Isabelle wondered how much he knew about the fashion and design industry. Or maybe he was making


    that assumption from what he saw in her resume. Either way, it felt nice that he thought she was good


    enough for the Larson Group.


    Maybe that¡¯s why she found herself telling him the truth of the matter. ¡°Actually, one of the interviewers,


    Ann, is a former college ssmate of mine. We weren¡¯t the best of friends.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°While in school, I beat her to a schrship. She has hated me since then. I think she might have a


    hand in me getting rejected.¡± She pursed her lips and shrugged again. ¡°But what¡¯s done is done. I can


    get a job elsewhere.¡±


    Jacob shook his head. ¡°No, that¡¯s not right. If you passed the interview, you should get the job.


    Personal grudges shouldn¡¯te in the way. That¡¯s very unprofessional.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but¡­there¡¯s nothing I can do about that.¡±


    To hell with that, Jacob thought. To think that he had such an unscrupulous HR employee in his


    was to bring her personal grudge into his business?


    As he boiled with rage inside, he made sure not to show it outwardly. After making a big deal of him


    and Isabelle staying out of each other¡¯s personal affairs, it wouldn¡¯t make sense to show how bothered


    he was. Besides, he couldn¡¯t do anything about it until the next day, so he decided to just go to sleep.


    Lying back on the sofa, he gotfortable and went to sleep.


    As Jacob fell asleep on the sofa, Isabelle couldn¡¯t help but frown. He had said they should stay out of


    each other¡¯s personal business. Why was he suddenly so interested in whatever happened with the


    Larson Group?


    Sighing, she let it be. It was kind of nice that he cared. Not that she wanted him to, she convinced


    herself. Either way, his words uplifted her as she continued sending her resume to otherpanies.


    She was casting her very wide, so she was hopeful about getting called for interviews soon.


    Fortunately, Ann wouldn¡¯t be elsewhere to ruin her chances¡­


    It was about an hourter that she finally shut herptop, having contacted all thepanies on her


    list. She was tired and wanted more than anything to fall into bed and fall asleep, but one look around


    the room changed her mind. It looked so cluttered. Cleaning it would surely make her feel better and


    have even better sleep, she decided, getting to her feet.


    As she stretched, her eyesnded on Jacob, who was sleeping peacefully on the sofa. A small sigh left


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    her lips as she took him in. He truly was a handsome man. The kind of handsome one would find in a


    movie star. And it wasn¡¯t just about his looks¡­there was something about him, how he carried himself,


    how he talked, how he looked at you¡­ Something that made him so eye-catching and enchanting and


    made you want to just sit and give him all your attention.


    Isabelle cleared her throat to bring herself back to the present. This was not the time to stand idly and


    appreciate her fake husband¡¯s good looks. In fact, there was no good time for that, at all. They were


    just a pretend couple. If she suddenly began entertaining such thoughts, lines might get blurry.


    She wondered whether she should wake him to help her clean the house. It looked like a lot of work,


    but then again, he had looked kind of tired when he came in earlier¡­


    His eyes shot open unexpectedly and caught hers. Her heart thundered at being caught watching him,


    and she was about to turn away when he asked, ¡°Need help?¡±


    She turned away either way, acting as if she hadn¡¯t just been standing there, taking in his looks. ¡°Sure,¡±


    she muttered, walking away to get cleaning supplies.


    While Isabelle worked in the living room, Jacob got busy in the kitchen. She couldn¡¯t help but keep


    gazing his way, noting how serious he was about the cleaning. He was also quite good, and the kitchen


    was beginning to take on a spotless look. He cleaned the dirty dishes and put them away, wiped down


    the counters...she even saw him cleaning the microwave.


    There was no way a man who was a useless idler, as the rumours had imed, could be so organised.


    Earlier on, while asking her about her interview at the Larson Group, he had also proved to care about


    morals. If he was as unprincipled as people imed, he wouldn¡¯t have been so bothered by Ann¡¯s


    behaviour.


    No matter how she looked at it, Jacob was different from the picture she had in her mind about the


    Garcias'' eldest son. She had worried how she would live with the kind of man she had heard about, but


    he was proving her fears pointless¡­


    But then again, hadn¡¯t he been proving to be different from what she had heard right from their wedding


    day? Other than that time he tried to use her of being a loose woman, she couldn¡¯t think of another


    time he had done anything to irk her. Now that she thought about it, it made sense why he had made


    such usations. If he had in any way heard anything about the eldest daughter of the Cruz family, it


    was safe to assume he must have heard about her sister¡¯s rampant flings. But it was okay as long as


    he didn¡¯t realise she was someone else¡­


    And if that was the case for him, what if what she had heard about him was all untrue, too? There was


    a chance¨C


    Her thoughts cut off as a sudden crash came from the kitchen area. Dropping what she was doing, she


    rushed to the kitchen to see what was going on.

 Chapter 12 Twelve

    Chapter 12 Twelve


    Isabelle walked into the kitchen to the sight of Jacob standing over an overturned recycling bin, with


    several shattered beer bottles at his feet. He had a broom in one hand and a dustpan in the other, still


    as he looked at the mess he had made.


    When Isabelle appeared, he looked from the mess to her and then back again. ¡°I¡­uh¡­¡± he began,


    then went to rub the back of his neck, but realised that was impossible with the dustpan in his hand. So


    he dropped his hand and shrugged.


    Isabelle was relieved that he didn¡¯t seem to have hurt himself. But she couldn¡¯t help but be amused at


    how he looked standing there looking at the mess he had made as if not sure how it had happened.


    He cleared his throat and looked at her. ¡°I was sweeping and then¡­I hit the bin.¡±


    Yeah, she had guessed as much. Stepping forward, she reached for his broom. ¡°Let me clean it up.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± he said, stepping back. ¡°Careful,¡± he added, looking down at the shattered ss. ¡°Don¡¯t step on


    them.¡±


    Isabelle stepped back from the fallen bin. ¡°Sure you don¡¯t need help?¡±


    ¡°I can handle this,¡± he told her, beginning to sweep the shattered pieces together. ¡°But I can¡¯t handle


    you getting hurt because of me.¡±


    Isabelle couldn¡¯t keep her smile to herself. Did he realise how sweet that sounded? ¡°Okay,¡± she finally


    gave in, seeing as he really did have a handle on things. Leaving him to his devices, she went back to


    continue tidying up the living room.


    It didn¡¯t take much longer for Jacob to clean up his mess andplete the rest of the cleanup. When


    he looked around the kitchen, he felt satisfied at the result of his efforts. He couldn¡¯t remember thest


    time he had done such intense housework, but it sure felt nice, almost therapeutic.


    Leaving the kitchen area, he ventured into the living room. He had caught glimpses of Isabelle moving


    around but hadn¡¯t managed to really see what she was up to. Now, looking at her final result, he


    couldn¡¯t help but stare in awe.


    It was the same old living room, the same furniture, but it lookedpletely different. She had moved


    the furniture, gotten rid of all the clutter, and seemed to have wiped down every visible surface.


    Isabelle turned to face him and indicated the room. ¡°What do you think?¡± she had a big smile that


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    suggested she was happy with her work.


    She had every reason to be, Jacob thought. ¡°It¡¯s nice,¡± he told her. Way more than nice. ¡°It looks very


    different and way better,¡± he added.


    ¡°Really?¡± she asked, her eyes shining with joy. ¡°You like it?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± he said, looking around again. There was something about how she had rearranged everything


    that reminded him of histe mother. His mother was very organised and at all times, everything in their


    home, down to the smallest details, always looked thoughtfully ced. And, in a way, it made the


    house more warm, lively. ¡°It reminds me of my mother,¡± he found himself admitting out loud. He didn¡¯t


    care whether that was too much information or not. ¡°She was really good at making a room look like the


    ¡°Your mother must have been a gentle woman,¡± Isabelle said, smiling softly.


    Jacob gazed at her with a small smile. ¡°She is your mother-inw, you know.¡±


    Isabelle looked away in embarrassment when Jacob pointed that out. It was true, it¡¯s just that¡­ With


    the fakeness of their marriage and all, she really hadn¡¯t thought of such things. It wasn¡¯t as if they had


    dated and gotten a chance to get to know each other¡¯s families.


    Jacob headed for the mini-fridge to look for a drink. After all the cleaning, he was feeling thirsty¨Clooked


    like he wasn¡¯t the only one, too. Where Isabelle was sitting at the dining table, she was eating an ice


    cream. To his disappointment, there was nothing in the fridge. While cleaning the refrigerator in the


    kitchen, he had noted it was empty too.


    Turning away, his eyesnded on the ice cream in Isabelle¡¯s hand. He didn¡¯t think twice as he took a


    step towards her, caught her hand in his, and then lifted the cool treat to his mouth. He took a bite and


    pulled away, enjoying the coolness that filled his mouth. He was aware of Isabelle¡¯s wide-eyed gaze at


    him, and he figured he must have astonished her. All he had been thinking about was quenching his


    thirst¨C


    His phone rang then, and he retrieved it from his pocket. It was a call from work, so he walked away


    from Isabelle to receive it.


    ¡°I have to go out,¡± he told her a minuteter when he got back. ¡°I¡¯m needed at work.¡±


    ¡°At this time?¡± she asked, frowning.


    ¡°It¡¯s only eight,¡± he told her. ¡°I¡¯ll be back before it¡¯s toote.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± she said, and watched as he put on his jacket and coat and left the house.


    Even after he was gone, Isabelle¡¯s heart still beat fast from what he had done with the ice cream. She


    never would have expected him to do something like that. It was way too intimate¡­hell, it was an


    indirect kiss. She wondered whether he had felt anything while doing it. Did he realise the intimacy of


    the action? No, he hadn¡¯t seemed to notice¡­


    She was probably the only one working herself up over nothing. But still, she couldn¡¯t stop thinking


    about how close his face had been to hers, how his hand had closed around hers, holding her gently¡­


    She shook her head as her face grew hot. She really needed to stop letting her thoughts run away with


    her.


    ***


    When Isabelle woke up the next morning, the first thing she did was check her email to see whether


    she had any correspondence from any of thepanies she had contacted. She was shocked when


    the first new mail in her inbox bore the Larson Group logo. At first, she thought it must be rted to


    their rejection, but the subject threw her off.


    An apology? She quickly opened the email and read it. She couldn¡¯t believe what she was seeing. The


    HR department at the Larson Group had sent her an email apologising for unfair evaluation. What¡¯s


    more, they gave her a new invitation for another interview.


    It was all too good, she almost feared it was a dream. But no, it wasn¡¯t, she confirmed after reading the


    email for the second, third, and fourth time. She also counterchecked the sender. It was indeed the


    same ount that had invited her to an interview before.


    She could barely contain her excitement as she hopped out of bed and headed for the bathroom.


    Jacob was still sleeping soundly on the sofa, and she was careful to not rouse him. After he had left for


    work at night, he hade back at around eleven o¡¯clock. She wondered what job he had, and wished


    his boss wouldn¡¯t call him out at night when he had already had a tiring work day¡­


    While she showered, she wondered what had happened to make Larson Group invite her back. Given


    that they had apologised for unfair evaluation, she supposed that meant Ann had indeed personally


    influenced her rejection and had been found out.


    Anyway, that was none of her concern anymore. She was determined to ace this second interview too


    and gain the job fairly. It looked like her dream to work at the best fashion and designpany in the


    industry was still very much alive.

 Chapter 13 Thirteen

    Chapter 13 Thirteen


    When Isabelle got to the Larson Group building, she headed up to the floor she had been on the


    previous day. However, when she emerged at the waiting room leading to the room she had been


    interviewed in, a well-dresseddy approached her.


    ¡°Are you Isabelle Cruz?¡± she asked politely.


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s me,¡± Isabelle replied.


    ¡°Wee to Larson Group, Ms Cruz. I¡¯m Linda, the vice president¡¯s assistant. Pleasee with me,


    the vice president is awaiting you.¡±


    Isabelle blinked. ¡°The vice president?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll show you the way.¡±


    Isabelle went with thedy, surprised at the turn of events. She had expected to be led to an interview


    room. Why did the vice president want to see her?


    As they went, she noticed that many people stared at her. Did they know her? The previous day,


    nobody had really paid her any attention. But then she thought of the apology email from thepany.


    Maybe the people here knew about what had happened with her interview?


    Linda came to a stop in front of a door and pushed it open. Stepping aside, she gestured for Isabelle to


    walk through. ¡°Pleasee in.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Isabelle told her as she walked past her. The room was a conference room, it appeared,


    with a long oval table surrounded by about twelve seats. There were already five people inside, one of


    whom she immediately recognised.


    Ann.


    Her gaze moved from her former ssmate to the others in the room. She remembered them from the


    day before¨Cthey were the other interviewers.


    But there was another who she had never seen before, a tall man dressed impably in a grey suit.


    He walked towards her and held his hand forward. ¡°Good morning, Ms Cruz. I¡¯m so grateful you could


    make it. I¡¯m Jason Del Mundo, the vice president of the Larson Group.¡±


    Isabelle epted his handshake, a little taken aback by his warm wee. Was this how courteous


    everyone around here was? ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Mr Del Mundo. I was happy to receive your


    email.¡±


    ¡°Please have a seat,¡± he invited, pulling out a chair for her.


    She took the seat, which happened to be directly opposite Ann¡¯s seating position. Jason took the seat


    at the head of the table while Linda hovered to his right, a tablet in hand.


    A single nce at Ann quelled any thoughts that Isabelle was entertaining of offering her a greeting.


    The woman had her arms folded across her chest and was ring at Isabelle openly.


    ¡°Ms Cruz, let me apologise once again in person about what happened with your interview. It came to


    my notice that your rejection was not ording to ourpany¡¯s guidelines toote, and that¡¯s why I


    called you here to iron out the matter.¡± He regarded Ann. ¡°Ann, here, is the one who was responsible


    for your rejection, so I¡¯ve called her to this meeting to exin herself and her actions.¡±


    Isabelle nodded. ¡°Does this mean that I did pass the interview?¡±


    Jadson turned back to her. ¡°Yes. In fact, you exceeded our expectations, and our panel¡¯s decision was


    to hire you right away. But Ms Ann brought to question your character, and eventually, they decided to


    reject you.¡±


    Isabelle frowned. ¡°My character?¡± What did that even mean?


    Jason nodded. ¡°Yes. Ann mentioned that you two were ssmates in college.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Isabelle agreed. Her eyes slid over to Ann. What kind of tales could she have contorted to


    make the entire panel unanimously reject her? ¡°What exactly is going on here?¡±


    ¡°Ann, would you mind telling us why you didn¡¯t think Isabelle was qualified for the job?¡±


    ¡°Like I told my colleagues yesterday,¡± Ann began, her hate-filled eyes fixed on Isabelle, ¡°this woman is


    of poor morals, and she might corrupt thispany if we epted her.¡±


    Isabelle scoffed. ¡°Poor morals? What are you talking about?¡±


    Ann turned her gaze to the vice president. ¡°Isabelle Cruz stole a ssmate¡¯s design while we were in


    college and went ahead to win a schrship with it. There wereints from the original owner of


    the design, but the professor was on Isabelle¡¯s side because she slept with him.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Isabelle sputtered, not believing her ears. Where on earth had shee up with such a lie?


    Stolen designs? Sleeping with professors?


    ¡°She was known around campus to sleep with a lot of men, including other girls¡¯ boyfriends, so it was


    no surprise that she slept with professors for favours in ss. This is why I rejected her, Mr Del Mundo.


    Surely, you agree that a person of such character cannot be allowed to work for the Larson Group.¡±


    ¡°I did not do any of that!¡± Isabelle snapped, ring across the table at her. ¡°When did I ever steal a


    design? Whose? And those other things you are using me of are unfounded and entirely false!¡±


    ¡°Do you think you can walk in here and pretend to be a goody two shoes and expect everyone to


    believe you? Unfortunately for you, I am here to reveal your true colours,¡± Ann spat. Turning to face


    Jason, she continued, ¡°Why would I create lies about her? I only brought up the past because as a HR


    employee of thispany, I was truly concerned about the kind of damage her kind of character could


    do to the work environment.¡±


    ¡°Can you prove any of your usations?¡± the vice president asked. ¡°When was Isabelle used of


    stealing a ssmate¡¯s design? And, can you provide details on her affairs with professors and her


    promiscuous nature?¡±


    Ann settled back in her chair and held her head high. ¡°Yes. The issue with the design happened during


    our second year in college. The best student was to get a schrship and apprenticeship with a


    renowned designer. Isabelle won the award, but the design she presented was reported as stolen by


    another student. But, because of her affair with the professor, she was not disqualified.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re lying!¡± Isabelle eximed. ¡°You and I both know that the design was mine.¡± She turned to


    Jason. ¡°It¡¯s true there was a conflict surrounding my design during thepetition, but not as she is


    putting it. Actually, it was the other student who stole my design, and after thorough investigation by the


    school, it was proven that I was the original owner of the idea. In fact, after that incident, I abandoned


    that idea altogether and presented a different design for thepetition. That¡¯s the one that won me


    the first ce. This is something that can be easily checked and confirmed with the college, if we must


    go that far.¡±


    Jason nodded and turned to Ann. ¡°What do you have to say about her side of the story?¡±


    ¡°She is obviously lying,¡± she imed. ¡°Probably everybody we were ssmates with can remember


    what really happened back then.¡±


    ¡°Since both of you are giving different ounts of the incident, my office will have to investigate further.


    As apany, we cannot simply reject Isabelle based on your words alone. We will need concrete


    proof before taking further action.¡±


    ¡°I would really appreciate that,¡± Isabelle told him, feeling relieved that thepany was no longer going


    to take Ann¡¯s words blindly. If they indeed took the step to investigate the issue regarding the design, it


    wouldn¡¯t take long to discover that she was not in the wrong.


    ¡°Rest assured I¡¯ll do everything to ensure a fair end to all this,¡± Jason assured her. Facing Ann again,


    he asked, ¡°Concerning your usations about Ms Cruz¡¯s promiscuous behaviour, do you have any


    proof we can counter-check?¡±


    Ann shifted on her seat, her face gradually darkening. ¡°Proof? How can I have proof for that?¡¯


    ¡°But you made the usation,¡± Jason pointed out. ¡°Surely, you must have proof regarding the matter?¡±


    ¡°Look, everybody at school knew about it,¡± she imed. ¡°It wasmon knowledge.¡±


    ¡°So you mean that it was hearsay.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡­people wouldn¡¯t have been talking about it if it wasn¡¯t true.¡±


    Jason¡¯s face darkened as his brows pulled together and he fixed a stern look at Ann. ¡°Ms Ann, you


    must understand that you cannot judge a person¡¯s character based on hearsay. It would be very


    improper if you made such usations against Ms Cruz based on what you heard from others. It¡¯s


    even more concerning that you used that to deny her a position that she deserved.¡±


    Ann opened her mouth as if to say something, but no words came out. Isabelle felt herself rxing. It


    was evident that the vice president was not biassed against her and was determined to find the truth of


    the matter. Ann would have toe up with fresh, better lies if she still hoped to lock her out of


    employment at the Larson Group.


    ¡°Also,¡± Jason said, still focusing on Ann, ¡°it¡¯s to my knowledge that you gave Ms Cruz the senior


    examination paper, instead of the one prepared for fresh junior applicants. By doing so, you went


    against thepany¡¯s rules. Exin why you did so.¡±

 Chapter 14 Fourteen

    Chapter 14 Fourteen


    When Ann was asked to see the vice president first thing in the morning, she never could have


    imagined it would be concerning Isabelle¡¯s interview and subsequent rejection. After having the panel


    reject her the previous day, she had slept like a baby, happy that she had finally executed her revenge.


    Keeping Isabelle out of thepany almost made up for that time in college when she lost the


    schrship to her. And, not only had she managed to cost her a job at the prestigious Larson Group,


    but also tarnished her reputation at the same time. She had been certain that once the word spread in


    the industry, Isabelle would have a hard time finding a job elsewhere.


    So, she hadn¡¯t foreseen what was currently happening¨Csitting opposite a righteous-looking Isabelle,


    under the strict scrutiny of the Larson Group¡¯s vice president.


    Why was Jason paying so much attention to Isabelle¡¯s case, anyway? The man rejected hundreds of


    applicants daily and forgot about it. If he was acting as he usually did, he wouldn¡¯t be questioning the


    panel¡¯s decision to reject Isabelle. Ann and her colleagues were entrusted with the duty of rejecting


    applicants or approving them, and nobody had ever questioned their process before. So, why was Mr


    Del Mundo suddenly interfering?


    ¡°Ann?¡± the vice president urged when she remained silent for too long. ¡°Is there a reason why you gave


    Ms Cruz the wrong examination paper?¡±


    ¡°It was a mistake,¡± she said, hoping to not make an issue of that. If the vice president knew that she


    had deliberately given a more advanced paper to Isabelle in an attempt to make her fail, she could


    even lose her job. ¡°I did not realise it until she was through.¡±


    Jason¡¯s firm gaze on her didn¡¯t relent. ¡°Really? Because ording to the records, you personally took


    the examination from the office. You specifically asked for a senior designer examination, even though


    yesterday, we weren¡¯t interviewing any senior designers.¡±


    She bit down on her bottom lip. He had checked that too? Did he know Isabelle personally or


    something? Bowing her head slightly, attempting to appear contrite, she said, ¡°I must have not been


    paying attention. I apologise.¡±


    ¡°My assistant seems to remember you clearly making a request for a single senior paper while you


    were collecting the other papers meant for the other junior applicants. Do you still want to im that it


    was a mistake?¡±


    Ann¡¯s gaze shifted to the assistant who was standing a little behind the vice president, tablet in hand.


    She knew it would be useless to argue against her. She had been working for Mr Del Mundo for many


    years and was known to be very efficient. The vice president would never take Ann¡¯s words over


    hers¡­


    Ann felt her insides squirm. She was smart enough to recognise that she had been backed into a


    corner. The vice president had already imed that he would contact the college about the usations


    that Isabelle stole a design. If he did, he would find out the truth. And, once he found out that she was


    lying, the rest of her lies would crumble¡­


    She wiped her suddenly sweaty palms on her pants. It was better toe clean right now, she


    decided. If she did, and apologised, she might still have a chance of keeping her job. But if she held


    onto her lies and the vice president¡¯s office wasted their time and resources on the investigation only to


    discover her deception, she would have no chance of saving her job.


    ¡°Sir, I¡­¡± she swallowed, cast a sidelong nce at Isabelle, then refocused on the vice president. ¡°I¡¯m


    sorry, it was intentional, and I lied about everything else too.¡±


    Jason straightened in his seat, his dark eyes digging into her. ¡°Why did you do that?¡±


    ¡°I did not want her to join thepany,¡± she admitted. ¡°I hate her, and I didn¡¯t want to work in the same


    ce as her. That¡¯s why I made up the rumours.¡±


    ¡°Let me get this clear, you are admitting that every usation you made about Ms Cruz¡¯s character


    was fabricated.¡±


    She dropped her head in shame. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Do you know how serious this is? Do you have any idea how manypany guidelines you have


    vited?¡±


    She lifted her head and sped her hands in front of her, giving him a pleading nce. ¡°I know, and I¡¯m


    terribly sorry, sir. I¡­ It was bad judgement on my part. I promise to not let my personal grudges affect


    my decision-making from now on. I truly regret my actions, sir.¡±


    ¡°Do you?¡± he demanded. ¡°Just a few minutes ago, you were sitting here, lying to my face even after


    giving you a chance toe clean. You must know that we do not condone this sort of unprofessional


    behaviour at the Larson Group.¡±


    ¡°I know, I know sir. And I promise that I will never repeat it again.¡±


    ¡°You do not need to worry about that. You are fired.¡±


    Ann¡¯s eyes widened at Mr Del Mundo¡¯s resolute words. Fired? He was firing her? Just like that? She


    shook her head. ¡°No, please sir, don¡¯t do this. This is my first vition, can¡¯t you suspend me instead?


    You can even suspend my sry for a month, but please, don¡¯t fire me.¡±


    ¡°You went too far, Ms Ann. You fabricated rumours that can impact Ms Cruz¡¯s entire career, and you


    abused your power as part of HR. We cannot keep you in thepany anymore.¡±


    ¡°No, please no. I need this job, I worked so hard to get into the Larson Group.¡± Suddenly, she turned to


    Isabelle, who was sitting still in her seat, observing the spectacle. ¡°Isabelle, I am so sorry. I apologise


    for making up lies about you and causing you unfair rejection. I swear I¡¯ll never do it again. Please


    forgive me and don¡¯t let them fire me.¡±


    Isabelle was, to say the least, shocked at the turn of events. She had never thought she¡¯d see the day


    Ann pleaded with her for anything, least of all forgiveness. Then again, she also hadn¡¯t thought she


    would admit her lies.


    ¡°Please leave,¡± Jason addressed Ann. ¡°My decision is final, and not even Ms Cruz¡¯s kindness can save


    you.¡±


    Ann¡¯s pleading eyes switched from her and back to the vice president. To everyone¡¯s shock, she fell to


    her knees and clutched onto Mr Del Mundo¡¯s leg. ¡°Please sir, don¡¯t do this.¡±


    Jason sighed as he looked down at her, then turned to address his assistant. ¡°Call in the security


    guards to take her away.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    While Ann continued to beg the vice president, Isabelle stood by and watched. The woman¡¯s lies had


    not only almost cost her a job she not only deserved but also needed, but also nearly ruined her


    reputation. Given how word spread quickly within the industry thanks to social media, there was a


    chance that she would have been rejected by others¨Cif at all she was invited for interviews¨Cbased on


    the lies Ann had made up.


    Knowing that, and remembering all the hate the woman had directed at her during their college days,


    she didn¡¯t feel even the least bit inclined to plead for her. Not only that, but knowing Ann¡¯s personality,


    she also felt that she wasn¡¯t being sincere with her apologies. If she was allowed to stay at her job, she


    would soon be cooking up new ways to have Isabelle fired. So no, she wasn¡¯t going to contest the vice


    president¡¯s decision in any way.


    A minuteter, a security guard appeared and pulled Ann from the vice president. She struggled at first,


    but the guard sessfully dragged her out of the room.


    When she was gone, Jason turned back to Isabelle. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry about all this, Ms Cruz. I want you to


    know that ourpany does not condone such practices by our employees and we aremitted to


    ensuring fair evaluation of all our applicants.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡­uh, thank you,¡± she said, still dazed from everything that had transpired. If she didn¡¯t know


    better, she would think she was dreaming. Or watching a TV drama. This day was going nothing like


    she had expected. ¡°I¡¯m so happy to hear that, Mr Del Mundo.¡±


    ¡°We are truly sorry about all this,¡± one of the other interviewers told her as he stood from his seat. ¡°We


    had no idea that she had fabricated everything she told us while we were evaluating your paper. We


    will be more diligent in the future.¡±


    One by one, the other interviewers stood up and apologised to her. Then they left, leaving Isabelle


    alone with Mr Del Mundo and his assistant.


    Isabelle felt gratitude brimming in her heart as she faced the man. ¡°Thank you very much, sir. If it were


    not for you, I would not have been able to clear my name.¡±


    He shook his head and smiled warmly. ¡°Don¡¯t mention it, it¡¯s my job to ensure something like this


    doesn¡¯t happen. I sincerely apologise for any trouble this might have caused you. Since you passed the


    interview and meet all our qualifications, we would like to invite you to undergo the remaining rounds of


    interviewing. While you exceeded our expectations in the first round, you have toplete the other


    interviews before we can hire you officially.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I understand,¡± she agreed, feeling like she had struck gold. ¡°I would be happy to attend the


    other interviews.¡±


    ¡°Linda will brief you ordingly,¡± he told her, indicating his assistant. ¡°I must excuse myself now.¡±


    After the vice president left and Linda filled her in on the remaining interviews, Isabelle couldn¡¯t help but


    wonder. Considering how Mr Del Mundo had handled her case, one would think she had a personal


    connection to him. But she had never met him before. Maybe he was just a really fair man who took his


    job seriously, she decided atst. Whatever the case, she was d to have him on her side.

 Chapter 15 Fifteen

    Chapter 15 Fifteen


    Kevin shot a curious nce at his boss in the backseat and quickly looked away. He had just brought


    the luxury car to a stop outside the house that his boss frequented nowadays. He couldn¡¯t, for the life of


    him, figure out what Jacob was up to.


    Especially as he removed his designer suit and pulled on a shabby jacket over his shirt.


    He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel, wondering whether to ask the questions in his mind or


    not. He didn¡¯t want to cross any boundaries, but this was beyond astonishing, he couldn¡¯t help the


    curiosity. Plus, he wasn¡¯t getting paid to stick his nose into the boss¡¯s personal business¡­


    In fact, sticking it where it wasn¡¯t wanted would be a sure way of losing his pay.


    After changing into the jacket, Jacob went ahead to remove his Italian leather dress shoes and


    reced them with work boots.


    Kevin¡¯s attention went back to the neighbourhood outside. Surely, the car looked out of ce in such a


    ce, and especially outside the shabby home his boss was using.


    ¡°Come get me at the same time tomorrow,¡± Jacob told him as he fixed his jacket. ¡°Not a moment


    earlier.¡±


    ¡°Yes boss,¡± Kevin agreed. That was another weird thing going on with his bosstely. He had instructed


    him to pick him upter than usual¡­it was as if he was purposely avoiding something. Kevin cleared


    his throat, curiosity finally winning over. ¡°Why do youe to this house nowadays?¡±


    Jacob¡¯s hooded gaze met his eyes in the rearview mirror. Kevin squirmed on his seat. ¡°I mean¡­it


    doesn¡¯t look like somewhere you would live.¡± He still remembered the interior from that one morning he


    had delivered breakfast only to find that Jacob had already eaten. Since that day, he had been trying to


    figure out exactly why his wealthy boss was living in such a house, but he was none the wiser.


    ¡°That is none of your business, Kevin,¡± Jacob told him. ¡°If you want to keep your job, I¡¯d advise you to


    stay out of my personal affairs.¡±


    Kevin swallowed and gave a quick nod. ¡°Of course, boss. I understand. I apologise.¡± At least all he got


    was a warning¡­


    Jacob left the car and headed into the house in his alternate set of clothing. He had thought deeply


    about how to convince his new wife that he wasn¡¯t well-off, and dressing the part was part of the n. It


    was hard to make someone believe you were short of money when you dressed in designer suits and


    shoes only found in luxury brand stores.


    Besides, he couldn¡¯t keep using the borrowing excuse forever. As far as Isabelle was concerned, he


    had hired expensive outfits on their wedding day and to her parents house to make a good impression.


    It would make no sense to wear like that on days when he was apparently out working blue cor jobs.


    When he walked into the house, Isabelle was lying on the sofa, reading a book. But that wasn¡¯t what


    really caught his eyes. Besides reading, she was also bathing her feet in a basin ced on the floor.


    And, she was wearing a pair of shorts that left her thighs and legs exposed. His eyes lingered on her


    soft creamy skin, went down her legs¡­


    Shaking his head, he drew his eyes from her naked limbs and walked forward. Reaching for a throw


    nket on the sofa, he unfolded it and ced it carefully on her naked thighs. She looked up at him,


    her eyes curious, but he ignored the question in them. He wasn¡¯t about to admit that her sitting there


    with her creamy thighs on disy would make it hard for him to focus on anything else.


    Clearing his throat, he took a seat next to her, leaving some space between them. ¡°How did the


    interview go?¡± he asked.


    Early that morning, he had woken up to the sight of her rushing around the house, getting dressed to


    leave for another interview at the Larson Group. She had told him excitedly about how she had


    received an apology from thepany and been invited for another interview. Of course, he had


    known about it all, and even now, he knew what happened after she went back to thepany. Still, he


    wanted to hear the details from her.


    Isabelle closed her book and ced it on the coffee table. Sighing, she leaned back on the sofa and


    gave him a soft smile. ¡°It was crazy, but everything went well in the end.¡±


    ¡°Yeah? Did they tell you why they had rejected you before?¡±


    ¡°I was right about Ann,¡± she told him. ¡°She made up lies about my reputation and convinced the other


    interviewers to reject my application. If the vice president didn¡¯t call me back, I never would have known


    what happened. I have no idea how he figured out Ann was lying, given that she had already convinced


    the others, but whatever happened, I¡¯m grateful.¡±


    ¡°What kind of lies did she tell?¡± Jacob asked, fully immersed in her story. He could hear in her voice


    that she was no longer worried, and he liked that. It was the opposite of the previous evening when she


    had been down with resignation after being rejected.


    Isabelle nibbled on her bottom lip and looked away. ¡°Oh, you know. Just lies that made it seem like I


    didn¡¯t deserve the job.¡±


    ¡°Like?¡±


    Isabelle gave Jacob an hesitant look. She hadn¡¯t expected that he would be so interested in what had


    happened at the Larson Group. He was looking at her expectantly, as if he couldn¡¯t wait to hear the


    details of everything that happened. ¡°Well, she used me of stealing another student¡¯s design while


    we were in college.¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    His brow creased. ¡°That¡¯s a serious usation.¡±


    She nodded. ¡°Yes, and it was more than enough to have me rejected. But it¡¯s a lie, you know. I never


    stole anyone¡¯s design. In fact, the opposite is true. Anyway, I made it clear to the vice president that if


    he checked with the college, he would find out the truth. Ann eventually admitted to lying, so there¡¯s no


    need for that now.¡±


    ¡°She must be still bitter about you beating her to the schrship,¡± hemented.


    ¡°Oh, she still is,¡± Isabelle agreed. ¡°This was her idea of revenge. In the end, she got fired, so it


    backfired on her.¡±


    ¡°They fired her?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Her usations were damaging and she brokepany rules. I was happy to know that the


    Jacob nodded. ¡°They did well. I would have fired her as well. When such employees are allowed to


    stain thepany with such unscrupulous actions, it doesn¡¯t bode well for business. The Larson Group


    would have been disadvantaged to lose a designer like you on ount of her unprofessionalism.¡±


    Isabelle¡¯s smile widened at Jacob¡¯s words. He not only agreed with Ann¡¯s fate, but also praised her


    skills. She felt that he was reliable¨Cjust like he had been the previous night when she had been feeling


    down due to the rejection.


    Now that she was no longer absorbed in the book she was reading, she took notice of his appearance.


    She took in his shabby work jacket and how weary he appeared, the same as he had the previous


    night. Since he was interested in her job and how her day had been, she figured it was safe to ask him


    about his.


    ¡°What job do you do?¡± she asked.


    Jacob hadn¡¯t expected Isabelle to ask about his job, but he knew he should have seen iting after


    showing so much interest in hers. But he wasn¡¯t worried¨Che already had an answer for her. ¡°I work as a


    part-time sanitation worker.¡±


    He knew it was the kind of job that most prideful wealthy people would look down on, and he couldn¡¯t


    help but anticipate Isabelle¡¯s response. Not only was he posing as a sanitation worker, but also as a


    part-time employee. He must sound like one hell of an unreliable partner to a wealthy heiress¡­


    ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind¡­ I wish I had a stable job, but that¡¯s all I have for now,¡± he told her.


    Isabelle shook her head instantly. ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. I don¡¯t have a problem with that.¡±


    His heart swelled at her warm words. Was there anything that could throw her off?


    ¡°We are just a couple on paper, anyway,¡± she added, ¡°so it shouldn¡¯t matter. Don¡¯t feel pressured to


    impress me.¡±


    Just as fast as his heart had swelled, it crashed. Huh. So that was it¨Cshe just didn¡¯t care. Why had he


    expected her to give a damn, anyway? They were just a nominal couple. Of course she didn¡¯t have a


    problem with him being a part-time sanitation worker. It was simply none of her business.


    Turning his face away from her, he rested back on the sofa and fell silent. Did this mean that nothing


    about him left an impression on her, just because they were a nominal couple? He clenched his teeth in


    displeasure. After all the interest he had shown in her personal life¡­


    Beside him, Isabelle didn¡¯t miss the sudden change in his demeanour. She struggled to figure out what


    she had said that could be offending, but she couldn¡¯t figure it out.


    She didn¡¯t mind his line of work or the fact that he was a part-time worker. And, she wished he wouldn¡¯t


    beat himself up about it. She wasn¡¯t going to be like her mother and sister who expected him to be a


    wealthy man, forcing him to borrow outfits and gifts.


    She had thought reassuring him to not pressure himself would be a good idea, but he didn¡¯t look


    relieved at all.


    He was so hard to read.

 Chapter 16 Sixteen

    Chapter 16 Sixteen


    Finally, Isabellepleted the third round of the interview at the Larson Group and was officially hired.


    After the debacle with Ann was out of the way, the rest of the process had been smooth, and she


    all three rounds and signed an employment contract with thepany.


    On the morning of her first day at work, she went by the flower shop to buy herself congrattory


    flowers. She was so excited to begin her career at thepany she had always wanted to work at, and


    getting herself a bunch of flowers seemed well in order. They were the perfect way to symbolise the


    new beginning in her career. And hopefully bring more luck her way, she hoped.


    She had just started looking around the shop when an attendant in a bright orange apron approached


    her. ¡°Wee to our shop, Miss. Is there anything in particr that you¡¯re looking for?¡±


    She wished she could spend more time admiring the beautiful flowers and thinking of what she wanted


    in her bunch, but she had a job to get to¨Cnot that she wasining. Plus, while she was good at


    designing jewellery, she couldn¡¯t say the same about her flower arrangement abilities.


    ¡°I want a bouquet to celebrate a new job,¡± she told the attendant, confident they would know what to to


    do with that information.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have that ready for you in a bit,¡± she said. ¡°Any special request?¡±


    ¡°Daffodils,¡± she said sping her hands beneath her chin excitedly.


    ¡°Got it,¡± the attendant replied.


    With the attendant gone, Isabelle walked around the shop, admiring the flowers and picturing a few in


    her new house. Maybe she coulde by in the evening and get some yellow daffodils for the vase at


    home. They¡¯d sure brighten up the house and make it even more lovely. Subconsciously, she


    wondered what kind of flowers Jacob liked.


    ¡°Isabelle Cruz?¡±


    Her eyes shot up at the voice calling her name. A tall man in a fitting charcoal grey suit stood a few


    paces away, regarding her with a surprised expression.


    As she looked at him, his face broke into a smile and he walked forward. ¡°It¡¯s really you!¡±


    ¡°Seth? Seth Holding!¡±


    The man chuckled happily as he came to her and they shook hands. Seth Holding was thest person


    she would have expected to run into that morning. She had never seen him ever since he graduated


    college while she was still a junior.


    ¡°You look good, Isabelle. It¡¯s so nice to see you again,¡± he said, taking a step back and regarding her


    with a happy look still on his face.


    ¡°You look good as well. It¡¯s good to see you again.¡±


    When they were in college, Seth was her senior, a year ahead of her. But other than being her senior,


    there was something more to their rtionship. He had pursued her and asked her to date him a few


    times, but Isabelle had refused his advances. He had been a good senior to her, but she had not been


    interested in him in a romantic way.


    ¡°So, what are you doing nowadays? I haven¡¯t really seen you since I graduated,¡± he told her.


    She couldn¡¯t hide her joy when she said, ¡°Actually, today is my first day at the Larson Group.¡±


    Seth¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°The Larson Group? Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s amazing. I work there.¡±


    It was her turn to appear surprised. ¡°You do?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve been with thepany for two years now, and I¡¯m the head of design team 1.¡±


    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s amazing!¡± She wasn¡¯t surprised that he had managed to rise to such a rank after only two


    years at thepany. He had been one of the most popr students at school thanks to his


    unmatched talent and leadership skills. He was the kind of senior everybody looked up to and admired.


    Now that she thought about it, she couldn¡¯t help but wonder whether Seth had been involved with what


    happened with her interview. Besides Ann, he was the only other person in thepany that she had a


    personal connection with. And, given how he had pursued her in college, maybe when he heard what


    Ann had said about her, he approached the vice president.


    Having been in the same school with her and Ann, the vice president must have trusted him and


    decided to investigate the matter further.


    The more she thought about it, the more it made sense. Seth not only had a high position in the


    As the two waited for Isabelle¡¯s flowers, Seth couldn¡¯t help but think about how much more beautiful


    she lookedpared to thest time he had seen her. He had almost not recognised her.


    Other than her looks, she seemed even more bright and charming than she had been back then. That


    was what had drawn him to her the first time, and now, he felt he wouldn¡¯t be able to resist her charm.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    All these years, he had never forgotten her, and to meet her like this and then find out that she was


    joining hispany? It felt like the gods were smiling on him that particr morning.


    He had fallen head over heels for her in college, and it had broken his heart when she rejected him.


    When he graduated and left the school, he hadn¡¯t thought he would ever see her again. Now their


    paths had crossed again, and he couldn¡¯t help getting his hopes high again.


    Since they would be working at the samepany, he would have plenty of chances to win her heart.


    Hopefully, this time round, she would give him a chance.


    Isabelle finally received her flowers and the two of them left together to walk to thepany building


    which was nearby. They each headed to their different departments, and Seth asked whether he could


    show her around at lunch, to which Isabelle agreed.


    Isabelle¡¯s first day was smooth, and she was introduced to her new department and space. Everybody


    was warm and weing, and she had a feeling she would enjoy working there.


    At lunchtime, Seth was waiting outside her department as promised. She was d to have someone


    she knew who was willing to show her around, but a little part of her was hesitant. Seth had pursued


    her in college. Was he doing this out of kindness, or was he hoping to endear himself to her? She


    pushed the thought to the back of her head. It was several years since what had happened in college.


    She doubted he still had that kind of interest in her. Besides, she had rejected him, so he knew where


    she stood on that matter.


    Seth led her to thepany canteen, where they got their lunch. He then brought her to a table that


    was already upied by several employees. He introduced her to them as his junior from college, and


    they all weed her enthusiastically. She noted that Seth was as easy-going with his colleagues and


    just as popr as he had been in school. It would be a surprise if he was still single, she thought. He


    must have lots of admirers.


    They were almost done with their lunch when Isabelle noticed Jason, the vice president, walking


    through the canteen down the aisle that passed by their table. He also happened to notice her and


    made his way over.

 Chapter 17 Seventeen

    Chapter 17 Seventeen


    Isabelle came to her feet when Jason got to their table, and so did Seth beside her.


    ¡°Good afternoon. Ms Cruz,¡± he greeted. ¡°How is your first day going?¡±


    ¡°Good afternoon, Mr Del Mundo,¡± she replied, smiling at him. ¡°Good so far.¡±


    ¡°Are you having any problems? Is anyone giving you a hard time?¡± he asked, a serious look on his


    face.


    His serious expression and firm words surprised Isabelle a little. Sure, he had been so helpful during


    the interview process so it shouldn¡¯t be a surprise, but he sounded very concerned. His manner implied


    that he was concerned in her not just because she was an employee, but almost as if he had a


    personal investment in her.


    Before she could assure him that she wasn¡¯t having any trouble at all, Seth spoke to him. ¡°You don¡¯t


    need to worry about that, Mr Del Mundo. If Ms Cruz runs into any problems, I¡¯ll help her through.¡±


    Jason turned to Seth and noticed how he hovered over Isabelle, as though protectively. He cleared his


    throat and looked between the two. ¡°Do you two know each other?¡±


    Seth nodded. ¡°Yes. We were friends in college.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± he muttered. He figured that was good, the fact that Isabelle had a senior employee who she was


    familiar with. It also helped that this time round, it was someone who had good intentions unlike Ann.


    ¡°Seth has been showing me around,¡± Isabelle informed him, looking up at Seth with a soft smile. ¡°I think


    with him around, I¡¯ll get used to thepany quickly.¡± She looked back at Jason. ¡°Thank you for your


    concern, sir.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± he replied. ¡°I¡¯m relieved that you¡¯re settling in well. I¡¯ve got to get going now. I¡¯ll see you


    two around.¡±


    As Jason left and walked away from the two, he couldn¡¯t help but take a single nce back. The way


    Seth hovered over her, the way he insisted on looking out for her, the way he looked at her¡­


    It was so clear that the man was besotted with her. Not only that, but he was already getting close to


    her. Jason couldn¡¯t help but wonder what the CEO would think of this situation.


    It was the CEO who had instructed Jason to take care of Isabelle and to help her through any problems


    she might encounter. Hell, he was the one who had personally brought up the issue about Ann¡¯s


    malpractice and ordered Jason to investigate thoroughly. There was no doubt in his mind that Mr


    Garcia was personally interested in Ms Cruz. Surely, he wouldn¡¯t be happy to hear about the close


    rtionship between the two.


    ***


    ¡°Is there anything else?¡± Jacob asked, his eyes fixed on the entrance of thepany building ahead.


    His car was parked at the corner of the street, and from there, he could see people who walked in and


    out of the building. He had juste from a meeting with Jason, who was sitting with him in the


    backseat of his car.


    Before Jason could answer, his eyesnded on a couple of peopleing out of the building. He


    recognised Isabelle right away, but what really caught his eyes was the man beside her. She was


    smiling brightly at him as they talked. After taking a few steps, they came to a stop and carried on their


    conversation.


    Who on earth was that? Why was he standing so close to her?


    ¡°That is Seth Holding,¡± Jason said from beside him.


    Finally, Jacob drew his gaze from the two. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°The man with Ms Cruz. His name is Seth Holding, and he¡¯s the head designer of team one.


    Apparently, they used to go to college together. I met them this morning and assured Ms Cruz toe


    to me in case of any trouble, but Seth said that he would look after her.¡±


    Look after her? Jacob fumed as his eyes went back to the two¨Cwho were still talking and smiling at


    each other! Who was he to look after her? An ex-boyfriend?


    ¡°I got the feeling that Seth is pursuing her,¡± Jason continued. ¡°Thought you¡¯d like to know that.¡±


    Jacob turned back to Jason and clenched his jaw. ¡°Why would I?¡±


    Jason looked uncertain for a second, but he proceeded, ¡°Well, since you asked me to look out for her, I


    thought that you were interested in her and¨C¡±


    ¡°My personal affairs are none of your business,¡± Jacob warned him, feeling himself get angrier by the


    second. ¡°Just do what you¡¯re told. Do not meddle.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir. I apologise.¡±


    Reaching for the door, Jacob opened it and stepped out of the car. His eyes immediately sought out


    Isabelle. He saw that she had separated with her coworker and was walking away from the building.


    Taking long determined strides, he went after her.


    After saying goodbye to Seth, Isabelle headed towards the alley next to the building to avoid the busy


    street and get to the bus stop faster. The day had been a sess, and she had a strong feeling that


    she was going to enjoy working at the Larson Group a lot.


    It helped to have Seth around¨C


    ¡°Honey?¡±


    She jumped and clutched her chest with her hand when out of nowhere someone patted her back and


    whispered the word to her ear. Before she could scream in terror or run away, she realised it was Jacob


    who had approached her from behind.


    Her initial scare was reced by embarrassment when she recalled the word he had just used to


    address her, and the way he had touched her. Looking around to make sure no one had witnessed


    that, she whispered, ¡°Why did you call me that? We are in public!¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t I call you honey?¡± he asked, an infuriating smirk taking up his lower face. ¡°You¡¯re my wife, aren¡¯t


    you?¡±


    Isabelle was too stunned to reply.


    ¡°Besides, you do remember that we are supposed to act like a real couple in public, right?¡± he


    reminded her. He reached out and took her bag, then took her hand in his before she could protest.


    ¡°I can carry that by myself,¡± she told him, trying to reach for her bag.


    ¡°What kind of husband would I be if I let my wife carry her bag?¡± His eyebrows drew together and he


    N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    leaned in, getting close to her face.


    Isabelle¡¯s breath caught in her throat at his sudden move. She wasn¡¯t even over the shock of him


    showing up out of nowhere, and now he was being unpredictable¡­


    ¡°Why are you looking at me like that? Am I ruining your ns with that man you were talking to?¡± He


    tilted his head. ¡°Maybe you were nning on going to the bar with him?¡±


    Isabelle blinked. What? What was he¡­


    Seth. He had seen her talking to Seth outside thepany building. But why was he suddenly making


    such usations?


    Angered, she snatched her hand out of his grip forcefully. ¡°What?¡±


    He leaned back, his face adopting a stern look. ¡°I saw you two looking allfy with each other. Who


    is he¡­your lover?¡±


    His condescending tone and the way he was looking at her made her anger boil over, and she didn¡¯t


    think twice before pulling her leg back and kicking him in the shin. ¡°He is not. And no, I don¡¯t have any


    ns to go anywhere with him!¡±


    What was with him and using her of being promiscuous? He had done it on their wedding night, and


    now he was doing it again! Was talking to another man such an improper thing in his eyes? Or did he


    think so lowly of her that he imagined she readily slept with any man she was close to?


    ¡°That man was Seth Holding,¡± she exined, fighting the urge to walk away and leave him to whatever


    thoughts he was having of her. ¡°He was my senior in college, and I found out today that he works at the


    Larson Group too. We used to be friends and he was kind enough to show me around and introduce


    me to my new coworkers. That¡¯s all there is to our rtionship.¡±


    His eyes narrowed at her. ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± she insisted. ¡°I also think he is the one who helped me with the interview. Since he knew me in


    college, he must have known about Ann¡¯s grudge against me. If it wasn¡¯t for him, I wouldn¡¯t have gotten


    this job.¡± She folded her arms across her chest and gave him a stubborn re. ¡°Next time, think twice


    before making baseless usations.¡±

 Chapter 18 Eighteen

    Chapter 18 Eighteen


    Jacob scoffed as Isabelle narrated how she thought Seth was the one who helped her with the


    interview. Had he gone through all this trouble to give her a fair shot at the job only for her to think it


    was another man who helped her? She must think really highly of the guy.


    ¡°Did he tell you that?¡± he asked, crossing his arms across his chest. At that point, they were just


    standing in the middle of the alley, immersed in their argument.


    ¡°No,¡± she replied, blowing away stray strands of hair from her face. ¡°But it makes sense. Nobody else


    at thepany knows me personally, so he¡¯s the only one who could have spoken for me against Ann.


    He¡¯s a head designer, so I think he¡¯s close to the vice president. Plus, hees from a powerful family.


    He probably has some influence around here.¡±


    The more she talked about the guy, the more Jacob¡¯s irritation grew. Did she say he was her senior?


    Did she have a crush on him or something? Just because he was not her lover didn¡¯t mean she wasn¡¯t


    interested in him. From the way she smiled and looked at him when they were talking at the front of the


    building, to how she was vehemently defending him now¡­


    ¡°Oh please,¡± he sneered. ¡°His family is not powerful enough to influence thepany¡¯s decisions.¡±


    He wasn¡¯t even sure what family the guy was from, and that was a clear sign that they were nowhere


    as powerful as the Garcias. Holding? No matter how hard he thought, he couldn¡¯t recall anyone


    impressive enough with thatst name to have a sway over the Larson Group.


    Isabelle frowned at him. ¡°How do you know that?¡±


    He blinked and looked down at her. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like you know his family or anything about the Larson Group. So how do you know that he


    doesn¡¯t have any influence on thepany¡¯s decisions?¡±


    Jacob pressed his lips into a thin line as he looked down at her. Damn, he should have thought twice


    before talking. But he had been so caught up in making her see that her precious prince charming


    wasn¡¯t the superhero she thought him to be.


    He cleared his throat. ¡°I have a friend who works at the Larson Group, and he talks a lot about the big


    bosses over there. If your little friend mattered, I would have heard his name at some point.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound like a very reliable source of information to me,¡± Isabelle muttered, then turned


    away and started walking.


    Jacob blew out a st of air through his mouth before starting after her. He was just going to have to


    give up this argument. It wasn¡¯t like he could tell her the true reason he knew it wasn¡¯t her college


    friend who helped her out.


    As he fell into step with her, he said, ¡°Anyway, you still need to keep your distance from other men. We


    agreed on that.¡±


    Isabelle came to a halt and turned to him. ¡°I already told you, we are just coworkers. I¡¯m not attracted to


    him if that¡¯s what you¡¯re thinking.¡± She closed her eyes briefly and when she looked at him again, it was


    with a look that suggested she was done fighting over it. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you keep reminding me that


    when I already told you that I won¡¯t be involved with anyone as long as I¡¯m your wife. If you can¡¯t trust


    me, there¡¯s nothing I can do about it. Seth and I just happened to leave work at the same time, it¡¯s not


    like we are nning on hanging out like you assumed.¡±


    As she gave her little speech, Jacob couldn¡¯t help but feel like a jerk. Maybe he had overreacted¡­ He


    shouldn¡¯t have taken what Jason had reported to heart. Besides, Isabelle was making it clear that she


    wasn¡¯t interested in the guy. It wouldn¡¯t make sense to punish her for whatever intentions Seth had.


    ¡°Okay,¡± he told her.


    She lifted an eyebrow. ¡°Okay? I don¡¯t want to have to go through this argument again. I know what I got


    myself into, Jacob. And I¡¯m well aware of my responsibility here. This would all be so much easier if we


    trusted each other.¡±


    Jacob swallowed, and then nodded, as he looked into her eyes, letting her soft words wash over him¡­


    A few minutes ago, she was fiery after he provoked her, but now, she was giving him the softest look


    ever, and her voice sounded like the most soothing sound he had ever had.


    Now, he felt stupid for not trusting her from the beginning.


    When his hand came up to her face, it wasn¡¯t something he thought twice about. It was just something


    he wanted to do at the moment. As the back of his fingers brushed her face gently, she instantly


    flushed and stepped away.


    Clearing her throat, she began walking again. ¡°How about we take the subway home?¡±


    Jacob was a little bothered that their moment was over, but it didn¡¯t matter. At least they were back on


    good terms. ¡°Sure,¡± he agreed. A few secondster, hemented, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have expected the


    eldest daughter of the Cruz family to be so frugal.¡±


    He never would have guessed she used the subway. In fact, he would have expected her to have a car


    of her own. And if not, it would have made more sense if she hailed a cab. He had never met a wealthy


    family¡¯s daughter who took the subway.


    ¡°Oh, you know,¡± she began, waving her hand flippantly. ¡°I was a bit extravagantst month, so I have to


    watch my spending this month.¡±


    Jacob wasn¡¯t sure whether to believe that. He recalled the argument she had with her mother and


    sister and wondered whether that had anything to do with her shortage of money. ¡°How are things with


    your family?¡± he asked, watching her face closely.


    ¡°All good,¡± she replied, slowing down at a light behind a group of people waiting to cross the road. The


    entrance to the subway station was on the other side of the road. Jacob noticed how she nced at the


    light and then at the traffic as if hoping they could keep moving soon. Clearly, she didn¡¯t want to stand


    around and talk about her family.


    On the day he had shown up at her home, she had acted as if the argument with her family hadn¡¯t been


    serious. But it was clear to him that she likely didn¡¯t get along with them. Maybe she was embarrassed


    to admit it to him. Wanting to set her at ease, he decided to let it be.


    Hoping to lighten the mood, he reached into his pocket and produced his wallet. ¡°Good news, I made


    some money at my part-time job today,¡± he told her, showing her the bills in the wallet.


    Isabelle looked down at the wallet and looked up at him. He wished he could know what she was


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    thinking at that moment. If she was having a cash problem, surely, this would make her feel better,


    right?


    ¡°Oh my God, are you guys taking the subway?¡± A familiar voice suddenly reached them. ¡°Isabelle, you


    must really be living a poor life if you can¡¯t even afford to take a taxi.¡±

 Chapter 19 Nineteen

    Chapter 19 Neen


    Jacob and Isabelle turned around at the sound of the voice. Their eyes fell on Naomi, standing near a


    ck BMW that was parked outside the nearby building. Beside her was a man Isabelle had never


    seen before.


    ¡°Hi, Naomi,¡± Isabelle greeted her tersely, ignoring her earlier words. She wasn¡¯t interested in having a


    fight with her sister in front of Jacob. Just a few minutes ago, she had told him that everything was fine


    with her family. If Naomi didn¡¯t back off, he might get the idea that she¡¯s hiding something.


    Instead of replying to her greeting, Naomi turned to the man beside her and hooked her arm through


    his. ¡°Babe, this is my sister, Isabelle.¡± Turning back to Isabelle, she said, ¡°This is Arnold, my boyfriend.¡±


    She didn¡¯t even bother introducing Jacob, but that was thest thing on Isabelle¡¯s mind. New


    boyfriend? What on earth happened to Raymond? Wasn¡¯t she supposedly pregnant with his child? As


    she looked from Arnold to Naomi, her sister gave her a pointed look, her lips stretched in a closed


    smile. Isabelle realised she must know what she was thinking¡­and was being smug about it.


    And that was the moment she realised that her sister had lied about being pregnant in order to avoid


    marrying Jacob. Now that the wedding was over, she was back to her active dating life without a care in


    the world. While she did so, Isabelle had to remain in her pretend marriage without even getting the


    one thing she was promised!


    ¡°So, you guys can ride with us in my boyfriend¡¯s car,¡± Naomi offered, tilting her head to the side. ¡°But


    first, Isabelle would have to wash my new car. Arnold just bought it for me. Isn¡¯t he wonderful?¡±


    Isabelle scoffed and decided to say nothing to that. To wash her car for a ride? Was this her idea of


    humiliating her? She turned to Jacob, ready to tell him that they should leave, but Naomi wasn¡¯t done.


    Pressing a hand to her chest, she gave Isabelle a pitiful look. ¡°I mean¡­it will help, right? At this point,


    you¡¯re basically a poor beggar who cannot afford to pay for a taxi. I¡¯m just trying to help you.¡±


    Isabelle clenched her jaw. She had known Naomi wouldn¡¯t have anything nice to say, but wasn¡¯t she


    being too much? A poor beggar? Right. She had no money to pay for a taxi because Naomi and her


    mother had conspired to kick her out of the family. Since she was no longer receiving any money from


    her parents, she had to use the savings she had sparingly to ensure theysted until payday.


    Where did she get the shame to call her a beggar and humiliate her like this? Now that Isabelle knew


    that she had lied about being pregnant, she considered revealing the entire truth.


    She was no longer receiving any help from them for Ruth¡¯s medical bill, and now, her adoptive sister


    was making fun of her like this. Why should she let them keep using her like this? She curled her


    fingers into a fist, her nails biting into her palm so hard that it was painful.


    She had nothing to lose¡­


    Jacob looked down at Isabelle when she said nothing to her sister. He frowned as he noticed the tears


    in her eyes. She looked angry, sad, and lost, and he couldn¡¯t bear to see her like that. He also wasn¡¯t


    going to stand by and let her sister insult her any further.


    Reaching forward, he wrapped his hand around Isabelle¡¯s upper arm gently and pulled her to his side.


    Fixing a hard re at Naomi, he warned, ¡°If you keep offending my wife, I¡¯ll p you.¡±


    Naomi¡¯s face flushed at the warning, and her mouth trembled. She couldn¡¯t believe he still had the guts


    to talk to her like that in this situation. Someone who didn¡¯t know them would think they were a true


    couple!


    Sneering, she let go of her boyfriend and crossed her arms across her chest, her eyes shing at him.


    ¡°Oh? Is that all you can do for your precious wife?¡± She scoffed loudly. ¡°You can¡¯t even afford to pay for


    a taxi for her. Weren¡¯t you showing off with expensive gifts just the other day?¡±


    Jacob narrowed his eyes in warning. ¡°I¡¯m not going to ask you again. Leave her alone.¡± His eyes slid


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    over to Arnold, who was doing nothing to rein in his rude girlfriend. ¡°If you don¡¯t rein in your girlfriend, I¡¯ll


    make sure yourpany copses.¡±


    Naomi snickered. ¡°What? Oh, please. Shouldn¡¯t you be begging him for a job instead? Are you in a


    position to make such a threat?¡±


    Jacob didn¡¯t take his intimidating re off the man, waiting for his response. If he knew what was best


    for him, he was going to take his little rude girlfriend and leave right away. Because if he didn¡¯t? Jacob


    was going to hunt hispany down and make sure he wasn¡¯t able to spoil his bratty girlfriend


    anymore. He would probably have to take back his car gift and sell it to stay afloat. Jacob was so ready


    to go down that route¡­


    Arnold reached for Naomi¡¯s arm and pulled her to his side. ¡°Let it go, babe.¡±


    Jacob knew from the man¡¯s reaction that he had realised he wasn¡¯t joking. Good. It was about time


    someone around here started taking him seriously.


    Naomi tried to pull her arm free. ¡°Are you seriously letting this good-for-nothing¡­¡± she trailed off, her


    eyes widening at something on the street. ¡°Oh my God.¡±


    The group turned to see what had caught her attention. A ck limited edition Maybach had just


    stopped by the curb in front of the BMW. As they watched, the driver, who was smartly dressed in a


    ck suit and tie, emerged from the driver¡¯s side.


    He walked up to Jacob. ¡°Good evening, sir. The car is ready, please get in.¡±


    Everybody¨CIsabelle, Naomi, and Arnold¨Cturned their attention to Jacob. Jacob cleared his throat and


    nodded, then gently grasped Isabelle¡¯s elbow. ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡±


    Isabelle looked from Jacob to the car and back to him. What was going on? The driver stepped back


    and held the back door open, waiting for them to get in.


    Them.


    Jacob smiled gently at her and dropped his arm around her waist and ushered her forward, ignoring the


    gawking pair beside them. He helped her into the backseat and the driver shut the door after them. A


    few secondster, the driver got into his seat and drove the car away.


    It took a while for Isabelle to get out of her daze. A few minutes ago, they were making their way to the


    subway. And then got waid by her sister, who called her a poor beggar who couldn¡¯t pay a taxi fee.


    And now, suddenly, she was sitting in the back of a Maybach, heading home.


    None of it made sense.


    She whirled on Jacob, who was sitting next to her in a rxed pose as if none of this was new to him.


    The driver hade straight to him, so no, this was not a mistake.


    Confusion swirled in her mind as she tried to understand what was going on. Alongside the confusion


    was the anger Naomi had ignited a few moments ago, and she felt like her mind was going to burst.

 Chapter 20 Twenty

    Chapter 20 Twenty


    ¡°What is going on?¡± Isabelle asked when Jacob didn¡¯t offer any exnation about the sudden change


    in their means of transport. ¡°Whose car is this?¡±


    Jacob shifted in his seat to look at her. ¡°Since it¡¯s your first day at work, I wanted to do something


    special for you. So I hired this car to pick you up.¡±


    Isabelle didn¡¯t know what to say at first. Of course, the only way he could pick her up with such an


    expensive car was if he rented one. But why would he go to such an extent? They weren¡¯t a real


    couple. Still, it warmed her heart that he wanted to do something special for her on her first day at


    work.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± she told him. ¡°It¡¯s a nice ride.¡±


    It was better than nice. It was the kind of car only the very wealthy drove¡ªand she knew that meant


    the renting fee had to be quite high. While it was nice that he thought to do this for her, she couldn¡¯t


    ignore the financial implication. She was out of cash and he was making money on a part-time job.


    They couldn¡¯t afford to splurge on unnecessary luxuries¨Cno matter how much she loved the idea of


    how shocked Naomi must have been when the car showed up.


    ¡°I¡¯m d you like it,¡± he told her.


    ¡°But you shouldn¡¯t spend so much money on something like this,¡± she said. ¡°Since we are cash-


    strapped at the moment.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Jacob agreed. ¡°I just wanted to do something to celebrate your new job.¡±


    It was interesting to listen to Isabelle being all practical about their finances. He had never had to think


    twice before spending his money¨Che always had enough to buy whatever he wanted.


    Her reaction to his story about hiring the car told him one thing¨Cthis was probably not her first time


    running out of cash. It was as if she was used to it, and knew how to use money sparingly until her next


    payday. It wasn¡¯t a skill he would have expected a wealthy heiress to have. And once again, he couldn¡¯t


    help but think that maybe her money issues were tied to the fight with her family.


    ***


    The next morning, Isabelle took the bus to work. Thepany was far away from where they lived,


    and by the time she got to thepany, she felt exhausted. It was theplete opposite of the


    previous evening on the way home.


    Riding the Maybach had been pleasant andfortable, and she had feltpletely rxed by the


    time they got home. She thought back to the experience fondly and wished she could enjoy such a


    rxing ride after a long day at work. But she could only wish¨Cneither she nor Jacob had the money to


    travel like that daily.


    The bus ride wouldn¡¯t be so tiring if their house was near thepany, but that was something else


    she couldn¡¯t do anything about at the moment. Moving closer to the city would cost a lot of money, and


    she couldn¡¯t afford that at the moment. So she would have to make do with the bus and the subway for


    now.


    When she got to thepany, she found out that the department director, Mr Grayson, wanted to meet


    her. Mr Grayson supervised all the designers in her department and made important decisions


    concerning projects.


    When she walked into his office, he stood up from his desk and came around to shake her hand. ¡°Good


    morning, Ms Cruz. Wee to the Larson Group. How are you liking it so far?¡±


    Isabelle gave him her hand in greeting and a smile. ¡°Thank you, sir. I¡¯m settling in well, thanks.¡±


    She expected him to let go of her hand soon after, but he didn¡¯t. Instead, he gripped her hand tightly in


    his and ran his eyes over her, from head to toe. There was nothing casual or professional about his


    probing gaze¨Che was checking her out tantly. ¡°That¡¯s good to hear,¡± he said, ¡°I¡¯m happy to have you


    in my department. I hope we will work well together.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir,¡± she agreed, and tried to free her hand. It wasn¡¯t even half a minute since meeting him and


    yet he was already making her skin crawl. When his eyes lifted back to her face, the look in them made


    her want to throw up. They were leery¨Cand she knew right away she would do well to avoid contact


    with him. If she could¨Che was the department head after all.


    ***


    Another long bus ride in the evening after work left Isabelle wishing for a shower and to head straight to


    bed. That desire multiplied when she thought of how the next day, she would have to go through the


    same routine. She could do with all the rest she could get.


    Jacob was already in the house when she got back, sitting on the couch. Taking off her shoes, she


    walked over and took a seat next to him and fell back onto the sofa. Then she closed her eyes,


    nning to rest for a while before taking a shower.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Jacob¡¯s voice interrupted the silence.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± she replied. ¡°Just tired.¡±


    ¡°Work?¡±


    ¡°Themute,¡± she said. Work had been okay¨Cif she ignored the early morning interaction with Mr


    Grayson. ¡°It¡¯s a long ride.¡±


    ¡°Oh. In that case, we can rent a house near the citypany,¡± he offered.


    Jacob hadn¡¯t nned on making such an offer, but then again, he hadn¡¯t expected her to look so weary


    after work. He could only imagine how tired she was, making the longmute to and from work. He


    had helped her get the job¡­he could as well do this too.


    It wasn¡¯t part of the n¨Cthe only reason he had found the house they were currently living in was to


    put her off. If they were to move closer to thepany, it would be somewhere around the city centre,


    and the houses there were modern and expensive. Of course, if he was to find such a house for her


    and still wish to keep his true identity concealed, he would have to find a good excuse.


    Isabelle opened her eyes and turned her head to look at him. ¡°The rent in the city centre is very high.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    We can¡¯t afford it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s only your second day at work and look how weary you already are,¡± he said. ¡°If you¡¯re tired like this


    every day, it might affect your performance at work. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll look hard for a house with a


    reasonable rent that¡¯s closer to thepany.¡±


    ¡°Even if you can find one, I don¡¯t think I will be able to pay for it with my current situation,¡± Isabelle


    pointed out.


    ¡°I¡¯ll look for a way around that too,¡± he assured her. ¡°I know a lot of people who can help me find a good


    house and make an arrangement for rent.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re quite resourceful, aren¡¯t you?¡± Isabelle asked, smiling at him. ¡°If you could really find an


    affordable house near thepany, I¡¯ll be really grateful.¡±


    As Isabelle settled back on the sofa, she felt a bit relieved. Jacob sounded like he was serious about


    looking for another house. But even better, he sounded confident about finding one. Just the idea that


    she wouldn¡¯t have to put up with the longmute for much longer was enough to make her feel a bit


    less tired.

 Chapter 21 Twenty One

    Chapter 21 Twenty One


    On the evening of Isabelle¡¯s third day at the Larson Group, Seth appeared at her desk when it was time


    to go home. Isabelle hadn¡¯t seen much of him the past two days, besides when they had lunch


    together. Part of it was because she was avoiding him actively¨Ceven though Jacob had epted her


    exnation about their rtionship, she didn¡¯t want to risk another misunderstanding. The other reason


    was because they weren¡¯t in the same departments and were both busy at work.


    When he appeared, she was gathering her things, ready to leave. Most of her co-workers had already


    left.


    ¡°I came by to see if you want to get off work together,¡± Seth said when he got to her desk.


    The request was innocent enough, she supposed, but she couldn¡¯t help thinking about thest time


    they had left the building together.


    When she hesitated, he added, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen much of you thesest couple of days, I was hoping to


    catch up. You can tell me about how you¡¯re getting along with work.¡±


    She appreciated his concern, she really did. But besides what happened thest time he apanied


    her, there was something else that made her think twice before epting his offer. That first day they


    met at the flower shop, she had assumed he had long lost romantic interest in her after leaving college.


    But each time they had interacted in these three days, she couldn¡¯t ignore how he looked at her, talked


    to her, and sought to spend time with her. She would be fooling herself if she pretended that his


    attention on her was only because they were friends.


    Seth Holding was pursuing her again, and she didn¡¯t want to do anything to raise his hopes. But how


    could she tell him that no, she didn¡¯t want to get off work together? He had been so kind to introduce


    her the first day. Maybe she could apany him for today, but after that¨C


    Her phone rang at that moment, and she excused herself to take a look at it. She found that it was


    Jacob calling, and she stepped away to receive it. ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°Hello, Isabelle. Are you off work yet?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m about to leave,¡± she replied. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Come on, I¡¯m waiting for you outside. I found a house near thepany, I¡¯ll take you to see it.¡±


    Her eyes widened. ¡°Really?¡±


    She hadn¡¯t expected him to find a house so soon. Finding a vacant ce in the centre of the city was


    hard enough¨Cfinding a cheap one had to be way harder. He really must know a lot of resourceful


    people to be able to find one so quickly, she decided.


    ¡°Yes, it was quite cheap.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll be down in a minute,¡± she told him excitedly. She hung up and turned back to Seth. ¡°Sorry, I


    have to rush. I¡¯m meeting someone.¡±


    Seth could barely hide his disappointment as Isabelle gathered her bag and got ready to leave.


    Whatever that call was about, it had made her really happy¨Cit had also robbed him of the chance to


    catch up with her. He had been unable to spend as much time with her as he liked the past two days,


    and he had been thrilled to find her at her desk. The previous day, he hade looking for her, but he


    had a meeting that rante and by the time he got there, she was already gone. Looked like he was out


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    of luck once again.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll see you tomorrow,¡± he replied, hiding his dejection. Right, tomorrow. He would do his best to


    catch her alone the next day.


    Isabelle all but skipped out of the office, and it made him wonder who on earth she was so happy to


    see. Shoving his hands into his pockets, he walked over to the window and looked outside. From there,


    he could see the front of the building clearly.


    A couple of minutester, Isabelle emerged from the building and walked towards a tall man who was


    waiting outside. Seth watched as the two got closer, then the man took her bag and led her away. He


    felt disappointment crash his heart. Was he toote to win her heart?


    ***


    When Isabelle met Jacob at the front of the building, she felt relieved that she hadn¡¯t epted Seth¡¯s


    invitation right away. If they had walked out together only to find Jacob outside the building, there was


    no telling what could have happened.


    After meeting her outside the building, Jacob led her to a small apartment not far from thepany.


    The building looked quite nice, such that Isabelle began having doubts even before setting foot into the


    apartment. By just looking at the state of the building, plus its strategic location, she knew the rent


    would be very high.


    But she didn¡¯t say anything until Jacob brought her to the apartment. She was tentative as she walked


    through the door, but as she walked into the living room, she couldn¡¯t help but gape in awe. The room


    was nicely furnished and decorated, and it looked more spacious than she had anticipated.


    A quick tour around revealed there were two bedrooms, a bathroom, and a kitchen. It was way much


    better than their current old house. Living here was not only close to her workce, but also suitable


    for them since they would each have their own room.


    That thought didn¡¯tst long in her mind, though, as the real problem resurfaced. A two-bedroom


    apartment in the city centre had to be super expensive. The smile that had been building on her face


    fell as she turned to Jacob. ¡°How much rent are they asking?¡±


    ¡°Thendlord wanted to rent the house out as soon as possible, so I was able to get it for three


    hundred dors.¡±


    Isabelle looked at him as if he had grown a second head. Three hundred dors for a two bedroom


    apartment near the city centre? No, that couldn¡¯t be right. Not even a studio apartment could cost that.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± she asked, looking around the apartment. ¡°Three hundred bucks? Just that?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Jacob replied. ¡°I know it¡¯s quite low, right? We are lucky.¡±


    Isabelle sighed and paced around, taking another look at the furnishings, the walls, the fixtures.


    Everything was in good condition and clean. She would never believe the apartment went for three


    hundred dors until she heard from thendlord. ¡°Can I talk to thendlord?¡± she asked Jacob.


    Jacob motioned to the realtor who had been around since he brought Isabelle to see the house. ¡°Can


    you please call thendlord? My wife wants to confirm the rent amount.¡±


    The realtor nodded and then reached for his phone. ¡°I¡¯ll make the call right away.¡±


    Once the man disappeared outside, Isabelle approached Jacob and in a low voice said, ¡°I think


    someone died in this house.¡±


    Jacob looked down at her, feeling amused at the suspicious look on her face. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t make sense that they would only ask for three hundred bucks,¡± she said. ¡°That¡¯s way too


    cheap. Did you ask around? I feel maybe they were unable to find a tenant because someone died


    here, so they lowered the rent ridiculously. We should talk to the neighbours before signing the lease.¡±


    When Jacob had made ns to rent the apartment and convince Isabelle that it was cheap, he hadn¡¯t


    expected she would be so suspicious. But he had prepared well in advance. Not only had he brought


    along one of his subordinates to act as a realtor, but he had also prepared the perfect reason as to why


    such a nice apartment was so cheap. Fortunately, it didn¡¯t involve any dead tenants.


    But it sure was entertaining to see Isabelle get worked up as she tried to make sense of the low rent. If


    he let her get her way, he didn¡¯t doubt that she would really go knocking on the neighbour¡¯s door to ask


    whether someone had died in that house.


    Her nervousness was showing on her face as she blinked rapidly and sweat appeared on her nose.


    She really must be quite superstitious, he thought. Without thinking, he reached up to wipe away the


    sweat on her nose.


    Her eyes flew to his face instantly, but then the rtor¡¯s voice interrupted them.

 Chapter 22 Twenty Two

    Chapter 22 Twenty Two


    ¡°Thendlord is on the line,¡± the realtor said, holding his phone toward Isabelle. ¡°You can talk to him.¡±


    When Isabelle took the phone and turned away, the man gave Jacob a wink¨Ca sign that everything was


    going smoothly.


    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m looking at an apartment here and I understand that the rent is only three hundred bucks?¡±


    Isabelle said into the phone.


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± the man on the phone replied. ¡°I know it sounds shocking, but I¡¯m about to move abroad


    and wanted to get tenants before I leave. I figured I would get a tenant quickly if I lowered the rent.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Isabelle muttered. That kind of made sense, she decided. If thendlord was moving abroad, it


    made sense that he would lower the rent to quickly attract a tenant. She still thought the rent was too


    low, but as long as thendlord had confirmed it, she was willing to let it be.


    ¡°Feel assured and take the house,¡± thendlord continued. ¡°I was very happy to get a call that


    someone wanted the house. Please don¡¯t worry about the condition of the house. Thest tenant


    moved abruptly without giving me notice, so I didn¡¯t have enough time to look for a new tenant. That¡¯s


    why I have to lease it out at such a low rate to attract new tenants quickly. I wanted to make sure that


    all the houses have a lease before I moved.¡±


    Isabelle nodded. ¡°Okay, thank you for rifying.¡±


    As Isabelle handed the phone back to the realtor, she wasn¡¯t sure whether she should believe the


    right?


    ¡°What did he say?¡± Jacob asked her.


    ¡°He is moving abroad and wanted to rent out the house quickly, so he lowered the rent to attract a


    tenant. Thest tenant didn¡¯t give him a notice before moving, so he didn¡¯t have a lot of time to look for


    new tenants.¡±


    ¡°So, what do you think?¡± Jacob asked, giving her an amused smile.


    She walked up to him and in a low voice said, ¡°I still think it¡¯s haunted.¡±


    He arched his brow. ¡°Should we look for another one?¡±


    Isabelle shook her head quickly. ¡°Even for a haunted house, the rent is too low. We are lucky to find it,


    we¡¯ll never find another ce as good as this one for such a low rent.¡±


    Jacob chuckled, not having expected she still wanted to stick with the house despite her fears. He was


    relieved too, because he was running out of tricks to convince her that he was actually paying three


    hundred dors for the house. It wasn¡¯t like he could use the same excuses twice.


    ¡°Besides,¡± Isabelle said, walking towards the window of the living room and looking towards the


    outside. ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of ghosts. Are you?¡±


    Jacob walked towards her and gazed outside the window too. It had a nice view of the city skyline


    outside¨Cit was truly a good ce. ¡°You¡¯re the one who started the entire thing about dead tenants.¡±


    Sheughed and shook her head. ¡°Sharing a three hundred buck two-bedroom apartment in the city


    centre with a ghost or two doesn¡¯t sound too bad.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the spirit,¡± Jacob praised,ughing along with her. He was happy that her misgivings were


    gone. Now, they had a new, better house, and she wouldn¡¯t be so tired going to and from work every


    day. Not only that, but he had to admit, it was going to be a very nice change from their small old


    house. And if he could move them into a new house while still making her believe he wasn¡¯t spending


    thousands of dors, it was all good.


    ¡°It helps that the view is so good,¡± Isabelle said. ¡°I¡¯m going to love it here.¡± She looked up at him, a soft


    smile on her face. ¡°Thanks for this, Jacob. I never would have managed to find such a ce for that


    amount even if I looked for years.¡±


    He nodded, her radiant expression making him feel warm inside. He could see her gratitude on her


    face and also hear it in her voice. ¡°In my line of work, I get to know a lot of people in different fields. All


    it took was a few calls and I found this offer.¡±


    She nodded. ¡°You have good friends.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d you love it,¡± he told her. As he focused on her face, he couldn¡¯t help but notice the sweat that


    was still covering her forehead and nose. He curled his fingers into his palm, curbing the urge to reach


    up and wipe the moisture away. He didn¡¯t want to freak her out¡­ but damn, was he high on something,


    or was her nose really too cute?


    Isabelle looked away from Jacob and back to the view outside the window. It was the only thing she


    could do to escape his scrutiny¨Cbut even now, she could feel his eyes on her face. Was he staring, or


    was she overthinking?


    She hadn¡¯t checked the view outside the bedrooms¨Cmaybe this was a good time to go check it. It


    would give her an excuse to get away from him for the moment. She turned back to him to excuse


    herself, but went still when she saw that he was bending towards her.


    Her lips parted as her heart began beating wildly. Why was he suddenly getting closer to her? And his


    eyes were focused on her face¡­ She wanted to move back, create some distance between them, but


    her legs didn¡¯t want toply. She remained rooted to the spot as he got closer, her eyes stuck on his


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    face.


    He was truly handsome, she thought. Very handsome. It shocked her that even after being around him


    all these days, his good looks still caught her off-guard. He had it all¨Cthe looks, the height, the frame,


    and those dark eyes that seemed so relentless as they stared back at her¡­


    Her face med red when she realised she was staring into his eyes unabashedly. Her embarrassment


    finally worked to make her step away, but she didn¡¯t get far as Jacob reached forward quickly and


    wrapped a hand around her waist.


    His action caught her off-guard and struck her speechless. What did he think he was doing? She


    turned her head to look around the room¨Cthe realtor was nowhere to be seen. Turning back to him, she


    finally found her voice. ¡°What are you doing?¡± she asked in a harsh whisper.


    Yes, she should be angry, she chanted in her head. She was going to ignore the fast racing of her heart


    and the tingles running up and down her entire body at their close contact. She couldn¡¯t show that the


    effect he had on her had nothing to do with rage. Or that mere seconds ago, she had been mindlessly


    appreciating his good looks.


    She waited for him to say something, anything, but he didn¡¯t. He didn¡¯t let go of her either. And the


    longer he kept her in his arms, the more she became aware of his muscr body pressing up against


    hers. Of how his hand held onto her waist, his fingers grasping her side¡­ And of how his intense gaze


    remained on her face.


    She couldn¡¯t for the life of her begin imagining what was going on in his head at that moment. But it


    wasn¡¯t the time to try and read his mind. Maybe some other time, when her brain could actually form


    coherent thoughts¡­


    She swallowed and tried to get out of his hold. ¡°Let me go,¡± she told him.

 Chapter 23 Twenty Three

    Chapter 23 Twenty Three


    When he didn¡¯t seem to pay attention to her plea, Isabelle grasped his arm and pushed it away. She


    was clearly only going to get out of this by having to¨C


    ¡°Just a sec,¡± Jacob said, his voice gentle. She went still as he reached up and touched her forehead,


    then wiped his palm over her skin. ¡°You¡¯ve got a bit of sweat here.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± she mumbled, her face going hot. Was that it? He just wanted to wipe her forehead? He should


    have said earlier. And here she was, getting wild ideas¡­


    Jacob could barely keep his lips from splitting into a wide grin. So maybe he enjoyed seeing her


    frazzled by his proximity a little too much. And he was also guilty of enjoying having her trapped in his


    arm a lot. But he couldn¡¯t help it¨Cshe was just too adorable.


    He half-expected her to keep pushing against him after he said he was wiping her sweat, but she


    didn¡¯t. Instead, she stilled and let him go ahead, her struggle gone. What had she thought he was going


    to do?


    ¡°Are you done?¡± she asked after a few seconds, giving him a quick look and then ncing away. Her


    look wasn¡¯t hostile or suspicious in any way¨Cshe looked totally okay with him wiping off her sweat. It


    made him wonder whether she was always this trusting.


    ¡°Almost,¡± he said, moving his attention to her nose. When he brushed his finger on her nose, her eyes


    shot back to him again, and this time, she extricated herself from his hold and stepped away. It looked


    like that was where she drew the line.


    ¡°I¡¯m good, thanks,¡± she said, passing her hand over her nose. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to do that.¡± Walking


    away, she asked, ¡°So, when can we move in?¡±


    ***


    When the weekend came along, Isabelle went to see Ruth in the hospital. It had been a while since she


    had seen her and she couldn¡¯t wait to spend some time with her.


    Isabelle was always happy to see her, but now, seeing her lying in bed with IV lines hooked to her arm,


    she only felt heaviness in her heart. The frustration that she still couldn¡¯t pay the medical bill bothered


    her on a daily basis. But now, sitting beside her bed, it hit her even harder.


    Ruth was trying to be cheerful, but Isabelle could see that the disease was taking its toll on her. And if


    she didn¡¯t start her dialysis sessions soon, she would get worse.


    The most she could do now was ensure Ruth was getting the best care while awaiting dialysis. The


    hospital she currently was in wasn¡¯t exactly the best, and she feared that she wasn¡¯t getting optimum


    care. From what she had observed, the hospital was understaffed. It would help if Ruth was in a ce


    where she could receive more personalised care.


    ¡°I want to move you to a better hospital,¡± she told her, ¡°I want you to be in the best hands until you can


    start your treatment.¡±


    Ruth shook her head and waved a hand in dismissal. ¡°You worry too much, Isabelle. I¡¯m totally fine


    here. They have kept me alive until now, haven¡¯t they?¡± she asked lightly, smiling weakly.


    ¡°You¡¯re not going anywhere,¡± Isabelle muttered, reaching forward and taking her hand between hers.


    ¡°And I¡¯ve seen what the food they serve here looks like. If they put that much effort in everything else, it


    worries me alot.¡±


    Ruth chuckled. ¡°Hospital food is not meant to look or even taste good. Trust me, it¡¯s not all that bad.


    Besides, I can afford to stay here.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about money,¡± Isabelle told her. ¡°If there¡¯s something you don¡¯t like about here,


    you should tell me. I have a new job now, I can cover whatever extra amount you¡¯ll need to pay.¡±


    Ruth shook her head instantly. ¡°No, dear. I¡¯m okay. Do not think of using your first sry to move me to


    a posh hospital, I won¡¯t take it. I¡¯m really doing alright here.¡±


    ¡°But¨C¡±


    ¡°Shh,¡± Ruth silenced her. ¡°Let''s talk about your new job instead. The Larson Group, huh? You always


    wanted to work there.¡±


    Isabelle smiled, giving in to Ruth¡¯s insistence to stop talking about hospitals. ¡°Yes, I did.¡± Ruth was one


    of the few people who ever got to hear of her dreams to be a designer and thepanies she


    wanted to work for.


    First, it was because as her caregiver at the orphanage, she was the closest person to her. Second,


    even after the Cruzes adopted her, it became quickly clear that her new mother and sister were not as


    interested in her personal life. At the end of the day, it was Ruth who listened to her dreams and hopes.


    ¡°Is it any good?¡± Ruth asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s amazing,¡± Isabelle replied, getting excited. ¡°I¡¯ve just been there for a week, and I¡¯m already loving it


    so much.¡±


    ¡°I always knew you would achieve your dreams,¡± Ruth said with a smile. ¡°Remember when you would


    make bracelets for the other kids back then? They would even fight over whose turn it was to receive


    one from you.¡± She paused andughed weakly. ¡°You have a gift, Isabelle. I hope it will keep opening


    the right doors for you.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    Isabelle nodded, squeezing her hand lightly. Every time she spent time with Ruth, the woman always


    said things that reached deep into her heart and remained there. Whenever Isabelle was going through


    a hard time, she was the first person she thought of, because she knew no matter how tough things


    seemed, Ruth would make it all seem better.


    Now, it was her turn to make things better for her, and she wasn¡¯t going to give up, no matter what


    obstacle she came across. And when she found enough money, it would be easier to convince Ruth to


    ept her help.


    ***


    When Isabelle left the hospital, she found herself on the bus leading to her adoptive parents¡¯ home.


    She hadn¡¯t nned on going back there after what happened thest time, but she felt that she didn¡¯t


    have many options.


    She was ready to beg and do whatever it took to have them change their minds and honour their


    promise. With Ruth¡¯s situation, she couldn¡¯t afford to focus on their betrayal and hate towards her. She


    was ready to sacrifice everyst ounce of pride she had to get whatever funds she could.


    It waste afternoon when she got to the house. One of the servants came to the door and let her in.


    After the warm wee, however, she learned from the servant that the entire family had gone on


    vacation abroad.


    ¡°When will they be back?¡± she asked, ignoring the negative feeling rising in her throat. How could they


    be on vacation when not long ago they had imed to be cash-strapped?


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that,¡± the servant replied.


    Well, wasn¡¯t that convenient, Isabelle thought. Were they even truly overseas? Isabelle knew that Lucy


    was capable of asking the servants to lie about their whereabouts in case she appeared.


    But at the end, she didn¡¯t have a choice but to leave. She took the bus back to the city, feeling down.


    Now that she was sure her parents¡¯ help was not an option, it was time to seriously look elsewhere.


    She considered taking a loan from a bank, but she knew that would be hard given she had just started


    her new job and wasn¡¯t a permanent employee. If she wanted to borrow money, she would have to look


    for one of those informal lenders. She shivered at the idea of what would happen if she was unable to


    pay them back. No, there had to be a better way.


    She sighed and leaned back in her seat, getting ready to rx the rest of the way to the city. That was


    when her eyes fell on the sticker stered to the side of the bus.


    It was an advertisement from a pharmaceuticalpany looking for volunteers for a drug trial. The


    sticker stated that one could earn up to two thousand dors and would getpensation in case the


    drug affected their health negatively. Isabelle sat up quickly and took out her phone. Going online, she


    searched for directions to thepany.


    An hourter, Isabelle was at the pharmaceuticalpany, signing a registration form. They told her


    that she could take the drug the next week, and she felt like luck was finally smiling upon her.


    It seemed that Ruth wouldn¡¯t have to wait much longer.


    ***


    When Jacob came back home that evening, he was drawn to the sounds of Isabelle cooking in their


    new kitchen. He smiled and headed towards the kitchen, meaning to ask her if it was to her taste.


    Isabelle was waltzing behind the counter at the stoves, humming happily as she cooked. His smile


    grew even wider at the sight. Even had the kitchen not been to her taste, she was definitely happy


    enough.


    She turned around with a pot held between her hands just then and ced it on the counter. Her eyes


    lifted to him and she smiled in recognition. ¡°Good evening.¡±


    Jacob¡¯s n was to answer her greeting right away, but the moment she had turned towards him, his


    brain had short-circuited. Were aprons supposed to be that sexy? The apron she wore entuated her


    figure, outlining her bust and slender waist before ring at her hips.


    He cleared his throat and brought his eyes back to her face. He tried hard to arrange his expression to


    not give away the instant attraction he was having to her. ¡°Good evening to you too,¡± he replied, and


    then cleared his throat again.


    And Isabelle, being the absolute adorable angel that she was, leaned towards him, her brow crowding.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, uh, yes,¡± he replied, taking a quick step back. A much needed step away from her nice


    fragrance that seeked to draw him to her.


    Isabelle gestured to her face. ¡°It¡¯s just that you look a little¨C¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m okay,¡± he interrupted her and gestured towards the door. ¡°I¡¯ll go wash up and join you for dinner.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay,¡± she replied, still looking at him with a little concern.


    Jacob walked away, cursing up a storm in his head.


    Great, how was he going to y husband and wife to a woman he was attracted to when he couldn¡¯t


    even hide the attraction?


    When did his grand n to divorce her as quickly as possible get so far off the track?


    ***


    When Jacob reappeared to have dinner, he was moreposed. Isabelle was setting thest of the


    cutlery on the dining table, and he made a point to not stare at her as he took his seat.


    ¡°Sorry, let me get that,¡± Isabelle said, suddenly turning to him. He looked to see what she was talking


    about and noticed a paper lying on the dinner table.


    He picked it up, meaning to pass it along, but the writing at the top caught his attention. A drug trial?


    His eyes quickly perused the paper and he realised that Isabelle had filled in her information.


    His fingers tightened around the paper as he looked up at her. ¡°What is this?¡±


    Isabelle twisted her hands together, berating herself for leaving the registration form in the open.


    Jacob shook the paper as he continued looking at her. ¡°A drug trial? Why would you do that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s safe!¡± she told him. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have applied for it if it wasn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°How do you know that?¡± he questioned, his brow creasing into a frown. ¡°Do you think these greedy


    pharmaceuticalpanies would be honest about the side effects?¡± He tossed the form back to the


    table. ¡°Do not do it. It¡¯s a big risk.¡±

 Chapter 24 Twenty Four

    Chapter 24 Twenty Four


    Isabelle picked up the form and ran her fingers around the edges nervously. ¡°Even if there are side


    effects, they said that they willpensate me.¡±


    Jacob gave her a look that suggested he thought that was ridiculous. ¡°And you believed them?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s in the registration form.¡±


    His brow furrowed. ¡°Let¡¯s say they are not lying, what if the drug has serious side effects on your


    health? Are you okay with that just because they¡¯llpensate you? What if you suffer permanent


    effects?¡±


    ¡°Many people have done this before,¡± she said, trying to calm him down. She couldn¡¯t understand why


    he was so angry about it. ¡°You¡¯re overthinking, I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    ¡°Overthinking?¡± he scoffed. ¡°Don¡¯t you care about your health at all?¡±


    ¡°I need the money, okay?¡± she told him finally, dropping her gaze to the floor. ¡°I need money urgently


    and this was the best option I could find.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± he asked, his voice full of disbelief. ¡°You¡¯re putting yourself in danger because of money?¡±


    Isabelle clenched her teeth together, feeling her frustration from earlier arise. What else was she


    supposed to do? It was not like she had a lot of optionsid out to her on how to get money. Many


    people earned money by taking part in drug trials. Why was he making it sound like she was being


    needlessly reckless?


    Jacob got to his feet, and she had to take a step back as he suddenly crowded her. ¡°If you need money


    N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    that badly, why didn¡¯t you ask me? I¡¯m your husband!¡±


    Her husband? He always pulled that card at the most ridiculous instances, didn¡¯t he? They were just a


    couple on paper and had agreed to stay clear of each other¡¯s personal issues. How then could he


    expect her to go running to him with her problems? As far as their arrangement went, it was none of his


    business.


    She blinked as tears welled her eyes. If her situation wasn¡¯t so dire, it would have beenical. On


    one hand, she was stuck in an arranged marriage that didn¡¯t benefit her in any way. On the other, she


    had parents who abandoned her after said marriage urred.


    ¡°We are just a nominal couple, remember?¡± she asked him in a small voice. ¡°You also made it clear that


    we shouldn¡¯t interfere in each other¡¯s personal affairs.¡± Gathering bits of courage, she looked up and


    met his eyes. ¡°So you have no right to me me for not telling you about my problems.¡±


    As Jacob looked into Isabelle¡¯s eyes, he felt his anger abate. First because of the tears in her eyes,


    and second because she was right. He was the one who had insisted that they keep their personal


    business private. And since he was her fake husband, it made sense that she couldn¡¯t juste to him


    with her problems.


    Even knowing that, he still felt bothered. He wished she had never gone to such an extent to look for


    money, and he wished he hadn¡¯t made that stupid rule about not interfering in each other¡¯s lives.


    Because as long as things were that way, it would be hard to take care of her when she needed it.


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± he said eventually, calmly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Taking a deep breath, he raked his fingers through


    his hair. He needed to think. And they both needed to calm down. ¡°I need to step outside for a while. I¡¯ll


    have dinnerter, you can start without me.¡±


    She only nodded, and he stepped past her and went into the living room. After grabbing a coat, he


    pulled it on and left the apartment. There was a garden at the front of the building, and he went there to


    pass the time.


    Alone, he admitted to himself that he had crossed the line. Only a real husband should get mad at his


    wife doing something like that¨Cnot a pretend one. Maybe he should have asked more about what she


    was going through instead of going all angry from the get-go.


    And that¨Chim getting angry¨Cwas a sign of something he wasn¡¯t sure he wanted to deal with yet. He


    could no longer hide the fact that he cared for her. And he couldn¡¯t even tell when he had be so


    involved with her.


    The idea of her getting hurt because of some botched drug trial pissed him off. And not just that, but he


    also found himself wanting to fix whatever needed fixing in her life. He wanted to know about her day at


    work, wanted to spend time with her when he got home from work, and his attraction to her was


    growing.


    It was as if suddenly, this wasn¡¯t just an unwanted arrangement to him.


    He exhaled deeply and buried his face in his hands. He needed to get a hold of his emotions. But he


    couldn¡¯t think about that right now. He needed to figure a way to get her to abandon the stupid trial.


    ***


    With Jacob gone, Isabelle sat down to have dinner. She no longer had any appetite, but she ate


    anyway.


    Most of it was angry-eating. Now that he was no longer in her presence intimidating her with his anger


    and making her feel stupid and reckless, her anger got an opportunity to grow.


    She was sick and tired of people telling her what to do. Neither her parents nor Jacob cared about her


    feelings. The former thought it was okay to trick her into a marriage with a stranger, while thetter


    thought it was okay to tell her what to do as if she owed him anything.


    By the time she finished eating, he wasn¡¯t back, and she was more than fine with that. It would be just


    fine if she didn¡¯t see his face again until the next day. She gathered the utensils she had used and


    carried them to the sink, meaning to wash them before she went to bed.


    At that moment, she heard the front door open, and then a few secondster, footsteps heading


    towards the kitchen. She looked up as he walked in, and she couldn¡¯t help the retort that rolled off her


    tongue. ¡°Why are you back?¡± She had assumed he wouldn¡¯t be back any time soon after telling her to


    have dinner without him.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want you to be alone,¡± he replied, and if he caught the sting in her retort, he didn¡¯t show it.


    She frowned at his answer, but didn¡¯t pay him more attention as she got ready to start washing the


    dishes. What did he care whether she was alone or not? She was perfectly okay being alone.


    She was about to turn on the tap when he suddenly appeared beside her and reached up to touch her


    face. She recoiled instantly and stepped back, giving him a shocked look. She could no longer keep up


    with this man and whatever was going on in his head.


    Jacob sighed. ¡°Just stop with the drug trial, okay? You have a job now, you¡¯ll earn the money you need


    soon.¡±


    Isabelle pressed her lips into a thin line and crossed her arms across her chest. ¡°And if I don¡¯t? It¡¯s


    none of your business.¡±


    As Isabelle faced him and stubbornly refused to take his advice, Jacob felt his irritation rise again. It


    looked like he had been wrong to assume that the time spent apart had helped her calm down. Or think


    twice.


    But he was determined to make sure that she didn¡¯t do something that she could regret in the future.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t do what I say,¡± he said, taking a step towards her. Her eyes widened at his advance, but


    she didn¡¯t step back. He was impressed at her resolve to hold her ground. But he had a feeling that


    wouldn¡¯tst long. ¡°I¡¯ll have sex with you,¡± he finished.


    Her mouth fell open, and then she sped her hand over her lips. ¡°What?¡± she asked, her eyes


    shooting daggers at him.


    ¡°You¡¯re my wife after all,¡± he said, taking another step closer. This time, she stepped away. ¡°And if we


    have to behave like a true couple for you to listen to me, we might as well get started.¡± Then he moved


    his hand to the top of his shirt and undid the top-most button.


    Her eyes lowered to his shirt, and then lifted to his face. ¡°You¡¯re¡­you¡¯re crazy,¡± she choked.


    ¡°Am I?¡± he popped the second button, his upper chest now showing.


    ¡°Stop!¡± she ordered, holding a palm out. ¡°We¡­that¡¯s not what we agreed.¡± Her eyes went back to his


    hand on his shirt, as if her gaze alone could freeze his actions. This man was truly crazy. Who even


    came up with such an idea? Did he think he could swing from acting like a pretend couple to a true one


    whenever he felt like it? At this rate, he was going to drive her insane.


    He took another step and she stepped back, only to feel her back press up against a surface. Just


    great, she had backed herself into the counter. And the only escape route was going past him.


    ¡°After we have sex,¡± he said, releasing his third button, ¡°you¡¯ll listen to me and ept my help, right?¡±


    At that point, she could see his chest hair. She swallowed hard and pressed her hands to the surface


    behind her. She couldn¡¯t let this go on. If he really got rid of his shirt¡­ She wrenched her eyes from his


    chest and to his face. The heated look he was giving her flustered her even more than his half-exposed


    chest.


    ¡°I¡­I¡­¡± Dammit, where had her ability to talk disappeared to?


    He dropped his hand and reached for her dress. ¡°Should I help you undress?¡±


    She slid against the counter, moving away from his hand. ¡°No!¡±


    ¡°No? Come on, Isabelle. Don¡¯t be shy. Let¡¯s get this out of the way.¡±

 Chapter 25 Twenty Five

    Chapter 25 Twenty Five


    Isabelle nched at his words. Get this out of the way? If somebody heard him, they would think he


    was talking about something like doing the dishes.


    ¡°I cannot have my wife do something as dangerous as participate in a drug trial,¡± he said. ¡°Out there,


    everybody knows you are my wife. So if I have to act like a gangster to stop you from doing something


    stupid, I will.¡±


    A gangster? What did he mean?


    His hand shot out again towards the zip of her dress. She held her hands in front of herself to stop his


    advance. ¡°Okay, fine! I won¡¯t take part in the trial.¡±


    His eyes dug into hers. ¡°Are you only saying that so I¡¯ll let you go?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    Well, yes, she didn¡¯t like how he was acting, and she was going to say anything to get him to back off.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, it was not the best idea,¡± she told him. ¡°I¡¯ll stop.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re lying, I¡¯ll find out,¡± he warned her.


    Isabelle red at him silently but said nothing. She exhaled in big relief when he stepped back and


    buttoned up his shirt again.


    What a day!


    ***


    On Monday, Isabelle left for work early, avoiding contact with Jacob. He had been busy on Sunday and


    hadn¡¯t spent much time in the house, which she was d for. Things were still awkward after what had


    transpired on Saturday night, and she wasn¡¯t any happier about being back to square zero in her efforts


    to earn some extra money.


    After going to bed that night, she had put some thought into the drug trial thing and realised that maybe


    Jacob was right. Maybe she was taking too much risk for too little. Two thousand dors was a good


    payment, but it wasn¡¯t nearly enough to cover Ruth¡¯s treatment.


    To earn enough money for Ruth, she would have to take part in many drug trials. That only increased


    her chances of suffering dangerous side effects. Also, if Ruth found out that this was how she had


    earned the money, she might not ept it.


    When she got to work, she went through her emails first. There was one that had been sent that


    morning, and she opened it right away. It was an order from a client who wanted her to design an


    emerald ne for him. Getting an order was enough to lift her spirit, but when she saw the amount


    he was offering for the design, her excitement skyrocketed.


    He was offering to pay fifty thousand dors for the order! That was twenty-five times more than she


    would have earned with the drug trial!


    She did a celebratory dance in her chair, and it took a lot of restraint to not get up and dance around


    the office in happiness. She couldn¡¯t believe it. Fifty dors was a hefty sum to pay for the design,


    something she never could have expected to earn at her level.


    Besides, she was only a new employee at thepany, so why the client had chosen her to design the


    ne was beyond her. But it didn¡¯t matter. She was determined to do the best job she had ever


    done to make it worth his while and money.


    For the rest of the week, Isabelle worked on crafting the design to the client''s preferences. Even when


    she got home from work, her mind remained in work-mode, shifting through ideas. Her frustration about


    looking for money was gone. Now, she was only excited about the ne.


    Finally, on Friday, after making what felt like a hundred changes to the design, Isabelle sent the final


    draft to the client. She kept her fingers crossed, hoping he would like it. Because if he didn¡¯t, all her


    hard work would be in vain.


    While she had been excited throughout the week, on Friday night, she found that she couldn¡¯t sleep


    because of the nerves. There were times when she was convinced that she hadn¡¯t done a good job


    and the client would reject the design, which meant no payment for her.


    She was eventually able to fall asleep in the wee hours of the night. When she woke up on Saturday


    morning, she went to have a shower and put on somefy clothes afterwards. Before heading to the


    kitchen to have breakfast, she took her phone and sat down on the bed.


    A part of her wanted to put off looking at her emails as it only made her anxious, but another part


    couldn¡¯t resist the urge to check whether the client had given any feedback.


    Her heart jolted in her chest when she saw that she had a new email from him. Fingers trembling, she


    clicked on the message.


    ¡®Hello Ms Cruz, I loved the design, and would like to work with you on new ones in the long term. I¡¯ve


    already sent the full payment to your ount as agreed. Thank you for a good job, and let¡¯s work


    together in the future.¡¯


    She couldn¡¯t believe what she was seeing, but it all hit home when she checked her ount and found


    out that she had indeed received fifty thousand dors.


    Calming herself down¨Cwhich was hard¨Cshe replied to him, letting him know that she was happy he


    loved it, and that she would be more than happy to draft more designs for him. He replied almost


    immediately, letting her know that he would seek her out whenever he needed other designs.


    Not only had she earned fifty thousand dors within a week, but she had also bagged a well-paying


    client who would give her more jobs. It was surreal.


    With the deal done, Isabelle got to her feet on the bed and jumped, finally letting her joy out. ¡°Yes, yes,


    yes!¡± she yelled, feeling like going outside and running in the street while screaming in happiness.


    As she continued whooping in joy, her door opened and Jacob appeared, a frown on his face. ¡°What


    is¨C¡±


    She didn¡¯t let him finish his sentence as she jumped out of the bed and threw herself at him, hugging


    him happily. He barely managed to spread his arms in time to catch her safely. ¡°I made money! Lots of


    it!¡± She pulled back so that she could look into his face. ¡°You were right, when you said I would make


    money soon.¡± Sheughed gaily. ¡°Are you a fortune teller?¡±


    Jacob gazed down at her, his expression morphing from perplexed to amused. She was about to tell


    him more when she suddenly realised what she had done. Their bodies were pressed together in an


    intimate position. Her face flushing, she quickly let go of him and took a step back.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± she said, feeling like hiding her face in mortification. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean¡­I was just so


    happy¡­I didn¡¯t mean to do that.¡±


    As she exined herself, Jacob watched her, his expression tender. He didn¡¯t look offended at all, so


    she supposed it was all good.


    ¡°I heard you screaming,¡± Jacob told her, ¡°so I came to check.¡±


    Isabelle let out an awkwardugh. ¡°Yeah, uh, I got too excited, sorry.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t apologise,¡± he told her. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you happy like this.¡±


    As Isabelle spewed her apologies and tried to calm down, Jacob¡¯s mind was stuck in the past¨Ca minute


    ago. He never would have expected her to jump into his arms the way she did, but when she did, his


    body sure paid attention.


    He could still sense the warmth of her body, and the scent of her hair lingered in his nose. He wanted


    more of that, but unfortunately, that moment was gone.

 Chapter 26 Twenty Six

    Chapter 26 Twenty Six


    So he went for the next best thing¨Cher bed. Walking past her, he threw his body onto her bed, resting


    his back against the headboard. He lifted his legs onto the mattress and took one pillow in his hands.


    This way, her sweet fragrance surrounded him.


    ¡°Wh¡­what are you doing?¡± Isabelle stuttered, turning to regard him. The embarrassment on her face


    was still evident, her ears red from how hard she was flushing. He enjoyed how flustered she


    appeared, but he wasn¡¯t going to mention it.


    ¡°Tell me what happened,¡± he said instead of answering her question. ¡°What was so good that you


    screamed?¡±


    ¡°I can tell you in the living room,¡± she said, her attention still on the fact that he was still lying on her bed


    as if he belonged there. Was she the only one who thought he was crossing a boundary?


    ¡°I¡¯m okay here,¡± he said, cradling her pillow in his arms.


    She couldn¡¯t exactly physically eject him from the bed, so she gave up and took a seat on her vanity


    chair. ¡°I got an order from a client on Monday. He wanted me to design a ne for him for fifty


    thousand dors. I worked on it all week and sent it yesterday. He sent me an email a few minutes ago


    saying he likes the design and paid for it.¡±


    Jacob nodded as she narrated to him. When she was done, he said, ¡°That means you don¡¯t need to


    take part in the drug trial, right?¡±


    ¡°Uh, yeah,¡± she replied. ¡°I made a lot more money.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± he said. ¡°You don¡¯t have to endanger yourself now.¡±


    Isabelle waited for him to make another remark, but he didn¡¯t. He didn¡¯t even seem surprised. Was he


    not impressed by the figure? Fifty thousand dors was a lot of money. The only thing he seemed


    concerned about was that she wouldn¡¯t have to do the drug trial anymore. Did he really care that much


    about her?


    Either way, she felt happy that he seemed to be genuinely concerned about her. On Saturday night he


    had been angry when demanding that she quit the trial, and a part of her thought it was because he


    didn¡¯t want to be embarrassed by his wife taking part in such a thing when he wanted others to think he


    was wealthy.


    But now, all he seemed to be concerned about was her wellbeing. Was that why he had made a scene


    on Saturday night?


    ***


    The next day, Isabelle paid Ruth¡¯s pending medical expenses to thest cent. With that paid, Ruth


    could continue receiving the necessary treatment until she could get a kidney transnt. Isabelle felt


    relieved that the bill was now out of the way, and felt that Ruth would now be morefortable,


    receiving the care she needed and not having to worry about money.


    When she went back home, she found that Jacob had just gotten back from a job he had said he had


    been called in for that morning. She noticed that he was wearing the same coat he had been wearing


    the previous day¨Cactually, he wore it on most days. After paying Ruth¡¯s medical bill, she had some


    money left over and thought it would be nice to get him some new clothes.


    When she asked him toe to the mall with her to buy the clothes, he agreed. He also told her that


    he knew a good store they could shop at.


    An hourter, Isabell stood in front of the store Jacob had brought her to, a look of awe on her face.


    The store happened to be the renowned luxury clothing store belonging to the Larson Group. She had


    never shopped there before, and now, she wasn¡¯t sure this was the right ce for them. The clothes


    here had to be quite expensive¡­


    She cast a nce at Jacob who was waiting next to her patiently. He had brought her here¡ªhad he


    shopped here before? It wouldn¡¯t hurt to look inside, she decided, leading the way inside. Who knew,


    maybe they could find some discounted outfits.


    The couple was weed by a shop assistant who led them to a selection of coats. Five minutes into


    looking through various options, Isabelle quickly realised that everything was indeed too expensive for


    her to afford. It was a shame, given how good the coats were, and she imagined Jacob would look


    really dashing in them.


    She moved on from the coats to shirts, but the prices didn¡¯t get any better. ¡°Can I see that one?¡± she


    asked, pointing towards a navy blue shirt. Aftering all the way to the shop and spending time


    looking through clothes, she was determined to find at least one article of clothing for Jacob. They


    could go shop somewhere more affordableter, but just one piece from the Larson Group store would


    be good.


    ¡°Please make a decision quickly,¡± the shop assistant told her, thrusting the shirt she had requested in


    her hands. Her tone was unfriendly and her face full of disdain, as if she had better things to do than


    apany the two.


    Isabelle was about to apologise for taking too long to choose something when two other voices carried


    to her.


    ¡°She has looked through about twenty items already. If she can¡¯t afford anything, she should go away


    and stop wasting our time.¡±


    ¡°Of course she can¡¯t afford them. Look at them, do they look like they can afford anything in this store?¡±


    The first personughed. ¡°Maybe they got lost on their way to the second-hand clothes market. They


    should have looked at the sign outside before bringing their poor selves inside.¡±


    ¡°I hate when people with no moneye in here and act like they can buy anything.¡±


    In the peripheral of her eyes, Isabelle noticed that the two voices belonged to the two shop assistants


    who stood by in case more help was needed. She was shocked to find that employees at such a


    popr store were so rude and mannerless.


    ¡°So, will you take that one?¡± the assistant who was apanying them asked, crossing her arms


    across her chest and sticking her hip out. She was no longer pretending to be professional, and


    Isabelle felt her irritation rising.


    She looked at Jacob, who hadn¡¯t said much besides looking at the clothes she picked out. His jaw


    looked tense, and she realised that he too must be bothered by the attitude the assistants were


    showing.


    ¡°In thest store I worked, shopping was by appointment only. It made sure that only people who could


    actually afford the clothes showed up. Here, any beggar from off the street can walk in.¡± The owner of


    the voice sighed. ¡°I wish they would make it like that here.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± her fellow assistant agreed. ¡°A store of this calibre should not be epting just anyone. They


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    could be thieves for all we know.¡±


    ¡°Most likely. Just look at how unkempt they are. Where is the cleaner? She needs to be ready with


    disinfectant the moment they leave.¡±


    ¡°Poor Lisa, having to deal with them so closely. Who knows what germs she¡¯ll pick up.¡±


    Isabelle looked down at herself, and then at Jacob. They might not be wearing thetest in luxury


    fashion, but they were decent and hygienic. How hateful were those assistants to talk like that?


    She thrust the navy blue shirt back to the assistant who was with them. She had heard enough. It was


    time to put a stop to it.

 Chapter 27 Twenty Seven

    Chapter 27 Twenty Seven


    When the assistant took back the shirt, Isabelle turned and headed towards where the two were


    standing. They stopped talking when they saw her approaching, but unfortunately for them, she had


    already heard everything.


    ¡°Excuse me, can you please stop mocking us? We came here to shop and it¡¯s quite unpleasant when


    you two are standing here making insulting remarks.¡±


    The two exchanged a look, and then faced her. One of them frowned. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, what are you talking


    about?¡± She asked that with a confused expression, as if she truly had no idea what Isabelle was


    talking about.


    ¡°I could hear you two clearly,¡± Isabelle told them, ¡°so don¡¯t bother acting like you don¡¯t know what I¡¯m


    talking about. Is this how you treat customers here?¡±


    ¡°Customers are people who buy clothes here,¡± the other one said, not interested in ying pretend like


    her coworker. ¡°You two are obviously just here to waste everybody¡¯s time. Look around and ask


    yourself if this looks like a store you should be in.¡±


    Isabelle clenched her hands and took a step forward, but a firm hand sped around her arm, keeping


    her in ce. She looked up to find Jacob beside her, his furious gaze on the two assistants.


    ¡°Apologise to my wife right away,¡± he ordered the assistants. His aura was threatening, like he wasn¡¯t


    going to back off until they apologised.


    ¡°You and your wife are interrupting business,¡± the first assistant said, raising her voice. ¡°Please leave


    before we call security.¡±


    ¡°How exactly are we doing that?¡± Isabelle demanded. ¡°We came here to shop, like everybody else.¡±


    The assistant gestured to her clothes. ¡°Look at yourselves. It¡¯s obvious you cannot afford anything in


    this store. It¡¯s fine if you came to window-shop, but do you have to waste our time waiting on you? If


    other customers see you two in here, they might refuse to shop here anymore. With people like you


    here, it looks like amon shop.¡±


    Isabelle scoffed, amazed at their shameless usations. ¡°Is it your habit to look down on customers,


    or is this how you people run business here?¡±


    ¡°What is going on here?¡± a new voice joined the melee. It was a man dressed in a staff uniform like the


    others, but his tag read Manager.


    ¡°These two walked in and started bothering everyone,¡± the second assistant replied. ¡°They can¡¯t buy


    anything but have been harassing us for minutes now.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not true!¡± Isabelle imed when the manager turned to them. ¡°We were looking through our


    options, but it appears that the staff isn¡¯t willing to be helpful.¡±


    The manager looked at her, gave her a once-over, and did the same to Jacob. ¡°I think you two should


    leave, you¡¯re in the wrong store.¡±


    Isabelle¡¯s jaw fell as the manager spoke. She had expected him to pay attention to their plight and help


    them along, or at least make an effort to find out how the entire situation had developed. Instead, he


    seemed to not be any different from the assistants. ¡°How are we in the wrong store?¡± she asked, not


    willing to back down when these people were treating them so poorly.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t intend to buy anything, leave or I¡¯ll call security. My staff are busy and we don¡¯t need idlers


    like you two wasting our time.¡±


    ¡°Why would wee here if we don¡¯t intend on buying anything? On what basis are you and your staff


    time if this is the job you were hired to do?¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t bought anything despite being in the store for a long time, I think your intentions are


    clear,¡± the manager countered.


    ¡°If nothing has pleased us, why should we buy anything?¡± Isabelle demanded. ¡°We¡¯d only been around


    for five minutes before your staff beganining. If your store has a time limit on how long


    someone should spend shopping, you should make it public.¡±


    Beside Isabelle, Jacob¡¯s face darkened. He never could have expected that the service at the Larson


    Group¡¯s store was so poor. None of the staff were acting in a manner that represented thepany¡¯s


    values, and he didn¡¯t want to imagine the damage they caused to the group¡¯s reputation.


    He had brought Isabelle here hoping she would like the ce and enjoy shopping, but the opposite


    was happening.


    He stepped up to the manager, getting in his space. The manager stepped back, intimidated by his


    taller physique. That¡¯s right, he should be afraid. ¡°My wife and I have done nothing wrong, so you have


    no right to drive us out.¡±


    By then, other customers were beginning to notice the confrontation and were beginning to gather


    around and listen. The manager looked around and realised that if this went on longer, word could get


    out and ruin the reputation of the store.


    ¡°You are deliberately causing trouble in the store,¡± he said loudly, wanting others to hear and believe it


    was the two who were at fault. ¡°You¡¯re threatening my staff and disturbing other shoppers, so we kindly


    request you to leave.¡± Then he turned and beckoned to a security guard who had appeared at the


    scene. ¡°Escort them out.¡±ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    The shoppers who were now paying attention to the argument now looked at Isabelle and Jacob with


    judging eyes, with some saying that they should be thrown out. Isabelle was enraged that the manager


    had painted them as viins, to the extent of making false usations against Jacob.


    ¡°My husband hasn¡¯t threatened anyone!¡± she snapped at the manager, ring at him. ¡°All he did was


    ask for the staff to treat us with courtesy. He didn¡¯t say anything wrong.¡±


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, you and your husband need to leave now,¡± the security guard said, making his way to Jacob.


    His intention was to grab Jacob¡¯s arm, but Isabelle stood between the two and red at the guard, her


    eyes daring him to throw them out. ¡°We are not going anywhere until they apologise to my husband.¡±


    ¡°If you keep making a scene,¡± the manager said, ¡°we¡¯ll call the police!¡±


    ¡°Go ahead,¡± she dared, ¡°and everyone will know how you treat customers who you look down on.¡± Her


    eyes wandered towards another section of the store, where one customer sat on a sofa while three


    attendants ran back and forth, bringing clothes to her. She dismissed some of them with a flick of her


    wrist, and each time, they bowed respectfully and rushed off to bring her more options. The customer


    had been there before she and Jacob arrived, and she was yet to hear anyonein about her. It


    was obvious why she was being treated like a queen while they were being thrown out¨Cshe was


    wearing a designer dress, heels that must have cost as much as Isabelle¡¯s college tuition, and was


    adorned in diamond jewellery.


    The security guard hesitated and took a step back. Jacob stood back, enjoying how Isabelle refused to


    back down even when the manager threatened to call the police. But what made him really happy was


    the fact that she was standing up for him, and even calling him her husband.


    He had seen her defending herself vehemently on the few asions he had made the mistake of


    making baseless usations against her. But he had never thought that she would get the same way


    on his behalf.


    He felt that she truly cared about how the manager¡¯s usations affected him, and it warmed his heart.


    It also made him more determined to make sure that the assistants and the manager regretted treating


    her poorly.

 Chapter 28 Twenty Eight

    Chapter 28 Twenty Eight


    ¡°It¡¯s not your ce to tell us how to do our jobs,¡± the manager snapped at Isabelle, taking a step


    towards her. ¡°I¡¯m telling you now, if you and your husband don¡¯t leave right away, we¡¯ll detain you and


    call the police to take you away.¡±


    Seeing that the argument was getting heated, and that Isabelle seemed ready tosh out at the


    manager, Jacob grabbed her arm and pulled her back to his side. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± he whispered to her, ¡°just


    let him be.¡±


    Isabelle looked up at him, her face troubled. Her nostrils red, betraying the fact that she was truly


    worked up and barely holding on to her civility by a thread. ¡°You heard what he said,¡± she told him, as if


    she couldn¡¯t understand why he was asking her to back off. ¡°He is making false usations to


    humiliate us. We cannot let him treat us like that.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you listen to your husband? He seems to understand what¡¯s going on,¡± the manager butted


    into their conversation, sounding smug.


    Immediately, Isabelle tried to break from Jacob¡¯s grasp to confront the manager, but Jacob sessfully


    held her back. She looked at him again. ¡°I can¡¯t bear to spend my money in this ce anymore, let¡¯s


    leave.¡±


    Jacob shook his head and stroked her hand gently. ¡°No, we are not leaving. I¡¯ll deal with this.¡± By the


    time he was done with this trio, they would be begging him for forgiveness. It would be toote. Turning


    to the manager, he said firmly, ¡°Call the boss of this store, I¡¯ll speak to him and not you.¡±


    The manager was taken aback by Jacob¡¯s authoritative tone. His voice was absolute, as if he wasn¡¯t


    going to settle for less. If anybody heard him without seeing him, they would think he was the owner of


    the ce or something. That, or that he knew the boss personally.


    The manager scoffed, getting over his initial shock at Jacob¡¯s aura. How could someone who was so


    shabbily dressed have any connection to the boss? He was likely just some loser with a big ego who


    wanted to make a big deal of everything by involving the boss.


    ¡°Sorry, but I can¡¯t do that,¡± the manager told him. ¡°I¡¯m the one responsible for incidents like this, not the


    boss. If you don¡¯t listen to what I say, you¡¯llnd in trouble.¡±


    Jacob took a threatening step towards him, and the guy stood his ground. The defiant look on the


    man¡¯s face almost made him smile evilly. He could see that he was trying to pretend that he wasn¡¯t


    intimidated by him, but he wasn¡¯t being very sessful at it. His throat moved as he swallowed, and


    his eyes blinked too many times. When Jacob took another step, the manager stumbled back, almost


    running into one of the shop assistants.


    Happy at the reaction he had engineered out of the man, Jacob lowered his voice, staring deep into his


    scared eyes. ¡°If you don¡¯t call your boss right now, this store will close down tomorrow.¡± When the man


    stared at him speechlessly with his mouth open like a dying fish, Jacob added, ¡°You should think about


    what your boss will do if he finds out it was all because of you.¡±


    The manager looked around, as if making sure that everybody else had heard the same thing. The two


    assistants had moved back and were cowering together, uncertainty on their faces. That was when real


    fear overwhelmed him. Why would a nobody make such a big deal of calling the boss? He must know


    that if he was bluffing and the boss came here, he would truly end up in a police cell! Now, he felt that


    maybe this man was more than he seemed¡­


    Without a word, he turned away and went to get the boss.


    When the manager left, Isabelle poked Jacob in the arm, and when he looked at her, he winked. She


    was perplexed at the turn of events and wanted to ask what he intended to do, but seeing his wink,


    postponed her questions forter. She would trust him to have a way out of this. He seemed to have a


    way out of everything, didn¡¯t he?


    The manager reappeared a few minutester, looking all smug and confident yet again as he walked


    alongside his boss. ¡°These two,¡± he said, pointing at Isabelle and Jacob. ¡°They came in and couldn¡¯t


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    afford anything, and when I asked them to leave¡­sir?¡±


    The manager stopped his narration when he realised that upon seeing the two customers, his boss had


    turned pale and was trembling. His eyes were locked on Jacob, and were full of recognition.


    A secondter, the boss turned to him, a stern look on his face. ¡°Apologise right now.¡±


    The manager¡¯s lips trembled and his eyes widened like saucers. ¡°Wh¡­what?¡±


    ¡°Apologise to the customers,¡± the boss demanded, also turning to the two assistants. ¡°What are you


    waiting for?¡±


    The staff exchanged shocked nces, obviously not expecting this turn of events. They had thought


    the boss would drive the two out. Why was he suddenly asking them to apologise? If the two were


    nobodies, the boss wouldn¡¯t have bothered to ask them to do that. It was then that it dawned on them


    that they must have messed with a big shot. Whoever these customers were, they weren¡¯t just people


    the boss knew. Given the boss¡¯s reaction, it was clear he was terrified of the man. Whoever he was, he


    must have a higher status than the boss.


    The three promptly got into a line and bowed as they apologised to Isabelle and Jacob. But, no matter


    how profusely they apologised, Jacob didn¡¯t spare them a nce.


    Seeing how Jacob reacted to their apology, and knowing what it meant, the boss turned to the three.


    ¡°You are all fired.¡±


    The three looked at their boss, their heads still bowed at an angle. ¡°What?¡± the manager asked, not


    believing what he had heard.


    ¡°It is your job to make sure that our customers enjoy their shopping experience in our store, but you


    and your assistants have antagonised them instead. This is not your store, it¡¯s not up to you who


    should and should not shop here, and above all, every customer should be treated with courtesy and


    receive maximum attention.¡±


    ¡°But¡­but¡­you can¡¯t just fire us like that,¡± one of the assistants argued. ¡°We will be more careful next


    time.¡±


    ¡°Besides, we have already apologised,¡± her coworker said.


    ¡°You¡¯re fired, and that¡¯s final,¡± the boss insisted. ¡°Now, get out of my face or I¡¯ll have security throw you


    out.¡±


    The three hesitated, wanting to plead some more but knowing the boss wasn¡¯t joking about having


    them thrown out. In the end, they had to leave with their heads bent to try and hide from the onlookers


    who were still paying attention to the spectacle.


    Once they were gone, the boss turned to Jacob and Isabelle, sping his hands in front of his body


    respectfully. ¡°I¡¯m terribly sorry for what has happened, Sir. I will take more care in the future to ensure


    the staff are respectful towards our customers. Please ept my apologies for this unpleasant


    urrence.¡±


    Jacob cleared his throat and nodded, silently epting the apology.


    ¡°To make it up to you, you can shop any clothing you want in the store for free. And if you have any


    ¡°That¡¯s very kind of you,¡± Jacob said, giving him an appreciative nod. ¡°I¡¯m sure that¡¯ll make up for the


    incident. We hope that such an incident will not repeat in the future.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Sir. I¡¯ll do a thorough inspection of the staff to weed out anyone who does not represent the


    values of thepany. Please ept my sincere apologies once again.¡±


    ¡°In that case, my wife and I would like to resume our shopping,¡± Jacob told him, which was his way of


    letting the man know he could go back to his office. He knew that unless he dismissed him in some


    way, he would be there apologising all day, probably making sure that he wasn¡¯t on the firing line too.


    ¡°Of course, Sir. Please enjoy your shopping. I¡¯ll instruct my best assistants to assist you and your wife.


    Please excuse me.¡±


    The man finally left, hurrying off to look for the said assistants as if it was the most important mission of


    his day.

 Chapter 29 Twenty Nine

    Chapter 29 Twenty Nine


    Since the owner of the shop had appeared, Isabelle had been stuck in a stupor. When he showed up,


    she had expected him to inquire what was going on, and she was curious as to how Jacob was going


    to engage with him.


    Instead, when the man appeared, he immediately took their side before listening to his staff¡¯s


    exnations. What followed, him asking the staff to apologise and then firing them, even shocked her


    further. Not to mention him saying that they could shop whatever clothes they wanted for free. It was all


    so unexpected.


    It wasn¡¯t until he left, after being curiously respectful towards Jacob, that she was able to snap out of


    her astonishment.


    ¡°What just happened?¡± she asked Jacob, looking up at him with wide eyes.


    Jacob shrugged and shoved his hands into his trouser¡¯s pockets, looking rxed. ¡°I suppose he¡¯s really


    concerned about the store¡¯s reputation, so he solved the issue as quickly as he could.¡±


    She nodded, but couldn¡¯t help frowning too. It¡¯s true that the owner was concerned that his staff would


    ruin the store¡¯s reputation, but shouldn¡¯t he have been curious about what had happened? Also, wasn¡¯t


    offering them everything they wanted for free a bit of a stretch? ¡°I can¡¯t believe he said we can take the


    clothes we want for free.¡±


    ¡°He must be a very kind man,¡± Jacob replied.


    Kind? It was still business¡­


    ¡°Or maybe he didn¡¯t want to mess with you,¡± she said. ¡°You were so domineering, you sounded like the


    real owner of the store. If I didn¡¯t know you, I would think you are.¡± To say that she was impressed with


    how he had stood up to the manager and demanded that he call the boss would be an understatement.


    At the end of it all, everybody looked intimidated by him. And when the assistants scurried away in


    shame after apologising, she felt that justice had been served.


    ¡°Was I convincing?¡± Jacob asked.


    ¡°Very.¡± She gave him a thumbs up. ¡°You handled it very well.¡±


    Heughed and took her hand in his. ¡°I was just putting on an act, otherwise they wouldn¡¯t have


    listened to me. Do you want to resume shopping now?¡±


    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s go!¡±


    ***


    The two ended up choosing several outfits for each other, and this time around, the price tags weren''t a


    deterrent. The assistants assigned to them by the boss were also super helpful.


    They not only showed them the clothes they were interested in, but also gave input on the outfits,


    making suggestions on what would look good together. It happened that their initial assistant had been


    doing the bare minimum of her job.


    At the end of it all, they left the store in high spirits and shopping bags loaded with new clothing. Since


    it was already evening, they decided to go to a restaurant to have dinner before heading home.


    Jacob saw that Isabelle was very happy, and it made him content. She ordered a lot of dishes and a


    bottle of expensive wine, insisting that they should celebrate the day. He didn¡¯t stop her¨Csince they


    didn¡¯t spend any money at the store, she still had the cash she had meant to spend.


    By the time they were done with dinner, she was not only quite full but also drunk. When it was time to


    leave, she insisted that she could walk, but when she got to her feet, she staggered and he had to


    catch her in his arms.


    Jacob picked her up in his arms and carried her out of the restaurant as she slurred that she wasn¡¯t


    drunk. He couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at her drunken behaviour. Her face was flushed red and she could


    barely keep her eyes open, but she still imed to not be drunk. He smiled when he remembered how


    during dinner, she had poured herself ss after ss of wine, saying that she had a high alcohol


    tolerance.


    When he emerged in the street, he found that Kevin was already there waiting with the car. When he


    had realised during dinner that Isabelle was getting drunk, he had sent a message to Kevin to ask him


    toe and get them. He knew that in her current state, she wasn¡¯t aware of what was going on


    around her and wouldn¡¯t ask questions about the car and driver. Even if she did, he would im it was


    a hired car.


    Upon seeing them, Kevin hurried to open the backdoor. When Jacob got to him, he came to a stop and


    said, ¡°I want you to inspect all the clothing stores of the Larson Group tomorrow and report to me.


    Investigate the staff secretly and report everything to me.¡±


    If there was any other staff member in any of his stores who behaved like the trio from that afternoon,


    he wanted to get rid of them as soon as possible. That would be a lesson to all other staff about the


    right conduct and how to treat customers when working for the Larson Group.


    ¡°Yes sir,¡± Kevin agreed with a nod.


    Jacob then gently ced Isabelle inside the car and got in after her. Kevin shut the door after them and


    climbed into the driver¡¯s seat.


    As the car started moving, Isabelle stirred in her seat and reached for her coatpels. ¡°It¡¯s so hot,¡± she


    mumbled, trying to get rid of her coat. She managed to pull her arms free, and the coat dropped to


    reveal the camisole she was wearing inside.


    Jacob knew that it was the alcohol making her feel like that, since it wasn¡¯t hot in the car. He thought


    she must be feeling very ufortable and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. ¡°We¡¯ll get home


    soon,¡± he told her, hoping tofort her.


    Isabelle writhed in his arms and then leaned against his chest, resting her head on his shoulder. ¡°Too


    hot,¡± she mumbled, still not relieved after removing her coat. Jacob made a mental note to never let her


    drink so much again if she ended up in such difort.


    As she continued moving restlessly in his arms, her hand ended up on his throat, her fingers pressing


    against his Adams¡¯ apple. He froze and looked down at her, her action catching him by surprise. As


    watched her face closely, she moved her hand, caressing his throat and not making a move to let him


    go. Was she still in her drunken stupor, or was she doing this consciously?


    His breath quickened the more she clung to him. Her chest was pressing against his own, and he


    couldn¡¯t ignore how her soft feminine flesh felt against him. With her head on his shoulder, the sweet


    fragrance of her hair assaulted his nostrils, seeming stronger than even the scent of the wine she had


    imbibed.


    He knew that if he continued holding her like that, he wouldn¡¯t be able to stop the desire that was


    building in him. He reached up to pull her arm from him, but just then, she brushed the back of her


    fingers across his throat and wrapped her hand around the back of his neck firmly.


    At the same time, a low sound like a moan slipped past her lips, and he abandoned his attempt to


    salvage the situation. There wasn¡¯t a need to¨Che was sure she was doing it consciously.


    And who was he to disappoint her?


    His self-control broken, he bent his head towards her face and pressed his lips against hers. When he


    began moving his lips gently, she did the same, kissing him back. With her response, he became even


    more certain that she had taken the initiative to get close to him. All he could think was that she didn¡¯t


    need to put up a drunken show to get him to kiss her if that¡¯s what she wanted all along.


    cing one hand beneath her chin, he angled her head to change the angle of the kiss, allowing him to


    kiss her deeper. Her soft lips gave in beneath his demanding ones, and he felt like he could keep at it


    until morning. Her upper bodypletely rxed into his, and when she moaned right after, he thought


    she too must be enjoying the kiss as much as he was.


    He himself was starting to feel hot, and he wondered whether he too should remove his coat. He was


    definitely wearing way too manyyerspared to her camisole.


    If only they were somewhere else and not in a car. The amount of passion running through his veins


    could not be released in a simple kiss, no matter how hard he kissed her.


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    He wanted to feel her skin under his touch, her body beneath his. And he wanted to hear her make


    those sweet moans of hers over and over again until they were stuck in his head like a symphony.

 Chapter 30 Thirty

    Chapter 30 Thirty


    As he kissed her deeper, he dropped his hand to her neck, caressing her soft skin, annoying its feel


    beneath his fingers. His hand moved lower to her shoulder, which was bare but for the straps of her


    camisole.


    He went past the straps to her bare arms, stroking her skin lightly. She shivered in his arms, and he


    wondered whether it was a reaction to him or the cold.


    Her hands, which were now clutching to his shoulders tightly, pushed him back and she tried to


    disengage their lips. But he only pulled her closer, now teasing her lips with his tongue. She gasped


    and drew in a breath through her mouth, and it was only then that it urred to him that she was out of


    breath and wanted a break.


    Before he could give her a little space¨Cwith full intention of resuming the kiss right after¨Cthe two jerked


    apart as the car suddenly skidded to a halt. Jacob quickly wrapped his arms around Isabelle to keep


    her from falling off the seat and red at Kevin.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir. I almost ran into a cat and had to brake suddenly,¡± Kevin exined, turning to look at


    him. When he saw the position the two were in, he turned his head away quickly. ¡°We have arrived,¡± he


    added meekly.


    In the backseat, Jacob could barely control his anger. Things were going so well until the sudden


    braking ruined the mood. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to deduct fifty percent of your sry to help stray cats,¡± he shot


    back at his driver.


    At the mention of a sry cut, Kevin met his boss¡¯s eyes in the rearview mirror, but the re that met


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    him had him bending his head quickly. He gulped and thought twice aboutining. Quickly, he left


    his seat to go open the backseat, not wanting to displease Jacob anymore.


    ***


    After leaving the car, Jacob carried Isabelle up to their apartment and into her room. He ced her


    gently on her bed and then headed to the bathroom to draw her a bath. He figured that a lukewarm


    bath would help her feel better and fall asleep restlessly.


    After setting up the bath, he went back to her bedroom to get her. However, he found that she had


    already fallen asleep. She was no longer mumbling about the temperature or stirring, and her face


    looked serene. Seeing that she was no longer in difort, he decided there was no need to bath her.


    It was alright if she could sleep soundly like that.


    Jacob reached for the nket, meaning to tuck her in. But before he could, he stilled, captivated by her


    face. It was almost unreal that a few minutes ago, he had held that face in his hands and kissed her.


    Her red and swollen lips were all that remained to show what had happened between them.


    He ached to reach forward, touch those lips, maybe give her a goodnight kiss. But he fought against


    the urge. Kevin¡¯scklustre driving might have interrupted the heated moment in the car, but it hadn¡¯t


    put out the fire that had ignited in his veins. Now that he had had a taste of those lips, felt how it was to


    hold her in his arms, he knew it would be difficult to restrain himself around her.


    Sighing, he leaned forward and started covering her with the nket. What he didn¡¯t expect was for her


    to suddenly wrap her hands around his waist and drag him down to the bed.


    He stumbled onto the bed, and before he could make a move, she threw a leg around his hips, trapping


    him like a ko clinging to a tree. He looked at her face in shock only to find that her eyes were still


    closed as she slept peacefully.


    He swallowed hard and thought of how to extricate himself from her hold without awaking her. How


    could she look so serene in her sleep while still tempting him with her actions?


    As he looked down at her, however, his eyes fell on her cleavage, which was exposed in her current


    position, and his brain took a vacation. While he lost all thought, his body reacted immediately.


    Suddenly, it was as if minutes hadn¡¯t passed since they were locked in each other¡¯s arms in the car.


    The desire he had been trying to suppress the past few minutes rushed back, and he groaned as his


    member hardened in his pants.


    Instead of pulling away from her, he was drawn to her sexy figure, and he found himself returning her


    embrace, wrapping his arms around her body. His hands skimmed down the side of her camisole,


    dipping into her slender waist, and touching bare skin at the waist.


    A low groan ripped past his lips as he leaned forward and pressed his lips to her neck, unable to hold


    himself back any longer.

 Chapter 31 Thirty One

    Chapter 31 Thirty One


    Jacob¡¯s brain caught up with his body a second toote, and he froze, his hands going still around her


    and his lips freezing against her neck. No matter how much he wanted her, he couldn¡¯t do this. Not


    when she was drunk and asleep¡­


    Cursing softly, he withdrew his hands from her body and rolled away, creating distance between them.


    Lying on his back, he covered his eyes with his arm and took deep calming breaths. No matter what


    she did in her current state, there was no excuse to act on his desire. He would be taking advantage of


    her, and that¡¯s not how we wanted things to happen between them.


    Sighing, he turned to his side to watch her. His eyes were drawn to her face, and her beauty stole his


    breath. Everything about her seemed to be stealing his breath ofte, and he wondered how he had


    thought, even for a moment, that he could ignore her while they lived under the same roof.


    If he had taken time to pay attention to her from the moment he first saw her, he would have realised


    sooner that he would end up losing in his own game. She kept drawing him in, making him tear down


    the boundaries he had built to keep her out as he strived to please her, solve her problems, touch her¡­


    Maybe he should have drawn those boundaries to keep himself in rather than keep her out.


    He groaned in frustration and sat up, dropping his feet to the floor. Lying there watching her wasn¡¯t


    going to help clear his head. Reaching for the nket again, he pulled it over her body, and with one


    Heading into the bathroom, he found that the bath water he had drawn for her had cooled down. It was


    exactly what he needed. He started undressing and a minuteter got into the bathtub, soaking himself


    in the cold water.


    He would deal with the aftermath of the night the next day.


    ***


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    When Isabelle woke up in the morning, the light spilling through a crack in her curtains announced that


    it was morning. She stretched, wincing when her sore muscles protested. Not only that, but she also


    became aware of her incredibly dry mouth and a dull headache.


    ¡°I¡¯ll never drink again,¡± she moaned, pushing the nket away and dragging her feet to the floor.


    Memories of the previous night shed through her mind, reminding her of how she had drunk most of


    the bottle of wine she had bought. What had she been thinking? Or had it been too long since she was


    hungover, that she forgot the suffering of the next morning?


    Getting to her feet, she stood in front of the mirror, meaning to check her appearance. She had to go to


    work and couldn¡¯t afford to look like she had spent the night drinking. She studied her face¨Cher skin


    was dry, but nothing a few products wouldn¡¯t fix. Her eyes were the main issue¨Cthey were puffy, and


    given the bright lighting through her curtain, she figured she didn¡¯t have enough time to do


    anything about them before leaving for work. She sighed, pressing a hand to her throat¡­


    Her eyes widened as they zeroed in on her throat. Moving her hand, she leaned in close to the mirror,


    giving a closer look to her reflection. But the close scrutiny wasn¡¯t necessary¨Cthe red marks on her


    neck were prominent enough. And they were not just on her neck. They continued on to her corbone,


    her chest¡­


    ¡°Jacoooob!¡±


    She didn¡¯t think twice before screaming his name, but there was no need to. There was only one


    possible culprit here, and it was him. Now, seeing the marks, her memories moved from her wild


    drinking to afterwards. She couldn¡¯t remember everything, but she recalled that he carried her to the


    car. Is that when he had taken the opportunity to leave a map of hickeys all over her neck and chest?


    Or was it when they had gotten back to the house?


    Her door fell open and Jacob rushed in, worry written all over his face. ¡°Isabelle? What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    She turned to him and red at him, her finger pointing to her neck. ¡°What is this?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± he asked, walking further into the room. When he got closer and got a clearer look of the


    marks on her body, the worried look on his face dropped. ¡°Oh.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± she demanded, the simple wordmunicating how incensed she was. ¡°What did you do to


    me?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious, I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll disappear soon,¡± he said, fighting a smile that suddenly wanted to


    attack his lips. He hadn¡¯t been aware of leaving so many marks on her body. What a nice reminder¨C


    His thoughts got cut off when she pushed him with her hand, her face enraged. ¡°How dare you take


    advantage of me?¡±


    He stumbled back and blinked. ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    She huffed and looked down at her chest, and then returned her heated re to him. ¡°I never thought


    you were the kind to take advantage of a drunk woman, but I guess I was wrong.¡±


    His mind finally catching up to her drift, Jacob¡¯s brow rose. Maybe he should jog her mind a little. ¡°You


    were the one who clung to me and started touching me first.¡±


    ¡°As if,¡± she scoffed.


    ¡°When we got into the car, you took off your coat and all but draped yourself all over me, teasing me¨C¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a lie,¡± she stated firmly, interrupting him. ¡°Why would I do that? You¡¯re only saying that because


    I was drunk and cannot remember well.¡±


    Sighing heavily, Jacob turned and headed for the door. ¡°Where are you going?¡± she called after him,


    but he didn¡¯t look back. Grumbling, she walked back to the mirror to assess the damage. He must have


    taken his time when he was making all of these marks. Only a pervert would take such liberty with a


    drunk person. She huffed. She would like to see him try while she was sober.


    Jacob walked through the open doorway, a shirt crumpled in his hand. Shoving it in her face, he


    showed her the bright red lipstick marks that stained the white fabric. ¡°Still want to im that you had


    no hand in what happened?¡±


    Isabelle stared at the shirt in confusion.


    ¡°Or perhaps I should take off my shirt and show you the marks you left on my body,¡± he said, reaching


    for the hem of his t-shirt.


    ¡°No!¡± she said. ¡°Don¡¯t!¡±


    Faced with his piece of evidence, her foggy memory suddenly cleared up. Heat from both


    embarrassment and shame rose up her neck as she recalled that she was the one who had initiated


    contact first in the car. As everything shed through her mind, mortification overwhelmed her and she


    covered her face in her hands.


    Seeing her new expression, Jacob smirked and dropped his defensive stance. It looked like everything


    was clear in her mind now. He didn¡¯t even feel mad at her usations. He was too busy enjoying how


    cute she appeared as she tried to hide her embarrassed face from him.


    He would have loved to stay and tease her further, but the morning was wearing on and they both


    needed to get to work. ¡°Tea is ready,¡± he told her, starting towards the door. ¡°Come and have


    breakfast.¡±


    A few minutester, she appeared at the dining table, and even as he handed her a cup of tea, she


    avoided meeting his eyes. He couldn¡¯t help but smile, wondering for how long she was going to be


    embarrassed. She quickly had her tea and some snacks and then disappeared into the bathroom.


    When she appeared a whileter, she was ready to leave for work. He noticed that she wore a dress


    with a high neck, effectively hiding the marks on her neck and chest. Even after she left the house,


    Jacob found that he couldn¡¯t help smiling. He was happy that he was no longer being used of being


    a pervert, but he was happier that she could remember her own contribution to what had happened


    between them.

 Chapter 32 Thirty Two

    Chapter 32 Thirty Two


    That morning, Isabelle¡¯s department had a meeting, but her mind was barely in the room as various


    teams presented their reports.


    She was busy trying to untangle the puzzle that the previous night had left in her mind. No matter how


    hard she tried to urge herself to not think about it, it didn¡¯t take long before her thoughts slid back to


    that territory.


    What had she been thinking? She had asked herself that question about a hundred times since she left


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    the house in the morning, but she still had no answer. So she settled on the only one reason that made


    sense: the alcohol. It was the alcohol that was to me for her behaviour. Otherwise, she never would


    have dreamed of clinging to Jacob the way she had, leave alone kiss him.


    It was true that he was a handsome man, and she thought he was attractive, and maybe he was totally


    her type, but she was in no position to be lusting after him. Or acting on that lust. The alcohol had done


    away with not only her sense of propriety, but also her sanity, and that was the only reason she crossed


    the boundaries they had drawn.


    From now on, she would be careful to not go anywhere near him drunk. Or to drink, at all. That was if


    she grew past her embarrassment and could face him after the little show she had pulled that morning.


    Every time she thought of how she had used him of taking advantage of her, she felt her face me


    with shame. She would have to get over it at some point, and she hoped he too would let it go.


    Otherwise, living under the same roof was going to be a lot more tricky than it had ever been.


    Someone nudged her arm and she jolted out of her mind trip and looked to the side. It was one of her


    coworkers, who was giving her a curious gaze. ¡°You zoned out,¡± she said, ¡°Mr Grayson is about to


    announce the design that has been selected for the autumn and winter exhibition.¡±


    ¡°Oh, thanks,¡± she told her colleague, switching her attention to Mr Grayson, who was seated at the


    head of the conference table. Everybody¡¯s eyes were on him as they awaited the announcement.


    Having your design selected for the exhibition was a big deal, and while Isabelle had submitted one,


    but she didn¡¯t have high hopes of getting selected. When she joined thepany, everybody else had


    already been working on their designs. She hadn¡¯t had as much time to work on hers, so she was


    positive others had done a better job.


    Which was why it caught her by surprise when Mr Grayson said, ¡°The design that has been selected


    for the autumn and winter series exhibition was submitted by Ms Cruz.¡±


    Isabelle blinked, feeling like she was dreaming. But as everybody¡¯s attention turned to her, it sank in.


    her design had really been chosen.


    ¡°Congrattions, Ms Cruz,¡± Mr Grayson said, beaming at her. ¡°You haven¡¯t been with us for long, but


    you¡¯ve already proven to be an important part of this department. Keep up the good work.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, sir,¡± she said humbly, not knowing what else to say. She hadn¡¯t expected anything like this.


    Everything seemed to be working in her favour, and she was grateful. Justst week she hadnded


    the client who had paid fifty thousand dors for a ne, and now, her design had been selected for


    the next series exhibition. She had known joining the Larson Group would be good for her career, and


    so far, so good.


    ¡°The rest of you,¡± Mr Grayson said, turning to the others, ¡°you¡¯ll need to work harder if you still want to


    be part of this department. Having worked for ourpany longer than Ms Cruz, I would have


    expected you all to have something better to offer. If she wasn¡¯t here, I don¡¯t think we would have


    gotten a design to exhibit from our department for this series. Learn from her if its what it takes you to


    do better.¡±


    As the department head lectured everyone, Isabelle felt a little ufortable. She was d that her


    design was chosen, but she felt awkward that he was implying that her seniors should learn from her. It


    wasn¡¯t the kind of spotlight she wanted. Most of them offered her congrattions, and many sounded


    sincere.


    But of course there were those who were not happy about it. One, in particr, didn¡¯t bother hiding her


    contempt. Her name was udia, and she snickered loud enough for Isabelle to hear, followed by a


    mumble that included the words ¡®boss¡¯s new pet¡¯.


    Isabelle pretended she didn¡¯t hear that.


    When the meeting was over, Mr Grayson asked Isabelle to apany him to his office. She went,


    feeling a little ufortable because she could still remember how he had behaved the first time she


    was in the office alone with him. But hopefully, this time round he would be professional.


    ¡°Your design is really good,¡± he told her when they walked into his office and he offered her a seat. ¡°It


    was one of the best I¡¯ve seen this year. You are very talented.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, sir,¡± she replied, wondering whether he had called her into the office to heap more praises


    on her design.


    He waved a hand in dismissal. ¡°You can call me Ted,¡± he told her. ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so formal


    when it¡¯s just the two of us.¡±


    Isabelle blinked, not sure about that. He was her boss, how could she just call him by his first name?


    ¡°So, about your design,¡± he said, sping his hands on top of his desk and swiping his tongue over his


    bottom lip in a move that almost made her gag. ¡°It¡¯s very good, but there¡¯s still space for improvement.


    With a few tweaks here and there, it¡¯ll steal the spotlight at the exhibition. If you need any help with the


    design, you cane to me for help.¡±


    Isabelle would have been extremely naive to not understand the meaning of his words, but she wasn¡¯t,


    and she understood very well. The tell was in the way he licked his lips and leaned over the desk, his


    eyes constantly moving between her face and her chest area.


    As much as it disgusted her, she mustered up a small smile and thanked him for the offer. She had


    absolutely no intention of asking for his help. Apparently, that was all he had called her into his office


    for, so after another word of thanks, she left the office.


    As Isabelle left the office, Ted Grayson licked his lips again and leaned back into his chair. He had


    worked with many talented designers, but it had been a while since he hade across one he was so


    strongly attracted to. Whatever he took, he was determined to get her into his bed one of these days.


    When Isabelle walked out of Mr Grayson¡¯s office, she saw udia walk out of a corner, but no attention


    to her.


    The other woman, however, was anything but indifferent as she watched her walk away. Curious about


    what the department director had needed to tell Isabelle in private, she had followed them and stayed


    outside the door, eavesdropping.


    She knew enough about office politics to know that Mr Grayson wasn¡¯t actually offering Isabelle help


    with her design. No wonder her design had been chosen, she thought scornfully. The woman turned


    out to just be a shameless vixen who had seduced the department head.

 Chapter 33 Thirty Three

    Chapter 33 Thirty Three


    As the week wore on, Isabelle realised that the man she should be worried about avoiding was not


    Jacob. Everything at home had gone back to normal, as if her drunken antics had never happened. It


    was a big relief, because she had no idea how she would have reacted had he brought it up again.


    Instead, the man she needed to avoid at all costs was unfortunately one who was around her all day


    long¨Cher department director, Mr Grayson. After he had called her to his office on Monday morning to


    offer his help, he had been more and more direct with his advances towards her. He showed her way


    too much attention in the guise of work, but he never passed up a chance to make hints about what his


    true intentions were.


    She took every precaution she could to avoid running into him, but there was only so much hiding she


    could do when she worked under him. If only there was a way to put his advances to an end once and


    for all, she would not hesitate to do it.


    One day, while she was in the bathroom at work, she found out that the situation had escted way


    beyond her grasp. Two women were talking outside, and the moment her name came up, she became


    alert and started paying attention to their conversation.


    ¡°Have you heard about the new girl and Mr Grayson?¡± one asked the other.


    ¡°About how she is hooking up with him? Yeah.¡±


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t look like the kind, but it¡¯s the innocent-looking ones who are the worst.¡±


    ¡°I know, right? You would think she is ssy with the way she carries herself.¡±


    ¡°Some women have no shame. She hasn¡¯t even been here for a month and yet she¡¯s already sleeping


    with her senior. That¡¯s probably how she got the job in the first ce.¡±


    Isabelle kept quiet and didn¡¯t leave her stall until after the two women left. That was how she found out


    that rumours were swirling around the office about her and Mr Grayson. It didn¡¯t take long to figure out


    where they wereing from¨Cudia.


    She didn¡¯t confront her right away, instead biding her time for the perfect chance to shut her up once


    and for all.


    A chance presented itself soon enough when a few dayster, she walked into the break room to find


    udia in thepany of two of their coworkers, talking about her. Staying out of sight outside the


    door, she listened to what she was saying.


    ¡°Are you sure she was with the directorst night?¡± one of the women asked.


    udia nodded. ¡°I saw them with my own eyes going into the hotel. Haven¡¯t you heard? She had the


    same behaviour of seducing men in college, including her professors. Who knows who else she is


    sleeping with besides Mr Grayson?¡±


    Isabelle inhaled deeply to calm herself. It seemed that the woman was hell-bent on creating rumours


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    about her the same way Ann had. But in the same way she had shut down Ann, she was going to


    make sure this one thought twice before creating more rumours about her.


    Leaving her hiding spot, she marched into the room, her phone in hand. The group that was gossiping


    about her broke up the moment they saw her, acting like they weren¡¯t just talking about her. But she


    wasn¡¯t about to let them get away with it.


    Making her way to udia, she stopped in front of her and showed her the phone she held. ¡°I have


    recorded everything you just said about me, and I¡¯ll not think twice about reporting you to the police if


    you don¡¯t stop ndering me.¡±


    Her voice was loud enough and everybody in the room heard her, including those in the office. udia


    looked at her phone and then at her, and then crossed her arms across her chest. ¡°I haven¡¯t said


    anything that was not true,¡± she imed arrogantly. She had probably figured that if Isabelle had


    recorded her, there was no need to deny doing so. Instead, she could act like she hadn¡¯t spread fake


    rumours about her.


    ¡°Oh, really? Were you with me in the same college to see me seducing my professors?¡± she


    demanded.


    ¡°People talk,¡± udia imed. ¡°It¡¯smon knowledge, everybody knows.¡±


    ¡°Everybody knows? From where, your mouth? You didn¡¯t even know me before I started working here,


    yet here you are, talking about me to everyone as if you¡¯ve known me all my life. Can you show us the


    proof of everything you are saying I¡¯ve done?¡±


    udia huffed. ¡°Proof? I saw you go to the hotel with Mr Grayson, and that¡¯s all the proof I need.¡±


    ¡°With Mr Grayson, you say? Okay, we¡¯ll see about that. But first, let¡¯s see what my schoolmate from


    college has to say about your ims of the kind of person I was in college. Since we went to the same


    school as me, he should know better than you, right?¡± Taking her phone out, she sent Seth a message,


    asking him toe to her department.


    udia scoffed and looked around, trying to influence the others who were watching. ¡°We are not


    going to wait around for your little witness to get here, we have work to do.¡±


    Isabelle looked up at her and gave her a t smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he works here too. He¡¯ll be here in a


    minute.¡±


    udia¡¯s smug expression fell at Isabelle¡¯s announcement, while a murmur rose among the onlookers.


    It was the moment of truth¨Ceverything was about to be revealed, and Isabelle had no intention to back


    off until udia was put in her ce.


    udia attempted to regain the upper hand. ¡°If he is your friend, he is probably going to lie to help you.


    Who knows, maybe he is one of the men you seduced while in college.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we wait until he gets here and hear what he has to say?¡± Isabelle told her. She was


    confident that once Seth vouched for her, nobody would believe udia anymore. Seth was popr in


    thepany, and everybody respected him. Nobody would doubt a man of his character.


    Besides, Seth was not the only one she was looking to clear her name. It was time to kill two birds with


    the same stone¨Csilence udia and get Mr Grayson to back off.


    Stuffing her phone in her pocket, she reached for udia¡¯s arm and tugged her towards the door. ¡°Let¡¯s


    go and meet the department director and you can tell us about exactly where you saw us two together.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± udia shrieked, trying to release her arm from her grip. ¡°Let me go!¡±


    ¡°You keep saying that you saw us, so why don¡¯t we go and ask him about his whereaboutsst night?


    See if your stories match.¡±


    The murmurs around them had turned into excited chatter as their colleagues watched them. Isabelle


    was not fazed. Clearly, this was the only way to make a statement. It was also the most effective way to


    shut down whatever rumours udia had started. In the same way the rumours about her had spread


    quickly throughout thepany, so would the truth.


    udia looked around, hoping for someone to step forward and stop Isabelle, but nobody did. Instead,


    everybody was looking on as the woman dragged her towards the director¡¯s office. She never could


    have expected her to make such a scene in public. She couldn¡¯t let her get her way!

 Chapter 34 Thirty Four

    Chapter 34 Thirty Four


    ¡°Let go of me!¡± udia demanded, grabbing at a desk and digging her heels into the floor to keep


    Isabelle from dragging her any further. ¡°What do you think you are doing?¡±


    ¡°What are you afraid of?¡± Isabelle asked, not rxing her grip around her arm. ¡°You said that you saw


    us with your own eyes. We are only going to confirm with the director.¡±


    ¡°You are crazy,¡± udia used. ¡°This is harassment, I can report you to HR¨C¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll apany you to show them the video of you ndering me,¡± Isabelle informed her.


    When they were almost at the director¡¯s office, the door burst open and Mr Grayson appeared, a frown


    on his face. He looked around at the gathered workers, and then his eyes zeroed in on Isabelle and


    udia. ¡°What on earth is going on here?¡± he demanded.


    Isabelle finally let go of udia and faced the department director. This was her chance to stop


    everything once and for all, in front of everyone. ¡°udia is spreading rumours that you and I went to a


    hotel togetherst night.¡±


    Mr Grayson¡¯s face paled at Isabelle¡¯s words. Where on earth had such a rumoure from? He had


    been trying to seduce Isabelle in secret, and now there was a loudmouth ruining everything for him?


    ¡°So we came to ask about your whereaboutsst night to rify things,¡± Isabelle continued, her eyes


    focused on him.


    As his face darkened with anger as he looked at the woman standing next to Isabelle, he arranged his


    thoughts. He couldn¡¯t let her ruin his reputation before he got Isabelle where he wanted her.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± he asked udia, his voice firm. ¡°I spent the night at home with my wife,


    and she can confirm that. Why are you making up rumours about Ms Cruz and I?¡±


    Everybody went quiet while udia faced the floor. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir. I must have mistaken someone else


    for you.¡±


    Mr Grayson stepped towards her, his face stormy. ¡°Such nonsense will not be tolerated in my


    department. If you have so much to say, maybe you should move to the marketing department, they


    can do with your story-spinning talent over there.¡±


    udia bent her head further. ¡°It won¡¯t happen again, sir. I¡¯m truly sorry.¡±


    Mr Grayson looked around at everyone. ¡°This show is over, you can get back to work. If I catch anyone


    else spreading malicious rumours at work, they¡¯ll face the consequences.¡±


    Then he turned and marched back into his office. udia left the office and hurried towards the


    bathroom. Isabelle finally felt relieved. She was certain that after this, Mr Grayson wouldn¡¯t try to


    pursue her anymore. After announcing to everyone that him seducing her was a story formed in


    udia¡¯s imagination, he wouldn¡¯t do anything that would get people talking again.


    When he left, instead of going back to their desks as instructed, the crowd burst into excited whispers.


    Before Isabelle could get back to her desk, she caught sight of Seth walking into the office. On seeing


    her, he hurried over, a concerned look on his face.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± he asked, looking around at the gathered workers and then focusing back on her. ¡°I


    got your message.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± she told him. ¡°I wanted to ask you to rify something if you don¡¯t mind. Someone started a


    rumour about my character in college¨C¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard,¡± he told her, his expression softening. ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll set things straight.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she told him, feeling grateful.


    ¡°Good afternoon, Mr Holding. What are you doing in our department?¡± one of her colleagues asked,


    approaching them.


    ¡°I heard false rumours being peddled around about my junior, so I came to clear them up,¡± he replied.


    The colleague looked from Seth to Isabelle and back. ¡°You are¡­you are the schoolmate she was


    talking about?¡±


    Seth nodded and gave Isabelle a fond look. ¡°Yes. I was her senior in college, so I know all about her


    character. Everything you¡¯ve heard is nonsense.¡±


    Isabelle smiled gratefully at him while the crowd burst into whispers again. Everybody¡¯s attention was


    now on Seth, and with the way they were all looking at him, she knew they believed him.


    ¡°udia really made all that up,¡± someone said. ¡°But fortunately, both the director and Mr Holding have


    cleared things up.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, poor girl. What did she ever do to udia?¡±


    ¡°My junior has always been an honest, kind, and hard-working person,¡± Seth said loud enough for


    everyone to hear. ¡°She is also very talented, so many people are jealous of her. Maybe that¡¯s what is


    bothering udia.¡±


    ¡°Maybe because she¡¯s quite pretty too,¡± someone else added, and the crowd burst into chuckles.


    ¡°Thank you, Seth,¡± Isabelle told him. ¡°I don¡¯t know how I can make it up to you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that,¡± he told her. ¡°I told you toe to me if you came across any trouble, didn¡¯t I?


    I¡¯m happy to help.¡±ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    Isabelle felt really grateful in her heart and wished she could do something to thank him. This was the


    second time he hade to her rescue, and he never asked anything in return.


    ***


    The next day when Isabelle got to work, she received the good news that udia had been demoted


    and transferred to an insignificant department.


    She was relieved that she would no longer be working in the same office with someone who hated her


    so much. After humiliating her the previous day in front of their coworkers and director, there was no


    telling what she could have done to get back at her.


    ¡°I¡¯m so happy that you stood up to her,¡± the coworker who had given her the news said. ¡°Everybody is


    happy that she is gone.¡±


    Puzzled, Isabelle asked, ¡°Really?¡±


    Her colleague nodded. ¡°She was always stirring in the office and backbiting others. She despised


    everyone who did better than her. With her gone, this department will be a lot more peaceful.¡±


    Isabelle had no idea that udia was used to treating everyone like that. Indeed, nobody liked working


    around someone like that.


    ¡°You are so brave,¡± another coworker said, perching on the corner of her desk. ¡°Nobody ever had the


    guts to stand up to her. What you did yesterday was amazing!¡±


    ¡°You are our hero,¡± the first coworker said, grinning.


    Isabelleughed and dismissed her with a shake of her head. ¡°You are exaggerating. People like her


    prey on those they think cannot stand up to them. If you stand up to them, often, their lies crumble in


    the face of the truth. I couldn¡¯t stand by and let her tarnish my name, so I had to act.¡±


    Her coworker nodded. ¡°You have inspired me. The next time someone tries to create rumours about


    me, I¡¯ll not cower. I¡¯ll face them and ask them for proof!¡±


    The three burst intoughter at her enthusiasm. For the first time since udia started spreading


    rumours about her, Isabelle feltpletely at ease in the office. Her colleagues were now talking to her


    freely, with no one throwing her suspicious nces. She only hoped that the new peace wouldst.


    After dealing with Ann from the time she had her interview, she had thought she wouldn¡¯t make any


    more enemies at work, only for udia to fill that space. Now, she hoped that her encounters with


    coworkers who were hell-bent on ndering her were done.

 Chapter 35 Thirty Five

    Chapter 35 Thirty Five


    After the incident with udia, Mr Grayson stopped making advances towards Isabelle. He no longer


    called her to his office frequently or offered to help her with her work. This convinced Isabelle that he


    had given up, and she was finally able to rx fully.


    So it caught her by surprise when he approached her one evening after work and asked her to join him


    to have dinner with a client. Isabelle¡¯s heart sank as she realised that he had not given up. Instead, he


    had been biding his time.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry but I can¡¯t join you,¡± she rejected his invitation politely, hoping he would let it go. She


    gathered her stuff into her bag, wanting to make an escape quickly.


    Mr Grayson stepped in her way. ¡°You shoulde with me, Ms Cruz. I want to introduce some


    resources that can help you a lot here at work.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for the consideration,¡± she told him, ¡°but I really cannot go with you. I have urgent matters


    to attend to, so I have to leave right away.¡±


    ¡°Do you think I wasted my timeing here to ask you toe with me because I have nothing better


    to do?¡± he asked, his tone bing stern. His sudden change in demeanour surprised her, and she


    clutched her bag tightly. ¡°I am your senior, and if I ask you toe with me to meet a client, you should


    that¡¯s more important than your job?¡±


    Isabelle swallowed. ¡°I¨C¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s either youe with me or lose your job,¡± he said resolutely. ¡°If you think you can do whatever you


    want, maybe you have no ce in thispany.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯lle with you,¡± she told him, having no other choice. It was just dinner. She wasn¡¯t about to risk


    her job because of this.


    Mr Grayson nodded curtly. ¡°Wait for me, we¡¯ll leave shortly.¡±


    ***


    When they got to the restaurant they were meeting the client in, Mr Grayson led her to a private room.


    The moment she stepped inside, however, she wondered whether they had gone into the wrong room.


    This didn¡¯t look like the kind of setting she was expecting for dinner with a client. There were several


    men in the room, all sitting with skimpily-dressed women in their arms.


    She stopped in her tracks and took a step back. ¡°What is this?¡± she asked.


    Mr Grayson wrapped his hand around her arm and pulled her forward. ¡°Come inside,¡± he told her.


    She tried to remove her arm from his grip forcefully, but his grip was too strong. ¡°This does not look like


    a client dinner.¡± No, in fact, she was sure it wasn¡¯t. This was just a private room full of men entertaining


    themselves with the women in theirpany. She was positive that the director had lied to her about a


    dinner with a client to bring her here.


    While they had been making their way to the restaurant, share had cheered herself up with the fact that


    they would be in thepany of the client, so Mr Grayson wouldn¡¯t try any appropriate. In such a


    setting, she would have found a way to get through the evening without engaging his ulterior motive.


    But now, in this setting, there was no telling what his ns were.


    ¡°Tonight we¡¯ll have fun, just you and me,¡± he told her, leaning in close to her ear. His voice and his


    breath disgusted her and caused her stomach to turn.


    Now that he had revealed his true intentions, she fought him without holding back. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be


    here,¡± she said loudly, ¡°let me go back.¡±


    ¡°Do you want us to go somewhere more private?¡± he asked, walking further into the room and dragging


    her with him. ¡°I wanted to spend some quality time with you, anyway.¡±


    ¡°Let go of me!¡± she screamed, digging her nails into his hand. At that moment, the door opened and a


    waitress stepped in, carrying a tray of drinks. As she ced them on the table, Isabelle addressed her.


    ¡°Please call security, this man is harassing me!¡±


    The waitress only gave her a cursory look before walking out of the room. Isabelle was shocked that


    she hadn¡¯t bothered to help her, and that¡¯s when it truly sunk in that Mr Grayson had brought her to a


    shady ce to take advantage of her.


    Her panic grew as he continued dragging her towards another door and none of the other upants of


    the room paid attention to her plight. They were all busy drinking alcohol andughing as they cuddled


    their partners. Tears welled in her eyes and spilled onto her cheeks as she realised that no one was


    ¡°Where are you taking me?¡± she demanded.


    ¡°I already told you,¡± he said, finally getting to the door and wrenching it open. ¡°Somewhere we can be


    alone.¡±


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    When he had the door open, he jerked her arm roughly and pushed her forward, forcing her to stumble


    into the next room. Isabelle¡¯s fear tripled as she saw the bed in the room. Mr Grayson closed the door


    behind him and leered at her, reaching up to loosen his tie.


    ¡°You have been avoiding me at work, haven¡¯t you? Acting like you are too good for me. Let¡¯s see about


    that now,¡± he said, taking slow steps towards her.


    Isabelle shook her head, determined to fight her way through. She wiped the tears beneath her eyes


    and shook her head. ¡°I have no idea what you are talking about.¡±


    Heughed, an evilugh that made her skin crawl. ¡°Don¡¯t pretend to be innocent, I made it quite


    obvious that I wanted you. That stupid bitch almost ruined everything with her loud mouth, but finally,


    here we are. I don¡¯t have to wait anymore.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll report you,¡± she threatened, taking a step back to create more distance between them. ¡°If you do


    anything to me, I¡¯ll make sure to report you to HR.¡±


    He cackled as he released his sleeve cuffs. ¡°Who will believe you? You are just the newbie who has


    been involved with rumours about her promiscuous nature from the moment you stepped foot into that


    you¡¯re making false usations because I refused to sleep with you for favours at work.¡±


    Tears of frustration fell down Isabelle¡¯s cheeks as she realised he was right. Nobody would believe her


    over the word of a department director.


    ¡°You have alreadye with me this far,¡± he told her. ¡°So let¡¯s get this out of the way. I promise you¡¯ll


    like it.¡±


    He tookrge fast steps towards her, giving her no time to get away. Gripping her arms, he threw her


    onto the bed. She fell on her back and crawled away from the edge, trying to get to her feet and make


    a dash for the door.


    But she got nowhere as he threw his body over hers and reached for her jacket. She thrashed beneath


    him as she tried to topple him while also trying to keep him from removing her jacket. A sob escaped


    her throat as she realised how much stronger he was than her.


    Mr Grayson put all his focus on getting rid of her jacket, wishing she had worn a dress that day instead


    of a pantsuit. But that was a small obstacle in his path. No matter how much she tried to push him


    away or cried, he wasn¡¯t going to let her go until he got what he wanted.


    When it proved too troublesome to get rid of her jacket, he gripped her blouse with both hands,


    intending to tear it open.


    Before he could, he received a heavy blow to his face that caused him to fall backwards onto the floor.

 Chapter 36 Thirty Six

    Chapter 36 Thirty Six


    Mr Grayson cursed and turned around, wondering who it was that had the nerve to barge in the room


    to interrupt him. In front of him was a tall dark-haired man giving him a cold re.


    He wasn¡¯t familiar to him. And he was sure none of the men who were outside drinking with their dates


    would have interrupted him. He also didn¡¯t look like a security guard¨Che was wearing a suit and a long


    coat like an office worker.


    Supporting himself on his hands, he got up and faced him, sneering. ¡°Who the fuck are you?¡± He


    wasn¡¯t about to let anyone ruin this for him.


    When Mr Grayson suddenly released her and fell backwards, Isabelle shot up from the bed, thinking


    that perhaps one of the people in the room outside had finallye to help her. But when her eyes fell


    on Jacob instead, a happy cry left her lips as she crawled over the bed and to him.


    He took her in his arms and held her close as she hid her face in his chest, sobs causing her entire


    body to shake. She could hardly believe he was there, but he truly was, and he had appeared just in


    time. Her fear evaporated as he held her close, and a few secondster, she felt him take off his coat


    and wrap it around her.


    Then he pulled her face from his chest and wiped her tears away gently, looking at her softly. ¡°It¡¯s okay,


    I¡¯m here now, don¡¯t cry.¡±


    She nodded, his face and gentle hold on herforting, but she couldn¡¯t stop crying yet. Her body was


    still shaking from the panic that had overwhelmed her just seconds ago.


    Jacob held her close to his chest again, and then his cold voice filled the room. ¡°Get out!¡±


    The other man was still in the room, looking like he wanted to fight him and get on with whatever he


    had nned. Jacob barely held himself back¨Che wanted to punch that stupid face of his until he looked


    like roadkill, or perhaps gouge his eyes out so he never looked at Isabelle ever again.


    Mr Grayson sized up Jacob and the way he was holding Isabelle, wondering who the hell he was. But it


    didn¡¯t matter. Whoever he was, he had no business interrupting his personal affairs. Folding his hand


    into a fist, he rushed towards Jacob, wanting to punch him and pay him back for the blow he had given


    him.


    But Jacob was deft on his feet and moved away, even with Isabelle in his arms. As Mr Grayson¡¯s body


    lurched forward, Jacob let go of Isabelle and grabbed his arm, twisted it onto his back, and then


    pushed him onto the floor.


    Mr Grayson tried to free himself, but Jacob was too strong. Unable to beat him physically, he resorted


    to verbal threats. ¡°Who are you? If you don¡¯t let me go this moment, she is going to lose her job.¡±


    In response, Jacob lifted his foot and stepped on the director¡¯s twisted arm. ¡°I am her husband,¡± he


    informed him, ¡°and you can go ahead and try to fire her.¡±


    Mr Grayson tried even harder, but Jacob was done with him. Releasing him, he took Isabelle¡¯s hand


    and led her towards the door.


    Mr Grayson¡¯s threats about how he was going to fire her the next day followed them, but none paid


    attention to him.


    ***


    Isabelle was still trembling badly by the time Jacob got her home. Her body and mind were still to


    ovee the shock of what had happened, and no matter how many soothing words Jacob said, she


    couldn¡¯t seem to stop shaking. She also couldn¡¯t stop imagining what would have happened had he not


    appeared when he did¡­ And each time she did, a shudder ran through her body.


    Jacob guided her to take a seat in the living room and then disappeared into the kitchen. A minuteter,


    he returned with a ss of water. Holding it to her lips, he told her to drink, and she obliged. She was


    d he held the ss because she couldn¡¯t trust her fingers to hold anything tightly at that moment.


    After she was done with the water, Jacob ced the ss on the coffee table and took a seat beside


    her, his gaze roaming her body. ¡°Did he hurt you?¡± he asked, feeling like he should have punched the


    guy one more time before leaving. He reached for her blouse to check whether the asshole had hurt


    her physically, but Isabelle pulled away from him and shook her head.


    ¡°He didn¡¯t,¡± she told him, tightening her grip on his coat around her body. She looked away from him


    and bit her bottom lip, as if to stop it quivering. He nodded and didn¡¯t push, understanding that she was


    still frightened and feeling uneasy.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± he told her, hating the frightened look on her face. Hating the man who had put it there.


    Wrapping his arm around her shoulder, he drew her against his chest and hugged her tightly. ¡°He won¡¯t


    be able to touch you again. I¡¯ll make sure of that.¡±


    He meant every word of it. By the time he was done with the man, he would regret ever looking


    Isabelle¡¯s way. He wished he had known beforehand about the man¡¯s intentions so that he could have


    put a stop to them before Isabelle found herself in such a disturbing situation. It would have saved her


    the trauma.


    Grinding his jaw, he lifted her chin with his fingers and stared into her eyes. ¡°If there is anyone giving


    you trouble at work, you have to tell me. Okay? Don¡¯t let anyone bully you, even if they are your


    senior.¡±


    She nodded and muttered a weak ¡®yes¡¯. He hoped she paid heed to his words and actually let him


    know if it happened. It wasn¡¯t like he could directly tell her that he had the power to fire whoever


    bothered her¡­


    Isabelle nodded when she heard Jacob¡¯s soothing words, even though she had no idea how he would


    make sure that Mr Grayson didn¡¯t bother her again. But that didn¡¯t bother her¨Cshe truly feltforted in


    his arms and felt a sense of security, as if she somehow knew that he would keep her safe like he had


    promised.


    Even when Mr Grayson had threatened to fire her, it hadn¡¯t shaken him. Instead, he stood his ground


    and dared him to. It was like back at the clothing store when he had defended her from the rude


    assistants and manager. The aura he had exuded in both incidents was that of someone who knew


    how to get his way and often did¨Cand so far, he had proven that if he wanted to get something, he did.


    She couldn¡¯t help but feel that no matter what happened, he would be able to save the day. And she


    realised that gradually, without noticing, she had be dependent on him. She trusted him to have


    her back much in the same way she would expect a real husband to do. It was hard not to feel that way


    given how gentle he was with her¡­


    ¡°Why were you there?¡± she asked, now wondering how he had shown up at the room. When he


    showed up, she had been too relieved to question how he had found her. But now, she couldn¡¯t help


    but wonder.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    It was such a pleasant coincidence that he had been there.

 Chapter 37 Thirty Seven

    Chapter 37 Thirty Seven


    Jacob let go of Isabelle¡¯s face and looked away. ¡°I was in thepany of a friend,¡± he replied to her


    question.


    ¡°Oh,¡± she muttered, remembering how the men in the private room had all been there with women in


    their arms. What was Jacob doing there? Had he also been there with a lover? Did he flirt with the


    women there?


    The thought bothered her, but she didn¡¯t let it show on her face.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go and take a shower,¡± she told him, getting to her feet. He nodded and shifted to let her leave the


    sofa.


    In the bathroom, she stood under the shower for a long time, enjoying the feel of the cascading water


    over her skin. Even though Mr Grayson hadn¡¯t seeded in touching her the way he wanted, she still


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    found herself scrubbing her skin thoroughly. Somehow, she felt as if washing thoroughly would not only


    wash away any trace of his touch on her but also wash away the memory of what happened.


    By the time she was done, she felt a lot better. Her body had also stopped trembling. It wasn¡¯t until she


    was stepping out of the shower that she realised she hadn¡¯t brought her bath robe. She bit her lip as


    she looked at the ones she had been wearing¨Cshe not only had no intention of wearing them until she


    cleaned them, but they were also wet.


    She had two options, to ask Jacob to deliver her bathrobe, or to wrap the towel around her body and


    sneak back into her room quickly without him catching sight of her. The idea of having Jacob bring her


    bathrobe made her flush, so she opted for the second option. He was likely still in the living room and


    wouldn¡¯t notice her darting into her room half-naked.


    Wrapping the towel around her chest, she headed towards the door. She opened the door slowly and


    peeked into the hallway¨Che was nowhere in sight. Assured, she closed the door behind her and tiptoed


    towards her door. At that moment, Jacob¡¯s bedroom door opened.


    ***


    Jacob froze in his steps when the first thing his eyesnded on when he left his room was Isabelle¡¯s


    cleavage. He hadn¡¯t intended to, but he was much taller, and it was the first thing he noticed when he


    looked down at her in her short white towel.


    He cleared his throat and raised his eyes to her face, fighting against the urge to drag them sensually


    across her bare skin. But before he got to her face, she turned away in a hurry towards her bedroom


    door.


    Isabelle had frozen the moment Jacob appeared from his bedroom, and it had taken her way too long


    to register where his eyes were focused on¨Cher cleavage. Aware of his gaze, her heart had thudded


    behind her chest while her hand clutched her towel tightly.


    Then as his eyes finally utched from her cleavage and started lifting to her face, her embarrassment


    hit and she turned to run into her room. What horrible timing she had!


    But before she could get her hand on her door¡¯s handle, two strong hands grabbed her bare arms and


    pulled her back. Her body pressed against a warm, hard, male body, and her already thudding heart


    almost crashed through her ribcage.


    As she struggled to breathe steadily, she felt him lean over her, until his lips were right beside her ear.


    ¡°You really shouldn¡¯t dress like this.¡±


    She swallowed hard. Tried to ignore the shivers that coursed through her body when his breath


    brushed over her skin. Tried to kill the urge to rx into his hold, get closer to that warmth she could


    feel emanating from his body¡­ ¡°Let me go,¡± she gasped. Her own thoughts and reaction to him


    mortified her.


    Jacob wanted to let her go, but damn¡­he shouldn¡¯t have taken her in his arms in the first ce.


    Having her soft body against him was driving him crazy, and now, all he wanted to do was kiss that


    beautiful column of her neck, get a feel of the soft breasts that were peeking at him from beneath her


    towel, turn her face to him and kiss her until they were both breathless.


    He tried hard to think of all the reasons he shouldn¡¯t do all that, but the problem was that in his current


    position, his brain wasn¡¯t doing much work. All the blood in his head seemed to have taken an


    expressway ticket to his dick, which was already excited.


    It didn¡¯t help that as she struggled to escape his hold, she rubbed against him, making his situation


    worse.


    ¡°If you dress like this,¡± he told her, ¡°I might not be able to save you in the future.¡± From himself.


    ¡°I¡­I forgot my robe,¡± she sputtered. Her face was red, and the flush spread to her neck and ears.


    He cussed internally as the urge to lick her naked skin came back.


    Let her go, he whispered to himself. But when he went to rx his hold on her, he found himself


    running his hands down her arms. Her body shivered, and he wondered whether she was enjoying his


    touch. If she was, he wouldn¡¯t hesitate to take her in his arms, carry her into her room, and make love


    to her like his body ached to¨C


    Isabelle knew that if she didn¡¯t get away quickly, she would be in trouble. A lot of trouble. She could


    barely control the excited shiver that rocked her body when he caressed her arm. She couldn¡¯t show


    that having him this close was exciting her. Which was why getting away was imperative.


    Twisting, she pulled her arms from his grip, and felt relief when she managed to get free. But while she


    got free, her towel dragged downwards, and she reached down quickly to pull it back up.


    When she looked up again, she found that Jacob had moved to stand between her and the door to her


    room. His tongue appeared between his luscious lips as he licked them, and his eyes were heavy with


    lust when they finally lifted from her chest to her eyes.


    He took a step towards her and she backed away. ¡°Do you want me toe into your room with you?¡±


    he asked.


    She blinked and swallowed. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re driving me crazy,¡± he told her, taking another step towards her. When she stepped back this


    time, her back hit the wall behind her. He ced one hand above her on the wall and leaned in, his


    body hovering over hers. ¡°Let me in.¡±


    She swallowed again, lost for words. Why was he suddenly asking that? Had her body betrayed her?


    He leaned closer, bending his head to bring his lips close to her ears. ¡°You make me so hard.¡±


    She sped a hand over her mouth. She hadn¡¯t expected him to be so forward. Well, he was already


    being forward, but did he really have to tell her that?


    ¡°We are both adults, Be. If you want me too¨C¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t!¡± she interrupted him quickly, not wanting to hear any more of his seductive words. And Be?


    What was with the sudden nickname?


    ¡°Sure?¡± he asked. ¡°I don¡¯t make you wet?¡±


    She grind her teeth together. This conversation was going in the wrong direction at a breathtaking


    speed. She wasn¡¯t going to sleep with him, even if her legs clenched together when he said things like


    that to her. Despite everything that had happened, they were still a pretend couple¡­


    A low groan passed through Jacob¡¯s lips, and his hand came up to finger her towel, his finger skimming


    her skin. ¡°Be¡­let me in.¡±

 Chapter 38 Thirty Eight

    Chapter 38 Thirty Eight


    When Jacob¡¯s finger tugged on the towel and it became a little loose, Isabelle snapped out of the


    trance he had distracted her into. Her face flushed afresh, and as her mind rattled back into work-


    mode, she realised how precarious her situation was.


    She had let this go too far.


    Pushing Jacob¡¯s hand away, she ducked under his arm and reached for her door. This time, he didn¡¯t


    stop her as she twisted the handle and pushed the door open. She mmed it closed behind her¨Cas if


    to further emphasise that she was not up for whatever he had in mind.


    Rushing to her mirror, she pressed her hands to her face and took deep breaths. She had no idea who


    she was more pissed at¨Chim for teasing her in her state of undress, or her for giving him any sign that


    she liked it.


    It seemed that she was getting toofortable with him and forgetting that not only was he her pretend


    husband, but that she was also deceiving him about her identity. Nothing could happen between them


    as long as she was living a lie.


    Outside the door, Jacob cursed and raked his hand through his hair. Had he been too pushy? Thest


    thing he wanted was to scare her away or make her vignt around him. Their rtionship hade a


    long way from when they were newlyweds wary of each other¨Cor, to be honest, him being wary of her¨C


    and he didn¡¯t want things to go back to that.


    With ast longing look at her door, he walked to the kitchen for a cold drink to help him cool down.


    ***


    As Isabelle walked into thepany building the next morning, a sense of foreboding loomed over her


    and refused to let go. She clutched her bag tightly in her hand to keep her hands from trembling, and


    ended up digging her nails into her palms.


    Trying to calm herself down was impossible. Even while she tried to not fall apart on the outside, her


    heart was thudding in her chest, and she was certain that was why she was feeling light-headed.


    It got worse as she got in the elevator and headed to her office floor. In less than a minute, she was


    going to walk into her department. Where Mr Grayson was probably waiting to make her pay for the


    previous night¡¯s incident.


    Jacob¡¯s assurances had almost convinced her that she didn¡¯t have to worry, but none of that


    confidence he had instilled in her remained. She was walking into the lion¡¯s den alone, and heaven only


    knew whether she would walk out with her job.


    The morning began without any incident, and she almost believed that Mr Grayson had no intention of


    hunting her down for revenge. But that belief was crushed when a short while after ten o¡¯clock, he


    walked out of his office and came straight to her desk.


    ¡°Ms Cruz, you¡¯re fired,¡± he said, loud enough for her and whoever else was in the vicinity to hear.


    She opened her mouth to say something, but his sudden announcement had shocked her into


    speechlessness.


    When he saw that she wasn¡¯t saying anything, he proceeded, ¡°Clear out your desk as fast as possible,


    you¡¯re no longer a part of thispany.¡±


    It was when he turned away to leave that she shot to her feet, finding her voice. ¡°Why?¡± she asked. Of


    course she knew why, but he couldn¡¯t give that as a reason for firing her, could he? She wanted to


    know what excuse he was using to get his revenge.


    Mr Grayson turned around and gave her a hateful re. ¡°Because you are not suitable for the position,¡±


    he replied.


    Not good enough for the position? That was what he was going with? After the gruesome interviewing


    process she had gone through and aced? ¡°How am I not suitable?¡± she demanded.


    A murmur rose among her coworkers.


    ¡°Her design got selected for the autumn winter series exhibition,¡± someone said. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure she¡¯s


    suitable.¡±


    Mr Grayson threw a re towards the person who said that. ¡°I¡¯m the department director, I¡¯m sure I


    know better than you who¡¯s suitable for this job.¡±


    ¡°But we heard that she passed all her interviews exceedingly,¡± another person added. ¡°Personally I


    think she is quite talented.¡±


    As more people agreed with that sentiment, Mr Grayson got angrier, and Isabelle got braver. Even if he


    wanted to assert his seniority as the director, he was dreaming if he thought she was going to let him


    have his way without taking this further. As far as she was concerned, he was abusing his position, and


    thankfully, he wasn¡¯t at the top of thedder. There were people he was answerable to, and she would


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    make sure to present her grievance to them before packing up just because he said so.


    ¡°If you do not do as I say,¡± he told her, stepping towards her threateningly, ¡°everybody here will find out


    exactly what kind of woman you are.¡±


    His cold tone caused a chill to run down her spine, and she swallowed. What did he mean by that?


    Getting close to her, he told her in a low volume so that nobody else heard, ¡°As the department


    director, I refuse to work with someone who tries to seduce me to get favours at work.¡±


    Isabelle gaped. That. He had said that if she reported him, he would twist the story around to ce the


    me on her. It would also be easy to pin it on her in this situation if he was pressed to provide a viable


    reason for firing her.


    The look he gave her as he stepped back told her that he had every intention of making that im right


    away.


    She closed her trembling hands into fists, unable to think of a way around. Unless she could get proof


    that he was lying, everybody would believe his story. Her only option was to leave silently.


    Mr Grayson turned away to go back into his office, but stopped a secondter when a voice called his


    name from the entrance. Isabelle turned to find Mr Del Mundo, the vice president,ing forward. But


    he was not alone¨Che was apanied by three police officers, and the entire office turned attention to


    the new spectacle.


    Mr Grayson turned around and met the group halfway. ¡°Is anything the matter, sir?¡± he asked the vice


    president.


    One of the police officers stepped forward and faced Mr Grayson. ¡°We have received a video showing


    that you¡¯re a suspect in the attempted rape of Ms Isabelle Cruz. We¡¯d like you toe down to the


    station with us.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Mr Grayson demanded. ¡°What¡¯s this nonsense?¡±


    ¡°The video clearly shows you dragging Ms Cruz into a room,¡± the officer provided. ¡°Come with us and


    we¡¯ll talk about it at the station.¡±


    Mr Grayson¡¯s eyes found Isabelle, and he took a threatening step towards her. ¡°You bitch¨C¡±


    Isabelle took a step backwards quickly, but one of the officers grabbed his arm to keep him from getting


    to her.


    As the officer steered Mr Grayson towards the exit, he turned to the vice president, shaking his head.


    ¡°There has been a mistake. It¡¯s all a lie. I would never do that!¡±


    The vice president simply asked him to cooperate with the police and to not make a scene. As the


    group left, the entire office watched, surprise etched on all of their faces.


    Isabelle was astonished too and couldn¡¯t believe what had just happened.


    ¡°That must be why he was attempting to fire you,¡± one of her colleagues said. ¡°What a jerk!¡±


    ¡°Thank God he was captured on camera,¡± someone else said. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry that you had to go through


    that, Isabelle.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mr Del Mundo will make sure he never sets foot here again,¡± someone elseforted


    her.


    She sure hoped so.


    But, who had filed the report against Mr Grayson?

 Chapter 39 Thirty Nine

    Chapter 39 Thirty Nine


    On her way home from work that evening, Isabelle came across Jacob jogging in themunity. He


    was dressed in a pair of running shorts that left his long muscr legs exposed, and a t-shirt that made


    it easy to imagine the muscr physique hidden beneath.


    Soon as her thoughts went to forbidden territory, she stopped them and focused on the matter that had


    been on her mind all day. Jacob was the only person fromst night who knew her identity and who


    took the incentive to stop Mr Grayson. There was a high probability that he was the one who had


    reported him to the police.


    ¡°How was work?¡± he asked when he got to her and fell into step with her on their way home.


    ¡°It was good,¡± she said, and then looked up at him. ¡°Some officers came in the morning and arrested


    the director. Are you the one who went to the police with the surveince video fromst night?¡±


    ¡°Oh, they did?¡± he nodded approvingly. ¡°Good. Yes, I¡¯m the one who gave them the video.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she told him. ¡°He was trying to fire me when they showed up. My coworkers think he¡¯ll be


    fired.¡±


    ¡°He already is,¡± he replied, and then a few secondster added, ¡°I¡¯m sure he already has been fired. If


    not, I would make a scene at thepany to demand that he be fired.¡±


    Isabelle chuckled, thinking he was joking. Either way, she felt immensely grateful that he had taken the


    step to ensure Mr Grayson paid for what he had done. ¡°How did you get the footage, though?¡± From


    her experiencest night, she didn¡¯t think the restaurant would be willing to give him the surveince


    video. Their staff hadn¡¯t bothered to help her when she cried for help, and she thought they were more


    inclined to sweep the incident under the rug.


    ¡°One of the security guards at the restaurant is my friend,¡± Jacob told her. ¡°He is the one who helped


    me with the video. Otherwise, it might have been hard to get it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fortunate,¡± she said. It was amazing how he seemed to have friends everywhere. He might not


    have a lot of money or have a posh job, but he sure had good connections. ¡°Thank you so much for


    doing that for me. Without your help, I would have lost my job today.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it,¡± he told her, taking her bag to carry it for her. ¡°It¡¯s my job to take care of you. You are


    my wife, remember?¡±


    His words made her blush and a happy smile covered her lips.


    ***


    By the time they got to their apartment, Jacob¡¯s shirt was already stained with sweat, and he nned to


    have a shower first. He grabbed the hem of his shirt and was about to take it off when Isabelle


    appeared in front of him, gazing at him with thoserge brown eyes of hers. His stomach seized. She


    had no idea how adorable she appeared when she looked up at him like that, did she?


    ¡°You kept your promise,¡± she told him, a small smile gracing her lips. Her soft, pink lips that he hadn¡¯t


    been able to look at the same way again after that fateful night in the car¡­


    He cleared his throat and tried to bring his brain back to the present. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Last night, you told me that you would make sure he didn¡¯t hurt me again. I thought you were only


    want to thank you for that.¡±


    He had thought she had thanked him enough already, but he didn¡¯t mind it at all. He wanted her to


    know that whenever she needed him, he was more than ready to cater to whatever she wanted.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t make false promises to you,¡± he assured her. Then he winked at her. ¡°That would make me


    such a horrible husband, wouldn¡¯t it?¡±


    She blushed at his teasing, and he chuckled. It was so easy to make her blush. And he enjoyed it


    because she looked really cute like that.


    Feeling like enjoying the situation a little more, he arched his brow thoughtfully and said, ¡°But, if you


    really want to show me your gratitude, maybe you can do it with actions.¡±


    ¡°Actions?¡± she echoed, her smooth brow frowning. She seemed to think about it for a few seconds, and


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    then she looked back at him, her eyes shining. ¡°I can make you a hearty meal. Maybe something you


    like but haven¡¯t had in a while.¡±


    That was tempting, but not what he had in mind. He shook his head.


    ¡°No?¡± she asked, her happy expression falling. She nibbled on her bottom lip as she thought further. It


    was obvious she was having a hard time deciding what kind of action could show him how grateful she


    was, so he decided to help her along¡­


    Leaning forward, he said, ¡°A kiss.¡±


    Her eyes widened as she looked back at him. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°A kiss will be enough to tell me thank you,¡± he told her.


    He half-expected her to run away. She was good at that. Or think it was a joke. Or ask him for another


    thing he wanted as a show of gratitude. But she did none of that. She didn¡¯t shake her head, step back,


    or say that his request was ridiculous. Taking that as a sign that maybe he hadn¡¯t asked for too much


    after all, he reached down for her hand.


    She didn¡¯t resist when he took her hand and pulled her closer to him, and then took hold of her other


    hand. Gently, he wrapped them around his waist. Her body was now pressed against his front, and he


    drew in a sharp breath. He had felt her up close and personal before, but this was the first time she


    was sober and willing. Knowing that she was going along with this made his blood run hot. It took a lot


    of restraint to not crush her in his arms and im her lips already.


    Closing his eyes, he puckered his lips. ¡°Okay, hurry up,¡± he teased lightly.


    While Jacob waited for his kiss, Isabelle stared at his face unabashedly. It was easy to do when he


    wasn¡¯t looking at her. That didn¡¯t mean it saved her from the heat that crawled up her neck and onto


    her face. She almost sighed at how handsome he was.


    A small part of her brain told her that she had no business standing close to him like this, with her


    hands around him. But it was just a kiss¡­ He had made her feel so relieved and happy that day. A kiss


    was a small price to pay.


    She stood on her toes, getting ready to peck his lips. She was aware of her heart beating like crazy


    behind her chest, and she hoped he couldn¡¯t hear it. She might be acting like she was only doing this


    because he asked, but her body was determined to betray the fact that she was enjoying every


    moment of it. Especially as her breasts rubbed up against his chest as she stood on her toes¡­


    Shutting her eyes, she tightened her hold around his waist, closed the remaining distance between


    them, and pressed a kiss to his lips.

 Chapter 40 Forty

    Chapter 40 Forty


    The moment Isabelle pressed her lips to his, the little restraint that was keeping Jacob from doing


    something that could have her running into her room snapped.


    Even if he was determined to not do such a thing, the frenzied passion that surged through his body


    the moment she kissed him made sure that his efforts were futile.


    Wrapping his arms around her body, he picked her up and walked to the sofa, their lips still pressed


    together. The fact that she didn¡¯t pull away or push him away through all that assured him that she


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    wanted this as much as he did.


    He only separated them as hey her down on the sofa and hovered above her. Her eyes fluttered


    open to look at him, and then she nibbled on her bottom lip shyly. Had she known what epting his


    request for a kiss could lead to? Or had she thought it was an innocent request?


    ¡°You¡¯re too naive,¡± he whispered as he brought his lips down to hers. This time, he kissed her urgently,


    his firm lips prying her soft ones apart. She submitted to his kisses, kissing him back heartily. Her


    hands were now wrapped around his shoulders, holding on tightly to him.


    He skimmed his hand down her body, feeling the softness of her feminine curves beneath her work


    clothes. Bringing his hand between their bodies, he covered her breast over her blouse, and then


    squeezed. She mewled in his mouth, and her back arched off the sofa, pushing her breast into his


    hand.


    Her receptiveness was driving him crazy, making him more aroused than he had ever been. He finally


    had his sexy wife under his body, and she was loving every touch, every kiss he was giving her.


    His cock hardened inside his running shorts, begging for attention. He broke the kiss and trailed his lips


    to her cheek, jaw, and down to her throat. She threw her head back, silently giving him ess.


    While he sucked on a spot on her neck, he released her breast and dragged his hand south towards


    her waist. Then he reached behind her and cupped her pert ass, lifting her hips to press her abdomen


    to his hard-on.


    A rush of air left his lips at the sensation of having his hardness snuggled in the space between her


    legs, and he couldn¡¯t help thrusting his hips. She gave a cry of pleasure, and the sound was like music


    to his ears.


    Bringing his lips to her ears, he whispered, ¡°Is that what you want, Be?¡± To apany his question,


    he thrust his hips forward again, grinding his hardness into her. ¡°Do you like that?¡±


    A strangled sound left her throat, but he couldn¡¯t tell whether it was affirmative or not. No matter. The


    way her legs wrapped around his hips was confirmation enough that she liked what he was doing. But


    he really wanted to hear her say it.


    There was no hurry¨Cthey had all night.


    ***


    Isabelle had no idea what she was doing.


    Well, she did know that she was making out with Jacob, but it wasn¡¯t something her brain was entirely


    on board with. Her body was another story. From the moment she kissed him and he kissed her back,


    all sense had flown out of her body.


    She liked how he kissed her, and how his strong arms held her body, and the feel of his body bearing


    down on hers as shey on the sofa.


    Her body was singing with all kinds of ecstatic sensations, and she didn¡¯t want it to stop. She wanted to


    feel his kisses and his touches everywhere. And when he started humping into her, it took everyst


    modicum of self respect she had remaining to not beg him to fuck her already.


    Especially as the ache between her legs deepened, and she began feeling like she would die if he


    didn¡¯t touch her there. What would it hurt? They were both adults who were attracted to each other.


    There was no reason they could not¨C


    Her thoughts grind to a stop.


    There was. There was a big reason why they couldn¡¯t sleep together. She gasped as she realised the


    mistake she was about to make and pushed gently at his chest.


    Jacob lifted his head and regarded her with eyes full of lust. They almost stole her breath away, but she


    steeled herself against the effect he was having on her.


    When he leaned in to kiss her lips, she moved her head to the side, avoiding him. He sighed and


    rested his head on her shoulder. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    What was wrong was that she had led him to believe that she was the eldest daughter of the Cruz


    family. As far as he was concerned, that was who he was married to. She was just a substitute. No


    matter how much she desired him, she couldn¡¯t sleep with him.


    Because she knew if they slept together, they would be a real couple. Being in a pretend marriage


    with him while hiding her true identity was bad enough. Getting into a real rtionship with him while


    doing so was even worse.


    ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± she replied.


    Jacob sighed and lifted his head to look at her again. ¡°Are you afraid that I won¡¯t be nice to you once


    we be a real couple?¡±


    No, she was more than certain that he would be the best partner ever. He was so caring and sweet and


    drove her crazy.


    She shook her head.


    Jacob¡¯s body froze suddenly, and his eyes narrowed. ¡°Have you slept with another man before? Your


    ex?¡±


    Would it be an issue to him? Whichever the case, she wasn¡¯t about to discuss her sex life¨Corck


    thereof¨Cwith him. ¡°I just remembered that I have a design that¡¯s due. I should go and work on it.¡±


    He stared at her face for a while longer, as if deliberating on whether she was being truthful or not.


    Finally, he wrapped his arms around her and embraced her closely, burying his face into her neck. ¡°No,


    don¡¯t go. Stay with me.¡±


    Isabelle took deep breaths to calm herself, but that didn¡¯t work well when the smell of his masculine


    sweat invaded her senses. A scent that made her want to bury her nose into his skin and¡­ She shook


    her head. Focus. But even without the deep breaths distracting her, his warm body temperature


    wrapped around her was another temptation to stay.


    ¡°I have to go,¡± she said finally, wriggling from his embrace. When she insisted, he let her go, and she


    hurried towards her room.


    With her gone, Jacob sat up on the sofa and took a deep breath. He raked his fingers through his hair,


    not believing how things had turned out. He had been so sure that she wouldn¡¯t run away this time.


    A few secondster, his phone pinged, and when he picked it up, he saw that he had a new email from


    Isabelle. It was a message to her client, asking for an extension of the deadline to finish working on the


    design.


    At least she hadn¡¯t been lying when she said she was going to work on the design, he thought. Right


    away, he wrote her a reply telling her she didn¡¯t need to work on the design anymore.

 Chapter 41 Forty One

    Chapter 41 Forty One


    Isabelle worried her lip with her teeth when the client replied right away, asking that she stop working


    on the design. Did he no longer want it? Or did he want to put an end to their partnership?


    Or maybe he did not appreciate her asking for an extension. Some clients were very strict about


    deadlines and could cancel an entire project if they were dyed even a little.


    Considering that, she sent him another email, hoping he changed his mind. In the second email, she


    told him that she would do her best to finish it in time.


    Even if she had to give up sleep, she was going to get it done.


    She didn¡¯t want to lose such a client¨Cthe chances of finding another one who could pay anything close


    to fifty thousand dors for a single design were pretty low. Besides the money, she was keen on


    building a good reputation. Good feedback from clients was very crucial for her career. If she became


    known for tardiness, it would be hard to get new clients.


    She also really liked the client¨Che was easy to work with, and she was having fun designing jewellery


    for him. Some clients could be difficult, demanding, and downright rude, making the experience


    unpleasant. Especially those who were paying a lot of money for a design. It made them feel like it


    gave them the right to treat the designer like their minion or something. But this one, even with the


    huge sums he was paying, wasn¡¯t problematic at all.


    As she waited for his reply, she ced her phone on her bed and came to her feet. She ended up at


    her vanity, staring at herself in the mirror. Her hair was dishevelled from the action that had happened


    on the sofa. But her hair was not the most ring evidence of what had transpired between her and


    Jacob.


    Her lips were pink and looked a little swollen, there was a range of marks on her neck, and her nipples


    made visible bumps on her blouse. Her face med as she recalled how he had cupped her breasts in


    hisrge manly hands. It had felt so, so good¡­


    She shook her head. That was not the right train of thought to entertain when she was trying to ignore


    the ache between her legs that refused to go away.


    Not when she was trying to not give in to her body¡¯s desire and wee whatever temptation he threw


    her way. It was a good thing he hadn¡¯te after her when she ran away. If he had, she wasn¡¯t sure


    she would have been able to resist him a second time.


    While she was fighting the urges that Jacob had awakened in her body, the man was still sitting in the


    living room, recovering¨Cwithout much sess¨Cfrom the passion she had stoked in him.


    He received her email where she said that she could still finish the design on time and smiled. She


    must really want to go on with the work, he thought. If she wanted to keep the job that badly, he


    couldn¡¯t say no.


    The only reason he had asked her to stop working on it was because he had hoped to get away the


    distraction that had apparently drawn her from his arms. But he knew that if he withdrew the request, it


    would probably cause more distraction as she started looking for ways to earn some extra money. He


    didn¡¯t want her to stress out about that¨Cor start entertaining ideas like participating in drug trials.


    Replying, he told her to not worry, and that there was enough time to work on the design.


    Her reply came a short whileter, thanking him and telling him that she would work hard to deliver it on


    time.


    He sighed, leaning back into the sofa and cing his phone aside. ¡°This woman,¡± he muttered, staring


    at the ceiling. She was driving him crazy, and he didn¡¯t mind it at all.


    If only she knew the kind of effect she had on him¡­


    His mind refused to move on from the imagine of her lying on her back, her breasts in his hand, his


    hard-on digging into her most intimate part¡­


    Not just his brain, but his body too. He was still hot and bothered, and the erection in his shorts didn¡¯t


    look like it was going anywhere anytime soon.


    With a low course, he shot to his feet and headed for the bathroom. It was time for a cold bath.


    ***


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    The next day while at work, Isabelle received good news that made her even happier than the police


    showing up the previous day and marching Mr Grayson away. It was a call from the hospital letting her


    know that they had finally gotten a kidney that was a match for Ruth.


    Once the rest of the expenses were paid, they would go ahead with the transntation as soon as


    possible.


    Isabelle had managed to pay for Ruth¡¯s care up until the transntation with the money she had


    earned from the ne design. Now, all she had to do was pay for the cost of the surgery.


    She didn¡¯t have the money in hand, but she didn¡¯t worry too much about it. This time round, she was


    determined to get her adoptive parents to give her the money they owed her. She was willing to do


    whatever it took to get them to give her the money, even if she had to resort to threats.


    This was Ruth¡¯s life on the bnce. She couldn¡¯t afford to let them treat her however they wanted any


    more.


    In the evening after work, she made her way to the Cruzes home. When she knocked on the door, a


    servant appeared. But, instead of weing her inside, the servant told her that she couldn¡¯t get into


    the house.


    Isabelle huffed, knowing right away it was Lucy¡¯s doing. Thest time she hade looking, they had


    told her the family was on vacation abroad. Today, they wouldn¡¯t even let her into the house. They


    couldn''t make it any more obvious that they didn¡¯t want to give her the money if they tried.


    But nothing, not even being locked out of the house, was going to faze her. ¡°Tell Lucy that if she doesn¡¯t


    like to see how he deals with her when he finds out she deceived him.¡±


    The servant stared back at her with wide eyes, but she wasn¡¯t about to take back any of that. She


    meant every word of it.


    At this point, it made no sense to keep up the deception if her family was not going to honour their side


    of the deal. She had sacrificed herself for Ruth, and if this marriage didn¡¯t benefit Ruth, it made no


    sense to keep doing as her family wanted.


    If she was going to keep lying to Jacob, she could at least make it worth it. She was already feeling


    guilty that he was ready to make them a true couple when all she was doing was deceiving him.


    If he found out, he would hate the Cruz family for deceiving him. He would also hate her, she knew, and


    the thought made her heart squeeze painfully in her chest. But she would deserve his hate. She only


    hoped that by the time it got to that point, Ruth would be fully recovered.


    As long as Ruth was okay, she could put up with being hated by Jacob and feeling like a horrible


    person for the rest of her life. She knew it was selfish, to lie to him like that, but she hadn¡¯t had any


    option. For Ruth, she was willing to be the bad person for once.


    And Lucy had another thoughting if she thought she was going to let her keep using her so


    shamelessly just so her daughter could continue her carefree lifestyle.

 Chapter 42 Forty Two

    Chapter 42 Forty Two


    Lucy Cruz was in the master bedroom with her husband when Isabelle showed up at the front door.


    The master bedroom was on the first floor, facing the front of the house. It had a balcony on which if


    they stood, they would have a clear view of Isabelle at the door.


    When the servant turned Isabelle away, Lucy had thought she would go away. She was determined to


    ignore her and even have the servants lock her out of the house. But when she threatened to tell Jacob


    Garcia the truth about their marriage, she froze with fear.


    She wouldn¡¯t really do that, would she? If the Garcias found out that they had deceived them, there


    would be consequences.


    ¡°How dare she?¡± she muttered, pacing beside the king size bed in the room. ¡°We rescued her from that


    dirty orphanage and gave her a decent upbringing. And a family she could only have ever dreamed of.


    How dare she threaten to reveal the truth about Naomi?¡±


    ¡°We promised her,¡± Francis pointed out. ¡°Do not forget that she did us a favour by marrying Jacob


    instead of Naomi. Even before Naomi imed to be pregnant, you were always begging me to save


    her from getting married to an illegitimate son. Isabelle was willing to do it if we paid Ruth¡¯s medical bill.


    Let¡¯s just give her the money.¡±


    ¡°What money?¡± Lucy demanded. ¡°If we give her the money we have, what will we give Naomi? Don¡¯t


    forget that Naomi is the one who is our biological daughter!¡± She hurried to the bedside cabin and


    snapped a tissue from a box lying there. Turning away from Francis, she dabbed at her eyes and


    sniffed into the tissue, pretending to cry. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you always want to defend that girl at the


    expense of our daughter.¡±


    Francis sighed and took a step towards her. ¡°Isabelle is our daughter too¨C¡±


    ¡°I gave birth to only one daughter!¡± she snapped. ¡°I don¡¯t work so hard so that all my money can go to


    some stray child we picked up off the street. After everything we have done for her, don¡¯t you think she


    should be happy to do this for us without asking anything?¡±


    Knowing that pleading for Isabelle would never work with his wife, Francis changed his tactic.


    ¡°Whatever happens, we cannot let the Garcias know that we duped them. They will not be happy to


    know that the girl we gave to their son in marriage is not our eldest daughter.¡± He paced a little, and


    then regarded his wife again. ¡°Even if Jacob is an idler, his personality will not allow him to sit by and


    do nothing. Also, he still has his powerful family behind him. If he decides to take revenge on us, our


    businesses could be ruined. Don¡¯t forget that the Garcias have far more influence than us.¡±


    Lucy crumpled up the tissue in her hand and tossed it into a nearby bin. ¡°This is exactly why I didn¡¯t


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    want Naomi to get married to him. He is only an illegitimate son, so even if his family is wealthy, he has


    nothing unless he works for it. If his family bothered to support him, that woman wouldn¡¯t be at our door


    right now making threats for money. If she was smart at all, she would at least try to get pregnant. Who


    knows, maybe the Garcias will be more generous towards their grandchild.¡±


    ¡°Lucy,¡± Francis said calmly, hoping to bring her attention back to the issue at hand¨Cthe Garcias¡¯ wrath.


    She sighed. ¡°Fine, you are right. I imagine he will be angry that we gave him an orphan as a wife


    instead of our eldest daughter.¡± She worried her lip as she recalled the scene he had made that day


    when she had thrown Isabelle out of the house.


    If he behaved like that because of how they had treated Isabelle, how much worse would his temper be


    if he found out that they had fooled him? What if he decided to take revenge on Naomi? No, she


    couldn¡¯t leave her daughter at the mercy of the Garcias.


    Francis released a sigh of relief. ¡°Let¡¯s end this once and for all. If Isabelle keepsing back for the


    money, he might suspect something is up.¡±


    Even as Lucy agreed that paying Isabelle was important to keep her silent, she still didn¡¯t feel like


    giving her anything. She headed towards the balcony and stood outside, where there was a clear view


    of Isabelle still standing outside the door. The door was locked, and the servant was nowhere to be


    seen.


    ¡°You!¡± she yelled, instantly attracting Isabelle¡¯s attention. ring at her, she continued, ¡°How dare you


    show up here and start demanding for money? Hasn¡¯t this family spent enough on you already? Have


    you no shame? How greedy can you get?¡±


    ¡°Just give me the money,¡± Isabelle replied to her, not bothering to address the usations directed


    towards her. Her calm voice infuriated Lucy even further, and she stormed back into the master


    bedroom.


    ¡°I better never see that face of hers again,¡± she muttered angrily as she stomped her way to the closet.


    In the closet, she picked out some handbags, but she only selected the fake ones. She then went back


    to the room, opened a drawer, and shoved a bunch of bills into one of the bags.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Francis asked, giving her a perplexed look.


    ¡°Giving her what she wants,¡± she replied and made her way back to the balcony. ¡°Here!¡± she shouted,


    throwing one of the handbags at Isabelle. The bag caught her by surprise and hit her in the face. ¡°Go


    sell that and take your money,¡± Lucy yelled, throwing a few more handbags at her. This time, Isabelle


    moved back in time to avoid getting hit. Lucy then took out the money in the bag and threw it over the


    balcony. ¡°There, take what I owe you. Stay away from my family from now on, do you hear?¡±


    Francis approached from behind her, frowning. ¡°Lucy, you didn¡¯t have to do that. Have you counted the


    money? Maybe¨C¡±


    Lucy rounded upon her husband, her eyes zing. ¡°I dare you to say one more word in her defence.


    That woman wants to humiliate your family, can¡¯t you see that? How dare you speak up for her?¡±


    Francis raised his hands to try and cate her. ¡°I¡¯m just saying¨C¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you go and clear out our bank ount and give her the money if you like? Because it


    appears you are concerned about her more than you are for your own daughter.¡±


    She marched past him and went back into the bedroom. He followed her, leaving Isabelle to herself to


    collect the money Lucy had thrown at her.


    Once Lucy and Francis¨Cand the sound of her angry grumbling¨Cdisappeared from the balcony, Isabelle


    bent and started collecting the money scattered around her.


    She knew Lucy had intended to humiliate her, but she didn¡¯t care about that as she gathered the


    money. Her threat had worked.


    Many minutester, she stood with the entire bunch of money in her hands. Having counted it all, she


    realised that it wasn¡¯t enough to pay for the operation.


    Setting the money inside her bag, she collected the handbags Lucy had thrown down to her. It didn¡¯t


    take long once she started inspecting them to realise that she had given her fake bags.


    An inexperienced eye might mistake them for the real deal, but anyone who knew anything about


    designer bags would know they were fake. That meant she couldn¡¯t hope to sell them at stores that


    bought second-hand luxury bags. In short, the bags added nothing to the money Lucy gave her.


    Isabelle was tempted to knock on the door again, but she knew that Lucy wouldn¡¯t give her anything


    more¨Cif she even showed up. She was also certain nobody would answer the door this time round.


    In the end, she had no option but to leave with the little money Lucy had given her. Given the way Lucy


    had treated her this time, she felt like it was futile to hope that her adoptive parents would ever give her


    all the money they owed her.

 Chapter 43 Forty Three

    Chapter 43 Forty Three


    The next day, despite finally receiving her first sry at work, Isabelle still felt low because the amount


    was just a tiny fraction of the surgery fee.


    It was quickly dawning on her that she needed to look for other sources of ie.


    If she didn¡¯t hurry up with the payment, Ruth might end up losing her chance for the transntation. If


    she had to wait again to find another kidney that was a match, it might be toote.


    At the moment, she didn¡¯t know what to do, and it frustrated her to no end. A thought crossed her mind


    that maybe she should ask Jacob for help, but she pushed it aside. She knew that Jacob would be


    willing to help her, but she couldn¡¯t risk him finding out the truth about Ruth and her family.


    Also, it would be incredibly selfish of her to ask his help when she was lying to him about her identity.


    She had to forge ahead alone, and this time, she would be more carefulpared to when she had


    wanted to take part in the drug trial.


    She was about to leave the office when her phone rang. Checking the caller ID, she saw that it was


    Seth calling her. She received the call and after the greetings, Seth asked,


    ¡°Do you have time tonight?¡±


    When he asked that, Isabelle knew that he was hoping to hang out together. It dawned on her that


    since she joined thepany, she had never really taken time to thank him for his help during the


    interview. She felt that this was a good time to repay his kindness.


    ¡°I am,¡± she replied, ¡°would you like to have dinner together?¡±


    ¡°Oh, sure? Yes, I would be d to,¡± he replied cheerily.


    They agreed to meet at the front of the building, and after that, they went to a restaurant not far from


    thepany.


    ¡°Who was the man that came to pick you up the other day?¡± Seth suddenly asked after the hostess had


    shown them to a table and handed them menus.


    ¡°What?¡± she asked.


    ¡°That day I came to your office after work to ask if we could hang out. You received a call and left, and


    a man picked you up.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± she muttered, now remembering what day he was talking about. That time Jacob hade to


    take her to see their new apartment. She had no idea that Seth had seen him.


    She didn¡¯t know what to tell him. If she told him that it had been her husband, what if he started asking


    questions about how and when they had met? Given their friendship, it was obvious that Seth would be


    curious about that.


    Fortunately, her phone rang, interrupting the moment. She checked the phone and saw that it was


    Jacob calling. Excusing herself, she left the table and walked a little ways away to receive the call.


    ¡°Hello?¡± she answered the call.


    ¡°Hello, are you still at work?¡± he asked.


    ¡°No, I already left,¡± she told him, wondering why he was calling to ask her that. They didn¡¯t have any


    ns for the evening together.


    ¡°When will you get home? I¡¯m waiting for you to have dinner together. I¡¯m hungry,¡± he told her, his voice


    dropping to a fake-whiny tone.


    She found it sweet, and it made her smile, but she bit down on her lip when her situation registered.


    Jacob wanted to have dinner together at home, but she was already at a restaurant with Seth, about to


    dine together.


    ¡°Actually, I¡¯m having dinner elsewhere,¡± she told him, casting a short nce at Seth. She had no idea


    how Jacob would react when she told him who it was she was dining with, but she figured he would


    understand when she told him why.


    ¡°You are?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m buying dinner for a colleague of mine. Do you remember the guy I told you about? My


    college senior. I thought I should buy him dinner to thank him for helping me with the interview.¡±


    Jacob¡¯s snort that came through the line was quite loud. ¡°I sure remember the guy,¡± he replied.


    Well, given the argument that had urred when Jacob had seen her leave work with Seth, she


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    figured he would remember him.


    ¡°Yeah, well, I never thanked him for his help. That¡¯s why I¡¯m buying him dinner tonight.¡±


    ¡°Have you confirmed that he is the one who helped you with the interview?¡± Jacob asked.


    ¡°No, but I¡¯m sure it¡¯s him,¡± she replied.


    ¡°So you want to pay him back even without confirming that he is the one who helped you?¡±


    ¡°Who else could have helped me? He is the only one in thepany who knows about my history in


    college. He is also the only one here who knows me personally, and like I told you, he has a high


    position, so he is influential.¡±


    ¡°You would find out if you just asked him,¡± Jacob supplied. ¡°Unless you just want any excuse to have


    dinner with him.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± she asked, a scowling onto her face. ¡°Of course, that¡¯s not it.¡± She huffed. ¡°You are the


    one who clearly doesn¡¯t want me to have dinner with him. Is it so bad that I want to be grateful? In case


    he isn¡¯t the one who helped me with the interview, which I highly doubt, he still came to my rescue a


    few days ago when another one of my co-workers started rumours about me. He also introduced me


    around the workce when I was new. Are those good enough reasons in your book to want to buy


    him dinner?¡±


    Jacob sighed on his side. ¡°Sorry, I shouldn¡¯t have said that.¡±


    Her eyebrows rose at his apology. This wasn¡¯t like the other time they had argued about Seth. She had


    expected him to make further usations.


    ¡°Oh, okay.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m joining you for dinner, though.¡±


    Her brow rose again. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to have dinner alone, so why don¡¯t I join you two? I can thank him for helping my wife,¡± he


    said.


    ¡°Uh, that¡¯s not necessary.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll just have dinner, then,¡± he said. ¡°What¡¯s the restaurant you are at?¡±


    She should have known that he wasn¡¯t going to hear that she was having dinner with another man and


    just let it be. But it was fine. Come to think of it, it might be a good thing. She could introduce Jacob to


    Seth as her husband and straighten things out once and for all.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll send you the address. It¡¯s not far from thepany.¡±


    After hanging up, she went back to the table and rejoined Seth. They ordered drinks and talked while


    waiting for their food to be ready. Seth asked about how work was going, and most of their


    conversation revolved around work.


    And then, when Isabelle knew that she couldn¡¯t put it off any longer, she told him that there was


    another person joining them for dinner.


    He looked stunned at the information, and she couldn¡¯t me him. This was supposed to be a dinner


    for two. ¡°Oh? A man, or a woman?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± Isabelle trailed off when out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of Jacob walking into the


    restaurant. She lifted a hand and waved him over. ¡°There he is,¡± she said.


    ¡°He?¡± Seth muttered, turning to look.


    The first man that Seth saw heading their way was a tall, well-dressed man who was quite good


    looking. He looked towards the entrance, but there was nobody else making his way over. He frowned.


    Was that the man who was joining them? Who was he to Isabelle?


    Seth noticed how all the women stared with obvious admiration as he walked through the restaurant.


    He turned back to Isabelle, only to find all of her attention trained on the man too. There was something


    in her gaze that he didn¡¯t like.


    The man finally got to their table and stood next to Isabelle¡¯s chair, looking down at Seth. He gave him


    a grim look, as if he didn¡¯t like seeing him sitting there with Isabelle.


    Isabelle looked from the man to him. ¡°Seth, this is my husband, Jacob. Jacob, this is Seth. We work


    together.¡±

 Chapter 44 Forty Four

    Chapter 44 Forty Four


    Seth blinked in astonishment as he looked from Isabelle to the strange man. Had he heard her right?


    Husband? Her husband? When did she get married?


    He cleared his throat and leaned back in his seat, suddenly feeling very ufortable. From the


    morning he had seen Isabelle at the flower shop on her first day at work, he had been thinking of how


    to win her affection.


    Earlier, when she asked him to dinner, his hopes had shot to a new high. Not once did he imagine that


    she could be married. His eyes darted to her ring finger. No, she wasn¡¯t wearing any. He would have


    noticed. And she still went by her maiden name. No wonder he had never suspected she was already


    married.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were married,¡± he told her, feeling his throat go dry. His hands curled into his fists on


    his thighs. ¡°When did you get married?¡±


    When had she met her husband? Where had she met him? The questions flew through his mind, but


    he didn¡¯t dare ask. It was none of his business. Besides, knowing the answers wouldn¡¯t change


    anything. She was married. He had to give up pursuing her.


    Isabelle fidgeted with her napkin as she took in the astonished look on Seth¡¯s face. She really should


    have told him earlier, she thought. She just hadn¡¯t thought it mattered.


    ¡°A couple of months ago,¡± she replied.


    Jacob¡¯s arm going around her shoulder startled her, and she looked up at him. His eyebrows were


    drawn together over his eyes, his lips in a thin line. She gulped. He was mad. ¡°You don¡¯t tell people that


    you are married?¡± he demanded, his dark gaze digging into hers.


    She swallowed hard and then drew her gaze away from him. She had never really had to tell anyone


    that she was married. Seth had never asked. And whenever they went out together, she addressed him


    as her husband. Wasn¡¯t that enough?


    ¡°I¡¯ve just told him,¡± she said, giving Seth a weak smile. He still had a dazed look on his face, as if the


    news had truly shocked him.


    Jacob snorted and pulled out the seat next to hers. He sat down. ¡°Only because I showed up,¡± he


    grumbled.


    Isabelle cast him a sidelong nce, wondering whether he was truly mad. She had been forting


    about her location and who she was having dinner with. Surely, he would know that she wasn¡¯t doing


    anything inappropriate behind his back, right?


    As the couple across the table from him got engrossed in each other, Seth excused himself and stood


    from his seat. He headed to the bathroom, desperate to have a few minutes to himself to let the news


    of Isabelle being married sink in. And gather the mindset it would take to sit with the couple through


    dinner.


    What a turn of events! He had nned to let Isabelle know of his intentions some time during dinner.


    Now, he had to sit there and watch her with her husband. With the man who had been lucky enough to


    win her heart and her hand in marriage. His heart beat painfully as he realised that this time, he might


    really have to forget about her. His luck was really rotten when it came to his feelings for her, he


    decided.


    Back at the table, with Seth gone, Isabelle turned sideways to look directly at Jacob. The scowl on his


    face had disappeared, but his nk expression wasn¡¯t exactly heartwarming.


    ¡°Are you mad at me?¡± she asked, needing to know. If he was, she would try to calm him down so that


    dinner was not a disaster.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not,¡± he snapped in a tone that said that yes, he was pissed off. He didn¡¯t look at her as he


    talked either.


    Before she could say something, the waitress came back with their food. They fell into silence as she


    arranged the dishes on the table. When she went back to get more dishes, Isabelle turned back to


    Jacob. ¡°It looks like you are angry,¡± she pointed out. Calmly, she went on, ¡°I¡¯m sorry that I¨C¡±


    ¡°I said I¡¯m fine,¡± he grouched, interrupting her mid-sentence. ¡°Just leave me alone,¡± he demanded.


    Isabelle sighed heavily and turned away from him. She sure hoped he wasn¡¯t nning on sulking


    through dinner. She didn¡¯t want to put Seth in an awkward position. He could at least try to be sociable,


    and then he could be mad at her all he wanted when they went back home.


    By the time Seth got back, all the dishes had been brought to the table. Isabelle was relieved to see


    that he no longer looked astonished. He was back to his lively personality, and he even tried to start a


    conversation with Jacob a few times before giving up when Jacob proved to be uninterested.


    Isabelle and Seth ended up talking to each other through dinner while Jacob sat beside her, silent. In


    retrospect, Isabelle thought that maybe it would have been better to not tell him about the dinner.


    She had enough on her mind already without having to worry about whatever was going on in his head.


    She just hoped he wouldn¡¯t try to use her of anythingter, because she would be really pissed off.


    While the table of three had dinner, Naomi Cruz walked through the entrance. She often frequented the


    high-end restaurant and had arrived that evening for a dinner date with her boyfriend. However, while


    the hostess talked to her about her reservation, her eyes picked out two familiar people.


    She frowned as she took another look. Right, that was her sister and Jacob Garcia. There was another


    man, but his back was turned to her. She waved the hostess away and headed towards the trio.


    She came to a stop beside the table, and all of their attention went to her. When she saw the other man


    sitting with the couple, she gulped. He was so handsome and well-dressed. What was he doing having


    dinner with Isabelle?


    He must be Jacob¡¯s friend, she thought. There was no way such a handsome man would take a


    second look at Isabelle. She tossed her hair back dramatically. Right. Even though Jacob was good


    looking, she was sure he never would have taken a second look at Isabelle hadn¡¯t they been forced to


    marry.


    Even as she convinced herself that there was no way such handsome men could be captivated by


    Isabelle, her jealousy grew.


    ¡°Naomi?¡± Isabelle called to her, her eyes narrowed slightly. Her voice didn¡¯t give away any coldness to


    those around them, but Naomi could see in her eyes that her sister wasn¡¯t happy to see her there.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    Naomi looked at Jacob, and then at the other man, both of whom had their gazes trained on her. It


    annoyed her that none of them were looking at her with the kind of interest she was used to getting


    from men.


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    Were they blind? She had dressed up sexily and put on her makeup for her date, so she knew she


    looked like a knockout. Especiallypared to her in-looking sister.


    Any other day, she would have tried to jostle her sister for their attention, but today, she had something


    even better nned. This was the perfect opportunity to put the bitch in her ce once and for all, and


    she wasn¡¯t about to waste it.

 Chapter 45 Forty Five

    Chapter 45 Forty Five


    Huffing, Naomi lifted her left hand to her chest and gave Isabelle a horrified look. Then, in a loud voice,


    she eximed, ¡°Oh my God, how could you?¡±


    Isabelle frowned at her sister¡¯s horrified tone, and her mind instantly went to work, trying to determine


    what it is she had done. She gave the two men apanying her an unsure nce, and then turned


    back to Naomi. ¡°What are you talking about? What have I done?¡±


    ¡°How could you be so greedy and shameless?¡± she cried out, her voice only getting louder. She was


    aware of other patrons paying attention to the table, while the two men looked between her and


    Isabelle.


    Isabelle now looked thoroughly confused, and the frown on her face deepened. ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    Naomi wasn¡¯t going to bring up what had happened at their home, right? Had she been at home when


    Isabelle went to ask their parents for the money?


    Maybe she was mad at her for insisting that they give her the money. It would make sense why she


    was calling her the same insults Lucy had. But, did she really want to have that argument in a public


    ce, and especially before Jacob? Isabelle wouldn¡¯t be the only one in trouble if he found out the


    truth!


    Fidgeting with her napkin, Isabelle asked, ¡°Can we talk outside?¡±


    Naomi shook her head. ¡°Why? Are you ashamed that these people will know the kind of greedy bitch


    you really are?¡±


    Jacob squeezed a hand on Isabelle¡¯s shoulder and leaned in to her ear. ¡°What is she talking about?¡±


    ¡°I have no idea,¡± Isabelle muttered. She tried to keep calm and not show Jacob that she was panicking.


    Raising her head, she asked Naomi, ¡°What exactly are you using me of?¡±


    She didn¡¯t think her sister would be stupid enough to mention the deal between her and their parents.


    ¡°Who would have known that after abandoning our parents in a financial crisis, you¡¯d be having dinner


    in a high-end restaurant? Have you no shame, using their money like this when they are struggling?¡±


    Naomi spat.


    Gasps arose from people around them, their gazes now trained on Isabelle. Isabelle was aware of the


    attention, and knew right away that Naomi wanted to humiliate her. Every time they met in public, she


    resorted to some antic that would leave her ashamed.


    She was relieved that she was making up some half-assed lies, though. These, she could defend


    against. It was funny how Naomi was using her of the exact things her family had done to her,


    though.


    They were the ones who had abandoned her. They refused to give her the money they owed her,


    iming to have none, but had no trouble keeping up their expensive lifestyle.


    ¡°How shameless,¡± someonemented. Thement was followed by several exmations of


    agreement.


    ¡°What an unfilial daughter!¡±


    ¡°She should be ashamed of herself.¡±


    Isabelle looked at Jacob and Seth. Jacob¡¯s face had darkened with visible anger. This wasn¡¯t the first


    time he had watched her sister try to humiliate her, so she knew he must know what was going on.


    Seth, on the other hand, looked awkward. She couldn¡¯t me him. He hade out for dinner with


    her, only to first find himself stuck with her and her husband, and then with her crazy sister.


    Naomi wiped some more fake tears beneath her eyes, and then removed the bracelet she was wearing


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    on her left hand. She threw the jewellery at Isabelle. ¡°Take that and keep it, I don¡¯t have any money to


    give you. Just stop asking our poor parents for money, please. They have suffered enough. We can¡¯t


    support your expensive lifestyle anymore.¡±


    Isabelle picked up the bracelet that had fallen on the table in front of her and looked it over. Then,


    calmly, she looked up at Naomi. ¡°In that case, you should also give me the handbag you are carrying. I


    can see that its Louis Vuitton, so it should give me arge sum of money, right? This bracelet alone is


    not enough.¡± She pointed at Naomi¡¯s attire. ¡°The dress too. It¡¯s Dior, right? If you give me those two, I


    won¡¯t have to ask for money from our parents for a long time.¡±


    Naomi¡¯s jaw all but fell to the ground. ¡°Wh¡­what?¡±


    ¡°You said you have no money,¡± Isabelle rified, ¡°but you¡¯re dressed very expensively. You gave me


    this bracelet, but it won¡¯t be enough. Your handbag and dress, though, will fetch me a lot of money,


    right?¡±


    ¡°The handbag is fake,¡± Naomi sputtered. What was this woman driving at?


    ¡°Is it?¡± Isabelle asked, a sardonic smile on her mouth. ¡°I¡¯m sure that the customers in this high-end


    restaurant are familiar with genuine Louis Vuitton bags, and they can tell the one you¡¯re carrying is the


    real deal.¡± She ced her napkin aside and reached for the bag. ¡°Why don¡¯t we give it to one of them


    and they can tell us whether it¡¯s fake or not?¡±


    Naomi pulled the bag out of her reach. ¡°Don¡¯t touch my bag!¡±


    ¡°Give it to me,¡± Isabelle insisted. ¡°Just a few minutes ago, weren¡¯t you eager about making sure that I


    don¡¯t bother our parents with requests for money? Why are you hesitating?¡±


    By the look of Naomi¡¯s suddenly ashen face, Isabelle knew she had seeded in putting her in her


    ce. She must have thought that it would be easy to make her look bad in front of the other


    customers in the restaurant. It would have been if she hadn¡¯t made ims of being poor while dressed


    in an expensive dress and carrying a designer bag. By the time Isabelle was done with her, she would


    make her wish she had walked quietly to her table and never bothered her.


    ¡°How can you im to be poor while you are wearing a Dior dress and carrying a Louis Vuitton bag?¡±


    she questioned, following Naomi¡¯s lead and making her voice loud enough to be heard by everyone


    listening. ¡°Are you sure you are not the one asking for money to waste from our apparently poor


    parents?¡±


    ¡°Wh¡­what?¡± Naomi sputtered. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare make false usations against me because I¡¯ve


    revealed how greedy you are!¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you give me the bag, then, if you keep insisting that it isn¡¯t worth much?¡± Isabelle


    questioned. She folded her arms across her chest and levelled a hard gaze at her sister. ¡°What are you


    doing in a high-end restaurant, anyway, if you have no money?¡±


    This time round, the onlooking patrons trained their attention on Naomi. Isabelle knew what they were


    seeing, and she knew none of them would continue believing her sister¡¯s ims.


    Her entire outfit was designer, as so were the jewellery she was wearing. Put together, the total cost of


    everything she wore muste to several thousand dors. If the bags Lucy had thrown to her the


    previous day had been genuine like the one Naomi was carrying, Isabelle would have been able to


    make up for a huge chunk of the surgery fees.


    A new murmur rose among the people around, with them questioning how Naomi could be dressed so


    expensively but im to be poor.


    Naomi looked around, noticing the changed sentiment of the people. If she allowed Isabelle to go on


    further, she might end up being the one who was humiliated instead.

 Chapter 46 Forty Six

    Chapter 46 Forty Six


    As more customers started making negativements about Naomi, she decided to give the bag to


    Isabelle.


    ¡°You can have it,¡± she said, all but throwing the bag into Isabelle¡¯s hand.


    Isabelle took the bag and opened it. She was not surprised at all to find a bunch of money inside.


    Sneering, she took it all out and looked up at Naomi. ¡°Look at that, you¡¯re also carrying quite the


    amount around. Did you get this from our poor parents, too?¡±


    If looks could kill, Isabelle would drop dead from the re Naomi was directing her way at that moment.


    And if she had been a cartoon character, smoke would be billowing out of her nose and ears. That


    didn¡¯t stop Isabelle from going on with her little show and counting the money she had found in her


    sister¡¯s bag.


    Once she was done, she put the money back into the bag and held it on herp. ¡°This bag and the


    money can partlypensate the money you owe me,¡± she said, looking up at Naomi.


    Naomi huffed, and then dove for the bag, but Isabelle shot from her chair and held it above her head.


    ¡°Naomi, what are you doing?¡± she asked in a tone more befitting of a school teacher chastising a


    naughty kid.


    ¡°Give it back!¡± Naomi snapped, trying to reach for the bag. ¡°Give my bag back,¡± she demanded, trying


    to get a hold on the bag.


    ¡°Why?¡± Isabelle asked. ¡°You don¡¯t want to lose your money and expensive bag to me? Maybe you


    should have thought twice before refusing to pay me the money you owe me.¡±


    Naomi made another futile swipe for the bag and stumbled on her heels. She caught herself on the


    table and red at Isabelle, her nostrils ring with anger.


    She hadn¡¯t expected her n to nder Isabelle to go sopletely off-track. If this went on, she


    would only make a fool of herself. Worse, she feared that Isabelle might reveal secrets about her. After


    all, the previous day, she had threatened to tell the truth about the wedding to Jacob.


    Fuming, she turned around and stormed out of the restaurant. She would get back at her, one way or


    another.


    Isabelle sighed with relief when Naomi turned away and left. While she was d to put her in her ce,


    she hadn¡¯t been looking forward to taking the argument further. Knowing Naomi, it would have been


    only a matter of time before they were involved in a physical fight.


    Sitting back down, she nced at her two tablemates, her eyes resting on Seth. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry about


    that. I had no idea she was capable of making a scene in a ce like this. You must be regretting


    agreeing to my dinner invitation.¡±


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    Seth shook his head and blinked. He definitely was not regretting joining Isabelle for dinner. Of course,


    he would have preferred to not have met her husband during said dinner, or for here to have one at all,


    but the encounter with her sister, while at first unpleasant, had turned out quite well.


    Since college, he had viewed Isabelle as a quiet woman who was soft spoken and kind, and would


    have worried that people took advantage of her because of her nature. He never would have imagined


    she was quite capable of defending herself like that when the odds seemed to be against her.


    He realised that she had a strong personality he had never seen before, and he wasn¡¯t sure now was a


    good time to discover even more amazing things about her. Not when his dreams of courting her had


    been cut short by the appearance of her husband.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s okay,¡± he told her with a smile. ¡°No harm done.¡±


    Despite his assurance, her brow furrowed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry you had to see that.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t do anything wrong,¡± Seth told her, ¡°so please don¡¯t apologise. You handled everything quite


    well.¡±


    Isabelle gave him a small smile. ¡°She caught me by surprise. But that¡¯s all over now. We can now finish


    our dinner in peace¡­ I hope.¡±


    The two shared augh, but Jacob didn¡¯t so much as smile. Isabelle had expected him to at least ask a


    question once Naomi was gone, but he kept his indifferent attitude through the rest of dinner.


    She was worried about what he was thinking, the conclusions he might have made from the argument


    with Naomi. Now, it was no secret that there was a big disagreement between her and her family. Not


    just any disagreement, but one regarding money. At least the entire secret wasn¡¯t out of the bag yet. If


    he asked, she could easily make up some tale about why her own parents owed her money.


    Eventually, the couple parted with Seth, who left the restaurant first. Isabelle turned to Jacob, thinking


    that now that Seth was gone, maybe he would voice out what was in his mind.


    ¡°Our ce is not far from here,¡± she said as she pulled on her coat and gathered her bag and the one


    she had taken from Naomi. ¡°How about we just walk home?¡±


    The walk home would give them enough time to talk about what had happened¨Cif he was going to talk


    at all. Besides that, Isabelle just wanted to enjoy the fresh air and to walk off some of the nerves Naomi


    had inspired with her performance.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Jacob said.


    As the pair made their way out of the restaurant and onto the street outside, Jacob mulled over the


    happenings of the evening. When he had left the apartment to join Isabelle and her supposed saviour


    for dinner, he hadn¡¯t expected things to take the turn they had.


    At first, he had been ready to shut Isabelle¡¯s sister up, like he had done in the past, but he hadn¡¯t


    expected his wife to take charge and expose her single-handedly. And, the more the argument


    escted, the clearer it became that there was a lot he didn¡¯t know about his wife.


    He already knew that Isabelle did not have a good rtionship with her mother and sister, thanks to the


    day he had gone bearing gifts only to find them throwing her out of the house.


    There was also the day they had run into Naomi and her rich boyfriend. Naomi had tried to embarrass


    Isabelle back then by calling her poor.


    Isabelle had told him that the reason she was short on cash was because she had spent too much the


    month before. But now, after Naomi used her of demanding money from their parents, she had said


    that her family owed her money.


    He wondered why a wealthy family like the Cruzes would cut off their daughter. It was obvious they


    didn¡¯t have a problem providing for Naomi, who dressed expensively. Exactly what kind of


    disagreement was between Isabelle and her family?


    As they walked towards theirmunity, he decided to ask her. ¡°What was that about?¡± he asked,


    trying to get a close look at Isabelle¡¯s face. She had lied the first time when he had asked about why


    she was short on cash. He hoped she would tell him the truth this time round. ¡°Why would your family


    owe you money?¡±


    Isabelle looked up at him, and then looked away quickly when she noticed his intense gaze. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s


    nothing serious,¡± she said.


    Did she really expect him to believe that after what had happened at the restaurant?

 Chapter 47 Forty Seven

    Chapter 47 Forty Seven


    ¡°Do you expect me to believe that after what happened? Why would your sister do that to you?¡± he


    asked.


    ¡°My parents owe me money, but they refused to pay me back after I got married,¡± she revealed. ¡°My


    sister also doesn¡¯t want them to pay me, so that¡¯s why she likes picking fights with me.¡±


    ¡°Is that all?¡± Jacob asked, still looking at her closely. Her story still didn¡¯t make sense to him. What he


    would rather know was why her family owed her money. And why they didn¡¯t want to pay her back.


    Why was her rtionship with them so bad?


    ¡°It is,¡± she confirmed, and then looked up to meet his gaze again. ¡°What else could there be to it?¡±


    He wanted to ask about why she had a poor rtionship with her family, but decided to shelve that. If


    she wanted to tell him, she would.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± he said, looking ahead. After they had walked a few more paces in silence, he addressed


    the other thing that had bothered him at dinner. ¡°You should tell others that you are married,¡± he told


    her.


    Isabelle faced him and smirked. ¡°Should I mark the word ¡®married¡¯ on my face to let everyone know that


    I have a husband?¡±


    ¡°Maybe we should try that,¡± he joked, smiling at her cheekiness. ¡°It probably would have helped with


    your little friend from work,¡± he added.


    Isabelle¡¯s smooth brow creased in confusion. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    He gave her a nk look. ¡°What else? He is obviously interested in you. Has he started wooing you


    yet?¡±


    Isabelle¡¯s frown deepened as she shook her head. ¡°What? No! You¡¯re wrong. He has never treated me


    anything different from a colleague.¡±


    Jacob scoffed. ¡°You¡¯re so naive if you really think that. He clearly wants to sleep with you.¡±


    Isabelle¡¯s face heated, whether from mortification or anger she couldn¡¯t tell, at Jacob¡¯s assertion.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    Was this why he had remained silent throughout dinner, brooding in his seat? She should have known


    that it was too good that he would crash her dinner with Seth and not make such statements. She was


    just relieved he hadn¡¯t voiced his assumptions out loud during dinner.


    ¡°Don¡¯t give me that look,¡± Jacob told her, ¡°I saw how he was looking at you. It was clear that he wants


    to get you into bed.¡±


    ¡°Not everybody is like you,¡± she snapped.


    ¡°Of course he is not like me,¡± Jacob agreed. ¡°I am your husband, so it¡¯s legal for me to sleep with you.


    Him? He shouldn¡¯t even dream of it.¡±


    Isabelle¡¯s mind couldn¡¯te up with an instant retort for that statement. Not when he was looking so


    smug about it, one eyebrow cocked as he awaited her reply. Well, at least he wasn¡¯t using her of


    wanting to sleep with Seth, so she thought that was an improvement from their previous argument


    about the man.


    Face burning, she spun away from him and sped up, maintaining a few feet ahead of him for the rest of


    the walk home.


    When they got home, Isabelle headed straight to her bedroom, avoiding Jacob. He knew she was more


    flustered than annoyed about his ims regarding Seth, so he knew she wasn¡¯t mad at him.


    From the first time he had seen that man, he had known he had an intention towards Isabelle, and it


    seemed that Isabelle was yet to realise that. She was truly innocent, if she really believed that Seth¡¯s


    interest in her was only work-rted.


    Hadn¡¯t she seen how shocked he had been when she told him she was married? The only reason a


    man would have such a reaction was if he had his eyes set on a woman he thought was avable.


    Seth¡¯s intentions aside, Jacob was d to notice that Isabelle only regarded the man as a colleague.


    While Jacob had no intention of revealing the fact that he was the one who had helped her with the


    interview, he hoped she would soon find out that it wasn¡¯t her coworker who had helped her. That way,


    she wouldn¡¯t have an excuse to have dinners with him. Knowing her, she would think to arrange


    another dinner to make up for the almost-disaster this one had been.


    But first, there was something he needed to fix, and fast.


    He went and knocked on her door, hoping she wasn¡¯t still determined to ignore him. After waiting a few


    seconds, the door opened a crack and she looked at him through the small space. ¡°Yeah?¡±


    Holding his hand behind his back, he gave her a small smile. ¡°Can Ie in?¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± she asked, her voice defensive. He didn¡¯t me her. She probably thought he was there to


    seduce her. After all the talk about being her husband and sleeping together¡­


    ¡°I want to give you something,¡± he told her.


    ¡°Oh?¡± she mumbled, and then stepped away, opening the door further. ¡°Come in.¡±


    ¡°Is that the magic pass-phrase?¡± he teased as he walked into the room and she closed the door.


    She walked in after him and gave him a tight-lipped smile thatmunicated that she wasn¡¯t a fan of


    him having fun at her expense.


    Bringing forward his hand, he revealed the sapphire ring in his palm. ¡°I want you to have this.¡±


    Isabelle¡¯s eyes lowered to the ring, and her eyes widened. ¡°What? Why?¡± The ring was so beautiful and


    looked expensive. Why was he suddenly giving her jewellery?


    ¡°Since we cannot mark your face,¡± he joked, ¡°I figured a ring would suffice to show everyone that you


    are married.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± she said, her guarded expression already gone. ¡°It¡¯s so beautiful.¡±


    Reaching forward, he took her left hand and slipped the ring on her finger. It fit perfectly, as if it had


    been made for her. ¡°Do you like it?¡± he asked, stepping back.


    ¡°Yes,¡± she said, looking up at him with gratitude in her eyes. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    He smiled back, happy she was willing to wear it. At least now, he didn¡¯t have to worry about ambitious


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    men thinking they could woo his pretty, innocent wife.


    ***


    That weekend, Isabelle took the stuff she had gotten from Naomi and Lucy and went to a pawnshop.


    She was hoping to make a good sum, but was surprised when the shop assistant said that they would


    take everything for one low price.


    ¡°What? That¡¯s not even enough for just this one bag,¡± she said, pointing to the Louis Vuitton bag Naomi


    had relinquished to her. In fact, the price he gave her was probably only suitable for one of the knock-


    off bags Lucy had given her.


    ¡°We are a pawnshop,¡± the assistant told her. ¡°If you want quick cash, this is the best offer you¡¯ll get.¡±


    She doubted that. She would rather spend the day moving from one pawnshop to the other than give


    everything away at a throwaway price.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure I can get a better offer elsewhere,¡± she told the assistant, and started gathering her goods to


    leave.


    ¡°Wait!¡± another voice, feminine this time, called to her.


    Huh! Were they testing her to see whether she would take the low price?


    When she turned around, she found it was the pawnshop owner who had addressed her. He eyes were


    trained on the ring on Isabelle¡¯s finger.


    ¡°What about that ring? Aren¡¯t you selling it?¡± she asked her.

 Chapter 48 Forty Eight

    Chapter 48 Forty Eight


    Isabelle looked at the sapphire ring on her finger and shook her head. ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure? I can give you two million for it,¡± the pawnshop owner told her.


    ¡°Two million?¡± she asked, unbelieving. Was the ring really worth that much? And that was just the price


    she was getting at a pawnshop. What was its real value? How did Jacob get his hands on such an


    expensive ring?


    ¡°Yes,¡± the owner confirmed. ¡°We can pay for it right away.¡±


    Isabelle gnawed on her lip. Two million was more than enough to pay for Ruth¡¯s surgery. If she sold this


    ring¡­


    She shook her head, ridding the thought from her mind. No. She couldn¡¯t sell Jacob¡¯s gift to her.


    ¡°It¡¯s my wedding ring,¡± she told the owner, ¡°I¡¯m not selling it.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± the woman asked as she got ready to leave again. ¡°You look like you could use the


    money.¡±


    Was that why they had offered her such a poor price for the bags? They must have thought she was so


    desperate.


    She shook her head again. ¡°If you¡¯re not going to give me a better price for the bags, I¡¯ll get going.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± the owner said, and then fixed her gaze on her ring again. ¡°Before you go, I could give


    you a quick maintenance service for the ring. It¡¯s so beautiful, but it could look better with a little


    maintenance. It looks like it¡¯s seen better days.¡±


    ¡°Uh, no, thank you,¡± Isabelle told her, noticing the greedy look she was giving the ring. She obviously


    wanted it so badly. What if she gave it to her and she refused to give it back? Or exchanged it with a


    fake one?


    ¡°If you¡¯re worried about losing your ring, we have surveince cameras you can check. You¡¯ll be able to


    see the entire process if you want,¡± the owner assured her, pointing to the cameras in the shop.


    Isabelle looked at the cameras and pondered the issue. With surveince, they wouldn¡¯t be able to


    sneakily steal her ring, right?


    ¡°We understand if you¡¯re notfortable giving it to us,¡± the owner said, giving her a warm smile. ¡°I just


    looked at it and imagined how much more brilliant it would look with a little maintenance. It¡¯ll only cost


    you a few bucks to have it cleaned and polished, but if you¡¯re not¨C¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± Isabelle agreed finally, deciding she had nothing to lose. ¡°I¡¯ll give it to you.¡±


    ¡°Once we are done with it, you¡¯ll like it even more,¡± the owner promised as she took the ring from her.


    Isabelle nodded and sat down to wait for them to be done with the process. About two hourster, the


    owner returned with the ring. Isabelle noticed that it looked more shiny and newer than it originally had.


    ¡°We have cleaned it and polished it to restore it to it¡¯s original appearance,¡± the owner exined.


    ¡°When these rings stay for long without proper maintenance, they lose their initial lustre and shine.¡±


    ¡°It does look new,¡± Isabelle said, slipping the ring onto her finger. She marvelled at how bright it looked,


    and then gave the owner an appreciative smile. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡±


    After that, Isabelle left the shop and went to see if there was another shop she could find to sell the


    bags on her way home.


    ***


    By the time Isabelle got back to the apartment, it was already dusk. The house was quite but Jacob¡¯s


    shoes were at the door, so she knew that he must be in his room. After changing in her room, she went


    to the kitchen to get started on dinner.


    Jacob heard the sound of the front door opening and came out of his room. He found Isabelle in the


    kitchen, peering into the refrigerator.


    ¡°Where did you go all day?¡± he asked, yawning mid-way as he walked over to her and stood behind


    her.


    She had left at noon and it was already past six o''clock in the evening. It was the weekend so she


    didn¡¯t have work. He had stayed around hoping to spend some time with her, but she had stayed away


    all day.


    ¡°Around,¡± she replied, turning her head to look at him over her shoulder. ¡°What do you want to have for


    dinner?¡±


    He looked down at her, got distracted by her soft pink lips for a few seconds, and then finally found her


    gaze. Was ¡®you¡¯ on the table?


    ¡°Jacob?¡± she asked, waiting for his answer. She turned back towards the refrigerator. ¡°Anything you


    fancy?¡±


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    He was going to take a look inside the fridge when his eyesnded on the hand that was holding the


    door open. The ring on her finger shone in the light, brighter than it had the previous night when he had


    given it to her.


    His face fell as he took a step back. ¡°Did you sell the ring I gave you yesterday?¡± he asked coldly.

 Chapter 49 Forty Nine

    Chapter 49 Forty Nine


    Isabelle shut the refrigerator door and turned to Jacob, a confused look on her face. Lifting her hand,


    she gave a look at the ring on her finger, and then looked at Jacob¡¯s stoic face. ¡°What are you talking


    about?¡± she asked.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    She understood that the ring looked a bit different after she had it cleaned and polished, but did it look


    so different that he wouldn''t be able to recognise it? She was about to tell him about the maintenance


    service when he reached for her hand.


    Jacob took her hand in his and took off the ring from her finger. Turning the band of the ring, he showed


    her the inside of the metallic surface. ¡°The ring I gave you had my mother¡¯s initials,¡± he told her, pinning


    her with a re. ¡°This one has none.¡±


    Isabelle frowned and took a look. It was true, there was no engraving on the inside of the ring.


    ¡°The ring I gave you has been in my mother¡¯s family for ages,¡± he told her. ¡°It¡¯s an antique, and this one


    is obviously a counterfeit. I could tell with just a single look.¡±


    Isabelle worried her bottom lip with her teeth as her heart sank. If what he was saying was true, then it


    meant that the pawnshop owner had exchanged her real ring with a fake one. Had she known that the


    ring Jacob gave her had an engraving, she would have checked it before leaving the shop. But, other


    than expressing her desire for the ring, the owner had sounded sincere when offering to carry out the


    maintenance service.


    Isabelle felt like pping herself for her naiveness. Of course the owner had sounded nice and


    concerned when offering to clean the ring. It was the only way to get rid of Isabelle''s fear about giving


    her the ring. During the time Isabelle thought she was servicing the ring, she must have been busy


    looking for the fake recement.


    While Isabelle made sense of things in her mind, Jacob took her silence to mean guilt. If she had


    nothing to say for herself, that meant that she really hadn''t expected him to notice that she had


    exchanged the ring. And now that he had, she was struck speechless. Maybe it had been a good thing


    that he hadn''t pointed out the ring''s history when he had given it to her. She probably would have faked


    the initials to deceive him further.


    ¡°Did you think that if you sold the real one and reced it with a fake, I wouldn¡¯t realise?¡± Jacob


    demanded, his eyes ring at her. His jaw ticked as he grind his teeth together, angered. Now, he felt


    stupid for giving her the ring in the first ce.


    She wasn''t even his real wife, but he had given her the ring that had belonged to histe mother. The


    only woman who should wear that ring was one he loved and wanted to spend his life with. Definitely


    not someone who saw the ring and started thinking about how much money it could get her.


    If it were not for him feeling jealous about other men hitting on her...


    ¡°Of course not,¡± Isabelle replied, feeling wronged that he would think she would do that. ¡°Are you


    using me of exchanging your mother''s valuables for money?"


    Had the ring been hers from the beginning, Isabelle wouldn''t have thought twice about exchanging it for


    money to pay off Ruth''s bill. But even knowing how much it was worth, she had refrained from doing so


    because she had known it would be wrong to sell it after he gave it to her as a gift. It hurt that he didn''t


    bother asking her exnation before using her of exchanging it for money. Did he think she was


    that kind of person?


    Or did she look that desperate to him? It was true that she was badly in need of money, but that didn''t


    mean she would sacrifice her values for it.


    Jacob stared at her, the anger in his eyes not abating.


    What did she want him to think? He had given her his mother''s ring the day before, and today, she was


    wearing a fake one. Who else could have exchanged it, if not her? If one thing was clear, it was that


    she was short on money. She had told him as much, and that fight with her sister at the restaurant had


    hinted at more money problems than she was willing to admit.


    Before they got married, he had received information that the Cruzes'' first daughter enjoyed a luxurious


    lifestyle. It was the reason why he had posed as a poor man, hoping to displease her so that she would


    ask to cancel the marriage when she saw that he couldn''t support her lifestyle. So far, she had been


    proving his informant wrong, but...


    What if she was finally showing her true colours? From the fight with her sister, he guessed that her


    parents must owe her a lot of money. They must also have cut her off. For someone used to living a life


    of luxury, she would eventually resort to whatever means to get money.


    The longer Jacob stared at her and refused to answer her question, the more Isabelle''s heart ached.


    She hadn''t thought that him not trusting her would mean so much to her. They had been getting along


    pretty well recently, and she had foolishly thought that they were getting to know each other. But no, it


    appeared he still held onto his preconceived ideas about her personality. His silence meant that yes, he


    thought her capable of exchanging the ring and trying to deceive him about it.


    It was ridiculous that she had actually thought that he would give her the benefit of doubt and let her


    exin.


    "Just so you know," she said, steeling her resolve as she gazed back into his eyes, "I would rather beg


    than sell an heriloom from your mother."


    Instead of deceiving him any further than she already was, she would rather go back to her adoptive


    parents'' house to cause trouble if need be and demand for money. But he didn''t know that, did he?


    Hell, she would wash Naomi''s car as she had offered that one time if it was what it took to make them


    give her the money they owed her.


    "You didn''t know it was from my mother," he countered, his eyes narrowing. "You also didn''t know it had


    the initials. Maybe that''s why you thought it would be easy to trick me, right?"


    She grind her teeth together and refused to let it show how much his usation tore throiugh her. He


    had made it clear that he didn''t trust her a bit, and he clearly didn''t have a problem calling her a thief.


    "I''ll find the ring and give it back to you," she told him, her hands folding into fists at her side. She


    regretted ever trusting that pawnshop owner. She should have checked the surveince tape before


    leaving. But it was no matter. She would go back and im her ring back. And then she would give it


    back to Jacob, and make a note of telling him to never give her anything of value again if he didn''t trust


    her at all. "And if I can''t get it back," she told him, "I''ll be sure topensate you."


    She had no idea how she was going topensate such an expensive ring, but she would worry about


    that if it came to it. For now, she needed to get back to the pawnshop and demand the ring back.


    Walking past Jacob, she made a beeline for the front door, determined to set things straight right away.

 Chapter 50 Fifty

    Chapter 50 Fifty


    As Isabelle walked past him and made her way to the door, Jacob shut his eyes briefly and cursed.


    Had he been too quick to make the usation?


    Her reaction, her words, her tone¡­ She didn¡¯t sound like a guilty person who had been caught. More


    like she had been wronged. Like she hadn¡¯t expected him to make such usations against her.


    Where was she going to get the ring back? Had she really not known it was not the one he had given


    her? Had someone lied to her?


    He left the kitchen and fetched his coat. He then left the apartment and hurried after her, hoping she


    hadn¡¯t gone too far. It was already dark outside.


    He caught sight of her outside theirmunity, and he followed her as she made her way towards the


    city centre. She walked briskly, and he didn¡¯t have to see her face to know that she was fuming.


    He had really angered her, hadn¡¯t he?


    Had he really wrongfully used her? It would exin her anger. Would she forgive him?


    Isabelle kept walking for a long while, and Jacob started wondering whether it wouldn¡¯t have been


    better for her to take a taxi. Eventually, though, she walked into a shop with a sign outside that


    indicated it was a pawnshop.


    Seeing that, Jacob figured she must have been conned at the pawnshop. It was either that, or she had


    really exchanged the real ring at the shop knowingly and acquired a fake one as a recement.


    Jacob hang near the entrance as Isabelle walked to the reception area and started talking to a woman


    who was waiting there.


    ¡°Give my real ring back to me,¡± she demanded, her angry voice carrying across the shop and towards


    the entrance.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, what?¡± the woman at the desk asked. ¡°I gave you your ring back this evening, and you¡¯re


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    wearing it right now,¡± she said, pointing to Isabelle¡¯s hand.


    Isabelle removed the ring from her finger and showed it to the owner. ¡°This is not the ring I gave you to


    service. My ring had an engraving of initials, but this one does not. Please give me back my real ring,


    or I¡¯ll call the police.¡±


    At the door, Jacob folded his hands into fists. Had that woman conned Isabelle of her ring? It now


    made sense. Since she hadn¡¯t known about the engraving, she wouldn¡¯t have checked it to ensure she


    got the right one back.


    He suddenly felt like the lowest of scum for using her of deceiving him. Had he not seen enough of


    her sincerity to know that she wasn¡¯t capable of lying to him like that?


    He had decided long ago to not judge her based on what he had heard about her before they married.


    So why had he done that this time? He should have at least asked her to exin herself before rushing


    to make usations.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am,¡± the woman said, ¡°please stop causing a ruckus at my shop. I should be the one calling the


    police. The ring I gave back to you is the same one you gave me. You checked it when I gave it back,


    right? You should have said something back then if you thought I had reced it.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s check the surveince footage,¡± Isabelle requested, remembering that the owner had told her


    she could do so if she was afraid of losing her ring. She must have said that only to settle her worries


    and make her less vignt.


    ¡°Alright,¡± the woman said, pulling on aputer on her desk to give Isabelle a view of the monitor.


    A few seconds into the footage that the owner pulled up, Isabelle realised she had been tricked. The


    footage was of such low quality that she couldn¡¯t really tell what was going on.


    ¡°Are you satisfied, now? Did you see me rece your ring?¡± the owner asked. ¡°If you have nothing else


    to say, please leave my shop, it¡¯s still business hours and you¡¯re disrupting.¡±


    Isabelle looked at the woman and felt disgusted at her shamelessness. But if she couldn¡¯t prove that


    the shop owner had exchanged her ring, how could she demand it back?


    Even if she went to the police and there was no evidence, who would believe her? And the owner had


    a point when she said if her ring truly had an engraving, she should have noticed when she gave it


    back. If only she had known.


    She bit her lip, deep in thought. If she went back without the ring, what would she tell Jacob? He would


    truly believe that she had exchanged his mother¡¯s heirloom for money. Worse, she couldn¡¯t even


    would have to get a loan. Aa loan she would spend even more years paying off.


    ¡°Are you leaving or should I ask the security guard to escort you out?¡± the woman demanded, ring at


    her.


    Remembering something from that afternoon, Isabelle said, ¡°I¡¯m willing to sell the ring to you now. You


    said you could give me two million for it.¡±


    The owner had expressed her desire to get her hands on the ring strongly enough. If she wanted to


    insist that she had given the real ring back, then she shouldn¡¯t have any objection towards paying the


    price she had quoted for it earlier, right?


    The woman shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not interested in the ring anymore,¡± she told her. ¡°You should have


    taken my offer when I gave it the first time. It¡¯s toote now.¡±


    ¡°Really? Are you sure it¡¯s not because you know this is not the real deal and isn¡¯t worth much?¡±


    The owner sighed and looking towards the door, called for the security guard to drag her out.


    Isabelle looked back and saw the guard walk forward, his gaze locked on her. No. She couldn¡¯t let them


    throw her out without the ring. But what could she do? She couldn¡¯t fight the guard, and if she caused


    trouble, she had no doubt the owner would involve the police.


    ¡°Let me watch the surveince footage again,¡± she begged the owner, ¡°I must have missed something


    the first time.¡± Even if the video quality was horrible, maybe she would be able to pinpoint the moment


    the woman exchanged her ring if she watched closely enough.


    ¡°Don¡¯t waste any more of my time,¡± the owner said. ¡°And nevere back to my shop again. If you


    really think I stole your ring, why don¡¯t you go to the police?¡±


    ¡°Come with me,¡± the security guard now called to her as he got closer. She gave him a panicked look.


    Isabelle stepped back away from him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t make me use force,¡± the guard instructed, holding one arm out. ¡°Please leave the premises.¡±


    ¡°Just throw her out,¡± the owner ordered, ¡°she has wasted more than enough of our time.¡±


    The guard made a lunge for her, but suddenly, a tall man appeared and stood between them.


    ¡°Move out of the way,¡± the security guard demanded.


    ¡°Touch her and you¡¯ll regret it for the rest of your life,¡± Jacob threatened, not moving an inch.


    The guard froze and looked up at him, terror filling his face as he finally took in the terrifying aura of the


    man who had interrupted him.


    Where the hell had hee from?


    Jacob red down at the guard angrily, silently daring him to go ahead and ce a hand on Isabelle.


    These people had tormented her enough for one day, he wasn¡¯t going to let them humiliate her further.

 Chapter 51 Fifty One

    Chapter 51 Fifty One


    The sound of Jacob¡¯s voice surprised Isabelle, and she turned around to face him. What was he doing


    here? Had he followed her? Why? To see whether she would go to wherever it was he thought she had


    exchanged his ring at?


    But instead of confronting her, he was looming over the security guard who had been about to throw


    her out of the shop threateningly. She supposed he felt it was his duty to defend her. His eyes flickered


    to her, and avoiding his gaze, she walked past him and out of the shop.


    As Isabelle ignored him and walked out of the shop, Jacob frowned. Of course, she was still mad at


    him for using her of selling his mother¡¯s heirloom. But before he could go after her and apologise,


    he needed to have a talk with the one who had conned her.


    Turning to the owner, he said, ¡°You had better return the ring you stole from my wife.¡±


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Like I¡¯ve told your wife, I did not exchange her ring. She gave me her ring for a maintenance service


    and when I was done, I returned it to her. If she thought I had exchanged it, she should have let me


    know back then.¡±


    Jacob folded his hand into a fist and banged it on top of her desk, fixing her with a stern re. ¡°I¡¯m not


    interested in ying your little mind games. That¡¯s not the ring I gave to her, and I¡¯m advising you


    return it right now before I take further action.¡±


    The woman looked visibly shaken by his firm insistence, but she pushed theputer towards him and


    said in a haughty tone, ¡°Why don¡¯t you check the surveince footage and show me exactly when I


    reced the ring? Your wife checked it and didn¡¯t find anything. What other kind of proof do you need?¡±


    One look at the footage on the monitor was all Jacob needed to know it would be useless to watch the


    video. The woman must have installed low quality cameras to give customers a false sense of security.


    If she conned them and they came back to make ims, she could confidently show them the footage,


    knowing well enough that she would not be caught. She probably scammed many people this way.


    Well, her days were now numbered.


    ¡°Maybe you should ask your wife where she got her fake ring,¡± the woman told him. ¡°She refused to sell


    it to me when she was here. Maybe she got a higher price elsewhere and finally parted with it.¡±


    ¡°Watch what you say about her,¡± he warned the woman, enraged by her words about Isabelle. It was


    funny that hearing someone else make the same usations he had made about her made him so


    mad. Mad, and disgusted at the fact that he too had entertained such thought.


    ¡°Whatever,¡± the pawnshop owner said. ¡°This is none of my business. If you don¡¯t leave, I¡¯ll call the


    police.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead,¡± he shot back. He leaned towards her, and even though there was a desk between them,


    she still cowered and took a step back. ¡°One way or another, I¡¯ll make sure you end up in jail. That¡¯ll


    teach you a thing or two about scamming your customers.¡±


    While Jacob confronted the shop owner, Isabelle stood near the entrance, listening to their


    conversation. So he finally believed her, huh?


    He must have heard her entire conversation with the owner. Her pulse shot up when the woman


    suggested that maybe Isabelle had sold the ring elsewhere and gotten a recement.


    She almost turned and walked away, not willing to hear him agree with a stranger¡¯s usation towards


    her. He himself had used her of the same, hadn¡¯t he?


    But she froze when he immediately defended her. She felt relief that he believed her side of the story,


    but that was not enough to rid of the hurt and anger he had caused when he used her of


    exchanging the ring.


    When he turned around and walked towards the door, she started down the street. Would he start


    asking questions about why she had needed toe to a pawnshop?


    Last time, she had exined her cash shortage away as a result of reckless spending and said that


    she only needed to watch her spending for that month. He must wonder why she was resorting to such


    means to get money even after she had received her first sry.


    He quickly caught up with her a few paces from the pawnshop.


    ¡°Are you still mad at me?¡± he asked, his voice calm.


    Isabelle looked at him and saw the hopeful expression on his face. He hadn¡¯t even apologised, and he


    just expected her to forgive him?


    Sighing, she looked away and kept on walking. She wondered when he would stop making wild


    usations against her.


    Even if he apologised for this incident and she forgave him, she was sure soon, he would use her of


    something else. They really should have stayed out of each other¡¯s personal affairs like they had


    agreed to do when they first go married.


    That way, he wouldn¡¯t have the power of hurting her whenever he misjudged her. She had allowed


    herself to trust him and even depend on him, and maybe that was a mistake.


    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry for using you of selling the ring,¡± he finally apologised. ¡°I should have asked what


    happened first.¡±


    Damn right he should have.


    When she didn¡¯t say anything for a long moment, he reached out and held her arm, pulling her to a


    stop. In a frustrated tone, he began, ¡°Isabelle¨C¡±


    But she interrupted him. ¡°Thank you for defending me back there,¡± she told him, unable to keep the


    sarcasm out of her voice. Did he think doing so would earn him her forgiveness? Freeing her arm from


    his grip, she turned around and walked away.


    Jacob sighed as he watched her go. He really should watch his tongue in the future. Letting her walk


    ahead alone, he took his phone out and called Kevin.


    When his assistant received the call, he gave him a description of the stolen ring. He then instructed


    him to check whether there were any identical rings in the market.


    His mother¡¯s sapphire ring was an antique, and there weren¡¯t many like it around. If the pawnshop


    owner put it up for sale, it would be easy for Kevin toe across it. Once he found it, it would be easy


    to trace it back to her.


    She probably thought that she had gotten away with it when he and Isabelle had left. She would have


    gone scot-free if she had messed with a different person. Him? He wasn¡¯t going to rest until he proved


    her con to the police and had her arrested.


    After making the call, he made his way back to the house. Isabelle arrived ahead of him and


    disappeared into her room. He wondered how long it would take her to forgive him. Maybe he could try


    begging harder.


    About two hourster, Kevin called him with the news that an identical ring had been sent to an antique


    auction that day. Apparently, the seller was a woman from a second-hand luxury shop.


    Right away, he knew it must be the woman from the pawnshop. He instructed Kevin to gather evidence


    about the identity of the woman who had sent the ring to the auction and to have it ready by the next


    day.


    When he confronted her again, she wouldn¡¯t be able to hide behind her horrible surveince footage.

 Chapter 52 Fifty Two

    Chapter 52 Fifty Two


    By the next day, Kevin had gathered enough evidence to prove the identity of the woman who had sent


    the ring to the auction. He made a report at the local station, and she was summoned for interrogation.


    When Jacob arrived at the station, he saw that it was indeed the woman from the pawnshop. He stood


    in the next room, watching her interrogation through a ss window in the wall. A speaker in the room


    allowed him to hear the conversation in the other one.


    ¡°What am I doing here?¡± the woman asked, looking at her wrist watch impatiently. ¡°I should be opening


    my shop right now.¡±


    Jacob¡¯s mouth twitched. She didn¡¯t seem rattled that she had been summoned to the police station.


    She must have plenty of experience getting away with screwing people over.


    ¡°We¡¯ve received a report that you stole a ring yesterday and put it up for auction,¡± the officer replied,


    gathering a few sheets of paper in his hand.


    ¡°A ring?¡± The woman asked, her tone implying that what the officer had said was incredulous. ¡°Why


    would I steal a ring from anyone? Customers sell rings to me, and those are the only ones I put up for


    sale.¡±


    The officer reached for a small stic bag. Jacob¡¯s sapphire ring was inside. ¡°In that case,¡± the officer


    said, ¡°did you send this ring to the auction yesterday?¡±


    The woman looked at the ring, cleared her throat, and said, ¡°Yes, I sent that one to the auction


    yesterday. I bought it from one of my customers.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± the officer asked. ¡°How much did you pay for it?¡±


    ¡°It was a high price,¡± she replied. ¡°Two million.¡±


    The officer nodded and consulted the papers he held. The woman shifted on her seat, impatient. ¡°Can I


    go now? Unless it¡¯s be a crime to sell second-hand jewellery at an auction, I don¡¯t see why I am


    here.¡±


    ¡°When you buy such an expensive item from a customer, I¡¯m assuming that you keep records, right?¡±


    She sat still. ¡°What?¡±


    The officer pegged her with a stare. ¡°Would you be able to provide your copy of the records showing


    who you bought it from, and how much you paid? Since this ring has been reported as stolen, it¡¯s


    important to check your records to ascertain the ims being made.¡±


    The woman fidgeted with her fingers. ¡°The woman who sold it to me was in a hurry to get the cash, I


    didn¡¯t really get her details before she left.¡±


    ¡°You paid her in cash?¡± the officer asked. ¡°Do you keep that kind of money at the shop?¡±


    The woman leaned in and said, ¡°Look, she didn¡¯t want her husband knowing that she sold the ring, so I


    didn¡¯t keep any records. I was simply doing my customer¡¯s bidding. The customeres first, you


    know.¡±


    Jacob scoffed and folded his hand into a fist. She really knew how to weave stories to get out of a fix,


    didn¡¯t she? Not this time. She wasn¡¯t getting out of here any time soon.


    ¡°If you cannot prove that you bought the ring from the owner,¡± the officer told her, ¡°we¡¯ll have to go


    ahead with the case made against you.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± the woman shouted. ¡°That makes no sense! There¡¯s no evidence that I stole the ring, how can


    they make a case against me?¡±


    The officer waved the papers in his hand. ¡°We have plenty of evidence showing that the owner did not


    sell you the ring. Instead, it has been reported that you acquired it in a fraudulent manner. There¡¯s also


    a notification that your surveince footage was so poor that one couldn¡¯t tell what was going on.


    Luckily, our IT department has the means to clear up the video. Once we¡¯re done with that, we¡¯ll be


    able to see what went on at your shop, and the truth wille out.¡±


    The woman paled, so much that Jacob could see it through the ss. She must have realised that the


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    footage she had thought would be her backbone was going to be the ultimate piece of evidence.


    ¡°Can I talk to the woman who sold me the ring?¡± she asked. ¡°This is a misunderstanding. Maybe she


    got caught by her husband and wants to act innocent. If that¡¯s the case, it¡¯s fine, I¡¯ll just give her back


    the ring and she can return the money.¡±


    So she was still sticking to that story? Jacob wondered what she woulde up with next.


    The officer shook his head. ¡°The owner said he is done talking to you. He said that he gave you a


    chance toe clean, but you refused. The matter is in our hands now.¡± He gave her a tight smile. ¡°If


    what you¡¯re saying is true, don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll find that out on your surveince footage. I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll be


    able to see the transaction taking ce well enough.¡±


    The woman bit on her bottom lip. If the police got hold of the footage and studied it, even without


    improving its quality, they would definitely see that at no point did money change hands.


    When the couple had shown up at her shop the other day and the man threatened to send her to jail,


    she hadn¡¯t thought he would be able to build a case against her. How had he traced the ring to the


    auction? How had he even gotten details about her involvement in the sale? Nobody had ever been


    able to do that before.


    It was then that she realised she was dealing with someone who was capable of sending her to jail. If


    she kept lying and the footage revealed the truth, she could even lose her business. It would be better


    toe clean and beg for forgiveness.


    The officer began gathering his stuff. ¡°We are done here. Now, I¡¯lle with you to the shop to get a


    copy of the footage. Once¨C¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true,¡± she cut him off, ¡°I stole the ring.¡±


    The officer looked up at her and lifted his brow. ¡°What?¡±


    Wringing her hands together, she confessed, ¡°I offered her a high price for the ring, but she didn¡¯t want


    to sell it. I offered to clean it for her and reced it with a counterfeit. I¡¯m really sorry. I would like to talk


    to her and apologise. Settle this between the two of us. I¡¯ll never do it again.¡±


    The officer cleared his throat. ¡°So you are confessing to the usations made against you.¡±


    She nodded. ¡°I want to solve this with the owner. Can I talk to them?¡±


    ¡°If the owner wants to settle this privately, the investigation will stop,¡± the officer told her, ¡°but if not,


    since you¡¯ve confessed, we¡¯ll have to detain you while we collect thest piece of evidence.¡±


    ¡°Detain?¡±


    He nodded, and then gestured to the door. ¡°The owner is right outside this room. I¡¯ll call them in and


    see whether they are willing to settle this out of court with you. Mr Garcia?¡±


    Jacob opened the door to the interrogation room and walked in, his eyes zeroing in on the woman.


    When she saw him, she gulped, and then shot to her feet, her hands sped together in front of her.


    ¡°Please, sir¨C¡±


    ¡°Send her to jail,¡± he said firmly, cutting her off and looking at the officer. ¡°I¡¯ll be pressing charges.


    Thank you, officer. When can I have the ring back?¡±


    ***


    In the evening, Jacob went back to the apartment with the ring, nning to give it back to Isabelle. Now


    that he had dealt with the con and gotten it back, he hoped that things would go back to normal.


    To his consternation, when he offered her the ring, she refused to take it.


    ¡°I¡¯m not good at keeping things,¡± she told him, ¡°so I¡¯m afraid if I lose it again, some people might think I


    sold it for money.¡±


    He sighed at the barb. How long was she nning to be mad about it? Didn¡¯t the fact that she had lost


    it and he had gone looking for it when she should have been responsible mean anything? Not that he


    med her for getting conned, but damn. Did he deserve to suffer so much for one mistake?


    ¡°It¡¯s yours now,¡± he told her, ¡°and I got it back for you. So please take it.¡±


    ¡°Mine?¡± she questioned. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say it belonged to your mother? Why would you give your fake wife


    your mother¡¯s ring? And¡­if it were mine, I would have the right to sell it, right? But you used me of


    selling your family¡¯s antique. I don¡¯t want it.¡±


    She walked past him and disappeared into her room, ending the conversation. Jacob cursed and


    paced. It was dawning on him that he really did not know how to coax a woman.


    If him apologising and getting the ring back didn¡¯t make her feel better, what would?


    Finally, he left the house, with the intention of seeking the advice of one man he knew would know what


    to do in this situation. Jason Del Mundo.

 Chapter 53 Fifty Three

    Chapter 53 Fifty Three


    Jacob found Jason in a bar, surrounded by several beautiful women. Jason was a totaldies man, and


    he knew how to keep his women happy. That was the reason Jacob had thought about him as the best


    source of advice on how to cate Isabelle.


    As Jacob approached his booth, Jason drove the women away, and they left, albeit hesitantly. It


    appeared that they loved hispany as much as he loved theirs. Jacob took that as a sign that he


    hade to the right guy.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Jason asked him after he sat down and ordered a drink. ¡°I¡¯m assuming it¡¯s not


    about work because otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t have met me at a bar.¡±


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    Yeah, had it been about work, he would have had him hurry his ass back to the office. Other than being


    his vice president at thepany, Jason also happened to be his friend. That was why he was seeking


    such personal advice from him.


    ¡°I pissed off my wife,¡± he revealed, ¡°and no matter what I do, she won¡¯t forgive me. What do you think I


    should do so she can stop being mad at me?¡±


    Jason looked at Jacob, noted the seriousness of his voice, and the lowered eyebrow that suggested he


    was thinking deeply about the matter. He cleared his throat and leaned back in his seat. ¡°You came to


    me to ask how to get your wife¡¯s forgiveness?¡±


    Jacob nodded.


    Jason burst intoughter. Jacob¡¯s frown turned into a scowl, but it wasn¡¯t enough to stop him. He had


    never thought that his charismatic boss who women threw themselves at would have trouble dealing


    with one.


    ¡°What¡¯s funny?¡± Jacob demanded, his voice sharp.


    Jason cleared his throat again and took deep breaths to recover from hisughter. ¡°Sorry, I¡­I didn¡¯t


    think you would have a problem with that. Coaxing a woman is easy.¡±


    Jacob raised a sceptical eyebrow. ¡°Oh yeah?¡±


    Jason nodded and crossed his right ankle over his left knee. ¡°It¡¯s easy. Apologise, give her a hug, and


    say something sweet. She¡¯ll forget why she was mad at you in the first ce.¡±


    Jacob¡¯s scowl made a second appearance. He had apologised multiple times, all in vain. He guessed


    that if she wasn¡¯t willing to listen to his apologies, that meant the hug was not applicable. And saying


    something sweet?


    ¡°If I knew what to tell her to get her forgiveness, I wouldn¡¯t be here talking to you, would I?¡±


    Jason rubbed his jaw in contemtion. ¡°In that case, maybe you should buy her something she likes.


    That always works.¡±


    Jacob didn¡¯t think that would work. First of all, Isabelle was clearly not in the mood to ept anything


    from him. Second, he didn¡¯t really have any idea of what she¡¯d like. And, he had a feeling that even if


    he bought her something and she epted it, she would end up exchanging it for money.


    Right. Money.


    That was what she had an issue with, right? Even after giving her the fifty thousand dor payment for


    the ne design, she was apparently still short on cash. That was why she ended up at the


    pawnshop in the first ce. Maybe if he helped solve her financial problem, she would warm up to him,


    right?


    ***


    The next morning, Jacob approached Isabelle while she was having breakfast and held out his bank


    card to her. ¡°Take this and use it as you like,¡± he told her.


    Isabelle looked at the card, and then at him. ¡°Why are you giving me your bank card?¡±


    ¡°You can use to pay for anything. You don¡¯t need to pawn things to get money,¡± he exined.


    ¡°We are not a real couple,¡± she told him and looked away. ¡°And we don¡¯t even get along well. I can¡¯t


    use your money.¡±


    Jacob sighed. ¡°Just take it. We are living together anyway and as far as everyone knows, you are my


    wife. You won¡¯t have to worry about your expenses with this card, so just take it.¡±


    ¡°My expenses or how I pay for them should not concern you,¡± she told him,ing to her feet. ¡°I don¡¯t


    want it.¡± She walked past him and went to gather her bag and coat, and then left the house for work.


    Jacob pocketed the card and wondered what else he could do. He had a sick feeling that maybe it was


    toote to fix things.


    She was no longer visibly pissed off, but he felt that her new attitude was much worse. She was distant


    and aloof. As if she couldn¡¯t be bothered. It was like they had gone back to the days of treating each


    other like strangers behind closed doors.


    Was she really not going to give him another chance? How else could he show her that he was sorry


    he had misjudged her?


    At this point, he felt like there wasn¡¯t a way to do that. If she was determined to lock him out, there was


    nothing he could do.


    But he wasn¡¯t about to give up. He had to show her that he badly wanted to be back in her good


    graces. If she saw how much being on good terms with her mattered to him, maybe she would soften.


    Once again, he called Jason, hoping that this time, he would have better advice to give.

 Chapter 54 Fifty Four

    Chapter 54 Fifty Four


    When Jacob called Jason, he was still in bed, with his lover lying in his arms. His first thought at seeing


    Jacob¡¯s call was that there was an emergency at work, but then he remembered their meeting the


    previous night.


    If that was why Jacob was calling him in the morning, his n to patch things up with his wife must


    have failed. Unless he was so happy with the oue and couldn¡¯t wait to share the good news.


    Shifting away from the woman lying next to him, he received the call. ¡°Morning,¡± he greeted, his voice


    sleepy and raspy. ¡°What¡¯s the news?¡±


    Jacob didn¡¯t bother with greetings, he just went straight to the point. ¡°She doesn¡¯t want my money.¡±


    Jason scratched his morning stubble. ¡°Well, that¡¯s a tough one. If gifts or money don¡¯t work, then you


    should aim for the heart. If you¡¯ve hurt her feelings, trying to use money to get forgiveness might make


    it worse.¡±


    ¡°You think?¡± Jacob said grouchily. ¡°And you didn¡¯t think to say thatst night?¡±


    ¡°Well, I mean money sure helps, but you need to ask yourself whether it really fixes the root of the


    problem. If you make it seem like you think your money can fix everything and make her forget


    whatever it is that you did, that might backfire. You can¡¯t be obnoxious about it. Maybe you made her


    feel like you were throwing your money at her because you thought she was throwing a useless


    tantrum and thought money was a quick fix.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t obnoxious,¡± Jacob snapped. Besides, he hadn¡¯t exactly thrown money at her. He had simply


    given her his bank card to make her life easier. And, in this case, money did fix the problem, didn¡¯t it?


    Well, half the problem. His inability to regain her trust was the main issue, wasn¡¯t it?


    Jason sighed. ¡°Since it seems that you really hurt her feelings, you need to do something that tugs at


    her heartstrings. Know what¡¯s better than money when you want to show you¡¯re aware you were an


    asshole and truly want to make up for it?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Flowers.¡±


    ¡°Flowers,¡± Jacob deadpanned.


    ¡°Right. They are romantic, sentimental, and women love them. There¡¯s no better way to show her that


    you care about her feelings.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re telling me that flowers are more valuable than money?¡±


    ¡°Sentimentally, yes, and that¡¯s where you seem to becking, isn¡¯t it? Flowers bring along smiles and


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    soften hearts. It¡¯ll be easier for her to see that you¡¯re not a total asshole if you make her smile. If that


    doesn¡¯t work, you¡¯re doomed.¡±


    ¡°Are you calling me an asshole indirectly?¡±


    Jason¡¯s eyes widened. He had forgotten that Jacob was not only his boss, but also a pretty petty one.


    ¡°No, of course not. I was just bringing what¡¯s probably going on in her mind to perspective.¡±


    ¡°This had better work,¡± Jacob said and hung up.


    Jason put his phone aside andid back in bed. His boss¡¯s wife seemed a little too hard to please, but


    he was confident the flowers would work. They always did for him.


    Back at the apartment, Jacob made a call to a flower shop to have roses delivered to the house. He


    figured the grander the gesture, the better it worked.


    ***


    In the evening, Isabelle made her way towards her apartment after a long day at work. There was


    nothing wrong at work, per se, but all day long, she couldn¡¯t stop thinking about the situation with


    Jacob.


    She wished things could go back to the way they were before he used her of stealing the ring. But


    how could they when he still wasn¡¯t addressing what he had done wrong?


    What was the use of him giving her a bank card to pay for her expenses when he didn¡¯t trust her? If he


    thought she was capable of stealing from him, she rather preferred that he kept his distance from her.


    Even if she had epted his card¨Cnot that she ever would in their current arrangement¨Cit wouldn¡¯t


    have been of any help to her. She had no problem with her daily expenses. What she needed was


    money for Ruth¡¯s surgery. And that was something neither of them could afford to pay.


    As long as there was no trust between them, it was better to lead separate lives.


    When she opened the door to their apartment, she blinked as she walked onto a carpet of red rose


    petals. She frowned, thinking that she must have entered the wrong house. But no. Her key wouldn¡¯t


    have worked otherwise.


    As she walked further into the living room, she realised that the entire apartment was filled with roses.


    She imagined this was how a hotel would decorate a suite for a newly married couple. And then some


    more. Heavens, the ce seemed to have more roses than a flower shop. They must have cost a


    fortune!


    When Isabelle walked into the house, Jacob rose from his ce on a sofa in the living room, wanting to


    see her reaction and ask for her forgiveness yet again. She looked surprised, alright, but the frown on


    her face wasn¡¯t what he was expecting. He would have expected a more ted expression. Shit, had


    he fucked up again?


    When her eyes finally rose to him after taking in the flowers in the house, she asked, ¡°Did you buy all


    these?¡±


    He took a step towards her. ¡°Yeah. I¨C¡±


    ¡°How much did you spend on them?¡± she asked, her frown deepening as she turned around to take in


    the flowers again. ¡°There¡¯s a ton of them!¡±


    Yeah, that was the n¡­


    Isabelle couldn¡¯t even begin to fathom how much the flowers had cost. A single bouquet of red roses


    cost around twenty bucks. The flowers in the living room looked like they could make a hundred


    bouquets or more. Why would he spend such money on flowers? He must have used up money worth


    a month¡¯s ie. Unless he found somewhere flowers were sold extremely cheap!


    On second thought, she realised that she didn¡¯t have the right to scold him about his spending habits.


    As she had reminded him that morning, she was just his nominal wife. Her spending habits were none


    of his business, and his habits shouldn¡¯t concern her either.


    Even knowing that, it still bothered her that he had wasted so much money on flowers.


    Sighing, she ced her bag on a couch and removed her coat. ¡°Let¡¯s put the flowers into bags and see


    if you can return them to the flower shop.¡±


    She sure hoped the shop epted returns. Otherwise, whatever amount of money he had sshed on


    them would go to waste!


    As Isabelle got busy picking up the flowers strewn around the room, Jacob remained rooted to the


    ground, shocked. And embarrassed. He hadn¡¯t even gotten a chance to tell her why he had gotten


    them¨Cshe had probably figured out and decided it was a stupid move on his part.


    Whatever sentimental value Jason had been talking about was obviously entirely lost on her. But he


    should have known. There was no way Isabelle was going to walk into a house full of flowers and not


    instantly think of the cost.


    As far as she knew, he was a part-time worker who didn¡¯t make a lot of money. He doubted she had for


    even a second thought of how romantic it was before deciding it was an unreasonable move.


    The magic broken¨Cif it had been there to begin with¨Che silently joined her in picking up the flowers. He


    was so going to tear Jason into pieces when he saw him next.

 Chapter 55 Fifty Five

    Chapter 55 Fifty Five


    The flowers were so many, that by the time the couple finished cleaning them up, it was already


    midnight.


    Isabelle made ament about how they were so much more than she had initially thought, but she


    didn¡¯t ask how much they had cost again. Which was good, he thought. She would probably have an


    aneurysm if she knew.


    Once they were all packed into bags, he made a call to Kevin to bring a couple of his subordinates to


    time possible.


    By the time they arrived, Isabelle had gone to the bathroom to take a shower. When she had gotten


    back from work, she wouldn¡¯t have guessed that she would spend the evening cleaning up flowers.


    She wondered whether they had been delivered with a lorry or something.


    After taking a shower, she walked back to the kitchen to find food. It was veryte, but she was yet to


    have dinner, and all the flower-gathering activity had left her feeling famished.


    She was having a bowl of noodles at the dining table when Jacob appeared and ced a wad of cash


    next to her. She gave the cash a quizzical look before turning her gaze to him.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I got back from the flower shop,¡± he told her. ¡°Since you won¡¯t ept the flowers, at least


    keep this.¡±


    Isabelle sighed and looked away. Ignoring the fact that she thought him buying a truckload of flowers


    was not a financially smart move, she did like receiving flowers from him.


    Had he bought her flowers before, and not spent so much on them, she would have probably been


    touched. It was a sweet gesture. But what did a bunch¨Cmore than a bunch, actually¨Cof flowers mean


    when he didn¡¯t trust her? That was what made it so hard for her to forget it all and move on.


    ¡°You can keep it,¡± she told him. ¡°I told you that I don¡¯t want your money.¡±


    Jacob frowned at her response, but he took the money away and left her alone. As he walked away,


    she wondered whether she was being unfair to him. Or perhaps too harsh.


    He was obviously determined to get back on her good side, and was doing his best to win her over.


    Why was it so damned hard to get over the fact that he didn¡¯t trust her?


    ***


    When Jason¡¯s phone rang past midnight and he saw Jacob¡¯s name on the caller ID, he knew right


    away that the man was calling with news of how his suggestion to get flowers for his wife had turned


    out.


    He was so confident that it had worked that when he received the call, he asked right away, ¡°What¡¯s my


    reward?¡±


    When Jacob replied, he didn¡¯t sound happy. At all. ¡°Reward?¡± he growled, and Jason pulled the phone


    away from his ear, as if afraid Jacob would reach through it and smack him.


    ¡°Wait,¡± Jason said, losing the excitement in his voice. ¡°It didn¡¯t work?¡±


    ¡°Flowers?¡± Jacob scoffed. ¡°I filled the entire house with them and do you think she evenmented on


    how beautiful they were? You said they would be sentimental. All she could think about was cleaning


    them up and returning them to the shop because she thought they were a waste of money. Do you


    have any more suggestions to fuck me up?¡±


    Jason bit down on his bottom lip at the anger in Jacob¡¯s voice. He was really angry. The kind of anger


    that Jason knew that if he showed up at work with, would spell doom on everyone who crossed paths


    with him.


    Work at the Larson Group was never easy when the boss was in a foul mood. And as the vice


    president, he constantly came directly into contact with that anger. He would rather not.


    His eyes fell on a stack of books thaty on his bedside cabin. They were his girlfriend¡¯s books, and


    they were all romance novels. He had read quite a few of them, and looking at them, he knew what


    Jacob should do to finally get on his wife¡¯s good side.


    ¡°There are other methods you can try,¡± he suggested, tentatively, because he wasn''t sure Jacob was


    up for more of his suggestions. Not after his first two had failed spectacrly.


    ¡°What methods?¡± Jacob demanded. Then he added, ¡°If they involve money, do not even bother. They


    will not work.¡±


    ¡°They don¡¯t,¡± Jason assured him. ¡°I think you should try the methods in my girlfriend¡¯s books.¡±


    ¡°Books?¡± Jacob asked, sounding confused.


    ¡°The male leads in her books have methods that always work with the heroine,¡± Jason supplied. ¡°No


    matter how angry the heroine is, she always gives in. Maybe you can discover a few secrets.¡±


    ¡°You want me to read romance novels to figure out how to deal with my wife?¡± Jacob asked, his tone


    suggesting he thought the idea ridiculous.


    Jason shrugged. ¡°Women love these kinds of books, and they never get enough of them. Not to


    mention they always end up thirsting after the male leads. That means the male leads are doing


    something right, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°Fine,¡± Jacob agreed, ¡°you have a point. Bring me the books tomorrow. If this doesn¡¯t work¨C¡± he trailed


    off threateningly.


    ¡°It will,¡± Jason assured him. It worked for tons of male leads. Why not for his boss?


    The next day, he walked into Jacob¡¯s office with a stack of books under his arm. He had even asked his


    girlfriend which ones had the best male lead, so he was confident he was giving his boss the best


    cheat sheets possible.


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    One was titled Marry the Devil; He¡¯s Too Hot. From the title alone, he could tell it was suitable for


    Jacob¡¯s situation. If the so-called devil was able to charm the heroine, his methods must be quite


    impressive.


    Another was called Fake Bride, True Love. That too was promising. If the male lead could find love with


    a fake bride, Jacob could definitely learn a thing or two about pleasing his wife from him.


    A third was titled Mr Tycoon¡¯s Lovely Wife. Good. A male lead who was a tycoon just like Jacob. Maybe


    he had a few tricks up his sleeves that didn¡¯t involve money.


    After Jason left, Jacob gave the books an hesitant look at first, but eventually picked up one. He found


    all of the titles to be quite suggestive, and he was shocked to find that the titles were just a tip of the


    iceberg.


    It didn¡¯t take long for him to identify a certain pattern whenever the hero and heroine got into a quarrel.


    Often, no matter what the argument was about, the couple ended up solving it by making passionate


    love. After that, all seemed to be forgotten, and the couple went back to their loving, happy ways.


    He wondered whether that would really work in real life, or whether the authors were exaggerating. But


    then he remembered that Jason had said women loved such books, and even fell for the fictional male


    leads.


    In all the books, the passionate love making seemed to be the mostmon and sessful way to


    make up after a quarrel. Sure, he and Isabelle had never made love before, but what if it was the only


    thing that would work?


    Besides, she had shown before that she was attracted to him. It wouldn¡¯t hurt to try¡­right?

 Chapter 56 Fifty Six

    Chapter 56 Fifty Six


    When Jacob got home that evening, he was determined to solve the issue between him and Isabelle


    once and for all. She retreated to her room early in the night, and when he went to see her, he found


    that she was drawing some designs.


    ¡°Can we talk?¡± he asked, standing beside her desk.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have time right now,¡± she replied, indicating her paper. ¡°I¡¯ve got work to do.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± he said, knowing she wasn¡¯t going to like it if he interrupted her work. ¡°We¡¯ll talk when you are


    done.¡±


    ¡°I have a lot of work,¡± she let him know. ¡°I might not finish until veryte.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll still wait,¡± he told her. He didn¡¯t want this matter to go on for much longer. By the end of tonight, he


    wanted it all to be behind them.


    She gave him a curious look, but didn¡¯t object further. When he settled on her bed with his back against


    her headboard, she frowned. ¡°You can wait in the living room,¡± she suggested.


    ¡°I¡¯m good here,¡± he told her.


    She nibbled on her lip, and while the action was innocent enough, the thoughts it sent through his mind


    were anything but. But then again, he had been thinking all day about how he was going to seduce her


    tonight. It was no wonder that when she bit her lip, all he wanted to do was kiss her senseless.


    ¡°As long as you don¡¯t disturb me,¡± she warned him. ¡°I need to concentrate.¡±


    He smiled and nodded, happy that she wasn¡¯t going to try and throw him out. Even if she did, he would


    simply grab her andy her on the bed, and show her all the things he had been thinking about all day.


    ¡°I¡¯ll behave,¡± he promised her.


    But only for a while¡­


    Isabelle didn¡¯t rise from her desk until after midnight. He wondered whether she worked that much


    every night, or whether she had extended her work, hoping he would get tired of waiting and leave.


    ¡°What do you want to talk about?¡± she asked him, approaching the bed and standing a few feet away.


    He swallowed as he gave her a once-over, taking her in. She was wearing a short cream skirt paired


    with a heavy white sweater. Her hair was held in a bun at the top of her head, stray strands framing her


    face and others falling down her neck.


    He sat up straight, aware of the stirring in his pants. How had he managed to stay away from her after


    that hot kiss the other day? He could almost remember the softness of her skin beneath his fingers, the


    swell of her breasts, her sweet scent.


    ¡°Jacob?¡± she called when he didn¡¯t say anything for a while. ¡°It¡¯s already sote, and I have to get up


    early tomorrow for work. So tell me what it is you have to say.¡±


    Jacob got to his feet and took a step towards her. She stepped back, but he didn¡¯t let her get away.


    Taking a couple of quick strides towards her, he reached out and wrapped an arm around her waist.


    She gave him a look of shock as he grasped her and pulled her against him, bringing their bodies


    together.


    Leaning towards her, he whispered in her ear, ¡°I just want to know what I can do to pacify you.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± she gasped, trying to free herself from his hold. ¡°Let go of me! What are you doing?¡±


    Jacob heard the mortification in her voice, but he didn¡¯t release her. The heroes in the romance stories


    he had read were bossy and stood their ground. Eventually, the heroine would give in to them, and they


    would get what they wanted. So, instead of releasing her, Jacob tightened his hold on her, until he


    could feel her breasts pressed up against his chest.


    ¡°Let me go and we¡¯ll talk,¡± Isabelle requested, her hands wing at his upper arms in vain. ¡°We can¡¯t


    talk like this!¡±


    ¡°We can,¡± he said, and then getting close to her ear again, whispered in a sultry voice, ¡°so, what do I


    need to do?¡±


    She struggled harder, and her motions produced delicious friction between their bodies that caused his


    length to harden. He shifted his hips so that he could press his bulge against her thigh. ¡°Is that what


    you want?¡± he whispered in her ear again. ¡°Will that make you happy?¡±


    She gasped, and he pulled back to watch her. Her face was flushed, her breathing fast and


    shallow. He ced a finger under her chin and lifted her face to him, forcing her to look at him. ¡°You


    like that, uh?¡±


    Her eyes widened and her mouth fell open, but she didn¡¯t say anything.


    ¡°Your heart is beating fast, and you¡¯re breathless.¡± He moved his hips, grinding his hardening length on


    her thigh. When she gasped again and then bit her lip, her eyes fluttering half-shut, he smiled. ¡°You


    naughty girl.¡±


    Her eyes widened in shock, and he chose that moment to close the distance between them and stroke


    his lips on hers. Grasping her chin tightly in his hand, he kept her in ce as he kissed her firmly,


    moving his lips over hers before she was able to push him away and pull back.


    ¡°Stop it!¡± she demanded, hitting him on his chest. ¡°I swear if you don¡¯t¨C¡±


    Wrapping his other arm around her, Jacob picked her up, cutting herint short. She wriggled in


    his arms, but he managed to turn her around andy her on the bed.


    When he let her go, she huffed and crawled on her arms backwards, her eyes ring daggers at him.


    But that was okay. It was all part of the process.


    He knew she was turned on by him, and if he pushed her a little further, she would soon be moaning in


    his arms. She was just mad that he had taken her by surprise. Soon, he would make her forget why the


    hell she was resisting him.


    Getting on the bed after her, he covered her body with his as he moved, caging her into the soft


    mattress. He gripped the hem of her sweater and pulled it upwards, brushing her breasts as he went.


    Heavens, he couldn¡¯t wait to wrap his lips around her nipples and suck them while she thrashed


    beneath him, begging for more.


    ¡°Are you crazy?¡± Isabelle demanded, her voice shaky with fury. Her hand hit his forearm hard, forcing


    him to let go of her sweater. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡±


    He gripped the hand that had hit his away and pressed it to the mattress beside her head. ¡°Be,¡± he


    called softly, ¡°rx. Let me make you feel good.¡±


    She swiped her other hand at him, but this time, it wasn¡¯t a harmless hit. Her fingernails scratched


    down one length of his face, and he jerked back in pain. She scrambled away from him and grabbed a


    nket, pulling it over her body.


    ¡°Leave,¡± she told him, her hands clutching the nket tightly around her while she red at him.


    Sighing, he moved away from her and climbed from the bed. This was all a disaster. If he insisted on


    trying to coax her, he would only be acting like an asshole and probably end up losing an eye or two.


    She was no heroine who was easily romanced to submission, and it was now clear that he was nothing


    like those male leads. They were all lucky, fictional bastards who had the odds rigged in their favour.


    He walked back to his room and went straight to his bedside cabin, where he had ced the books


    Jason had given him after bringing them from work. He threw them all into the trash can, wishing he


    had never followed Jason¡¯s advice. The guy had already misled him twice. Why had he thought this


    time would be different?


    Maybe he wasn¡¯t as good with women as he thought.


    Or maybe Isabelle was just a hard nut to crack.


    He went to his mirror and winced as he looked at his brand-new scratches. He had thought he would


    end the night with simr scratches on his back as she held onto him in the throes of passion.


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    Jason was going to pay.

 Chapter 57 Fifty Seven

    Chapter 57 Fifty Seven


    The next morning, Jacob found that the red marks made by the scratches were still visible and


    prominent on his face. He had thought that they would have gotten better overnight, but all it would


    take was one look and someone would notice them.


    Since they were on the side of his face, it wasn¡¯t even possible to hide them with a cap, so he had to go


    to work that way. It made him even more pissed off at Jason, who was about to have it that morning.


    Of course, it didn¡¯t help that he had a meeting that morning. The moment he walked into the


    conference room, everybody noticed the scratches. People threw him curious looks and whispered


    among themselves, but he pretended he wasn¡¯t aware of the attention and sat down in his seat, ready


    to kick things off.


    Everything would have gone his way if Jason, who was sitting to his left, hadn¡¯t leaned in with a


    concerned frown on his face and asked, ¡°What happened to your face?¡±


    The entire conference room went silent as everybody wanted to hear his answer. What a bunch of nosy


    people!


    Jacob turned to Jason and red at him, making his animosity known as early as possible. ¡°A cat


    scratched me.¡±


    Jason gulped, noticing the hidden threat in Jacob¡¯s re. He was definitely in trouble. ¡°Uh, naughty


    cat,¡± he replied.


    ¡°Yeah, I wonder whether I should put him down or not,¡± Jacob said, narrowing his eyes at his vice


    president.


    Jason didn¡¯t miss that threat either. A cold shiver ran down his spine and he attempted a cating


    smile. ¡°He is just a cat, let it go. He was probably just having fun. He didn¡¯t mean to hurt you.¡±


    ¡°He attacked me!¡± Jacob snapped, his voice a little loud.


    ¡°Sir, you should consider trimming your cat¡¯s ws,¡± one person suggested. ¡°I¡¯ve gotten a few


    scratches from mine too.¡±


    Jacob nodded. ¡°Trim his ws. Sounds like a good idea.¡±


    All along, his eyes were on Jason. Jason knew without a doubt that he was the cat in this story. Shit,


    his advice yesterday must have gone really bad.


    When Jacob said he should put the cat down¡­ He didn¡¯t really mean he would fire him, did he? And


    trimming his ws¡­was he going to get demoted? How badly had he messed things up between


    Jacob and his wife with his ¡®expert¡¯ advice?


    Was it toote to fix it?


    Knowing that his job could as well be in the bnce, Jason spent the duration of the meeting preparing


    a defence n. He sure hoped Jacob wasn¡¯t entirely done with him yet.


    When the meeting ended, all the other participants filed out of the room, leaving the two men behind.


    Jason took a deep breath, fighting the urge to rise and relocate to a seat on the other end of the table,


    far away from Jacob. ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡± Jacob demanded, his face growing dark with fury. ¡°To hell with you and your cursed


    books. For all the trouble you¡¯ve caused me, I should deduct your bonus!¡±


    Jason cleared his throat. A bonus deduction was way better than getting demoted or losing his job. He


    could work around that. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry,¡± he apologised, adopting the most sombre expression he


    could. It was in his best interest to show Jacob that he hadn¡¯t anticipated that the methods in the books


    wouldn¡¯t work. ¡°Maybe that wasn¡¯t the brightest idea.¡±


    Jacob snorted. ¡°You think?¡± He shot to his feet and paced, raking a hand through his perfectly coiffed


    hair. ¡°Do you think my love life is a joke or something?¡±


    ¡°At this point, I think your only option is to sincerely apologise,¡± Jason offered. He wasn¡¯t going to try


    and suggest any of the other methods he thought worked with other women. Jacob¡¯s wife was


    obviously not interested in some grand romantic gesture. Maybe she was just waiting for him to say the


    right words. ¡°You¡¯ve probably already apologised, but did you just say sorry, or did you actually


    acknowledge the offence you caused?¡±


    He knew there was a difference between just saying sorry and acknowledging the hurt caused. Most


    times, people only said sorry as a formality, to cate the other person, and not because they were


    sincerely remorseful for what they had done.


    If the other person felt you didn¡¯t care about how much you had hurt them, getting their forgiveness


    wouldn¡¯t be easy. Maybe that was what was going on with Jacob¡¯s wife.


    ¡°What happenedst night?¡± he asked.


    Jacob sat back down. ¡°I read the books as you advised, and there was one method in particr that


    always worked to solve the couples¡¯ quarrels.¡±


    When he paused, Jason asked, ¡°What method is that?¡±


    Jacob gave him a dirty look, as if he thought Jason was fucking with him. But the guy looked truly


    curious, so Jacob sighed and replied, ¡°Making love.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Jason said, and then nodded. ¡°I see how that would work.¡±


    Jacob scoffed. ¡°Has it ever worked for you?¡±


    ¡°For me, it usually seals the deal after the gifts and the flowers.¡±


    ¡°Well, in those books, no matter how angry the heroine was, all the hero had to do was seduce her, no


    matter how aggressively, and she would be putty in his hands.¡±


    Jason cleared his throat and looked pointedly at the marks on Jacob¡¯s face. ¡°I¡¯m guessing that didn¡¯t


    work for you.¡±


    Jacob pressed his lips into a thin line. ¡°I suppose real life works a bit different from the fictional world.¡±


    Getting serious, Jason told him, ¡°I think you should study her carefully and figure out what she is


    thinking. What you did made her mad, but why? Maybe you walked all over her pride, or broke her


    trust. Make her know you¡¯re aware of your mistake, and how it hurt her, and make a sincere apology.¡±


    ¡°And if that fails too?¡±


    ¡°You can deduct my sry next month,¡± he said confidently.


    ¡°I remember you being just as confident about all your other suggestions,¡± Jacob pointed out, arching


    his brow.


    ¡°When the big things don¡¯t work, it¡¯s the little things that matter,¡± Jason said. ¡°Think of it like this. You


    can buy your woman designer clothes and bags and cars and a big house, but at the end of the day, if


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    what she wants is your attention and you don¡¯t give it to her, you¡¯ll lose her. The heart is a wicked little


    muscle.¡±


    ¡°I also remember you sounding just as well-informed and experienced with your previous pieces of


    advice.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because I didn¡¯t know what you were dealing with. It happens that in your case, you need


    customised solutions. Show her your heart, and I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll open hers to you again.¡±


    While Jacob was busy calling bullshit to Jason¡¯s previous suggestions, he admitted that maybe this


    time, he was right.


    Isabelle had never been hard to please. Not in the way he had thought it would take to please a


    wealthy heiress. She was sincere and simple and open. She was also a joy to be around¨Cwhen she


    wasn¡¯t pissed at him.


    He had been going around this issue the wrong way. Complicating something that was as simple as


    opening his heart to her, showing her how truly sorry he was.


    ¡°To be honest,¡± Jason interrupted his musings, ¡°if this doesn¡¯t work, you should ask yourself whether


    there is another issue bothering her. Maybe what you think is your crime isn¡¯t your only crime. Or


    maybe she just doesn¡¯t want to be with you anymore and is doing her best to drive you away.¡±


    ¡°Take that back,¡± Jacob ordered, even as his heart missed a beat. Jason was wrong. Everything had


    been okay between them until he had made baseless usations against her. He was sure he hadn¡¯t


    messed up in any other way. The thought of Isabelle deciding she was done with him¨C


    Jason raised his hands in surrender. ¡°Sorry, I was just looking at the possibilities.¡±


    ¡°Keep your possibilities to yourself,¡± Jacob advised, getting to his feet. ¡°And pray hard that I don¡¯t have


    to touch your sry.¡±


    Jason winked and gave him a thumbs up. ¡°If this fails, I¡¯ll admit I don¡¯t know women as much as I


    thought I did.¡±


    Jacob rolled his eyes and walked out of the conference room.

 Chapter 58 Fifty Eight

    Chapter 58 Fifty Eight


    When Isabelle got home that evening, she found Jacob in the kitchen, cooking dinner. She hadn¡¯t


    known that he could cook, so she was surprised to find him busy minding the pots as if he knew exactly


    what he was doing.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you could cook,¡± she said, making her way to the refrigerator. Opening it, she took out a


    bottle of water and uncapped it.


    Jacob looked at her and gave her a small smile. Small or not, it was enough to cause a riot of


    butterflies in her stomach. But just as quickly as they had appeared, they disappeared. The memory of


    ¡°I used to help my mother when cooking,¡± he replied, opening one pot and stirring whatever was


    cooking. From her spot, she caught the mouthwatering smell of steak. Her stomach growled in


    response, and he chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s almost ready. Busy day?¡±


    She nodded. ¡°Yeah,¡± she replied, and then hooked her thumb towards the bedrooms. ¡°I¡¯ll go clean up


    and join you.¡±


    Maybe having dinner together would be a step towards ending the animosity between them. Animosity


    that she was the only one fuelling, she admitted.


    After having a shower and changing intofortable clothes, she joined him in the kitchen. She found


    that he was already done cooking and was bringing the dishes to the table. She offered to help, but he


    instructed her to sit and wait.


    Eventually, after he had brought out all the dishes, they had dinner together. The aromas wafting from


    the dishes were already mouthwatering enough, but when Isabelle tasted her first forkful of the steak,


    she couldn¡¯t help but release a delighted moan.


    ¡°This is not fair,¡± she said, giving him a wide-eyed look.


    ¡°What is not?¡± he asked, looking perplexed.


    ¡°Why have you been hiding your culinary skills? Were you afraid I¡¯ll lock you in the kitchen and demand


    that you feed me every day?¡± she teased.


    His expression rxed, and heughed. ¡°You¡¯re ttering me.¡±


    She shook her head and picked up a spoon to get a taste of the stew. ¡°You know I¡¯m not. This is so


    good.¡± She tasted the stew and shut her eyes momentarily. ¡°Wow. How can you stand my food when


    you know you can cook like this?¡±


    ¡°Now, you¡¯re being too humble,¡± he called her out. ¡°But I wouldn¡¯t mind feeding you every day if it made


    you happy,¡± he added with a wink.


    She smiled at his jest, loving how the dinner was turning out. This was so much better than when they


    were at loggerheads. When he looked down at his food, her eyes shifted to the marks on his face.


    Seeing them brought back memories of the previous night. His actions had shocked her, and she


    hadn¡¯t been sure how they would interact after that. Since they were having dinner together, she


    supposed it was safe to forget about it.


    While she mulled over the incident during the day, she figured that he must have thought seducing her


    would stop her being mad at him. But how on earth did he think trying to force himself on her would


    work? Was that how he solved issues with his past girlfriends?


    She sighed. It didn¡¯t matter. Well, as long as he didn¡¯t try it again.


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    As she thought more of the previous night, her appetite waned, and no matter how delicious the food


    was, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to clear her te. Were they ever going to talk about it? Or were they


    going to proceed as if nothing had happened?


    When Jacob finished his dinner, he gave her unfinished food a nce. ¡°Were you pulling my leg about


    my food being delicious?¡±


    She gave him an apologetic smile. ¡°I¡¯m full.¡± Rather, her stomach was full of butterflies once again, but


    the reason was not as pleasant as his smile causing her heart to go aflutter.


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s not waste any food,¡± he said, reaching for her te and bringing it to his side.


    God, now, she felt guilty that after he had taken his time preparing such a good meal for them, she was


    wasting it.


    He looked up at her and upon seeing the guilty look on her face, said, ¡°I just need an excuse to eat


    your leftovers, that¡¯s all.¡±


    She gave a small smile and looked down at her hands.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said quietly, and she looked up to find him looking at her softly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for having


    doubted you. I know you¡¯re not that kind of person, I just¡­¡± He shook his head. ¡°It was bad judgement


    on my part. It was a stupid mistake, and I¡¯m sorry for hurting you. It¡¯ll never happen again, I promise.¡±


    Isabelle¡¯s heart swelled as she looked into his eyes as he apologised, and she knew with every fibre of


    her being that he was being sincere. The way he was looking at her, it was like his heart was in his


    eyes, his soul bared to her, and she had to look away quickly before she did something embarrassing


    like tear up.


    She knew it wasn¡¯t all his fault. It was true that they had spent a lot of time together and gone through


    many experiences that should have made it clear to him that she wasn¡¯t the kind to do such a thing for


    money.


    But, it was also true that before they had married, the things he had heard about her were all rted to


    Naomi. While it hurt that he didn¡¯t give her the benefit of doubt before making usations, she


    understood why he did it if he knew about Naomi¡¯s reputation of being extravagant.


    She herself knew that her sister wouldn¡¯t hesitate to sell the ring if she were in financial trouble. And


    whose fault was it that somewhere in his brain, he still associated her with what he had heard about the


    Cruzes¡¯ eldest daughter?


    Hers.


    It was unfair to expect him to have her personality figured out when she was lying about her identity.


    Did she even have a right to get mad that he didn¡¯t trust her when she was busy deceiving him?


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± she told him, gathering the courage to look back up at him. Would he hate her when he


    discovered the truth? Those eyes that were looking at her with so much gentleness, could she bear to


    have them look at her with hate? She forced herself to tamp down on the negative feelings and focus


    on the present. ¡°I forgive you. Let¡¯s forget about it.¡±


    His face broke into a wide smile. ¡°Really? You¡¯re not mad at me anymore?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± she assured him. ¡°I understand where you wereing from. We are pretty much strangers,


    after all.¡±


    He frowned and shook his head. ¡°No, we are not. I¡¯ve been around you long enough to know what kind


    of person you are. There¡¯s no excuse for what I did. I was being a paranoid, judgmental asshole.¡±


    If he kept saying things like that, those tears she was fighting so hard to keep away would overwhelm


    her.


    Jacob reached into his pocket and when he showed his hand, he was carrying the sapphire ring. ¡°Will


    you wear this again?¡±


    She reached for the ring and held it in her fingers, admiring the beautiful stone. Then she looked up at


    him and shook her head. ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± she told him, and his face fell. ¡°If you want me to wear a ring so


    others know I¡¯m married, get me a normal one. This one is too special.¡±


    He should give his mother¡¯s ring to someone he loved, not his pretend wife. She also didn¡¯t trust herself


    not to lose it again.


    ¡°Oh,¡± he said, epting the ring from her. ¡°I guess I can do that.¡±


    The next morning, Isabelle was preparing breakfast sandwiches when she felt a presence behind her.


    Before she could turn around, Jacob hugged her from behind and held a velvet box in front of her.


    Her heart rate shot to the heavens at his sudden proximity, her mouth going dry. The knife she was


    using ttered to the counter as her limbs turned to jelly.


    ¡°Here, this is yours,¡± he told her, indicating the box. His deep morning voice sent shivers coursing down


    her spine.


    She had to clear her throat before mumbling unintelligibly, ¡°Uh?¡±


    ¡°I got you a normal ring,¡± he exined.


    Oh. The ring. But how had he gotten it already? They had only talked about itst night, and it was


    early in the morning.


    Ignoring the logistics, she took the box from him and opened it, hoping he didn¡¯t notice her trembling


    fingers. Insidey an eye-catching diamond ring.

 Chapter 59 Fifty Nine

    Chapter 59 Fifty Nine


    Isabelle reached for the ring and held it in her fingers, amazed at how beautiful it looked. Beautiful, and


    expensive. The band was tinum, with a princess cut diamond sitting prettily at the top.


    It looked like something that Isabelle would have chosen for herself. Simple yet stunning. That was if


    she could stand the price tag, of course.


    When she had told Jacob to get her a normal ring, she had assumed he would get a simple wedding


    band. Definitely not one that looked like it had cost a fortune. What if she lost it?


    ¡°It¡¯s not a real diamond,¡± Jacob told her, as if he could read her mind. ¡°But it¡¯s beautiful, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°It is,¡± she agreed, studying the stone closely. It looked real. But then again, you can¡¯t sell fake diamond


    rings if you couldn¡¯t make them look real, right? Jacob seemed to have a real knack for finding


    counterfeit items that could pass as real.


    Jacob looked on as Isabelle examined the ring, hoping she wouldn¡¯t catch on to his lie. After all, she


    was a jewellery designer with plenty of experience with the finest gems. Even if it was just for show and


    they were still a pretend couple, he had wanted to get her a pretty ring.


    He released a sigh of relief when she ced the box on the counter and slipped the ring onto her


    finger. She raised her hand, giving him a good look at it. It looked stunning on her.


    ¡°It¡¯s so beautiful,¡± she said, smiling. She turned her face towards him, but couldn¡¯t quite look at him as


    he was pressed so closely to her. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wee,¡± he told her, and then, unable to resist, bent his head and nipped her neck gently.


    Isabelle stiffened when she felt Jacob¡¯s breath on her sin and secondster, he nipped her skin with his


    teeth. ¡°Please stop,¡± she requested, her stomach swarming with butterflies. She had silently enjoyed


    his proximity until that moment, but now she wasn¡¯t so sure it had been a good idea to indulge him.


    What if he tried to force a kiss on her like that night?


    ¡°Sorry,¡± he said, instantly taking a step away. ¡°I got carried away.¡±


    She nodded, avoiding looking at him directly. Not when her heart was beating erratically and heat was


    rising up her neck. The man was very capable of stealing her breath, and now that they were back on


    good terms, she didn¡¯t trust her body around him.


    ¡°Need help?¡± he asked from behind her.


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    She blinked. ¡°With what?¡±


    He stepped up beside her and looked at the sandwiches she had been preparing. ¡°Preparing


    breakfast,¡± he said.


    ¡°Oh.¡± She had all but forgotten about them. With him holding her the way he had been, everything else


    had faded to the background. She picked up the knife that had cluttered to the counter earlier on. ¡°I¡¯m


    almost done. You should go get ready.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t start without me,¡± he warned in a light tone. ¡°Let¡¯s have breakfast together today.¡±


    ¡°Depends on how fast you can get ready,¡± she teased, giving him a once-over. He looked like he had


    already taken a shower, since his hair was damp, but he wasn¡¯t dressed for work.


    ¡°Fast enough,¡± he replied, brushing a hand against her arm as he walked away.


    When he was gone, she shut her eyes for a moment and took a big calming breath. She could get used


    to this.


    ***


    When Isabelle got to the office that morning, she found everybody in an excited and busy mood. Three


    of her coworkers were gathered at the desk nearest to hers, and she enquired what was going on.


    ¡°There is a new project,¡± one of them supplied, pointing to the bulletin board near the entrance to the


    department. ¡°The new design director wants every designer to provide a n for the project.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really?¡± Isabelle asked, getting excited too. A new project meant another opportunity to submit a


    design. She hurried to the bulletin board to check the requirements.


    The project was a coboration between the Larson Group and the Green Leaf Company. Every


    designer was required to submit a n, after which the design director would select the best one for


    the project.


    There was a four-day period for submissions. After that, the designer with the chosen n would start


    working on the project.


    Isabelle went back to her desk, feeling newly energised. No wonder everyone was excited and busy.


    This was a good opportunity to earn more and improve her reputation as a designer. She vowed to do


    her best to fight for the chance to work with Green Leaf Company. Whatever bonuses she would earn


    would definitely help towards paying for Ruth¡¯s surgery.


    She spent most of the next several days working on her ideas, and managed to submit her n before


    the deadline given by Grace, the new design director.


    Grace had reced Ike, much to Isabelle¡¯s relief. She hadn¡¯t wanted to imagine how it would be like if


    the man had somehow found his way back to thepany.


    A week after the project had been introduced, Grace announced that Isabelle¡¯s design had been


    chosen. She was ted to get another project so soon after her other design was chosen for the


    exhibition.


    Grace let her know that they had forwarded her n to Green Leaf Company for their approval to kick


    off the project.


    Since the design director had chosen her n, Isabelle was confident that it would be approved soon


    and she would start working right away.


    However, a few dayster, Grace called her to her office and told her that she needed to redo her


    design for the Green Leaf project. Apparently, the client had rejected it and wanted her to redesign it.

 Chapter 60 Sixty

    Chapter 60 Sixty


    Grace handed her the n she had submitted for her to go through again. Isabelle went back to her


    desk and reviewed everything,paring it with the customer¡¯s requirements.


    When she was done, she found that she had done everything as requested. When she had been


    preparing the n before making her submission, this was something she had paid extra attention to.


    She had known that no matter how good her design was, it would not get chosen if it wasn¡¯t what the


    client was looking for.


    She was also sure that the director had paid attention to that while deciding which design to go with. By


    her own evaluation, she couldn¡¯t tell what part of the design was not in line with the client¡¯s


    requirements, so she wasn¡¯t sure what she was supposed to work on.


    After checking her draft for the umpteenth time, she gave up on trying to identify possible areas of


    improvement and went back to Grace¡¯s office.


    ¡°Has the client provided new guidelines?¡± she asked Grace, thinking that maybe that could be the case.


    It wasmon for clients to make changes to their requirements after the initial drafts were presented.


    ¡°No,¡± Grace replied, ¡°they still want the same thing. But when I forwarded your design, they said it


    wasn¡¯t up to par.¡±


    ¡°Do you have any suggestions on how I can improve?¡± Isabelle asked her, hoping that the director


    would have suggestions. A second perspective could be what she needed. ¡°I don¡¯t think I understand


    what¡¯s wrong with my drafts. I was careful to meet all of their demands while preparing my n.¡±


    Grace sped her hands on her desk and shook her head. ¡°Honestly, I too cannot tell what¡¯s wrong


    with your design. We submitted your n because we felt it was the perfect fit for what Green Leaf


    want. I was surprised when I received the request to redo it.¡±


    Isabelle frowned. If even the design director couldn¡¯t think of a way to improve the design, what was


    she supposed to do?


    ¡°Let¡¯s do this,¡± Grace suggested, ¡°let¡¯s revise the design with the client. If we sit down with them, they


    can tell us what they didn¡¯t like. Because as we stand, unless they give us new requirements, I don¡¯t


    see how we can submit anything better than what we have.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a great idea,¡± Isabelle agreed. ¡°I would love to sit with the client too to get a better


    understanding of what they want.¡±


    The two left the office and after a short taxi ride, they got to the Green Leaf Company Headquarters.


    Thepany was a women¡¯s fashion brand.


    They went inside the building and took an elevator to the design department of the Green Leaf


    Company. When they got to the right floor, they headed to the reception. Isabelle was shocked to find


    Naomi there. Her sister noticed them right away, and she walked over to join them.


    ¡°Well, who do we have here?¡± she asked, her mouth twisting in a sneer as she looked at Isabelle.


    Multiple thoughts crossed Isabelle¡¯s mind. What was Naomi doing at Green Leaf Company? Did she


    work here?


    ¡°Do you work here?¡± Grace asked kindly, offering her hand in greeting. ¡°We are from the Larson Group,


    and we¡¯d like to talk about ourtest coboration.¡±


    Naomipletely ignored Grace¡¯s hand and crossed her arms over her chest. ¡°Oh, is that so? I am the


    one in charge of that project.¡±


    Isabelle frowned at her sister¡¯s words. If Naomi was the one in charge of the project, she could as well


    give up. Her sister would never ept a design from her. Finally, the rejection made sense.


    Naomi must have found out that Isabelle was the designer. It didn¡¯t matter whether Isabelle¡¯s design


    was good enough to win a worldwide award. It would never be good enough for Naomi.


    ¡°I¡¯m the design director from the Larson Group,¡± Grace introduced herself, unperturbed by Naomi¡¯s


    rudeness. ¡°This is Isabelle, the designer who prepared the n that we presented to you. We¡¯d like to


    know what you¡¯re looking for, because we were confident that we had met all your requirements.¡±


    ¡°Oh my God,¡± Naomi said, twirling one hand in the air and looking at Isabelle, ¡°she is the one who


    prepared that design? Are you sure she is one of your employees? I thought the Larson Group only


    has the finest talents, but her drafts were so amateur.¡±


    Isabelle blew air into her cheeks and said nothing. She wondered whether to be frank with Grace and


    tell her the truth of what was going on.


    ¡°What?¡± Grace asked, surprise evident in her voice. ¡°Are you sure we are talking about the same


    design? All of the designers in our department prepared designs, and Isabelle¡¯s was by far the best. I¡¯m


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    not sure what you mean by amateur.¡±


    ¡°I studied what she prepared very closely,¡± Naomi said, ¡°and it did not impress me. This is a very


    important project, and we will have nothing but the best. Are you sure hers was the best? It was not


    satisfying.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why we are here, to find out what you didn¡¯t like about it,¡± Grace told her. ¡°Can we sit down and


    review everything? If you let us know where we fell short, we can rectify that and move forward.¡±


    Isabelle was amazed at how professional Grace was, even when it was obvious that Naomi was simply


    being mean and rude. But then again, Grace didn¡¯t know of the story between the two sisters. She


    probably thought Naomi was a hard-to-please client.


    Isabelle was sure that if Grace was to hand in any of the other drafts submitted by Isabelle¡¯s coworkers,


    Naomi would ept it without a second thought.


    Before Naomi could reply to Grace¡¯s suggestion, a well-dressed man appeared and approached them,


    a warm smile on his face. Isabelle recognised the man right away. He was Naomi¡¯s boyfriend, the one


    who had apanied her on the day she and Jacob had ran into them near the subway station.


    ¡°You are from the Larson Group, right?¡± he asked, offering Grace his hand in greeting. ¡°We talked


    briefly about the project we are coborating on. I¡¯m Arnold Gibson, the CEO of Green Leaf.¡±


    Grace epted his greeting and nodded. ¡°Grace Ocampo, design director at the Larson Group. This is


    Miss Cruz, the designer who worked on the drafts we sent to you. We were hoping to discuss your


    concerns about our submission and chart a way forward.¡±


    Arnold nodded, giving Naomi a look. When they had received the submission from the Larson Group,


    Arnold had been impressed with Isabelle¡¯s draft.


    But when Naomi found out it was from her adoptive sister, she asked him to reject it. He hadn''t


    anticipated that they woulde to the headquarters to discuss the issue.


    ¡°We were not satisfied with the design you submitted,¡± he told Grace, ¡°and that¡¯s why we asked for a


    recement.¡±


    Grace frowned. ¡°I want to assure you that we conducted thorough evaluation of the submissions we got


    from our designers, and Miss Cruz¡¯s was the best. Not only that, but her design met all your


    requirements. Would you care to exin why her design was not satisfactory?¡±


    Naomi huffed. ¡°Look, I¡¯ve already told you that I don¡¯t think she is the right person for this project. If


    you¡¯re not willing to change the designer, then I¡¯m afraid we cannot go ahead with this coboration.


    We have already wasted enough time on this. Don¡¯t you have a better designer you can put on the


    project right away?¡±

 Chapter 61 Sixty One

    Chapter 61 Sixty One


    Hearing Naomi¡¯s absolute words, Grace felt helpless. If the client was against using Isabelle¡¯s design,


    what else could she do?


    When she had first received the rejection notice, she had thought it was something to do with the


    design, even though no clearmentary had been made on what Green Leaf found unsatisfactory.


    But now, after meeting the person who was in charge, she realised the design wasn¡¯t the problem. The


    designer was.


    The CEO excused himself, and Naomi left with him. There was clearly no space for further


    negotiations.


    It was either that the Larson Group presented a draft from a different designer, or the coboration was


    off. The customer always came first, so Grace would have to go back and send them the second-best


    design from the submissions.


    ¡°We should get back,¡± she told Isabelle. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about it at thepany.¡±


    She couldn¡¯t imagine how disappointed Isabelle was to have her design rejected for some trivial


    reason. She had worked so hard on it, and even though Grace hadn¡¯t worked with her for long, she


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    could tell that she was quite passionate about her work.


    They stepped back into the elevator to head to the ground floor. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Isabelle told her as they


    began the descent. ¡°She will never ept my design. You should choose another draft for the project.¡±


    Grace sighed, not happy that a serious project was being derailed because of what she could tell was a


    personal grudge. ¡°She acted like she had a grudge against you. Have you ever offended her?¡±


    Isabelle nodded. ¡°You could say that.¡±


    Grace sighed again. How unlucky were they to meet a client who couldn¡¯t draw a line between their


    professional and personal life?


    Was that any way to run a business? After what she had seen about the woman who was in charge of


    the project, she was sure working with her would not be easy. Or maybe it would once Isabelle was out


    of the picture.


    ¡°This is unfair to you,¡± she told Isabelle. ¡°You rightfully won the opportunity to be on this project. Green


    Leaf are making a big mistake by letting you go because of some personal vendetta. If they don¡¯t


    prioritise quality, at the end of the day, they will be the ones to suffer.¡±


    The elevator doors opened and they stepped onto the ground floor. Grace looked at her watch and


    realised that it was about time for her meeting with another client.


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to get back to thepany without me,¡± she told Isabelle. ¡°There¡¯s a client I¡¯m meeting


    elsewhere.¡±


    ¡°Thanks foring with me,¡± Isabelle told her as they parted. ¡°At least now I know there was nothing


    wrong with my design.¡±


    Grace gave her a gentle pat on her shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re truly talented, and hard working too. Don¡¯t let


    anyone make you doubt yourself. I¡¯ll see you at work.¡±


    Isabelle nodded and watched her go. Before Isabelle could leave the building too, she noticed Naomi


    walking towards her. She must have taken a different elevator down.


    Isabelle sighed, not being in the mood to entertain her sister anymore. ¡°What do you want?¡±


    Naomi¡¯s lips curled in a sneer as she came to a stop in front of Isabelle. ¡°You¡¯re still so naive, aren¡¯t


    you? When will you realise that the sess or failure of a woman depends on whether she has found


    the right man or not? My boyfriend gives me everything I want. I can even bar you from the industry if I


    want.¡±


    Isabelle crossed her arms over her chest and scoffed. ¡°Is that so? You¡¯ve had quite a number of


    boyfriends, how far along have youe?¡± She tapped a finger on her chin thoughtfully. ¡°I recall that


    you dumped your first boyfriend because his family went bankrupt. You left the second one because he


    developed a serious ailment, and the third¡­ah. His parents were arrested.¡± She tilted her head as she


    studied her sister¡¯s suddenly narrowed eyes. ¡°Forget your failure and sess, I believe you bring bad


    luck to everyone you date.¡±


    Naomi folded one hand into a fist and took a threatening step forward. ¡°Watch your mouth.¡±


    ¡°I wonder what bad luck you¡¯ll bring to this one who gives you everything you want,¡± Isabelle mused,


    undeterred by the furious look on her sister¡¯s face.


    Before Naomi could spout further nonsense, Isabelle walked past her and made it outside the building.


    Naomi went after her, probably desperate to have thest word. But Isabelle hailed a taxi and left her


    fuming on the front steps of thepany building.


    ***


    That evening at home, Jacob noticed that Isabelle was in a low mood. She hadn¡¯t said much after


    elsewhere.


    Since she had been okay when she left in the morning, he figured something must have happened at


    work.


    ¡°Is something wrong?¡± he asked eventually, hoping he could fix whatever was bothering her. He had


    fired the director who had been giving her a hard time and hired a new one. Isabelle wasn''t still being


    bullied at work, was she? He would never tire of getting rid of anyone who caused her grief.


    She looked at him and shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± she said, ¡°just some work stuff.¡±


    Well, that was his specialty, wasn¡¯t it?


    He gave her a smile and arched an eyebrow. ¡°You still consider me an outsider, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Uh?¡± she mumbled.


    ¡°Do you not want to share what happened since you still regard me as a stranger?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡­ No, I¡­¡± she trailed off and sighed. ¡°There is this new project at work. It¡¯s a coboration


    between ourpany and another one called Green Leaf. All the designers in my department


    submitted drafts, and mine was chosen for the project. But when the director sent it to Green Leaf, they


    rejected it and demanded a redesign.¡±


    Jacob frowned. He had never known a design from the design department at the Larson Group to be


    rejected anywhere. If anything, otherpanies would give anything to have designers from Larson


    working on their projects. ¡°Did they say why they rejected it?¡±


    Isabelle sighed again. ¡°Well, that¡¯s the thing. They rejected it because I was the designer behind it. My


    sister is in charge of the project over at Green Leaf.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± That was absurd.


    Isabelle shrugged. ¡°You already know that she doesn¡¯t like me. I apanied the director to Green


    Leaf to discuss the drafts and ran into her. She made it clear that if I was the one working on the


    project, herpany would rather cancel the project. The CEO so happens to be her boyfriend, so he


    did what she asked. Now, the director has to send them another draft.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not right,¡± Jacob said, clenching his jaw.


    Isabelle smiled sadly and waved her hand in dismissal. ¡°What¡¯s done is done. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll have a go at


    another project soon.¡±


    Jacob shook his head. He refused to let Isabelle¡¯s hard work go to waste just because of her evil sister.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, she won¡¯t be arrogant for long.¡±


    He already knew what to do to put her in her ce.

 Chapter 62 Sixty Two

    Chapter 62 Sixty Two


    Isabelle appreciated Jacob¡¯s support, but didn¡¯t take his words seriously. It wasn¡¯t like there was


    anything he could do to teach Naomi a lesson. As long as Naomi was dating Green Leaf¡¯s CEO, she


    could do whatever she wanted at thepany.


    While Isabelle was disappointed to have lost her chance at the project, she was happy she still had a


    job. Keeping her job at the Larson Group was more important than taking part in a one-off project.


    So, she wasn¡¯t going to do anything that could offend Naomi, and in extension Green Leaf¡¯s CEO.


    Naomi had threatened to bar her from the industry, and while Isabelle was confident that her adoptive


    sister had no means to do that, she wasn¡¯t sure about her CEO boyfriend. If Naomi lodged aint


    against her at the Larson Group and thepany chose to side with their client¡­


    She wasn''t going to risk it.


    Besides, after they had gotten back to the office after the unsavoury meeting with Naomi and her


    boyfriend, Grace had submitted a draft from another designer to Green Leaf Company right away.


    There was no need to dwell on it.


    She assured Jacob that she was over it, and that she would concentrate on the other designs she was


    working on. He nodded, but she could still see the fire in his eyes that suggested he was still thinking


    about her sister¡¯s behaviour.


    The next day, Green Leaf Company approved the new draft Grace had sent. Grace made the


    announcement to the department, letting them know of the new designer whose draft had been chosen


    for the Green Leaf project.


    Isabelle felt a pang in her chest, but she pushed it away. It was none of her business anymore. There


    would be other projects in the future, projects without Naomi¡¯s ws sunk into them.


    Grace then announced a meeting with the Green Leaf team, which had been scheduled to take ce


    as soon as the otherpany approved a draft.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe they reced your drafts,¡± her colleague who sat closest to her said as they gathered


    materials for the meeting. She huffed and rolled her eyes. ¡°Green Leaf must have very bad taste. Your


    design was way better than the one they epted.¡±


    Isabelle shrugged. ¡°They must have their reasons,¡± she replied. Reasons like a CEO who let his


    girlfriend affect business decisions.


    ¡°Reasons like a mediocre design director, maybe,¡± her coworker snorted.


    Isabelle wondered whether Naomi was even the design director at Green Leaf Company. She couldn¡¯t


    think of any qualification her sister had that wouldnd her in such a position.


    Maybe being the CEO¡¯s girlfriend was all the qualification needed.


    The two followed their colleagues to the meeting room and took seats at the conference table. Isabelle


    was hoping against all odds that Naomi wouldn¡¯t show up with the Green Leaf team.


    But she had said she was the one in charge of the project, and Isabelle knew better than anyone that


    her sister would never bypass a chance to lord over her.


    Her fears were confirmed when a few minutester, Grace walked into the room, apanied by


    Naomi. Naomi was on her own, so she was the only one representing the client.


    ¡°Everyone,¡± Grace started after weing Naomi to take a seat at the head of the table. Isabelle didn¡¯t


    miss the self-important look on her adoptive sister¡¯s face as she looked around the table, as if she was


    their CEO or something. ¡°This is Miss Naomi Cruz. She is in charge of this project at Green Leaf


    Company, so she¡¯ll be overseeing every step. Before we kick off the meeting, Miss Cruz would like to


    say something. Wee to the Larson Group, Miss Cruz. We are happy to have you.¡±


    Naomi nodded at Grace, assuming a smile whose fakeness Isabelle could detected from her position


    farther down the table. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯m thrilled to be coborating with the Larson Group on this project.


    This project is very important for ourpany, and naturally, we wanted only the best talents on it. The


    new design that Director Ocampo submitted yesterday is very brilliant, and we are confident the end


    result will be amazing.¡±


    She turned to look at Grace. ¡°We are also grateful that you considered out desire to switch from the


    first design you sent us. Frankly speaking, it was trash, and it wasn¡¯t what we were looking for.¡± She


    turned her attention back to the rest of the team sitting around the table. Her eyes rested on Isabelle.


    ¡°The designer who submitted it needs to really work harder and do better. I couldn¡¯t believe such a


    mediocre draft originated from the Larson Group, but oh well. It happens. At Green Leaf, we don¡¯t


    ept anything but the best, and I hope all of you will keep that in mind as we go forward. We don¡¯t


    want a situation where we have to waste any more time because of amateurish work.¡±


    Isabelle pretended she couldn¡¯t see all the gazes being directed her way, but they were too obvious to


    ignore. Naomi hade to the Larson Group to humiliate her, and going by the barely concealed smirk


    on her face, she thought she had seeded.


    Grace spoke up, and Isabelle was happy that she was steering the meeting away from Naomi¡¯s smear


    campaign. ¡°Trust me, this is the best team you can have on this project. We¡¯ll not let you down,¡± she


    assured her, passing over a few sheets of papers to Naomi. ¡°Please have a look at this. This is what¨C¡±


    She trailed off when there was a knock on the door and then it opened and the vice president walked


    into the conference room.


    Jason walked straight to the head of the table and looked down at Naomi, who was busy studying the


    papers Grace had passed to her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to interrupt,¡± Jason apologised, and then asked, ¡°Ma¡¯am,


    who are you?¡±


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    Naomi looked up as every eye in the room turned to her. She looked up at Jason, an impatient look on


    her face. ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°This is the meeting about the Green Leaf Company project, right?¡± Jason asked, looking around the


    room.


    ¡°It is, sir,¡± Grace replied.


    ¡°Who is this person, then?¡± He looked down at Naomi. ¡°This is an important project that should only be


    presided over by the design directors from bothpanies. I¡¯m pretty sure you¡¯re not the person in


    charge of the design department at Green Leaf. That¡¯s the person who is supposed to represent the


    Naomiughed and threw her head back. Haughtily, she dered, ¡°I¡¯m the girlfriend of the CEO of the


    Green Leaf Company.¡±


    After that deration, she looked around the table, as if expecting a round of apuse. Isabelle was


    almost embarrassed on her behalf.


    The way she threw around the fact that she was Green Leaf¡¯s CEO¡¯s girlfriend, you¡¯d think she was the


    iing queen of some powerful monarchy. Green Leaf Company wasn¡¯t even the biggestpany


    around. In fact, it was a subsidiary of arger corporation.


    How would she behave if she was dating, let¡¯s say, the chairman of the corporation? Make every


    employee kiss the ground she walked on?


    While Naomi basked in whatever glory she thought her rtionship orded her, Jason was not the


    least amused. Seriously, he asked, ¡°And what position do you hold at the Green Leaf Company?¡±

 Chapter 63 Sixty Three

    Chapter 63 Sixty Three


    Naomi¡¯s smile fell a little as she replied awkwardly, ¡°I don¡¯t have a position at thepany.¡±


    ¡°So you are not in any official capacity to take part in this project,¡± Jason rified.


    ¡°My boyfriend put me in charge,¡± she replied haughtily.


    ¡°Your rtionship with the Green Leaf Company is private, and as far as I¡¯m concerned, you have no


    right to determine which design is used in this project. You also have no right toe here and make


    maliciousments about our staff. I request you to leave the meeting immediately.¡±


    As the conference room broke out in murmurs, Naomi shot to her feet and faced Jason. ¡°How dare you


    talk to me like that?¡± She pointed an angry finger at him. ¡°You¨Cyou have no idea who you are talking to!


    I¡¯ll ask Arnold to terminate this coboration right away!¡±


    Jason took a step back, amused at the woman¡¯s vehemence. She really had no idea who she was


    ying with, was she? She must be really dumb to think that her precious Green Leaf CEO could


    threaten the Larson Group in any way.


    Huffing, she picked up her stuff and rushed out of the meeting room. Jason turned back to the workers


    in the room, an apologetic smile on his face. ¡°I apologise for the confusion. It appears that we¡¯ll have to


    reschedule this meeting forter when Green Leaf Company has put their affairs in order. Director


    Ocampo, please see me in my office.¡±


    As Jason left with Grace in hispany, Isabelle took a deep breath and rxed for the first time since


    the meeting had been called. She hadn¡¯t seen thating. How had Jason figured that Naomi wasn¡¯t


    who she imed to be?


    Whatever, it didn¡¯t matter. It was a relief to not have to endure her condescending attitude any longer.


    ***


    After leaving the Larson Grouppany building in a fury, Naomi made her way to her boyfriend¡¯s


    ce. She couldn¡¯t believe the nerve of that man to humiliate her like that! Well, he was about to learn


    a lesson. By the time she was done with the Larson Group, they would be sorry.


    Arnold was in his living room ying a game on his mobile phone, and she made her way over to the


    couch and sat down next to him.


    After giving him a kiss on the cheek, she sighed heavily andined, ¡°Babe, do you really have to


    work with the Larson Group on this project?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Arnold asked, his attention still on his game.


    ¡°They treated me so horribly when I went for the meeting,¡± she told him, wrapping her hands around his


    arm and pressing her breasts to his body seductively. ¡°I only told the truth about their mediocre


    designer, but I guess they couldn¡¯t handle the truth.¡± She lifted her head to kiss him on the lips, but he


    pulled away quickly to focus on his phone¡¯s screen.


    Seeing that he was distracted and not paying attention to her, she decided to go all out. Pulling away,


    she reached behind her back and pulled down the zipper of her dress. ¡°Babe, tell me you¡¯ll terminate


    the coboration with them,¡± she said, pouting as she pushed her dress down her arms and eventually


    her body. She kicked the dress to the end of the couch and climbed onto hisp in only her underwear.


    ¡°You have no idea how humiliated they made me feel,¡± she said, leaning down to press kisses on his


    face. ¡°You have to pay them back for me.¡±


    Arnold sighed and finally looked at her. ¡°What happened?¡±


    She huffed, hooking her hands behind his neck. ¡°The meeting was going just fine, and then this man, I


    think the vice president or something, stormed in and imed that I didn¡¯t have a right to be there. And


    then he asked me to leave.¡±


    Arnold¡¯s eyes widened. ¡®What? The vice president? The vice president of the Larson Group?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I guess. I told him that I would have you cancel the project. He was so arrogant!¡±


    ¡°You offended Jason Del Mundo?¡± Arnold demanded, pushing her off hisp.


    ¡°He is the one who talked to me rudely,¡± she imed. ¡°Look, babe¡­¡±


    Arnold shot to his feet and held his open palm to her. ¡°Just shut up.¡±


    He couldn¡¯t believe it. How had she managed to piss off such a powerful person? Everybody in the


    industry knew that Jason was the right hand man to the overwhelming CEO of the Larson Group.


    No one dared mess with him, unless they wanted to risk the wrath of the Larson Group. He was just the


    CEO of a subsidiarypany! How on earth did Naomi expect him to pay Jason back? He would be


    lucky if he had a job after this!


    ¡°Don¡¯t you care that he humiliated me?¡± Naomi demanded, getting to her feet. ¡°Even after I introduced


    myself as your girlfriend, he ordered me to leave. If you¡¯re not going to take my side in this, what kind of


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    boyfriend are you?¡±


    ¡°I was stupid to let you handle this project in the first ce,¡± he said, raking his hand through his hair.


    Damage control. That was what he needed to do, before the Larson Group took the matter further.


    Maybe if he made his way to thepany right away and apologised to Jason, he could solve the


    issue before the parentpany was involved.


    ¡°What? Is it that you are afraid of those jerks at the Larson Group? You are the CEO of the Green Leaf


    Company, it¡¯s up to you who is in charge of the project. Why are you acting as if you should seek their


    approval?¡±


    ¡°Get dressed, we need to go somewhere,¡± he told her.


    ¡°Where?¡±


    ¡°To the Larson Group, to apologise.¡±


    She gaped and crossed her arms across her chest. ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°Whatever it is you did to offend Mr Del Mundo and his team, we need to apologise right away. Get


    dressed!¡±


    Naomi huffed and sat back down on the couch, crossing her legs. ¡°You are dreaming if you think I can


    apologise to those idiots. I didn¡¯t do anything wrong!¡±


    She would die before she apologised to that so-called vice president. Or worse, her sister. She had no


    idea why Arnold was acting like a cowardly chicken, but she wasn¡¯t afraid of them.


    Just then, Arnolds¡¯s phone rang. Arnold picked it up and saw on the caller ID that it was the Chairman


    of the group ofpanies he worked for.


    His blood froze in his veins as he instantly knew what the call was about. It was toote to make an


    apology to the Larson Group. They had already reached out to the Chairman, and he knew even before


    he received the call that his goose was cooked.


    Taking a deep breath, he received the call. ¡°Hello, Mr Chairman.¡±


    He flinched a secondter as the Chairman¡¯s booming voice came through the phone. ¡°What is this I¡¯m


    hearing from the Larson Group? Do you have an exnation?¡± he demanded furiously.


    ¡°I¡¯m very sorry for what has happened, Sir. I¡¯ll go to the Larson Group and fix it right away.¡±


    ¡°Did you or did you not let your girlfriend step into our business with the Larson Group?¡± the Chairman


    demanded.

 Chapter 64 Sixty Four

    Chapter 64 Sixty Four


    Arnold paled at the chairman¡¯s question. He hadn¡¯t expected that he would know about his girlfriend¡¯s


    involvement.


    The only reason he had involved Naomi in the decision-making process at thepany was to please


    her. He never would have expected that it woulde back to bite him in the ass like this.


    He couldn¡¯t even deny it. Not after all the attention Naomi had brought to herself and her rtionship


    with him. If Jason Del Mundo had told the chairman about her and he dared deny it, he wouldnd in


    even more trouble.


    ¡°It¡¯s true, sir,¡± he replied, sounding as remorseful as he could.


    ¡°I¡¯m so disappointed in you,¡± the chairman spat. ¡°Is that why you rejected the draft the Larson Group


    submitted to you in the beginning? I checked those drafts, and they were perfect for our project. I was


    waiting to hear that the project was underway, only to hear that the drafts had been reced. The first


    draft was far better than the second one that you approved. Do you think thispany is a joke?¡±


    ¡°No sir, I¡¯m sorry, sir.¡±


    ¡°What were you thinking while delegating your responsibilities to your girlfriend? Is Green Leaf your


    familypany that you can do with it what you please? Is she even qualified to be in that position you


    gave her? What business does she have telling Larson Group¡¯s vice president that we¡¯ll cancel the


    coboration?¡±


    Arnold muttered another apology and pressed his lips together. His free hand fisted at his side. He was


    at the mercy of the chairman, and it was in his best interest to act as repentant as possible.


    The chairman sighed. ¡°Do you know how rare the chance to coborate with the Larson Group on a


    project is? Are you aware that ourpetitors would kill to be in our shoes right now?¡±


    ¡°I know, sir.¡±


    ¡°Green Leaf cannot afford to lose this opportunity because of your stupidity. I have told Larson group¡¯s


    vice president that I¡¯m demoting you for putting us in this situation. It¡¯s the least I can do to show him


    that we are serious about this project and regret the poor handling so far.¡±


    Arnold¡¯s heart dropped to his heart at the news that he was going to be demoted. ¡°Sir, please, give me


    a chance to rectify my mistake. I¡¯ll not let thepany down again. I¡¯ll apologise to the Larson Group


    and oversee the project personally. Please, sir.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not taking back my decision,¡± the chairman told him. ¡°You had such an important responsibility to


    thepany, but you showed that you¡¯re not serious about your duties. You even dared to insult the


    quality of their designs. You should be grateful that you¡¯re getting demoted, not fired.¡±


    With those words, the Chairman hung up the phone.


    Arnold cursed and threw the phone away. It hit the coffee table before cluttering to the carpeted floor,


    its screen sporting a web of cracks.


    He was being demoted? From being the CEO of thepany to what? All because he had wanted to


    please a woman!


    From her position, Naomi had heard the Chairman¡¯s screaming voice and known right away that her


    boyfriend was in trouble. She also heard the Chairman telling him that he was demoted because he


    had let her handle the project.


    ¡°It¡¯s all your fault,¡± Arnold used, turning to her. His face was red with anger. ¡°This is all your fault and


    your obsession with ruining things for that sister of yours. What now? Huh? I¡¯ve been demoted because


    of your stupidity!¡±


    Naomi jumped to her feet. ¡°My fault? You are the one who put me in charge of the project! How is it my


    fault that you¡¯re not powerful enough to make decisions on your own? What kind of CEO are you?¡±


    ¡°You are unbelievable! Aren¡¯t you the one who begged me to put you in charge in the first ce? Do


    you even know howpanies work? We are done, get out of my house!¡±


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m breaking up with you,¡± he snapped. ¡°I don¡¯t want to see you ever again. Get the fuck out of my


    house.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere,¡± she shot back. ¡°I did not do anything wrong.¡±


    Arnold growled in frustration and paced. ¡°Oh my God, why did I ever think allowing you to meddle in my


    work was a good idea? You are the reason I¡¯m losing my position, and yet you have the audacity to


    stand here and im that you did nothing wrong? The vice president of the Larson Group reported your


    behaviour to the chairman! Do you think everyone else is deluded and you are the one who is right?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care,¡± she said. She scoffed. ¡°Is this all because I refused her designs? Was I supposed to say


    they were good and ept them when they were obviously not? The Larson Group is just prideful and


    not willing to admit that they might not be the best as they like to im!¡±


    ¡°You are jealous of your sister, that¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°Why would I be jealous of that skank?¡±


    ¡°I thought her design was brilliant, and so did the Larson Group, and so did the chairman. The only


    reason I rejected it is because you asked. If you want to work in this industry so badly, why don¡¯t you


    work hard like her and make a name for yourself? If you keep on like this, you¡¯ll only embarrass


    yourself!¡±


    ¡°Work hard? Oh, please! She is probably sleeping with that vice president of hers. She went crying to


    him after I rejected her offer, and that¡¯s why he tried to humiliate me. Why else would they go to such


    lengths to punish you for this?¡±


    ¡°Look, I don¡¯t care whether she is sleeping with him or not. But you can bet your ass you won¡¯t be


    sleeping with me anymore.¡± He pointed towards the door. ¡°Out!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk to me like that!¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t leave on your own, I¡¯m not beyond throwing you out.¡±


    Naomi sat back down on the couch. ¡°Let¡¯s see you try.¡±


    Arnold couldn¡¯t believe what was happening. What did she intend to do? Stay in his house even after


    he had broken up with her? She must think he was still tolerant to her demands. He had let her lead


    him around a lot ever since they started dating, but not anymore. He was done with her drama.


    Picking up her discarded dress, he threw it at her and then grabbed her arm. She looked at him in


    shock as he pulled her from her sitting position and dragged her towards the door.


    ¡°Let me go!¡± she demanded, trying to free her arm from his grip. ¡°What do you think you are doing?¡±


    Arnold reached for the door handle and twisted, pulling it open. ¡°If you show your face here again, I¡¯ll


    call the police.¡±


    ¡°What? You can¡¯t¨C¡±


    He pushed her outside, in her underwear with her dress clutched in her hands. Then he mmed the


    door in her shocked face, rueing the day he had made her his girlfriend.

 Chapter 65 Sixty Five

    Chapter 65 Sixty Five


    The next day, Grace called Isabelle to her office. When the director told her that her design had been


    re-adopted by the Green Leaf Company, she couldn¡¯t believe it.


    Yesterday, when Naomi left, she threatened that she would ask her boyfriend to cancel the


    coboration with the Larson Group.


    Isabelle had thought that the CEO of Green Leaf would do as his girlfriend requested. She knew how


    much Naomi would like to have her way after the way Jason had humiliated her before the entire


    department.


    ¡°I¡¯m so happy to hear that,¡± she thanked Grace. ¡°I didn¡¯t think the project would be going on anymore.¡±


    ¡°Mr Del Mundo talked to the chairman of the group ofpanies Green Leaf belongs to, and he


    handled the matter. The chairman demoted Green Leaf¡¯s CEO for the mishandling of the project and


    for involving his girlfriend. So he is no longer involved in the decision making, and most importantly,


    neither is she.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great,¡± Isabelle said, surprised at how everything had been handled. From the vice president


    storming into the meeting and asking Naomi to leave, to him having her CEO boyfriend demoted.


    How had he gotten wind of the matter in the first ce? Maybe Grace had told him what happened


    after they went to the Green Leaf Company the other day.


    But Isabelle couldn¡¯t remember Naomi mentioning that Arnold was her boyfriend that day. So, even if


    Grace had expressed her concerns about Green Leaf¡¯s demands, how had Jason Del Mundo found out


    that Naomi was just a girlfriend of the CEO, and did not have a position at thepany? Because he


    must have known before storming the meeting.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she told the director, ¡°if it were not for you, this matter would not have been resolved.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Grace asked her. ¡°I would love to say I had a hand in this, but I didn¡¯t. It was the


    vice president who found out about that woman¡¯s true identity. Had I known she was just an imposter


    from the beginning, I would have dealt with it earlier.¡±


    Isabelle frowned. ¡°So, it wasn¡¯t you who told Mr Del Mundo about what happened at thepany?¡±


    Grace shook her head. ¡°No. Actually, I was going to ask you if you knew the vice president personally


    before you entered the Larson Group. He seemed very concerned about the matter, and did everything


    he could to punish that CEO and get your rightful ce back on the project.¡±


    Isabelle shook her head, feeling even more confused. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t.¡±


    If the department director had not told Jason about what happened, how did he find out about it, then?


    Grace nodded and gave her a smile. ¡°Well, it¡¯s all in the past now. What¡¯s important is that we can now


    go on with this project without any unnecessary drama. You can now go back to work.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, director,¡± Isabelle thanked her once more and left her office.


    After that short meeting, she couldn¡¯t put the matter of how Jason had handled the case out of her


    mind.


    Green Leaf were within their rights to approve or reject whichever drafts they received from the Larson


    Group. After all, it was their product in development, and they had the final say. The Larson Group was


    simply their designing partner. That was why Grace had given in to their demands and sent a draft she


    didn¡¯t approve.


    So, unless Jason personally knew about her sister¡¯s scheme with the CEO, there was no way he would


    have interfered with their handling of the project.


    So, how had hee to find out? Was he keeping an eye on her? Like, paying attention to what she


    did? The same way that Mr Grayson had?


    She shuddered at the thought. No. She was overthinking. He must have an assistant or subordinate


    who kept an extra eye out on the happenings regardingpany workers.


    Or maybe he had heard from someone about how Green Leaf had rejected a draft from the Larson


    Group¨Csomething that never happened¨Cgot curious, and fished around for information. That made


    sense.


    But, no matter how hard she tried convincing herself that was the case, she couldn¡¯t get rid of the


    suspicion that Jason had a personal interest in her.


    Later, she ran into one of her coworkers, Britney, in the break room. Britney always had thetest


    scoop inpany gossip, and knew something about everybody who mattered in the Larson Group.


    ¡°Hey, I heard that your draft got re-adopted for the project,¡± Britney said to her as she walked over.


    ¡°Congrattions!¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Isabelle said, looking for a way to bring the vice president¡¯s love life into the conversation.


    She didn¡¯t want to give Britney the wrong idea.


    ¡°Mr Del Mundo was amazing yesterday, right?¡± Britney gushed. ¡°I loved how he put that woman in her


    ce. How dare she say those horrible things about you?¡± She rolled her eyes. ¡°It would have been


    horrible working with her.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Isabelle agreed. ¡°He stood up for the team.¡±


    ¡°I know, right? Like a man should.¡±


    ¡°Does he have a girlfriend? She must be so lucky.¡±


    ¡°Mr Del Mundo? I¡¯m pretty sure he has more than one.¡±


    Isabelle¡¯s heart sank into her stomach. Oh no. If he was a womaniser, that meant there was a high


    chance that he had the same traits as Mr Grayson.


    After parting with Britney, Isabelle thought of all the times the vice president hade to her


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    assistance.


    It began with her interview when she was trying to get a job with thepany. He was the one who


    had handled the issue with Anne. He was also the one who brought the police officers to arrest Mr


    Grayson. And now, he had gotten a CEO demoted and made sure her design was re-adopted for the


    design.


    Were those all coincidences, or was he paying special attention to her? If it was thetter, it would be


    only a matter of time before he started making advances like her former director.


    After thinking deeply about it, she decided to find out the truth once and for all. If it turned out that


    Jason liked her, she would have no choice but to leave the Larson Group. If the vice president himself


    started harassing her, she couldn¡¯t think of a way out.


    She sent him an email asking if he had time to talk. She was surprised when he replied soon after,


    saying that she could see him in his office.


    She found it odd that as a vice president of such argepany, he would quickly ept her


    impromptu request to see him. She would have expected him to tell her to go through his secretary or


    something. Him replying so quickly and positively only added to her suspicions.


    By the time she made her way to the elevator and went upstairs towards the floor where his office was,


    she was a bundle of nerves. His secretary ushered her into his office right away, and she found him


    waiting behind his desk.


    ¡°Have a seat, Ms Cruz,¡± he invited her, smiling cordially. ¡°You said that you wanted to talk to me. Is


    anything the matter?¡±


    Isabelle took a seat and sped her hands on herp. ¡°First, sir, I would like to thank you for your help


    with the Green Leaf project.¡±


    Jason waved his hand dismissively. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. I was just doing my job. If you run across


    any other problem with the project, don¡¯t hesitate to seek my help if necessary.¡±


    She nodded. ¡°Okay, sir.¡± Mr Grayson had also offered to help her with her project.


    ¡°So, what did you want to talk about?¡± he asked.


    Taking a deep breath, she gathered her courage and asked the important question. ¡°Do you have a


    crush on me, sir?¡±

 Chapter 66 Sixty Six

    Chapter 66 Sixty Six


    ¡°What?¡± Jason asked, stunned by Isabelle¡¯s question. What on earth did she mean? ¡°What are you


    talking about?¡±


    When he had gotten Isabelle¡¯s message asking to see him, he had thought she had a concern to share


    about work. After all, since she joined thepany, trouble seemed to always be following her. This


    was the first time she had asked to see him, though, and he was afraid something else had happened.


    He never would have expected her to ask him whether he had a crush on her. What had he done to


    give her that idea?


    Her smooth brow creased as she fidgeted with her hands on herp. ¡°I mean¡­I thought¡­you¡¯ve been


    helping me a lot since I started here, and¨C¡±


    ¡°You are wrong,¡± he cut her off. ¡°I do not have any kind of personal interest in you. Like I said, I¡¯m only


    doing my job here. Please leave my office.¡±


    Her eyes widened. ¡°Sir, I¨C¡±


    ¡°Did you have anything else to say?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯ll be all, then. I have a meeting to get to, so please leave.¡±


    She nodded, still looking spooked, and walked to the door.


    He waited until she was gone before he got to his feet and paced, cussing. What on earth was that?


    What if Jacob found out about this and misunderstood? Or, what if she talked to him at home and


    mentioned that she thought Jason had a crush on her? Jacob would think he was pursuing his wife,


    and he doubted he would be lucky enough to get away with his life.


    No. Before Isabelle went to Jacob with that insane thought of hers, Jason had to take action. He rushed


    out of his office and headed towards Jacob¡¯s office, which was on the same floor.


    What if Isabelle had ran into Jacob while she was here? He knew that she did not know her husband


    was her ultimate boss. God, Jacob would have skinned him alive. He should have thought about that


    before epting to see her in his office.


    When he got into his boss¡¯s office, Jacob was sitting behind his desk, working on hisputer. Jacob¡¯s


    office was massive, expensively furnished, and had the best view on the executive floor.


    Jason wandered over to the ss wall and looked down at the city¨Cnot because he suddenly had a


    desire to enjoy the view, but because he felt it was important to stay as far away from Jacob while he


    stated his reason for being there. There was no telling what the man¡¯s reaction would be like.


    ¡°Jason? Do we have a meeting I wasn¡¯t informed about?¡± Jacob asked, looking down at his wristwatch


    with a frown, and then at his vice president across the room.


    ¡°No,¡± Jason said, and then added, ¡°sir.¡± It was in his best interest to be as polite as possible.


    Jacob gave him a curious stare. ¡°What is it?¡±


    Jason cleared his throat. ¡°Isabelle was just in my office.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Jacob demanded, his eyes shifting to the door. ¡°She was on this floor?¡±


    ¡°For just a minute,¡± Jason hurried to reply, hoping Jacob wouldn¡¯t concentrate on the fact that he hadn¡¯t


    warned him. ¡°It was impromptu.¡±


    ¡°Why was she in your office? Is something wrong? You handled the Green Leaf thing, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, like I told you, her draft has already been reassigned to the project, and I had the culprits dealt


    with ordingly.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, then?¡±


    Jason shifted on his feet. ¡°Nothing, really.¡±


    ¡°Get your ass over here,¡± Jacob demanded, growing impatient. ¡°And stop wasting my time. What is


    going on?¡±


    Jason walked towards his desk and hesitantly took a seat on the chair opposite his boss. ¡°She came to


    ask whether I like her.¡±


    Jacob¡¯s eyes crinkled in confusion. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°She asked¨C¡±


    ¡°I heard you the first time,¡± Jacob said angrily. ¡°Why would she ask you that? What did you do to her?


    Have you been pursuing my wife?¡±


    Jason''s eyes widened, and he lifted his hands in cation. ¡°No, of course not! I¡¯m not suicidal! I have


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    done nothing to her besides what you asked. I¡¯ve never even called her to my office before. And she is


    the one who asked to talk to me, by the way. All I did was follow your instructions. I haven¡¯t done


    anything else, I swear.¡±


    Jacob fisted his hand on the desk and leaned forward threateningly. ¡°Then why would she think you


    have an interest in her?¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯ve helped her so many times, it¡¯s only natural that she would think I have a crush on her.


    Think about it. You always give me personal details about her problems that no one else would know.


    That¡¯s why I¡¯m always able to help her even without her reporting to me. Naturally, she started


    wondering why I always seem to help her out in such instances. That¡¯s why she thinks I have a


    personal interest in her. She probably thinks I¡¯m a stalker or worse.¡±


    Jacob pursed his lips as he thought about it. Jason was right. He could see how Isabelle could get


    suspicious about Jason¡¯s intentions. From the time she had applied for a job at the Larson Group, he


    had been using his vice president to smoothen out things for her.


    But since he never revealed his identity, she always thought someone else was helping her. First, that


    senior of hers from college, and now, Jason.


    Unknown to her, Jacob was her secret saviour. He always jumped at the chance to help her every time


    she encountered a problem, but he never got any gratitude from her in return. And it was all his fault.


    What if she became interested in another man, thinking he was the one taking care of her? After all,


    she didn¡¯t consider Jacob her real husband.


    What would keep her heart from being swayed by some man she thought was looking out for her?


    What if he took advantage of her?


    She had innocently asked her college senior to dinner, thinking he had helped her with the interview,


    unaware that the man was interested in taking her to bed. If Jacob didn¡¯t stop this, he felt it might spiral


    out of control.


    ¡°You are right,¡± he finally told Jason, who released a heavy sigh. ¡°I see why she would think that.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just reveal your identity to her?¡± Jason suggested. ¡°Won¡¯t that make things easier for


    you?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± Jacob replied, ¡°and don¡¯t you dare think of revealing my identity. That¡¯s none of your


    business.¡±


    Jason nodded. ¡°Trust me, I wouldn¡¯t make that mistake.¡±


    ¡°What did you tell her?¡± Jacob asked him.


    ¡°I made it clear that I¡¯m not interested in her, and told her that I was just doing my job.¡±


    Jacob nodded, and then got to his feet. He walked over to the window and glowered at the city outside.


    He wanted to be the one receiving Isabelle¡¯s gratitude. Not some random guys in hispany.


    But he also couldn¡¯t reveal his identity. And he wasn¡¯t about to stop looking out for her. He had to find a


    solution.

 Chapter 67 Sixty Seven

    Chapter 67 Sixty Seven


    After Jason asked¨Cmore like ordered¨Cher to leave his office, Isabelle went back to her department and


    trudged to her desk in low spirits. She was worried that she might have offended him.


    Her earlier confidence to set things straight was gone. In the aftermath, she felt that she had been too


    brazen, and that she never should have allowed her fears to take charge. He must have found it so


    inappropriate of her to ask him such a question.


    Just because he showed concern and acted promptly whenever she faced an obstacle didn¡¯t mean he


    had intentions simr to her former department director. Maybe he really was just very diligent at his


    job.


    The next day in the morning, she was heading for the elevator when she noticed Jason standing there,


    waiting for one too. d to get a chance to apologise to him, she hurried forward. He noticed her


    immediately when she stopped in front of him, and she noticed how his eyes widened instantly.


    ¡°Good morning, sir,¡± she greeted, her heart hammering nervously in her chest.


    ¡°Morning,¡± he replied nomittally, and then took a step away from her.


    She followed quickly. ¡°I would like to apologise for what happened yesterday. I didn¡¯t mean to¨C¡±


    He looked at his watch and then turned on his heels, walking away from her as if she wasn¡¯t talking to


    him. Isabelle watched in confusion as he made his way to the stairwell, choosing to take the stairs.


    She moaned beneath her breath, unsure of what to do next. She had clearly offended him big time, and


    now, he would rather take the stairs than wait around for the elevator with her.


    What was she supposed to do? Would he take disciplinary action against her? She hoped not. Or if he


    did, it would be fine, as long as he didn¡¯t fire her.


    Isabelle was still worrying about having offended the vice president when she got to her desk and fired


    up herputer. A notification popped up on the monitor right away, and she blinked twice in disbelief.


    The notification was of a friend request from Logan Larson, the CEO of the Larson Group. Logan


    Larson! Why would she have a friend request from the elusive CEO, whom she had never even seen in


    real life? The guy was as mysterious as can be, and not many knew about him.


    Clicking on the notification, she realised that he had sent the request the previous day. Quickly, she


    epted the request and apologised for not seeing his request sooner. She had already pissed off the


    vice president¨Cshe wasn¡¯t taking chances with the CEO too.


    ***


    Jacob was in his office when Isabelle epted his friend request and sent him a message. He smiled


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    contentedly.


    This was a good idea.


    There was no danger in talking to her as Logan Larson if she didn¡¯t know he was one and the same


    person as her husband. This way, he could find out if there was anything going on with her, help her,


    and receive the credit himself. No more fake knights in shining armour stealing all his credit.


    Rxing in his seat, he replied;


    No worries, Ms Cruz. Thepany is running an investigation on its senior executives, and we would


    like feedback from our workers. Has the vice president, Mr Del Mundo, ever harassed you in any way?


    He knew that she would find it odd that the CEO of thepany was messaging her directly, so he had


    made up the lie about running an internal investigation to avoid suspicion. It gave him the perfect


    excuse to find out whether anybody was giving her a hard time.


    Her reply came soon after;


    No.


    Raising his brow, he typed again;


    You don¡¯t need to worry about intimidation, Ms Cruz. Please be honest with me. Everything you tell me


    will be confidential, and everything reported to me will be dealt with ordingly. Thepany is


    pursuing an ethical workce where all executives are responsible and stick to our values. If there has


    been any harassment, do not hesitate to tell me.


    Her next reply took longer to arrive.


    Thanks for the concern, sir. Mr Del Mundo has never harassed me in any way. Since I started here, he


    has helped me ovee obstacles several times. I feel that he is very diligent in his work, and I have


    nothing toin about. If I face any harassment, I¡¯ll be sure to report it.


    Satisfied with her reply, and really hoping she meant herst statement, he sent another message.


    Can you tell me about your experience at thepany so far? I see that you are one of our newest


    employees. What do you think of thepany?


    Her reply came a few minutester;


    I¡¯ve always dreamed of working at the Larson Group and was very happy when I got my job here. My


    experience so far is great, because I¡¯m getting all the opportunities I desired to have in order to


    advance my career. The resources here are also superb, and I know I can be a better designer at


    thispany. I¡¯ve had some obstacles here and there, but they¡¯ve all been resolved promptly, and I


    was able to keep on with my work. I think thepany really prioritises its values and tries to make this


    a good ce to work while maintaining its reputation as a leader in the fashion industry.


    He knew she had been through her share of obstacles since joining thepany, and he found it


    interesting that she was still so positive.


    Did she really feel like that, or was she just saying what she thought he wanted to hear? But he


    doubted that. She had mentioned going through obstacles, she just didn¡¯t borate on them, which he


    supposed made sense.


    But, knowing Isabelle, she was likely the kind of person to see the ss as half full rather than half


    empty. She wasn¡¯t dwelling on the instances when she had been ndered and almost lost her job


    alongside ruining her reputation. Instead, she focused on how much she wanted to work at the Larson


    Group, and how it seemed to be the best ce for her career.


    He loved that she focused on the positive side. He was going to do everything in his power to ensure


    she didn¡¯t have to try so hard to stay happy at her job.


    Wanting to talk more with her but knowing that he couldn¡¯t overdo it, he sent one more message;


    What are your ns for the future?


    Her reply was sinct and to the point;


    I want to be a renown designer in the future, so I¡¯m working hard to attain that dream.


    After ending the conversation by wishing her all the best, he sat back in his chair, a silly smile on his


    face.


    If there was anything about work that Isabelle didn¡¯t feel she could share with him at home, he was


    certain she wouldn¡¯t feel the same hesitance talking about it to her boss.


    And when ¡®Logan¡¯ made things better for her, it was to him her gratitude would be directed at.


    ***


    After the conversation with Logan Larson, Isabelle grew curious about him. Did the elusive CEO often


    reach out to his employees with such questions?


    Given how secretive he was, she would have guessed that he had zero to no contact, whether physical


    or virtual, withmon employees like her.


    Once again, she sought Britney. If anybody knew anything about the mysterious Logan Larson, it had


    to be Britney.


    When she asked her whether she had ever seen the CEO, Britney shook her head. ¡°I have never seen


    him. Can you imagine? And I¡¯ve been working here for like¡­years! He¡¯s so mysterious. Why, do you


    want to see him?¡±


    Isabelle shook her head. ¡°No. I mean, yeah! Who wouldn¡¯t like to meet him?¡±


    Britneyughed. ¡°I know, right? Too bad, he doesn¡¯t hang aroundmoners like us.¡±


    In the end, Isabelle decided that perhaps the CEO chatted up random employees as part of his routine.


    Maybe questioning them like that was part of why he was one of the best CEOs in the industry.

 Chapter 68 Sixty Eight

    Chapter 68 Sixty Eight


    Over the weekend, Isabelle spent most of her time working on the final draft for the Green Leaf Project


    design.


    After her draft had been re-adopted, she had needed to prepare a more detailed n that was to be


    used for the project. She had barely rested at all over the weekend as she pushed herself to make it


    perfect.


    She didn¡¯t believe Naomi¡¯s taunts that she was talentless and didn¡¯t belong to apany like the


    Larson Group, but she wasn¡¯t taking any chances. She was determined to give nothing but the best,


    until she was satisfied that it was the best n she coulde up with.


    By the time Monday came along, there were dark circles under her eyes, and anyone who took a look


    at her could tell she hadn¡¯t rested at all.


    When she got to work, she headed to the design director¡¯s office and submitted the final draft. Grace


    would review it, submit it to the Green Leaf Company, and then await their final approval. If all went as


    nned, they would get an answer from the client within the day.


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    Isabelle kept herself busy with her othermitments as she awaited the feedback.


    When Grace called her to her officeter that day, she was worried that there was something else that


    hade up. But the director informed her that the final design had been approved and there were no


    further revisions needed. Her hard work over the weekend had paid off, and she was immensely


    relieved.


    It was then she realised that while she had been confident in her work, there was a part of her that had


    been truly afraid that she hadn¡¯t done a good job. She knew it was all because of the things Naomi had


    said about her, and she reminded herself to not dwell on that. Having the final draft approved was all


    the assurance she needed.


    When she got back to her desk, she found that she had a new message from Logan Larson. She


    clicked on it, wondering what the mysterious CEO had to say to her again. She hadn¡¯t thought he would


    be contacting her again so soon. Did he want to ask about another one of the executives?


    To her surprise, it was a congrattory massage;


    Good afternoon, Ms Cruz. I heard that you did a good job on the design for the Green Leaf Project.


    Congrattions. I see that you are already creating a superb track record. I can already tell you¡¯ll be an


    important part of thispany. Keep up the good work.


    Reading the message, Isabelle felt ttered. She could never have expected to receive congrattions


    from the CEO of the Larson Group. Not in such a personal manner!


    Suddenly, it was as if everything she had to go through for this project never existed. The drama


    caused by her adoptive sister became a distant memory in the face of recognition from the most


    revered CEO in the industry.


    All the sleepless nights felt worth it as her heart swelled with happiness. This is exactly why she had


    be a designer. She enjoyed the job, and satisfying her clients gave her so much joy.


    Even if as a new designer she wasn¡¯t paid well, she would never give up this experience for anything.


    She knew that one day, as long as she worked hard and improved her skill, she would earn well.


    But for now, it was important to her that her boss thought she was doing a good job. Smiling so hard


    her cheeks hurt, she sent him a reply;


    Good afternoon, Sir. Thank you for your wishes. I¡¯ll work harder to be more useful to thepany.


    His next message shocked her;


    Your good work shouldn¡¯t go unrewarded, so I¡¯m giving you a raise.


    She stared at the message and re-read it about ten more times because it was too good to believe. He


    was giving her a raise? Just like that?


    His next message arrived before she could express her gratitude;


    Have you been working overtime the past two days?


    Surprised as to how he had known that, she replied with a yes. Now that she thought about it, it was


    weird that a CEO was personally telling a neer that her sry had been increased. Wasn¡¯t that


    something that should be done by the HR department?


    Or was this, personally rewarding sry raises to employees, part of Logan Larson¡¯s routine, too?


    His next message settled her confusion;


    The raise is my special reward to you since it¡¯s not yet time for annual evaluation of raises and


    promotions. I have not seen many new employees put in as much work as you have, so your spirit is


    When he put it that way, she guessed that it made sense. If it wasn¡¯t yet time for the annual evaluation


    of sries, it exined why the HR department wasn¡¯t involved. Now that she thought about it, it made


    sense that a CEO as powerful as Logan Larson could make personal rmendations for sry


    raises whenever he deemed fit.


    Logan Larson, despite all his mysteriousness, must be a really good person, she thought. If this was


    how considerate he was towards his employees, no wonder everybody wanted to work at the Larson


    Group.


    It was one thing to work at a toppany in the industry, and another to work at a toppany that


    also valued its employees.


    She had always dreamt of working at thepany because of its prestigious reputation in the fashion


    industry. It was the ultimate workce for anyone who wanted to get ahead in the industry.


    She had been prepared to encounter a great deal of pressure to deliver, and while there was no space


    for cking when surrounded by the greatest talents in the field, having considerate bosses who


    encouraged you was a definite plus.


    Thank you, Sir. I really appreciate that. I¡¯ll not let you down.


    If she hard to work twice harder to make sure he didn¡¯t regret giving a new employee like her a raise,


    that was what she would do.


    She still found his gesture odd, but she refused to think too much about it. Thest time she had done


    that, she ended up offending the vice president of thepany.


    She didn¡¯t dare even consider the possibility that Logan Larson was interested in her. Why would he


    be?


    He was a boss she had never seen, and as far as she was concerned, he didn¡¯t really know her. He


    had probably singled her out while looking at reports from his subordinates.


    She just happened to be lucky enough to impress him, and he just happened to be a considerate boss


    who didn¡¯t let good work go unnoticed or unrewarded.

 Chapter 69 Sixty Nine

    Chapter 69 Sixty Nine


    That day, Jacob got back home at midnight. He expected Isabelle to be asleep already, but to his


    surprise, she was in the kitchen, baking cookies.


    ¡°Hi,¡± she greeted cheerfully when he appeared in the kitchen doorway. ¡°How was your day?¡±


    Smiling at her cheerfulness¨Cwhich he found quite odd at such ate hour¨Che said, ¡°It was good,


    thanks. Why aren¡¯t you asleep yet?¡±


    He had barely seen her the past weekend because she had ended up spending most of her time at the


    She had looked awfully tired that morning, and he thought that once her design was approved, she


    would take the opportunity to have a good rest. Instead, here she was, baking at midnight.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen much of you the past three days because I¡¯ve been working overtime, so I wanted to


    wait for you tonight.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± he asked, as warmth spread in his insides. Did she realise how that sounded? It was like they


    were a real couple. Had she missed him? He knew he had missed her. It made him happy that she


    wanted to spend time with him.


    She nodded eagerly. ¡°I decided to bake cookies while I waited. It¡¯s been so long since I baked.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t wait to taste them,¡± he told her, heading to the other side of the counter and taking a seat on a


    stool. He had been busy all day, but no amount of fatigue was going to make him turn away from this


    chance to bask in her attention. ¡°How was work?¡±


    Her smile widened, and her eyes twinkled as she replied, ¡°Oh, it was amazing!¡± Leaning against the


    counter on the other side, she said, ¡°I got a raise!¡±


    Jacob pretended to be surprised and raised a brow. ¡°Oh, really?¡±


    She nodded enthusiastically. ¡°Yes! It was a reward from Logan Larson, the CEO of thepany. I was


    so surprised! It isn¡¯t yet time for the annual review of sries, but he said it was a reward for my good


    work. Oh, did I tell you that my final design for the Green Leaf project was finally epted?¡±


    He chuckled at her excited tone. ¡°No, you didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Well, it did. That¡¯s why he gave me a raise, I think. I never thought anything like that could happen


    when I was just a neer at thepany!¡±


    He nodded. ¡°Sounds like a good boss.¡±


    She pped her hands together happily. ¡°He is! I always thought he was intimidating because of his


    mysterious nature, but it happens that he is so approachable. And nice! He also really cares about his


    employees. Do you know, he asked me if anyone was harassing me at work.¡±


    ¡°He did?¡± Jacob humoured her, loving the flow of the conversation. He was feeling all kinds of good


    things from hearing her praise him so much. This was exactly why he had contacted her as Logan. If


    he had known, he would have done this long ago!


    ¡°Yes,¡± she replied enthusiastically. ¡°He truly cares. If anyone bullies me at work again, I¡¯ll not hesitate to


    tell him.¡±


    ¡°You should tell me too,¡± Jacob told her. ¡°If anyone bullies you at work.¡±


    She waved her hand dismissively. ¡°Of course, but I wouldn''t want to worry you. He is my boss, so he¡¯ll


    be able to handle it promptly. I feel that I can do my job well now without worrying about someone


    trying to exploit me.¡±


    Jacob shifted on the stool. ¡°You don¡¯t think I can help you if you get into trouble at work?¡±


    He had no idea why herment about trusting her work troubles with Logan rather than him bothered


    him. After all, he was one and the same man. But before, even though she hadn¡¯t thought he could


    help, she had still told him her work problems.


    Now, if she thought her boss was in her corner and could help her, she wouldn¡¯t bother sharing


    anything at home with him. He rubbed a hand over his hair. What was he thinking?


    Even if she only wanted to tell her boss, it would still be him. But still, he felt it wouldn''t be the same. To


    her, Logan was a different person. She would never know it was actually him.


    The more he thought about it, the less highly he thought of his idea. He couldn''t believe he was getting


    jealous of himself.


    ¡°I just don¡¯t want you to worry,¡± she repeated. She could as well have just said that yes, she didn¡¯t think


    he could help her with her work troubles.


    His mood was quickly plummeting.


    He now realised getting gratitude andpliments from her indirectly wasn¡¯t enough. He wanted her to


    be saying all of those nice things while knowing it was him who was responsible.


    He wanted her to have that bright smile and a twinkle in her eyes because she was thinking of how


    wonderful he was to her.


    ¡°You speak so highly of him and yet you¡¯ve never met him,¡± hemented sourly. He was feeling


    exactly as he would if she was talking so highly of Jason, or that damned college senior of hers, or


    whichever other man she thought was helping her out.


    She blinked, as if taken aback by his sudden negativity. And then her dazed look was gone, and she


    waved a hand dismissively. ¡°Does it matter? A person¡¯s quality doesn¡¯t depend on their appearance.


    I¡¯ve only talked with him online, and he has shown that he is a very pleasant person. That¡¯s all I need to


    know.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? Why is he so mysterious, then? Maybe he is a bad guy who wants to take advantage of


    you. You trust poeople so easily.¡± He couldn¡¯t for the life of him tell why he was speaking ill of himself,


    but he did it anyway.


    Isabelle gave him a ridiculous look. ¡°Why would he do that? He is Logan Larson, CEO of the most


    prestigiouspany in the fashion industry. I¡¯m just an entry-level designer. Why would he be


    C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    interested in me? And I think he is mysterious because he is always so busy, so it¡¯s not easy for us


    ordinary workers to meet him. But I saw him once, from the back.¡±


    He arched his brow, his body stiffening. ¡°You did? Where?¡±


    When? What if he had blown his cover?


    She nodded. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure it was him. He was in the lobby at thepany. I didn''t see him clearly,


    but he had this aura¡­¡± she trailed off and sighed. ¡°I could just tell it was someone important. I feel like I


    would know him if I met him face to face. Anyway, it doesn¡¯t matter. Why do you think he has ulterior


    motives, anyway? Do you know him?¡± She waggled her brow yfully. ¡°You know lots of people, don''t


    you?¡±


    He couldn¡¯t help but smile again. ¡°Don¡¯t mind me,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m just a little unhappy because as your


    husband, I can¡¯t just sit here and listen to you praise another man like that.¡±

 Chapter 70 Seventy

    Chapter 70 Seventy


    Isabelle was stunned to hear Jacob¡¯s confession. She couldn¡¯t understand why he became jealous so


    easily.


    She had no interest in Logan Larson¨Cnot that it would matter if she did. She had never met him, and as


    she had pointed out, she was just an ordinary worker while he was the CEO of the Larson Group.


    His only interest in her was because she was his employee. And, she was only saying nice things


    about him because he was a good boss. She hadn¡¯t thought it would make Jacob feel bad.


    She straightened from her position on the counter and gave him an apologetic smile. ¡°Oh, sorry. I didn¡¯t


    mean to make you feel like that.¡±


    While she hadn¡¯t anticipated his jealousy, it sure made her feel all sorts of giddy. She knew it shouldn¡¯t


    matter to her whether Jacob was jealous of her talking excitedly of another man. He was her pretend


    husband. She shouldn¡¯t get giddy because he got jealous. But knowing that fact didn¡¯t keep her from


    feeling warm all over.


    When he stood from his stool and came around the counter to her, her heart hammered behind her


    ribs. He came straight to her, and before she could take a step back, he reached out and wrapped an


    arm around her waist.


    She gasped softly as he pulled her to him and looked down at her, his dark eyes serious. ¡°Between me


    and Logan, who has a better figure?¡±


    Her eyes widened as she stared at him. What?


    As Isabelle continued giving him a perplexed look, Jacob felt embarrassment taking root. Only after


    asking that question did he realise how childish it was. But he ignored the embarrassment. He just


    wanted Isabelle to praise him to his face. What was a little embarrassment?


    Isabelle¡¯s brow creased a little as she pondered. He couldn¡¯t believe how hard his heart was beating as


    he awaited her answer. It was as if his entire happiness depended on whether she thought he was


    more attractive than the ¡®other¡¯ man.


    He must be going crazy.


    ¡°I think you have simr shapes,¡± she answered finally.


    That was not the answer he was looking for.


    She sighed. ¡°I didn¡¯t really pay attention to his shape. I told you, I didn¡¯t see him clearly.¡±


    She tried to pull away from his hold, but he grabbed her hand and shoved it under his shirt. Isabelle


    gave him a shocked look, and tried to pull her hand back instantly, but he held it against his skin firmly.


    ¡°If you touch me, you can tell who has a better body,¡± he told her.


    Isabelle opened her mouth to say something, but then shut it wordlessly. She was struck speechless by


    his boldness. Was he serious? As he continued looking down at her with a serious expression, she


    realised that yes, he was serious.


    She bit down on her lip as the feel of his skin beneath her fingers registered. She could feel his taut


    muscles, and¡­heavens, why was his skin so hot? She tried to jerk her hand back again, but he held


    on firmly.


    Wanting him to release her before she melted entirely against him, she said, ¡°You have a better figure.¡±


    Jacob let go of her hand, but instead of releasing herpletely as she had expected, he turned her


    around, pressing her back into the kitchen counter. She looked up at him in confusion, only to see that


    he was leaning towards her.


    Her breathing quickened as he got closer, his intention obvious. His eyestched onto hers, and the


    desire she saw in them knocked the breath out of her lungs. Oh no. She wasn¡¯t going to be able to get


    away. And not because he wouldn¡¯t let her, but because her body was already anticipating his actions.


    His eyes moved from her eyes to her lips. Her heart was beating so crazily, it felt like it would break out


    of her chest any moment. She shut her eyes as her hands clutched onto the counter behind her.


    The first touch of his lips on hers was soft, barely there. But it was enough to make her entire body


    tremble and her knees go weak. God, what was this man doing to her?


    His second touch was firmer, prying her lips apart and kissing her hard. She let him, and not just that,


    she also kissed him back.


    She was beyond thinking twice as her hands let go of their death grip on the counter and lifted to his


    shoulders, holding on tight.


    His lips stroked hers insistently, breaking all of her defences¨Cif she had any anymore¨Cand making her


    putty in his hands. His strong arms wrapped around her soft body, crushing her to him. Her breasts


    crushed to his hard chest, and a thought flitted through her mind that she wanted to be like this, with


    nothing between them.


    A moan left her lips when he pulled back and nipped her bottom lip gently with his teeth, before moving


    in again for another kiss. His hands travelled downwards, skimming over her sides on their way to her


    hips. When they got to their destination, he gripped her tightly and lifted her body.


    Their lips separated briefly as he set her to sit on the counter, and then urged her legs to wrap around


    his body.


    And then he was back to kissing her senseless. She ignored the part of her brain that tried telling her


    that they had gone too far. That if she didn¡¯t stop this, it would end in something she couldn¡¯t control.


    That part of her brain became non-existent when hisrge hands brushed against the side of her


    breasts. Another moan escaped her lips as one of his hands crept between their bodies and squeezed


    her breast.


    He stopped their kiss then, and she opened her eyes to find him watching her with eyes wild with lust.


    ¡°I want to touch you,¡± he told her, the tip of his tongue appearing briefly between his lips. ¡°Will you let


    me?¡±


    His thumb rested on the edge of the imprint her hard nipple had managed to make through her shirt


    and apron. As if it was waiting for her permission to give her the pleasure she knew awaited.


    She swallowed and nodded. She wanted him to touch her. She wanted to be close to him. She wanted


    him.


    He bent his head until his forehead rested against hers. ¡°Are you sure? You drive me crazy, Be. I


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    want to make you feel good. Do you want that?¡±


    She nodded again. Where had all the oxygen in the world disappeared to?


    ¡°Tell me,¡± he requested. ¡°Tell me you want me.¡±


    Heat spread through her entire body as she flushed. Why did telling him seem harder than kissing him


    back, touching him back?


    The microwave oven beeped then, alerting her that her cookies were done. Breath rushed back into


    her lungs as the interruption drew her from the trance he had swept her into. ¡°I¡­the cookies¡­¡±


    ¡°Tell me first,¡± he insisted, grasping her chin between a thumb and forefinger and raising her face to


    him.


    She gazed into his eyes, her stomach a tumble of nerves. ¡°Yes. I¡­I want you.¡±


    Admitting it out loud worked like a spell on her body. Her core clenched, and so did her thighs around


    his hips. If she didn¡¯t burst into mes from how hard she was blushing, she was positive it would never


    happen.


    He stroked the pad of his thumb along her bottom lip. ¡°And you won¡¯t run away this time?¡±


    She swallowed. ¡°No.¡±


    She was tired of running away.


    ¡°I¡¯ll hold you to that,¡± he said, leaning in again to kiss her lips gently. ¡°Get your cookies quickly. We have


    things to do, woman.¡±


    Her stomach clenched at the promise in his words. What exactly did he intend to do to her?

 Chapter 71 Seventy One

    Chapter 71 Seventy One


    ¡°Mine or yours?¡± Jacob asked when a whileter, he led Isabelle by the hand towards the bedrooms.


    Isabelle looked between the two doors. Was she really doing this? Sparks flew up her arm from where


    he caressed her wrist with his thumb. Yes, she was.


    ¡°Yours,¡± she replied. She had never been in his room before. She wanted to lie in his bed and surround


    herself with his scent.


    ¡°As you wish,¡± he said, reaching for his door and pushing it open. He caught her by surprise seconds


    feet.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± she asked, even as she wrapped her arms around his neck securely.


    ¡°Carrying you over the threshold,¡± he told her, stepping into the room and then kicking the door shut.


    ¡°This is the first time you areing into my room. It¡¯s momentous.¡±


    She smiled like a fool as she looked up at him, a strange warmth spreading over her insides. He was


    really a handsome man. She must have thought that a hundred times already, but looking at him from


    so closely made her want to sigh.


    It also made her want to touch his face, and she unhooked one hand from around his neck and traced


    her fingertips over his cheeks and jaw.


    He stopped when he got to the side of the bed and looked down at her, a soft smile ying on his lips.


    ¡°You¡¯re beautiful,¡± he said all of a sudden. ¡°Have I ever told you that?¡±


    She blushed fiercely and dropped her hand from his face. ¡°I¡­I¡¯m sure you have.¡± She honestly couldn¡¯t


    remember. How was she expected to engage her brain when he was looking at her like she was the


    centre of the world?


    ¡°You are,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯re the most beautiful wife in the world. I¡¯m the luckiest man alive.¡±


    He sounded sincere, but she decided to not take it to heart. He was a seasoned yboy¨Cor so she had


    heard¨Cso he probably said those kinds of things to women all the time. Besides, she was just his fake


    wife. But, knowing both things didn¡¯t keep a rush of dopamine from flooding her system.


    ¡°I¡¯m just your pretend wife,¡± she reminded him in a small voice.


    His smooth brow creased for a second. ¡°We¡¯ll deal with that soon,¡± he said, and then lowered her to the


    bed.


    Deal with that soon? What did he mean?


    The part of her brain that was always in a hurry to remind her that she was just a recement for her


    adoptive sister attempted to grab her attention, but she stomped it down.


    She wanted this. For just one night. At least here, their attraction to each other was mutual and true.


    She wasn¡¯t lying to herself or to him about this one thing.


    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Jacob asked, looking at her as he uncuffed his sleeves and then


    reached up to unbutton his shirt.


    Isabelle fought the urge to look away. She had alreadye this far. It was toote to let her shyness


    take over. ¡°Nothing,¡± she said.


    He arched an eyebrow. ¡°Really? Not even about all the things you want to do to me?¡±


    She shook her head quickly. Those thoughts were not to be shared.


    Jacob chuckled as he worked his way down his row of buttons. ¡°You¡¯re so cute.¡±


    Cute? He thought she was cute? Was that a good thing? She wanted to be sexy to him. She pursed


    her lips at her thought. As if. She would have to try harder to achieve that. Her throat went dry as he


    finished unbuttoning his shirt and pushed it back on his arms, revealing his torso and arms.


    She licked her lips unconsciously and her core clenched as she watched him. She wanted to touch


    every inch of that skin, feel the taut muscles beneath her fingers, lick him all over with her tongue¨C


    She tore her eyes away from him. What was she thinking? She had never had such detailed thoughts


    about a man before.


    The farthest she had gone with her former boyfriends was a kiss and the asional grope, and she


    was always good at keeping them in line. No matter how much they tried to tempt her, she never gave


    in. Maybe that was because she never had these kinds of thoughts towards them. If she had, it


    wouldn¡¯t have been so easy to keep from sleeping with them.


    She couldn¡¯t understand why it was so easy for Jacob to make her want to do those things. Maybe it


    was because he was the most attractive man she had ever been involved with. And he was definitely


    sexy.


    Way too sexy. He probably received a lot of attention from women wherever he went.


    The thought of women trying to get his attention grated on her nerves. She looked down at the ring he


    had given her. Why was she the only one wearing a wedding ring? She also wanted other women to


    know he was taken. Pretend husband or not, if he could warn off other men from her, she could also do


    the same for him.


    ¡°Okay, now you are going to tell me what you are thinking about,¡± his voice drew her back to him.


    She pulled out of her thoughts and faced him as he got onto the bed and sat down next to her. His


    shoulder brushed against her side as he looked down at her inquisitively.


    She inhaled deeply and said, ¡°I want you to wear a ring too.¡±


    He blinked. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You should wear a ring. I¡¯ll buy you one.¡±


    He blinked again, and then stared at her as if he was seeing an alien. ¡°You want to buy me a ring?¡±


    Well, she wanted other women to stay away, but yeah, you could say that. She nodded.


    ¡°Why?¡± he asked.


    It was her turn to blink. She lifted her hand to show him her ring. ¡°Well, I¡¯m wearing one.¡± She would die


    before she confessed it was because she was jealous at the thought of other women pursuing him.


    ¡°Are you afraid that some woman will snatch me?¡± he asked, wiggling his brow.


    ¡°No!¡± she denied promptly. Was he a mind reader?


    He chuckled and then took hold of her hand in his. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± he said, and then drew her hand to


    his chest. She could feel his thudding heart through his skin. ¡°This is all for you.¡±


    This? What did he mean? He was pressing her hand to his heart.


    He grinned. ¡°And this.¡±


    To his abs, now.


    ¡°And¨C¡±


    She snatched her hand from his grip when he drew it towards his crotch. He could be so shameless


    sometimes!


    Before she could recover, he pressed a hand to her shoulder and pushed her back onto the bed. He


    covered her body with hers, keeping his weight off her as he leaned down and pressed his lips to the


    side of her neck. She threw her head back to give him more space.


    He licked, sucked, and nipped his way up her neck, to her jaw, to her cheek. Her hand dug into his hair,


    holding him close while enjoying the softness of his strands.


    When he finally got to her lips, he brought one hand between them and started unbuttoning her blouse.


    By the time she felt the fabric fall away from her chest, his kisses had driven her breathless.


    She moaned in disapproval when he pulled away, but quickly realised he wasn¡¯t going anywhere. He


    got up on his knees, with her thighs trapped between them, and pulled her to a sitting position.


    He pushed her blouse down her arms, getting rid of it entirely. He threw it to a corner of the bed, and


    then reached behind her. A secondter, her bra went loose, and she pressed her palms to her chest


    quickly.


    ¡°Shy?¡± he asked, tugging on her hand.


    ¡°No,¡± she said, even as her hands held on tightly to her bra.


    ¡°Let¡¯s fix that,¡± he said, leaning in to capture her lips in a kiss again. His tongue teased her lips apart,


    and when she gave way, he plunged inside her mouth, stroking against her tongue.


    She didn¡¯t realise when her hands fell from their protective position and hooked onto his sides. But he


    sure did, because as soon as she let go of her chest, his hand took over, lowering her bra and cupping


    one breast.


    She moaned into his mouth, enjoying the feelings he was eliciting in her too much to stop him. He


    gradually worked the bra down both her arms, and before she knew it, they were both shirtless.


    Mission aplished, he drew back and gazed down at her chest, where he was fondling her breast.


    ¡°You¡¯re so beautiful. Let me kiss you.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± she replied, half out of breath. She would never tire of having his mouth on hers.


    He urged her to lie back down. When she did, instead of seeking her lips, his head bent to her chest.


    And then he wrapped his wet mouth around her are.


    Her back arched off the mattress, and her hand shot back into his hair. ¡°Jacob!¡±


    He hummed against her breast, the simple action sending waves of pleasure throughout her body. Oh


    God, what was he doing to her?


    While his mouth ravished one breast, his hand teased the other one, twisting her nipple between finger


    and thumb. Her mortification waned soon enough as she switched to pushing her chest into his mouth


    and hand.


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    Further below, her excitement grew, her core throbbing with arousal. But it was oh so neglected, and


    her skirt wasn¡¯t helping matters.


    Her hand fumbled with her zip, which was on her hip. She struggled with it for a while before he caught


    on and pulled back, helping her. Within seconds, she wasying before him, a pair of underwear the


    only thing hiding her from him.


    Before she could get self-conscious, he reached for his trouser¡¯s fly and released the button. She


    licked her lips as he got rid of his trousers, her eyes widening as the bulge in his boxers was revealed.


    He was¡­ Huge.

 Chapter 72 Seventy Two

    Chapter 72 Seventy Two


    Isabelle licked her lips nervously. She didn¡¯t need to uncover whaty behind his boxers to know that it


    was big. Way too big. The idea was to fit that into her¨C


    No. It would never¨C


    ¡°You look terrified,¡± he said. ¡°I have to admit, that was not the reaction I was hoping for.¡±


    She licked her lips again and lifted her eyes to his face. He gave her a small smile as he got on his


    hands on either side of her hips and leaned in. ¡°Do you like what you see?¡± he asked, his voice a low


    timbre that sent shivers coursing down her spine.


    She couldn¡¯t find her voice. Was it toote to run away? If she had known she would end up in this


    position with him tonight, she would have prepared. At least mentally. But she wasn¡¯t sure anything¨Cnot


    even bingeing articles on what to expect the first time¨Ccould have prepared her for this.


    His hand wrapped around her wrist gently. ¡°You wanna touch?¡±


    Her hand trembled in his, but she didn¡¯t resist. He pulled her hand forward until her fingers brushed


    against the hard ridge on his boxers, and then her entire palm was pressing against him.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± he cursed, his eyes closing momentarily. ¡°You have no idea how much I¡¯ve been craving your


    touch.¡±


    He had? She bit down on her lip as she gathered enough courage to feel him. She moved her hand,


    rubbing it along the length of his bulge.


    His hold on her wrist tightened, he cursed again, and then she felt his cock move beneath her touch.


    She released her lip from her teeth as she lifted her head to take a closer look. She moved her hand


    again, and sure enough, his erection twitched. Her terror was gone, now she was just curious. And


    captivated.


    ¡°God, Be, you are going to make me cum in my underwear.¡±


    Her cheeks reddened. She must be doing something right, she thought. ¡°It moved,¡± she muttered.


    A deep chuckle rumbled in his throat. ¡°Yeah, it does that when it¡¯s excited.¡±


    She licked her lips again¨Cthey suddenly seemed to be going dry real fast. She wanted to hold it¡­him,


    in her hand.


    Jacob gripped her chin between a thumb and finger and lifted her face to his. His dark eyes burned into


    her. ¡°You¡¯ve never been with a man, have you?¡±


    She swallowed. Could he tell? She frowned. Would he mind that she hadn¡¯t? God, she must appear


    stupid, looking at his erection like it was some kind of mystery.


    She drew her hand back quickly. ¡°I¡­uh¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t stop,¡± he told her, bringing her hand back to him. ¡°Touch as much as you want. I don¡¯t mind.¡± He


    let go of her hand, leaving it up to her to keep it on his erection or not. He caressed her face. ¡°I also


    wouldn¡¯t mind being your first.¡± He grinned. ¡°Fuck that. I would love to be your first.¡±


    As Isabelle looked at him with her big, brown eyes while her hand moved hesitantly against his hard-


    on, Jacob felt like he was in heaven. And if this wasn¡¯t what heaven felt like, he didn¡¯t want it.


    When he had first gotten married to her, he never would have thought he would feel that he had lucked


    out. He had thought she would be a nuisance, he had thought the entire arranged marriage was a


    nuisance, and he had done whatever he could to put an end to it as quickly as possible.


    But now, he never wanted this to end. He wanted to keep her with him. And not just that. He wanted


    her to consider him her real husband, and he wanted everybody to know she was his wife.


    He wanted her to know the real him. He wanted her to trust him with her every secret. He wanted to


    make her smile.


    ¡°Yes,¡± she said, looking away from him. ¡°I haven¡¯t¡­¡± she trailed off and licked her lips. ¡°I¡­I want you


    to¡­¡± she trailed off and sighed. Her hand dropped from his crotch, and she withdrew from him. ¡°I¡¯m


    sorry, I don¡¯t know anything.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll teach you,¡± he promised, mentally thumping his chest with his fist. No need to go all caveman on


    her. He should have guessed she was a virgin. At first, he had thought she was pretending to be shy


    whenever he got close to her. But he had realised that she really did get flustered.


    How a desirable woman like her had managed to get this far without some man charming the pants off


    her was a mystery. A mystery he was all for. He wanted to not just be her first, but herst as well. Her


    only one. He had never felt this way about any woman before.


    Hey on the bed next to her, making sure to keep his erection from pressing into her hip, no matter


    how much he wanted to do that. If he directed any more attention to that organ, he would have a hard


    time making her feel good as he had promised.


    Getting hold of her chin again, he drew her face towards him and kissed her gently on the lips.


    Her sweet, soft, tasty lips gave in beneath his strong ones, letting him take the lead. And he knew she


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    loved it from how the hesitance left her body and her hands sought him, one on his waist and the other


    curled up against his chest.


    He moved his hand from her face, trailed it down the column of her throat, over her corbone, and to


    her breasts. He only spent a few seconds tweaking her hard nipples, but it was enough to get her


    arching into him.


    But he had better ns in store. Abandoning her breasts, he continued downwards, caressing her belly


    softly as he went. And then when his fingers got to the waistband of herce trim panties, they dived


    below the soft material.


    Her thighs mped together instantly, keeping him from going farther. He stopped their kiss and looked


    at her. Her eyes were shut, her brow furrowed.


    ¡°Isabelle, look at me,¡± he urged, brushing his other hand over her hair. She opened her eyes, but


    looked away almost instantly. He couldn¡¯t wait to rock her world so hard that she forgot her shyness.


    ¡°Have you ever touched yourself?¡±


    That was enough to bring her eyes back to him, albeit wide with shock. ¡°What?¡±


    He wiggled his fingers as much as he could beneath her panties. ¡°Down here. Have you ever touched


    your pussy?¡±


    Her mouth fell agape, and her face grew hot. ¡°I¡¯m not a child,¡± she said, a little annoyance in her voice,


    but there was also a lot of embarrassment. He knew it was the nature of his question that had thrown


    her off.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that,¡± he said, ¡°I just want to let you know that whatever you feel when you touch


    yourself, I can multiply it by a hundred.¡±


    She huffed. ¡°Aren¡¯t you full of yourself?¡±


    He chuckled and tapped his fingers against her pubic bone. He rather liked it when she was annoyed


    instead of shy. ¡°Care to prove me wrong? You are wet, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    She gave him another scandalised look. Since he liked it too much, he decided to keep pushing her


    buttons.


    ¡°I bet your panties are soaked.¡±


    Her thighs squeezed tight again, and he knew this time, it wasn¡¯t from an attempt to keep him away.


    She was aroused, and she was trying to assuage the ache. He was more than happy to help.


    ¡°You say¡­the most improper things,¡± she chastised.


    He couldn¡¯t help chuckling again. She really was calling him out on his dirty talk. Her innocence was


    such a turn-on. He couldn¡¯t wait to corrupt her. Soon, he would have her saying those ¡®improper¡¯ things


    back. He brought his lips close to her ear. ¡°But you like it, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she denied promptly.


    ¡°No?¡± he asked, withdrawing his hand from her underwear and going for her thighs. Maybe if he eased


    into it, she would be more willing to let him in.


    He was expecting resistance, but her thighs parted to allow his hand to skim along their inner soft skin.


    He rubbed his hand back and forth, getting closer to the apex of her thighs with every upwards stroke.


    Eventually, he allowed his thumb to go all the way right to the centre of her legs. He was only going to


    brush against her, give her a taste of what was toe, but he got greedy and pressed the pad right


    into her core.


    ¡°Fuck,¡± he cursed as her panties gave in and his thumb sank into a very wet core. Her panties were


    soaked with her juices, and it took all his self-control to not rip the tiny fabric apart and get up and


    personal with her most intimate part.


    Her thighs came together again, but this time, she didn¡¯t try to keep him out. She was biting her lip


    again, her eyes set towards where his hand was.


    He watched her face as he moved his thumb, rubbing her wet slit through her panties. She bit her lip


    harder, and then her eyes slid shut and she turned her face into his chest.


    ¡°Do you like that?¡± he asked.


    She nodded, still hiding her face. Soon, he wanted her to befortable enough to ept the


    pleasure he gave her and not shy away from it.


    He pleasured her through her panties with his thumb only until she started writhing and whispered for


    more against his chest. He pretended he couldn¡¯t hear.


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°More,¡± she said more clearly, pulling back from his chest.


    He pushed her panties to the side with his fingers and touched her clit directly. ¡°Like this?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    While he rubbed her clit with his thumb, he reached into her slit with his middle finger, dipping it into her


    dampness. ¡°You¡¯re so wet,¡± he said, coating his finger in her juices as he moved it up and down and


    then a little deeper. ¡°Is this all for me, Be?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± she answered again with no hesitation. Huh. That shyness of hers must have taken a backseat.


    He pushed his finger into her hot vagina, her dripping channel wrapping around him. He felt her tense,


    but she didn¡¯t stop him.


    He pushed his finger all the way in, and he got rewarded with a moan from her. He pulled out, swirled


    the tip of his finger on her soft outer skin, and then pushed it back in, faster and harder this time. She


    whimpered, the hand on his waist digging into his skin.


    He buried his nose in her neck and took in her sweet scent as he pumped in and out of her. The sound


    produced as his finger sank into her dripping pussy was so hot, it brought his attention back to his


    straining cock.


    Now that she was openly receptive, he moved his hips, pressing his erection against her. At the same


    time, he added another finger into her core.


    She moaned again, but this time, it wasn¡¯t just some needy sound. It was his name. His cock twitched,


    as if it was eager to answer the call.


    Her pussy felt amazing as her muscles milked his fingers. He couldn¡¯t begin to imagine how it would


    feel like having his hard cock buried inside her.

 Chapter 73 Seventy Three

    Chapter 73 Seventy Three


    Isabelle felt like she was going to die if he didn¡¯t do anything to stop that ache building in her abdomen.


    His fingers felt good, but they were only increasing the ache. She felt empty. She wanted him to fill her


    with¡­with that huge erection of his that she wasn¡¯t sure could even fit inside her.


    But it wasn¡¯t like she was going to tell him to just fuck her already. She wished she had the courage to.


    He had no problem telling her exactly what he thought. She wished she could be able to say the things


    he did without feeling embarrassed.


    Jacob shifted, getting up from his position beside her. He covered her body with his, his knees parting


    her thighs apart. Then he lowered his lower body, got his fingers out of the way, and grind his hard-on


    into her.


    Her thighs fell further apart and her head fell back as her arousal climbed to another level. Her hands


    held onto his shoulders, her eyes locked on his face as he moved between her legs. He rocked his hips


    back and forth, his hard ridge hitting her centre spot-on.


    ¡°Please,¡± she cried, wrapping her arms around his shoulders to draw him closer.


    ¡°What?¡± he asked, licking his lips. ¡°What do you want, Be?¡±


    Damn him, he was going to make her say it, wasn¡¯t he?


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    ¡°I want you,¡± she told him, moving her hips to increase the friction between them. Her panties needed


    to go. And his boxers.


    ¡°Where?¡± he asked, lowering his head to press a kiss to the corner of her lips. ¡°Where do you want me,


    babe?¡±


    Her heart¨Cand a fewher regions¨Cfluttered at his use of the pet name. ¡°Inside me,¡± she replied, too


    far gone in her lust to care what words left her mouth. ¡°I want your cock inside me.¡±


    His body went still, as if her words had shocked him. But he recovered quickly, and he kissed her


    deeply on her lips for a few seconds before pulling back and saying, ¡°You are sexy as fuck.¡±


    He pulled away and got on his knees, hooked his thumbs on her panties, and drew them down her


    legs. Great. She gaped when after getting them off her legs, he pressed them to his nose and took a


    deep breath.


    ¡°You smell amazing,¡± he said, his eyes on her face. ¡°You¡¯ll let me eat your pussyter, right?¡±


    What? Eat¡­ She shook her head vigorously.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± he said, putting her panties aside and turning to his boxers. ¡°We¡¯ll get to that.¡±


    Would they? She couldn¡¯t imagine being able to let him near her vagina with his mouth. It sounded


    too¡­too¡­ Too much.


    She forgot her worries about him making dinner of her pussy when his length was released from its


    prison. His cock stood hard and proud as it jutted out of his abdomen, thick and long. Her vagina


    clenched and her mouth watered. She couldn¡¯t believe she craved that thing inside her.


    He crawled over her, covering her again. His thick length prodded her in her thigh, and she shifted,


    wanting it in her centre.


    He supported his upper body on one elbow while his other hand went between their bodies. He


    fingered her again, dipping his index and middle fingers into her. ¡°I need you right now,¡± he groaned, ¡°I


    can¡¯t wait anymore.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m ready,¡± she told him. Her heart thudded heavily behind her ribs in nervous anticipation.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be slow,¡± he promised, kissing her temple. ¡°Fuck.¡± He drew back from her. ¡°Wait a minute.¡±


    She watched as he crawled from her and towards the bedside cabin. He pulled out a drawer and


    emerged with a condom in his hands. She was so nervous she hadpletely forgotten about that.


    He tore the packet and rolled the rubber on his cock, sheathing the thick shaft. And then he was back


    to her, looming over her.


    He reached between their bodies, this time to guide his cock to her core. Her stomach clenched as she


    felt his head against her opening. Using his hand, he stroked the tip up and down her slit, covering it


    with her juices. And then he pushed his hips forward, breaching her entrance with his thick head.


    She gasped, and he went still. ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    She nodded quickly. ¡°Yes. Don¡¯t stop.¡±


    He pulled back, and then pushed forward again. He repeated that several times, breaching her a little


    further each time.


    She held onto his back, and she could feel how his muscles tensed and released with every move he


    made.


    He groaned as he pushed deeper into uncharted territory. ¡°You¡¯re so tight,¡± he said, and then moved his


    hand from his cock to her clit, rubbing the sensitive nub with his thumb. ¡°This might hurt.¡±


    ¡°Just do it,¡± she instructed, wanting to feel all of him inside her. She was already feeling some pressure,


    but she was also relishing the feeling of fullness he was giving her. And, every time he drew back, it felt


    like his cock was giving her vaginal walls a sensual massage.


    Jacob lowered his head and captured her lips in a kiss. Sensations overwhelmed her. From his kiss, his


    finger on her clit, his cock withdrawing from her pussy¨C


    ¡°Ow!¡± she cried as he drove his cock forward in a single thrust, burying his entire length inside her. She


    shut her eyes tightly as her abdominal muscles tried to rx around the sudden pration.


    ¡°Does it hurt a lot?¡±


    She began nodding, but then shook her head. Heavens, he was finally inside her. There was some


    pain, but the emptiness was gone, and somehow that made it worth it.


    Jacob wasn¡¯t still moving, and she opened her eyes to find him looking at her with a worried look on his


    face. ¡°Take me again,¡± she told him, ¡°slowly, but I want all of you. It¡¯s just a little pain.¡±


    He began moving again, slowly as she requested, and driving his full length into her before drawing


    back. His strokes gradually got faster, and her arousal jumped to a dimension she had never


    experienced before.


    ¡°Yes,¡± she whimpered when he drove his cock into her and rotated his hips, grinding into her. Her


    hands glided down his sweat-covered back. ¡°Harder.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± he asked, his voice breathy. ¡°You have no idea how tight you are, Be. I want to fuck


    you hard, but I don¡¯t want to hurt you.¡±


    ¡°And you have no idea how good it feels when you move inside me,¡± she told him, lifting one leg and


    hooking it around his. ¡°You¡¯re not hurting me, but I might go crazy if you keep holding back.¡±


    He grinned and brushed his knuckles against her cheek. ¡°My sweet Be, you¡¯re not shy anymore, are


    you?¡±


    She blushed, but that didn¡¯t keep her from rocking her hips to encourage him to move.


    ¡°You are killing me,¡± he groaned, and then started moving again. He thrust into her faster and faster,


    until he was pounding into her as she had asked, holding nothing back.


    She turned into a whimpering, moaning mess beneath him. Their rushed breaths mingled, their hearts


    pounded together chaotically, and the sounds of their bodiesing together filled the room.


    ¡°Jacob!¡± she cried when the buildup in her abdomen rushed towards a high she had never felt before.


    ¡°I¡¯ming. Don¡¯t stop.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± he growled, moving his hips faster. Her hands had long slid down to his ass, where her fingers


    sunk into his skin. ¡°Come with me, Isabelle.¡±


    His thrusts got even harder, faster, and she thought she was going to pass out before she reached


    orgasm. She really would, if she didn¡¯t let go soon.


    ¡°Jacob, please,¡± she cried again, needing to go over the edge.


    ¡°I got you,¡± he said, and then his finger was back on her clitoris, flicking the damp nub expertly.


    It worked like a switch.


    She cried out loud as her entire body tensed alongside her vaginal muscles as they mped down on


    Jacob¡¯s cock inside her.


    He gave a shout, his upper body falling forward as her tight pussy gripped his shaft. He couldn¡¯t move


    as her vagina clenched around him over and over again, and it was all he could do to note right


    then.


    He waited until her muscles rxed enough to let him move, and then he pulled back and thrust deep


    into her. She was stilling, and it felt like the most intoxicating sight ever, to watch all the sensations


    that crossed her face while her pussy kept convulsing all around him.


    He rested both his elbows on either side of her and put all of his strength into his hips. He felt his


    orgasming, and he knew he was going toe harder than he ever had before.


    ¡°Oh God, I think I¡¯ming again,¡± she cried, as she wrapped both her legs around his ass.


    ¡°Yeah?¡± he asked, grinning at her. Know what was better than making here once? Making her do it


    twice. Multiple times. He nned on finding out how far she could go, soon.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Well, he wasn¡¯t going to disappoint. He pumped into her as hard as he could, until his balls pped


    against her ass. He came secondster when her walls contracted around him again, squeezing the


    orgasm out of him.


    His cock spasmed in her hot pussy as he kepting anding. He was sparsely aware of her legs


    falling away from him, and her body shaking beneath his.


    When his cock stopped jerking inside her, he let his body fall forward. She wrapped her arms around


    him, pressing her face into the crook of his neck. Her hot breath misted over his sweaty skin, and he


    could feel her thudding heart against his chest.


    He shifted to his side so that he could hold her close without crushing her body under his weight.


    They cuddled like that for many minutes, until his cock started going soft inside her and he had to pull


    out. Her pussy was so snuggly, he didn¡¯t want to leave. The low moan of disapproval that she made let


    him know he wasn¡¯t the only one who preferred their current position.


    He smothered kisses on her face before pulling back. ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a minute,¡± he promised, working


    his way out of the bed. All he wanted to do was fall back beside her and go to sleep.


    He made his way to the bathroom, where he discarded the used rubber. He grabbed a few tissues on


    his way back.


    He found her still lying in bed, looking like she didn¡¯t have any energy to move. It was a good thing,


    because he didn¡¯t want her to go anywhere yet. Ever.


    She opened her eyes and smiled at himzily as he made his way to the bed. He still couldn¡¯t believe


    she wasn¡¯t making a run for the door.


    ¡°I feel so tired,¡± she said, ¡°and I didn¡¯t even do anything.¡±


    He huffed as he got onto the bed and between her legs. ¡°My cock doesn¡¯t agree. Tell me in the morning


    if you still feel like you didn¡¯t do anything.¡±


    He knew she would be sore in the morning. Her muscles had done more than enough work to make


    her entire body ache the next day.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± she asked when he got hold of her leg.


    ¡°I¡¯m cleaning you up so you can befortable.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Yeah, it¡¯s all sticky¨C¡± Her eyes widened and she mped her thighs shut.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a little toote to close your legs?¡± he teased.


    Heat rose on her face. ¡°I¡­¡± She got on her arms and lifted her upper body. Moving her hips, her eyes


    scanned the bedsheets near her legs. Finally, her expression rxed. ¡°Nothing,¡± she said.


    ¡°What were you looking for?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡± She reached for the tissues. ¡°I¡¯ll do it myself.¡±


    He moved his hand out of her reach. ¡°Let me finish my job, will you?¡±


    When he reached for her legs again, she let him. He had her dry with a few wipes, and then he made


    another dash to the bathroom to toss the tissues.


    When he came back, he turned the lights off and slid in next to her, pulling the duvet over their bodies.


    She nestled against his body like she was used to it. Like none of the hesitance she always had about


    being close to him existed anymore.


    He was never letting her go.

 Chapter 74 Seventy Four

    Chapter 74 Seventy Four


    When Isabelle woke up the next morning, the sun was shining brightly through the curtains. She


    moaned and turned away from the light, hiding her face in the pillow.


    Why was the sun on her window in the morning? She could only see the sunset from her¨C


    She froze.


    Her next breath¨Cwhich flooded her senses with Jacob¡¯s scent¨Cconfirmed that she indeed wasn¡¯t in her


    own room.


    Her eyes fluttered open again. Slowly, she scanned the area next to her. It was empty. She turned her


    head just as slowly to the other side. Empty. Relief swept through her. He was gone. That meant she


    could slip away.


    The relief waned as soon as she took note of the sunlight filtering through the curtains again. Her


    stomach sank. Oh no! She hadn¡¯t overslept, had she?


    She scrambled from the bed, her body screaming in protest from about a hundred ces. Her muscles


    hurt big time, but she didn¡¯t have the luxury of sleeping around. She had a job to get to.


    The moment she got to her feet on the floor, she gasped and sat back down on the bed. Grimacing,


    she looked at her naked abdomen. It felt like someone had rammed a hammer in her abdomen all


    night.


    Her entire body flushed as she recalled Jacob ramming into her, alright. Just not with a hammer. But


    from how hard, thick, and long he had been, it could as well have been one.


    ¡°Oh no,¡± she whispered, not sure what she wasmenting. The soreness between her legs that made it


    hard to remain seated, much less get up and ready for work? Or the realisation that she crossed a line


    she never should have with Jacob?


    What was she going to do? Could she pretend that nothing had happened? Call it a one time mistake


    and demand that they forget about it?


    Was it toote to take it all back?


    Did she want to?


    She faintly remembered convincing herself that she would allow herself to give in to her desires for just


    one night. How stupid she must have been.


    Her entire body heated up as memories from the previous night shed through her mind. Her core,


    which should have no business craving anything with how sore it was, tingled.


    She was in trouble. How was she going to stay away from him when she wanted him so badly?


    She needed to think about that, but not now. Now, getting to work was more important. She scanned


    the bed, and then the floor of the room, for the clothes she had been wearingst night. Nothing.


    They also weren¡¯t on the cabin. Maybe Jacob had taken them to theundry basket. With nothing to


    wear, she took one of the bedsheets and wrapped it around her body.


    And then she got to her feet again, biting back a wince with every step. She hoped he had already left


    for work. It would be hard trying to run away from him with her thighs protesting her every move.


    She was almost to the door when it opened and Jacob appeared. She froze at the spot as he caught


    sight of her and his face brightened as he stepped into the room and closed the door behind her.


    ¡°You are awake,¡± he said, walking over to her.


    She stumbled a step back. Clutching tightly to the sheet and avoiding his eyes, she said, ¡°I¡¯m running


    ¡°Work?¡± he asked. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t even be out of bed.¡±


    She frowned and looked towards the window. ¡°It looks like it''s eight already¨C¡± Her words got swallowed


    by a gasp as he scooped her in his arms and walked towards the bed. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Stay here,¡± he said as he ced her back down on the bed. ¡°How are you feeling? I¡¯ll get a warm bath


    started for you.¡±


    She shook her head and attempted to get her feet to the floor. ¡°I don¡¯t have time for that. I¡¯m probably


    alreadyte for work.¡±


    ¡°Can you even walk?¡± he asked, arching a single brow. ¡°You¡¯re in no shape to go to work today. Stay


    in.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t just do that,¡± she said.


    ¡°Yes, you can. Tell your director that you¡¯re not feeling well.¡±


    ¡°Jacob¨C¡±


    He bent down and pressed a finger to her lips. ¡°I¡¯m not letting you go anywhere today. I¡¯ll start a bath


    for you, and then you¡¯lle and eat the breakfast I¡¯m making for you. I have an important


    engagement at work today, so as much as I want to stay with you, I can¡¯t. But you, you are not going


    anywhere. You spent the entire weekend working, for heaven¡¯s sake. And afterst night¡­you need to


    rest.¡±


    Before she could protest, he moved his finger and reced it with his lips. She did not dare open her


    lips, aware that she was yet to brush. ¡°If you¡¯re a good girl,¡± he said, pushing strands of hair behind her


    ear, ¡°I¡¯ll reward you tonight.¡±


    He didn¡¯t need to expound on what he meant by ¡®reward¡¯ for her core to clench.


    Her heart pounded. She had to tell him this couldn¡¯t go on. ¡°Jacob¨C¡±


    ¡°Look,¡± he said, lifting his left hand to her eye level. ¡°I¡¯m wearing a ring. I had this around somewhere,


    so you don¡¯t have to buy me one.¡±


    He was wearing a simple tinum wedding band on his ring finger. She hadn¡¯t thought he would take


    her request seriously.


    ¡°Okay,¡± she said.


    ¡°I should probably bring you to your room,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll have your bath ready in a few minutes.¡±


    Before she could tell him that she could make it to her room on her own, he had scooped her again and


    began the walk towards the door. Soon enough, he had her deposited on her bed, given fresh


    instructions about not going anywhere, and then left to go prepare her bath.


    Her heart was still pounding crazily in her chest. She had thought she had seen the sweet, romantic


    side of him before. But this¡­this was something else. He was treating her like she was his new bride


    and he thought she was the most delicate thing on earth.


    It was as if he now considered them a true couple.


    Her stomach twisted into knots. She couldn¡¯t lead him on like this when she was lying about her


    identity.


    Should shee clean? Would he hate her? Would it make a difference to him that she wasn¡¯t the


    eldest daughter of the Cruzes? Or would the deceit be too much?


    Before she could worry herself to death, he showed up again to tell her that her bath was ready. And as


    if he wasn¡¯t being sweet enough, he told her that he had added some fresh herbs to help with her


    aching muscles.


    This time, she was able to convince him to let her do the walking by herself. Before he left, he said he


    would be in the kitchen making breakfast.


    She made her way to the bathroom and found that he had indeed prepared a herbal bath for her.


    Dropping the towel she had warped around her body, she stepped into the tub and sat down.


    Closing her eyes, she took a deep inhale. The soothing fragrances of the herbs floating around the


    water soaked into her senses, and she could swear she felt calmer instantly.


    Maybe besides helping relieve her aching muscles, the bath would also help her string her thoughts


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    calmly enough to tell him what she needed to.

 Chapter 75 Seventy Five

    Chapter 75 Seventy Five


    After taking a bath and brushing her teeth, Isabelle went back to her room to get dressed. A look at her


    phone revealed that it was already nine o¡¯clock.


    She wondered whether it would be too imprudent of her to take a day off right after Logan had offered


    her a raise. But she couldn¡¯t deny that Jacob had her sold on the idea of taking the day off.


    Carefully, she crafted a text to Grace, letting her know that she wouldn¡¯t make it to work because she


    was feeling unwell. She also promised to make up for it. She sighed in relief when Grace replied soon


    after, letting her know it was fine and wished her quick recovery.


    After getting dressed in a pair offy pants and a sweater, she took in her appearance in the mirror.


    There was a smattering of hickeys along her neck column, continuing on to the skin hidden below her


    sweater¡¯s neckline. She didn¡¯t mind.


    She held her long hair in a high bun, with damp strands caressing her neck. Finally, when she couldn¡¯t


    dally any longer, she left her room and headed for the kitchen.


    Jacob was facing away from her when she got to the door, and she stood there, watching him. He was


    dressed in a pair of ck dress pants and shirt, ready for work save for a jacket and shoes.


    His shirt sleeves were pulled to his elbow, exposing his strong veiny forearms in disy. She admired


    how the ck material stretched over his wide shoulders. How his pants fit him well, giving a hint of his


    firm ass before going on to his long legs¨C


    ¡°You are here! I¡¯m almost done, take a seat.¡±


    She almost jumped into the air when he spoke. She had been so engrossed in ogling his body that she


    hadn¡¯t noticed him turning his head to look at her.


    Fighting the urge to look at his face, she headed to the dining table and took a seat. The table was


    alreadyden with multiple bowls of steaming food. What else was he preparing?


    ¡°You didn¡¯t have to do this,¡± she said as he approached the table, carrying a skillet and dumping bacon


    onto a tter.


    ¡°I love taking care of you,¡± he told her, ¡°so let me.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for the bath,¡± she told him. ¡°It was rxing. And for this.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my pleasure,¡± he said. He put away the skillet and then took a seat next to her at the table. She


    had expected him to sit opposite her as he usually did.


    ¡°What do you want first?¡± he asked, gesturing to the foodden table. Before she could answer, he


    reached for a te of cookies. ¡°Here are the cookies you madest night. I think I¡¯ve already had ten or


    something. They are so delicious.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± she asked, happy that he had liked them that much. She reached for one and took a bite.


    They had turned out exactly as she had intended.


    ¡°You should make them often,¡± he told her. ¡°I¡¯m already addicted.¡±


    ¡°If you like them so much, then yes,¡± she agreed.


    He grinned and ced the te back on the table. He caught her by surprise when he leaned in and


    stole a kiss. ¡°I¡¯m a lucky man.¡±


    His sweet gesture made her heart flutter. A feeling of sadness followed right after. Swallowing, she


    began, ¡°Jacob, I¡­ I¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡± he urged, smiling at her.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t¨C¡±


    ¡°No,¡± he cut her off, his smile falling off his face. ¡°Don¡¯t say it.¡±


    ¡°I¨C¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s have breakfast,¡± he said. ¡°I have an engagement at ten o¡¯clock. We¡¯ll talk when I get back.¡±


    She let it go and nodded. He didn¡¯t have much time, and she wasn¡¯t going to make him go without


    having breakfast after all the effort he had put into it.


    ***


    Jacob had had long days at work, but that turned out to be the longest. He had a couple of important


    meetings, but he could barely draw his thoughts away from Isabelle to focus on the matters at hand.


    He had wanted to stay at home with her, but he had apany to run. He was going to get back as


    early as he could, though.


    The earliest he got back, the sooner he dealt with the hesitation he had sensed in her in the morning.


    Last night had been brilliant. The best night of his life. And he knew she had enjoyed it too. He wasn¡¯t


    going to let her run away from what was going on between them anymore. It was time for them to have


    a new beginning, as a real couple.


    He couldn¡¯t go back to keeping her at an arm¡¯s length. And not just because it would be torturous to


    stay away from her now that he knew how it felt to be inside her. It was also because he loved being


    able to make her happy. He was no longer content doing it secretly.


    When he left work that evening, he went and bought flowers, choctes, and a bottle of wine. He was


    so excited that he didn¡¯t even have Kevin run the errand.


    Somehow, it felt more meaningful that he picked up the gifts himself. Never in his life had he personally


    bought gifts for a woman.


    He would usually send his assistant to buy whatever he thought would serve the asion. When his


    past girlfriends were mad at him, he would even have Kevin write the apology cards to go with the


    flowers.


    But Isabelle¡­ He couldn¡¯t stand the thought of treating her so impersonally. He wanted to do it himself.


    He wanted to be a hundred percent responsible for her smile when she got the gifts.


    When he got back home, the living room was empty, and so was the kitchen. He wondered whether


    she had gone against his instructions and went to work after he left in the morning. cing the gift bag


    on the table in the living room, he went towards the bedrooms.


    He stopped outside her door and knocked gently. A few secondster, the door opened, and Isabelle


    appeared. She didn¡¯t look like she had been sleeping.


    ¡°Hi,¡± he greeted, looking past her. His eyes went straight to her desk, where herptop and a notebook


    were open. ¡°I thought I said you should rest today,¡± he said, looking back at her with an arched


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    eyebrow.


    She looked back towards her desk, and then back to him. ¡°I couldn¡¯t just sit around doing nothing all


    day,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m well rested, though, I promise. I¡¯ve only worked for about two hours.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± he asked, leaning his body against the door jamb. ¡°You are not sore anymore?¡±


    Her cheeks reddened. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± she replied, and then quickly changed the subject, ¡°How was work?


    You are back early.¡±


    ¡°Boring. I missed you, so I came home as soon as I could.¡±


    She smiled nervously, and then hooked a thumb over her shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll save my work and then I¡¯ll get


    started on dinner.¡±


    Before she could walk away, he reached forward and wrapped an arm around her waist. Her brown


    eyes rose to his as he drew her against his body. ¡°Did you miss me?¡± he asked, meeting her gaze.


    She blinked and licked her lips nervously. ¡°Yes,¡± she replied, much to his surprise.


    His heart skipped a beat. Had he been worried for nothing? Maybe she wasn¡¯t going to run away this


    time.


    He lowered his head and kissed her. Her soft lips moulded into his as she kissed him back. Definitely


    worried for nothing.


    He cradled her neck with one hand to hold her in ce as he deepened the kiss. His other hand


    travelled south and ended up on her ass. When he gave a squeeze, she squealed and pulled away


    from the kiss. Heughed and stole one more kiss before letting her go.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be in the living room,¡± he told her as she retreated into her room.


    She gave him a nod and then closed the door.

 Chapter 76 Seventy Six

    Chapter 76 Seventy Six


    When Isabelle appeared from the bedroom, Jacob picked up the bouquet of flowers he had bought and


    presented them to her.


    He had been quite straightforward with his selection¨Cred roses.


    ¡°For you,¡± he said, holding the bouquet out to her.


    She met his gaze before looking down at the flowers. ¡®You didn¡¯t¨C¡±


    ¡°Yes I did,¡± he interrupted her, knowing what she was going to say. ¡°I wanted to. A man can get his


    beautiful wife flowers whenever he feels like, right?¡±


    A shy smile graced her lips as she took the flowers. ¡°Thank you.¡± She held them to her nose. ¡°They are


    beautiful. And they smell great.¡±


    He tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. ¡°Like you.¡±


    She chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re such a sweet talker.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all true,¡± he said. Reaching into the gift bag, he produced the box of choctes. ¡°I hope you¡¯ll like


    these too.¡±


    Her eyes widened in delight at the sight of the box. ¡°Oh, thank you!¡±


    He noted somewhere in his brain that she was a fan of dark chocte. Finally, he produced the wine.


    ¡°Let¡¯s have a drink together tonight,¡± he said.


    She nibbled on her bottom lip. ¡°We have work tomorrow.¡±


    He grinned, remembering thest time she had her way with a bottle of wine. ¡°Just a ss,¡± he told her.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be your chaperone, since you tend to misbehave around a bottle of wine,¡± he teased.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t on a work night,¡± she imed.


    He arched his brow. ¡°If I recall correctly, you had work the next day.¡± He remembered well enough,


    actually. The next day had been Monday, and she had worn a high-necked dress to hide the hickeys he


    had given her.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t count,¡± she said. ¡°It was a Sunday. Still the weekend.¡±


    ¡°If you say so,¡± he humoured her.


    ¡°I¡¯ll put these away,¡± she said, going back to her bedroom with the flowers and choctes.


    He followed her, but went into his own bedroom to change. Tonight, they would make dinner together.


    ***


    Isabelle was surprised when Jacob showed up in the kitchen, sleeves rolled and ready for work.


    ¡°What are we making?¡± he asked, scanning the ingredients she had ced on the counter.


    ¡°You should rest and leave this to me,¡± she told him. ¡°It isn¡¯t much work.¡±


    ¡°I came home early to spend time with you,¡± he reminded her. His eyes shifted to the chicken on the


    counter. ¡°I can chop some vegetables while you prepare the chicken.¡±


    She knew better than to argue with him, so she let him join her.


    They worked well together, and within an hour, they were setting the table. Everything was perfect, and


    she wished it could always be like this. But she knew it couldn¡¯t.


    She had already waited too long to tell him that there couldn¡¯t be a repeat ofst night. And she hadn¡¯t


    exactly been discouraging him. When he had shown up earlier at her door and kissed her, she had


    epted it like she had been waiting for it all day.


    And then he gave her flowers and choctes¡­


    She was sure that he now considered them a real couple.


    But how could they be a real couple when the very reason they were together was built on a lie?


    She nned to tell him her thoughts after dinner. That way, she wouldn¡¯t ruin such a beautiful dinner,


    and he would have the night to let it sink in. By morning, they should be back to their old lives.


    When they were done with dinner, he brought out the wine he had bought and poured two sses. He


    put the bottle away, as if getting rid of any temptation to drink more. She was secretly d for that. With


    how nervous she was bing by the minute, she didn¡¯t trust herself to not seek liquid courage.


    ¡°We are a real couple now, right?¡± Jacob asked the moment she took a sip of the wine, and she almost


    choked on the drink.


    It looked like she didn¡¯t have to worry about how to broach the subject to him.


    She ced her ss down on the table and stared at the tablecloth. Fidgeting with the stem of her


    ss, she said, ¡°I can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± His voice had an edge. ¡°You can¡¯t be in a real rtionship with me?¡±


    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have slept with you¨C¡±


    ¡°Look at me, Isabelle,¡± he demanded.


    She took a deep breath and looked at him.


    ¡°Why?¡± he asked.


    She shrugged and dropped her eyes again. ¡°I just can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Bullshit,¡± he growled, and then the sound of his chair scraping on the floor as he stood up filled the


    room. He came around the table to her side and took hold of her arm. She let go of her wine ss just


    in time as he pulled her to her feet. Holding both of her arms in his hands, he bent his head to look at


    her face. ¡°You wanted what happenedst night, and you enjoyed it.¡±


    She swallowed. ¡°Yes, but¡­ That was just sex. I¡¯m just your pretend wife.¡±


    ¡°And you don¡¯t want to be my real wife?¡± he asked.


    She sighed and stared at the floor.


    ¡°Why? You don¡¯t like me?¡±


    ¡°I do.¡±


    ¡°What, then?¡± He released her arm and used his hand to lift her face. ¡°Why are you doing this to me,


    Be? I love you.¡±


    Her stomach twisted in panic, longing, and a host of other feelings she couldn¡¯t decipher. Why would he


    say that?


    ¡°I¡¯m in love with you,¡± he added, ¡°and I¡¯m done ying this pretend game with you. I want to call you


    mine and treat you like my wife. I can¡¯t stand not being able to show you my feelings anymore.¡±


    She shook her head, jerking her face from his grip. He couldn¡¯t mean that. He couldn¡¯t be in love with


    her.


    ¡°You can¡¯t,¡± she whispered.


    ¡°I do,¡± he told her. ¡°These have been the best twenty-four hours of my life, and I¡¯m not ready for this to


    end. I know you have feelings for me too, Isabelle. Why are you saying no? Why do you always run


    from me?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t even know me.¡±


    ¡°I know enough, and what I don''t, I can''t wait to find out. I know our marriage wasn¡¯t our choice, but you


    know that what happens after is up to us, right? Since we have developed feelings for each other, let¡¯s


    explore them.¡±


    She licked her lips. ¡°I don¡¯t have feelings for you. I told you,st night was just¨C¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me, Isabelle. I might not be able to read your mind, or see your heart, but you¡¯ve shown me


    enough for me to know it wasn¡¯t just sex.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡±


    He let out a growl of frustration. ¡°Why are you so stubborn? What do you hate so much about me that


    you don¡¯t want to consider being with me in a real rtionship? What do I need to do?¡±


    She lowered her head as she frowned. Her heart thudded in her chest as she considered her options.


    She knew she couldn¡¯t find it in herself to keep lying to him if she agreed to be a real couple.


    And she knew that telling him the truth would take off a huge burden off her shoulder. And it was then


    that she realised her fear of telling him the truth wasn¡¯t rted to Ruth anymore.


    After all, her parents had long made it clear that they wouldn¡¯t keep their promise. And, while they


    would suffer the consequences once he knew the truth, it didn¡¯t concern her anymore. Not as much as


    losing his trust and hurting him did.


    Her biggest fear was that he would hate her. She would deserve it, but she couldn¡¯t even stomach the


    thought of iting true.


    ¡°I don¡¯t hate you,¡± she told him. If she couldn¡¯t tell him the truth yet, at least she could tell him that


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    much.


    He lifted her face again. ¡°Then love me.¡±


    She couldn¡¯t look away. Normally, she would have avoided the intensity in his eyes, but this time, she


    just couldn¡¯t look away. She caught all the emotions swirling in them, ranging from hope to hurt.


    She didn¡¯t want to hurt him. But how could she give him hope?


    She needed time. Time to think. Time to gather the courage to reveal the truth to him. Once that was


    out of the way, if there was hope for them after that, she would be the luckiest woman in the world.


    Because she couldn¡¯t think of any other reason to not say yes to him.


    His eyebrows drew together. ¡°Are you in love with someone else? Did you have a boyfriend when we


    got married?¡±


    Before he slept with her sister, yes.


    She shook her head. ¡°No. No.¡±


    ¡°So it¡¯s not that your heart is elsewhere,¡± hemented. His brow creased further. ¡°But it¡¯s not with me


    either.¡± His jaw tensed. ¡°Tell me, am I wrong? Thinking that you have feelings for me?¡±


    Her heart squeezed into a little ball. This was her chance to keep him at a distance. If she could make


    him believe that she really wasn¡¯t interested in him romantically, maybe he would quit pursuing her.


    But she couldn¡¯t find the words to say it. And she knew it was because she was aware it would hurt


    him.


    ¡°I need time,¡± she said.


    ¡°Time?¡±


    She nodded. ¡°I need to¡­there are some things I need to think about.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡± he agreed automatically. ¡°I can give you time.¡± There was now more hope swirling in his eyes.


    He caressed her cheeks with the back of his hand. ¡°Take all the time you need, Isabelle. Just don¡¯t


    push me away, please.¡±


    She nodded. God, she wanted to hug him so bad.


    ¡°Can I kiss you?¡± he asked.


    It was all she could do to not shout yes.


    Wrapping her hands around his neck, she stood on her tiptoes and kissed him. She tasted the wine on


    his lips, reminding her of their forgotten drinks.


    His arms shifted to wrap around the middle of her body, drawing her close. When he grabbed her


    thighs in his hands and lifted her to wrap her legs around his waist, she knew this was going all the


    way.

 Chapter 77 Seventy Seven

    Chapter 77 Seventy Seven


    Jacob was still next to her when Isabelle woke up the next morning. His body was curled up against her


    back, and she relished in the feel of his firm masculine body.


    Her eyes fluttered open. The light filtering through the curtains showed it was morning, but the sun


    wasn¡¯t quite up yet. Which was good, because she needed to get to work as early as possible to catch


    up with some of the work she missed the previous day.


    But first, she wanted a few more minutes in Jacob¡¯s arms. She wanted to turn around and face him,


    watch him sleep, but she didn¡¯t want to rouse him.


    So, she settled for lying there and listening to his breathing. One of his arms was thrown over her waist


    loosely. She thought it was amazing that he hadn¡¯t let go of her throughout the night. They must both


    have had a restful night.


    She blushed as she recalled the previous night. They had ended up wasting two sses of perfectly


    good wine because they had been so eager to get each other naked.


    Her own response to him had shocked her. She had wanted to have him inside her so badly that none


    of the inhibitions from the first night existed. But then again, she had fucked him knowing that it could


    be thest time.


    Because she was going to tell him the truth tonight. And there was no telling what would happen to


    them after that. She had told him to give her time, but she knew the longer she waited, the more


    anxious and stressed out she would be.


    So it was better to get it out of the way as soon as possible and not dy the consequences.


    After lying there for a few minutes, she decided it was time to leave his bed and go get ready for work.


    Carefully, she wiggled towards the edge of the bed. She was almost home free when Jacob¡¯s grip


    around her waist tightened. She froze. Had he woken up?


    She turned her head to steal a nce at him. His eyes were still shut. When she tried to move again,


    his grip tightened further, and then he pulled, hauling her back to his side.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go yet,¡± he murmured sleepily.


    The sound of his morning voice was enough to get her heart drumming excitedly. It also caused a stir in


    her lower abdomen. ¡°I have to get ready for work,¡± she told him.


    ¡°Too early,¡± he murmured again.


    She settled back into her position against him. He was right. She could steal a few more minutes in his


    arms.


    Closing her eyes, she enjoyed the warmth provided by the heat of his body. She wouldn¡¯t have


    expected him to be the cuddly type, but he was, and she loved it. Waking up cocooned in his body heat


    was something she wouldn¡¯t mind doing every day.


    Jacob shifted behind Isabelle as his senses awakened. His senses were not the only things waking up


    for the day, though. So was his cock¨Cactually, that seemed to be more awake than everything else.


    He was used to his morning wood, but he wasn''t used to waking up with Isabelle¡¯s pert ass just a few


    inches away from his erection. He didn¡¯t intend on letting it go to waste.


    Shifting forward, he pressed his hips against her backside as he whispered in her ear, ¡°Good morning.¡±


    She sucked in a breath before she replied, ¡°Morning.¡±


    He moved his arm that was draped over her waist and pressed his palm against her belly. Fabric stood


    between him and her bare skin.


    When had she pulled on a t-shirt? She had been gloriously naked when they went to sleep. But from


    what he could feel, below, she had only slipped her panties back on. He could work with that.


    When he sneaked his hand below her t-shirt, she squirmed¨Crubbing her ass against his erection in the


    process¨Cand said, ¡°Jacob, I have to get up.¡±


    ¡°Let me help you get up,¡± he told her, dragging his hand upwards to her chest. When his palm made


    contact with a bare breast, he cupped the soft flesh and squeezed. Isabelle squirmed again and


    grabbed his forearm with one hand. But she didn¡¯t pull him away.


    So he started kneading her breast in his hand, working his fingers into her feminine flesh. Down below,


    he rocked his hips, grinding his hard length against her ass. The sensation of his head stroking against


    her skin already had him leaking pre-cum. He needed inside her.


    Isabelle moaned when he flicked his thumb over a nipple and then rubbed it. Her breasts were quite


    sensitive, and he loved how it got her worked up every time he yed with her nipples. He would love


    to give her a good suckle, but as she had said, it was time to get ready for work.


    And he couldn¡¯t wait for work. Because today, he was going to reveal his real identity to her. He didn¡¯t


    want to be hiding anything from her anymore, not when he was determined to win her heart.


    With all his cards on the table, he hoped she would see that he was serious about her and let him in.


    He had no idea what was keeping her from epting him. But he was going to do everything he could


    to sway her heart his way.


    ¡°Touch yourself for me, Isabelle,¡± he whispered, keeping up his ministrations on her breasts.


    ¡°Wh-what?¡± she stuttered.


    ¡°Your pussy,¡± he rified. ¡°Tell me if you¡¯re wet for me.¡±


    Her body shuddered, and he felt her arm move towards her abdomen. Herck of hesitation wasn¡¯t lost


    on him. He had thought he would have to work harder to obliterate her shyness in bed. He had been


    wrong. It appeared that his sweet innocent wife was actually a sexy vixen in hiding.


    Her legs parted, allowing him to slip his hard cock between her thighs. He thrust his hips forward, so


    that when her hand finally got between her legs, his tip brushed against her wrist.


    ¡°I am,¡± she told him a momentter, a shaky breath leaving her lips.


    ¡°Touch yourself,¡± he told her, lifting his head to catch sight of her hand between her legs. ¡°Prepare


    yourself for my cock.¡±


    She trapped her bottom lip between her teeth as her hand started moving. He rocked his hips to match


    her rhythm, rubbing himself against her soft thigh.


    ¡°Spread your legs,¡± he instructed. ¡°Let me see you finger yourself.¡±


    Isabelle lifted her leg, bending it at the knee. She held her underwear to the side with her other hand.


    Her new position allowed him to see her finger move in and out of her pussy.


    ¡°Show me,¡± he breathed, his fingers tugging her nipple harder. ¡°Let me see your juices, Be.¡±


    She withdrew her hand and lifted her finger. He licked his lips at the sight of the digit, glistening with her


    juices.


    ¡°Make it two,¡± he told her. ¡°Tell me when you want my cock inside you.¡±


    ¡°Now,¡± she moaned instantly.


    His cock jerked between her thighs. ¡°Well, aren¡¯t you greedy this morning?¡± he teased.


    ¡°Please,¡± she said, before her hand, instead of going back to her pussy, wrapped around the head of


    his cock. ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡±


    He groaned deep in his throat. She really was going to be the death of him. ¡°If you want it, take it.¡±


    ¡°Uh?¡± she mumbled in mild confusion.


    ¡°Put me inside you, Be.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± she mumbled again. And then her hand got to work, guiding his cock towards her entrance. His


    abdomen muscles seized when his head brushed against her slit. More when she rubbed the tip up


    and down between her wet folds, slicking him with her juices. And then some more when she pressed


    his cockhead between her lips and pushed her hips backwards, urging him inside.


    She was only able to get his head just inside her pussy in her position¨Cwith what a tight vagina she


    had, she would have to put more weight to get him inside on her own¨Cso he helped her. He thrust


    forward, his hard cock spearing through her entrance and into her hot channel.


    ¡°Jacob!¡± she cried out at his pration.


    He froze. ¡°Did I hurt you?¡± He had been so eager to get inside her he had forgotten she was new to all


    this.


    She shook her head. ¡°No. It feels so good. Please move.¡±


    Heavens, he loved her.


    He obeyed, pulling back and then thrusting into her again. Letting go of her breast, he lowered his hand


    to hold her leg open as he pounded into her for all he was worth. He could feel everything. Her juices


    lining up her walls, her insides tightening around his dick, her¨C


    ¡°Fuck, fuck, fuck,¡± he moaned,ing to a stop mid-stroke.


    ¡°Don¡¯t stop,¡± she begged, moving her hips to encourage him to move. He sped his hand on her hip


    to hold her still.


    ¡°Jacob,¡± she whimpered.


    ¡°I forgot to wear a condom,¡± he alerted her to the almost-disaster at hand.


    She too went still. ¡°Oh.¡±


    ¡°Are you on birth control?¡± he asked her.


    ¡°No.¡±


    Well fuck.


    He started withdrawing, but her vaginal muscles gripped him so tightly that he almost couldn¡¯t bear to


    pull out. It didn¡¯t help when her hand pressed to his hip, attempting to keep him in ce.


    ¡°Can you¡­can you¨C¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡± he asked when she stalled.


    ¡°Just a few more, then you can wear it. I like this.¡±


    He was a fucking goner. Seriously.


    He shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t tempt me like that, Isabelle.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you like it?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re kidding.¡± And then, against his better judgement, he thrust back into her. The sigh of pleasure


    she gave made the risk worth it. He pounded into her again and again, knowing that her idea of a ¡®few


    more¡¯ was no longer viable.


    ¡°Don¡¯t stop, I¡¯ming,¡± she cried a minuteter.


    ¡°Me too,¡± he groaned brokenly. ¡°Oh fuck. It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll pull out.¡±


    Her orgasm hit a few secondster, and he almost didn¡¯t pull out in time as her inner muscles milked


    his own orgasm out of him. But he made it, his cum jetting out of his cock and spraying onto her belly


    instead of deep inside her.


    While he came, he reced his cock with his fingers, fucking her through her orgasm, relishing in the


    feel of her hot pussy mping on his digits. Her moans intensified, and she clung to his arm tightly as


    he helped her reach the highest peak.


    By the time he pulled his fingers from her and her leg fell down from its raised position, they were both


    gasping for air. He pulled back his hips and eased her onto her back. Her belly glistened with his


    semen. He nned on insisting to join her in the shower to clean up the mess he had made on her.


    He lowered his head and gave her a hard kiss that made them even more breathless. When he drew


    back, he caressed the back of his fingers against her cheek and looked deep into her eyes. ¡°You


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    belong with me, Isabelle. Stop fighting it.¡±


    Her brow puckered a little. ¡°Jacob¨C¡±


    ¡°Shh.¡± He ced his finger on her lips. ¡°It¡¯s okay, I won¡¯t rush you. But I have a surprise for you today.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    He waggled his brow. ¡°It won¡¯t be a surprise anymore if I say, will it?¡±


    She smiled. ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°I hope you¡¯ll like it.¡± His stomach twisted. He knew his action to hide his wealthy status from her could


    offend her. After all, he had behaved like she was some gold digger he wanted to get rid of as quickly


    as possible. He hoped he could make her understand why he had done it. But he already knew how


    hot her temper could be when she felt insulted.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure I will,¡± she told him.


    He hoped with every fibre of his being that she would.

 Chapter 78 Seventy Eight

    Chapter 78 Seventy Eight


    When Isabelle got to workter, she sat down at her desk and sent a short straightforward message to


    her father. She wasn¡¯t asking him for permission or his opinion.


    She simply wanted to give him a heads up that soon, Jacob would be aware of their scheme. A part of


    her felt like she was being unfilial, especially because Francis and Lucy had adopted her from the


    orphanage and raised her in their own home.


    Lucy and Naomi might not treat her like family, but at least Francis did his best. It was for his sake that


    a part of her felt awful about revealing their secret.


    But she couldn¡¯t keep allowing them to use her for their benefit while deceiving another innocent


    person in the process. She felt that even if they had kept their promise, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to


    keep deceiving Jacob any longer. Not with the way things had turned out to be.


    After sending the message, she put her phone aside and turned on herputer. Britney appeared at


    her desk then. ¡°Oh my God, girl. I heard that you were sick and that¡¯s why you missed work yesterday.


    Are you okay?¡±


    Isabell smiled at her and nodded. ¡°I¡¯m good now.¡±


    Britney nodded. ¡°You do look okay.¡± She leaned over Isabelle¡¯s desk, taking a closer look at her face.


    Confused, Isabelle asked, ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°What do you use on your face? You are glowing.¡±


    Isabelle touched her face with the back of her hand and smiled. ¡°Oh, thanks. Nothing special.¡±


    ¡°I want that nothing special,¡± Britney said.


    Isabelle wasn¡¯t sure what her coworker was talking about. She hadn¡¯t changed her face productstely.


    She ended up giving Britney a list of the products she used.


    ¡°You also look happier,¡± Britney said, narrowing her eyes. ¡°Is that the secret? Happiness?¡±


    ¡°I suppose,¡± Isabelle joked. But she knew Britney was on to something. Since that morning, she had


    been fighting a battle against the spontaneous smiles that kept cropping up on her. And she knew why.


    From the moment she had left Jacob¡¯s bed, she seemed to have an abundance of feel-good hormones


    in her body. Was it the sex? Or was it the guy? Both?


    ¡°Or maybe your husband gave it to you real good this morning,¡± Britney said, her eyesnding on the


    ring on her finger.


    Isabelle blushed fifty shades of red and hid her hands on herp. ¡°What?¡± she asked, feigning


    innocence.


    Britneyughed, and then straightened. ¡°Thanks for this,¡± she said, waving the post-it note with the list


    of products. ¡°Let¡¯s have lunch together today.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Isabelle said, waving her goodbye.


    She looked at her phone, but there was no new message from her father. He must be busy. She knew


    that the moment he saw her text, he would call her right away.


    Hourster, she was hurrying up to finish a bit of work before going to lunch when her phone rang. She


    expected it to be her father, but it turned out to be the hospital where Ruth was admitted.


    Her insides twisted with a sick feeling. Thest time the hospital had called her, it was to tell her that


    they had found a kidney match and were waiting for the surgery fees to be settled before proceeding.


    She was still to pay the money.


    ¡°Hello, am I talking to Isabelle Cruz, Ruth Daniels¡¯s guardian?¡± the person on the other side asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Isabelle replied, ¡°it¡¯s me.¡±


    ¡°Pleasee to the hospital right away. Ms Daniels is in critical condition.¡±


    Blood drained from her face. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Pleasee as soon as you can.¡±


    ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll talk to her doctor when you get here. I have to go.¡±


    The person hung up, and Isabelle¡¯s phone slipped from her hand to the desk. It made no sense. Critical


    condition? No, they must be wrong. She had talked to Ruth on the phone yesterday, and she had been


    doing okay. She sounded fine. She was getting dialysis while she waited for her transnt. She should


    be okay. What were they talking about?


    Her head was swimming as she got up from her chair and made her way to Grace¡¯s office. She was


    trembling as she asked for an emergency leave. Grace approved right away, pointing out that she


    looked pale and asking whether she needed help.


    Isabelle assured her she was okay, and then rushed back to her desk. Quickly, she shoved her phone


    into her bag, turned off herputer, and left the office. She hailed a taxi at the front of the building


    and got in. The ride to the hospital was ten minutes long, and that sounded like forever to her.


    Her phone pinged in her bag, and she reached for it to find a new message from her father.


    Don¡¯t do this, Isabelle. Let¡¯s talk first. I¡¯m abroad right now on business. Wait until I get back.


    She didn¡¯t have enough time to dwell on that when another message arrived. She bit her lip when she


    saw it was from Logan Larson.


    Hello, Ms Cruz. Please see me in my office right away.


    She groaned. Of all the times for the CEO to request her to see him! She couldn¡¯t even begin to


    imagine why he wanted to see her. But she couldn¡¯t see him at the moment, anyway. She replied;


    I¡¯m very sorry, Sir, but I can¡¯t see you right now. I have an emergency and just left the office. I¡¯ll get


    back to you once I¡¯m avable.


    She bit the inside of her cheeks and bounced her legs nervously as she waited for his reply. At this


    rate, she was going to lose her job. She got offered a raise on Monday, missed work on Tuesday, and


    now she was giving excuses to the CEO.


    Her phone pinged secondster.


    What kind of emergency?


    Thinking that he was mad, she typed back a detailed reply quickly.


    I have a family member in hospital, and I just received a call that she is in critical condition. I¡¯m her


    guardian. I¡¯m on my way right now. I¡¯m really sorry, Sir, but I can¡¯t see you right now.


    His next text wasn¡¯t what she expected.


    What hospital?


    She didn¡¯t know why that mattered, but she sent him the name of the hospital anyway. He didn¡¯t reply


    after that, and she got back to looking at the taxi¡¯s map to check how far they were.


    She still had five minutes to go.


    She could only sit and hope that Ruth would be okay. A few minutester, her phone rang. When she


    saw that it was Naomi calling, she put it on silent mode and ignored the call. She was not in the mood


    to deal with her sister. She never was.


    Secondster, she got a new message from Naomi.


    Dad told me what you¡¯re nning. Don¡¯t you dare! Let¡¯s meet right now.


    As if Naomi was going to scare her anymore than she already was.


    A few minutester, she left the taxi and rushed into the hospital. She made her way to Ruth¡¯s room


    and opened the door. She was aware of someone calling to her, asking her to stop.


    She came to a halt when she took in the scene in the room. There was a doctor, and about four nurses,


    and a crash cart standing between her and Ruth¡¯s bed.


    She took a step forward, but someone wrapped a hand around her arm and pulled her backwards.


    It was a nurse. ¡°You can¡¯t be in there, Miss. Please wait.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡­what is¡­what is going on? I don¡¯t. I don¡¯t understand.¡± She tried to get back through the door,


    but one of the nurses inside pulled it closed.


    ¡°Please wait outside here,¡± the nurse instructed. ¡°You¡¯ll talk to the doctor when she is done.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with her? She was okay yesterday. I talked to her yesterday.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss. She got an infection. That¡¯s all I can tell you. The doctor will exin.¡±


    Isabelle wiped a hand across her face to get rid of the tears that were already streaming down her


    cheeks. She turned around and peeked through the little ss window in the door. ¡°Will she be okay?¡±


    ¡°They are doing everything they can,¡± the nurse assured her.


    Isabelle sped a hand over her mouth as a sob escaped. This must be a nightmare. An infection?


    This was not how it was supposed to be. None of this sounded right to her.


    Everything faded as she watched the team inside move around the bed, passing various medical


    instruments among them. Her eyes drew to the monitor in the room, and she felt faint. Why was it t?


    Was it working?


    She saw the doctor stand up straight and wipe the back of her hand against her forehead. She handed


    something to a nurse, and then looked at her watch. No. What was she doing? Why had she stopped


    checking on Ruth? Ruth¡­ Isabelle craned her neck, trying to get a glimpse of the woman who meant


    everything to her. Was she out of danger?


    The door opened and she took a step back. It was the doctor.


    Isabelle rushed forward and took her hand. ¡°How is she?¡±


    The doctor patted her hand gently. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Isabelle. We tried everything.¡±


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    ¡°No.¡± She shook her head. ¡°No.¡± Her eyes got blurry with tears. ¡°Tell me she is okay. Ruth¡­¡± Letting go


    of the doctor, she made her way into the room. This time, the nurses made way for her to get to the


    bed.


    She wiped her eyes quickly to get a clear view of Ruth. Her beloved caretakery on the bed, eyes


    closed, as if she was sleeping peacefully.


    Pain turned her gut inside out as she reached for Ruth¡¯s hand and shook it. ¡°Ruth. Ruth? It¡¯s me, wake


    up. I¡¯m here, please wake up. Don¡¯t do this to me. Wake up, please.¡±


    But Ruthy perfectly still, unresponsive. Isabelle doubled over her body, hugging her close as she


    cried harder.

 Chapter 79 Seventy Nine

    Chapter 79 Seventy Nine


    Jacob had no idea what to think as he made his way into the hospital Isabelle had mentioned in her


    text.


    A family member in critical condition? She had never mentioned anything about anyone close to her


    being in the hospital to him. Was it an ident?


    When he got to the reception, he realised he didn¡¯t know who the patient was, so he couldn¡¯t ask for


    directions. He brought out his phone and called her. She did not pick up. When he tried a second time,


    it went unanswered.


    He wondered whether she was refusing to pick up because he was calling as Jacob. He used the


    number that she associated with Logan to call a third time. She didn¡¯t pick up.


    Realising he would have to scour the hospital for her, he made his way to the emergency wing. She


    was not there, so he got on the elevator and onto the first floor. He opened doors, looked through


    windows, perused wards, but she was nowhere.


    As he made his way to the elevator to go higher, he tried calling her again. It went unanswered. By the


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    time he got to the third floor, he was convinced something was terribly wrong.


    His eyes widened when he caught sight of her familiar figure in the waiting room of the third floor. She


    was talking to a doctor, her back to him.


    ¡°Isabelle!¡± he called, rushing to her.


    She turned to him, her eyes widening in shock. ¡°Ja¨CJacob?¡±


    He took in her teary-eyed look and drew her into his arms instantly. She clung to him, her body


    trembling as a sob escaped her. He looked at the doctor she was talking to. ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, who are you?¡± the doctor asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m her husband.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Sorry. Ruth Daniels has passed away. I was just exining to your wife about her infection. I¡¯m


    sorry for your loss.¡±


    Ruth Daniels? Who was that?


    He nodded anyway. ¡°I¡¯ve got her.¡±


    The doctor nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll be in my office if you need me.¡± She left them and walked towards the nurses¡¯


    station.


    Isabelle suddenly pulled herself from his embrace and turned away, wiping her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. You


    should go.¡±


    He frowned and walked around to face her. ¡°Go? When you are like this?¡± He took hold of her arm and


    urged her towards a chair in the waiting area. ¡°Who is Ruth Daniels?¡±


    She shook her head and escaped his hold again. ¡°Please, Jacob. I can¡¯t do this right now. Please


    leave. I¡¯ll tell you everythingter.¡±


    He couldn¡¯t understand why she thought he could leave her alone in her current state. ¡°I¡¯m not going


    anywhere, Isabelle.¡±


    She broke into sobs again, pressing her face into her hands. His heart twisted seeing her like that, and


    he reached forward and pulled her back into his arms again.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± he whispered, smoothing his hand over her hair. ¡°I¡¯m here. Let it out.¡±


    And she let it out. She crumpled into his arms and sobbed into his shirt for a long time. He pulled her to


    a corner that provided some privacy and held her, soothing her as much as he could. They were in that


    position for a long time.


    When she finally calmed down and he let her go, her eyes were swollen to their limits.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take you home,¡± he offered.


    She shook her head. ¡°No. You don¡¯t have to.¡±


    ¡°Isa¨C¡± he stopped when she lifted her hand and started removing the diamond ring he had given her.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    She held the ring out to him. ¡°I can¡¯t be with you anymore.¡±


    He shook his head, not sure this was really happening. ¡°What are you saying?¡±


    She took his hand and forced the ring to his palm. ¡°I lied to you, Jacob. Forget about me.¡±


    ¡°Lied about what?¡± He shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t care. I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about, but you¡¯re


    not leaving me, Isabelle. Put your ring back on.¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be relieved?¡± A cold, familiar voice came from behind him. ¡°She is dead. That means


    Isabelle can¡¯t use you for money anymore. Or, should I say hope to?¡±


    Jacob whirled around to face Isabelle¡¯s insufferable sister. ¡°Leave us alone.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you want to hear this,¡± she said, tilting her head to look at Isabelle. ¡°Izzy, should I do the honours?


    Or now that your precious caregiver is gone, are you done being a lying bitch?¡±


    Jacob took a threatening step towards her. ¡°Watch your mouth.¡±


    Naomi huffed and crossed her arms across her chest. ¡°What, do you still think I¡¯m the devil here? Why


    don¡¯t you ask your sweet innocent wife why she¡¯s suddenly leaving you?¡±


    ¡°Just leave us alone,¡± he demanded and turned back to Isabelle. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Isabelle. Let me take you


    home.¡±


    She shook her head and stepped back. Her face was downcast even more than it had been before her


    sister showed up. ¡°I want to be alone. Don¡¯t follow me.¡±


    She walked around him and towards the elevator. He tried to go after her, but Naomi stepped in his


    way. ¡°Seriously, Logan Larson? How can you be so dense?¡±


    He was about to breeze right past her when it registered that she had addressed him as Logan. He


    froze in his steps. ¡°What did you call me?¡±


    ¡°I have to say, you are good. How did you manage to pass off as some peasant for so long? Isabelle


    will be so mad when she finds out that all along, you could have paid for her precious caregiver¡¯s


    treatment and saved her from an early death.¡±


    Jacob clenched his jaw. None of this was making sense¨Cother than the fact that Naomi had somehow


    found out his real identity.


    She arched an eyebrow. ¡°I came looking for my sister at thepany and I overheard an interesting


    conversation in the lobby. You were bossing around that annoying vice president of the Larson Group.


    Who else would dare do that?¡±


    That exined one thing. When he left the office toe to the hospital, Jason had followed him,


    yapping about some meeting he couldn¡¯t afford to miss.


    ¡°Who is Ruth Daniels?¡± he asked the only question that needed an answer at the moment. Why was


    Isabelle so broken over her death that she was trying to divorce him?


    ¡°The reason Isabelle married you.¡±


    His brow creased. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Isabelle is not the eldest daughter of our family. I am. She is just an adopted orphan. But she


    demanded to marry you in my ce because she needed to raise treatment money for Ruth when she


    found out our parents couldn¡¯t foot the bill. She thought since you were from a wealthy family, she could


    get the money from you in no time. She probably would have if you hadn¡¯t pretended to be poor.¡±


    Jacob pressed a couple of fingertips to his temple. ¡°Look, I have no time to deal with your lies right


    now.¡±


    Naomi huffed. ¡°You think I¡¯m lying? Why don¡¯t you go after her and ask? If she dares tell you the truth,


    that is. Why do you think she wants to divorce you right after Ruth passed away? It¡¯s because you are


    of no use to her anymore. Go ahead. Go and ask her.¡±


    Jacob gritted his teeth together as he red at the woman in front of him. He knew how much she


    loathed Isabelle. He wouldn¡¯t put it past her to make up such lies about her.


    He was wasting his time talking to her.


    He needed to find Isabelle.

 Chapter 80 Eighty

    Chapter 80 Eighty


    By the time night fell, Jacob thought he would go crazy. He had thought he would catch up with Isabelle


    outside the hospital once he left Naomi behind.


    But she had been nowhere to be seen, and she had switched off her phone. Hourster, he still had no


    idea where she was. He had looked everywhere he could think of¨Cthe office, their apartment, her


    parent¡¯s house.


    Wherever she was, he had to find her. If he had to search all night, so be it.


    He was sitting in his car with her diamond ring in his hand when he received a call from Kevin. He had


    instructed his assistant to remain outside their apartment building and watch it in case Isabelle came


    back. Meanwhile, Jacob drove around the city, hoping to get a glimpse of her on the streets.


    He epted the call quickly, knowing Kevin wouldn¡¯t call unless there was something to report. ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°She just went up to the apartment,¡± Kevin told him.


    ¡°Stay put,¡± Jacob instructed, starting the car. ¡°I¡¯m on my way. If she leaves before I get there, follow her.


    Do not lose her. I¡¯ll be there in five minutes.¡±


    ¡°Got it, Sir.¡±


    He hung up and drove into the street, joining the traffic. He was relieved that she was back home, but


    he had a feeling that she wasn¡¯t back to stay. She had given him her ring back, for heavens¡¯ sake!


    He sped up, manoeuvring past other cars on the road. Traffic was a bit dense, but he had to get to her


    before she disappeared again. He never should have let her out of his sight earlier on in the hospital.


    He looked at his watch. If he got away from the heavy traffic, he could make it to their apartment


    building in five minutes.


    He was almost at an intersection when he noticed that the green light was about to change to yellow.


    There were two cars ahead of him. By the time it was his turn, it had already turned yellow.


    He couldn¡¯t afford to sit around for a minute and a half when he finally had a chance to see her. He shot


    forward, wanting to get across before traffic resumed from the other side. But it so happened that he


    wasn¡¯t the only impatient driver, and a pickup truck shot forward from the street on the right side.


    The truck rammed into the back of his car, sending it spinning clockwise. He tried to control the car, but


    it didn¡¯te to a stop until it rammed into a streetlight pole. The sudden movement sent his head


    flying towards the window.


    And then all went nk.


    Outside the apartment building, Kevin nced at his watch and then towards the building¡¯s entrance.


    Isabelle still hadn¡¯t left, and that was good news.


    But it had been thirty minutes already since he had called Jacob. He had said he would get to the


    building in five minutes.


    What was keeping him so long?


    Was the traffic that bad?


    He paced outside the car he was using, keeping his eye on the building¡¯s exit. Maybe she wasn¡¯t going


    to leave.


    His phone rang, and he retrieved it out of his pocket quickly. He expected it to be Jacob, but instead, it


    was Jason.


    The moment he received it, Jason barked into his ear, ¡°Where are you?¡±


    ¡°Running an errand for the boss,¡± he replied, wondering why Jacob¡¯s vice president was shouting down


    his ear.


    Jason cursed, and then said, ¡°Jacob was in an ident. He has been taken to the Larson Hospital.


    Head over right away.¡±


    Kevin was jumping into the driver¡¯s seat before Jason was done with that statement. ¡°Yes, sir,¡± he


    replied.


    Jason hung up and Kevin started the car. He shot out of his parking space at a speed he was certain


    wasn¡¯t allowed in themunity.


    In his hurry, he missed the sight of Isabelle making her way out of the apartment building,gging a


    huge suitcase behind her.


    ***


    After leaving the apartment, Isabelle went to the nearest bus stop. Her n was to catch a ride to


    another part of the city, far away from the ce she and Jacob lived in.


    She had two reasons¨Cto avoid him, and she had to look for somewhere she could afford with her


    limited funds. The city centre was not it.


    As she stood under the bus shelter, the wind got stronger and it started raining. Due to the wind, most


    of the rain flew into the shelter, and she had to back away to a corner to stay dry.


    As if the day could get any worse, she thought. She rubbed her cold hands together and wished she


    had worn a hat, or a scarf. Wished she was somewhere warm, in Jacob¡¯sforting embrace.


    She shook her head. If she started thinking about that, she would start crying again. And she had


    already cried enough for the day.


    Her stomach twisted as her mind went back to the hospital. She still couldn¡¯t believe Ruth was gone. It


    had happened too fast. She hadn¡¯t even said goodbye. She hadn¡¯t¨C


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    She pressed her face into her hands. She didn¡¯t want to start crying in public. But tears seeped through


    her eyes anyway, and she wiped them with her fingertips.


    She had never felt so lost before. Ruth had been the closest person to her. The one person she could


    trust with her deepest thoughts, worries, and joys. The only person who had never turned their back on


    her, who loved her unconditionally, who made her feel like she truly belonged.


    And now she was gone.


    Her adoptive family had turned on her, and Jacob had found out that she had been lying to him all


    along.


    She was all alone. She had no one.


    Like back when her rtives abandoned her after her parents died. She felt the same despair she felt


    back then. That no one wanted her, and she didn¡¯t belong anywhere.


    Maybe it was her fate to be alone forever.


    She needed to start afresh. Once she arranged Ruth¡¯s funeral and put her in her resting ce, she was


    going to leave the city. She felt that was the only way she would be able to move on from everything


    and start over again.


    The wind blew stronger, and the cold intensified. She considered getting a taxi after all¨Cwhich she had


    nned on avoiding to save money. If she stayed in this weather longer, she might end up with a cold


    that cost more to treat than a taxi ride would.


    She stepped to the front of the shelter, braving the rain as she checked the highway for an oing


    taxi. She stepped back a few secondster when a private car came to a stop at the curb.


    The driver¡¯s door opened as she shifted her gaze back to the oing traffic.


    ¡°Isabelle?¡±


    She jolted and turned back to the driver. It was Seth!


    He rushed into the shelter and pulled her away from the rain. ¡°What are you doing here at this time?


    Where are you going?¡± he asked, looking her over and noticing the suitcase behind her.


    ¡°I¡¯m waiting for a bus,¡± she told him.


    ¡°You know there is a storming, right? You can¡¯t be out here for long. Where are you going? I¡¯ll take


    you.¡±


    There was a storming? She hadn¡¯t known that. She shook her head. ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll catch a bus


    soon.¡±


    Seth frowned. ¡°You haven¡¯t gotten the alert, have you? Bus services have been suspended. There¡¯s a


    strong storming.¡±


    Isabelle¡¯s heart thumped in her chest. Oh no. Her phone had been turned off since she left the hospital


    earlier. No wonder she had missed the alert.


    The day had confirmed that yes, it could get worse.

 Chapter 81 Eighty One

    Chapter 81 Eighty One


    She gave Seth a worried look. ¡°I wanted to get to Hillside.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t make it, not tonight. You should be indoors, Isabelle. Where do you live? I can take you back


    quickly before I go home.¡±


    She swallowed and bit her lip. She didn¡¯t live anywhere, not anymore.


    ¡°I¡­I¨C¡±


    The wind blew stronger, and a wave of rain reached them in the back of the shelter. Seth shook his


    head and reached for her suitcase. ¡°Get in the car.¡±


    She watched as he took her luggage to the back of the car and then opened the passenger door to her.


    The rain beat down on him as he waited for her to hurry over.


    She went and ducked into the car. He shut the door after her and went around to the driver¡¯s side.


    Isabelle noticed the sudden change in temperature. The inside of the car was warm¨Ca lot better than


    being out in the cold.


    As soon as Seth sat down in the driver''s seat, he shrugged off his coat and reached over to ce it


    around her shoulders. She tried to reject the offer, but he insisted.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you catching a cold,¡± he told her. ¡°What¡¯s your address?¡±


    His gentle gesture, and his caring voice, and the look of concern on his face were all too much. It


    urred to her that Seth was one of the few people, besides Ruth, who had always been nice to her.


    First in college, and then at work. Even if he had once had romantic interest in her, he never treated her


    differently just because she refuted his advances. He, too, like Ruth, had always been in her corner.


    Unconditionally.


    She couldn¡¯t have stopped the rush of emotions that rocked her if she tried. She hid her face in her


    hands as she doubled over, crying for possibly the hundredth time that day.


    Concerned, Seth reached over and touched her shoulder gently. ¡°Isabelle, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    She shook her head as she tried to fight the wave of tears.


    Seth¡¯s touch disappeared. Secondster, he touched the back of her hand. ¡°Here.¡±


    He was giving her a wad of tissues. She took them from him and wiped her eyes and blew her nose.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± he asked when she sat back up, a littleposed. ¡°You can talk to me, please. I hate


    seeing you like this.¡±


    She fidgeted with the tissues in her hands as she stared bleakly out of the window. ¡°I don¡¯t have


    anywhere to go,¡± she told him.


    He was quiet for several seconds. But he didn¡¯t ask questions. Instead, he said, ¡°I have an empty guest


    room at my ce. If you don¡¯t mind, you can stay there tonight.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she whispered.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it,¡± he said as he started the car and got back into traffic.


    Seth lived farther away from the city centre. They were barely able to get to their destination before it


    became impossible to drive in the storm.


    He drove his car into the basement parking lot of a modern t building, and when they left the car,


    they got into an elevator. He pressed the button for the tenth floor.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    Isabelle was d that he wasn¡¯t asking questions about why she had nowhere to go. She couldn¡¯t get


    into that without crying. Not yet. Maybe the next day, she would be more stable. But, what would she


    tell him, anyway?


    That she had run away from her marital home?


    That she had been living a lie, and she was now facing the consequences?


    When they got off the elevator, Seth led the way to a door at the end of the hallway. He pressed a code


    into a panel on the door and pushed it open.


    ¡°After you,¡± he told her with a warm smile.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she said and stepped over the threshold. He came after her with her luggage in tow. After


    they changed out of their shoes and into slippers, he brought her farther into the apartment, walking


    down a short hallway before getting to the living room.


    The living room was expensively furnished, but not in an in-your-face kind of way. It wasid-back and


    had a homely atmosphere. It suited him.


    ¡°You should change out of your wet clothes,¡± he told her. ¡°I¡¯ll show you to the guest room.¡±


    She followed him, and he opened a door to the right of the living room. He carried her luggage inside


    and she followed. cing her luggage by the dressing table, he turned to her. ¡°Feel at home, Isabelle.


    If you need to use the bathroom, it¡¯s on the right side of the hallway we came through, the first door


    after this room.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± she replied. ¡°Thank you, Seth.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t hesitate to tell me if you need anything,¡± he told her. ¡°Have you had dinner yet?¡±


    She hadn¡¯t, but he had done enough for her already. She didn¡¯t want to burden him further.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t had mine yet,¡± he added. ¡°I had some errands to run after work and didn¡¯t have time. If you


    haven¡¯t eaten yet, I¡¯ll make for two.¡±


    Well, since he hadn¡¯t eaten yet, she nodded. ¡°I haven¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll be in the kitchen, then.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± she replied.


    He left, closing the door softly behind him. Taking a shaky breath, shey her suitcase down and


    opened it. She looked through the clothes she had taken from the apartment and chose a pair of cotton


    pants, a t-shirt, and a woollen sweater.


    She also needed a shower, so she took out a towel. Following Seth¡¯s instructions, she left the room and


    headed for the bathroom. She hung her fresh clothes and towel on the rail, and then removed her wet


    clothes and put them in the emptyundry basket in the room. She would deal with themter.


    Stepping under the showerhead, she turned the water on and stepped under it. When the cold water hit


    her body before it warmed up, it felt like a shock-therapy she badly needed. Her entire body trembled,


    and a deep sigh escaped her lips.


    By the time she was done, she felt moreposed than since that afternoon. After changing into her


    clean clothes, she went back to the guest room.


    Her eyes fell on the shoulder bag she had brought with her. Reaching inside, she fetched her phone


    and turned it on. She sat down on the edge of the bed and breathed steadily, preparing herself for the


    barrage of messages and missed calls she was sure she had from Jacob.


    She was right¨Cthe moment her cell service registered, notifications flooded her screen.


    Her insides in a twist, she went through them.


    A majority were from Jacob, asking where she was, and saying that they needed to talk. He had been


    sending them since that afternoon, after she had left the hospital. She noticed that thest one was


    sent about two hours ago.


    There was another one from Naomi.


    If I was you, I would stay away from Jacob. He wasn¡¯t happy when he found out the truth. God knows


    what he¡¯ll do to my parents. Is this what you wanted? If I ever see your stupid face again, you¡¯ll get it


    from me. Stay away from my family!


    Isabelle pressed her fingers to her lips. She had known that Jacob would be angry and hurt because of


    her deceit, but knowing it for a fact hit deep.


    She sucked in a deep breath. It was done. Thanks to her sister, she didn¡¯t have to look him in the eyes


    while she told him that she had been lying to him for months. She didn¡¯t have to see how much she


    hurt him. Knowing it was hard enough.


    Going through her call log, she found several missed calls from Jacob, a couple from Lucy, one from


    Francis, and another from Naomi. She also saw that she had one from Logan Larson. He had called


    around the time she had been at the hospital.


    She bit her lip nervously. Why had he called her after she told him she couldn¡¯t see him? Had it been


    urgent?


    She pushed that to the back of her mind. It didn¡¯t matter. Tomorrow, she would stop by thepany


    first thing in the morning to ask for a few days¡¯ leave and also to hand in her resignation notice. In


    about three weeks¡¯ time, she should be able to leave thepany without owing them anything.


    Once that was done, she would be free to leave her old life behind and start afresh. Where, she still


    had no idea. She was sure she would know by the time she was done arranging Ruth¡¯s funeral.


    She went back to her messages and opened Jacob¡¯s. She typed a new message.


    She knew it wasn¡¯t enough, it couldn¡¯t make up for what she had done to him, but it was the only thing


    she could say at the moment;


    I¡¯m sorry.


    The message didn¡¯t get delivered immediately, and she felt relieved. His phone must be off, or perhaps


    the storm had affected thework. She knew that when he saw the message, he would attempt to call


    her right away.


    She could do with the extra time before she had to talk to him.


    Putting her phone back into her bag, she rose and left the room to look for Seth.

 Chapter 82 Eighty Two

    Chapter 82 Eighty Two


    The next morning, the two sat down to have breakfast together. Isabelle asked him whether it would be


    okay to leave her luggage at his ce while she took care of some matters during the day.


    He told her she could stay as long as she wanted, but she insisted that she would not bother him


    further.


    ¡°Just don¡¯t shy away from asking me if you need anything,¡± he told her. ¡°You can count on me,


    Isabelle.¡±


    She nodded and gave him a grateful smile. ¡°Thank you, Seth. I don¡¯t know how I¡¯ll ever repay your


    kindness.¡±


    ¡°I would do anything for you,¡± he told her, staring straight into her eyes.


    Isabelle remembered when Jacob warned her that Seth wanted to sleep with her. She had always


    thought that his interest in her had ended in college, but there was no mistaking the look in his eyes.


    Granted, it wasn¡¯t a bad kind of look.


    Jacob had made it sound as if Seth¡¯s only interest in her was getting her to bed. But that wasn¡¯t the


    kind of longing Isabelle saw in his eyes. This one was pure, sincere.


    And from his actions and words, she knew he deeply cared for her, and not just as a friend. It made her


    feel guilty for epting his kindness when her rejection must be hurting him.


    That was the main reason she couldn¡¯t keep relying on him.


    She was never going to use anyone to attain her own goals when doing so could hurt them.


    ¡°I¡¯ve noticed that you are not wearing your wedding ring,¡± Seth said, looking at her hand. ¡°Did you get


    into a disagreement with your husband? I don¡¯t mean to pry, and you don¡¯t have to tell me.¡±


    Isabelle looked down at her hand, and her empty ring finger. Seth must have noticed when she started


    wearing the ring. She guessed he had connected the dots after the state he had found her in the


    previous night, so she answered truthfully, ¡°Yes.¡±


    Seth¡¯s hand closed into a fist. ¡°Is that why he let you out alone in a storm? What a jerk!¡±


    His tone was angry, which took Isabelle by surprise. She shook her head. ¡°No, it¡­it wasn¡¯t his fault.¡±


    He frowned. ¡°He still shouldn¡¯t have let you leave like that.¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t know,¡± she said quietly. And now, she wondered how Jacob had reacted when he went home


    and she wasn¡¯t there.


    They fell into silence for a few moments, and then she told him, ¡°I¡¯m going to resign from thepany.¡±


    Seth¡¯s brow creased again in a frown. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°I need to,¡± she told him. And then, she said, ¡°I never really thanked you for helping me with the


    interview.¡±


    ¡°What interview?¡±


    Isabelle paused. Could he have forgotten? ¡°When I was joining thepany, and my former college


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    ssmate Anne made the false usations against me.¡±


    Seth shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. It wasn¡¯t me.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± she muttered. All this time, she had thought it was him who had helped her. Who could it have


    been, then?


    Seth drove her with him to work. Before they parted, he asked her to reconsider her decision to resign.


    She told him she didn¡¯t think she would change her mind, but he said he would keep hoping.


    He then went to his department, and she went to file her resignation notice with HR. She also asked for


    a two-day leave.


    ***


    Jason was inside Jacob¡¯s hospital room when he received a call from a HR personnel at thepany.


    He sighed tiredly as he stepped outside the room and received the call. He had spent the entire night at


    the hospital, waiting for Jacob¡¯s condition to improve. But he had remained unconscious all night long.


    He knew he had to get to work soon, but badly hoped there wasn¡¯t some kind of crisis that warranted


    such an early morning call.


    ¡°Morning, sir. You asked me to report anything regarding Isabelle Cruz to you,¡± the woman on the other


    side said.


    Immediately, Jason became alert. ¡°Yes?¡±


    He had wondered all night how Jacob¡¯s n to reveal his identity to Isabelle had gone, and whether he


    should alert her that he had gotten into an ident.


    But someone had handed him a diamond ring that had been found in Jacob¡¯s car at the scene of the


    ident. He had recognised it right away as the one Jacob had given her. Had she been so angry at


    him for hiding his identity that she had given it back? Was she leaving him?


    ¡°She just handed in her resignation notice letter and asked for a two-day leave.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Jason demanded, puzzled. Jacob¡¯s confession really must have gone wrong if his wife was


    resigning from her job. He sighed heavily and raked his fingers through his hair. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    What would Jacob want him to do?


    He called Isabelle¡¯s department director and asked her to inform Isabelle that he wanted to see her


    before she proceeded on her leave. He instructed Grace to tell her it was concerning the Green Leaf


    Project.


    He might not know what had happened between the couple, but he knew one thing for sure. Jacob was


    head over heels with her, and he would have done anything to keep her from leaving.


    Jason wasn¡¯t sure how long Jacob would remain unconscious¨Cit didn¡¯t help that the doctor had said it


    could take a day, a few days, or weeks¨Cbut he had to try and keep Isabelle around until then.

 Chapter 83 Eighty Three

    Chapter 83 Eighty Three


    After the call, Jason left the hospital and headed for thepany. Grace had gotten back to him and


    reported that Isabelle was waiting for him.


    When he got to the office, he found her waiting at his reception.


    She stood up when she saw him, gave him an hesitant look¨Cprobably because he looked worn out


    because he hadn¡¯t had time to freshen up¨Cand then said, ¡°Good morning, sir. My director said that you


    wanted to see me.¡±


    Jason nodded, noting that she looked subdued. Approaching her, he said, ¡°I heard that you want to


    resign.¡±


    Her eyes widened in surprise, and then she nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±


    He sighed andbed his fingers through his hair. ¡°Look, I don¡¯t know what happened when you


    talked things over with Jacob, but he needs you right now.¡±


    Isabelle¡¯s face creased into a frown. ¡°What? You know Jacob?¡±


    Jason paused, now thoroughly confused. If she already knew that Jacob was also Logan Larson, then


    surely, she would make the connection? Unless¡­


    Unless she didn¡¯t know?


    Had Jacob not gotten around to telling her the truth? Why had she given back her ring, then?


    If Jacob was yet to tell her his real identity, Jason wasn¡¯t going to make that mistake. Jacob had


    warned him to not even think of telling her.


    He cleared his throat and shook his head. ¡°Sorry, did I say Jacob?¡± He made a show of rubbing his


    eyes. ¡°I must be really out of it. I¡¯ve had quite a busy night, I can¡¯t think straight. Jacob is the name of


    some client who gave me a lot of headache yesterday. I meant to ask whether the people at Green


    Leaf are still making things difficult for you. We need you for this project.¡± He paused and shook his


    head again. ¡°You know what? Why don¡¯t you wait here a little more? I¡¯ll see you in my office in about


    five minutes.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± she replied.


    Before turning away, he gave her a smile. ¡°Do you know someone named Jacob?¡±


    She nodded, her gaze dropping to the ground. ¡°Oh, yeah. That¡¯s my husband¡¯s name.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you are married? You¡¯re not wearing a ring.¡±


    ¡°I misced it,¡± she replied, still not looking at him. Did she, really? Would Kevin know what the hell


    had gone on between the two?


    ¡°Alright, give me a few minutes,¡± he said, and then went into his office. He made a beeline for the


    bathroom connected to his office and had a quick shower. He kept a spare suit in the office, so he


    changed into it.


    When he emerged from the bathroom, he looked much better. Taking out his phone, he dialled Kevin¡¯s


    number.


    When Kevin received the call, he asked him, ¡°Do you know anything about what happened between


    Jacob and his wife yesterday?¡±


    ¡°They had an argument, I think¡± Kevin replied. ¡°Jacob spent the entire day looking for her all over the


    city. He had me watch their apartment, and she showed up around seven o¡¯clock. When he got into the


    ident, he was going to the apartment to see her.¡±


    Jason cursed and paced. So they had indeed argued. But Isabelle still didn¡¯t know about Jacob¡¯s true


    identity. What on earth was going on?


    ¡°Okay, thank you,¡± Jason told him and hung up.


    Pocketing his phone, he headed to the door and opened it. Stepping outside, he asked Isabelle to join


    him. A minuteter, she was sitting on the other side of his desk.


    ¡°Why do you want to resign, Ms Cruz?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m moving away from the city,¡± she replied, ¡°so I can¡¯t keep my job here.¡±


    She was moving?


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s sad to hear, since you are one of our best designers, and we would like to keep you around


    for a long time. Are you moving with your family?¡±


    Just because he couldn¡¯t outright reveal Jacob¡¯s identity didn¡¯t mean he couldn¡¯t try to find out what the


    hell was going on with the two.


    Isabelle blinked, as if not expecting his question. Finally, she said, ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Oh. With your husband?¡±


    She shifted on her seat and looked away. ¡°Yeah.¡±


    That was definitely a lie. She didn¡¯t know that her so-called husband was lying in a hospital bed,


    fighting for his life. Would Jacob really punish him if he told her the truth in a situation like this?


    ¡°I understand,¡± he said, ¡°but you do know that you are currently part of a very important project, right?¡±All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    She nodded, her eyesing back to him. ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll try to finish it during the remaining three weeks.¡±


    ¡°What if it takes longer?¡± he asked.


    She hesitated. And then, ¡°I¡¯m sure there is someone who can take over from me.¡±


    He rubbed his jaw thoughtfully. ¡°I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s not as easy as that. The client might not like it if we


    change the designer in charge in the middle of the project.¡±


    She frowned. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to finish it as soon as possible, then.¡± And then she perked up. ¡°And if I


    can¡¯t, I¡¯m sure I can do so virtually.¡±


    One thing was clear, she was determined to leave the city. To get away from Jacob.


    ¡°In that case, I can¡¯t force you to stay if you don¡¯t want to, but do think about it.¡±


    She nodded, and he noticed she didn¡¯t promise to think about it.


    Jacob, Jacob, what did you do this time?


    ¡°That¡¯s all, then¡­oh. You also asked for a two-day leave.¡±


    ¡°Yes, uh, I lost a family member yesterday. I have to arrange her funeral.¡±


    ¡°Oh. I¡¯m sorry to hear that. When is the wake? Thepany would like to support you in any way we


    can.¡±


    She shook her head and lowered her gaze. ¡°I¡­uh, it¡¯s going to be private.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± he said, nodding. ¡°Regardless, here at the Larson Group, we support our bereaved employees,


    so I¡¯ll make sure you receive the necessary support.¡±


    For this one thing, he knew exactly what Jacob would do. In secret or not, he would pay all of the


    funeral expenses. Jason was going to do that on his behalf, under the guise ofpany support. Sure,


    thepany did give condolence money to bereaved employees, but not enough to pay for a whole-


    ass funeral and burial.


    ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t need more leave days?¡± he asked.


    ¡°No, two are enough, because I also have the weekend. I want to resume work as soon as possible so


    I can tie up my projects on time.¡±


    ¡°Okay, alright,¡± he said. ¡°That will be all, then. If there¡¯s anything else, I¡¯ll contact you. You may leave.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she told him, and then walked out of his office.


    As soon as she was gone, he went on his banking app and opened his ount.


    Jacob had better wake up soon, because he was about to owe him several thousand dors.


    A few minutes after hepleted the transaction, his secretary appeared at his door. ¡°Sir, Ms Cruz is


    back to see you.¡±


    ¡°Let her in,¡± he said, wondering why she was back.


    Isabelle walked back into the office, looking worried, her phone in her hand. ¡°Sir, I think you¡¯ve made a


    mistake,¡± she said, hesitantly holding her phone out to him.


    He came from behind his desk and looked at her phone. On the screen was a message alerting her


    that she had received money from him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I have,¡± he told her. ¡°That¡¯s thepany support I mentioned.¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°You sent ten thousand dors.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    She blinked. ¡°I¡­ten thousand dors?¡±


    He nodded.


    She gulped and withdrew her phone. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can ept this.¡±


    ¡°Why not? It¡¯spany policy, and you¡¯re our employee.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m quitting, and I haven¡¯t been around for long, and¨C¡±


    ¡°Trust me, the Larson Group is not going to miss ten thousand dors.¡±


    And she needed it.


    She blinked rapidly. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say¨C¡±


    He almost gave her aforting pat on the shoulder, but then remembered how she had asked him


    whether he had feelings for her. And Jacob¡¯s threats. ¡°Just give your loved one a proper send-off,¡± he


    told her.


    ¡°I will,¡± she said, passing a finger below her eye to catch a tear. ¡°I didn¡¯t think I could¡­¡± she took a


    shuddering breath. ¡°Now I can. I¡¯m really grateful. I thought¨C¡±


    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s okay. You don¡¯t need to say anything.¡±


    She nodded, and then looked him in the eyes. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    The look in her eyes tore his usually unbothered heart. Maybe this was really not the time to tell her of


    Jacob¡¯s ident.

 Chapter 84 Eighty Four

    Chapter 84 Eighty Four


    Isabelle had been prepared to spend everyst cent she had and borrow a few more to cover Ruth''s


    funeral costs.


    What she hadn¡¯t expected was for the Larson Group to more than take care of everything. Did they


    really give that much condolence money to their employees? It seemed unreal.


    She was about to leave the vice president''s office when she remembered that Logan Larson had


    wanted to meet her. Now that she was here, and before she went on her leave, she could see him.


    ¡°Sir, is the CEO around? He wanted to meet me yesterday, but I had an emergency.¡±


    The vice president frowned and rubbed his hand on the back of his neck. ¡°No, he is not avable at the


    moment.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay. I¡¯ll get going, then.¡±


    He nodded and walked her to the door.


    After leaving thepany, Isabelle went straight to the hospital to make funeral arrangements. She


    had tried to get hold of anyone who would be interested in sending Ruth off the previous day.


    The children¡¯s home Isabelle had stayed at, and where Ruth had worked, had closed down a few years


    ago. So, she hadn¡¯t been able to contact the people who had known her.


    After leaving the orphanage, Ruth had lived alone, and Isabelle knew for a fact that she didn¡¯t have any


    children or husband.


    In the end, she was only able to reach some of the people who had gone through the orphanage under


    Ruth¡¯s care. She had reached quite a few, and promised to send them details of the funeral. With ten


    thousand dors, she could hold a proper wake for Ruth alongside her childhood friends from the


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    orphanage.


    It made her feel better. Ruth had given so much love to so many in her lifetime. She deserved to be


    sent off with as much love as possible.


    After confirming the arrangements andmunicating to the people she had contacted, she went to


    Hillside to look for a ce to stay.


    On the forty-minute bus ride, she kept looking at her phone. She had noticed that her message to


    Jacob hadn¡¯t been delivered. He also hadn¡¯t tried calling her again.


    She figured he must be so mad at her that he didn¡¯t care anymore.


    She sighed and rested her head on the bus window next to her.


    Good, he should forget her.


    Her eyes pricked with tears, and she quickly blinked them away. She didn¡¯t have the right to cry about


    that. No right to miss him, no right to ache for him.


    She was the one who had lied, the one who had given him back the ring.


    She had deserted him.


    Whatever pain she felt couldn¡¯t make up for the hurt she had caused him.


    ***


    Two weekster, Seth frowned as he left his office and noticed that the lights were still on in the office


    where Isabelle worked.


    He had stayed at workte¨Csomething he had been doing since that day he came across Isabelle by


    the highway. His mind was often full of thoughts of her, and overworking himself was his tactic to keep


    his brain otherwise upied.


    She had found a ce the next day, but he was still worried about her. He had seen her a few times


    around thepany, and she was always in a hurry. He understood that she was trying toplete


    her projects before she left.


    It was already ten o¡¯clock at night, and there usually wasn¡¯t anyone else around when he left. Curious,


    he walked over to the other department and pushed the door open.


    Instinctively, his eyes went straight to Isabelle¡¯s desk. There she was, slumped over her desk, deep


    asleep.


    He sighed and walked into the office. She now lived far from the city centre, so it wasn''t a good idea to


    stay so long at thepany.


    When he got to her desk, he called her name softly, but she didn¡¯t respond. He tried louder but got no


    result. He shook her shoulder gently. He frowned when she remained asleep.


    Getting concerned, he felt her forehead. A chill went down his back at how hot she was. She was


    running a fever.


    cing hisptop bag on her desk, he tried harder to wake her up. The most he got from her was a


    moan.


    Thinking fast, he pulled her onto his back, grabbed both their bags, and made his way to the elevator.


    He went down to the parking basement, where he set her in the passenger seat before getting into the


    driver¡¯s side.


    Her eyes opened then, but only partly.


    ¡°Isabelle? Isabelle, can you hear me?¡± he asked, his voice panicked. ¡°I¡¯m taking you to the hospital,


    okay?¡±


    She moaned something unintelligible and then shut her eyes again.


    He drove out of the parking basement and into the street as fast as he could. And then he headed for


    the Larson Hospital, which was thankfully just a few minutes away.


    ***


    When Isabelle came to, she was lying in a brightly-lit hospital room. She blinked.


    How had she gotten here? Thest thing she remembered was feeling faint and deciding to take a


    quick nap on her desk before finishing up on her work.


    Looking around, her eyesnded on a man who stood near the window, looking through the ss. He


    looked familiar. Seth?


    ¡°Seth?¡± she called, but her voice was very weak and a little scratchy. She cleared her throat and tried


    again.


    He turned around and hurried to her bedside. ¡°You are awake! How do you feel? I¡¯ll get the doctor!¡±


    Before she could reply to his question or ask how she had gotten to the hospital, he hurried out of the


    door.


    He got back a few secondster, alone. ¡°He¡¯ll be here right away,¡± he told her. ¡°How are you feeling?¡±


    She tried to sit up, buty back down when she felt a wave of dizziness. ¡°A little dizzy. What happened


    to me?¡±


    ¡°I found you sleeping at your desk,¡± he told her, adjusting her bed so that her upper body was elevated


    at an angle. ¡°You were running a fever and couldn¡¯t wake up, so I brought you here.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Thank you so much, Seth. I was feeling a little out of it earlier and decided to take a nap. I didn¡¯t


    think it was anything serious.¡±


    ¡°Isabelle, I know you are trying to finish up your projects on time, but you shouldn¡¯t push yourself too


    hard. All thepany needs to do is transfer your projects to another designer once you leave. It¡¯s


    been done before.¡±


    ¡°I want to finish them. They are my responsibility.¡±


    Seth sighed. ¡°It won¡¯t help if you work yourself to sickness,¡± he told her.


    The door to the ward opened, and a doctor stepped in. Seth stepped aside as he walked over to


    Isabelle¡¯s side.


    ¡°How are you feeling, Isabelle?¡±


    ¡°A little dizzy.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you should feel better soon,¡± he assured her. ¡°You¡¯ve been putting quite the strain on


    yourself, haven¡¯t you?¡± he asked, reaching for the clipboard at the end of her bed.


    ¡°Uh, I¡¯ve been a little busy,¡± she said.


    The doctor smiled faintly. ¡°Well, you need to rx and rest more.¡± His eyes shifted to Seth. ¡°Young


    man, you should not let your wife work too much during this period. It¡¯s not good for her and the baby.¡±


    Another wave of dizziness hit Isabelle. What did he say?


    ¡°I¡¯m not her husband,¡± Seth rified to the doctor.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m so sorry for assuming. Please forgive me.¡±


    ¡°No worries,¡± Seth assured him.


    The doctor turned back to Isabelle. ¡°Should we talk alone?¡±


    She shook her head, still dazed. ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    The doctor blinked. ¡°Do you mean that you were not aware that you were pregnant?¡±


    She shook her head again.


    ¡°ording to your blood test, you are at least a few weeks along,¡± he revealed.


    ¡°Oh,¡± she mumbled. Her head swam as her feeling of dizziness increased. ¡°Can I have some water?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± he said, handing her a ss of water. As she gulped the water, he said, ¡°We need to keep


    you overnight. You should be feeling better in the morning once you¡¯re done with the IV. We¡¯ll run more


    tests in the morning, and then I¡¯d rmend that you see an obstetrician as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°I will,¡± she replied.


    She had no idea what to do. Or what to think.


    She had been prepared to walk away and start a new life. Alone.


    She wasn¡¯t alone anymore.

 Chapter 85 Eighty Five

    Chapter 85 Eighty Five


    After the doctor left, Isabelle convinced Seth that he didn¡¯t need to stay the night. She was safe now,


    and she didn¡¯t want to inconvenience him given that he had work the next day.


    From the look on his face, she could tell that he was deeply worried about her, but he said nothing


    regarding the news her doctor had just delivered.


    He told her that he would be there first thing in the morning to see her. She told him he didn¡¯t need to


    trouble himself, but he insisted.


    Once he was gone, she was finally able to process what the doctor had said. She was pregnant. With


    Jacob¡¯s child. She thought they had taken enough precautions when they slept together, but obviously


    they hadn¡¯t been careful enough. Was it that morning they ditched protection?


    Whatever had happened, it didn¡¯t matter. She ended up pregnant anyway, and that was what she


    needed to think about.


    Whenever Isabelle had thought of having her own family, she had imagined a home with a loving


    husband and happy kids. She wanted her kids to have the parental love and stability she never had.


    cing a palm over her still-t stomach, she knew she couldn¡¯t go on with her ns to quit her job


    and leave the city.


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    Not if she wanted to give her baby the things she had never had.


    Alone, she could leave her job and move to a new city with limited funds and find a way to survive. But


    a baby changed everything.


    She couldn¡¯t just leave her well-paying job and disappear into a strange city when she had a baby


    Jacob also needed to know, since he was the father. Her heart squeezed painfully when she thought


    about him. He had not tried to reach her for the past two weeks. She knew he must hate her and not


    want to see her ever again. But whether he hated her or not, she had to go to him and tell him about


    the baby. If he wanted to be a father to their child, it would be great. But if he did not, she would just


    have to try and give her baby enough love to cater for both parents.


    She already knew what she was going to do the next day. When she went to thepany, she would


    retract her resignation notice. Given that the vice president had asked her to reconsider, she was


    confident that her withdrawal would be granted.


    In the evening, she would go back to the apartment she had shared with Jacob to give him the news.


    She wasn¡¯t sure she was ready to meet him yet, but she didn¡¯t have a choice.


    Once she secured her job and told Jacob the news, she would be able to settle and build her new life,


    although not in a new ce.


    She felt sad that Ruth would never get to see the baby. It wasn¡¯t lost on her that her baby was likely


    conceived on the same day Ruth had passed away. A tear escaped her eye, and she wiped it away.


    Soon after, she fell asleep, her mind quieting to allow her to rest before she had to deal with her new


    reality the next day.


    ***


    Seth showed up to the hospital early the next morning, shortly before the doctor dered Isabelle well


    enough to go home. He gave her instructions on how to avoid fatiguing herself, and then reminded her


    to see an OB.


    She needed to go to her ce to freshen up first, and she told Seth as much, letting him know he could


    just go ahead to work.


    ¡°I¡¯ve taken the morning off,¡± he told her. And then, taking a step towards her, his brow tense, he said,


    ¡°Isabelle, let me take care of you.¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°You¡¯ve done more than enough for me, Seth.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± he said, ¡°what I mean is¡­ I don¡¯t think you should be living so far away from work. Themute


    must be exhausting you daily. Also, I don¡¯t think you should be living alone. Come live with me,


    Isabelle. I¡¯ve been worrying about you since that night, and afterst night, I won¡¯t be at peace until I¡¯m


    certain you are okay. The doctor said you have not been eating well either. Let me take care of you,


    please.¡±


    Isabelle swallowed. That was not what she had thought he meant by taking care of her. ¡°Seth, I¡¯m


    sorry, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s appropriate for me to stay with you.¡±


    ¡°Why not? I know that you are no longer with your husband. You¡¯ll only be staying in my guest room,


    nothing more.¡±


    ¡°And you know that I cannot reciprocate your feelings,¡± she said, bringing to the open the one thing that


    was so present but nobody mentioned. ¡°I know you are doing all this for me because you still have


    feelings for me, but I can never reciprocate them. So don¡¯t worry about me. I¡¯ve decided to keep my


    job, so I won¡¯t need to overwork any more. Soon, I¡¯ll be able to find a ce near work. Please don¡¯t


    trouble yourself with my issues anymore.¡±


    Seth raked a hand through his hair and paced, a pained expression on his face. ¡°I¡¯m not doing this to


    get you to fall in love with me, Isabelle.¡±


    ¡°Can you say that you do not hope for it?¡±


    He swallowed and said nothing.


    ¡°You are a good friend to me, Seth, but I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t let you keep doing such favours for me. I don¡¯t


    feel good knowing all I¡¯m doing in return is hurting your feelings.¡±


    ¡°You are not hurting my feelings, Isabelle. I only care about your happiness.¡±


    She didn¡¯t know what else to say. How could he say he was not hurting when he desired her love and


    she couldn¡¯t give it?


    ¡°You were so determined to leave. Are you staying because of the baby?¡± he asked, changing the


    direction of the conversation.


    She nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Why did you want to leave in the first ce? Was it to get away from your husband?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t¨C¡±


    He took her hands in his and stared into her eyes earnestly. ¡°Please, Isabelle. Tell me. If he is a danger


    to you, and you need to leave, I can help you.¡±


    ¡°He is not,¡± she told him. ¡°It¡¯s true I wanted to get away from him, but only because I wanted to start a


    new life. I can¡¯t do that now because I have to think of the baby.¡±


    ¡°You can,¡± he told her.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Move away with me.¡±


    Isabelle blinked. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t give me an answer right now. Think about it, okay? If this ce is not good for you, you don¡¯t


    need to stay. I¡¯ll move with you, and I¡¯ll take care of you and the baby. I mean it, Isabelle.¡±


    ¡°Seth, I can¡¯t¨C¡±


    ¡°Think about it,¡± he repeated. ¡°Please.¡±


    She nodded, even though she knew she would have to be crazy to move with Seth Holding. ¡°Okay.¡±

 Chapter 86 Eighty Six

    Chapter 86 Eighty Six


    When Isabelle left her hospital room apanied by Seth, Naomi appeared from behind the corner


    she was hiding in.


    She watched the backs of the two as they left, unaware that she had been at the door while they


    talked, and she had heard everything.


    Isabelle was pregnant with Jacob¡¯s child? Naomi clenched her teeth and huffed. She was going to do


    everything she could to make sure that her adoptive sister left the city as soon as she could. Before


    Jacob woke up, and before Isabelle found out Jacob was actually Logan Larson.


    Naomi wasn¡¯t going to let her win this time. She was the one who was supposed to marry Jacob in the


    first ce. And now that she knew his real worth, she wasn¡¯t going to let her stupid adoptive sister keep


    him. If Jacob woke up and found out about the baby¡­


    She shook her head. That couldn¡¯t happen. She wanted Isabelle out of his lifepletely. When he


    woke up, she would be nowhere to be found. Once Naomi let him know that his wife had eloped with


    another man, it would be game over.


    Turning away, she headed towards the VIP hospital wing where she knew she would find Jacob Garcia.


    Since that day she had discovered that her sister¡¯s husband was actually a billionaire and not the poor


    man he presented himself to be, she had been looking for a way to get close to him.


    But it was as if all of a sudden, he had disappeared into thin air. He hadn¡¯t even made any threats to


    her parents concerning their deception. They had been apprehensive for days, with Francis even trying


    to have a meeting with the Garcia family to apologise. But they had informed him that Jacob was on


    important business abroad, and they could meet when he got back.


    Naomi had begun working on finding the exact whereabouts of Jacob. That was when one of her rich


    friends mentioned that the owner of the Larson Group was in an ident, but thepany was


    keeping it under wraps. She had received that information the previous night.


    When she woke up in the morning, she headed to the Larson hospital to see for herself. Running into


    Isabelle had been total coincidence, and she felt that luck was on her side.


    Now that she knew Isabelle had been nning to quit her job and leave the city, she was going to


    make sure that she stuck to her n.


    When Naomi got off the elevator on the VIP wing, she noticed that the nurses¡¯ station was empty, and


    she walked right past it as quickly as she could. She came across one of the private wards, but the


    name on the door wasn¡¯t Jacob¡¯s.


    She hurried to the other one, but before she could check, one of the doors opened and a nurse


    appeared. Naomi was barely able to duck into a hallway branching off the main corridor before the


    woman saw her. She pressed her back to the wall and remained still. There were two voices, a man


    and a woman. If she remained still and didn¡¯t make a sound, they would walk right past her.


    ¡°I expect Mr. Garcia will wake up very soon,¡± the man said. ¡°Keep me informed about any changes,


    Melinda. As soon as they happen. His vitals are stable, and his scans look good. I want to keep it that


    way.¡±


    ¡°Of course, doctor.¡±


    The two walked past and didn¡¯t notice her. She didn¡¯t have time to think. Before they got to the nurses¡¯


    station and the nurse got behind the desk which would allow her to see down the hallway, Naomi


    slipped out of her heeled shoes and tiptoed out of her hiding ce.


    She hurried to the door the two had appeared from and turned the handle. It gave, and she opened it


    quickly and slipped into the room. She closed the door quietly and stood there, holding her breath and


    listening. Nothing. They hadn¡¯t seen her.


    Sighing, she finally took a look towards the bed in the room.


    Lying there was Jacob Garcia.


    All hers for the taking.


    ***


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    That evening, Isabelle made her way to the apartment building where she and Jacob had lived. She


    was extremely nervous, but there was no going back.


    She had already withdrawn her resignation notice. The only thing that remained was to see Jacob,


    finally apologise to his face, and then let him know they were going to be parents.


    She had spent the entire day preparing herself for his reaction. That didn¡¯t make her any less


    apprehensive.


    She had brought her key, but when she got to the door, she rang the bell and waited. It went


    unanswered, so she tried again. When it still went unanswered, she realised he probably wasn¡¯t home


    yet. Inserting her key into the lock¨Chalf expecting it not to work¨Cshe opened the door and slipped


    inside.


    She exchanged her shoes for slippers at the entrance and then walked into the living room. The ce


    was quiet. And stuffy. She called out his name, but there was no answer. She frowned when she


    noticed a film of dust on the dining table. Running her finger on it, it came away dirty.


    She walked into the kitchen. She gasped when she saw that the dirty dishes were as they had been the


    That morning, after spending a good portion of it in bed, they had to hurry through breakfast and leave


    for work. They hadn¡¯t had time to clean the dishes, so they had postponed the task for when they got


    back in the evening. But by evening, everything had changed. She hade back to the house to get


    her stuff and left as quickly as possible.


    She was surprised to see that Jacob hadn¡¯t cleaned the dishes yet. Why? The dust buildup in the living


    room¡­ Had he not been back to the apartment at all?


    Swallowing, she went to the bedrooms. First she went into hers. It was exactly like she had left it when


    she came to get her clothes. She turned to his. It looked the way it had that morning. She checked his


    closet, and his clothes were still there.


    A sick feeling rose in her stomach. Why hadn¡¯t he been back? Was he so mad at her that he didn¡¯t


    want toe back to the ce they had lived together? But wouldn¡¯t he at least take some of his


    clothes?


    What if something bad¡­ No. She shook her head and got rid of that thought. He was okay. She


    understood him not wanting to be in this space.


    She herself had wanted to run away from the city because of what she had done. How much more


    would he, who was hurt by her deception, want to stay away from any reminder of her?


    She dabbed at a stray tear and walked out of his room and back to the kitchen. cing her bag on the


    table, she removed her jacket and rolled her blouse sleeves. She could at least clean the dishes while


    she was here. Later, she would try to call him.


    She was almost done with the dishes when her phone pinged with a new message. She dried her


    hands on a towel and reached for it.


    She was surprised to see it was a message from Naomi. Her sister hadn¡¯t tried contacting her since the


    day Ruth passed. Isabelle also hadn¡¯t heard from her adoptive parents. She knew that if Jacob went


    after them for lying to him, they would look for her. From their silence, she had decided that Jacob


    hadn¡¯t sought them out yet.


    Her heart hammered as she unlocked her phone to check Naomi¡¯s text. Had Jacob finally contacted


    the Cruzes?


    The moment she opened Noami¡¯s message, her heart skipped a beat.


    She staggered backwards, reaching back into the counter for support. Her mouth went dry while her


    eyes watered as she looked at the picture her sister had sent her.


    It was a picture of Naomi and Jacob. They were lying together in what looked like a hotel bed. Naomi¡¯s


    fingers were syed under her chin, a diamond ring on her ring finger.


    Isabelle¡¯s diamond ring.


    Another message arrived, appearing below the picture.


    ¡®Deal sealed. He was meant to be mine from the beginning, and now I get to keep him. The Garcias


    and Cruzes are now finally one family, as it was meant to be. Let me show you how to keep a man, sis.


    Ciao, See you never.


    P.S.: Mum wants you to drop our family name. You were never part of our family, and you¡¯ll never be.''

 Chapter 87 Eighty Seven

    Chapter 87 Eighty Seven


    Isabelle had thought she knew what heartbreak felt like. But even when she had caught her ex in bed


    with her sister, it hadn¡¯t hurt this way. Not even close.


    All of a sudden, sitting at the kitchen table with her shoulders drooped and her sobbing face in her


    hands, she realised the true extent of her feelings for Jacob.


    All along, she had held her feelings for him back because she had known she was lying to him. She


    hadn¡¯t allowed herself to take a moment to feel their depth. Now¡­they hit her like a tornado.


    She was in love with her pretend husband.


    But it didn¡¯t matter, because she had lost him.


    She had known from the beginning he didn¡¯t belong to her. She had known a day woulde when


    her deception woulde between them. And, she had known she would hate hurting him. But she


    hadn¡¯t thought she would be left with a broken heart.


    She squeezed her eyes shut as an image of the photo Naomi had sent her shuttled through her mind¡¯s


    eye. She couldn¡¯t stand it. She couldn¡¯t bear the thought of seeing him with her sister.


    The one man who had shown her so much care, with the woman who hated her more than anything in


    the world? It was too bitter a pill to swallow. Too much. She had to leave.


    Go away, forget about them. If she stayed, she didn¡¯t know how she could have a peace of mind.


    Heavens only knew what Naomi would do if she found out Isabelle was carrying Jacob¡¯s child.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, baby,¡± she whispered softly, pressing her palm to her stomach. ¡°I think it has to be just you


    and me. Don¡¯t worry, mama will work hard. As long as we are happy.¡±


    She had lost Ruth, who had felt close to her like a real family. But she wasn¡¯t alone anymore. Now she


    had her baby. Her real family. Who would never desert her. They would always have each other.


    Breathing shakily, she rose from her seat and went to the bathroom. It was alreadyte. She had to go


    back to her ce. Then she had to start thinking about what to do once again. She wished she hadn¡¯t


    withdrawn her resignation earlier that day. She should have waited until she found out what Jacob¡¯s


    reaction was. But now, it didn¡¯t matter, did it?


    When she went back to the kitchen, she found that she had a missed call from Seth. There was also a


    message alerting her that she had a voicemail. Sitting down, she dialled to listen to the message.


    ¡®Hello, Isabelle. Did you get home safely? Have you eaten? About what I told you about in the


    morning¡­about moving with me, I wanted to tell you that thepany is opening a new office in X city.


    I¡¯ve been offered a promotion to be the COO over there. So I have to move. If you felt like you¡¯d


    be troubling me by epting my offer¡­just know I¡¯m moving soon anyway, so it won¡¯t be any trouble


    to me at all. Isabelle¡­I just want you to be happy. I¡¯m also choosing a team of five to take with me. I


    can help you get a transfer so you can keep your job. I understand if you want to stay close to the


    baby¡¯s father. Just¡­please think about it, Isabelle. I won¡¯t bother you about this issue again.


    Goodnight.¡¯


    Isabelle swallowed as Seth¡¯s message ended. She had promised herself to not take advantage of his


    concern for her.


    But if she could get a transfer, even if through his assistance, then she could start a new life in a new


    city without having to depend on anyone. Without having to put her baby through unnecessary struggle.


    Taking a deep breath, she typed a message in response.


    ***


    After sixteen days in aa, Jacob opened his eyes. Kevin was sitting on a sofa in the private ward,


    flipping through a business magazine when his boss¡¯s scratchy voice reached him.


    ¡°Isa¡­Be?¡±


    Kevin shot to his feet, the magazine tumbling from his hands. He rushed to Jacob¡¯s bedside and


    couldn¡¯t believe it when he found the man looking back at him. Looking, and talking.


    ¡°Where is Isabelle?¡±


    Talking and formingplete sentences.


    ¡°Sir, I¡¯ll¡­I¡¯ll call the nurse right away.¡± He proceeded to press the call button. ¡°Please sir, don¡¯t move,¡±


    he said frantically as Jacob tried to get up.


    The door opened and the nurse rushed in. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± Before he could answer, she saw


    that Jacob was up and trying to move. ¡°Oh my God, you are awake. Perfect. I¡¯ll get the doctor right


    away,¡± she said, taking out a pager. ¡°While he gets here, please tell me how you are feeling, sir.¡±


    Kevin stepped back as the nurse got busy asking questions and checking Jacob¡¯s monitor. But even as


    he moved back, Jacob¡¯s eyes followed him. ¡°What are you doing here, Kevin? I asked you to keep an


    eye on Isabelle.¡±


    Kevin wondered whether he knew he had been in aa for over two weeks.


    ¡°Your reflexes are good,¡± the nursemented, ¡°that¡¯s good. That¡¯s very good.¡±


    ¡°Can you get this thing off my arm?¡± Jacob asked, fiddling with the IV line stuck in his vein. ¡°I need to


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    go. Get the car ready, Kevin.¡±


    ¡°No sir, you cannot leave. You had a traumatic brain injury and have been unconscious for two weeks.


    We need to monitor you closely and ensure that you¡¯re fully recovered. You might also need


    physiotherapy before¨C¡±


    ¡°I feel fine,¡± Jacob imed. And then he paused. ¡°Did you say two weeks?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    Jacob¡¯s gaze went back to his assistant. ¡°I¡¯ve been here for two weeks?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir. You crashed your car that night on your way home.¡±


    Jacob frowned and shook his head. ¡°You mean it¡¯s¡­it¡¯s been¡­¡± He made a fresh effort to leave the


    bed. ¡°Is Isabelle still at the apartment? She didn¡¯t run away, did she?¡±


    The nurse tried to keep him from leaving the bed. ¡°Sir, please wait for the doctor. He¡¯ll be here in a


    minute.¡±


    Just then, the door opened and the doctor rushed in. His eyes went straight to Jacob, and relief


    washed over his face.


    While the doctor and nurse convinced Jacob that leaving his hospital bed soon after waking up from a


    Jason arrived a few minutester, and Jacob instantly asked about Isabelle¡¯s whereabouts. ¡°Is she


    Jason, who had received information the previous day that Isabelle had cancelled her resignation


    notice, assured him that she was still around.


    ¡°I have to see her,¡± Jacob said.


    ¡°And you will,¡± Jason assured him. ¡°Soon after you get discharged. Listen to the doctor and don¡¯t do


    anything to jeopardise your recovery. Do you know how lucky you are? What the fuck were you


    thinking, running a red light?¡±


    ¡°You can get lost if you came here to lecture me,¡± Jacob said. He looked away, a faraway look on his


    face. ¡°I thought I was never going to see her again.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t tell her about your true identity. Why?¡±


    ¡°Something came up.¡±


    ¡°Why did she give back her ring?¡± He wasn¡¯t going to mention that Isabelle had wanted to leave the


    city. Not now.


    Jacob looked back at Jason. ¡°Why are you¡­wait. Where¡¯s the ring? Did they find it? I had it in the car.¡±


    ¡°Right here,¡± Jason said, opening a drawer on the bedside cabin and reaching inside for the ring. He


    frowned when he didn¡¯t see it. ¡°Wait. Where is it?¡±


    Kevin moved in to peek into the drawer too.


    ¡°You kept a million dor diamond ring in a hospital ward bedside cabin?¡± Jacob asked, exasperated.


    ¡°Sir, I assure you that none of the staff would dare touch your personal belongings,¡± the nurse said,


    looking worried. ¡°Please check well, sir,¡± she asked Jason.


    Jason shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s really missing.¡±


    ¡°I apologise, sir. I¡¯ll notify the matron right away and we¡¯ll do whatever it takes to get it back.¡±


    ¡°Please do so,¡± Jason told her, leading her away from Jacob before his nasty temper showed up and


    the sweet nurse suffered. ¡°Mr. Garcia would not like it if there were unscrupulous staff at the hospital


    who were bold enough to steal from him.¡±


    As the nurse left, the hospital director appeared at the door and walked in. Jacob sighed, getting ready


    for a round of boot licking. All he wanted was to see Isabelle.

 Chapter 88 Eighty Eight

    Chapter 88 Eighty Eight


    Jacob spent the next two days in the hospital and left on Monday. They were the longest two days of


    his life, and only Jason giving him multiple updates per day about Isabelle¡¯s whereabouts kept him from


    saying damn it all and leaving against the doctor¡¯s advice.


    He left the hospital in Jason¡¯spany, with Kevin driving them. It was only a few minutes¡¯ ride to the


    Jacob looked at his watch. It was twenty minutes to nine o¡¯clock. He knew for a fact that Isabelle was


    already at work because Jason had her department director report to him the moment she showed up.


    He exhaled heavily. He couldn¡¯t wait to see her face¡­hear her voice¡­hold her¡­


    If she would let him.


    He tapped his fingers on his thigh rapidly. The memory of that day at the hospital shed through his


    mind. How she had run away from him, and the usations her sister had made.


    The fingers on hisp curled into a fist. He refused to believe it. His sweet Isabelle would never¡­ He


    exhaled heavily. Even if it was true that she had lied to him, he believed she would have a good


    reason.


    He had misjudged her several times before, but he now knew one thing for sure. She would never lie to


    him out of malicious intent.


    Her sister said she was adopted. He knew first-hand how cruelly some families could treat step


    children, leave alone adopted ones. He had been even worse than a step-child. He had been the


    illegitimate step-child.


    His mother, Magdalene, had started off as his father¡¯s assistant as he ran the Garcia family business.


    Then they got into a romantic rtionship. His father, Arturo Garcia, started involving her deeply in the


    business. Eventually, she became such an integral part of the business that she could as well as have


    been part of the family.


    At one time, the business got into a financial crisis, and they would have lost their generations-worth of


    wealth if Magdalene had not negotiated for a financial boost from the Cruz family.


    That was when the marriage pact happened. The pact was the Cruzes'' condition, seeking an


    opportunity to mix bloodlines with an old money family. His mother had agreed, seeing as Garcia''s


    entire wealth was at stake if they didn¡¯t get a boost soon.


    With the Cruzes¡¯ help, the Garcia¡¯s business survived their rough patch. The ending wasn¡¯t as happy


    for Magdalene. Shortly after that, she became pregnant with Jacob. She and Arturo hadn¡¯t gotten


    married yet, so they started nning their wedding.


    And then overnight, everything changed. Arturo broke the news that he couldn¡¯t marry her, as his family


    didn¡¯t approve of her background. His family matched him with a simrly wealthy heiress, and he went


    along with their wishes.


    That was how Jacob ended up as the illegitimate eldest son of the Garcia family, betrothed before birth


    to the eldest daughter of the Cruzes.


    Even after Arturo¡¯s betrayal, Magdalene never forgot that the Cruzes came to their help at a desperate


    time. When she fell ill, she talked to him about the pact between the two families, and said it would be


    important to her that they showed their gratitude by sticking to their promise.


    Jacob was a hotheaded teenager then, and he didn¡¯t like it. If it was anyone but his beloved mother


    asking, he never would have agreed.


    He asked whether they couldn¡¯t just repay the Cruzes in money, but she exined it was the marriage


    connection that was important to them. He promised her he would not break her promise to them.


    When the time got nearer for the marriage arrangement to be fulfilled, Jacob gathered information


    about the Cruzes¡¯ eldest daughter. Who knew, maybe he would end up liking her.


    But the reports he got back left him with a bad taste in his mouth. And that was when he figured while


    he wasn¡¯t going to dishonour his mother¡¯s memory by breaking her promise, whether the woman


    stayed married to him was another matter entirely.


    Back when his mother passed away, he had to live with his father¡¯s family and his stepmother. It was


    no secret that he was not wee. And not just in the family, but also in the family business.


    The Garcias sidelining him helped with his efforts to make himself seem like the worst husband


    candidate ever to his arranged bride.


    Everybody who knew anything about the eldest son of the Garcia family knew he wasn¡¯t promising.


    He didn¡¯t have any sway in the corporate world. He waszy and reckless and lived on his father¡¯s


    wealth.


    Wealth that would one day trickle to his younger half-siblings, the Garcias¡¯ legitimate children. Even if


    he got some inheritance¨Cand his stepmother would do everything she could to lock him out¨Che would


    end up blowing it all on alcohol and women.


    Definitely not the ideal groom to look for if you wanted to join a wealthy family. His father hadn¡¯t even


    listed him in the Garcias¡¯ family registry.


    Knowing what he knew about Naomi¡¯s character¨Cnow he could finally attribute everything he had heard


    to the right woman¨Che knew she wouldn¡¯t want to go ahead with the marriage.


    For some reason he couldn¡¯t fathom, the Cruzes never cancelled the pact even when he proved to be a


    useless future son-inw. Who knew, maybe the fact that he was, after all, a biological son of the


    Garcia family was enough to them.


    Also, the Cruzes¡¯ businesses weren¡¯t as robust as they used to be. A connection with the Garcia family,


    even through their illegitimate son, would surely help.


    He had himself witnessed Isabelle¡¯s adoptive mother and sister throwing her out of the house. He


    wouldn¡¯t put it past them to have exploited her into the marriage.


    That way, they could kill two birds with one stone¨Csave their precious daughter from a marriage to a


    useless man, but also have one foot into the Garcia family through their adopted daughter.


    And then there was that woman who had passed away that day. She was obviously very important to


    Isabelle.


    Naomi had imed her parents couldn¡¯t afford to foot her medical bill, so Isabelle came after him for


    money. Sure, the Cruzes¡¯ business wasn¡¯t what it used to be, but he doubted they were that badly off.


    The sooner he solved the entire puzzle, the sooner he could sort things out with Isabelle.


    ¡°Jason?¡± he called just as Kevin pulled up to the front of the Larson Group Building.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I want you to look into the Cruz family businesses. I want to know everything about how each one of


    them is doing.¡±


    ¡°You got it.¡±


    Kevin came around to open his door, and he stepped out. Jason joined him from the other side.


    Side by side, they walked into the building. They were crossing the lobby to the elevator when


    someone grabbed Jacob¡¯s shoulder and tugged forcefully.


    Jacob turned around to find himself face to face with that college senior of Isabelle¡¯s. He was ring at


    him with pure anger in his eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s really you! What are you doing here?¡± the man demanded.

 Chapter 89 Eighty Nine

    Chapter 89 Eighty Nine


    Jacob brushed Seth¡¯s hand off his shoulder, irritated. ¡°Is that any of your business?¡±


    ¡°It is,¡± Seth said, getting in his face. ¡°If you¡¯vee to cause trouble at her work.¡±


    Jacob narrowed his eyes. What did this man know? He had been civil enough during that dinner. Why


    did he look ready to give him a beating?


    ¡°If you must know,¡± he told him tly, ¡°I¡¯m here to get my wife. Why, do you have a problem with that?¡±


    Seth pointed a finger in his face. ¡°You¡¯ll not get anywhere near her.¡±


    Jason stepped towards Seth and pulled him back, about to warn him to watch his mouth if he still


    wanted to keep his job.


    Seth beat him to it. ¡°Do you know this asshole, Jason?¡±


    ¡°Shut up, idiot!¡± Jason seethed, standing directly between the two men. ¡°What do you think you are


    doing?¡±


    Seth indicated Jacob. ¡°Call security to throw this man out.¡±


    ¡°Why would he do that?¡± Jacob asked, stepping closer and putting a hand on Jason¡¯s shoulder to push


    him aside.


    ¡°She ran away from you so you came to cause trouble at her work?¡± Seth posed,ughing bitterly.


    ¡°God, I should have known she was covering up for you when she said you weren¡¯t dangerous. What


    kind of psychopath throws his wife out in an oing storm? And now you are here to stalk her at


    work! You should have treated her better if you didn¡¯t want her to leave you.¡±


    ¡°Shut up right now, Seth Holding!¡± Jason seethed again, trying to get in between them, but Jacob


    pushed him to the side again. ¡°If you wish to keep your job,¡± he managed to add in before Jacob got all


    in the other man¡¯s face.


    All content is ? N0velDrama.Org.


    ¡°What the fuck are you talking about?¡± Jacob demanded. Dangerous? He was dangerous to Isabelle?


    And when the fuck had he¨C It didn¡¯t matter. All that mattered was somehow, this asshole seemed to


    have gotten close to Isabelle while he was in hospital. So close that he knew that Isabelle wanted to


    leave him.


    Seth¡¯s nce shifted to Jason. ¡°Jason, I¡¯m telling you¨C¡±


    Jacob cut him off by grabbing the front of his shirt and pulling him closer. ¡°What did you do to my wife?¡±


    ¡°Stay away from her,¡± Seth told him. ¡°She doesn¡¯t want to see you ever again.¡±


    Jacob clenched his jaw. ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°She ising with me,¡± Seh announced.


    ¡°What?¡± Jacob now grabbed him by both hands. The rage running in his veins was awakening a


    headache. He should have known it. From the moment he first saw the man with Isabelle, he had


    known his true intentions towards her. He must havee across Isabelle at her lowest that day and


    taken advantage of her. ¡°I swear if youid a finger on Isabelle, I¡¯ll kill you.¡±


    Seth scoffed and pushed him back with all his might. Jacob¡¯s hold on his shirtfront didn¡¯t give, and


    Seth¡¯s momentum sent the two men down to the floor. Seth was on top, and he quickly got in a punch


    to Jacob¡¯s jaw.


    Jacob growled and grabbed his shoulders, ready to switch positions and start pummelling the living


    daylights out of his face. But Jason grabbed the other man quickly, hooking his arms below his and


    dragging him away from Jacob.


    ¡°Call security and get rid of this man,¡± Seth demanded through angry breaths.


    ¡°He is your fucking boss, idiot!¡±


    Seth blinked at Jason. ¡°What?¡±


    Jason cursed and pinched his nose. ¡°Just don¡¯t do anything else stupid. You¡¯ll be lucky to still have a


    job after this.¡±


    Jason turned to Jacob, who was getting up from the floor. But then he noticed a few employees


    standing around, smartphones out and recording. Damn it! More job-losing candidates.


    Turning away from Jacob, who seemed to have taken the fall well, he approached the nearest phone-


    wielding enthusiast. ¡°Give me your phone.¡±


    She looked at him with wide eyes. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Your phone,¡± he said, snatching it right out of her hands. Before she could protest, he moved on to the


    next person. ¡°And you.¡±


    The second person tried to put his phone away, but Jason snatched it too.


    ¡°You can¡¯t do that!¡± the man shouted.


    ¡°Choose,¡± Jason said, holding the phone out. ¡°This, or your job?¡±


    The man swallowed.


    Jason turned to the rest of the audience. He pointed to the security cameras. ¡°If you¡¯ve taken a video,


    don¡¯t let me find out through the surveince footage. Hand your phone over, and thene to the


    security office, where we¡¯ll delete your videos one by one and you can get your phones back. Be


    quick.¡±


    A murmur rose among the onlookers.


    Jason sighed. ¡°Guys, I¡¯m saving you all from a contract breach. Do you ever read those papers before


    signing them? You can keep your video if you want, and go ahead and share it, and then we¡¯ll see you


    in court. Good luck with that. The Larson Group has never lost awsuit.¡±


    He started towards the elevator and beckoned to the two owners of the phones he had confiscated.


    ¡°You two,e.¡±


    Suddenly, he was bombarded with a group of five people holding their phones out.


    ¡°Here, sir.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir.¡±


    ¡°Take it, sir.¡±


    He epted the gadgets, a smug smile on his face, and then he pointed them towards the elevator. ¡°I¡¯ll


    see all of you in the security office in a minute.¡±


    As the group shuffled towards the elevators, he went back to Jacob. Seth still stood nearby, looking


    confused but not as eager to punch anyone as he was a minute ago.


    Jacob was brushing creases out of his coat sleeves, looking unbothered. ¡°I¡¯ll leave you to fix this


    mess,¡± he told Jason when he came back to him, ¡°I have a wife to find.¡±


    Then he turned away, heading for the executive elevator. The crowd of workers waiting to get into the


    other elevator gawked openly from the moment he stepped into the elevator until the doors closed.


    He took deep breaths as he watched the car lift towards Isabelle¡¯s floor. What was that asshole talking


    about? Isabelle was going with him? Where? Had she told him she never wanted to see Jacob again?


    He clenched his jaw. Jason would have told him if she nned to leave her job.


    He was so done being in the dark about whatever was going on with her. If she thought she could get


    away from him without giving an exnation for anything, she had another thoughting.


    The elevator doors opened on her floor, and he strode down the hall towards Isabelle¡¯s department. He


    stopped at the door, did a sweep of the ce, and spotted her desk right away. She was working, her


    head bent as she typed something on herputer.


    Most of her coworkers noticed him as he walked over to her, but she was so focused on what she was


    doing that she didn¡¯t even look up when the whispers started.


    Until he stood at her desk and ced his hand right beside her keyboard. ¡°Isabelle?¡±


    She looked up, her brown eyes widening in shock. ¡°Jacob?¡± She looked around, as if to ascertain that


    she was indeed still at work. ¡°Jacob? What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°Come with me,¡± he told her, fighting the urge to take her in his arms right there and then. But she not


    only looked shocked, but a little terrified and nervous.


    She shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¨C I¡­I don¡¯t want to.¡±


    He leaned in, bringing his face right in front of hers. ¡°Come with me, Isabelle, or I¡¯m going to throw you


    over my shoulder right in front of all these people and take you away.¡±


    She swallowed and nodded quickly. ¡°Okay. Fine.¡±


    He noticed how her fingers trembled as she put her things away and grabbed her purse before rising to


    her feet. She cast a nervous nce at her watching colleagues and then walked past him. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    He frowned as he went after her. What was she so terrified of him for? Did she think he was going to do


    something bad to her because she had lied?

 Chapter 90 Ninety

    Chapter 90 Ny


    Isabelle couldn¡¯t stop her body from trembling as she hurried to the elevator and pressed the call


    button. What was he doing here? Why had hee to look for her at her work? He was already with


    Naomi. Was that not enough to get back at her for lying?


    Jacob walked past her and pressed the call button for the executive elevator.


    ¡°We can¡¯t use that one,¡± she told him.


    ¡°We can,¡± he said as the doors opened. He reached for her arm, wrapped his fingers firmly around her,


    and pulled her into the elevator with him. He pressed the button for the executive floor.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± she asked, attempting to free her arm from his grip.


    ¡°We¡¯ll talk in my office,¡± he said, setting a steely gaze on the closed doors.


    ¡°Office? What are you talking about?¡±


    A small part of her was convinced she was dreaming. Or hallucinating. None of this made any sense.


    She knew Jacob was bold, but this was pushing it. He couldn¡¯t juste to herpany and do


    whatever he wished.


    He looked down at her, one brow dipped. ¡°I guess your sister kept it to herself, huh?¡±


    At the mention of Naomi, Isabelle jerked her arm from his grip forcefully and stepped away from him,


    until her shoulder bumped into the side of the elevator. ¡°Look, whatever is going on between you and


    her¡­I won¡¯te between. I¡¯m leaving. Let¡¯s process the divorce papers as soon as possible and I¡¯ll


    be out of your lives.¡±


    That headache that had started at the lobby made aeback. What the fuck was she talking about?


    She had him so twisted he couldn¡¯t think straight.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± he demanded.


    ¡°She sent me a picture,¡± she replied.


    ¡°What picture?¡±


    ¡°Of you two.¡±


    ¡°We two? Me and¡­me and your sister?¡± He pressed his fingertips to his temple and took a deep


    breath. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. What exactly are you using me of, Isabelle? I¡¯ve


    never taken a picture with that woman.¡±


    ¡°Well, you were asleep when she took it, so you wouldn¡¯t know,¡± she replied, her tone scathing.


    As he stared back into her angry eyes¨Cthe fear and nerves were all gone¨Cthe pieces slid into ce.


    Naomi had taken a picture of him while he was sleeping. Naomi, who had been seen slipping in and


    out of his hospital room when they checked the security footage while looking for the diamond ring


    thief.


    Was that when¡­


    His eyes narrowed. ¡°What kind of picture was that?¡±


    Isabelle huffed and then reached into her bag. She retrieved her phone, unlocked the screen, tapped a


    few times, and shoved the screen in his face. ¡°This picture.¡±


    Jacob frowned as he took it in. And then he read the message below it. Well, now Isabelle¡¯s anger


    made sense.


    And he now knew for certain that Naomi was the thief who made away with the ring. Since there


    weren''t any cameras inside his ward, there hadn¡¯t been proof that she was the one who had taken the


    ring.


    So he had instructed Kevin to monitor her and report if the ring showed up on the market. They never


    called to ask about her appearance in his hospital room¨Cthey wanted her to believe she had gotten


    away with it. That way, she wouldn¡¯t be cautious while getting rid of the ring.


    ¡°Is that where you¡¯ve been with her, all this time? I came by the apartment. Were you at a hotel with


    her?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean came by the apartment?¡±


    ¡°I moved out.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Jason hadn¡¯t mentioned that. While reporting about her whereabouts over the weekend, he


    had told him that Isabelle had spent the two days at their apartment and didn¡¯t go anywhere.


    ¡°Why does it matter now? You know I lied, and you¡¯ve decided to be with her. Let¡¯s notplicate this


    any further.¡±


    The doors opened into the lobby of the executive floor. He walked out, but she remained inside the


    elevator.


    ¡°Jacob, I told you¨C¡±


    Sighing, he reached for her hand and pulled her out. The secretary rose to greet him as he passed,


    and Isabelle gawked at her as they went.


    ¡°Jacob, I don¡¯t understand¨C¡±


    He stopped at his office door, swiped his key card, and pushed it open. Isabelle barely caught the sign


    reading ¡®Logan Larson, CEO¡¯ on the door.


    Jacob pulled her into the room, closed the door, and then pushed her against the wood. Her wide


    confused eyes stared back at him. ¡°Jacob, what¨C¡±


    He swooped down and kissed her, cutting off her words. Her gasp got lost between their lips, and he


    managed to get two kisses in before she pushed him away, and then slithered her body beneath his


    arm and escaped to the other side of the room.


    He turned to find her wiping furiously at her lips, as if his kiss had sullied her.


    ¡°What do you want from me, Jacob?¡± she demanded, her brown eyes shing with anger. She looked


    around the office. ¡°And why are we here? Do you know Logan Larson?¡±


    He gently rubbed the heel of his hand on his chest where she had pushed him. He might be out of the


    hospital and moving around, but there were still a few sore areas in his body. ¡°First you tell me, what is


    this I hear about you leaving with that college senior of yours? I get into aa for two weeks and you


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    are already cosying up to another man?¡±


    Her brow puckered. ¡°Coma?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Isabelle. I got into an ident that night while I rushed to see you when my assistant told me you


    got back to our apartment. I left the hospital this morning.¡±


    Her frown deepened, and then she shook her head. She reached out to support herself on the back of


    the sofa nearest to her. ¡°Jacob, I¡­I don¡¯t¡­what are you saying?¡±


    Her anger seemed to have seeped out of her, and she suddenly appeared uncharacteristically pale.


    He stepped closer to her, and his voice softening, said, ¡°I looked all over for you that day. I ran a red


    light and got hit. My head got pretty banged up and I was unconscious for two weeks. First, please, can


    you forget about that photo from your sister? She sneaked into my hospital room and took it, making it


    seem like we were in a hotel. I can show you the surveince footage if you want. I had your ring in the


    room, and she took it.¡±


    Isabelle supported herself on the sofa as she moved around it and took a seat. Her head was


    swimming. Jacob was in an ident? And then aa? And Naomi had lied? And¡­and they were


    currently sitting in Logan Larson¡¯s office? She shut her eyes and took a couple of deep breaths. She


    couldn¡¯t keep up.


    When she opened her eyes, Jacob was standing in front of her, a concerned expression on his face.


    ¡°Isabelle, are you okay? You look sick.¡±


    After everything that had happened, why was he so concerned about her? She had assumed he had


    been calling her that day because he was angry. She never would have thought he looked for her. But


    why? Naomi told him what she did. ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± she whispered. ¡°She told you what I did.¡±


    ¡°And I chose to not believe her and hear it straight from you.¡±


    Oh, so that was it. He still had faith in her. Somehow, he believed that she wasn¡¯t capable of deceiving


    him like that. Just when she thought she couldn¡¯t hurt him anymore. ¡°She was telling the truth,¡± she told


    him.


    ¡°You don¡¯t even know what she told me,¡± he countered.


    She sighed. ¡°I did marry you in her ce so that I could get money to pay for Ruth¡¯s medical bill.¡±


    ¡°From me?¡± he asked, and she looked up at him.


    ¡°What? No. She pretended to be pregnant by another man, so her parents asked me to marry you in


    her stead. They promised to pay Ruth¡¯s bill in return. I was desperate to get that money, so I agreed.¡±


    ¡°And they never paid, did they?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± she replied in a small voice, ¡°they didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°See? That¡¯s not what your sister told me.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°She spun a tale about how you demanded to marry me so that you could get money from me to pay


    for Ruth¡¯s treatment.¡±


    She scoffed. She should have known Naomi would twist the story to paint herself in a good light and


    Isabelle in a bad one. ¡°Rather, she refused to marry you because of the reputation that precedes you.


    Her mother had been begging Francis to cancel the marriage agreement for years to save her from a¡­


    a¡­you know.¡±


    His lips turned up slightly. ¡°From a worthless husband.¡±


    She nodded.


    ¡°And why didn¡¯t Francis cancel the agreement?¡± Jacob asked.


    ¡°Cancel and anger the Garcias?¡±


    ¡°You do know that my family is a hundred times worth more than yours, right? A marriage with the


    Cruzes doesn¡¯t benefit us in any way. We would have happily cancelled the agreement had the Cruzes


    breathed a word of wanting to do so.¡±

 Chapter 91 Ninety One

    Chapter 91 Ny One


    Isabelle frowned. ¡°What was the point of the arrangement, then?¡±


    ¡°It was your adoptive parents who wanted a share of the Garcias¡¯ wealth, fame, and glory. The pact


    was their condition to an old business deal. If they had really wanted to cancel it, I would have obliged


    them in a second.¡±


    ¡°But¡­they were afraid of your wrath. They acted like there was no way out of the arrangement.


    Besides Ruth¡¯s issue, that¡¯s why I agreed¡­they had adopted me and taken care of me. If I could do


    that one thing for them¡­¡± she trailed off and sighed.


    ¡°Then, it appears that your adoptive father was determined to marry one of his daughters into the


    Garcia family,e what may. You happened to be the ideal backup when their eldest imed to be


    pregnant.¡±


    She immediately shook her head. ¡°No, my¡­ Francis would never do that. He¡­in that household, he


    was the only one who treated me decently.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure he wouldn''t? I¡¯m assuming he is the only one who knows the true nature of the marriage


    agreement. If his wife begged him to save their daughter from a horrible husband, why did he not just


    cancel the agreement when he knew he could do it? From the beginning, he wanted one thing. A


    marriage connection to the Garcia family. So he acted like he had no power to break it. Your sister


    forced his hand when she imed to be pregnant, but fortunately for him, you were right there.¡±


    She couldn¡¯t believe it. Francis wouldn¡¯t be so¡­calcting. He treated her like his own daughter. He


    always defended her against Lucy. She shook her head. It couldn¡¯t be. But if what Jacob was saying


    about the marriage agreement was true¡­


    ¡°Trust me, I know a thing or two about how greedy people can get for wealth,¡± Jacob said. ¡°I would say


    the only reason they adopted you was so you could suffice for an instance like that one.¡±


    She felt sick. Her breakfast turned in her stomach and she pressed a palm to her mouth, shooting to


    her feet. ¡°Bathroom,¡± she mumbled through her hand.


    Jacob sprang into action, taking her other hand and leading her to a door on the other side of the room.


    He opened it and brought her inside. She lurched forward and knelt in front of the toilet bowl just as


    everything vacated her stomach.


    He was right behind her, patting her back. ¡°Isabelle, are you sick?¡±


    ¡°I, uh, I must have eaten something bad,¡± she said in between emptying her guts into the bowl. ¡°You


    don¡¯t have to stay.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nowhere else I¡¯d rather be,¡± he said, moving away. ¡°I believe I have some pills here you can


    take to feel better.¡±


    When nothing more but dry heaves came up, she got to her feet and approached the sink. While she


    rinsed her mouth, Jacob rummaged through the cabs. Like he owned the ce.


    ¡°I¡­I¡¯m not sure I can take that,¡± she told him when he presented her with a pill bottle.


    He frowned and looked down at the bottlebel. ¡°Why not? Are you allergic? This can settle your


    stomach in a few minutes.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be alright now that I¡¯ve let it out,¡± she told him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me.¡±


    ¡°What did you eat in the first ce? And where are you living? Why did you leave our apartment?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you mad that I lied to you?¡± she asked.


    ¡°The only reason marrying the Cruzes¡¯ eldest daughter meant anything to me was because of my


    mother. I never wanted to get married to Naomi in the first ce. Not after everything I heard about her.


    So no, I¡¯m not mad that your family cheated me out of marrying her.¡± He ced the bottle of pills on the


    counter and reached for her hand. ¡°I count it as a blessing in disguise. I got to meet you.¡±


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    She didn¡¯t know what to say. She had thought¡­ Damn what she had thought. It had all been far from


    the truth.


    ¡°I wish you had told me about Ruth,¡± he said softly. ¡°I would have moved her to a better hospital and


    gotten her the treatment she needed right away.¡±


    Her eyes stung with tears, and she blinked rapidly. ¡°I could never¡­ Not while lying to you¨C¡±


    ¡°I know. But do you know,¡± he said, ¡°even if what your sister said was true, if you had really had your


    eyes set on my money? I would have done it, and never regretted it.¡±


    She searched his eyes in confusion. ¡°What?¡±


    He sighed dramatically. ¡°Seriously, Isabelle. Can¡¯t you tell how madly in love I am with you? I wouldn¡¯t


    mind if you wanted to spend my entire fortune. As long as I get to be with you.¡±


    ¡°Jacob¨C¡±


    He pressed a finger to her lips. ¡°I have something to confess, too. I was going to tell you that day, but


    then your stupid sister ruined everything.¡±


    ¡°Tell me what?¡±


    Still holding her hand, he brought her back to the office. He urged her to take a seat on the sofa and sat


    down beside her.


    ¡°This might offend you,¡± he began. ¡°But I want you to know I only did it because I thought I was


    marrying Naomi and wanted her to divorce me as quickly as possible.¡±


    Isabelle frowned. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°After things changed between us, I was going to tell you. I didn¡¯t want to keep any more secrets from


    you.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    He pressed a hand to his chest. ¡°I am Logan Larson.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    He gestured to the office. ¡°This is my office. And, well, thispany too.¡±


    Isabelle shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t understand. You are Jacob Garcia.¡±


    ¡°Logan Larson is an alias I formed to start a business outside my family¡¯s sphere of influence. My


    family and I¡­ We don¡¯t get along. I¡¯m not involved in the family business. I built my own.¡±


    ¡°What? But you¡­you are the eldest son, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but illegitimate. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard of that.¡±


    She swallowed. ¡°Yes, but¡­how can you be¡­ Jacob, is this a joke? I know you know a lot of people in


    many ces, and you¡­¡± She shot to her feet and paced. ¡°Is this like how you would get ess to all


    those fake jewellery that looked so real? You¨C¡±


    ¡°None of them were fake,¡± he interrupted.


    ¡°You¨Cwhat?¡±


    ¡°None of them were fake, and, our apartment? I pay three thousand, not three hundred bucks, for it.¡±


    He rose to his feet and shoved his hands in his pockets. ¡°But most importantly, I want you to know,


    once and for all, that I¡¯m the one who has been helping you here at thepany. From the beginning.


    Not Jason, and definitely not that stupid college senior of yours. Speaking of which,¡± he said, his face


    suddenly darkening as he leaned down to get close to her face. ¡°What have you and that man been up


    to while I was fighting for my life, Isabelle?¡±

 Chapter 92 Ninety Two

    Chapter 92 Ny Two


    Isabelle swallowed nervously and took a step back. ¡°I¡­we¨C¡±


    ¡°We?¡± he interrupted, his gaze hardening. ¡°Are you two a couple now?¡±


    ¡°Let me exin,¡± she told him, lifting a hand to slow him down. ¡°I left the apartment that night. I didn¡¯t


    know there was a storming, and that the bus services had been suspended. He saw me at the bus


    stop.¡±


    When she stopped, he arched an eyebrow and asked, ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°He took me to his house¨C¡±


    ¡°His house?¡± he cut her off once again. He paced, his jaw tense. ¡°I knew it. That shameless jerk¡­¡± He


    suddenly changed direction and headed for the door. ¡°I¡¯ll finish what he started right now.¡±


    Isabelle rushed after him and grabbed his arm before he got to the door. ¡°I¡¯m not done yet.¡±


    ¡°Do I need to hear anything else? If you¡¯ve been living with that man¨C¡±


    ¡°I only stayed for one night,¡± she told him hurriedly. ¡°I didn¡¯t have time to look for somewhere to move


    into because of the storm. I stayed just that night, in his guest room. The next day, I got a room in


    Hillside. That¡¯s where I¡¯ve been staying.¡±


    ¡°His guest room, uh. Did he make any move on you?¡±


    ¡°No. He was just being kind.¡±


    Jacob scoffed. ¡°You are too trusting, Isabelle. If to this day you think his intentions towards you are,¡± he


    made finger-quotes, ¡°¡®friendly¡¯, you are more naive than I thought.¡±


    Him calling her naive ticked her off, and she crossed her arms across her chest. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m truly naive,¡±


    she said sarcastically, ¡°that¡¯s why I believed all those lies you made about being a nobody after what


    you pulled at that Larson store, and all those gifts you got for my family. What kind of jewellery designer


    cannot tell fake from real?¡±


    ¡°I meant you are¡­so innocent,¡± he tried to rectify.


    She huffed. ¡°I¡¯m well aware that Seth has feelings for me. And I let him know that nothing can happen


    between us. If I wanted to be with him, I would have done that a long time ago.¡±


    ¡°Why the hell are you leaving with him, then?¡±


    ¡°If you would let me finish my exnation, you would know.¡±


    Heughed, and she stared at him with zero amusement. ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡±


    ¡°Nothing,¡± he said, smothering hisughs with his hand. ¡°I never thought I would miss being scolded by


    you.¡±


    She pressed her lips together tightly to keep her own smile from breaking. It was as if finally, her brain


    was catching up to the fact that all was not lost.


    Jacob didn¡¯t hate her for lying about her identity, and he also hadn¡¯t been with Naomi. It was tough


    Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    being pissed at him when a warmth she hadn¡¯t felt since that morning before everything went to shit


    spread inside her.


    ¡°Please go ahead,¡± he said, walking back towards the desk in the room and leaning against the edge.


    He crossed his legs at the ankles and waited. As she took a look at him, she realised that he did look


    like he belonged here. Her brain was still to catch up with that part of the news, though.


    ¡°I was going to resign from thepany, and I gave my notice¨C¡±


    ¡°You what? Jason didn¡¯t¡­sorry. Go on.¡± Jacob was slowly realising that Jason had kept an entire world


    of information about what she had been up to from him. He was so going to have it with himter.


    ¡°I changed my mind, and withdrew it. And then Naomi sent me that picture, and Seth told me that he


    was getting transferred to the new office as COO. I¡¯d told him of my ns to move, and he said he


    would help me get a transfer.¡±


    ¡°And you agreed.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Because you thought I was with Naomi?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°But you were going to resign and leave before that. Were you that eager to run away from me?¡±


    ¡°I thought you hated me. And¡­after Ruth passed away¡­¡± Her gaze fell to the ground. ¡°I didn¡¯t¡­I


    just¡­I just wanted a new start. The Cruzes hate me now, and the one person I considered my family is


    gone. I didn¡¯t have a reason to stay.¡±


    Jacob sighed, hearing the sadness in her voice. ¡°Why did you withdraw your notice, then?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± she licked her lips nervously.


    ¡°You what, Isabelle?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m pregnant.¡±


    The room fell into silence. Isabelle kept her eyes glued to the floor, her fingers fidgeting with her purse.


    Her heart thundered away in her chest. Why wasn¡¯t he saying anything?


    There was sound, as he straightened from his perch on the desk and came towards her. ¡°You are


    pregnant?¡± he asked, his voice full of wonder.


    She swallowed and nodded. ¡°Yes, I¡­I found out about three days ago.¡±


    ¡°And you were going to leave without telling me?¡±


    ¡°No. I mean¡­I came to tell you at the apartment. But I saw you weren¡¯t there, and then Naomi sent me


    that message. I thought it would be better to leave silently.¡±


    Jacob sighed, and then reached to lift her face with his thumb under her chin. ¡°That mind of yours


    drives me crazy, Isabelle. You have to promise me to not do that again. If you want to know what I


    would do, ask me. Don¡¯t make your own conclusions.¡±


    ¡°Even if I had wanted to after what Naomi did, how could I have reached you? Your phone was off, and


    nobody told me about your ident.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that.¡±


    ¡°You said you were in aa. So it was serious. What if¡­what if¡­was your secret so important that


    you had to keep me in the dark about that?¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have had a problem if Jason had told you the truth while I was in the hospital. I didn¡¯t expect


    he would be terrified of my threats even when I couldn¡¯t move a finger.¡±


    ¡°Threats?¡±


    ¡°I had instructed him to not reveal my identity to you.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    ¡°So,¡± he asked, ¡°is it a boy or a girl?¡±


    She smiled. ¡°You do know they can¡¯t tell that this early, right?¡±


    ¡°They can¡¯t?¡±


    Sheughed because he sounded truly unaware. ¡°No, they can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± he said, dropping his hand and staring at her stomach. ¡°I can¡¯t say I had ns to be a


    father anytime soon, but¡­¡± He took her hands in his and lifted them to his lips. He pressed light kisses


    over her knuckles. Her insides turned to mush. ¡°I¡¯m already giddy at the idea of having a family with


    you. I need to know, Be, before I get ahead of myself. Do you want this?¡±


    Her heart thundered in her chest as his dark eyes met hers.


    His Adam¡¯s apple bobbed as he swallowed. ¡°Do you still need time? That night, you said you needed


    time.¡±


    ¡°I needed time so I could tell you about my true identity,¡± she told him. ¡°I wanted you to know the truth


    first. And then if you still wanted to be a real couple, we could¡­¡± she trailed off with a shrug.


    ¡°That was it?¡±


    She nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°So you are saying that you have feelings for me too.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m in love with you,¡± she told him, curling her fingers around his. ¡°When I¡­when I thought that you


    were done with me¡­that you hated me¡­¡±


    ¡°I could never hate you, Isabelle. I tried to. But at every turn, you were there, with your beautiful smile


    and innocent heart and a sincerity that made me feel like a scumbag for even trying.¡±


    ¡°That was because you thought I was Naomi.¡±


    ¡°Still, it took me too damn long to see you for who you really are. If I hadn¡¯t been blinded from the start,


    I would have fallen for you right from the beginning.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all in the past now,¡± she said, ¡°let¡¯s forget about it.¡±


    He smiled. ¡°I want to marry you again.¡±


    She blinked. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°A real wedding, not one where we are simply fulfilling a business agreement. A wedding where we are


    not getting married to strangers, but to each other.¡±


    She chuckled happily. ¡°I think you are a bigger romantic than I am, Jacob.¡±


    ¡°Did you already forget that I filled the entire house with roses for you?¡±


    Sheughed. ¡°How can I? My back still aches when I remember spending the entire night collecting


    them.¡±


    ¡°You are quite hard to please, woman.¡±


    ¡°I think a single rose would have worked better,¡± she told him.


    ¡°I know that now.¡± He rubbed her knuckles with his thumbs. ¡°So, is that a yes?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll marry you again, Jacob.¡±


    He lowered his head and kissed her until they both ran out of breath. ¡°Big or small?¡± he asked when


    they pulled back.


    ¡°What?¡± she asked, her dazed eyes stuck on his lips.


    ¡°The wedding.¡±


    ¡°Small. I don¡¯t exactly have a family to invite. But if you¨C¡±


    ¡°Small it is. Where?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°We can have a beach wedding in the Maldives, or on top of the tallest building in the world, or¨C¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t care, Jacob. As long as you are the groom.¡±


    ¡°And you say I¡¯m the romantic?¡±


    Sheughed and kissed him. ¡°I love you, Jacob.¡±


    ¡°I love you too, Isabelle.¡±


    They kissed until they stumbled onto the couch, dying to connect their bodies like their hearts were.


    Forever.

 Chapter 93 Epilogue [end]

    Chapter 93 Epilogue [end]


    Four Years Later


    ¡°Mummy!¡±


    ¡°Daddy!¡±


    ¡°Mummy!¡±


    ¡°Daddy!¡±


    As the two toddlers rushed through the room trying to outdo each other with the screaming, Isabelle


    turned away from herptop and got ready to receive the three-year-old boy who came barreling into


    her arms.


    On the other side of the room, Jacob put away the tray of vegetables he was carrying outside to the


    barbecue just before their daughter barreled into him and wrapped a tiny arm around his legs, the other


    pointed usingly towards her brother.


    ¡°Daddy, Raul is being mean to me again!¡±


    Jacob reached down and scooped her into his arms. ¡°Is he? What did he do this time, Ruthie?¡±


    Now secure in his mother¡¯s arms, Raul turned to re at his twin sister. ¡°It was my turn. You never let


    me have my turn!¡±


    ¡°But then you called me ugly!¡±


    ¡°Did you call your sister ugly, Raul?¡± Isabelle asked.


    He looked at her, blinked, and then shook his head dramatically. ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°You did!¡± his sister imed. And then she started crying.


    Raul stared at her for a few moments, and then whispered, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°She didn¡¯t hear you,¡± Isabelle told him, walking closer to Jacob and their crying daughter. ¡°Tell her


    again.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ruthie. Don¡¯t cry. You are pretty.¡±


    Jacob and Isabelle exchanged nces and smiles over the toddlers as the scene yed out.


    Whenever the two got into a scuffle, they always ran to their preferred protector¨CDad for Ruth and Mum


    for Raul¨Cand somehow it always ended with one of them bursting into tears and the other apologising.


    ¡°He said sorry,¡± Jacob told Ruthie.


    She sniffled and then wiped her tears with the back of her hand.


    ¡°You should let your brother have his turn,¡± he told her.


    ¡°Okay,¡± she said, dwindling with her fingers and refusing to look at said brother. Raul was the one who


    usually gave in first. Ruthie didn¡¯t soften as instantly as he did.


    Raul wiggled in his mother¡¯s arms, and she set him on the floor. When Jacob set Ruthie down too, Raul


    took her hand and led her towards their ypen. ¡°You can have your turn first, Ruthie. You can have


    my new train too, I don¡¯t even like it.¡±


    Isabelle pressed a hand to her chest as she watched them go. Raul had lit up like a starry night when


    he got that train set. ¡°Poor boy, he has such a big heart.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all me,¡± Jacob said, ¡°and Ruthie¡¯s temper is all you.¡±


    Isabelle dug her elbow into his side. ¡°I would make you work for it too if you called me ugly.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Ruthie¡¯s excited voice came from the ypen. ¡°You can have my princess, then.¡±


    Raul took the offered princess doll withoutint.


    Jacob wrapped his arm around his wife¡¯s waist and kissed her cheek. ¡°I know you would.¡±


    Isabelle smiled andid her arm over his, and then turned her head to give him a kiss on the lips.


    ¡°I should get back to the barbecue before we are summoned for our next peacekeeping mission,¡± he


    joked. ¡°The Del Mundos should be here soon.¡±


    ¡°Let me move them outside and I¡¯ll help.¡±


    ¡°Good, now I don¡¯t have to keep peeking through the window to get glimpses of you.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no doubt where Raul got his sweet-talking from.¡±


    Jacobughed and moved away, but not before giving her ass a squeeze. She swatted at his hand,


    blushing to the roots of her hair. It amused him how after all this time, she still got so easily flustered.


    Afterwards, the family hung out in the backyard, with Isabelle and Jacob preparing the barbecue while


    the twins yed in the shade in their pen.


    They wereter joined by the Del Mundos. Apparently, while Jacob had been in aa four years ago,


    Jason had been making eyes at his nurse, Melinda.


    After years of courting that went wrong oh so many times, he had finally managed to put a ring on it.


    Jacob still couldn¡¯t believe Jason was hitched. It had been fun watching him lose his shit over a woman


    for the first time, though. Because Melinda hadn¡¯t made it easy for him, at all.


    Later that evening, with the twins asleep and the Del Mundos gone, Jacob and Isabelle snuggled on a


    lounge on the back porch, looking up at a clear starry night.


    After getting married for the second time, they had lived in Jacob¡¯s real house, a penthouse in the city


    Material ? N?velDrama.Org.


    centre. Then when the twins came along, they got a house in the suburbs, with a gigantic yard with


    trees and flowers and enough space for a vegetable garden.


    The moment Isabelle saw it for the first time, Jacob knew there was no going back to the penthouse.


    Which was good with him. He loved being in his little bubble with his three favourite people, away from


    the bustle he dealt with daily at work.


    It had been four years of peace and happiness. The Cruzes¡¯ drama was a thing of the past. Jacob had


    been able to prove that Naomi had stolen the ring, and he warned her that if she tried to mess with


    Isabelle ever again, he would send her to jail.


    He had also found out that the Cruzes¡¯ hadn¡¯t been as cash-strapped as they had wanted Isabelle to


    believe.


    They had spent a huge amount in an acquisition around the time they should have been catering to


    Ruth¡¯s medical bill. The acquisition turned out to not be a wise business decision and left them in a


    financial crisis.


    Lucy came looking for Isabelle at thepany after that, demanding that she pay them back for


    everything they ever spent on her upbringing. She also imed that they were the reason she had


    married a billionaire, so she should ¡®give back¡¯.


    Jacob had his ountant draw up a sum of how much it would have cost them to raise Isabelle and


    sent it to Lucy¡¯s ount. He was so thorough that he even adjusted the amount for intion.


    After that, he made it clear that if any of them ever thought of meddling in Isabelle¡¯s life again, they


    would lose the little they had remaining. The family ended up moving abroad.


    He rubbed his hand up and down her arm, turning his head to catch a whiff of her sweet-smelling hair.


    She snuggled deeper into his arms, pressing her face into his neck. He loved days and nights like


    these, when they got to spend as much time as they could in each other¡¯spany.


    ¡°Sleepy?¡± he asked, running the back of his fingers along her cheek.


    She mumbled in assent and then yawned.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to bed.¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°Don¡¯t move. Just a few more minutes. I like this.¡±


    ¡°I remember you saying something like that a few years ago. We ended up with two little monsters.¡±


    Sheughed. ¡°I don¡¯t hear youining.¡±


    He chuckled and pressed a kiss to her forehead. ¡°Well, I do enjoy being the luckiest man alive.¡±


    She pulled her head back and lifted her lips to his. ¡°I would be envious if I wasn¡¯t the luckiest woman in


    the world.¡±


    His lips smiled against hers. ¡°Does the luckiest woman in the world want to make love under the stars?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s see,¡± she said, taking his hand and dipping it below the waistband of her pants. His fingers went


    below her underwear and met with wet folds. ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡°I think that¡¯s a yes,¡± he said before iming her lips in a hard kiss.


    They made love in the cool starry night, with nothing between their bodies and souls. Just love. Enough


    love to cover them like the stars above andst a lifetime.


    THE END


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