Mirabelle’s POV:
My heart stopped. “What? No, Skyler, I-” I stammered, caught off guard.
“Why did you throw up, then?” He pressed, oblivious to the awkwardness he’d created.
I shot Noah a glance, my mind racing. This was not the conversation I wanted to have with a child. “I just didn’t feel well, that’s all.” I managed to say, trying to keep my voice calm.
“Maybe you ate something bad,” Skyler suggested.
“Maybe,” I said, forcing a smile. “Let’s focus on getting you all cleaned up and ready for lunch, okay?”
____
As we settled into the back of the red sports car. I turned to Noah, who wore a black tailored suit, while I wore a black strapless satin evening dress with a high-end French fishtail.
“You look handsome,” I said, smiling widely.
Smiling, he said. “Am glad you think that I am handsome.” Planting a kiss on the back of my hand.
When we arrived at the venue, Noah stepped out first, straightening his tie before the driver opened my door. Then I took a deep breath and followed him.
Inside the hall, I caught sight of a man waiting for us by the door.
“Mr. Li, it’s good to see you again.” Noah began. “This is my lovely wife, Mirabelle.” Noah introduced me, and I offered a polite smile. “Nice to meet you.”
“The pleasure is mine.” Jun Li replied, leading us upstairs where the dinner awaited.
When we reached the dining area, I scanned the table. It was set for ten, with five chairs on either side and none at the head or tail. As I approached, I noted the seating arrangement: four women on the right and four men on the left, including Jun Li.
Noah took his place on the left, and I settled in among the other women. “So, Noah.” A middle-aged Chinese man began. “Introducing you as my partner. This is going to be a productive evening.”
“Glad to be here,” Noah replied.
As the man introduced Noah to the men at the table, I tried to engage with the women beside me. The conversations flowed, followed by laughter and the clinking of glasses as we sipped wine.
Dinner began, and the food was exquisite. Then Jun Li’s phone rang, and after a few murmured words, he excused himself.
Just then, Jun returned, and behind him walked a tall, beautiful woman, with a slim yet curvy figure.
I noticed Noah’s eyes widened, as he whispered out. “Natasha?”
My heart sank as I looked between them. The man glanced at Noah, intrigued. “Do you know her?”
“Yes,” Noah replied, his tone calm. “We go way back. Longtime friends.”
A man seated near the first man leaned in. “Zhao.” He began. “Was that why she spoke about you working with him? Because she knew him?” He asked.
And Zhao waved his hand dismissively. “Natasha only mentioned Noah’s company. I chose to work with him myself.”
Natasha glided over and settled next to me, and the conversation continued around the table. “I’m on a diet.” She said,
“So I won’t be eating much tonight.”
Suddenly, my appetite vanished. When I glanced at her, I noticed that her piercing gaze was fixed on me. I shifted in my seat, trying to focus on my plate.
What the fuck is wrong with her?
Dinner moved on, filled with business talk and polite laughter. The woman next to me was friendly, but my focus drifted to Natasha, who seemed to be studying me with a keen interest.
As dinner came to an end, the women gathered in a corner, chatting about various topics. I could still feel Natasha’s eyes on me. Finally, she turned to me, with a mischievous smile on her lips. “So, you are Noah’s wife?”
I met her gaze head-on. “Yes.” I kept my tone dismissive, not wanting to invite further conversation. But she didn’t push for more questions. Instead, she had a smirk lingering on her face.
As Noah and I prepared to leave, Natasha rushed up to us. “I wanted to say goodbye.” She said, smiling widely. “I hope it turns out nice working together, Noah.”
Returning the smile, Noah extended his hand for a handshake, but she sidestepped it, insisting on a hug instead. Noah gave her a brief side hug, but she pulled him in for a deeper one. I saw his body stiffen, and after a short while he managed to break away.
“Goodbye, Mirabelle!” She called over her shoulder, waving as she walked away.
I turned to Noah. “Noah, was there ever a time Natasha was your girlfriend?” I asked, forcing out a smile.
He looked taken aback and surprised, I guess he wasn’t expecting the answer. “No, never. We were just friends.” He replied.
“Really?” I pressed. “You seemed… familiar with her.”
“I guess we had a close friendship back in the day, but it was nothing deep.” He assured me.
I studied him for a moment, trying to read the truth in his eyes. “Okay.” I finally said. “Just friends!”
As we left the hall and stepped into the cool night air, I leaned against Noah. “Let’s get home.” He said, wrapping an arm around my shoulders.
“Yeah,” I replied softly. “Let’s go home.”
As we drove home, my thoughts spiraled. “Why was Natasha acting so weird?” I thought, feeling irritated.
Every time her gaze lingered on Noah, a knot tightened in my stomach. “Was Noah lying to me though?” The question echoed relentlessly in my mind.
I replayed everything that happened in my head. I recalled Natasha’s flirty smiles, the way she glared at me, and her laughter that felt too intimate.
“Surely, they must have had something once in the past.” I reasoned, feeling a sting of jealousy. “The way she looked at him, praised him, and even smiled at him…” Recalling everything right now made me feel disgusted.
But then another thought surfaced: “Will Noah really lie to me? He has never done that before.”
‘I need to trust him and his words, it must have been a one-sided love in the past. Maybe he never truly had anything to do with her.’ I reassured myself, leaning back into the chair then I fell asleep.