58

James took the documents and opened them, revealing the deeds for a new real estate development project.
The snowy weather was terrible. Isabella’s red high heels had sheepskin soles, highly sensitive to moisture. Having stood in the snow for so long, those shoes were probably ruined.
Returning to her apartment, she still lamented carrying the ruined shoes.
Coincidentally, Andrew came down from upstairs. He wore a perfectly tailored all-black suit, outlining his tall and dignified figure.
With a folder in his left hand, he asked in a subdued tone as she entered, “Landed at nine? Took some extra time?”
“Yeah, bumped into James and chatted a bit longer,” Isabella slouched onto the sofa, crossing her legs, casually.
Of course, she didn’t notice Andrew’s darkened expression.
After sitting on the plane for hours, Isabella’s body ached all over. Her stomach growled; she was famished, but airplane meals were unappetizing, leaving her unable to eat.
“Where’s Amelia and Asher?” she asked, squinting.
“Amelia took Asher to play at the indoor playground; they’ll probably be back in the afternoon,” he replied.
Not until the afternoon! Isabella’s face fell; she wanted Amelia to cook something for her.
Isabella took out her phone, planning to order food. However, in this terrible weather, it would take at least an hour for delivery, and she was starving.
Helpless, she considered cooking instant noodles but found none in the apartment. Andrew and Amelia considered instant noodles unhealthy and didn’t buy them.
But other than making noodles, Isabella didn’t know how to cook. The fridge was filled with raw fish, meat, eggs, and vegetables, none suitable for raw consumption.
She lay on the sofa, clutching her growling stomach, debating whether to go out and find food.
She was genuinely too tired to move and besides, it was inconvenient to drive in the heavy snow outside.
Despite her inner struggle, a whiff of aroma drifted into her nose from the kitchen.
Instantly revitalized, Isabella jumped from the sofa and dashed into the kitchen. There, Andrew was holding a steaming bowl of egg noodles, placed on the dining table.
“You cooked this for me?” She swallowed hard.
“You don’t have to eat it…” Before Andrew finished, she had already picked up the bowl and chopsticks, indicating how much she cherished this bowl of noodles.
A simple bowl of egg noodles, yet rare in its flavors, colors, and fragrance. Isabella relished every bite.
“Andrew, I didn’t expect you to cook. You’re such a warm-hearted guy,” Isabella praised as she ate.
Andrew glanced at her somewhat helplessly. A girl who couldn’t even cook, yet she wasn’t embarrassed.
After finishing the bowl of egg noodles, Isabella’s stomach was comfortably full. She fetched a file box from the room, spilled out the documents on the living room carpet, then sat cross-legged, meticulously examining them.
Meanwhile, Andrew sat on the sofa perusing documents. When he casually glanced up, he spotted a thick stack of property deeds spread out like a deck of cards.
Isabella, a young actress who had just debuted, couldn’t possibly accumulate this much property on her own. It was obvious that these were the ones Eleanor left for her. It seemed Eleanor wasn’t entirely foolish; she didn’t disclose all the family wealth to David but left something for her daughter.
“These are all left to me by my grandfather and mother,” Isabella bragged, “Combined with shares in Moonlit Art Inc., I have such a hefty dowry; I won’t worry about marrying in the future.”
Flaunting wealth wasn’t a good thing, and Isabella, being intelligent, surely understood that. However, she didn’t hide it from Andrew, indicating that she didn’t consider him an outsider.
He gave a faint smile, with a hint of playfulness in his tone. ‘I never realized you were so desperate to get married.’
She rested her chin on her hands, looking at him with a teasing smile. ‘Actually, I want to bring a son-in-law into my home. Interested? Care to consider?’
His gracefully long arm was flipping through documents. Upon hearing her, his movement paused briefly. Andrew, living this long, was getting teased for the first time, and by a young woman in her twenties, no less.
The smile at the corner of his lips deepened with a touch of mockery between his brows. His profound gaze scanned Isabella from head to toe.
‘Except money, you lack everything else. I indeed need to consider this carefully.’
What did he mean by “everything else”? Was he mocking her for having no curves? Isabella suddenly felt furious. Despite being slender, she was well-endowed!
She grabbed a document and hurled it at Andrew without even looking.
A thick file came flying, but Andrew casually extended his arm to block it. The document dropped at his feet with a thud.
The deep gaze glanced over the document faintly. It happened to be the planning proposal for James’s new real estate project.
Andrew’s eyes turned colder. ‘The Brown family is banking on this project for salvation. You extending a helping hand now, your former fiance will surely be grateful.’
‘That’s what I thought too. That’s why I’ve already given the deed to James.’ Isabella’s casual words instantly darkened Andrew’s expression.
Isabella sat on the thick woolen rug, supporting her chin with one hand, looking at him with a cheerful smile.
A bit jealous, huh? But his jealousy was quite cute.
‘You still hold onto old feelings,’ he coldly snorted.
She chuckled and lowered her head, sifting through the pile of documents, then threw a few more at him.
This time, Andrew didn’t block them but caught them steadily.
He absentmindedly flipped through several pages. These documents were analyses by the investment company regarding the new project, detailing its prospects and future returns. There was also an agreement drafted by a law firm for equity participation. Isabella would invest in Brown family’s company using the deed in her hands. Upon the project’s profitability, she could claim threefold profits.
Three times the net profit seemed a bit like taking advantage of the situation. But with no other choice, the Brown family not only had to accept it but also be grateful to her.
This young girl really didn’t miss out on any benefits.
‘I and James grew up together, so naturally, there’s an emotional bond. But after he betrayed me, all that emotional bond is meaningless. I intervened because of Mrs. Brown’s face. However, my help isn’t without conditions. The Brown family wants to use me to revive their business. I’m taking three times the profit, and James will work for me. That’s fair.’
Isabella was sentimental, but she wasn’t naive. Since the day James cheated on Emily, he became a stranger to her.
Andrew looked at her with deeply hidden thoughts.
After a brief silence, in his melodious voice, he said, ‘If betraying you nullifies all emotional bonds, then yes, I’ll remember those words.’