Isabella quietly made her way downstairs, skirting around the pillars.
As she reached the door, she unexpectedly saw James leaning against a wall, a lit cigarette held between his fingers, his head slightly bowed as he smoked.
Seemingly hearing the sound of high heels on the floor, he subconsciously lifted his head, his gaze briefly meeting Isabella’s.
Her gaze was calm and clear, with a touch of surprise in her golden eyes.
James raised a somewhat helpless smile. He just wanted to see her, that’s why he waited here. Originally, it was just to try his luck, never expecting to truly encounter her. At least, greeting her was the right thing to do.
“Isabella, what a coincidence,” James stubbed out the cigarette, stepping toward her.
“Yeah, I came to pick up a dress. I didn’t expect to find you here,” Isabella replied with a smile. Her tone while speaking to him was calm, as if he were just an acquaintance to her.
“I came to get a dress for tomorrow’s company celebration. Would you like to join?” James asked warmly. She was now a shareholder in his company, and her contributions were part of his achievements.
Without much thought, she politely declined, shaking her head, “I have a rehearsal tomorrow and can’t make it. Congratulations in advance, though.”
James nodded with a somewhat wistful smile; her refusal was expected.
Just as they exchanged a few words, the faint sound of an argument between Aria and Emily came from the staircase. Not wanting to encounter Emily again, James left early.
Isabella remained standing at the door, waiting for Aria to finish settling the bill.
On the way back, Aria deliberately squeezed next to her, incessantly talking, almost all the topics revolving around James, hinting if he had a girlfriend.
Aria had been abroad for six years, during which time they were all young and hadn’t experienced romance. After her return, no one mentioned the complexities between Isabella, James, and Emily.
“He’s probably single right now, but I’m not too sure about anything else. If you’re interested, I can give you his contact info,” Isabella casually replied.
Blushing, Aria didn’t refuse.
Isabella lowered her head and sent James’ number to her phone.
Aria’s face lit up with a smile she couldn’t hide.
“If it weren’t for him saving me today, I’d have been in trouble. I just want his number to properly thank him,” Aria explained, feeling somewhat guilty.
Isabella smiled indifferently without getting involved.
However, Emily couldn’t help but sneer, “Even if you offer yourself to him, James wouldn’t be interested. Mrs. Brown has high standards and wouldn’t look at someone from a humble background.”
Aria didn’t argue and looked at Isabella with teary eyes, “Isabella, didn’t you say Mrs. Brown is a nice person?”
Isabella, who had been absentmindedly gazing out the car window, responded casually when asked, “Mrs. Brown is a good person, but she has high standards too.”
She felt that Aria’s longing for James was indeed a far-fetched hope. Although the Brown family was on the rise again, they had been hurt before, and given the current situation, Mrs. Brown would certainly choose a daughter-in-law who could benefit James’ career.
By the time they returned home, Aria’s eyes were still red.
“Aria, what’s wrong? Who troubled you?” Mrs. Ada’s face turned cold as her icy gaze swept across Isabella and Emily.
Tearfully, Aria looked utterly aggrieved and was about to speak when Emily preempted her.
“We encountered some hooligans and almost got harassed,” Emily said.
“What happened? It’s broad daylight; who would dare to do such a thing?” Charlotte pulled Emily over, inspecting her as if she were afraid Emily might be injured.
“No, we were lucky to meet James. He helped us out,” Emily added.
“James is a good person. It’s a pity your fate isn’t with him,” Charlotte lamented, patting Emily’s shoulder in what seemed like a consoling manner.
With both of them talking in sync, Aria was completely dumbfounded, unable to say a word.
Isabella had been standing there, watching the spectacle, and shaking her head helplessly. They could twist a black-and-white situation into a gray one; clearly, Aria wasn’t adept at handling such situations.
If just choosing clothes caused so much trouble, the charity auction would definitely be more chaotic. Isabella found herself getting a headache just thinking about it.
On the day of the charity auction, Aria indeed wore a low-cut gown with a fur draped over her shoulders, and her makeup was exquisite, making her stand out.
Emily, on the other hand, wore a black dress without much flair, with her jewelry being the highlight. She wore a set of ruby jewelry; the rubies on her necklace were as bright as blood.
In contrast, Isabella was much more understated. Her fitted dress was delicate but not eye-catching. Her long hair was casually tied at the back, devoid of any excess adornment. She only wore a beautiful pair of diamond earrings that shimmered brilliantly under the lights.
Her attire was simple and clean, but those who were discerning could surely notice the value of the diamond earrings she wore-they were worth millions, enough to steal the show.
Before leaving, Mrs. Ada specifically handed Aria a weighty gold-inlaid jade bracelet and a check for a hundred thousand.
At the charity auction, every invited lady and young girl had to donate an item for auction, and the proceeds would be donated to charity.
“Aria, this bracelet is worth around sixty thousand in the market, you can bid for it at a hundred thousand. Your uncle said it’ll make you look dignified and elegant. Those aristocratic ladies love playing these kinds of games,” Mrs. Ada instructed.
“Grandma, these are your personal belongings; I can’t take them,” Aria hesitated to take them.
Mrs. Ada held her hand and placed the items in her palm. “Silly girl, grandma’s personal belongings will eventually be yours. Be obedient. At this time, you can’t be stingy with money, and you must not show any weakness. When you marry into a wealthy family in the future, you can have anything you want.”
“Okay,” Aria obediently nodded.
To keep up appearances, David arranged for an extended Lincoln to take them to the charity auction.
They didn’t arrive early; the auction scene was already bustling.