94

At the same time, Isabella followed the others out of the exhibition hall.
“Grandma, Auntie, I have something to attend to, so I’ll leave first,” Isabella said, carrying her handbag, stepping in high heels, and gracefully walking down the steps.
Emily stared at her retreating figure and said angrily, “Mom, she couldn’t really be chosen by Mrs. Hannah, right?”
Charlotte comfortingly patted her hand, “Don’t worry, how could the Turner family accommodate a second-hand goods who has given birth to a child?”
“But Mrs. Hannah clearly showed no interest in me,” Emily felt disheartened.
“Mrs. Hannah’s opinion doesn’t represent her grandson’s feelings. We still need to find a way from his side. Let’s go, we’ll discuss it more when we get back,” Charlotte said, glancing subconsciously in the direction Isabella had left.
Meanwhile, Isabella had already sat in a private car; she indeed had something important to attend to.
Over the next few days, her schedule was packed with commitments, and she almost forgot about everything else until she received a call from Olivia.
Isabella had instructed Olivia to keep an eye on the Harris family’s activities, but she didn’t expect Charlotte to act so quickly.
“I just found out that the young master of the Turner family is at the Versailles Club. Emily has already bribed the staff inside; I suspect she intends to create an encounter with him,” Olivia said.
Listening to this, Isabella smirked. Charlotte and her daughters sure had a variety of ways to entice men.
After ending the call, she scrolled through her phone contacts and found James’s name. Then, she dialed his number.
The new project of the Brown family had started to generate profits, and as a shareholder, James had been wanting to show her the financial statements. Due to her busy schedule shooting movies, she hadn’t had the time.
Today, however, not only could she review the reports, but she could also take him to see a good show.
She arrived at the Versailles Club at the designated time, but James had been waiting for quite a while.
He had found a good spot, leaning by the window in an inconspicuous corner but with a clear view of the entire hall.
“Sorry, traffic was a bit congested,” Isabella smiled as she sat opposite him, casually draping her coat over the chair.
James politely handed her the menu and replied, “I’ve just arrived too.”
She opened the menu and ordered a cappuccino and a strawberry dessert.
Sipping his coffee elegantly, James flipped through the documents with his other hand. “These are last quarter’s financial reports. Take a look if you find any issues.”
She took the documents, and with her head bowed, she earnestly reviewed several pages. Eleanor had taught her how to read financial statements and ledgers, so she wasn’t unfamiliar with these things.
The accounts were clear, and the income and expenses were straightforward. There was really nothing special to look at.
Quietly closing the file, she smiled, “No problem, I trust your work. Actually, it’s unnecessary to go through all this trouble. You can transfer the money directly into my account.”
“Business is business,; it’s better to keep accounts clear,” James chuckled, taking back the documents.
After discussing business matters, Isabella’s coffee and dessert were served. She elegantly sipped the warm and aromatic coffee from the white porcelain cup in her right hand and then silently placed it down.
She then used a silver spoon to take a bite of cake and put it in her mouth. The club’s desserts were good-not overly sweet and not cloying. She thought Asher might like it and considered getting some packed.
Isabella was eating earnestly and didn’t notice the cream on her lips until James’s hand reached forward, swiftly wiping it from her slightly cold lips.
She unconsciously frowned, looking at the man sitting across from her. His face remained familiar, but in her eyes, he was already a stranger.
“Still the same, always getting cake on your lips,” James said with a smile.
They had similar intimate actions in the past, but this time, it made Isabella extremely uncomfortable. Maybe it was due to their changed relationship, which altered the way she felt.
She didn’t say anything, but she had lost her appetite. Setting down her silver spoon, she called the server over, “Two desserts to go, please.”
“Of course, madam,” the server replied, and without much delay, two takeout boxes were placed in front of her.
Isabella lifted the takeaway bag with one hand, waiting by the side as James settled the bill.
At that moment, a few people came down the stairs that connected the second floor and the first floor. Leading them was a young man of around twenty-five or twenty-six, dressed in a white casual shirt, one hand in his pocket, and the other holding a blue tennis racket.
He was chatting with someone next to him, although Isabella couldn’t hear what was being said, his demeanor appeared cheerful.
As the handsome stranger passed by, Isabella gave him a casual glance but was quick to shift her gaze when Emily, in red high heels, gracefully ascended the steps.
The man and his companion descended while Emily ascended, their paths seemingly unrelated. It was precisely then that a server carrying a tray suddenly rushed out and accidentally bumped into Emily.
Emily let out a soft “ouch” and fell into the arms of the young man. It seemed like a perfect coincidence, falling right into his embrace.
As an onlooker, Isabella found it amusing. Emily really should learn a thing or two from Victoria; her acting was so fake. Was she assuming everyone was naive?
Meanwhile, the man who was being made a fool of was supporting Emily down the steps.
“You all go ahead, let’s meet up when we’re free,” he said to his companions.
The gaze of the several men with him briefly swept over Emily before they started teasing and whistling, then they left arm in arm.
Emily appeared as if she had no bones in her body, still leaning weakly against Henry’s chest. Despite her feigned acting, that helpless appearance was indeed enticing.
The server who accidentally collided with them kept apologizing as he followed them closely. “I’m really sorry, it wasn’t intentional.”
“It’s not your fault, I just couldn’t stand steadily,” Emily softly said, leaning into Henry’s embrace, making it seem like she might have broken her spine.
By this time, Henry had sent away his companions and wore a frosty expression on his handsome face.
“Get your manager here,” he told the server.
The server looked visibly confused, subconsciously glancing at Emily, who was still nestled against Henry’s chest, crying out in pain. She was so engrossed that she didn’t pay attention to him.
Helpless, the server went to find the club manager.
The manager’s attitude changed immediately upon seeing Henry, nodding and bowing with a smile. “Henry, what can I do for you? Is it our service staff’s negligence?”
Henry looked at the server and said with little emotion, “Dismiss him, immediately.”
The manager was caught off guard for a moment. The server appeared panicked.
Emily was also taken aback; she hadn’t expected him to be so severe. “He just made a small mistake; it wasn’t intentional to bump into me. Is it necessary to fire him over something like this?”
“A small mistake? Bribing someone is considered a small mistake? This time, he was paid to bump into you. What if next time, he’s paid to poison someone’s drink? Will he do it then?”
After Henry finished speaking, he mercilessly pushed Emily away from his chest, sneering, “How long do you plan to cling to me? This kind of outdated act, starting since I was eighteen, countless people have tried. After all these years, isn’t there anything new? You all find it fun, but I’m already tired of it.”