Olivia almost spit out the water she had just drunk, choking and coughing incessantly. Finally catching her breath, she looked at Isabella incredulously and asked, “What did you say?!”
“I said, I want to marry Andrew,” Isabella repeated her words.
She had just wanted to give Olivia a heads-up, but she didn’t expect such a big reaction.
Olivia walked up to her, reaching out to feel her forehead.
“You’re not feverish, so it seems you’re not talking nonsense,” Olivia said, looking annoyed. “Isabella, my princess, who was it that told me a few years ago you had no plans to get married? I can understand the accidental exposure of your secret relationship with Andrew, but why the sudden urge to get married?”
She finished speaking, then her gaze shifted downward, instinctively looking at Isabella’s belly. “Don’t tell me you’re getting married because you’re pregnant.”
Isabella: “…”
Her son was already running around everywhere; it was too late for a shotgun wedding now.
“Olivia, you’re overthinking it,” she said awkwardly.
“Why the sudden desire to get married then? Don’t tell me it’s a whim,” Olivia said, feeling a headache coming on.
“It really is a sudden impulse to get married. Originally, I planned to give myself ten years to pursue my career, to reclaim what rightfully belongs to me. But now, I don’t feel that way anymore,” Isabella said, sitting down on the sofa and pouring herself a glass of water.
She leaned back on the sofa, holding the warm water in her hands, her head slightly bowed, clear eyes resting on the surface of the water, her tone gentle and calm. “Perhaps I’ve been exposed to too much joy and sorrow recently, and suddenly I feel that life is short. We live for today, never knowing what tomorrow will bring. I don’t want to leave any regrets behind.”
Olivia couldn’t help but roll her eyes; the way she spoke, it was as if she thought she would die tomorrow.
“What about your career? Are you giving up on everything you’ve worked for?” Olivia asked.
“I can still manage my career after getting married, continue to interact with the Harris family. The two aren’t mutually exclusive,” she said with a smile.
“Not getting married wouldn’t affect your career either. A marriage certificate is just a piece of paper,” Olivia said helplessly.
She nodded after hearing that. “Yeah, I used to think that way too. As long as two people love each other, whether or not they have that piece of paper doesn’t make a difference. But now, I don’t think so. With that piece of paper, it’s called marriage. And marriage is a promise I can give him, a responsibility he’s willing to take on. Being able to marry him in a wedding dress, just thinking about it feels wonderful.”
“Marriage is the grave of love,” Olivia sighed. She had had a good relationship with her ex-boyfriend before they got married. But the walls of marriage hadn’t done much good; they collapsed so quickly.
“Perhaps,” Isabella chuckled, then added, “But without marriage, isn’t love left without a burial ground?”
Olivia: “…”
Isabella’s words left Olivia speechless. In the end, all she could do was nod.
“Alright, if you want to get married, then go ahead. I can’t stop you. But, I have a condition: the news of your marriage or engagement must not be announced until after the concert. Also, marriage will inevitably affect the development of an artist’s career, so you need to be mentally prepared,” Olivia said.
“I know, as the heir of the Harris family, you’re not lacking in money. After marrying Andrew, you’ll care even less about money. But I still have to advise you, no matter how capable a man is, a woman shouldn’t just retreat to the background to be a good wife and mother. At any time, a woman should have her own career. No matter how big the villa is, don’t confine yourself to such a small world. That way, your world becomes narrower, and communication between you two will become more and more difficult. If there’s no communication between spouses, even the best relationship will encounter problems.”
Olivia glanced Isabella up and down with a teasing smirk, “You guys haven’t even passed the honeymoon phase yet, physical intimacy is enough for now. After the passion fades, mental connection will take the lead.”
Isabella’s cheeks reddened. Though she felt embarrassed, she knew Olivia’s words were sincere.
“Olivia, I understand. Marriage and career are equally important for women, and both need to be managed properly,” she said.
“As long as you understand,” Olivia patted her shoulder and smiled, “Marriage is a good thing, so congratulations.”
“Thank you,” Isabella said.
…
A month later, the suspense drama wrapped up, and the crew disbanded.
After flying back to Ithaca town, the first thing Isabella did was rush home; she missed her son so much she was going crazy.
She embraced her son, kissing each other and causing a ruckus.
Asher hugged Isabella’s neck, continuously kissing her face, saying, “Mom, Mom, I love you.”
She was about to melt from his sweetness.
Amelia watched, feeling jealous, “This little guy, I take care of him tirelessly every day, but he’s never this affectionate with me.”
Just as Amelia finished speaking, Asher ran over to her, climbed onto her, and gave her a kiss. “Asher loves you too.”
His antics made Amelia laugh. Then she handed him back to Isabella. “It’s great, you two enjoy your mother-son time. I’ll go to the kitchen and make something delicious for you.”
Isabella spent the whole day playing with Asher, and the next day, she got busy again.
Hosting a concert was definitely not as simple as standing on stage and singing a few songs. Live singing had much higher demands than in a recording studio. Without the aid of post-production, singing off-key on stage would be embarrassing.
So, her main focus in the following days was on live performances. Besides practicing singing, the most challenging aspect was dancing.
Although Isabella had some dance background, she hadn’t used it for decades. Moreover, she had learned ballet originally, while the dances for the concert were modern. Almost every afternoon, she spent her time in the dance studio with a professional instructor guiding her.
Jumping around was the most physically demanding, and every night when she returned to her apartment, she was so exhausted she couldn’t get up.
Andrew took care of her massages, working from her head to her feet.
She sat leaning against the headboard, her feet resting on the edge of the bed. He squatted by the edge of the bed, wearing only a shirt, the sleeves rolled up to reveal his strong arms.
Her soles were resting on his knees, and his elegant hands kneaded her foot soles with just the right pressure.
She half-closed her eyelids, wearing an expression of total enjoyment on her face.
“Andrew, where did you learn this massage technique? From your ex-fiancee?” she casually remarked, her hands behind her head.