“Dad, Andrew actually mentioned this matter to me. I’ll remind him again when I get back; he won’t dare neglect your affairs.” A few words from Isabella made David beam with joy. They left the study, chatting and laughing.
Watching David’s smiling face wrinkling with delight, she thought: Keep smiling, you’ll end up crying soon enough.
Downstairs, Robert and his wife Alice were visiting.
Isabella greeted them and then leisurely sipped some juice while playing games on her phone. She was so engrossed that she didn’t notice someone approaching until Robert stood in front of her, his tall figure blocking the light. She frowned and looked up.
“Uncle, what can I do for you?” she put down her phone and asked coolly.
Robert gazed at her deeply, his eyes always carrying an inscrutable emotion.
She pursed her lips, saying nothing more. Watching Charlotte laugh and chat with them, she yawned in annoyance.
She put on her coat and headed for the villa’s entrance. She didn’t want to stay in this so-called home for another minute.
As she changed her shoes in the hallway, her phone rang, Andrew’s name flashing on the screen.
Smiling, she answered the call, “Dear, I was just about to come find you. Where are you?”
“Guess,” his voice carried a hint of wind, suggesting he was outdoors.
“The world is big, how could I guess?” she put on her high heels and walked out unhurriedly.
“Outside the Harris family gate. Come out,” he said with a smile.
She paused for a moment, then quickly ran to the door.
In front of the black wrought-iron gate of the villa, a black Maybach was parked, luxurious yet understated under the night sky.
Next to the car stood a tall man, dressed in a tailored black suit, his posture slightly lazy. One hand was in his pocket, the other held a lit cigarette, its glow flickering in the dark.
She pushed open the iron gate and ran out. The moment she saw him, her eyes lit up.
Like a little bird, she threw herself into his arms. “Andrew, what are you doing here?”
He didn’t answer, instead he locked her in his arms and kissed her soft red lips.
They stood under the night sky, kissing passionately. Her soft arms wrapped around his neck, matching his rhythm as best as she could.
After the kiss, he still didn’t let her go. She leaned softly against his chest, a smile on her lips.
“Isabella, did you miss me?” he asked, gently rubbing his chin on the top of her head.
“Sure, yes.” she responded shyly.
His arm around her waist loosened a bit, and he looked at her deeply with a smile. “How long have we been apart?”
“Twenty-two days,” she replied instantly, looking pleased. She had counted every day they were apart; he couldn’t catch her off guard.
“Wrong answer, you should be punished.” With that, he cupped the back of her head and kissed her again, this time more dominantly, even biting her lip lightly.
She winced in pain and pushed him away, dissatisfied. “Where did I go wrong?”
“Twenty-two days, four hours, and thirty-seven minutes,” Andrew said seriously, his eyes lowered.
Isabella: “…”
“Tell me, after being apart for so long, how do you plan to make it up to me?” he asked with a smile.
“Can we discuss compensation later? If we keep standing here, it won’t be long before David comes out to welcome you himself,” she said playfully, winking.
Andrew’s heart skipped a beat. Suddenly, his arm tightened around her waist, and with a swift turn, he pressed her against the cold car.
Then his warm body covered hers, firmly holding her down.
“He only dares to show off in front of you. In my presence, I can easily dismiss him,” he chuckled, his sensual lips kissing her.
Isabella’s breath was filled with his strong masculine scent, making her slightly dizzy and intoxicated. Her hands instinctively grabbed the lapels of his shirt.
…
Robert stepped out of the villa gate and saw this scene: two intertwined figures kissing beside the car. He instinctively stopped, his tall figure hidden in the dim light, watching their tender intimacy.
After the kiss, Andrew’s lips brushed against her ear, whispering something intimate. From the distance, it was impossible to hear what he said, but Isabella’s cheeks turned red as she playfully hit his chest with her clenched fist.
Andrew seemed unbothered, catching her hand and bringing it to his lips for a kiss before holding her close and helping her into the car. The car drove off, soon disappearing into the night.
Only after they left did Robert slowly emerge from the shadows. To Isabella, he was merely an unwelcome presence. All his feelings and efforts had to remain hidden in the shadows, never seeing the light of day.
Robert still held her handbag, finding the situation deeply ironic. He had come out for a smoke when he noticed Isabella had left her handbag on the sofa and rushed out to return it. However, compared to her joy and excitement at seeing Andrew, the forgotten handbag was utterly insignificant.
Turning back with the handbag, Robert climbed the steps, only to be met by Alice at the villa door, her face full of scorn.
“Robert, how does it feel to be so self-deluded?” Alice’s mocking tone was particularly grating. “You saw she forgot her handbag and eagerly brought it out, but she doesn’t care about you at all.”
Robert gave her a cold glance, brushed past her, and headed inside.
Alice, relentless, blocked his path. She had been trapped in this hopeless marriage for years, suffering and despairing. Why should he act like an outsider? Alice wanted to provoke him, to make him suffer and despair like she did, only then would she feel satisfied.
“Robert, do you think securing the CEO position of Moonlit Art Inc. will get you what you want? Too bad, Isabella’s ambitions are too high; she’s hooked up with Andrew. No matter how much you want her, you can only wait until Andrew gets tired of her and pick up his leftovers. Your ideal woman, your dream, is nothing more than someone else’s plaything…”
Alice didn’t finish her sentence before she felt a stinging pain on her left cheek.
Robert had slapped her hard, and it wasn’t a light blow.
“Robert, you dare hit me!” Alice screamed hysterically, but Robert grabbed her wrist, dragging her forcefully to a corner outside.
“Alice, I’m warning you, don’t repeatedly test my limits. I’ll make you pay.”
Robert’s face was grim, his voice hoarse with anger.
He had risen from obscurity to secure his position as CEO of Moonlit Art Inc., and his hands weren’t clean. There were countless ways he could deal with a woman like Alice.