Andrew flipped through the photo album, turning each page slowly.
Isabella’s photos were all included, from her birth to when she was two years old, with almost daily pictures taken. She had indeed been raised like a little princess, always delicate and beautiful. Looking through the photos felt like watching a doll grow into a Barbie princess.
“Well, my dear little wife, you were always pretty,” Andrew remarked as he closed the album.
“Of course,” Isabella replied, tilting her chin up without a hint of modesty.
“Andrew, I don’t think I’ve seen your childhood photos either,” she added.
“I didn’t take many photos when I was little. There are a few from my school days. I’ll show them to you another day,” he said.
She smiled and nodded, then playfully pinched his chin and said, “Actually, I just want to compare your old photos. With such a devilishly handsome face, who knows if it’s natural or the result of surgery.”
He narrowed his blue eyes and suddenly grabbed her hand, pressing it against one side of his face. “Why don’t you check?”
“Alright, I’ll check then,” she said, holding his face and boldly feeling it. Her fingers traced over his smooth forehead, high nose, and firm lips. She touched every inch of his skin.
He tilted his head slightly, letting her touch him. His gem-like blue eyes gazed at her quietly.
She felt her cheeks heat up under his gaze. Just as she was about to pull her hand back, he held her slender wrist tightly.
“Aren’t you going to check other places? What if something else was done?” He guided her hand to his chest.
Isabella’s palm pressed against his warm chest, feeling the slight rise and fall of his breathing and the beating of his heart within.
She felt her cheeks flush, as if the heat from his chest was flowing into her body through her palm.
“Still checking?” Andrew asked with a wicked smile, guiding her hand lower toward his waist.
“No, no need.” She pulled her hand back as if burned, shaking her head vigorously.
“Not checking anymore?” he confirmed.
“Ye-yes,” she nodded firmly. The next moment, he pulled her into his arms.
She found herself sitting on his lap, unable to break free, and looked at him with a dissatisfied expression. “I said I’m done checking, what more do you want?”
“It’s my turn to check now. That’s only fair,” he said, as if it was obvious.
“I haven’t had plastic surgery. The photos are proof,” she said, grabbing another album and pointing to a picture of herself in her teens.
“Really? They weren’t this big in the photos,” he said, his eyes focused on her chest.
Then, he reached out his hand as if to touch.
She let out a startled cry, crossing her arms tightly over her chest to stop him. “Andrew, you’re being a rogue!”
“Who was being a rogue first? Hmm?” He pinched her small chin.
Isabella was speechless.
Alright, she had played with fire and gotten burned. With her limited experience, how could she outplay Andrew, the old wolf?
“Uncle Andrew, please spare me, I was wrong,” she pleaded pitifully.
Andrew lowered his head and bit her lip, kissing her deeply for a while before letting her go.
Isabella turned to look at the dressing mirror not far away. Her cheeks were flushed, her lips slightly swollen. She instinctively reached up to cover her face.
Just then, someone knocked on the door. From outside, Lily’s voice called, “Mr. Andrew, Miss Isabella, please come downstairs for dinner.”
Andrew stood up from the sofa and took Isabella’s hand. “Let’s go, it’s time to eat.”
“Okay.” She nodded, suddenly remembering the conversation she overheard between Aria and Idris at the stairwell. She warned him, “My cousin and her husband might be up to something. Be careful.”
“I know, it’s fine.” He squeezed her hand and gave her a reassuring smile.
Hand in hand, they went downstairs together.
In the dining room, everyone was already seated, just waiting for the two of them to join.
During the meal, the atmosphere was relatively pleasant.
David was unusually generous, opening two bottles of 1980 Lafite. The men took turns toasting Andrew, continuously and without end. Even Isabella sensed something was off.
She instinctively looked at Andrew, who was holding his glass, polite and composed.
Isabella had almost finished eating and put down her knife and fork. Just as she wiped the corners of her mouth with a napkin, Aria walked over with a smile and pulled her aside.
“The men will keep drinking forever, Isabella. Let’s go have a chat.”
Isabella looked up at her, frowning slightly. She felt she had nothing to talk about with Aria. Aria’s obvious approach was clearly to get her out of the way.
Isabella tugged at Andrew’s clothes, her eyes showing a bit of concern as she looked at him.
But Andrew instead held her hand, brought it to his lips, and kissed it affectionately. “Go chat. It’s boring sitting here anyway.”
“Oh, look at this newlywed couple! They can’t bear to be apart even for a moment,” Elowen teased, glancing at Emily instinctively.
Sure enough, Emily’s face turned extremely unpleasant, and she glared at Isabella a few times. Emily must have thought she was showing off her affection with Andrew on purpose.
Feeling wronged, Isabella shook off Andrew’s hand and stood up to leave with Aria.
Sitting in the living room, Aria seemed to realize they had little to talk about. She kept discussing the trivial matters of the Hayes family, which only made Isabella sleepy.
After talking until her mouth was dry, Aria took Isabella to her room to look at jewelry.
By the time they came out of the room, it was already dark outside.
Then David approached, smiling and said to Isabella, “Andrew is in a good mood and had a few more drinks. I asked Idris to take him to the car first. It’s getting late, you should head back.”
Isabella nodded skeptically, said goodbye to Ava, and walked out of the villa.
Andrew’s car was parked right at the front door. Isabella walked over and saw Idris getting out of the car, his face beaming with joy, as if something good had happened.
“Andrew and I were in high spirits and had a few more drinks,” Idris said with a smile to Isabella.
“Andrew doesn’t look like someone who drinks too much,” Isabella replied coolly. She then opened the car door and told the driver in the front, “Drive, back to the apartment.”
The car started moving slowly, the villa shrinking into a small dot in the rearview mirror.
Then, the man beside her, who had been pretending to be drunk, suddenly opened his eyes, which were clear and deep blue.