Chapter 37
Isabella’s hand rested on her cheek as she gazed at Samuel with a somewhat dazed expression, but the next moment, she shook her head and took the fork from him. “It’s fine, she said softly, clearing her throat as she hurriedly picked up food and brought it to her mouth. The awkwardness in her eyes was nearly palpable. She thought she must have looked ridiculous just
now.
Samuel raised an eyebrow, mildly surprised. He couldn’t shake the feeling that Isabella’s ears seemed to be a little red. She did blush when he hugged her earlier.
Megan, unaware of their interactions, came over to serve them each a bowl of soup. “Mr. Howerton, Mrs. Howerton, you must try this soup. I cooked it for six hours. Mrs. Howerton looks a bit tired. This will help replenish her strength.”
Samuel nodded in satisfaction. “Well done, Megan. Your salary will be doubled this month.”
Isabella was left speechless,
Megan’s face lit up with gratitude as she looked at Samuel. Thank you, Mr. Howerton!”
After that, they fell into a comfortable silence. Isabella kept her head down, taking small bites of her food and sipping her soup. Her earlier gloom seemed to fade away. Their meal didn’t take long, and once Megan cleared the dishes. Samuel took Isabella’s hand, and they went for a stroll in the backyard for over an hour before returning to the bedroom.
The bedroom was dimly lit. Isabella had already showered and lay in bed, eyes closed as she tried to drift off. Knowing Samuel was still in the bathroom made it hard for her to relax, especially after the day she had. Sleep eluded her.
Minutes felt like hours until she finally felt the bed dip beside her. Isabella opened her eyes to see Samuel had climbed in and pulled back the covers, settling next to her.
She blinked in surprise as Samuel turned to her, his voice gentle. “Goodnight, Bella.”
Isabella froze for a moment, then noticed he had turned off the light. With a complicated expression, she tentatively wrapped her arms around his waist.
He paused, feeling her back arch away from him. Then, he pulled her closer into his embrace, and the distance between them closed instantly. Isabella stiffened at the sudden closeness.
After holding still for a moment, she shifted uncomfortably
The sound of Samuel’s restrained voice came from above her, sending a ripple of warmth through Isabella. She halted her
movements.
To Samuel, it felt like he was submerged in scorching water, and the heat was unbearable. But the woman in his arms kept moving, igniting something deep within him.
He leaned down, close to her ear, and whispered in a husky voice, Tm a normal man.”
His warm breath brushed against her skin, sending tremors down Isabella’s spine, but before she could–react, he tightened his grip around her waist. She could feel the heat radiating from his body.
Realization hit her like a bolt of lightning, and her face flushed. She stiffened, murmuring, “I–I didn’t mean to… Her usual calm demeanor was melting away, leaving her a bit rattled.
Yet Samuel simply held her close without pushing further, softly saying, “It’s okay. I’ll give you time. With that, he closed his eyes as if nothing had happened.
Isabella dared not move again. The room grew–silent, but she found her mind racing, far too alert to sleep.
Thoughts of her father’s cold indifference and Samuel’s countless acts of kindness swirled in her head, creating a tangle of emotions. What am I going to do about all this? she thought, With a heavy sigh escaping her lips, she tried to shut her eyes, but it felt like an eternity before she finally slipped into a restless sleep.
The next morning, Isabella got up early from her bed. After having breakfast with Samuel, she headed out. She parked her car at the entrance of the Cooper family’s villa and had just stepped out when a gust of wind rushed past her.
- 13.
Chapter 37
The harsh sound of brakes made Isabella frown slightly as a sleek silver Porsche came to a stop right in front of her.
The door swung open, and George popped out with a playful grin on his boyish face. He tousled his bangs dramatically and threw her a wink, saying, “Haven’t seen you in a few days. I’ve gotten even more handsome, haven’t I?”
Isabella rolled her eyes. She couldn’t be bothered to reply and turned to head inside the villa.
George shrugged off her indifference, letting out a sigh. “Some people just don’t appreciate beauty. But he quickly followed her indoors.
In the living room, various priceless porcelain and paintings adorned the space, with intricately carved wood furniture nearly filling every corner. It was clear that the family was loaded.
As soon as they entered, Shawn came over with a beaming smile. “Dr. Lovett, you finally came. Hello, Mr. Sampson.” Isabella gave a subtle nod. “Hello, Mr. Cooper.”
George, with his charming face still lit up by a smile, began to stroll around the living room, and then he leaned close to Shawn, whispering, “Mr. Cooper, you’ve got quite a lot of impressive things here.”
He previously thought Shawn just had a decent amount of money from his work, but seeing the extravagance of the room now made him realize Shawn’s business was much more impressive than that. Even the smallest vase seemed to be worth over 300 thousand.
saying. “Oh th
Shawn smiled politely, saying. “Oh, they’re nothing special”
Isabella couldn’t help but let out a small sigh, thinking, ‘George is really all about the money, huh? She quietly reminded him, Time to get started”
Mentioning business shifted the mood. George wiped the playful grin off his face and turned serious as he looked at Shawn. “Have you prepared everything I asked for?”
George knew Isabella had extremely high standards for these kinds of things, so he had to make sure everything was prepped ahead of time. Shawn nodded, saying, “Absolutely. Everything’s ready.”
Still a bit uneasy, George raised an eyebrow. T’ll go check it myself. He needed to double–check everything.
Shawn had no objections and led George up the stairs.
Ten minutes later, George and Shawn came back downstairs, and George gave Isabella a nod, signaling that it was time for her. to head up.
At the doorway of Jack’s room upstairs, Isabella turned to the group following her, pausing her steps. “You all wait outside for
now.”
Shawn instinctively glanced at George, but George had already stepped back. Looking somewhat troubled, Shawn turned to Isabella, muttering, “Well…”
Isabella raised an eyebrow, curious. “Is there a problem?”
Shawn knew he had to warn Isabella. What if something went wrong? He sighed heavily and said, “My son has some personality issues. I’m just worried he might hurt you.”
Isabella lifted her brow in surprise and glanced at George. They exchanged a look as if questioning who could pose a threat to her–not even Xavier could do anything to her.
With a faint smile on her lips, Isabella reassured him. “It’s fine.”
However, hearing Shawn’s concerns made George uneasy. He stepped forward, looking at Isabella with an earnest expression. “Maybe I should go with you.”
Isabella didn’t refuse, and they both walked in together.
