Chapter 142
Isabella’s POV.
Two years later…
It was unbelievable how swiftly two full years had passed. A year had flown by since I made the decision to give up and move in with Ares. Living together had proven to be far better, and Ares had been incredibly accommodating, even allowing me to renovate any rooms that didn't quite suit my taste. I teased him about turning the small office into a pink, personal walk-in closet, and to my surprise, he was fully on board. It never ceased to amaze me the lengths he'd go to make Slade and me happy.
Slade embarked on his school journey, and he insisted on attending the same school as Andrew and Alexa. Thankfully, Sigyn and Micah sent their children to a private school, making Ares quick to grant Slade's wish. While the media's obsession with us had lessened, we remained cautious.
In the past few months, I'd been engrossed in one project after another, and my body was finally calling for a well-deserved rest. So, I made the decision to take an entire month off, especially with some news I still had to share with Ares, news I'd been keeping to myself.
Currently, it was lunchtime, and I'd organized a mini-get-together for Rosa, Toni, and me. These two had been occupied with travel – one for pleasure and the other for work. The United States had become our home, but that didn't stop us from making our yearly trip to Italy. I was already looking forward to the next adventure, even though it was more than six months away.
The living room looked perfect, with an array of food, snacks, and drinks. With Slade accompanying Ares to work, we had the house all to ourselves for our little get-together.
"So, you and Julius... When's the big day?" I inquired playfully, referring to Toni, who had returned from his trip engaged. Witnessing his life flourish with a great job, a dog and kitten, and a place shared with his now-fiancé made me genuinely happy for him.
"We don't know yet. We're torn between a dramatic winter wedding and a summer wedding," Toni sighed, caught in the dilemma of choosing a season for their special day.
"Oh, I just cannot wait," I gushed, genuinely excited for their impending nuptials.
"How are things with you and—"
"I dumped them. It's over. I can't deal with the constant negativity, so your girl is officially single again, and no, I'm not looking to mingle for a while," Rosa proudly declared, dropping a surprising revelation that left Toni and me gasping.
"Well, we should drink to that then," I suggested, raising my glass to clink with theirs.
"It doesn't count when you drink mocktails," Toni playfully mocked.
"I can't risk alcohol with my meds, trust me, I want that champagne so badly," I groaned.
"Oh my god, look at this photo they just shared," Toni showed us his phone, revealing a cute picture of Daniela and Maksim sitting together at the beach.
"I still sometimes forget that they're together," Rosa laughed.
Yep, Daniela and Maksim are officially a couple now. Apparently, Seyra and Ares won some bet they made. It all started about a year ago during a fundraiser we attended. Ares and I were attempting to sneak off to a secluded closet, completely unaware that Daniela and Maksim had already claimed the spot for themselves. That's when we discovered they'd been secretly dating for a few months – it's been a little over a year now.
"Okay, guys, let's focus. We want to actually finish the movie this time," Rosa injected some seriousness into the room as she unpaused the movie.
The rest of our day was spent indulging in movies and devouring junk food. Around 5 PM, everyone bid their goodbyes. Ares then sent me a text, letting me know he'd be taking me out but insisted that I wear extremely comfortable sweats and a hoodie. I couldn't quite grasp his plan. Where on earth is this man planning to take me? Perhaps the movies? It's been a while since we went.
***
Ares’ POV.
After dropping Slade off at his grandparents' place, I ensured everything was in order before heading home to pick up Isabella. She looked genuinely puzzled but wore the outfit I had instructed her to wear, looking absolutely adorable.
"Hey hon, where are we going?" She smoothly slipped the question into our conversation, thinking she was being sly. "We passed all the movie theaters already."
"The airport," I replied simply, stealing a brief glance at my Isabella.
"Uh, what?" She furrowed her brow.
"The private airstrip, don't worry," I assured her.
"What for?"
"We're going to Italy," I smirked, expecting joy but seeing a wave of worry instead.
"Ares, Slade is with your parents for only one day," she reminded me as if I hadn't already considered that.
"That's what you think. I arranged it with your parents and mine; they will look after him until we come back," I explained. I wasn't foolish; I knew I had to plan everything meticulously. It took me weeks to get everything in order. I made sure there was someone to take care of the company while I was gone, someone to swing by the house to ensure everything was fine, and, most importantly, someone to look after our son.
"But he has school, and-" Isabella started to voice her concerns, but I hushed her.
"Our parents know how to care for a child, dear," I reassured her, resting my hand on her thigh and giving it a gentle squeeze.
"Anyways, do you want to hear about my traumatic experience when I dropped Slade off?" I asked, recognizing the perfect way to divert her attention.
"Uh, what happened?"
"So, I arrived at the house, and Slade was on the phone with Seyra. I'm not sure what she called for, but something about her buying something for him in Belgium, so I figured I'd go check on my parents since they hadn't opened the door," I began recounting the story, and she hummed to indicate she was listening. "I still had my keys, so I entered the house, and the first thing I saw was my father shirtless on the couch with my mother under him! She was wearing one of those silk nightdresses, and well, they were smooching," I shared the somewhat awkward scene, reliving it in my mind. Imagining the one thing an adult child wishes to never imagine.
"Oh wow—" Isabella was clearly blown away.
"Oh wow, indeed. Do you want to know what they did next? They laughed," I continued, still haunted by the sound of their laughter. "They laughed, Isabella," I scoffed. "Turns out this has been going on for a year already, but they haven't said anything yet because they were waiting for the right time." I rolled my eyes, and when I glanced at Isabella, she too was laughing.
"Oh my god," Isabella erupted into laughter, the sound filling the room.
“You’re laughing? Unbelievable,” I scoffed.
“Oh that’s golden,” Isabella laughed.
“Mean. You are mean,” I whispered and shook my head.