Chapter 95 Lie To Cole Ryder
Chapter 95 Lie To Cole Ryder
I walked down the gravel path toward the rose garden, wrapping my arms tightly around myself against the morning chill. My body still felt heavy and exhausted, my muscles aching from the drug Daniel had put in my system, but my head was finally clear.
When I met Isabella standing near the stone fountain, I picked up my pace to greet her.
Hearing my footsteps, she turned around. The second she saw me, her elegant face softened with relief, and she quickly stepped forward to take my hands.
"Celene," she said, her eyes searching my face. "How are you? Cole was completely out of his mind last night. Honestly, we all were... you gave us such a terrible fright, my darling."
"I'm okay, Isabella," I said, offering her a small, reassuring smile. "Just really tired."
Her grip on my hands tightened slightly. "How did you even end up at that hotel with Daniel? Do you remember much of what happened?"
"I remember everything, even if I didn’twant to... the sight of those male strippers is still burned to my very medula, Isabella," I told her, chucking slightly...looking straight into her eyes. "I only lost consciousness after I was drugged at the venue. I knew exactly what was happening up until that point."
It felt good to say it out loud, to let her know I wasn't completely blanking on the nightmare. But I didn't want to dwell on Daniel or the hotel, so I quickly shifted the focus to her.
"I’ve been feeling so bad," I said. "I hope my sudden disappearance didn't ruin the plans for the older ladies? Did you guys still manage to have fun after everything fell apart?"
The serious, worried look on Isabella's face instantly faded, replaced by an amused chuckle as she waved her hand.
"Oh, please, you didn't ruin a thing, darling," she said, shaking her head. "Once we knew Cole was handling it, those women went right back to causing absolute chaos."
She laughed softly, leaning in a little. "You should have seen Eleanor after her third martini. She tried to buy the hotel piano just so she could fire the pianist because he refused to play her favorite songs. And Beatrice actually lost her diamond while she was grinding on one of the hot men...She thinks they stole it, we think she was absolutely careless with them. We had to buy it back for her or gsr husband would kill hsr... it was his anniversary gift to her...."
A genuine laugh escaped my throat. Hearing about their ridiculous, chaotic night actually made the heavy terror of yesterday feel just a little bit lighter.
"Don't worry," I said softly, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. "Cole is never going to find out about our little outing. It's our secret."
Isabella let out a long, dramatic sigh of relief, her shoulders dropping.
"Oh, thank goodness," she said, looking at me with a newfound warmth. "I have to admit, Celene... I was terrified you were going to rat us out to him. Especially after how intense things got last night."
"I kept my promise," I said simply.
"You did," she agreed, a proud smile spreading across her face. "He still has no idea you slipped out with us. It shows real loyalty, darling. I know I can truly trust you now."
She patted my hand affectionately, her eyes bright with a sudden, dangerous spark of inspiration.
"Which is exactly why," Isabella continued, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper, "you simply must join us again. The ladies and I are planning another day out. We're thinking of heading into the city this afternoon."
My stomach did a nervous flip. I looked at her, my mind immediately flashing back to the crowded club, the kidnap, and the sheer terror of waking up in that hotel room.
"Isabella, I don't know," I said, trying to keep my voice even. "If it's going to be anything like the last one... I really don't think I'm up for it."
"Oh, don't be silly, darling. Nothing like that will ever happen again. We'll be much more careful this time, I promise," she insisted, giving my arm a persuasive squeeze. "Just a quiet, lovely lunch and a bit of shopping. No drama. What do you say?"
I let out a slow, tired breath. Despite my exhaustion and the lingering dread in my chest, I knew keeping Isabella on my side was important.
"Alright," I agreed softly, forcing a small smile. "I'll go."
Isabella’s eyes lit up, her face instantly bright with excitement.
"Oh, wonderful!" she gasped, clapping her hands together. "You won't regret it, Celene. I promise you, it is going to be a damn spectacular time.... and if you really plan to be a part of our lives... you'll need to adapt to these parties.."
But then she leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a low, urgent whisper. Her expression turned serious.
"Now, there is just one tiny catch," Isabella said, her eyes darting briefly toward the villa before locking back onto mine. "You are going to have to lie to Cole."
"Huh?? Lie to him?" I repeated, my chest tightening instantly. "Isabella, why I do that?"
"Because this little party is actually going to be an all-night affair," she explained, waving off my concern with a dismissive flick of her wrist. "And we both know how Cole is. There is absolutely no way he will let you out of his sight for that long, let alone overnight, after what happened. You need to find a truly great excuse to get away. Something airtight... and then you can join us...."