CHAPTER 54: Tension.

CHAPTER 54: Tension.
Luca held the car door open as Isabella came out of the hospital after her checkup. She moved slowly with one hand resting on her growing belly, enjoying his supportiveness and his doting habits. The doctor had confirmed everything was fine, that the baby was healthy and growing well. Still, Luca kept watching her closely, making her smile at how good a father he would be.
"You okay?" he asked.
"I am fine," Isabella replied. "Stop worrying so much."
Luca closed the door and walked around to the driver's side. He started the engine but did not pull out of the parking lot immediately. Instead, he turned to her with a small smile.
"I have a surprise for you."
Isabella raised an eyebrow. "What kind of surprise?"
"You will see."
He drove away from the hospital and merged into traffic. Isabella leaned back in her seat and watched the city pass by, expecting him to head toward the mansion where her surprise was probably waiting, but after twenty minutes she noticed they were going in a different direction.
"Where are we going?" she asked with concern on her face.
Luca kept his eyes on the road. "You'll find out soon, Bella."
Isabella couldn't help the feeling of uneasiness that crept into her heart. Troubling thoughts flooded her head immediately…where was he taking her? What surprise was he talking about? Had Riccardo said something else? The questions just kept repeating themselves, but she forced a calm expression and decided she would find out soon enough.
Fifteen minutes later, Luca pulled up in front of a luxury boutique. The storefront was elegant and bold, with large glass windows displaying a large collection of designer clothes and jewelry. Luca turned off the engine and looked at her.
"We are here."
Isabella stared at the store, relief and surprise appearing on her face at the same time. "A boutique?"
"Yes," Luca said. "I want you to go in and take anything you want. Clothes, shoes, bags, jewelry. Whatever catches your eye. Take anything you want, Bella. My treat"
She hesitated. “But Luca, I don't really…”
"Please," he cut in gently. "Let me do this for you, Bella. I really felt like doing it"
Isabella looked into his eyes and saw the genuine look of affection in them. She wanted to refuse, to be rude again piss him off, but she found herself nodding instead. “I…I guess I'll just…I'll look around.”
A wild grin broke across Luca's face, and he came down excitedly to open her door and help her out.
The moment they stepped foot into the boutique, Isabella’s eyes widened as she saw how large it really was on the inside and the size of their collection. The soft classical music playing in the background made it feel like she was in a fairytale movie, and she couldn't help but smile at Luca who nodded for her to proceed. Several attendants glanced at them, then quickly looked away.
Isabella moved straight to the gown section, touching a few dresses lightly as she passed through the racks. But as she inspected dresses and shoes, her eyes kept drifting toward the jewelry section at the far end of the store. A delicate necklace had caught her attention, and unable to contain her curiosity, she went over to check it out. It was simple yet stunning, with a single teardrop diamond hanging from a thin platinum chain. She looked around timidly, unaware of the attendant giving her a suspicious glare, then touched the necklace. It felt cool against her fingers, and she smiled as she admired the way the light caught the diamond.
"Excuse me," a stern voice suddenly said behind her. "Please do not touch the items unless you intend to buy them."
Isabella turned around in shock to find a tall, thin attendant with perfectly styled hair and heavy makeup standing there with her arms crossed. Her name tag read "Victoria."
"I was just looking," Isabella said calmly.
Victoria's eyes swept over Isabella's simple maternity dress and flat shoes and she immediately let out a small laugh.
"Looking is fine, madam, but touching the most expensive piece in the store is not."
Isabella frowned at her unprofessional tone, but she chose to remain diplomatic. "I would actually like to buy it."
Victoria's eyebrows shot up however, obviously amused by Isabella’s response. She turned to a male colleague standing nearby and spoke loud enough for others to hear.
"Listen to this. The pregnant woman in the cheap dress thinks she can afford the two hundred thousand dollar necklace."
The male attendant looked at Isabella from head to toe, and then burst into laughter. "You must be joking. That piece is for serious clients only."
Isabella's cheeks burned as irritation began to build up inside her, but she kept her voice calm and steady. "I can actually afford it, and I want to buy it."
Victoria smirked rudely. "Sure you can, honey. And I am the Queen of England."
The male attendant joined in. "Look at her. She probably wandered in here by mistake. Maybe she thought this was a thrift store."
More laughter came from two other attendants who had gathered nearby to watch the spectacle.
Isabella took a deep breath, becoming more frustrated by their rudeness. "I’m not joking. I would like to purchase this necklace."
Victoria rolled her eyes dramatically. "Listen, sweetheart, why don't you go back to whatever shelter you came from? This is not a charity shop and this item is way above your net worth."
“I actually don't have the strength to argue with…” Isabella began, but she was abruptly cut off by a thick male voice.
“What's going on here?”
Isabella turned to see a man arrive from another corner, wearing the tag of supervisor. Relieved that someone who could probably try to hear her out had arrived, she opened her mouth to speak, only to be rudely shushed by Victoria.
“Thank goodness you're here, Mr. Taylor,” Victoria said quickly. “This lady came in here and was suspiciously handling the Laurel necklace. When I confronted her, she claimed she wanted to buy it.”
The supervisor looked at Isabella again…then at Victoria, then at the other attendants who giggled and looked away.
“Look, madam,” he began…