Chapter 158 SILENCE

Chapter 158 SILENCE
KARIMA

Isaiah caught me looking at him just as he turned the corner. I wasn't quick enough to look away.

"Something wrong?" he asked, his eyes returning to the road.

I smiled softly. "No." A small breath escaped me. "Thank you... for coming with me tonight."

He glanced at me briefly before smiling. "You don't have to thank me." His free hand found mine on my lap, giving it a gentle squeeze. "I'd go anywhere with you."

My chest tightened. I knew this wasn't easy for him..After everything Owain had done... fixing my car... finding ways to stay in my life... Isaiah still chose to trust me. That alone meant more than I could put into words.

"Arrgh... shit!" Julian's frustrated voice suddenly filled the car. "Isaiah! I lost again!"

I blinked. Slowly… I turned around. "Excuse me?" My brows lifted. "'Shit?'" I repeated. “Who on earth taught you that?”

Julian immediately lowered his tablet, looking at me with wide innocent eyes. "No one taught me, Mum." He pointed accusingly at Isaiah. "He said it today when the Red Bulls were playing."

I slowly turned back toward Isaiah. He was already giving me the exact expression that said, Please don't kill me. "I..." He laughed nervously. "I might've said it once." His shoulders lifted helplessly. "Maybe twice."

My frown deepened. He rubbed the back of his neck. "I honestly didn't think he was paying attention."

I sighed. "You know how he is."

I shook my head.

"He remembers everything." Then I looked at Julian again. "Listen to me, young man."

His eyes met mine immediately. "You're not using that word again."

He nodded. "And when we get to the party, you're staying close to Uncle Isaiah. No running around. No disappearing."

"Okay, Mummy."

"Good."

Silence settled over the car again. Only for a moment. Then Isaiah cleared his throat. "You know..." He hesitated. "If we're really trying to convince Owain we're together..."

His thumb brushed lightly across my hand. "...maybe Julian shouldn't call me 'Isaiah' tonight."

I looked at him. "What do you mean?"

He smiled awkwardly. "I mean… If we're supposed to look like a real family..." He glanced at me before looking back at the road. "...'Daddy' would probably sell it better."

I stared at him for a second. Right. That had actually been part of the plan. Somehow, with everything that had happened between us today… I'd completely forgotten.

The whole point of tonight wasn't just attending another company party. It was making Owain believe he'd already lost any place he ever had in my life, including Julian.

“He should have just stayed with...”

“Let's not go there, Karry” Isaiah said quietly, his fingers lacing with mine. “Nothing's going to happen tonight. Trust me.”

I wanted to. I really did. But something deep inside me refused to settle. My heart kept pounding against my ribs like it already knew tonight would change everything.



TWENTY MINUTES LATER

OWAIN

The party was exactly how I'd pictured it. Elegant. Simple. Just enough people to make the room feel alive without turning it into a circus.

I moved through the crowd with practiced ease, shaking hands, exchanging polite smiles and thanking investors for coming. Anyone watching would have thought I was focused on the event.

I wasn't.

Every few seconds, my eyes drifted toward the entrance. Still, there was no sign of Karima.

After finishing a conversation with Baron, which took far more effort than I cared to admit, I excused myself and headed toward a group of investors who had just arrived. I'd barely taken two steps before someone blocked my path.

Collins Hayes.

The warmth disappeared from my face instantly. "Who let you in?" I asked flatly.

His eyes dropped for a brief moment before returning to mine.

“I came to talk."

There was no arrogance in his voice this time or that smugness. Just... exhaustion and regret.

Weeks ago, I would've demanded answers, but tonight… I couldn't bring myself to care. Not when the only person I wanted to see hadn't walked through those doors yet.

I stepped sideways to walk past him. His hand caught my arm.

"Owain—"

Before I could shake him off, a sharp pain ripped through my right side. "Fuck..." The word escaped through gritted teeth. My hand flew instinctively to my ribs, pressing hard against the familiar ache as though I could force it back where it belonged.

No… Not now. Not tonight. I closed my eyes for the briefest second and forced myself to breathe through it. When I looked up again, Collins was already staring at me.

Concern had replaced the guilt on his face. "Owain..." He took a cautious step closer. "You okay?"

I straightened slowly, dropping my hand before anyone else could notice. The pain was still there. Burning. Twisting beneath my ribs.

I'd gotten good at pretending it wasn't. "I'll survive." The words came out quieter than I intended. Then I met his eyes. "For once in your life..." I swallowed the next wave of pain. "...just make yourself invisible to me tonight.” With that, I walked away without sparing him another glance.

KARIMA

The moment I stepped fully into the hall, a chill crawled over my skin. Maybe it was the air conditioning, maybe it wasn't. I wasn't sure. I swallowed, my eyes instinctively searching the room before I felt Isaiah's arm slide around my waist.

"Ready?" he asked softly.

I looked up at him and forced a smile. "Yeah."

His other hand found Julian's, and together we walked farther into the ballroom.

Every click of my heels against the polished floor seemed to echo inside my chest. I kept telling myself tonight would be fine. That I'd made the right choice. That nothing was going to happen.

Then… I saw him. Owain Luther. He stood only a few feet away, speaking with a group of investors as though tonight were just another business event. His smile deepened at something one of them said. For some reason… Seeing that smile made my stomach tighten.

"Hey." Isaiah leaned closer, his lips brushing my ear. "Need me to prescribe something for those nerves?"

I turned and narrowed my eyes at him. "Seriously?" A laugh escaped me despite everything. "You're unbelievable."

A smirk pulled at one corner. "I'm a very qualified emotional support boyfriend."

I rolled my eyes, shaking my head. "Go grab something to eat." I nodded toward the buffet. "I'll say hello to Baron."

He gave me an exaggerated pout. "Bossy." His gaze wandered across the room for a second, that's when something in his expression shifted. Before I could turn to see what had caught his attention, he looked back at me while his hand came up to cup my cheek. "One thing first."

"What?"

"Can I?" His eyes moved from mine and dropped on my lips, his voice was barely above a whisper.

Heat instantly rushed into my face. "Isaiah..." I glanced around nervously. "People are watching. And Julian."

"I know." A smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "That's why..." He leaned in closer. "...just this." His lips brushed mine softly.

I smiled into the kiss. For a heartbeat, I thought that was all. Then he kissed me again. Longer this time. Long enough to make my heart skip. His hand remained against my face as my fingers curled lightly around the front of his jacket. The rest of the room faded. My heart thundered against my chest. Then…

"Karima."

My entire body froze. The voice cut cleanly through the moment.

Slowly… I turned. Owain stood only a few steps away. His eyes weren't on me. They were fixed on Isaiah.

Isaiah looked back without flinching while the air between them turned impossibly still.

They didn't greet each other and there was no smiles or any words whatsoever. Just two men looking at each other… Like neither of them intended to step aside. But in the silence that settled between them… I had the unmistakable feeling this wasn't the first time those two men had looked at each other that way.