Facade.

Facade.
Isabella's Pov :

I watched as the colour drained out of Julien's face in place of being happy with the news that I just gave him only to compose himself a moment later and getting up to congratulate Stracy.

"Congratulations to you Stracy," he wished Stracy with a smile which did not really reach his eyes. His movements seemed hesitant as I felt an odd sense of dread fill my senses. I felt myself subconsciously reach to caress my little bump protectively as I watched them from over my shoulder.

There ought to be something wrong.

"So where is Cabir right now ?" Julien asked as they moved to the tables, one of the server's carrying the drinks.

Julien sat down beside me, his right hand covering mine as his thumb rubbed over my skin there in a soothing manner. This was one of his ways to calm me down which did work as I felt myself relaxing and reclining against the chair.

"Uh he's in the apartment. Sleeping probably. Just had a jet lag from travel," Stracy spoke with intervals while playing with her hair as she looked down to the plate and toying with the forks and spoons, not clearly meeting with our eyes. These are clear signs of her hiding something, the message of cabir coming in my mind.

"Yeah probably," I heard Julien replying calmly as he motioned the server to pour down the drinks. I watched as he poured two glasses of fine red wine serving one to Julien and the other to Stracy after which Julien sent him off with a nod while I kept looking at Julien.

I gotta get a drink too right ?

I looked at Julien showing him my empty glass before he sighed and signalled something to another server standing on the opposite side who hurriedly took off before returning with a glass of something red and blue.

It looked pretty and almost like a elixir which made me grab it as soon as he set it in front of me.

"No alcohol so you can have on of these. Will help you will the nausea and will also refresh you up ," Julien told as I took a sip of it. It was fruity, well a lot fruity but atleast better than seeing of them have fancy wine.

A fruit mocktail was at least better than plain water, anything for our little bean.

"You gotta buy me gallons of that wine after this little bean is out," I remarked to which Julien smirked as he cut into the juicy piece of steak on his plate.

"That and more," he replied before giving his glass of wine a swirl.

I watched Julien staring at me with a smile on his face from the corner of my eye as I turned towards him once Stracy got up to get herself more refill.

"So what's going on in that head of yours ?" I asked narrowing my eyes at him as he gave out a small laugh.

"Just thinking about you and..how we could easily slip away from here. Now. And use the time upstairs," he replied with a smirk as his eyes moved over my body making me gulp with the throbbing want.

"I can't wait to get the hell out of here Bella," Julien whispered, his voice going hoarse and deep, close to my mouth as his breath fanned over mine.

Shit. His voice. Just that damn voice has the abilities to turn me on into wanting him in ways which wasn't possible right now.

"So Stracy where did Cabir propose you ?" Julien asked when Stracy came back with her plate, looking up from his plate as me and Stracy both answered at the same time.

"Cafe."

"Garden."

My eyes widened as she replied "garden" because she did tell me that he took her to some cafe to grab a coffee and proposed there.

"Uh I mean at the cafe in the garden," Stracy spoke hastily with a sudden nervousness in her voice. She's hiding something for sure as I clearly remember she told that the cafe was close to her apartment but there are no gardens in her neighbourhood.

"But you said only cafe right ?" I said slowly while Julien looked at her expectedly.

"No Isa I told about it being in the garden, you must have missed it," she replied wide a wide smile on her face as she quickly dug into her food.

"Yeahhh happens with pregnant women," Julien remarked from beside me making me want to shoot daggers at him.

What does he mean by pregnant woman ? I am literally pregnant with his baby and he's teasing me.

"You are teasing me," I say inching my face closer to Julien dropping my voice so that its only audible to him as his travel to grip my thighs, drawing a line across my skin as he replies.

"Only because it's you," he replies making my cheeks warm up. He's a smooth talker and I will give him that.

The rest of the lunch went rather smoothly except when Julien will move one of his foot against mine or gripping my thighs just to get some reaction out of me.

"Isa as much as I would like to spend more time with you I have to go back. Cabir must be waiting.." I heard Stracy say as she quickly gulped the remains of her wine before getting up on her feet to go. I was about to say something when Julien cut in.

"So is Cabir in your apartment ? I would like to meet him then," he asked which made a bell ring in my mind. Cabir and Julien were best friends, he is the only person who knows about our contract and everything so how does Julien not know about their proposal from before ?

"He told he wants a little privacy actually. I am really sorry ? Bye Isa I will see you tomorrow" She replied to which Julien casually nodded nodded before hurrying out after giving me a side hug while I curiously eyed Julien. It was impossible that Cabir would want privacy from Julien. I have seen him leaving in the middle of his date to get to Julien so this was just jet lag !

I waited until she exited the lawn to bombard him with my questions.

"Thank you for the service, you all can please take your rest now," I told the servers to which they nodded before walking off. I did not know why but I feel this conversation will require privacy.

"Julien what's going on ?" I asked him as he turned his chair towards me to seat facing me.

"What's going on ?" He counter questioned with a shrug.

"Julien I know there is something wrong and you are trying to keep it all to yourself," I replied with a frustrate brewing inside me.

Why the fuck does he want me not to know anything about what's going on ?

"I can't lie to you Bella. Yes there is a lot of shit going on currently but I really don't want you to know it and get stressed. Honestly after all this is over I am taking us on a long ling vacation. I am tire," he replied as his hand crawled to my lap to hold mine.

"So you do not care about what I think at all ?" I asked with a little hurt showing through my voice. I honestly wanted to ease his work and if not that at least be by his side now more than ever.

"I respect and trust your opinion little honey head, I just don't want to drag you into this shit. Please don't freak out," Julien replied his fingers going to stroke my hair, pushing a single stray strand behind my ear.

I sighed picking up my drink to finish it as he ardently stared at me.

"Okay if not full of it let me know half of it now so that I can be cautious ?" I asked trying to let it sink into me that what Julien is doing is for the betterment of all the three of us, us and our kid.

Julien's face suddenly went from calm to tensed, his muscles tightening as he nodded at me.

"Yeah. You need to stay really cautious or maybe away from Stracy for a while. Cabir is untraceable at the moment which contradicts to whatever she told you. I am also going to increase the security around you from tomorrow," Julien finished while I quickly took out my phone to show him the message I received from Cabir in the morning.

I forwarded my phone to him as he leaned in to read my phone's screen.

"Fuck." I heard him hiss as he read the text before looking over at me with dead serious eyes.

"Cabir is in trouble."