Chapter 128
In the cozy haven of the Wind Shelter Bar, the warm yellow lights and soothing jazz music created a lazy, intimate vibe in this little corner.
Laura's question was blunt and full of curiosity, making Isabella's cheeks flush uncontrollably.
Under Laura's eager gaze, Isabella's shyness lasted only a few seconds before it was replaced by a small sense of vanity mixed with pride and closeness.
She picked up her herbal tea, trying to cool the heat on her face with the warmth of the cup, but her eyes shone brightly.
"Yes, he makes me feel amazing."
Her straightforward words made Laura blush, too, though the curiosity in her eyes burned even brighter. She leaned forward instinctively, like a little girl waiting to hear a story.
Isabella looked at her but gently shook her head, a sly yet firm smile on her lips, "But I can't tell you the details, Laura. Because it's personal."
"You get it."
Though a bit disappointed, Laura nodded in understanding.
After all, sharing details about intimacy, even with the closest of friends, can feel too personal and over the line.
"Yeah, I get it." She took a sip of her tea, pushing down her curiosity, and switched to a safer topic, "So, it sounds like you two are really in sync."
"Very much so," Isabella confirmed. Then, as if something suddenly came to mind, the blush on her face faded a bit, her brows furrowed slightly, and a thoughtful look appeared.
The question of Vitale's past relationships was like a tiny thorn. It didn't hurt much, but it occasionally pricked at her heart.
Laura's earlier question, the possibility that Sonia might know something, and her own deep desire to understand him more fully, all mixed together, led her to make a somewhat impulsive decision.
"Sorry, Laura, I need to make a call," Isabella said, pulling her phone out of her bag.
Laura watched her curiously, but Isabella didn't explain. She quickly found Sonia's name, took a deep breath, and pressed the call button.
The phone rang for a long time, almost hanging up automatically, before it was finally answered.
"Isabella?" Sonia's voice came through, sounding unnaturally rushed and breathless. There were faint, muffled sounds in the background. "Wow, it's rare for you to call me first."
Her tone tried to keep its usual sharpness, but her breathing was clearly unsteady.
Isabella frowned, ignoring the sarcasm in her words, and got straight to the point, "I have a question for you. Do you know if Vitale ever had a girlfriend before? I mean, the kind he'd bring home for... You know."
She knew Colt had been around the Eldoria mafia circle for years, even if just on the edges. He must have heard plenty of rumors and gossip about Vitale, and he likely shared them with Sonia as bragging material or pillow talk.
On the other end, Sonia seemed to gasp, followed by a muffled, suppressed groan.
In the background, there was a man's low, displeased grumble and the sound of fabric rustling.
Isabella instantly understood.
Her cheeks heated up, but more than that, she felt a sense of absurdity.
She had actually called Sonia to ask about this while Sonia was in the middle of something.
Sonia was clearly trying hard to control the situation and her voice.
While attempting to push away the man clinging to her, she steadied her breathing to answer Isabella. Her voice was even more tense and odd, as if she was struggling to hold something back.
"As... as far as I know, no." She spoke in broken bursts, rushing as if she wanted to end the call quickly, "Colt said... he's seen Vitale with women at events, like parties or auctions... but they never left together, at least not that Colt saw. Vitale seems... very picky in this area, or he's just really good at keeping things private. So, Isabella, you should... You should feel at ease."
That last abrupt, sharp intake of breath made Isabella's ears tingle.
Then, Sonia seemed to give up on resisting something, her voice taking on a blunt and hurried tone, "Isabella, you're calling at a time like this. I can't help it. Colt's useless, and I have needs, so I'm with my lover. Do you have anything else to ask? Hurry up! I can't hold back much longer, I'm about to scream!"
This brutally honest and wild confession made Isabella's face turn completely red, all the way to her ears.
She gripped the phone, feeling her fingertips burn.
"No! Nothing else! I'm done!" Isabella almost shouted in a flustered, incoherent mess, then quickly hung up, tossing the phone onto the table as if it were scalding hot.
"Oh my God." Isabella covered her cheeks with both hands, feeling a strong wave of heat rise within her, mixed with embarrassment, shame, and a strange, indescribable restlessness stirred by Sonia's shameless boldness.
Her mind couldn't stop replaying Sonia's last words, "I can't hold back much longer, I'm about to scream," along with those barely suppressed gasps.
That sound...
So wild, so direct, as if it could strip desire bare and raw.
Wait.
A sudden thought popped into Isabella's mind.
What about my voice?
When Vitale fucked her into that storm of intense desire, what kind of sounds did she make?
Were they like Sonia's, unrestrained and full of raw passion, or more restrained, broken, or even unpleasant?
She had never paid attention to it. In those moments, her rationality was long gone. Who would care about the sounds they made?
But now, this thought clung to her like a curse.
Which is better?
Which does Vitale prefer?
Has he ever compared them in his mind?
Should she just ask him directly?
This idea made Isabella's face even redder, her heartbeat inexplicably speeding up.
"Isabella? Are you okay?" Laura had been watching her, noticing the shift from seriousness when she made the call to the blushing and dazed look after hanging up.
Clearly, that call had brought some shocking content.
"What did Sonia say? Your face is so red."
Isabella snapped back to reality, picked up her now lukewarm herbal tea, and gulped down half the cup, trying to cool the heat on her face and the chaos in her mind.
"Nothing, really nothing," she mumbled, avoiding Laura's probing eyes, "Just asked about something. She was busy."
She couldn't bring herself to repeat Sonia's candid words.
She set the cup down, took a deep breath, and tried to pull her focus back to reality. Thinking of Vitale's text saying he'd be back tomorrow instantly brightened her mood.
"Vitale said he's coming back tomorrow," Isabella said, a smile creeping onto her lips as her eyes lit up again, "I think I should head back early to rest, get some good sleep, and be in great shape for him tomorrow. What do you think?"
She started to stand, eager to escape this place that was messing with her thoughts and return to her apartment, which carried Vitale's presence, to prepare for his return.
"Wait, Isabella!" Laura reached out and grabbed her wrist, not too hard but with determination.
Her expression turned hesitant yet serious, as if she'd been wrestling with something in her mind for a while before finally deciding to ask.
Isabella stopped, looking at her with confusion, "What's up, Laura?"
Laura licked her lips, choosing her words carefully, a faint trace of worry and curiosity in her eyes.
"I've actually wanted to ask you something for a long time," she spoke slowly, her voice soft, as if afraid to disturb something. "Isabella, do you ever get jealous? Jealous of those women who might have been on Vitale's arm at public events? Jealous of those who are, or were, sitting close to him, right by his side?"
She paused, watching Isabella's reaction, then asked a more specific, sharper question.
"I mean, if—and I'm just saying if—there's a woman who's known Vitale longer than you have. Maybe she knew him before he became the Vitale he is now. She might know about his past, some hidden stories or habits, and maybe she even played an important role in his life for a while. She understands him more than you do, in a way."
Laura's gaze locked onto Isabella's eyes.
"If a woman like that exists, Isabella, what would you do?"