Chapter 22
Isabella took a deep breath and finished the ice cream in her hand.
The cold, bitter liquid seemed like it could wash away those unpleasant memories, but the image of Chris and his pregnant wife Leila still lingered in her mind.
She really didn't want to recall anything about Chris, because it disgusted her so much.
But Aria and Amira looked so concerned, and they were her best friends—she should feel grateful for that.
This was the best friendship God had arranged.
"Seriously, you don't have to look at me like that." Isabella forced a smile at her two friends. "Do I look like someone who'd be crushed by that kind of person?"
Aria played with her fiery red short hair, her green eyes full of worry. "Come on, Isabella, you've been distracted ever since you came back from the wedding. What happened?"
"We just want to know if that jerk Chris hurt you again. If he did, we'll definitely find a way to beat him up."
Under her two close friends' concerned gazes, Isabella finally couldn't help but tell them everything that happened on the terrace that day.
"I turned around and saw him standing there with Leila on his arm. God, that woman was already six or seven months pregnant, her belly so big it looked like she could go into labor any minute."
"She was wearing a custom maternity evening gown with a Cartier diamond necklace around her neck—that necklace we'd seen countless times in magazines. Every time I hinted that I liked it, Chris said we couldn't afford it."
"The way she touched her belly was so natural, and Chris stood beside her smiling with this gentle expression I'd never seen before."
"Oh my God!" Aria slammed the table and stood up, drawing stares from passersby below the balcony. "How can such a shameless person exist in this world? That woman actually dared to show off in front of you? I thought I cursed Chris to never be able to get a woman pregnant!"
Amira elegantly sipped her tea and calmly added, "Aria, your curse was too mild. You should have cursed his penis to never get hard, or just made his legs paralyzed so he could never go around cheating again."
Isabella finally laughed, and the gloom of recent days seemed to lift a little. "Listen, I'm really not that upset."
"I just felt a bit suffocated, gasping for air over the three years of my youth I wasted on that person."
"But you know what? Right at that moment, I suddenly let it all go—not because I wasn't in pain anymore, but because I finally saw clearly that suffering over him for three years was just over a phantom I'd imagined myself."
"The real Chris doesn't deserve a single tear from me."
Amira gently hugged her. "You deserve better, honey."
Aria raised her ice cream and shouted, "Cheers to leaving the jerk! May he be impotent forever!"
Isabella decided to confess something else. "So that night, I went back to find Vitale. I didn't want to leave myself with regrets."
"Of course, it was mainly because of that bet—I lost the dart game and had to keep my promise. It definitely wasn't because his body was too attractive, or..."
Aria interrupted with a mischievous smile. "Isabella! Remember when we watched 'Fifty Shades of Grey' together in college? Who blushed first? Who got restless first? Your body is way more honest than your mouth."
Amira nodded in agreement. "Honestly, I'm glad you left Chris, otherwise I'd really worry he'd train you into a sex slave."
"Really, you've been completely different since coming back. You make these blushing sounds when you sleep at night. At first we thought you were having nightmares, but then we realized..."
"I did not!" Isabella's face instantly turned bright red. "That was just—just because I was too tired!"
Aria winked at Amira mischievously. "Did you hear that? She says she didn't, but last night that 'Vitale' was loud enough for the whole floor to hear."
Isabella waved her hand in embarrassment to interrupt. "The person in question is sitting right here!"
Aria laughed and raised both hands in surrender. "Just joking, but seriously, Chris showing up at the wedding definitely wasn't an accident. I bet Colt specifically invited him, and Sonia absolutely knew about it."
Amira analyzed calmly, "Sonia never liked you. She always thinks all the men in the world should revolve around her. Ruining your happiness is like a game to her."
"I've never seen a sister like that," Aria said indignantly. "Taking her sister to a bachelorette party and using her sister's virginity as a bet? God, thank goodness you ended up with Vitale and not that animal Colt. Otherwise I'd definitely have someone break his legs."
Isabella looked at her two friends with emotion, reaching out to hug them tightly. "Thank you, my dear friends. I hope our interview at the new company goes well this time, and we don't get fired for no reason like last time."
Aria hugged her back, saying confidently, "Don't worry, I checked it out. Tyson Group is a proper big company, and they're not just hiring secretaries—there are lots of other positions too."
"Whoever gets chosen, we'll be happy for each other."
"Of course," Isabella said sincerely. "I'm not a jealous woman like Sonia."
The three looked at each other and laughed, their clear laughter echoing through the room.
The next morning, Isabella and Aria, dressed in carefully selected business attire, appeared on the tree-lined avenue outside Tyson Group headquarters.
Morning light filtered through the plane tree branches, casting dappled shadows on them.
"Wow, this building is impressive." Aria looked up at the towering glass curtain wall building and unconsciously smoothed her skirt.
Isabella took a sip of her latte, her other hand still flipping through company materials. "Remember, Mr. Scott is known for being strict. He hates lateness and people who aren't well-prepared."
Just as they were about to enter the building, Isabella's phone suddenly rang.
The name flashing on the screen made her good mood vanish instantly.
God, how could it be Sonia?
Aria looked at her with concern. "Are you going to answer?"
Isabella took a deep breath and pressed the answer button. "Good morning, Sonia. What's up?"
"Dear Isabella," Sonia's syrupy voice came through the receiver. "I heard you're interviewing at Tyson Group today? What a coincidence—Colt happens to know executives there. Do you need me to put in a good word for you?"
Isabella gripped her phone, her expression darkening.
She knew Sonia could never be this kind—there had to be another motive behind this call.
"No need, thanks," she tried to keep her tone calm. "I believe in my own abilities."
"Really?" Sonia laughed lightly. "Then you'd better be careful. I heard Tyson Group's CEO Amboni is a very difficult person, and..."
She deliberately drew out her words. "They seem to have underworld connections. You shouldn't get involved with the wrong people again, like last time."
After hanging up, Aria asked with concern, "What did she say?"
Isabella looked at the towering glass building before her, sunlight reflecting blindingly off its mirrored surface.
"Nothing," she put her phone back in her bag and straightened her spine. "Just a warning, that's all."