Chapter 49
Ten minutes later, Isabella stepped out of the office, planning to check on the other workers.
As soon as she opened the door, she saw Henley standing there like a statue, and she felt a bit annoyed.
"I mean, you don't have to follow me all the time. I'm actually... fine on my own." Isabella said with a smile, trying to make Henley think she was at ease.
Henley cleared his throat loudly. "I know you suggested to Vitale to remove the bodyguards, but do you understand why I'm here?"
He paused for a moment, his sharp eyes scanning the surroundings like a hawk. "I used to be Mr. Luca's personal bodyguard, and I still am. He sent me because you're important to him."
Isabella's eyes widened in surprise.
She had never imagined that the quiet Henley was Vitale's most trusted bodyguard.
"If you insist you don't need protection," Henley said calmly, "you can try pushing me away, but I'll still stand behind you. It doesn't stop me from doing my job. After all, I'm still getting paid."
Isabella sighed helplessly and walked toward the factory workshop, noticing a few new faces today.
Those people wore work uniforms, but their movements were overly cautious, and the tattoos occasionally visible on their wrists revealed their true identities.
Bodyguards from the Luca family.
"How long are you going to protect me?" Isabella stopped walking, her tone full of resignation.
"Just pretend I'm not here."
"I want a specific time."
Henley gave a rare, faint smile. "That's a question you should ask Mr. Luca directly."
Isabella took a deep breath. "Will you report every move I make to him? Do I need to watch out for anything?"
"As long as there's no danger, your freedom isn't restricted."
"So, I can't convince you to leave?"
"No, we're pretty stubborn." Henley suddenly lowered his voice. "But, Ms. Martinez, what did you do to Mr. Luca last night? He's in a bad mood today, like he's horny or something."
Isabella nearly choked on her coffee, the sounds from last night's phone call flooding back into her mind.
When her body trembled because of his voice on the phone, Vitale said from the other end, "I can picture how you look right now. Are your tits pushed out? Are your legs rubbing together?"
He was right. Every single time, he was right.
During the video call, Vitale had told her, "Move the camera lower, a bit more, yes, right there. Imagine my lips kissing your pussy."
Isabella had done as he asked, and then she heard his suppressed breathing.
Things got unpleasant after that because she accidentally mentioned her ex-boyfriend, Chris. Without that little slip-up, she probably would have kept fucking him over the phone for a long time.
He was such a crazy man, making her cum over the phone while Sierra slept nearby. She felt both scared and excited.
God, she was crazy, too.
Snapping back to reality, Isabella pretended to organize some papers, but her cheeks couldn't help but flush.
During the rest of the inspection, Henley kept a perfect distance.
Close enough to protect her if needed, but far enough not to draw attention.
He gave her a tiny wireless earpiece, and whenever she needed background info on a worker, his low voice would come through at just the right moment.
"The guy in the blue shirt on the left has been here for seven years, has two kids. He just had stomach surgery last month and needs his paycheck to cover medical bills."
"The one by the window is a distant relative of Costa, but privately, he's not happy with Costa's actions. You could try approaching him."
This quiet assistance made Isabella's work much smoother.
When Laura came over with a stack of files and saw Henley, she couldn't help but laugh. "God, you look like a boss from a gangster movie now."
Isabella gave a bitter smile. "I feel like it's a bit over the top, too."
She suddenly lowered her voice and complained to Laura, "Honestly, last night I almost slapped Vitale."
Laura and Henley both froze at the same time.
"You slapped who?" Laura's voice changed pitch.
"It wasn't on purpose, just a reflex." Isabella tried to backtrack. "Just pretend you didn't hear that."
Henley rubbed his temples. "No wonder Mr. Luca's off today. We'd better be careful."
At lunchtime, Laura mysteriously pulled Isabella outside the factory. "I know a great restaurant, but we need to change clothes."
Henley escorted them to the destination.
It was a fancy restaurant hidden in an old building.
Through the glass door, they could see a luxurious dinner party happening inside.
"I can't go in," Isabella said, looking at her oil-stained work clothes, "I'd get kicked out dressed like this."
"That's why I came prepared." Laura winked proudly and dragged her to the restroom.
In the spacious marble restroom, Laura pulled two dresses out of her large tote bag.
Isabella's was a midnight blue silk gown, simple in cut but cleverly designed.
"Turn around" Isabella said shyly as she took the dress.
"We're both women, what's there to worry about?" Laura laughed but still politely turned away.
Isabella unbuttoned her work uniform and slipped off the oil-stained outer layer.
In the mirror, her body looked especially alluring under the lights, with faint hickeys from Vitale visible near her collarbone.
She quickly put on the dress, the silk sliding over her skin, making her shiver slightly.
The dress hugged her curves perfectly.
The front had a modest square neckline, but the back was boldly cut down to her waist.
The waist was cinched, showing off her slim figure.
The skirt slit started at her thigh, revealing her long legs as she moved.
"God," Laura turned around and covered her mouth in awe, "you look like Venus herself."
Isabella spun in front of the mirror, the deep blue silk shimmering like ripples with her movements.
She loosely pinned up her blonde hair, a few stray strands falling around her neck, adding a lazy, sexy vibe.
"This is too much," she said uneasily, adjusting the straps, "we're just having lunch."
"At this restaurant, lunch and dinner are no different" Laura said, already in a wine-red dress. "Come on, let's go see what high society is like."
When they stepped out of the restroom, Henley was still waiting by the door.
Seeing Isabella's outfit, his eyes flickered for a moment before returning to his professional demeanor.
"Do you need me to come in with you?" He asked.
"No, just wait here," Isabella said, "If there's trouble, I'll contact you through the earpiece."
Henley nodded, but his gaze cautiously scanned the inside of the restaurant. "Remember, if anything feels off, leave right away. Those so-called high-society people aren't any safer than the thugs in the factory."
The moment they entered the restaurant, Isabella felt countless eyes on her.
The crystal chandeliers cast light on her silk dress, making her look like a star that had fallen to earth.
Laura nervously linked arms with her and whispered, "The gray-haired man at the third table on the left is the biggest building materials supplier in town. The lady by the window on the right, her husband is on the city planning committee…"
Isabella walked gracefully to their reserved spot, feeling the subtle slide of silk between her legs with every step.
She suddenly thought of Vitale. What was he doing right now? Was he scarfing down a cold sandwich while dealing with paperwork, or was he in some meeting room negotiating with someone?
He was already in the city, so why hadn't he come to the factory to see her? Didn't they agree to handle the Costa situation together?
Was he still mad?
What a petty man! Next time, she'd make sure to tease him and take control.
The waiter pulled out her chair, and Isabella sat down elegantly, the deep blue skirt spreading over the seat like the night sky.