Chapter 162 Isabella Cortez

Chapter 162 Isabella Cortez
The London Gala was a sea of black ties, shimmering diamonds, and the low, expensive hum of the elite. Tonight wasn't just a foundation event; it was my twenty-fifth birthday-the day I was supposed to be a "mistake" in an alleyway. Instead, I stood in front of a mirror in the vanity room, draped in a gown that felt more like armor than silk.

Lucian was right about the light hitting differently on the metallic teal dress.

"You look ready," Mateo whispered, appearing behind me. He looked lethal in his dark teal and black tuxedo, his hand sliding firmly onto the small of my back.

"I feel like an imposter," I admitted, my heart racing.

"You aren't," he said, his voice dropping to that low, possessive rumble. "You're the guest of honor."

The moment we stepped into the ballroom, the atmosphere shifted. The whispers didn't feel like thorns anymore. They felt like curiosity. I was no longer the "disgrace" Isabella Hartley. I was being introduced as Isabella Cortez.

The spotlight hit the stage as Mateo's mother took the microphone. She looked radiant, though I noticed a strange detail-her hands were bare.

The famous sapphire wedding ring she always wore was gone. 'Probably didn't match her silver silk,' I thought to myself.

"Tonight is about growth," his mother announced, her voice commanding the room. "And I am beyond proud to announce the Rossi Foundation's newest partnership. We are launching a state-of-the-art Wellness and Recovery Center, focusing on maternal health, fitness, and post-pregnancy recovery. A sanctuary designed by a woman who knows exactly what it means to be resilient."

She turned, her eyes finding mine. "Please welcome the visionary behind this project... Isabella Cortez."

The applause was a physical force. I walked toward the stage, my legs feeling like lead. As I reached the podium, the flashes of a hundred cameras exploded at once, a wall of white light that almost blinded me. I smiled-big and bright-waving to a crowd that was suddenly desperate to capture my image. In that moment, I wasn't a ghost. I was a guest.

The second I stepped backstage, the adrenaline crashed. I was shaking. Mateo's mother was there in an instant, pulling me into a fierce, suffocating hug.

"I'm so sorry," I breathed into her shoulder. "I didn't prepare a speech, I didn't say anything..."

"Are you kidding me?" she pulled back, her eyes shining with pride. "You stood there and took the light, Isabella. You didn't need to say a word. You are a star, my daughter. A complete star."

The word 'daughter'hit me harder than the camera flashes. I struggled to keep the tears back, nodding as she squeezed my hands.

Mateo appeared a moment later, carrying a giggling Lucian. The boy was squirming like a fish, his eyes darting between Mateo and his grandmother as if they were sharing a secret the size of the moon.

"You did amazing, Isabella!" Lucian cheered, reaching out to tug on my hand.

Mateo pulled out his phone, holding it so I could see the screen. It was a live camera feed of a massive, modern building in the heart of London, already branded with my name. "That's the site for the wellness center, Isabella. It's yours. All you have to do is start the design. Every room, every program-it's your vision."

I looked at the screen, then at his mother's bare finger again. I swear I don't know why my eyes kept looking for her ring. "Thank you... truly. I noticed your ring, by the way," I whispered to her. "It's okay that you took it off. The silver of your dress is beautiful enough without it."

She gave me an almost cryptic, elegant smile but said nothing.

Before I could ask more, Mateo swept me up into his arms. I gasped, blushing furiously as the paparazzi caught the movement through the open backstage doors. I hid my face in the crook of his neck, laughing as he carried me toward the exit.

"Where are we going?" I asked as he settled me into the back of the SUV. "I thought there were more people to meet."

"The driver is taking us home," Mateo said, sliding in next to me. "The night is over, goddess. You've done enough."

"But where's Lucian?" I asked, looking around. "He was right behind us."

"My mom is dropping him off later," Mateo said, his voice calm, though there was a spark in his eyes I couldn't quite read. "She wanted some extra time with her grandson. Tonight... it's just us."

I leaned my head on his shoulder, watching the London lights flicker past the window. I felt safe. I felt seen. I had no idea that the "home" we were driving to wasn't the end of the night-it was just the beginning of the rest of my life.