Chapter 124 One Hundred & Twenty Four

Chapter 124 One Hundred & Twenty Four
The door closed behind them with a soft click.
Dominic stood there for a long moment. The silence in the office suddenly felt heavier than before.
His jaw tightened as he stared at the empty doorway where Izzy and Steven had just disappeared.
You’re a lucky man.
The words he’d said replayed in his head.
Lucky.
That man had Izzy’s smile. Her laughter. Her life. Her heart.
Dominic walked into his office and shut the door harder than necessary.
Miranda was already inside.
Waiting.
She turned from the window as soon as he entered.
“So,” she said sharply. “That’s the man she married. I didn’t get to see his face clearly at the ball last time.”
Dominic didn’t respond immediately.
He poured himself a drink from the decanter on the side table.
Miranda watched him closely.
“You should be careful,” she continued. “That woman didn’t come back to this city for nostalgia.”
Dominic took a slow sip of whiskey.
“You’re overreacting, Mom.”
Miranda crossed her arms. “Overreacting? She humiliated us in that meeting.”
Dominic set the glass down.
“No,” he said calmly.
Miranda frowned. “She challenged us.”
Miranda scoffed. “She’s playing games.”
Dominic’s eyes darkened slightly.
“She’s negotiating,” he replied. “That’s what businessmen and women do. You should know that.”
Miranda stepped closer.
“That woman took my money and ran. She is a bad omen.”
Dominic turned toward her slowly.
“Did she?”
Miranda froze slightly at the tone in his voice.
Dominic leaned against the desk.
“Because from where I’m standing,” he said quietly, “she turned your twenty-five million into a trillion-dollar empire.”
Miranda’s lips tightened.
“That doesn’t change what she did.”
Dominic’s jaw flexed.
For a moment he said nothing.
Then he picked up his phone.
Miranda narrowed her eyes.
“What are you doing?”
Dominic’s voice was calm.
“Learning everything about Mrs. Isabella Valenti.”
Miranda frowned. “You already know her.”
Dominic looked up slowly.
“No,” he said.
“Apparently I don’t know this version of her.”
He pressed the dial.
When the call connected, his voice turned cold and precise.
“I want a full report on Isabella Valenti.”
A pause.
“Everything.”
Another pause.
“Yes. Her company, her investments, her husband… her life for the last six years.”
Miranda watched him carefully.
Dominic ended the call and set the phone down.
Something dangerous had settled in his expression now.
“Because if she thinks she can walk into my city… into my company… and control the board—”
His voice dropped.
“She’s wrong.”
Miranda’s eyes gleamed slightly.
“You’re finally thinking clearly.”
But Dominic wasn’t looking at her.
He was staring out the window at the city skyline.
Thinking about the little details he couldn’t shake.
The way Izzy looked unbothered… like she didn’t need him anymore.
While he had spent six years waiting for her, burning for her.
And the way Steven Valenti had stood beside her as if he belonged there.
Dominic’s jaw tightened again.
Izzy is mine. No one else’s.

Outside the building, Izzy and Steven walked toward the car waiting at the curb.
Steven opened the door for her, but before she got in he glanced back toward the towering Steele Group building.
“The infamous Dominic Steele,” he said quietly.
Izzy knew exactly what he meant.
“Yes.”
Steven studied her face for a moment.
“You okay?”
Izzy nodded, though she didn’t immediately look convinced.
“I’m fine.”
He didn’t push.
Steven simply gave a small nod and slid into the driver’s seat while Izzy settled beside him.
The car pulled into traffic.
For a few minutes, they drove in silence.
Then Steven finally spoke.
“He looks… intense.”
Izzy let out a small breath.
“That’s one way to put it.”
Steven smirked slightly.
“That handshake almost turned into a wrestling match.”
Izzy laughed softly despite herself.
“He’s always been competitive.”
Steven glanced at her.
“Always?”
She looked out the window at the passing city.
“Yes.”
Steven nodded slowly, understanding there were layers to that answer.
After a moment he said quietly,
“He didn’t look like a man who forgot you… or moved on.”
Izzy’s fingers tightened slightly around her bag.
“That’s not my problem anymore.”
Steven didn’t argue.
Instead, he reached over and squeezed her hand gently.
“And it won’t become my problem either.”
Steven steered the car through the midday traffic before pulling up in front of a quiet restaurant tucked between two tall buildings.
He stepped out first and came around to open Izzy’s door.
“After you, Mrs. Valenti,” he said lightly.
Izzy rolled her eyes but smiled as she stepped out.
“You’re enjoying that title far too much.”
Steven grinned. “I worked hard for it.. Making you my wife was the best thing I ever did..” he kissed her softly
Inside, the restaurant was warm and elegant, the low hum of conversation mixing with soft music. A hostess led them to a table by the window overlooking the street.
As soon as they sat down, Steven leaned back in his chair and sighed dramatically.
“That meeting must have been exhausting.”
Izzy laughed softly as she picked up the menu.
“Not really.”
“I can tell,” he said. “Do you know how hard it is for me to watch by the side while two people are practically declaring war”
Izzy shook her head.
“You’re dramatic.”
“True,” Steven admitted. “But I’m also observant.”
The waiter came, took their orders, and left them with glasses of water.
Steven leaned forward slightly, studying her face.
“But I'm sure you handled yourself well in there.”
Izzy shrugged.
“I had six years to prepare for this moment… I have worked hard to get here honey.”
“And Dominic?”
Izzy took a sip of water before answering.
“He hasn’t changed as much as he thinks he has. Not sure if his temper is better now”
Steven smiled faintly. “Oh, it's not.”
Izzy raised an eyebrow.
“How would you know?”
“Love.. He looked like a man trying very hard not to flip the table and throw me out the window.”
Izzy couldn’t help laughing. “You're exaggerating.”
For a while, they talked about lighter things.
The food arrived, and Steven immediately began telling a ridiculous story about a disastrous investor meeting in Milan where a billionaire had spilled red wine all over a contract worth hundreds of millions.
Izzy laughed harder than she had all morning.
At one point she wiped tears from the corner of her eye.
“I missed this,” she admitted.
Steven looked pleased.
“Making you laugh? I do that every day ”
“I know honey, I needed it today thank you.”
For a moment the tension that had been following her all day seemed to fade.
Steven watched her quietly.
Then his expression shifted slightly.
More serious.
“Izzy. Honey ”
She looked up from her plate.
“Hmm?”
He hesitated for a moment.
“I know you don't like talking about this but… Don’t you think he should know?”
Izzy’s brow furrowed slightly.
“Know what?”
Steven held her gaze.
“About Brian.”
The warmth in Izzy’s expression disappeared instantly.
Her face went completely still.
Cold.
“No.”
The word came out sharp and final.
Steven didn’t look surprised.
But he didn’t back down either.
“He’s his father.”
Izzy’s jaw tightened slightly.
“And that changes what exactly?”
Steven leaned back in his chair.
“It means Dominic has a right to know he has a son.”
Izzy’s fingers slowly set down her fork.
Her voice was calm.
Too calm.
“No.”
Steven studied her carefully.
“Izzy—”
“I said no.”
Her eyes lifted to his.
There was anger in them now.
“I will not let Miranda Steele anywhere near my child.”
Steven was quiet.
Izzy continued, her voice low but firm.
“You saw her at the ball. How she bosses her son around”
“Yes.”
“Imagine her with influence over Brian.”
Steven said nothing.
Izzy’s lips pressed together.
“I have watched that woman manipulate Dominic, control him, turn him into a man who can't think of himself, who is selfish and incapable of love.”
Her eyes hardened.“I won’t let her do the same thing to my son.”
Steven folded his hands on the table.
“Dominic isn’t entirely his mother.”
Izzy’s laugh was soft.
But there was no humor in it.
“Steven… you saw the way he looked at you.”
Steven smirked slightly.
“That was jealousy.”
“That was him being calculative I'm sure he's up to something .”
Steven tilted his head slightly.
“And that bothers you?”
Izzy didn’t answer immediately.
Instead, she looked out the window.
Cars moved slowly through the street below.
People walked past like nothing in the world was complicated.
Finally, she spoke again.
“My son deserves a better father and that's you .”Her voice softened slightly
Honey I love you and I love and I'm obsessed with my little man but still..”
“I want Brian to have a peaceful home” she cut him off
“And Dominic would destroy that?”
Izzy looked back at him.
“Yes.”
The answer came without hesitation.
Steven studied her face for a long moment.
Then he leaned forward slightly.
“What happens when Dominic finds out anyway?”
Izzy’s expression didn’t change.
“Then we deal with it.”
Steven sighed.
“You know men like him don’t walk away.”
Izzy picked up her glass and took a slow sip.
“He already did once.”
Steven frowned.
“That’s not what I saw today.”
Izzy’s lips curved into a small, almost sad smile.
“Dominic Steele always wants what he can’t have.”
Steven’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“And Brian?”
Izzy looked down at the table for a moment.
Then she said quietly,
“Brian is the one thing Dominic will never have.”