Chapter 157: An Unexpected Guest

Vincent

The hall was impeccably decorated, and the tables showcased the kind of luxury I’d come to expect from the Albuquerque. Even so, my interest in the evening was nonexistent. I’d only accepted the invitation out of sheer boredom and a need to drown out the constant thoughts swirling in my mind.

Isadora.

I needed to find her. Each day away from her made the idea of simply hiring her back into my life more appealing. But I knew she needed space, and the last thing I wanted was to make her feel pressured. So here I was, trying to fill the void with shallow conversations and a dinner that had long lost its purpose.

Petros played the role of host alongside Liandra, who looked cold and impeccably elegant as always. He wore a polished, almost theatrical smile, while she seemed to be making a minimal effort to appear interested.

The surprise of the evening was Jennifer, who arrived alongside the Kouris brothers. Nikos introduced her as his girlfriend, a statement that felt more like a convenient cover than the truth.

I exchanged a look with Thomas, who appeared just as skeptical as I was. Jennifer, Nikos’s girlfriend? Of course not. Period. The way she interacted with the three brothers made it clear that something far less conventional was happening there.

When Petros announced the merger between Albuquerque and Kouris Enterprises, I noticed the incredulous murmurs around me. Thomas and I, however, remained unfazed. We had already known about the precarious financial situation of the Albuquerque. After all, Liandra hadn’t hidden from me that she expected our marriage to solve her family’s problems. Now, she had found another way—or perhaps, another victim.

Leaning toward Thomas, I murmured,

"So that’s it. Business. Nothing more."

Thomas raised an eyebrow, a faintly sarcastic smile playing on his lips.

"Don’t be naïve, Vincent. Between Petros and Liandra, there’s definitely more than just a business merger."

I laughed quietly but without humor.

"Of course. A relationship built on manipulation and necessity. The perfect combination."

Liandra’s absence during the announcement drew attention, but the explanation offered was convenient: she had felt tired and left the event early. A simple excuse for something that was far more complex.

As the comments continued to circulate among the guests, I scanned the room, searching for something—or someone—that justified my presence there. I was about to suggest leaving when something caught my attention.

A subtle ripple began to spread among the guests, like a cold wind sweeping through the hall. Petros, who was still engaged in conversation a few meters away, turned his head sharply, alert like a predator. I followed his gaze, and what I saw made my stomach tighten.

Isadora.

She was there. Not in a flashy dress or with a grand entrance, but in an even more striking way: with her devastating simplicity. She wore a long black gown with elegant lines, free of unnecessary embellishments, her loose hair cascading in waves that seemed to catch the light of the room. Accompanying her was none other than my grandmother, Esmeralda.

I felt my body freeze for a moment, but Thomas’s reaction was even more telling. He stood abruptly.

"What is she doing here with Esmeralda?" he muttered through clenched teeth, more to himself than to me.

I had no answer. My eyes were fixed on her, on the way she walked with her head held high, as though she owned the place. As though she hadn’t left us behind.

Petros was the first to act. He approached, shook Esmeralda’s hand, and greeted Isadora with that razor-sharp charm he wielded like a weapon.

"What a pleasant surprise," he said, his voice a mix of irony and something I couldn’t decipher.

I stood up, ignoring the growing whispers around us, and walked toward them with Thomas close behind. When I arrived, Esmeralda was smiling, but Isadora... she was expressionless. Her eyes met mine, and it felt as if the entire room had disappeared.

"Isadora." My voice came out lower than I had intended, but I didn’t falter.

"Vincent," she replied with a subtle nod, devoid of warmth.

Thomas, standing beside me, directed his gaze squarely at Esmeralda.

"What’s going on here? Why did you come together?"

Esmeralda shrugged with a cryptic smile.

"Oh, Thomas, can’t a grandmother bring a companion to such an important event?"

"Why her?" he shot back immediately.

"Because she’s the best company I could ask for tonight," Esmeralda replied, her voice laden with hidden meanings.

Isadora remained silent, but her eyes challenged me to ask anything. Petros, still standing nearby, seemed amused by the unfolding tension.

"I wasn’t expecting to see you here," I said directly to Isadora, ignoring the others.

"Neither did I," she replied, crossing her arms defensively. "But life is full of surprises, isn’t it?"

Before I could respond, Thomas stepped in. "Isadora, can we talk? In private."

She hesitated, but before she could answer, Esmeralda spoke for her. "Not tonight. She’s with me, and we have much to enjoy together, don’t we, dear?"

Isadora shot a glance at Esmeralda, as if she wanted to argue, but eventually relented.

"Maybe another time, Thomas."

It was enough to ignite the tension in the air. I could tell Thomas was on the verge of losing his composure, so I placed a firm hand on his shoulder, trying to hold him in place.

"Let’s not make a scene here," I murmured to him.

Meanwhile, Esmeralda and Isadora walked past us, heading toward the main table. Petros’s gaze was still fixed on me as if relishing every second of the chaos the night was bound to bring.

Isadora’s presence at that dinner was like a punch to the gut. I watched her from afar, trying to make sense of why she was there, beside Esmeralda, with a distant demeanor, almost like a shadow of who she used to be.

She avoided looking in my direction, which only fueled my unease. I knew this wasn’t a coincidence. Esmeralda never made a move without intention, and if Isadora was there, it was for a purpose.

I maintained my composure during the dinner, but my mind buzzed with questions. When I saw Esmeralda rise, with Isadora following, I waited a few seconds before making my move.

"Thomas, let’s go," I murmured, grabbing his arm.

"Follow Esmeralda? Isn’t that a bit dramatic?" he asked, but he was already walking with me to the car.

"No."

I drove in silence, unsurprised when Esmeralda headed to the mansion with Isadora.

As soon as we entered the living room, Esmeralda was seated on one of her velvet sofas, while Isadora sat across from her. She no longer looked uncomfortable.

"Vincent, dear," Esmeralda greeted, lifting her gaze to me with that sweet tone that always hid her true intentions.

"Don’t call me ‘dear,’ Grandma. I want to know what’s going on here."

Isadora lowered her eyes, avoiding contact, which only irritated me more.

"Esmeralda, what are you scheming now? Why was Isadora at the dinner? Why is she here?"

My grandmother sighed, adjusting her posture as if I had interrupted an important moment.

"Vincent, control your emotions. Isadora is here at my request. And she agreed because she understands what’s at stake."

Thomas finally spoke up, crossing his arms as he leaned against the wall.

"Maybe we should hear what Isadora has to say. It seems like she has something important to tell us."