Chapter 31
Here's the translation:
"You're a jerk!" Isabella had tears in her eyes as she pounded on Vitale.
Vitale had never seen Isabella angry before, but right now he found her furious look incredibly sexy.
Those blue eyes that always carried a hint of timidity were now blazing with fire, her cheeks flushed, her chest rising and falling with rapid breaths—she looked like a rose with thorns.
"You look so attractive when you're angry." Vitale smirked, his gaze turning predatory, as if he'd already undressed her with his eyes.
He spread his hands in what seemed like a conciliatory gesture: "You can leave right now, I won't stop you."
But the tip of his shoe playfully hooked the edge of Isabella's miniskirt, his voice low: "But I'll really start pursuing you, so darling, think carefully before you decide. I hope you'll stay rational."
Isabella looked at the door. She could walk out right now, but she'd definitely feel terrible about it.
Aria and Amira were both her good friends—she couldn't do that to them.
He pulled out a document from his drawer and pushed it toward her.
"Read it carefully and sign." Vitale's toe lightly brushed against Isabella's calf. "Then bring it to my hotel before my business trip. Remember, my flight's at nine tomorrow morning. Make sure you time it right."
Isabella tried to step back, but he pulled her right back, trapping her between the desk and himself.
"I heard everything you said in the stairwell." His breath brushed against her earlobe. "You said I was a good person, that that night was beautiful. Funny thing is, I think so too."
Vitale's fingers traced her cheek, his voice suddenly serious: "But I don't want a one-night stand, Isabella. I want forever."
"So stop trying to run. I want your heart."
Vitale gently pinched her cheek and turned to leave, leaving Isabella frozen in place.
After he left, Isabella practically fled from the office. In the hallway, she ran right into Aria and Amboni returning from lunch.
Amboni was leaning down, whispering something in Aria's ear that made her laugh softly.
The scene made Isabella inexplicably angry.
"Stay away from Aria!" She rushed forward and pulled Aria behind her, like a lioness protecting her cub.
Amboni raised his hands in surprise, though his lips curved with a knowing smile: "What's going on?"
"Don't touch her! You damn mobsters!" Isabella shouted.
Aria's eyes widened. God, she hadn't seen Isabella this angry in ages.
Amboni narrowed his eyes, quickly guessing that Vitale was probably behind this outburst.
He shrugged wisely and walked away.
Isabella dragged Aria into the restroom and pressed her friend against the sink: "What exactly did you tell Vitale? Why does he insist I be his secretary? Damn it, I don't want this position!"
It took Aria a moment to recover: "God, you really scared me just now. What do you mean? Don't you like him?"
"I want to keep my distance from him! I can't lose my heart too!" Isabella ran her fingers through her hair in frustration. "And Aria, we don't have to stay here."
"Forget it!" Aria finally raised her voice. "We both know we can't go back! Vitale clearly cares about you—why are you resisting so much?"
"I'm not staying here anyway!"
"Isabella, what are you even doing?" Aria's voice carried a rare sternness. "Why are you locking your heart away? I can feel it struggling in pain! Would you rather let Sonia push you around, let Colt lock you up and assault you?"
"I won't let that happen! I can protect myself!"
"Protect yourself?" Aria let out a short, bitter laugh. "Listen to yourself! Just because we offended Sonia, how many times have we been harassed these past three months? Even our rent was secretly paid by your father! What's so bad about staying here? Vitale treats you well, Mr. Scott promised to look after me. I need this job, Isabella!"
She grabbed Isabella's shoulders, her voice breaking: "Do you really want to keep being harassed by Colt? We're already homeless, we need to find a new place, and this is our best chance!"
Aria's questions shattered the calm Isabella had been trying to maintain.
In that instant, images she'd deliberately suppressed came flooding back like a tide.
Vitale pressing her against the floor-to-ceiling window in his office, his hot chest tight against her back, his burning breath on her neck.
"What am I doing?" Isabella's voice suddenly weakened.
How could she tell Aria that just half an hour ago, Vitale had hooked her skirt with the tip of his shoe, looking at her like he wanted to devour her whole?
Vitale had made her climax twice in his office, and he'd finished twice too. She could still taste him in her mouth.
Even more shameful was her body's memory.
As Isabella tried to argue with Aria, an unwelcome tingling sensation stirred between her legs.
Every detail of that night became crystal clear in this moment.
Vitale carrying her into the bathroom, warm water cascading from the showerhead, soaking their entwined bodies.
He pressed her against the tiled wall, entering her from behind, each thrust making her tremble uncontrollably.
Water droplets rolled down his muscular back, mixing with their sweat.
"Isabella, what's wrong?" Aria caught her suddenly flushed cheeks and flickering eyes.
Isabella turned away, unable to stop more images from flooding her mind.
Vitale lifting her onto the bathroom counter, forcing her to face the mirror, making her watch herself come undone beneath him.
He turned her around, lifted her by the hips, making her wrap her arms around his neck, her legs around his waist.
"Oh God." Isabella unconsciously pressed her thighs together. Every touch, every penetration, every whispered word from that night was branded into her body.
She remembered how patiently Vitale had explored her body.
How he'd whispered sweet words in Eldorian in her ear.
How he'd wickedly slowed down just as she was about to peak.
How he'd given her the wildness she begged for.
"Isabella?" Aria called out worriedly.
But Isabella couldn't hear her anymore.
The body's memory was more honest than reason.
Her skin trembling when Vitale touched her, her back arching involuntarily when he entered her, that overwhelming pleasure when he released inside her...
These memories coiled around her rationality like the most cunning snake.
She could lie to Aria and say it was just a one-night stand, could lie to Vitale and say she didn't want forever, but she couldn't lie to her own body.
It remembered every detail, craved every touch.
"Let's go back." Isabella suddenly said, her voice trembling with resignation.
Aria looked at her in surprise: "Are you sure?"
Isabella didn't answer, just reached up to fix her disheveled hair.
Her body's memory had already made the choice for her.
Vitale hadn't just taken her virginity—he'd left his mark on every inch of her skin.
And the most terrifying part was that her body still craved more, even though she didn't want to be played by fate.
Isabella's anger gradually faded, replaced by deep guilt.
"What if you take his assistant position, and I do your job instead?"
Aria shook her head, her eyes sad: "I tried, Isabella, but Mr. Luca only wants you. Just you. Don't you understand yet?"