Chapter 39
Leonardo walked into the office grinning, having spotted Isabella standing at the edge of his sprawling compound from the jet. Even from a distance, he could see the way her eyes lit up when she spotted the plane, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. It was as if she had been waiting for his return, a beacon of light in the darkness that had consumed him in recent days.
The turbulence of his troubled mind seemed to dissipate as he laid eyes on her. All the stress, all the worries, all the doubts, they all seemed to fade away in the presence of this woman who held his heart in her hands.
He was filled with worries about his lost warehouse and now just holding her in his arms, all the worries seemed to have melted away.
“Hi come to my office” he instructed over the house phone.
In a few minutes, a lady in her late fifties came in.
“Good day Leo” she greeted, she was the only one who called him by that name.
“Good day Miss Payne” he replied smiling, Miss Payne had always been close to him, she literally took care of him since he could remember. She was his nanny, and even when the world deserted him, she stood by his side doing all the motherly duties. He often called her mum when he was younger because he never knew his mum.
“What happened while I was gone?” he asked
Miss Payne narrated everything to him, as though she knew the reason he was asking, she made sure she told him everything that happened with Isabella.
“Thanks, Miss Payne,” he said smiling
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Isabella sat down on her bed, unsure what to expect from the first knock. She waited for a while, but no knock came. She decided to sleep, convincing herself that all she needed was sleep, but she secretly expected him to run after her and hug her from behind.
She was about to fall asleep when she heard a knock; a rush of excitement washed over her. She took a quick glance in the mirror before proceeding to the door.
Her face fell as she opened the door; she simply left it open and retired to her bed.
“Good day Ma'am, Sir Leonardo sent this to you and wants you to be ready at 7:pm for dinner,” the housekeeper said before leaving. Her downcast face lit up slightly; she did not want to appear overly excited, but deep down she was dancing around.
She was tempted to open the package before getting ready, but she eventually fell. As she brought out the gown, she was in awe, the fabric was a rich, royal blue, adorned with intricate beading and delicate lace detailing. It was the most exquisite dress she had ever seen, and she couldn't believe that it was meant for her. She was so lost admiring the dress that she didn't realize it was almost 7:00 pm.
“Shoot!!” she exclaimed she looked at the wall clock, took her bath as fast as she could, and proceeded to styling her hair.
Quickly, she slipped her towel off her body and slipped into the gown. The fabric cascaded beautifully over her curves, accentuating her figure in all the right places. She carefully fastened the buttons and smoothed out any wrinkles, feeling like a princess in a fairy tale.
With a final glance in the mirror, she smiled at her reflection, feeling confident and beautiful. It was a stark contrast to the usual self-doubt that plagued her mind. Tonight, she was going to own the room and make a statement.
As she made her way out of her room, she was surprised to see Leonardo waiting for her in a dapper suit, she was expecting a bodyguard like the last time. His eyes widened as he took in her appearance, his gaze filled with admiration and something else she couldn't quite place.
“You look breathtaking," he finally said, his voice barely above a whisper.
Blushing at the unexpected compliment, Isabella smiled shyly. "Thank you. And you look quite handsome yourself." She complimented
They stood there for a moment, taking in each other's appearance, the tension between them palpable. Finally, he extended his arm towards her, offering to escort her to dinner.
She took his arm with a smile, her heart fluttering with excitement that she didn't want to evidently show her excitement.
They walked through the back door, a door Isabella never knew existed. Her eyes widened as she saw a beautiful tent.
The soft glow of the lanterns inside the tent cast a warm and inviting light over the dinner table where Isabella and Leonardo sat, facing each other. Isabella couldn't help but admire the intricate decorations that adorned the inside of the tent. It was clear that a lot of effort had been put into creating this romantic setting.
In a short while, a lady in her mid-thirties came in and took their orders. As they ate, the atmosphere was jovial and light-hearted. Leonardo regaled her with fun stories, and she found herself laughing at his anecdotes. Despite herself, she couldn't help but steal glances at him when she thought he wasn't looking.
She kept reminding herself that she accepted this dinner out of politeness and because she could not turn down his offer. Deep down, she was overjoyed to be there; even if it was only for an hour, she would savor it.
As the evening wore on, Isabella couldn't deny the growing attraction she felt towards him. She couldn't help but wonder if this dinner was just the beginning of something more between them. As Leonardo walked her to her room, Isabella leaned forward and kissed him before entering.
She stood at the door, her heart racing, wondering why she pecked him even though it felt good. She did not want to appear easily swayed.
"I do not like him; I am just doing it for myself and Marco," she repeated as she undressed.