Chapter 13
“Now? I thought…
bella’s voice betrayed her anxiety. “Do I need in prepare anything special
“Nah,” Lucas said, rifling through the wardrobe. A moment later, he pulled out a dark green silk dress and handed it to her. “Put this on. The color suits you.”
Isabella book the dress, feeling its cool texture between her fingers.
“Why do you have women’s clothing in your room?”
Lucas raised an eyebrow at her question, I had it prepared specifically for you. What
“We’re just business partners, remember?”
wrong… Jealous?“||
Isabella replied coolly, turning toward the bathroom to change. She didn’t see the complex emotion that flickered briefly across Lucas’s face
When she emerged wearing the dress, Lucas was standing by the bookshelf and leafing through a finance magazine.]
Sunlight outlined his tall profile, his eyes behind those glasses focused and sharp–nothing like the careless playboy everyone described
“Do you actually know finance?”
Remembering the well worn books she’d noticed earlier, Isabella couldn’t help asking
Lucas closed the magazine, instantly slipping back into his asun cocky dimer. “Just for show. How else would I trick investors out of their money?”
The family dinner was more oppressive than Isabella had bugined
At the head of the long table sat the Montgomery patriarch, ha hate totopletely white, but with a gaze sharp as a blade that cut across Isabella the moment she appeared
The rest of the table was filled with relatives, each one with a plastic sanile and a knife hidden behind their words.
heard Miss Bennett was Domine Hinton’s fiance before?
Lucas’s aunt anded over her wine glass. “How did you end up suddenly marrying our Lucky instead?”
At these words. Isabellas fuck scraped loudly against her plate. Though strangely, she felt relieved inside
What was coming had to come eventually:|
She plastered on a smile, about to answer when Lucas suddenly took her hand
“Looks like Auntie’s memory starting to slip Isabella and I have been together for a while. Certain people just butt in
He turned to Isabella, his eyes paddenly soft and voice tinged with vulnerability. “Right, lather“]]
The unexpected babe sent an odd tremor through Isabella’s heart but she played along, leaning against his shoulder.
“That’s right, but it’s all in the past now.
After dinner. Isabella returned to their room exhausted||
This hadn’t been a dinner–it was a gladiaturial arens. Cipe moment of inattention and those people would be to her to shreds || Lucas had been s
summoned to his grandfather’s study, leaving Isabella alone by the window.
Some time later, die door opened quietly as Lucas entered, rocking of whiskey:||
“Nok bad,” he said, loosening his te
Grandfather was impressed with
Isabellat
you.-]
around, notidag Lucas’s face was alarmingly pale with beads of sweat dotting his temples
You drank too much tonight.”||
Atdirmer, apart from the few blies of food she’d passed him, his glass had never been empty
mad Lucas replied with a bitter smile. He unbuttoned the top of his shirt finally catching his breath ||
“If I didn’t drink to satisfied them, I wouldn’t have gotten away tonight.”
As he spoke, Lucas stumbled. Isabella rushed forward to steady him.
The moment
moment she touched him, she felt his muscles tense beneath his shirt, radiating unusual heat. “Lucas! You’re burning up with fever“]
Lucas tried to wave her off, but instead collapsed forward.
Isabella barely managed to guide him to the hed
She yanked his shirt open, and her breath caught in her thront.
His back was covered in purple braizes, some
one already darkening to black
“What the hall happened to you?”
Her voice thook with disbelief. The injuries were horrific–who would dare do this to someone of Lucer’s status?||
Lucas kept his eyes closed his tone eerily casual. Tamily discipline, Grandfather wasn’t exactly thrilled with my recent investment strategies.”
pabella quickly retrieved a first aid kit and carefully treated his wounds.
Lucas’s entire body tented under her touch, muscles locking tight. But he didn’t make a sound]
“Why do you put up with this?” she asked softly. “You’re nothing like your public image1
Lucas suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze startlingly dear for someone drunk.
“And what image is that? What do you think 1 should be like?
Isabella thought about the financial books on his shelves, his effortless night during dinner discussions, and now these wounds on his back
“You’re putting on an act… |
The realization was dawning on her, though she still couldn’t understand why.
“All that playboy behavior is just a performance.
Laras pushed himself up, studying her face from inches away. “Clever girl.“]]
He traced her cheek with his fingertips. “What about you? Have you really let go of point? |
Isabella didn’t pull away from his touch. When I discovered our seven your relationship was nothing but a substitution game, my heart died-|| Something shifted in Lucer’s Eyes at her words ||
He stood and walked to his desk, retrieving a fe from the drawer. “Since we’re partners, we should be honest with each other. [
Tabella opened the document, her breath catching as she took in its contents.
It was an ownership structure diagram for our of Montgomery Group’s investment compantes, showing Lucas holding a 95% stake. “That’s not the only one.”[
Lucas said, leaning against the desk. “I control three tech companies and hold shares in r traditional industries, but I’m positioning for future markets. |
So you’re pretending to be a fuckup….
“Exactly. This facade lowers everyone’s expectations.
nyo libtech firms. Grandfather wants me to take over the family’s
Luchs finished her thought. Jaduding Grandfather’s, When I make my real moves, I face less resistance. [
He approachord Isabella, Jearing down to meet her eyes. “Now you know my secret, Mrs. Montgomery,
Isabella gazed into his penetrating eyes, her heart suddenly racing, “Why tell me all this?“[
“Because.“[
Lucys’s
Lucas’s eyes traveled over her face without reservation |
“I’ve realized we’re the same. Both using different methods to escape others expectations and control.
Night had fallen deep, moonlight spilling through the window across them both.
And in that moment, Isabella inalized this contract marriage might be far more complicated than
an she’d
I imagined.
