Chapter 19
Isabella stood outside Lucas’s study, her fingertips lightly resting against the half–open door.
She’d come to bring him coffee
Lucas had been working late nights recently, and she was worried he’d burn himself out. So she’d made a cup of his favorite Blue Mountain blert ||
But as she approached the door, the overheard a low conversation inside. Isabella was about to turn away when she caught an unexpected name ||
“The collapse of Hinton Group’s financing was indeed influenced by Mr. Montgomery senior.
Her retreating steps halted abruptly|||
“But Mr. Hinton’s suicide wasn’t caused by your father. There were other circumstances.
In her dace, the coffee cup tilted in her hand, brown liquid soaking into the tray.
The information made Isabella instinctively step back, accidentally bumping into a vase near the doorway.
The sharp sound echoed down the corridor, alerting those inside.
The door swung open, Bucas stood at the threshold between light and shadow, a flash of surprise behind his glasses.]
Isabela?
Her attention was drawn to documents scattered on the floor.
She could see them clearly. Reports on the Hinton Group’s collapse seven years ago. Each page stamped with a red “CONFIDENTIAL” SEAL
They faced each other us the air seemed to freeze between them.
Luce’s assistant slipped away
“You’re investigating the Hintong?” Isabella ask calmly
Lucas didn’t deny
He bent to gather the papers, his movements composed as if merely organizing routine contracts.
Yes.
“May I ask why?
Lucas removed his glasses, rubbing the bridge of his nose. The gesture made this normally compared man look exhausted.
“My father and Domine’s father were once business |
partners.
He walked to the window with the documents, his back to Ier.
“Thirty years ago, they founded Longwind Capital together. Later, the lions wanted the market to themselves. They fabricated evidence and had my father imprisoned.
Isabella’s breath caught In her throat
We had finally gothared enough evidence for an appeal, But my father suffered a heart attack in prison. He never made it to his hearing.”
Lucas finally turned to face her, I was twelve“]
Isabella stared into Lucas steady eyes. She thought of the oppressive atmosphere in the Montgomery mansion, the coldness in his grandfather’s gaze, and Lucas’s occasional flashes of hostility toward Dominic
Now it all made sence.
Isabells heard the tremor in her own voice. You approached me just to get revenge on Dominic?“-
Lucas didn’t answer immediately
He walked toward her, reaching out to touch her face. But she instinctively backed away, his hand froze in mid–air.]
“At first, yes.”||
Isabella hated deception, but she never imagined that hearing the truth could be equally painful
At the core, it was simply that this was the truth she wanted to hear. And she found herself thinking:[]
Why coulds you have led to me?
Isabella had expected to break down, to stream. But she remained composed.]]
Tunderstand.
Lucas’s pupils contracted. The Hintons owed you this. Debts should be paid ”
Isabella.art the coffee cup down on the desk with a sharp cink, “But you shouldn’t have led to me.
She turned to leave, but Lucas grabbed her wrist.]
“I never lied to you.” Itis palm burned against her skin, his grip painfully tight.||
The initial motive don’t matter.”
Lucas moved closer, has hot breath brushing her ear. “What motions is now.__||
His other hand cupped the back of her neck, forcing her to look up at him
“Now, all I want is you. For real. Forever“]
Isabella
gazed into the turbulent depths of his eyes and smiled.]
“Lucas, do you know what I hate most?
She pried his fingers of her
wrist, one by one
Ir people like you, always hiding genuine feelings behind calculations.-
