As she stepped down the stairs, she saw her dad, Francis, complimenting her mother.
For a few seconds, she stared at her mother, Clara. For some reason, she couldn't help but feel irritated, as if this woman was the same one dressed in black in her dreams.
She quickly dismissed the thought and walked toward her parents. She approached Francis and asked, "Daddy, how do I look?" She smiled at him sweetly.
"You look amazing, the most beautiful woman I have ever seen," he complimented her with a big smile.
Isabella walked past Clara, who was fuming. One thing about Clara was that she loved to be praised.
"So Isabella,can we go now" Clara asked Isabella, and Dad waved goodbye at us before he left in a separate car going in a different direction -- he was going to see his friends.
In less than an hour, they arrived at the venue. She and Clara stepped out, both smiling beautifully as they entered the venue.
Isabella watched as Clara kept introducing her to guests. She quickly found a way to slip out of her mother's sight, walking aimlessly, clearly lost in thought.
After a few minutes of wandering, she bumped into a man.
"I'm sorry," he apologized quickly as some wine had spilled on her dress.
"I'm so sorry for ruining your dress," he apologized again, noticing the stain on her.
"I can get you a new dress," he offered. Just then, Isabella raised her head, and her eyes locked with the man standing in front of her.
She was stunned—not because he was so handsome, which, for the record, he was—but because she felt a strange sense of familiarity with him.
They stared at each other, lost in thought. Then Isabella cleared the silent as she smiled at him.
"You don't have to worry, thank goodness it's black," she sighed, remembering that the first dress Chloe had given her was white. She then chuckled to herself.
"You really don't have to worry," she smiled sweetly as she made her way to the restroom.
When she came out, she saw her mother walking toward her.
"Oh, darling, I was looking for you," Clara smiled at her.
"I went to wash up," Isabella replied. Clara sighed.
"Here, I got you a drink," Clara said, handing her a glass of wine.
Isabella drank it in one gulp and walked past her mother. It was already getting dark.
Suddenly, Isabella felt hot, and her vision became blurry. Just then, she felt someone pick her up and carry her to a room.
This scene was witnessed by the man from earlier, Leonardo.
________________________________________
After a few minutes, Leonardo walked into the room, waiting until the people who had brought her left. When he saw her, his heart skipped a beat.
She rushed toward him, pulling off her black jacket and revealing her spaghetti-strapped gown.
"She looks stunning," he couldn't help but think.
She placed her hand on his chest, and with a single touch, shivers ran through his body, igniting a desire he hadn't expected.
This wasn't the first time a woman had touched him like this, but there was something about this girl—something exceptional.
Her touch was... indescribable. He couldn't explain it. He tried to pull back, but she persisted, her hands on him in ways he couldn't define.
Struggling to maintain control, he held both her hands, trying to steady himself. But then, he felt the soft pressure of her lips on his.
And that was it.
He lost control as he carried her to the bedside table. Gently, he parted her thighs, one hand in her hair and the other at her waist.
He deepened the kiss, his tongue exploring her mouth as she moaned softly. His lips moved to her neck, tracing the beautiful tattoo there.
Just as he was about to go further, his phone buzzed. He stopped, reluctantly pulling away, and took the phone from his pocket, trying to calm himself before stepping outside.
As he left, Isabella sat on the floor, the heat inside her threatening to overwhelm her.
Leonardo returned shortly, handing her a glass of water. Within minutes, she drifted into a deep slumber.
He carefully picked her up and placed her on the bed, his eyes lingering on her for a moment. A small smile tugged at his lips as he gently touched them, lost in the memory of the moment.
Isabella woke up in a strange environment, unfamiliar to her. She stared at Leonardo, trying to make sense of her surroundings.
Him, she thought, as memories of the previous night flooded her mind.
She bit her lip, feeling a wave of shame. She forced a bitter smile and stood up from the bed, bowing slightly.
"I'm sorry," she repeated, bowing again.
"It's not your fault," he said with a reassuring smile.
"I also want to thank you," she added, offering him a genuine smile.
"For what?" he asked, furrowing his brows in confusion.
"I guess you must have added something to my drink to make me sleep," she replied, her voice calm but thoughtful.
"Hmm, smart kid," he complimented her with a nod.
"I got you a new dress," he said, gesturing toward a corner of the room.
Isabella followed his gaze and saw a beautiful pink floral dress hanging there. It was simply stunning.
"You shouldn't have," she blurted out, genuinely surprised.
"It's no big deal," he shrugged casually, turning his attention back to his laptop.
After a few minutes, Isabella took a shower and came out wearing the beautiful pink dress.
Leonardo was at a loss for words. She looked adorable—fresh and radiant, the pink dress making her look like a real-life princess.
"How do I look?" she asked, snapping him out of his thoughts.
"You look great. Let me drop you off at home," he offered, just as she glanced at her phone. It had been on silent, and now it showed dozens of missed calls and messages—all from one person: Chloe.
"Can you drop me off at my friend's house? She's probably really worried," she pleaded.
"Sure," he replied.
They drove in a sleek black Maybach to a beautiful house. Isabella stepped out and made her way inside.
She was familiar with the house and the staff, so the maids didn't stop her as she walked straight to Chloe's room.
Chloe's parents weren't around—she only had her dad, who was currently in the hospital.
"Chloe," Isabella called softly as she lay down on the bed beside her, gently caressing her hair.
Chloe stirred and, upon seeing Isabella, immediately sat up and hugged her tightly around the waist.
"Oh my gosh!" she exclaimed. "I thought something bad happened to you!" Her voice cracked with emotion.
"Chloe, are you crying?" Isabella asked, surprised.
"What happened?" Chloe pressed.
"I'm not ready to talk about it yet," Isabella replied, noticing the frown on Chloe's face. Wanting to lighten the mood, she added, "But… there's a visitor downstairs."
At that, a small smile crept across Chloe's face, and she quickly ran off to the shower.