Chapter 202
“Isabella, you still remember me?” Darren’s voice carried a note of disbelief, his tone laced with something between hope and desperation.
With his stubby frame and round face, people had always called him “Tubby”—a nickname that clung to him like a bad habit.
When he first stepped into the lavish parking lot of the high-rise, even the security guards gave him skeptical once-overs, as if he were a stray dog that had wandered into a gala.
Inside, resentment simmered in his chest. He fantasized about the day he’d prove them all wrong, the day he’d make them regret underestimating him.
So when he spotted Isabella approaching, he didn’t hesitate. He closed the distance between them with eager strides.
“We’ve known each other for years!” Darren’s gaze swept over Isabella’s designer dress and the expensive handbag dangling from her arm, envy coiling in his gut.
Just as Sophia had said, Isabella had transformed into a vision of elegance and wealth.
His smile turned earnest, almost pleading.
“We grew up together in the orphanage. I recognized you the second I saw you. It’s been so long. I’ve missed you.”
Isabella merely arched a brow, her expression dripping with disdain.
“Friends? You?” Her voice was ice. “Would a friend steal my toys, cut my hair, take my pocket money, and turn the other kids against me?”
Her words were like a slap, sharp and stinging.
“I never want to see you again. So before I lose my patience—get lost.”
Despite his many failures, Darren clung to his pride like a lifeline. Her words ignited a fire in him, fury bubbling just beneath the surface.
But then he remembered the seven-hundred-thousand-dollar reward.
He swallowed his anger, forcing his face into an expression of wounded innocence.
“Isabella, how can you think of me like that?” In his mind, he was the tragic hero of some grand romance.
His eyes grew red, feigning emotion.
“I never forgot you all these years. Back then, I was just a stupid kid. I teased you because I liked you—I wanted your attention!”
It was the kind of pathetic excuse that might have worked on a naive girl.
Isabella let out a dry laugh.
“Are you so broke you can’t even afford a mirror? Take a good look at yourself.” Her gaze raked over him, unimpressed.
“Your little act won’t work on me. If you really want attention, I can suggest something more dramatic.”
A smirk curled her lips.
“How about hanging yourself right here? I guarantee you’ll be the talk of the town tomorrow. Worth a shot?”
Darren’s face fell.
When had she become so ruthless?
Seething, he forced a lovesick expression onto his face.
“I was just a kid! Don’t all guys act stupid when they like someone? We tease to get noticed. But I’ve changed now. Be with me! I’ll treat you like a queen!”
He ran a hand through his hair, trying to project confidence.
“And Isabella, I know you still have feelings for me. Why else would you remember me after all this time?”
Isabella barely spared him a glance.
Where had this delusional fool crawled out from? Did he really have zero self-awareness?
“I’ll say this one last time—get lost. Move. Now.”
