Chapter 293
“Don’t worry, Isabella.”
Julian’s smile was bright, his eyes shimmering with an almost magnetic charm. There was an infectious energy about him—youthful, vibrant—as if the world around them blurred into insignificance the moment his gaze settled on her. To him, in that instant, no one else existed.
But the warmth of his expression faltered as an icy presence pressed against his back.
Alexander’s stare was sharp enough to cut glass.
Julian ignored it, keeping his cheerful demeanor intact. He wasn’t the type to be easily cowed.
“You’ve got nerve saying that,” Alexander scoffed, glancing at his watch with deliberate disinterest. The air around him turned frigid. “If you’re in the mood for childish games, save them for after the gala. Isabella and I have business to discuss. I doubt she has time for idle chatter or nostalgia.”
He let the silence linger just long enough to be pointed before turning to Isabella. The chandelier’s glow cast his shadow long and imposing beside her.
“Isn’t that right, Ms. Sinclair?”
Alexander knew Isabella wasn’t one to entertain meaningless conversation. And he knew better than anyone that she had zero tolerance for unwelcome advances. If a man overstepped, she wouldn’t hesitate to break his wrist and toss him overboard without a second thought.
She was no damsel.
Yet the slight furrow in Isabella’s brow betrayed her surprise at Julian’s presence. Alexander’s cutting remark diffused the tension—albeit with a bite.
Julian felt the sting but refused to retreat, his smile unwavering. He knew Alexander was mocking him, dismissing him as some naive upstart unworthy of standing beside her.
Before he could counter, Isabella spoke, her voice calm but firm.
“The gala’s about to start. Alexander and I have matters to attend to. I’ll find you later when we’re free.”
She hadn’t expected Julian here, of all places. And with Alexander beside her, there were too many things left unsaid. Her words were a quiet promise—once the time was right, they’d talk.
A flicker of guilt crossed her mind. She’d stood him up more times than she cared to admit. Softening her tone, she added, “You’ve been working hard lately. I appreciate your dedication.”
Her gaze warmed, the usual steel in her eyes melting just enough to make Julian’s pulse stutter.
A dizzying rush of happiness flooded him.
“Yeah—yes, of course!” He nearly tripped over his words. He’d come hoping for a chance to speak with her, maybe even steal a moment alone. But now, just that one compliment—simple as it was—had his heart soaring.
“Don’t say that! I’d do anything for—” He caught himself, coughing lightly. “It’s nothing, really. We can catch up tonight if you have time!”
In his excitement, he almost slipped, nearly revealing secrets better left unspoken. But he didn’t care—not about Alexander’s piercing glare, not about the unspoken rules. Praise from Isabella was rare. Precious.
Most knew her only as the elusive founder of Cobweb, the shadowy figure behind the codename Scarlet Snake. Mysterious. Untouchable. Not one to hand out casual praise.
For a moment, Julian forgot every grievance he’d nursed over the past weeks.
All those nights he’d grumbled to his team—”The boss is impossible. Says she’ll visit, then ghosts me. Three times now. It’s cruel.”
His colleagues had only laughed. “Someone like her doesn’t meet with underlings unless she wants to.”
But here she was. Speaking to him directly. Promising to reconnect.
It was more than he’d dared hope for.
