Chapter 17: I need her.
The bustling surroundings came to a halt for Theodore as his gaze locked onto a woman across the room. Her back was to him, but he realized it was Isabella.
She was busy clicking on selfies, with exaggerated poses and forced smiles. He couldn’t believe this was the woman he had been searching for so eagerly. Everything about her—the self-obsession, the superficial display—grated against his nerves. He always despised pretentious behavior, and she embodied everything he disliked.
However, he pushed down his annoyance, reminding himself that she was his savior no matter how she was. He owed her a gratitude. He would return her pendant, express his thanks, and leave. That’s all.
Taking a calming breath, Theodore started towards her. But before he could take a few steps, he froze as he noticed a man walking over to her and pulling her into an embrace. In an instant, she threw her arms around the man’s neck, tiptoed, and kissed him passionately.
The air seemed to suck out of Theodore’s lungs. His stomach lurched, a nauseating sensation twisting within him. As he watched them kissing passionately, a sense of falling, of reality crashing down on him, took hold.
All these days, he had fantasized about proposing to Isabella and marrying her. He hadn’t considered the possibility of another man in her life.
How foolish he had been!
Anger surged within him, but he was angrier at himself than anyone else. And the sharp pain in his heart... He couldn’t understand this new ache, this unexpected pain. With a resolute turn, he stormed out of the hotel, vowing never to set eyes on Isabella again.
Inside the restaurant...
Bella had come to receive a call to a secluded corner of the restaurant. "Mamma, don’t worry about the money," Bella reassured her mother’s frantic voice. "I arranged everything."