Chapter 9 - THE WOMAN IN THE RED DRESS CAME BACK WITH A DIFFERENT OFFER
Her name was Isabella Bellweather.
Victor had almost forgotten her.
She requested a business meeting through counsel.
Chloe did not attend.
Correct.
Isabella now controlled part of Bellweather Medical after her father retired following the contract scandal.
She wanted Russo Freight to bid on a transparent logistics contract.
Victor laughed when he saw the proposal.
“You’re serious?”
“Yes.”
“You hate me.”
“Not professionally.”
Good.
Then Isabella said:
“My father wanted me to marry you.”
“I remember.”
“I didn’t.”
That surprised him.
“You seemed enthusiastic.”
“I was acting.”
Fair.
She had been twenty-eight and still trapped in her father’s expectations.
Now she was thirty-two.
CEO.
Unmarried.
Fine.
Then:
“I heard you’re with the housekeeper.”
Victor’s eyes hardened.
“Former housekeeper.”
Isabella smiled.
“Sensitive.”
“Yes.”
Good.
She continued:
“I owe her something.”
“What?”
“An apology.”
“For?”
“For referring to her as the reason you humiliated my family.”
Victor frowned.
“I never discussed her with you.”
“Others did.”
Of course.
Society gossip.
Maid captured mafia boss.
Poor girl tamed monster.
Victor hated all versions.
Isabella continued:
“I believed it.”
Then:
“Later I realized you had refused me before you ever met her.”
Correct.
Chloe did not steal Victor from anyone.
There was nobody.
Then Isabella said:
“And you didn’t choose her because she was different from women like me.”
Victor stared.
“What does that mean?”
“You chose her because she didn’t want anything from you.”
He almost corrected her.
Then stopped.
That was partly how it began.
But not why it lasted.
“No.”
Isabella raised an eyebrow.
“She wants a lot.”
“Such as?”
“Honesty.”
“Boundaries.”
“Therapy language.”
Isabella laughed.
“Terrifying.”
“Extremely.”
He signed the logistics agreement three months later after compliance review.
No romance.
No rivalry.
Just business.
Then Chloe heard Isabella had returned.
“Pretty red dress?”
Victor stared.
“How do you know about the dress?”
“Mrs. Gable.”
Traitor forever.
“Are you jealous?”
“No.”
Too fast.
Victor smiled.
Chloe pointed.
“Don’t.”
He enjoyed it.
Then she said:
“I got accepted.”
He stopped.
“To what?”
“Northwestern.”
His face changed.
Chloe had quietly finished community-college courses online over the prior years.
Now she had been accepted into a bachelor’s program in healthcare administration.
Part-time.
She wanted eventually to work in patient advocacy and hospital operations.
Victor stared.
“You didn’t tell me you applied.”
“I wanted to know I could get in without you.”
There it was again.
Independence.
Once, it frightened him.
Now he understood it was one of the reasons he loved her.
“I’m proud of you.”
She smiled.
Then:
“Tuition is handled.”
He said nothing.
She narrowed her eyes.
“Victor.”
“I said nothing.”
“Your face is offering to pay.”
“My face does many things.”
“No tuition.”
“Fine.”
“Promise.”
He sighed.
“Promise.”
Then:
“Can I buy books?”
“No.”
“Dinner?”
“Yes.”
He kissed her.
May you like
Negotiation successful.
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