Chapter 2

Looking into Isabella's red-rimmed eyes, Adrian's heart inexplicably skipped a beat. The next second, a carefree, alluring grin spread across his lips. "If I don't marry you, are you trying to make me stay single forever?" He released his hold on her waist and instead took her cold hand, pressing it against his chest. "I'm sorry, babe. The fact that you're asking me this means I've let you down. I haven't made you feel secure enough in this relationship." Adrian guided Isabella's hand down along his chest until it reached his zipper. "Feel it, babe. It only responds to you." Feeling his hardness beneath her palm, she jerked her hand back like she'd been shocked. She stumbled back half a step, her lower back hitting the sink. "I get it," she said. "It's too stuffy here. Let's go." Adrian chuckled, lacing his fingers with Isabella's and leading her out. But instead of returning to the private room, he took her to his Maybach and pinned her down beneath him in the back seat. "Babe, you started this fire. You have to put it out…" His warm breath ghosted across her ear, making her tremble. His lips found her neck as he undid her blouse's buttons. Her mind was in chaos. Just as she was about to push him away, the sharp ring of his phone cut through the moment. Adrian had no intention of answering, but Isabella picked up his phone from where it had fallen and held it out to him. "Answer it. What if it's urgent?" His refusal caught in his throat when he saw the caller ID, instantly changing his mind. "Alright. Whatever you say, babe." He pressed a light kiss to her forehead before stepping out of the car. Through the window, Isabella watched Adrian answer the call, as a soft, warm smile spread across his face. A moment later, he opened the car door again, his eyes softening with a hint of apology as he looked at her. "Something came up at work. I'll have the driver take you home, okay?" Isabella forced a smile and shook her head. "No need. I'll take a stroll, then hail a cab home." Adrian stroked her head affectionately. "Alright, babe. Go home early, and remember to text me as soon as you return." She nodded and got out of the car. Standing in the street, she watched his car disappear into the distance, then hailed a cab. "Follow that Maybach up ahead." Isabella couldn't think of anyone besides his fiancee who could make Adrian smile like that or make him leave in such a hurry. The driver didn't ask any questions and stepped on the gas. As the Maybach pulled up smoothly in front of an upscale apartment building, she recognized the place and felt confused. Before she could process it, Adrian had already stepped out. He leaned against the car door, his eyes brimming with unconcealed anticipation. A moment later, a delicate, graceful figure threw herself into his arms. They embraced tightly, and he pressed a kiss to the woman's forehead. The restraint and tenderness in his eyes were something Isabella had never seen before. Seeing them so intimately made her stomach twist, each moment sharp as a knife. But when she saw the woman's face, Isabella was dumbstruck. Adrian's fiancee was none other than the impoverished student she'd been sponsoring for years—Samantha Monroe. 15 years ago, Isabella spotted a little girl scavenging for food during a trip. The girl was barely eight and as fragile as a kitten. Isabella's heart had ached for her. Since they shared the same family name, she decided to sponsor her, a commitment that lasted more than ten years. Ever since that trip, Isabella never saw Samantha again. Instead, they only communicated online. As Samantha grew older, her requests for money increased, but Isabella never suspected anything. When she learned Samantha was coming to Northwell to study, Isabella even lent her one of her own apartments. To avoid disrupting her life, Isabella rarely contacted her. But Samantha often shared updates about her life with her. Isabella never imagined that Adrian's fiancee would be Samantha. But before she could think further, the Maybach drove off, and she quickly urged the driver to follow. Later, the car pulled into the estate's compound. He got out first, then opened the car door for Samantha, as a gentleman would. Adrian's parents were waiting at the entrance, their faces beaming with smiles at the sight of them. "Mr. and Mrs. Sterling, sorry to bother you again today." "Why are you still addressing us like that? You should be calling us Mom and Dad now." Isabella stood quietly a short distance away, her expression unreadable as she watched them. She had been dating Adrian for three years, yet she'd never met his parents. Every time she suggested it, he would tell her to wait for the right moment. It turned out he wasn't waiting for the right moment, but was waiting for the right person. Isabella's heart clenched with a raw ache so profound that she couldn't draw a full breath. She wanted to rush forward and demand answers, but she realized she didn't even have the right to question him. While suppressing the heartache, Isabella waited quietly in the distance. As night deepened, she finally saw the two figures again. Samantha nestled in his arms while Adrian gazed down at her, his eyes brimming with tenderness. When they returned to the car, he pulled out a diamond necklace and put it on Samantha's neck. Isabella immediately recognized the piece. It was unmistakably crafted from top-quality diamonds. She looked down at the bracelet on her own wrist and saw it was made of mere diamond chips. It finally dawned on her that the one she was wearing was a complimentary gift that came with the necklace. She stood there, frozen, torn between wanting to cry and wanting to laugh. Her body ached all over, but somehow, in the cracks of that pain, her heart finally found a strange kind of calmness. That night marked the end of Isabella's three-year relationship. She turned to leave, but her legs wouldn't carry her. Meanwhile, after settling into the driver's seat, Adrian caught sight of a familiar figure through the windshield.