Chapter 23

Isabella looked startled, mumbling, "I… I'll go cook something, you wait here." Seeing her dash into the kitchen in a hurry, a smile tugged at the corners of Desmond's lips. Her scent still lingered in the room—it was comforting, almost hard to let go of. Then his phone rang. Glancing at the caller ID, his brows drew together slightly, but he answered anyway. "Desmond," came a soft voice on the other end—it was Nora. "I'm at Grandma's. She wants you to come over for dinner." His expression shifted instantly, growing cold. "You went to see Grandma?" Nora responded gently, "Please don't be mad… I just wanted to visit her. I've been back for a while and haven't seen her yet." "I'm on my way." With that, Desmond hung up. The sounds of stir-frying from the kitchen drifted to him. He paused, closed his eyes briefly, then walked out without a word. Isabella finally brought the food out after more than an hour of cooking, only to find the place empty. She stared at the dishes that filled the t