Luther turned toward the sound of her voice, but Isabella was already gone.Sitting in the driver's seat, Joshua glanced at Isabella through the rearview mirror, noticing her smiling. He could not help but ask, "Why are you so cheerful despite the failed confession?" "Well, I wouldn't call it a complete failure. At most, it's just that the boy I like isn't quite ready to be my boyfriend yet," Isabella replied, contemplating the recent events.Joshua was surprised. After all, he was nearby and heard what Luther said to Isabella, almost wanting to drag his beloved goddaughter away when it all happened. "You're not mad at how he treated you?""Being angry is like punishing myself for someone else's mistakes. Knowing he likes me and still behaving this way only makes me curious about his reasons why," Isabella explained. Based on the situation, there must be some misunderstanding between them. When she last left Jiverton, their relationship was fine, and they kept in touch for a w
After sharing the photo, everyone in the group chat pondered for a moment, but no one seemed to recall seeing Luther during that time. Isabella's confusion deepened."Any luck?" Joshua noticed her expression.Isabella shook her head. It seemed that no one had seen Luther before. Moreover, even though Luther was not as outstanding as he was now, those who met him would surely remember him. Joshua offered to help, not wanting any discord between them. "Should I ask around for you?"Isabella gave it a thought and nodded. "Yes, please, but don't let him know that I'm the one who wants to know."Knowing that if Luther found out she was inquiring, he probably would not share any information. Joshua agreed.On that Sunday evening, Joshua invited Luther to dinner at his house again. After the meal, Isabella returned to her room, and Joshua took the opportunity to chat with Luther in the backyard. As they sat beneath the starry sky, Joshua glanced at Luther and asked, "I've never
Luther was puzzled. He wanted to ask directly, but the fear of revealing his true feelings held him back. What did Joshua mean by 'just these two months left'?"I know you might think I'm biased, but I only have this one goddaughter, and I hope she can make the most of her remaining time," Joshua added.Luther's curiosity grew with every word, and he could not contain it any longer. "What do you mean?""She hasn't told you?" Joshua's acting was on point. A trace of nervousness crossed Luther's face, something even he had not noticed. "Told me what?""Cynthia and Matthew initially planned to arrange a marriage for Isabella. Isabella fought hard to secure these two months of freedom to pursue her true love. If she can't be with you, she'll have to proceed with the arranged marriage," Joshua began, weaving a fabricated tale with a hint of worry in his expression.Luther's initial reaction was to dismiss this as a lie. "Uncle Joshua, your storytelling skills are quite amateurish."
"He won't say anything, and I don't know what the issue is." Isabella sighed as she rested her chin on her hand. It was the first time she had felt the frustration of knowing there was a misunderstanding that she could not resolve."Carry on with your daily life as usual; you don't need to worry about the rest," Joshua reassured her. He was skilled in stirring things up. He was, after all, old but still sharp. Then, he continued, "In a few days, there's a business banquet, and I'll have someone spread the news that your family has arranged your marriage."Isabella narrowed her eyes at him."What's the matter?" Joshua asked."If you spread the story at the business banquet, it will undoubtedly reach my parents' ears. If they find out about what you did… " Isabella reminded him.Cynthia would likely ignore it if it were not too serious, but in a worst-case scenario, she would immediately instruct someone to debunk the rumor. As for Matthew... It would be hard to say."Freshly gra
However, after weighing the pros and cons, he decided to set his phone aside and suppress all those assumptions and thoughts. If Joshua's words were true, there would surely be rumors in their social circle soon. After all, marriages of this kind often began with some whispers before formal announcements.As time passed, Isabella officially started her work at the company. Her intelligence allowed her to effortlessly complete the tasks assigned by Roderick, leaving her with plenty of free time. Hence, after finalizing plans for Luther's lunch, she stayed in her office alone.Her colleagues in the secretary department did not engage in any conversation with her, partly because they were informed of Isabella's role by Desmond and were cautioned not to discuss certain matters. Nevertheless, they might not say anything in her presence, but they did talk behind her back.In the pantry, a group of coworkers gathered."What is a rich kid like her doing here, stealing job opportunities
Roderick really wished Yoel were there, someone he could turn to for help. Unfortunately, Yoel had retired after assisting Luther in getting fully acquainted with the Neal Group. At this very moment, Yoel was off on vacation with his wife, enjoying the fruits of his labor at the Neal Group. The money he had made over the years was enough to support him for the rest of his days without needing to work further."Could you start by organizing these documents?" Roderick assigned Isabella some work, trying to fill her time. "I'll go check with Mr. Brooks.""Sure," Isabella agreed without hesitation.Roderick anxiously went to Luther's office. He could handle his work efficiently, but he was definitely not good in these matters.As he approached Luther in his office, he expressed his concerns, "Isabella's workload isn't that heavy, and if there's no business travel, she often has quite a bit of free time with not much work to do."Isabella served as Luther's personal secretary, with a
"Not much. I just thought you're too handsome, and I wanted to spend a little more time with you," Isabella said as she got into the car. Seeing that he had not fastened his seatbelt, she leaned over to help him.However, Luther quickly pulled the seatbelt across and secured it. "I'm your boss; mind yourself.""Now it's after work hours. There's no employer-employee relationship; it's just a pursuer and the pursued," Isabella retorted swiftly, starting the car.Then, the car swiftly left the parking lot.On the way back, Luther expected Isabella to engage in conversation, but she did nothing of the sort; she just calmly drove him back home.Upon arriving, she naturally asked, "Would you like me to stay for dinner or something?""Uncle Joshua has dinner prepared for you," Luther replied."I'd rather eat something you made," Isabella said, sincere and heartwarming, making it difficult for anyone to say no. Nevertheless, Luther remained resolute. "I didn't make extra for you.""
Isabella replied to Tatiana, thanking her while waiting at a traffic light. She knew Luther was a rather peculiar person, and he had been that way since they were kids. If Isaiah was considered aloof, Luther was like a closed book. For instance, there were things he clearly cared about and wanted, but he stubbornly refused to admit or express his desires. When they were younger, Isabella could not understand why Luther would act this way. Why not be straightforward about what he liked or wanted? Nonetheless, Isabella finally understood that it was due to his sensitivity, stemming from his family background, that made him guarded about many things. The trauma from his childhood had never been fully healed. As a result, Luther habitually concealed his feelings.Over the next two days, Isabella continued working in the company as usual. Besides the occasional visit to Luther before and after work, she treated herself like any other employee. That afternoon, she was not even off wor