Isla's Pov
It Isla who stood facing the view as she people-watched. She almost forgot how much she loved this city, especially at night. It reminded her that her Love for this city was just another thing Adrian had stolen from her.
"Are you okay?" Dante asked from behind, his eyes on her as he swept into the living room, two wine glasses and a bottle of Champagne in his hands. Her breath caught as she caught sight of him, in his cashmere sweater, loose Jeans, and slippers, with his messy her and his day-old scruff.
He looked the most casual she had seen him look in a long time and it called to the place she had shut out for a long time.
"I'm alright, just thinking about a few things," She replied, pushing all other thoughts out of her mind. Dante was her business partner and that alone, didn't matter that he didn't want shares or anything material for helping her, she still couldn't afford to forget that she could not let herself fall for this man again.
She had meant what she said when she told him she had no interest in living the kind of life he did. She still stood by those words.
"Hm, I would think you would be ecstatic after your very first official win against Adrian," he said, thoughtfulness behind his voice as he stared at her.
"You don't know how I feel," She snapped back, and he smirked and walked closer to her.
"Is that so? Then tell me, Amore, how do you feel?" He asked, the glint of mischief she knew too well entered his eyes as he addressed her.
"I feel lighter than I expected. I am satisfied," She concluded,
"So do you want to stop now?" He asked and her head snapped to him, when she saw he was teasing, she glared as she walked to the table, poured them both glasses of Champagne, and handed him his and took hers.
She held it up to him and their glasses clinked, silence descended upon them as each focused on enjoying the feeling for now, she was sure that Adrian would fight back, and as soon as possible, she needed to be aware and prepared for it.
***********
She made her way to her office the next morning, the small building she had rented was still quiet, she had yet to make an official launch and hire staff, and the only employee was her assistant.
She stared at her designs, things she had spent years on, not thinking she'd ever have the opportunity to show them to the world, how could she when he husband's company was one of the top companies leading in art and fashion? She had wanted to help him continue honing his art, forgetting she had dreams and aspirations too.
In a bittersweet way, she was thankful to Adrian for breaking her heart, and to her stepsister Celeste, for making sure it hurt a thousand times more. If not for the horrible people she had in her life, she wasn't sure she would have achieved all she had so far. She would have never put herself out there for sure, and now in less than a week, she'd be showing her art to the world.
She smiled as she traced her hands around them all, before the sound of her phone ringing distracted her.
"Hello?" She answered absentmindedly, not bothering to even check who it was first.
"It is good to hear from you, Isla, I figured you've refused to call your parents because of all the rubbish you've been up to?" Her mother's harsh voice sounded through the phone and just like that, the good mood she had been in evaporated.
She had no doubt her parents were one of the factors that made her sister turn out the way she did. They had spoilt her, not caring about a damn thing except Celeste's wants, that's why the bitch didn't know what was off-limits because nothing was to her.
"I've just been busy with work Ma, I didn't think it would be that much of a bother, I'll do better," Isla stated, hoping it would be enough to shut her mother up.
How did she even know about what she was doing? She'd suspect Celeste but she hadn't seen her in a while, Adrian has also not been photographed with her in a long time too.
"Too busy for your mother now aren't you? What exactly are you busy with?" Her mother asked, Isla knew it wasn't actually because she cared, but there was most definitely an ulterior reason attached, one she wasn't sure she was ready to here quite yet.
"You know what I do for your work, Mom," Isla replied, running out of patience, she should have looked before answering her calls, if she knew it was her mother, she'd never answer.
"Do I? Because there is something that has been going around called Mira Couture, I hope that's not you? I know you wouldn't be foolish enough to rival your husband's company now, would you?" Her mother said, her voice still poisonous and mean, Isla couldn't take it anymore.
"I have to go, Mom, I'll call you later," She said and before her Mother could respond, she hung up. She would deal with the consequences and crash out that would follow later, she just couldn't deal with her mother's manipulation right this moment. She had woken up on the good side of the bed and she intended to keep it that way.
Her phone rang again and she had a small panic attack before she realized it was Dante.
"Hello?"
"Well, how did you enjoy the recent headlines?" His drawl sounded through the phone and she ignored how her stomach flipped at the sound.
"Quite a bit, I am in such a good mood, I can't wait for the next stage of our plan to be underway," Isla said, excited and when she was met with silence at the other side, she couldn't help but worry. "Our plan is still going to happen, yes?"
"About that, I think we should put the brakes on it all, at least for now," He said and Isla momentarily saw red, was everyone out to piss her off today?
"What do you mean, put the brakes on it? Everything has been going according to plan, what is the problem?" She asked, confused and a bit frustrated, Dante hadn't said anything wrong yet, but she already felt frustrated all thanks to the stupid phone call from her mother.
Narcissistic parents were not for the weak.
"That's the problem, everything is going exactly according to plan, it can be suspicious and the last thing we want to raise is suspicion, let's have your launch first and then we can continue, it's smarter," Dante said and Isla considered it for a while, what he said made a lot of sense but the petty side of her didn't care what people thought or said and just wanted to keep going at Adrian.
"I'll think about it and let you know," She said and after they said their goodbyes, she headed to her office, it wasn't even 8:00am and she had a lot on her mind, she needed coffee.
Until she entered her office and saw the last person she expected to be there, sitting right there, in her bloody chair.
"Miss me?"