ISABELLA
"So about the new restaurant," the man drawled, swirling his drink like he needed a prop to steady himself. His gaze raked over me, not like I was a person, but like I was a damn billboard he wasn’t interestewd in reading. "I was just saying if it’s anything like your pitch... might wanna stick to being a pretty face."
Laughter thin, brittle and cruel.
I clenched my fingers so tightly I was almost disappointed my fingers didn't dig deep in my palm. That would’ve been dramatic. Memorable. Maybe it would’ve made them look at me like I wasn’t a joke.
But I stayed still.
Like my mother taught me, steel doesn’t bend in front of men like this.
It breaks them.
"And here I thought the business world was full of visionaries," I said, voice dripping sweet, venomous silk. "Didn’t rea
