Chapter 7
525 Words
Chapter 7
That almost undid me. “Thank you, Dad.”
He offered his arm. “Shall we?”
The drive to the conference was smooth but heavy with anticipation. My phone buzzed again. Jenna had already sent reminders for my speech, key points, and the seating chart. I ignored it in favour of breathing in the moment. This was the calm before the storm.
When we arrived, the flashbulbs hit first. Bright, blinding and relentless. The paparazzi swarmed like bees, their voices overlapping in a chorus of questions.
“Are you Isabella Martins? The heiress to the Martins Empire?”
“Is it true you’re returning to the board?”
“Where have you been?”
They kept on questioning me.
I kept my face serene, my lips curling in a polite but unreadable smile. Dad subtly moved in front of me, guiding me toward the entrance. “Let’s not keep them waiting,” he murmured.
Inside, the air was cooler but charged. Heads turned as we walked toward the high table at the front. I could feel the eyes, curiosity, envy, and admiration trailing over my every step. My heels clicked against the marble floor like a countdown.
Noah arrived minutes later, impeccably dressed in a tailored navy suit. His smile was warm, his hug grounding.
“You look like trouble,” he said under his breath, and I couldn’t help but laugh softly.
“Trouble’s exactly what I plan to be.”
We exchanged a few words about the agenda, but before we could say more, the energy in the room shifted. I didn’t even need to turn around to know why. The air seemed to thicken with a smug arrogance I recognised instantly.
Lucas Davis had entered.
And of course, he wasn’t alone. Susan was on his arm, pregnant and dressed in a body-hugging crimson gown that screamed for attention. She scanned the room like she owned it, her hand resting on her belly as if that was her trophy.
They didn’t see me at first because they were too busy basking in their imagined superiority. I wondered how long it would take before......
Susan’s eyes landed on me.
Her smile faltered.
Lucas followed her gaze.
For a split second, his face was unreadable. Shock, disbelief, maybe even regret but I didn’t give him the satisfaction of holding his gaze. I turned back to Noah, laughing at something he said, as though Lucas was nothing more than a smudge on the edge of my vision.
They didn’t even know why I was here yet. They must think I came here with Noah. I laughed inside.
The conference began, speeches rolling out in smooth succession. My turn was coming, and I could feel it, the restless stir in the audience, the hushed whispers. They were curious. They wanted to see if I’d stumble or shine.
“And now,” the moderator announced, “we invite Ms. Isabella Martins to the podium.”
I rose, every movement deliberate, the silk of my gown swaying with me. As I stepped up, I glanced briefly toward Lucas and Susan and their mouths were wide open.
- Writer
