Billionaire’s Forgotten Bride

Chapter 4

Alejandro's eyes narrowed as Isabella and Marco moved through the crowd, accepting greetings and exchanging pleasantries as though they were the evening's royal couple. The way Marco's hand lingered on Isabella's back sent a surge of something primal through Alejandro. He hated it-hated the easy, confident smile on Marco's face, hated the way Isabella leaned into him like they had always belonged together.

But more than that, he hated the realization that Isabella, the woman he had pushed aside, was now the center of the room's attention-everyone wanted to be near her. People whispered as she passed, drawn to her elegance, her poise, her beauty. She had become the woman he had never seen, hidden behind the facade of the wife he had dismissed.

He needed air. The room felt suffocating, the sound of conversations blending into a dull roar in his ears. Without another word, he turned on his heel and made his way through the crowd, forcing himself to keep his composure even as every step felt heavier with regret.

As he reached the balcony, the cool night air hit him, but it did nothing to ease the tension coiled in his chest. He leaned against the railing, his grip tight as his thoughts spiraled out of control. What had he done? He had thought divorcing her would give him the freedom to be with Vicky, to reclaim the life he had always envisioned for himself. But now, with Isabella standing in the spotlight, more powerful and confident than ever, he realized he had been wrong.

So wrong.

A sound behind him drew his attention. He turned to see Vicky approaching, her expression one of concern.

"Alejandro?" she asked softly, stepping closer to him. "Are you okay? You seemed distracted."

He clenched his jaw, forcing a tight smile. "I'm fine. Just needed some air."

She studied him, her sharp eyes narrowing slightly as if she could sense that something was off. "You're sure? Because if this is about-"

"I said I'm fine," he snapped, more harshly than he intended. Vicky blinked, her lips tightening as she took a step back.

There was a long, tense silence before she spoke again, her voice cool now. "It's Isabella, isn't it?"

Alejandro didn't answer. He didn't need to. The truth was written all over his face, in the way his eyes flicked toward the ballroom where Isabella still held the crowd's attention.

Vicky's gaze hardened. "I should have known," she said, her voice laced with bitterness. "She was always the one thing you couldn't let go of, wasn't she?"

Alejandro looked away, his mind racing. He wanted to deny it, to tell Vicky that she was wrong, that Isabella had meant nothing more to him than a strategic marriage that had run its course. But he couldn't. Not anymore.

Because standing there, with the weight of his choices pressing down on him, he realized that Isabella had always been more. He just hadn't been able to see it until it was too late.

Vicky shook her head, her expression a mix of anger and hurt. "I should have known better than to think you'd ever really move on," she said quietly. "You're still in love with her, aren't you?"

Alejandro's throat tightened, and for the first time in years, he found himself unable to respond. The words refused to form, and the silence that stretched between them was louder than any answer he could give.

Without another word, Vicky turned and walked away, her heels clicking sharply against the stone floor as she disappeared back into the ballroom. Alejandro didn't try to stop her. He didn't even watch her leave.

His thoughts were still on Isabella.

In love with her? The question gnawed at him, twisting and pulling at emotions he hadn't allowed himself to feel. He had convinced himself that love had nothing to do with his marriage to Isabella-that it was a business arrangement, a duty to his family. But now, as the image of her with Marco replayed in his mind, he couldn't ignore the gnawing ache in his chest.

Could he have been wrong this whole time?

Inside the ballroom, Isabella was acutely aware of the way Alejandro's eyes had followed her and Marco from the moment she stepped in. It had been hard to ignore the tension in his gaze, the way he stiffened when she glanced his way. But she had held her head high, determined not to give him the satisfaction of knowing how much his indifference had once hurt her.

She had moved on. She had to.

As she and Marco settled near the center of the room, surrounded by curious onlookers and well-wishers, Isabella found herself momentarily distracted by her own thoughts. She wasn't used to this-being the center of attention in such a bold way. In the past, she had always played the supportive wife, standing by Alejandro's side as he took the spotlight. Now, she was the one everyone was talking about, and it was a strange, exhilarating feeling.

Marco leaned in close, his voice low as he spoke. "You're doing great. Everyone's talking about you."

She smiled, though her mind was elsewhere. "I suppose they are."

His hand brushed lightly against her arm, a reassuring gesture. "Is it too much?"

"No," she said, shaking her head. "It's just... different."

Marco chuckled softly. "You're handling it better than most would. Especially given... well, everything."

Isabella met his eyes, appreciating his understanding. Marco had been a friend when she had no one else, a voice of reason when her world had been falling apart. But even as he stood beside her now, offering his support, she couldn't help but feel a sense of distance between them. He was a good man, but he wasn't the man she had once loved.

Her gaze drifted toward the balcony, where Alejandro had disappeared moments ago. She hadn't meant to look for him, hadn't meant to care. But she couldn't stop herself. There was a part of her that still ached at the thought of him, still remembered the way he had once held her, the way he had once made her feel like she was the center of his world.

But that was before. Before he had pushed her away, before he had chosen someone else.

Now, she had to focus on her future. On her baby.

Marco's hand on her arm pulled her back to the present. "Isabella, are you alright?"

She forced a smile, nodding. "Yes, I'm fine. Just... thinking."

He studied her for a moment, his expression thoughtful. "You're stronger than you realize," he said quietly. "You've already come so far."

She appreciated his words, but they didn't ease the weight in her chest. Strength wasn't the issue. She knew she was strong. But strength didn't erase the past, and it didn't make her feelings for Alejandro disappear.

As the night wore on, Isabella made polite conversation, smiling and mingling with the guests, but her mind remained distant. She was fully aware of Alejandro's presence, even though he had yet to reappear. And she was equally aware that something between them had shifted, even if she couldn't quite put it into words.

By the time the evening began to wind down, she found herself standing near the large windows that overlooked the garden, the cool night air seeping in through the glass. The city lights glittered in the distance, a reminder of the life she was stepping into-a life without Alejandro.

"Isabella."

Her heart skipped a beat at the sound of his voice. She turned slowly, finding him standing just a few feet away, his expression unreadable in the dim light of the ballroom.

"Alejandro," she said, her voice steady, though her pulse quickened.

They stood in silence for a moment, the weight of everything unsaid hanging in the air between them. Finally, he spoke, his voice low and rough. "You... you looked beautiful tonight."

It wasn't what she expected him to say, and for a moment, she wasn't sure how to respond. "Thank you," she said, her tone polite, guarded.

He stepped closer, his gaze never leaving hers. "Isabella, I-"

But before he could finish, Marco appeared at her side, his hand resting lightly on her arm. "Is everything alright here?"

Alejandro's eyes flicked to Marco, and for a moment, something dark and possessive flashed in his expression. But then he nodded, his face hardening once more. "Everything's fine."

Isabella's heart pounded as she looked between the two men, her mind racing. This was what she wanted, wasn't it? To move on, to leave Alejandro behind. But standing here, with him so close, she realized that some part of her still wasn't ready to let go.

And she wasn't sure if she ever would be.