Chapter 346 Tangled Formula
As soon as Isadora stepped out the door, she noticed the Maybach parked across the street and the man standing beside it.
He looked familiar. After a moment's thought, she decided to walk over.
Just as she crossed the street, Sterling started walking towards her.
"Ms. Penrose?" Sterling blocked her path.
Isadora nodded slowly, instinctively asking, "And you are?"
Sterling smoothly pulled a meticulously folded piece of paper from the breast pocket of his sharp suit and handed it to Isadora. "This, please give it to Bella."
His deep, magnetic voice was gentle yet firm.
Curiosity welled up inside Isadora, but she quickly reached out and carefully took the paper.
When she looked up again, Sterling had already turned and was walking away, his elegant figure soon blending into the bustling crowd.
With her curiosity piqued, Isadora hurried back to the shop. She headed straight to the kitchen, a mysterious smile on her face. "Bella, this is for you."
She handed the paper to Bella.
Bella carefully took the envelope from Isadora and opened it. A quick glance at the contents made her heart skip a beat, a complex emotion flickering in her eyes. She quickly closed the envelope and looked up at Isadora, her voice tinged with urgency. "Who gave this to you?"
Isadora smiled and pointed out the window at the towering office building across the street. "I think it was Sterling. What's in it? Some kind of secret? Why didn't he give it to you directly? Do you know him? I mean, I've only seen him on TV before, looking all dashing. I never thought I'd see him in person! And he is quite handsome, isn't he?"
Even as a mother, she couldn't help but appreciate Sterling's good looks.
Bella unfolded the paper again, which was filled with detailed dessert recipes and instructions. Anything from Sterling was bound to be delicious.
But Bella's brow furrowed deeper. She looked at Isadora, full of hesitation. "These are dessert recipes and instructions. Sterling's recipes are sure to be good, but I don't know if I should use them."
Isadora asked seriously, "Why not? Haven't you always wanted to make your desserts even better? With these recipes, your skills could reach a whole new level."
Bella sighed. "Of course, I want to make better desserts, but the problem is..."
Bella didn't want to explain her complicated relationship with Sterling. She knew it wasn't right to accept something without giving anything in return. If she took this now, what about next time? And the time after that?
Knowing Sterling, he wouldn't stop there.
Anna had sidled up at some point and glanced at the paper. Her eyes lit up, and she cleared her throat to get Bella's attention. "Bella, you need to look at this rationally. There's no conflict here. If Sterling is willing to share these recipes, it's his gesture. We shouldn't refuse it. You've always dreamed of making better desserts. This is a great opportunity for our future."
Bella smiled wryly and teased, "With that kind of thinking, you'd be a traitor on the battlefield, accepting the enemy's sweet temptations without hesitation."
Anna feigned anger. "How can you say that? I'm just looking out for you. Besides, Sterling isn't our enemy. He's just offering help. If you don't use it, you'll miss a great opportunity."
Bella shook her head with a smile. She knew Anna was right but said, "I know you're looking out for me, but I can't accept these recipes so easily. I have my principles. I'll study the recipes first to see if they suit our shop. If they do, I'll find a fair way to collaborate. I don't want to take advantage of him."
Anna nodded. "Alright, if that's your decision, I support you."
Anna understood Bella's concerns about getting entangled with Sterling. Ten years of companionship wasn't easy to let go of.
Bella returned home that evening with mixed feelings. She sat in the living room, holding the paper with the dessert recipes, unable to look away. Each word seemed to carry Sterling's intentions, leaving her both touched and conflicted.
Meanwhile, Anna was munching on the food Colin had sent over, grumbling, "Just use it or don't. I've already said I support you. Stop staring at that paper; it's driving me crazy."
Bella finally put the paper away, a faint smile on her lips, as if she had made a decision. She turned to Anna, who was eating heartily, and teased, "Eat up. I think Colin is fattening you up. At this rate, with all these late-night snacks, you'll blow up like a balloon!"
Anna paused, pretending to be angry. "You're always picking on me. Colin cares about me, knowing I work hard. And I'm not that fat. You're just jealous of my figure!"
Bella laughed and shook her head. "Alright, you're a beauty. But seriously, don't turn into a little piggy."
Anna grinned, her eyes sparkling with a carefree light. "Who cares? I never planned on getting married. Life is short. Enjoy it while you can. Look at me, eating and drinking well every day. Life's good. Don't deny yourself. Once you're dead, you can't eat anything."
Bella looked at Anna, puzzled. These words didn't sound like the old Anna, who used to worry about her weight and care about others' opinions. Since the kidnapping, she had changed a lot.
Bella hesitated before asking, "Anna, be honest. Did something happen after you were kidnapped? I know you. You've changed a lot since then."
Anna's relaxed expression faded. She gripped her utensils tightly, a hint of tension in her voice. "Nothing happened, just some rough treatment from Debra. Why are you asking this now? We agreed not to talk about it anymore."
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