Chapter 188 The Trap
Unexpectedly, Sebastian nodded, "Okay."
He agreed? Just like that? Without further questions?
This... seemed a bit odd.
Isabella looked at him. She was surprised, but she didn't dwell on it for long and quickly responded, "Then I'll be going now."
Sebastian's hand, which had been resting on her waist, slowly retracted and hung by his side.
Isabella took a step forward and walked past him.
As they brushed past each other, something occurred to her, and she turned her head to look at him, "I'll be back soon."
"Mhm," Sebastian said, "I'll be waiting for you. You said you had something to tell me after you get back, right?"
"Right."
Isabella's figure quickly disappeared from Sebastian's line of sight.
He stood still, watching the elevator doors close as his Adam's apple moved slightly.
Sebastian's face was devoid of joy or sorrow. He looked very calm; his face even carried a hint of cold, lonely indifference.
Kaine approached him, "Mr. Lawrence..."
"Let's go back to the office."
"Do you want someone to follow the madam?"
"No need," Sebastian said, "Let her go."
Kaine seemed to want to say more, but Sebastian raised his hand to stop him and strode back to the CEO's office.
Once the door closed, silence enveloped the surroundings.
Sebastian's tall figure stood in the center of the room, silent, so very silent...
He bent down to pick up his phone from the desk; its screen still lit up with a message from Grace.
"I have a way to prove that Marcus and Isabella still have feelings for each other, the two of them..."
There was more to the message, but Sebastian only glanced at it.
He slowly sat down, still holding the phone in his hand while staring out of the floor-to-ceiling window at the skyscrapers and the clear sky.
It was unclear how long he sat there before he got up, picked up his suit jacket and car keys, and left.
Isabella got into a taxi and arrived at a small alley.
She quickly found number 79 and realized, standing at the entrance, that it was a restaurant.
Entering, she saw the open courtyard in the middle, filled with many plants and flowers.
A waiter asked, "Hello, how many are you?"
"I... I'm here to meet a friend."
"Which table is your friend at?"
"He must be in a private room," Isabella said. "He only told me number 79."
The waiter thought for a moment, "What's your friend's name? I'll check for you."
"Marcus Cooper."
"Alright, please wait a moment."
Isabella stood in the corridor while the waiter went to check for her.
She turned around to admire the courtyard's scenery, not having expected such a quaint restaurant in this secluded place, a place she had never known before.
Footsteps sounded nearby, as if someone was coming down the stairs.
Isabella glanced back unintentionally and locked eyes with the person descending the stairs.
Marcus's pace faltered as he stepped down and looked at her, "Isabella?"
"I was looking for you," Isabella said.
"Looking for me?" Marcus quickly descended the stairs and stood in front of her. "What do you need me for?"
Isabella paused, "Weren't you looking for me?"
"Me, looking for you?"
Both of them looked at each other, confusion apparent on their faces.
Isabella continued, "I got your text message. You told me to come to number 79, signed Cooper."
"I didn't send you any messages."
"What?!" She was completely bewildered, "Marcus, don't joke with me like this."
Marcus shook his head, "I really didn't, Isabella."
"Then why are you here?"
"I had an appointment here with a client," Marcus replied, "but he hasn't arrived yet. I just stepped out to use the restroom."
"But that message, it clearly was..."
At that moment, Isabella suddenly realized something was wrong.
Last night, Amber had messaged her saying that Lynda and Grace had met, which couldn't be good.
Then, just as she was about to tell Sebastian about her pregnancy, Lynda called, and Sebastian went out to answer.
This morning, she received a text from an unknown number, signed "Cooper," but it wasn't from Marcus...
Marcus, puzzled, asked, "Isabella, what's wrong? Did you misread it, or did someone send it by mistake? Don't..."
"It's a trap!" Isabella suddenly understood, "I've been set up!"
"What happened?"
Isabella stepped back three paces, panic-stricken and unable to speak for a moment.
It was clearly a trap; laid just for her to fall into!
Fortunately, she didn't go to Marcus's private room but instead met him here on the stairs, preventing any further misunderstanding.
"I have to go," Isabella said hurriedly while turning to run, "Pretend you never saw me!"
Marcus was completely confused about what was happening.
Isabella hadn't run two steps when, in her haste, she stumbled over her own feet, nearly falling, which startled Marcus, "Careful!"
After he spoke, he immediately moved forward to help her.
Isabella yelled, "Don't come any closer!"
She quickly got up and ran out as if Marcus were some kind of ferocious beast.
The waiter happened to come over and saw her, saying, "Excuse me, I found..."
"Thank you, it's not necessary anymore."
Isabella dodged past the waiter and continued to hurry toward the main entrance.
The waiter muttered, "What's going on? She’s acting a bit strange. She clearly said she was here to meet a client named Marcus Cooper, and when I found him for her, she ran off..."
Marcus frowned, watching Isabella's retreating figure and hearing the waiter's muttering, realizing something was amiss.
She must have encountered some trouble.
Without a second thought, Marcus chased after her, "Isabella!"
Isabella ran as if her life depended on it, her heart racing with panic, fear, and dread.
She could never have imagined that Lynda would use Marcus to set her up!
Along the way, she didn't know how many people she bumped into, but as she saw the door of number 79 getting closer, she ran even faster.
Marcus was still behind her, calling out, "Isabella!"
Isabella didn't hear the voice behind her; she was completely immersed in her own thoughts and just focused on running ahead.
Running out, leaving, going back to Lawrence Group, and finding Sebastian... that was what she should be doing right now.
In doing so, she not only protected herself from Lynda and Grace's scheme but also kept Marcus from being dragged into it!
However, just as Isabella ran out of the restaurant located at number 79 and turned the corner, Marcus caught up with her.
He grabbed her hand, "What happened? Tell me, why are you running?"
Marcus was also a bit out of breath and very anxious, so his tone was a bit harsh.
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