Chapter 249 Assistant Wallace, a Rare Beauty
He looked at Sebastian, "Ten percent, Mr. Lawrence, is that enough of a gesture of goodwill?"
Sebastian, with an unknown source of confidence, just had this unwarranted faith in Isabella. He handed the golf club to Isabella, "Have fun with it, it's only money."
Isabella felt Sebastian's trust for the first time. While trusting her, he also told her not to be nervous, that winning or losing didn't matter. He always had a knack for capturing the moments that moved her heart.
Isabella lowered her head, not daring to look at him, and speaking in a hushed tone, "Mr. Lawrence, after I win, the money I make will be my way of apologizing to you, is that okay?"
Sebastian's face darkened, feeling even more like he'd been taken advantage of. Through gritted teeth, he said, "Let's talk after you win!"
"Are you ready, Miss Assistant?" Samuel Carter asked.
"Ready," answered Isabella.
She rested the golf club upright against her leg, effortlessly tied her hair into a ponytail, and put on a baseball cap, instantly transforming into a picture of youthful energy, complemented by her short-sleeve athletic outfit.
Sebastian was fascinated by her. Then, he caught himself. Was he really getting lost in watching her? Sebastian's expression cooled.
At the same time, his gaze drifted over to Samuel Carter, and he noticed Carter was stroking his chin, looking Isabella over with a great deal of interest. That look... it made Sebastian particularly irked.
"Mr. Lawrence, I won't let you down," Isabella said, turning around to assure him after she got ready.
Sebastian appeared unconcerned and responded, "Hmm."
Isabella felt awkward. Indeed, what was this amount of money to someone like Sebastian? She looked away and tested the feel of the golf club in her hands.
Samuel Carter watched Isabella intently and mused aloud, "It seems that Assistant Wallace is quite the expert, Mr. Lawrence's employees are not to be underestimated."
Isabella's laugh was distant, a standard display of her pearly whites, "Mr. Carter, you're too kind."
Carter said, "These days, being too humble isn't a good thing."
No matter how Sebastian looked at it, Isabella's smile was irritating to him. Why should she smile so beautifully for others? A smile that seemed to ignite a fire within him.
"Let's start," Sebastian said in a low voice.
Carter echoed, "Yes, let's begin. Show us what you've got, Assistant Wallace."
Under the Shade
Sebastian lounged comfortably under the beach umbrella, a grin spreading across his face as he pointed a finger at Isabella and declared his wager, "I'm betting on you to win."
Feeling motivated by Mr. Carter's trust, Isabella couldn't let him down. She faced Samuel Carter, her gaze steady. He raised an eyebrow, "All right, I'll be waiting."
Watching the scene, Sebastian crossed his arms, his attention focused on Isabella. She was still smiling, striking up engaging conversations with the men around her.
A cold aura emanated from Sebastian. Yet Isabella remained unaware of Sebastian's change in demeanor, and after politely responding to Samuel Carter, she turned to commence the competition.
Golf was a skill she'd honed since childhood, and in college, she'd even participated in the golf club, so she wasn't about to hold back. Her aim was to catch the opposition off guard.
Unhindered by pregnancy, Isabella's figure was slender and athletic. Her long, graceful arms swung the club with ease, her fair skin gleaming in the sunlight.
With every confident swing and bounce of her ponytail, her smile brightened with each point scored. Sebastian had never seen such radiance in her. This was the ‘glowing Isabella’.
A restless irritation he couldn't tame grew within Sebastian, especially when he noticed Samuel Carter's appreciative gaze towards her. It felt as though someone was coveting a treasure that belonged only to him.
Sebastian began to regret agreeing to this competition.
‘Isabella, his treasure?’ Chuckling at the thought, Sebastian shook his head and turned to discuss business matters with Samuel Carter.
Carter, having his attention drawn back, smirked and commented, "Mr. Lawrence, your willpower is impressive. I admire that. With an assistant as stunning as Ms. Wallace here, you can still focus on work."
His words, of course, were to remind Sebastian of his own distraction caused by Isabella. Sebastian's expression darkened just a shade.
Sensing the shift, Samuel Carter dropped his teasing tone and delved into more serious work matters.
"Oh, by the way," Carter said as he poured Sebastian a glass of wine, "Are you acquainted with the Cooper family from New York?"
Sebastian swirled his glass contemplatively, "Are we looking at a collaboration?"
‘Planning a Collaboration’
Samuel Carter spoke with a hint of difficulty, "We are planning a collaboration, but the person in charge this time isn't Mr. Cooper; it's his son."
"Oh?"
"I had someone look into it, and this Mr. Cooper doesn't have much to show for himself. Somehow, though, he's been working sick, tirelessly. I heard it's for a woman?"
"Really?" Sebastian handed his glass to a nearby waiter, gazing at Isabella in the distance, and commented nonchalantly, "Seeking stability in collaboration is wise. One could strive for a woman's sake just as easily as they could become dispirited over one."
Samuel Carter nodded, "Exactly, I feel the same. Forget about considering the Cooper family then."
Sebastian offered a half-smile.
At that moment, on the nearby field, Isabella made her final shot, securing a complete victory. Even knowing Sebastian wasn't concerned about the money, Isabella couldn't help but feel elated.
Overcome with excitement and pride, her eyes smiled, squinting into thin lines. Turning her head, she raised her golf club, waving at Sebastian.
Sebastian's heart skipped a beat, then began to race. He frowned, looking away. Isabella's joy was greatly diminished. What was she doing?
Had happiness muddled her thoughts? She almost wanted to knock herself on the head with the golf stick. Whether she won or lost, Sebastian wouldn't care. He wasn't lacking money. She was being a bit presumptuous.
Moreover, considering their current situation, that kind of intimacy from before couldn't happen again. Realizing this, Isabella slowly retracted her arm and golf club, managing a faint smile to mask her pain.
After exchanging a few words with Samuel Carter's female companion, she walked towards Sebastian. He saw Isabella revert to her aloof demeanor and his brow remained furrowed for a long time.
Spur of the moment, Samuel Carter rose and walked in the direction of Isabella and her group, with him following along.
"Congratulations to Mr. Lawrence, your assistant Wallace is quite impressive."
Sebastian nodded, "It's nothing but a minor skill."
Samuel Carter grinned, tucking one hand in his pocket, "Mr. Lawrence, why not make an introduction?"
Sebastian stopped in his tracks.
"It seems Assistant Wallace is exceptionally capable," Samuel Carter remarked in a teasing tone, eyeing Isabella as she slowly approached. "I'm tempted to poach her. I wonder, has Assistant Wallace considered... switching jobs?"
‘Working Dynamics’
He talked about switching jobs, all the while discussing work, but his gaze seemed to hold an intensity as if trying to see right through Isabella.
Isabella was confused. ‘What are his intentions?’ "Mr. Carter, I apologize, but I have no intention of switching jobs," she stated.
Samuel Carter asked with a smile, "Any other plans?"
"None," Sebastian abruptly interjected, continuing Carter's line of inquiry, "Certainly, Mr. Carter, you're not aiming to be the other man?"
His eyes squinted into thin slits, his stare imposing a dangerous pressure on Samuel Carter.
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