Chapter 114

ISABELLA

I swear, if Matt and Caroline had paid as much attention in class as they were paying to me now, they’d both be at Harvard on full scholarships—might I add. The thought made me smile, but I wasn’t about to tease them out loud. Matt might laugh it off, but Caroline? She might actually cry.
“Answer!” Matt quipped, breaking the silence.
“I can’t exactly call him a friend,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady. “He just drove me here. When Caroline called, I wasn’t in the best shape. You know how I get behind the wheel when I’m rattled.”
“So is he an acquaintance?” Caroline asked, a teasing lilt to her voice.
She chuckled, clearly enjoying my discomfort a little too much.
“Maybe we should skip the semantics and get to the real question,” Caroline said slyly, leaning forward. “What kind of job are you doing, and who’s your boss? My gut never lies.”
I rolled my eyes. “Fine. The man is my boss. You happy now? There’s the truth you’ve been dying to drag out of me.”
Dead silence followed. They exchanged that look again—that silent conversation I was never part of since we didn’t grow up together. I used to hate it. Now, it was just mildly amusing.
“So… you were at work when you got the call, and your boss drove you here?” Caroline asked, arching an eyebrow. “Interesting.”
“Exactly, Caroline,” I said, my voice sharper than I intended. “It really is interesting.”
“Then he’s a friend. What kind of boss leaves his office just to drive his staff around?” Caroline muttered, more to herself than anyone else. She reached into the fruit basket beside Matt’s bed and pressed a fresh apple into his palm. He’d finished the last one without even noticing.
“Maybe I’m just lucky to have a boss like him,” I said, trying to sound casual. “Can we please talk about this at home?”
“I don’t mind talking here,” Caroline replied, calm as ever. “Whatever we say isn’t anyone’s business.”
“Exactly,” Matt chimed in. “Besides, we’re already talking about it. Wouldn’t make sense to stop now just to rehash it later. Let’s finish this conversation—for good.”
I sighed, feeling cornered. I braced myself, already planning what truths to reveal and which ones to keep locked away.
“Alright,” I exhaled. “Let’s talk. What do you want to know?”
“Did he get you a new car?” Caroline asked, raising an eyebrow.
“For God’s sake, Caroline, how many times do I have to say yes?” I snapped.
She threw her hands up in mock surrender. “Maybe I forgot.”
“Well, don’t ask that again,” Matt said, trying to sound like the problem solver he wasn’t. Then he turned to me. “What exactly is your job now? I haven’t seen you dress for the office. Do you even have one?”
“Maybe she’s sharing her boss’s office,” Caroline teased, and I shot her a glare. This little brat!
Heat crept up my neck, but I bit my lip to keep it in check.
They both stared at me, expectant.
“Okay. Fine. I lost my job because of him, and…” I faltered.
“Wait.” Matt leaned forward, confused. “He made you lose your job? I thought you quit.”
“He was the reason I quit,” I admitted. “I was tired, overwhelmed, and he wouldn’t stop acting like an arrogant jerk. I lost it. Ford didn’t like that and asked me to apologize to him…”
Caroline looked stunned. “That’s messed up. No one should work for someone who thinks like that.”
I nodded. “Exactly. Well, this guy Levi offered me a job…”
They both leaned in, hanging on every word.
“What job?” they asked in unison.
I met their eyes. No more dancing around the truth.
“He wants me to marry him. For a week. It’s a contract—strictly official. After that, we go our separate ways.”
I said it calmly, directly.
Neither of them moved. They just stared, wide-eyed, then exchanged glances as if trying to confirm what they’d just heard. Then back at me.
“I... I don’t understand,” Caroline finally said. “You’re agreeing to marry someone you barely know? The same guy who got you fired—”
“It’s a million-dollar contract,” I cut in, voice cool and steady. “We needed to pay our rent. I had no choice.”
Caroline blinked, disbelief etched across her face. “You’re serious? Isabella, we could’ve found somewhere to crash. Anything but this. You don’t have to get entangled with a stranger.”
“Easy for you to say,” I snapped, my heart stuttering, eyes blazing. “How long would you have lasted without food or rent? You’d rather be homeless? Shut it, Caroline. You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
She looked around helplessly before her gaze landed back on me. “What if this ends badly? You’re living with a stranger for a whole week. That’s terrifying!”
“I’m an adult, Caroline. And what I’m doing is legal. You don’t need to freak out.”
She sighed, overwhelmed, and turned to Matt. He hadn’t said much for a while, just stared at the floor. Finally, he looked up.
“What’s his name? I swear I know his face.”
“You probably have. His name’s Levi Ferrari.”
Matt’s eyes widened. “I knew it! I knew I wasn’t imagining it. That’s the guy. The Levi Ferrari.”
Caroline rolled her eyes. “Why are you smiling like that, Matt? What’s so exciting?”
He ignored her and turned back to me. “Wait… Levi Ferrari came here? To this hospital? To see me? Wait—he picked you to play his bride for a few days? That’s it. We’ve got the connection we need!” Matt beamed like it was Christmas morning.
He looked like someone handed him front-row tickets to a celebrity concert. He was practically glowing.
Caroline looked completely lost. “Is it the money?”
Matt waved a hand dismissively. “Let’s not talk much about the money. You’re going to bear that name for a week. That means a lifelong affiliation with the family, even if it’s all pretend.”
Caroline’s expression twisted between confusion and weariness. Her eyes flickered back and forth between us, like she was trying to piece together a puzzle that didn’t quite fit.
“How rich is this man, exactly?” she asked, voice low and wary.
Before anyone could answer, she cut herself off, furrowing her brows as she pulled out her phone. With each search result that popped up, her eyes grew wider, disbelief turning to astonishment.
“Oh my God,” she breathed, voice barely above a whisper. “How the hell did you even get to see him?”
Matt shot her a knowing glance, a sly smirk tugging at his lips. “Now you understand. He is THE Ferrari.”