Chapter 161 Peaceful Years
Isabella refused, but Kelsey still snuck off to see Nina a few times. Isabella had no clue.
Now, Isabella and Seb were practically glued together, commuting to and from work every day. Seb didn't want to overload her with work, so he only gave her light tasks, worried she'd get bored.
As the months rolled by, Isabella's belly grew, and she felt heavier. Winter made her even sleepier, as she needed naps two or three times a day in addition to going to bed early.
Watching the snow outside, Isabella felt like her life was a dream.
Her phone rang—it was Miley. After Miley's miscarriage, she left Moon Club. Zaire bought her a villa and she’s been living there since.
Isabella and Miley were in frequent contact. Miley was prepping for exams and always joked about how she was more well-behaved now.
Miley's dream was to be a teacher, something she couldn't afford before. Now, with a rich guy backing her, she was determined to make it happen.
Isabella admired Miley's guts. She knew what she wanted and went for it without hesitation.
They had just chatted last night, and Isabella knew Miley had her last exam today. Miley was probably calling to unwind.
Isabella picked up, and Miley's excited voice burst through. "Isabella, I finished my exams! I wasn't even this excited about getting into college. Walking out of that exam hall felt amazing!"
Isabella listened quietly. When Miley finished, she said, "Now all we need to do is to wait for the results in a few months."
"Yeah," Miley said, "Got plans tonight? Wanna hang out?"
Isabella hesitated. "I need to ask Seb first."
"Of course," Miley laughed. "Gotta check with Mr. Landon; you belong to him now."
Isabella blushed at the tease.
Seb came back shortly after. He dropped some documents on the table and wrapped an arm around her waist, glancing out the window. "Watching the snow?"
"Yeah," Isabella said, smoothing a wrinkle on his sleeve, her eyes soft.
She had a natural gentleness that made time feel like it was slowing down.
Seb kissed her and said, "Zaire called. There's a gathering tonight. Wanna go meet some friends?"
Isabella thought of Miley's call. "Mr. Jose?"
Seb nodded. "Yeah."
Miley would probably be there too. Zaire was helping her out now, and from what Miley said, they were pretty into each other.
Maybe Zaire was throwing the party to celebrate Miley?
Isabella nodded. "I'll message Miley back."
Seb patted her head lovingly.
As Isabella texted Miley, Jack knocked and walked in. "Mr. Landon, you wanted to see me?"
Seb got to the point. "Got plans tonight?"
Jack nodded. "Nope."
Seb said, "Mr. Jose has a gathering at Moon Club tonight and specifically asked for you."
Since Jack and Kelsey had their falling out, Zaire wasn't too fond of Jack either. Jack figured Zaire's invite probably wasn't for anything good.
But Seb was his boss, and Zaire likely assumed Jack wouldn't refuse if Seb asked him.
After a pause, Jack said, "Mr. Landon, I need to be with my fiancée tonight."
Seb raised an eyebrow and, remembering Zaire's instructions, said, "It's a private gathering. You can bring Nancy along. She doesn't have many friends here, so she might enjoy it. But if she's busy, then forget it."
Jack thought about Nancy's complaints from yesterday and said, "Alright. I'll ask her."
Back in his office, Jack called Nancy.
"Hey, Jack." Nancy's side was noisy, with music playing.
Jack paused. "Where are you?"
"Just wandering around," she said, moving to a quieter spot. "Why are you calling? What's up?"
Jack asked, "Are you free tonight? I want to take you to dinner."
Nancy hesitated. "I ran into an old classmate, and we planned to have dinner tonight."
Jack frowned. "Alright, have dinner with your classmate. Text me your location when you're done. I'll pick you up."
Nancy said, "Okay, thanks."
After hanging up, Jack was lost in thought, but a colleague interrupted with some documents.
When Jack finished his work, he got a notification of a large withdrawal from his account. His additional card had been used to spend $20,000 within the last ten seconds.
Since Nancy moved to Lakina, Jack had given her his additional card. Small expenses didn't notify him, but large ones did.
Nancy liked expensive clothes, bags, and jewelry, but she usually pestered him to buy them together. This time was different.
Jack logged into his mobile banking to check the details. The spending was at a high-end store.
He called the store and found out Nancy had bought a dress and a pair of shoes for $20,000.
Though Jack had doubts, he didn't ask much. Girls loved shopping, and he felt he owed her.
Unexpectedly, the store was diligent. They added his contact and sent an electronic receipt, showing the dress and shoes with prices.
The dress was a low-cut, off-shoulder style. The shoes were crystal high heels, sparkling with a 5-inch heel. Not Nancy's usual style.
The store also sent a voice message, "Mr. Brown, if you have any doubts, do you need us to recover the money or report it to the police?"
Jack thought for a moment and said, "No, thank you."
Winter nights in Lakina were dry and cold. The lights at the entrance of Moon Club were dazzling.
When Isabella got out of the car, a gust of wind made her shiver. Seb quickly wrapped her in a warm embrace.
Seb asked, "Cold?"
Isabella looked up at him. "A little."
As they were about to enter, a voice suddenly called out, "Seb!"
