Chapter 241 Don't Mention It
"Hey, is this Isabella?"
Hearing this voice, Isabella was momentarily stunned.
Seeing that she didn't respond, the person on the other end quickly said, "It's me, Laura. Don't you remember me?"
Isabella snapped back to reality. "I remember."
It was just that she hadn't been to the Landon Group for so long that everything from the past seemed like a distant memory.
"Mr. Landon is at a social event. He left his phone in the room, and I was just about to bring it to him when you called. Don't worry! I'll get it to him right away." Footsteps were heard from the other end, and a few minutes later, the phone was handed to someone else. Isabella also heard Laura say, "Mr. Landon, it's Isabella on the phone."
Isabella was about to speak, but the call was abruptly ended.
The busy signal buzzed in Isabella's ears, making her brain tingle.
She didn't bother calling back and instead sat on the couch, clutching her phone, waiting.
When one was alone, time seemed to slow down. Isabella found herself lost in memories, and before she knew it, she had drifted off on the couch.
She was jolted awake by a dull thud. Rubbing her eyes, she heard the door open and footsteps. After a brief moment of confusion, she hurried to the door. "Seb?"
Jack was helping Seb inside, and the strong smell of alcohol hit Isabella like a wave. For a moment, she was taken aback, but then she bent down to fetch slippers and put them on Seb herself. She followed Jack up the stairs.
Jack set Seb down on the bed and straightened up. Seeing Isabella, he explained, "Mr. Landon insisted on a night out with some clients. He drank until now and is completely plastered."
"Why did he drink so much?" Isabella asked.
Seb was usually very disciplined. Even at social events, he rarely got so drunk he needed help.
This was the first time she'd seen him so incapacitated that he couldn't move without assistance.
Jack's expression grew serious. "Actually, this afternoon…"
"Jack!" Seb's voice cut in, interrupting Jack. He sat up from the bed, rubbing his temples with a pained expression. "Help me to the bathroom."
"I'll help you." A soft hand reached out, holding his.
Seb stiffened, then pushed the hand away. "I don't need you. Jack!"
"Mr. Landon," Jack stepped forward reluctantly, helping Seb to the bathroom.
Isabella, feeling out of place, stood still, unsure of what to do.
As the sounds of vomiting came from the bathroom, Isabella quietly slipped out of the room.
A few minutes later, Jack emerged from the bathroom, supporting Seb. Noticing Isabella's absence, Jack couldn't help but ask, "Mr. Landon, why haven't you told Isabella about our trip to the emergency room this afternoon?"
Seb, sitting weakly on the edge of the bed and grimacing from the headache, waved his hand dismissively. "Don't mention it!"
Jack was persistent. "Maybe Ms.Miller was tricked into going. Shouldn't you give her a chance to explain?"
"Even if she was tricked, was her reaction at the time fake?" Seb's voice was low, as if he was asking Jack, but more like he was asking himself.
Moreover, Isabella hadn't told him that after she came back.
Seb almost felt relieved he was blind; he couldn't bear to see Isabella's heart-wrenching anguish by Matthew's bedside. Just hearing her pain was too much; seeing it firsthand would have been unbearable.
Jack had no response to this.
He thought, 'Yes, if Isabella didn't care about Matthew at all, why would she cry so much when Matthew was on the brink of death?
'But if Isabella still has feelings for Matthew, then what does that make Seb?'
Isabella was carrying a bowl of soup when she ran into Jack at the staircase.
"How is he?" Isabella asked.
Jack glanced at the bowl in her hands, his emotions complicated. "Not too well."
After a pause, he asked, "Isabella, what are your feelings for Mr. Landon?"
Isabella was taken aback. "What do you mean?"
Jack frowned. "I'm not good with matters of the heart. But I've been with Mr. Landon for many years, I can tell that he is serious about you, and he won't settle for anyone else. Isabella, you mustn't betray or hurt him. Otherwise, even if Mr. Landon forgives you, I won't!"
Isabella couldn't comprehend a single word of what Jack said. She wanted to ask for clarification, but Jack left directly.
Isabella opened the bedroom door. Seb was still sitting on the bed, hunched over, holding his head with his hands.
"Seb, I made some soup." Isabella handed the bowl over.
"Get away!" Seb suddenly raised his hand, knocking the bowl over.
Isabella gasped as the soup spilled onto her hand, causing a sharp pain and making her eyes well up with tears.
Seb was stunned for a couple of seconds, then quickly stood up and reached out to her. "Bella, Bella, are you okay?"
Seb, already unsteady from the alcohol, stumbled and almost hit the corner of the cabinet.
Isabella, alarmed, reached out to steady him."Seb, I'm here."
The next second, she was pulled into Seb's embrace.
"Bella." Seb held her tightly, as if holding a precious lost item. His careful and restrained manner made his earlier coldness seem even more painful.
Isabella felt a tightness in her chest. "I'm fine, Seb."
They sat down by the bed, and Seb gently touched her hand. "Does it hurt?"
"Yes." Isabella nodded honestly.
Seb took out his phone to make a call, but Isabella stopped him. "What are you doing?"
"Calling Marvin to come and check your hand."
"No need," Isabella said, both annoyed and amused. "It's just a minor burn. I'll apply some ointment myself."
Seb nodded. "Then I'll get the first aid kit."
As he got up, Isabella also stood up and took his hand. "I'll go with you."
Seb paused, then nodded.
They went downstairs and found the first aid kit. Isabella helped him open it, pulling out the burn cream and placing it in his hand. She then offered her hand, laying it in his palm.
Seb paused, then squeezed some cream onto her hand, applying it gently.
His touch was so light, as if he was afraid of causing her more pain. The room was silent except for the faint sound of the wind outside, and Isabella watched him intently, her eyes never leaving his face.
"All done," Seb said, retracting the ointment and releasing her hand.
Isabella felt an emptiness when he let go, and she instinctively grabbed his hand, her voice urgent. "Seb, are you hiding something from me?"
