Chapter 978 Ordinary People Do Not Appreciate
As Isabella turned her head, she caught sight of the man's refined profile.
Francis hadn't expected to witness such a scene right after stepping out of the car, nor did he anticipate hearing those words that made his blood boil. Without thinking, he rushed over.
It wasn't until he felt the soft touch of his subordinate that he realized what he had done.
But what was done was done, and Francis was never one to shy away from his actions.
"What are you two talking about with my girlfriend?"
Clea and Della were stunned, staring at the handsome face before them in disbelief. "You... are Ms. Moore's boyfriend?"
Wasn't he the owner of the flower shop?
And he was Isabella's boyfriend?!
Francis glanced down at the still-dazed woman beside him and asked gently, "Isabella, are these your colleagues?"
Isabella had felt a sudden pang of anxiety earlier, but his voice brought her back to reality. She didn't want to deal with these two crazy women, so she tugged on Francis's arm. "Not really. Let's go inside."
"Wait." Francis didn't move, his deep eyes filled with an inscrutable color as he stared at the two women across from him. "Since you're colleagues, it wouldn't hurt to get to know each other better."
What?
Not only was Isabella confused, but Clea and Della were also at a loss.
Francis seemed oblivious to their confusion and even smiled.
"Since you're so interested in Isabella's life, why not get to know her even better?"
Before the two women could respond, he turned to Isabella and said earnestly, "Isabella, I'll cook something delicious for you tonight. Since we've run into your colleagues, why not invite them over for dinner?"
Isabella was speechless.
She didn't know what Francis was up to, but when she looked into his eyes, his pupils were filled with determination, as if silently saying she could trust him.
Against her better judgment, she nodded.
"Sure, would you like to come?"
Clea and Della were equally speechless.
But since the invitation had been extended, refusing would make them seem guilty.
They were curious to see what he was up to!
"Fine, we'll go!"
Clea deliberately raised her voice, "Thank you, Ms. Moore and your boyfriend!"
Isabella was about to retort when Francis spoke first, his deep, magnetic voice causing hearts to race.
"No need to thank me. I'm just doing this for my girlfriend."
The group headed back, and Francis invited them to relax in the living room before heading to the kitchen.
Isabella didn't want to stay with the two women, so she followed Francis, leaving Clea and Della to look around.
She watched the man busying himself and hesitated before speaking. "I don't usually interact with them much. You don't have to bother."
Francis glanced at her as she handled the ingredients.
"Since they've approached you, ignoring them now will only make them more persistent next time. Is that what you want?"
Definitely not.
She bit her lip. "Will this cause you any trouble?"
After all, the flower shop was located downstairs, and most of its customers were local office workers. If these two women went crazy, they might cause trouble at the shop later.
Francis looked at her worried expression, feeling a sudden, intense urge to ruffle her hair, but his hands were wet, so he refrained.
His Adam's apple bobbed as he spoke, "Don't worry, I got this."
His voice was like warm water, soothing her heart and causing ripples of emotion.
Isabella's eyes flickered, trying to ignore her racing heart. She nodded, "I don't want to talk to them either. I'll help you."
Francis chuckled indulgently and made no objection.
An hour later, dinner was ready.
The flower shop was high-end and stylish, and its grand opening had attracted a large number of customers. Now knowing Francis was Isabella's boyfriend, Clea and Della spoke with jealousy.
"Mr. Stevens, even though you own a flower shop, Ms. Moore used to be part of the Harrington family. Can you afford to support her?"
"Just enough."
Francis seemed oblivious to their sarcasm, his voice rich and gentle.
"My sweetheart deserves to be cherished. Though my lifestyle isn't as grand as the Harringtons, it's not much worse. She loves flowers and prefers a cozy home, so I opened the shop near your office to conveniently pick her up."
What a bold statement!
Clea and Della exchanged glances, skeptical. "Mr. Stevens, what do you do for a living? You sound quite wealthy."
"Not really a job."
"...What?"
"I own a venture capital firm abroad, but my assistant manages it. I stay here to be with Isabella, so I'm quite free."
A venture capital firm with a capable assistant sounded impressive.
But Della wasn't satisfied and asked, "Mr. Stevens, what's the name of your firm?"
Francis raised an eyebrow and looked at her.
"Horizon Innovations Group."
Clea and Della were stunned, speechless for a moment, then ate their food silently.
Having been in the industry for a while, they were aware of prominent international companies. Horizon Innovations Group was well-established and discreetly successful.
Who would've thought...
The owner was Isabella's boyfriend?
Isabella didn't react much, having missed the latter part of Francis's explanation...
From the moment he called her "my sweetheart," she felt unlike herself. His rich voice seemed to resonate through her, making her heart flutter.
Her blushing, dazed expression was adorable to Francis, making him want to... do something mischievous.
He quickly looked away, but the feeling lingered.
To cover up, he grabbed a bottle of decanted wine.
"This wine is excellent. You should try it."
The three women were preoccupied with their thoughts, not noticing his reaction.
Clea ate a few bites before looking up, annoyed. "It's late, Mr. Stevens. Aren't you worried about us drinking and getting into trouble?"
Francis glanced at her expressionlessly. "Really? Then you won't get to taste this 1990 Romanée-Conti."
He poured wine into two glasses, his elegant fingers holding the glass with a noble grace, and took a sip.
It was as if he were savoring an exquisite piece of art.
After a moment, he set down the glass and cut the steak, placing it on Isabella's plate with a refined demeanor, "This wine has a rich, beautiful complexity. Not everyone can appreciate it."
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