Isadora finally realized Victor had misunderstood her.
She could have fainted from exasperation.
"It''s Nte and Finley who are together. I''m just worried Nte might get hurt —what are you even talking about?" she protested.
"Oh."
Mr. Fitzgerald''s response was casual, his expression untroubled. He clearly felt no guilt for speaking so bluntly about Finley.
"Well, that''s not so bad then."
Isadora looked at him, puzzled. "What do you mean, ''not so bad''? Care to exin?"
Even if it was for someone else''s sake, Victor didn''t like hearing Isadora talk about other men.
He was fiercely possessive when it came to her.
Suddenly, Victor reached out and cupped the back of her head, his lips iming hers in a kiss that swallowed whatever words she had left.
The faint taste of coffee and the warmth of him filled Isadora''s senses.
They were pressed so close together that the air between them seemed charged with electricity.
Isadora didn''t resist. Instead, she wrapped her arms around his neck, boldly meeting his kiss and letting her tenderness bloom.
Victor was caught off guard by her sudden initiative, his eyes narrowing in surprise.
When Isadora felt him pause, she opened her eyes, only to be met with Victor''s intense, dangerous gaze.
Realizing he''d just seen herpletely lost in the moment, Isadora''s cheeks burned with embarrassment.
She huffed, "Didn''t you say you''re supposed to close your eyes when you kiss? Why weren''t you?"
Victor''s gaze darkened. He reached up, brushing his thumb over her kiss-swollen lips, the corners of his eyes crinkling in a fond smile. His voice was low and indulgent. "Alright, I''ll close them next time."
Isadora rolled her eyes.
She turned away. "No more kissing!"
Victor caught the blush creeping up her ears, and a deep, richugh rumbled in his chest. He leaned in coaxing, "My mistake. I shouldn''t have watched you kiss me-l should''ve closed my eyes, right? Or maybe, next time I kiss you, you should just look back at me."
His teasing andughter made Isadora blush all the way down her neck. She squirmed, muttering, "No way."
At that moment, Victor''s phone began to ring.
Isadora tried to get up from hisp, but Victor''s arm tightened around her waist, keeping her there as he answered the call.
She caught bits of the conversation-it sounded like something about a birthday party.
With his handsome face so close, Isadora found herself noticing things she''d never paid attention to before: the longshes, the dark eyes, the barely-there dimple that appeared when he smiled.
It struck her that for so long, whenever she turned around, Victor had always been there, standing quietly behind her, never leaving her side.
Nte''s encouragement toe clean echoed in her mind. Isadora decided she would find the right moment-she had to tell Victor everything.
And if, just if, Victor was furious with her when he learned the truth, she''d have onest card to y their child. Surely, for their baby''s sake, he''d forgive her.
She was lost in thought, not realizing Victor had finished his call.
Above her, hisnguid voice drifted down. "Will youe with me tonight? The CEO of Legacy National Bank is having a birthday party."
Isadora looked up. "Hmm?"
"As my soon-to-be Mrs. Fitzgerald."
The Fitzgerald Group''s engagement announcement had already gone public, after
all.
But she and Victor had never attended an event together as a couple.
Legacy National Bank was thergest private bank in the country. An invitation to the CEO''s birthday party meant being in the same room as the top yers in the world of finance-the guest list would be nothing short of dazzling.
Even Richard Vaughan''s global project had secured a loan from Legacy National Bank.
Victor seemed to sense her hesitation.
But Isadora simply nodded.
Victor''s eyes shone like polished obsidian. He lifted her chin, teasing, "So well- behaved all of a sudden. Did you do something naughty?"
Isadora met his gaze, her voice soft and uncertain. "And if I did would you forgive me?"