A Night with The Billionaire

Two

As much as Isabella wanted to move, her body wouldn't cooperate. Her heavy eyes observed someone flirting with a red-headed woman in the distance. That person happened to be her ex-boyfriend, Nicholas Denver.

She struggled to determine her emotions. How should she react in the face of the pain creeping into her heart? Deep down, she acknowledged that the memory still haunted her after three long years.

They had been together for that duration, yet here he was, right in front of her, flirting as if he hadn't shattered her heart into pieces when he called to end their relationship. Cynthia had been right. He never deserved her. This Nicholas she observed now was a far cry from the man she had known for three years.

And she was right... attending this party had only led to anguish. She shouldn't have come. She should have stayed in her apartment.

"f**k this motherfucker; I'm sorry, Belle. I never knew he would show up here-"

"It's not your fault to see him here with someone else, Cyn," Isabella said, trying to keep her voice steady. She refused to let them see her tears. She held them back.

Turning around, she noticed her best friend's concerned eyes fixed on her. She had the urge to leave this place, to push her limits. But no, she wouldn't let him win over her tonight.

She could hold her head up high and not let her tears betray her. That would be fine.

"Let's get out of here," Cynthia held her hand, her anger towards Nicholas palpable. He sat at another table, chatting with some acquaintances, accompanied by his new girlfriend.

Isabella thought that sleeping with the wrong Nicholas was worth it compared to giving herself to him.

Yet, she couldn't understand why she felt betrayed when she was the one who had made the mistake.

"No. We're not going anywhere, Cynthia," Isabella asserted, gripping her friend's hand and making her turn to look back. "This is your cousin's bachelor party. Why would you want to leave-"

"If I had known that jerk would be coming tonight, I shouldn't have wasted our time here," Cynthia cursed, prompting a chuckle from Isabella.

Isabella squeezed her hands, smiling as though her heart wasn't breaking. "We're not here to watch him flirt, right?" she forced a smirk to form at the corner of her mouth. "We're fine. Why don't we grab some drinks and enjoy the night?" She widened her smile.

Cynthia's eyes anticipated a change in her expression, but Isabella was skilled at concealing any distress on her pretty face.

Sighing, Cynthia glanced behind her, her expression turning into anger. Isabella caught a whiff of a familiar scent wafting towards her nose. It was Nicholas—the f*****g bastard.

"Belle... It's nice seeing you here," his voice echoed in every corner of her mind, tormenting her every waking thought for the past few weeks.

Cynthia pulled her, but Isabella let go of her grip. She looked at her friend, silently conveying that she needed to confront him—not because she still cared for him, but because she wasn't a weakling who would appease him upon his return.

And in response, Cynthia smiled at her, proud that she could maintain her composure.

"I'll get us something to drink. Take care. There are jerks everywhere," she murmured, evoking a soft chuckle from Isabella.

Then, Isabella turned her back, seeing Nicholas, the man she had loved for three f*****g years. He may have changed his appearance, but she knew him well.

"Nicholas, it's quite unexpected to cross paths here," she replied, widening her lips as her eyes subtly searched for the presence of the woman he had been with earlier.

He still had the same look he used to give her—the kind of look that used to melt her heart, until now. She despised seeing his face, the way he smiled as if he had never caused such destruction in her life. No. She knew what she hated the most, and it wasn't him. It was the fact that seeing him seemed acceptable after he broke her fragile heart.

"Belle... if you could spare me a few moments to speak with you, would that be possible?" His voice trembled in her stomach. Forcing herself to hate him only made her appear foolish. Despite her efforts, her heart felt otherwise. Damn it.

"I don't know what else to say to you, Nicholas. I didn't see a point-"

"Please, hear me out. After this, I'll never bother you again." Why did it sound like this would be the last time she would see him? But why did she care?

Her eyes began to well up with tears. He knew how much she was struggling to hold herself together. "Whatever it is, I don't care," she responded, her voice laced with coldness.

She took three steps away from him when he spoke, causing her to doubt her decision.

"I never intended for this to happen to us-"

"But you allowed it to happen, Nicholas." She had to turn her back, facing him again, as if she wouldn't break down at any moment. "Why? Because I couldn't give myself to you?" She shot a glare at him, but he only looked at her.

His chest rose and fell, and seeing him force a smile made her want to slap herself. She never knew his reason, but whatever it was, it was over between them now.

"Forgive me for prioritizing my sister's well-being over my own happiness, amor." She hadn't realized how long she had been holding her breath. But her eyes remained fixed on Nicholas, who gazed at her with sadness. His shoulders shook, and the smile he forged lingered longer.

"I didn't stop loving you because you couldn't give yourself to me," she pleaded for him to stop. She wouldn't be swayed again. This had to be his attempt to make her look like a fool.

"Those three years with you... I'll cherish them forever."

Isabella was clueless about her tears, which betrayed her as they streamed down her face. Everything else was a mess. Her eyes stung from watching him refrain from wiping her tears. She knew how badly he wanted to, because he hadn't let her waste a single tear.

"What's holding you back?" she asked, desperate to uncover his reason, even if it broke her heart once more.

"Nick! I've been looking for you...."

Her eyes darted towards the woman who had been with him earlier. Now that she saw her face up close, she realized why.

It wasn't because she was more beautiful than her. It wasn't because she was taller and kinder.

"Blaire... I told you to wait outside," he said, turning to her. His eyes regained their liveliness as if he hadn't shown his distress in front of Isabella.

Blaire... she understood. She was the reason he couldn't bring himself to wipe away her tears, the reason he broke up with her over the phone.

Because she was the woman his mother wanted him to marry.

Isabella might not have known the complete truth about his sister's situation, but she knew it wasn't about her. It was also about Blaire.

His childhood best friend and ex-lover.