Old Mr. Bailey and Isabelle didn’t stay for long since Sophia put on an exaggerated show of her meal being interrupted. Old Mr. Bailey merely discussed some details of the upcoming contract with John in brief before leaving. Anyway, Sophia didn’t understand a single word of it.
When they’d left, Sophia then turned and looked at John. “Miss Bailey must be the person in charge on the Baileys’ side for this collaboration between the two companies, no?” Isabelle was working in Bailey Corporation, but Sophia had never bothered to find out her post. Isabelle Bailey will certainly grab hold of such a golden opportunity this time.
Sitting down, John murmured an assent. “Probably.” He wasn’t quite certain, but judging from William’s call earlier whereby he warned him to watch himself, he was likely to have rather frequent contact with Isabelle.
Sophia snorted and took another crab leg. “Ah, familiarity breeds fondness.” This remark was a taunt of sorts, but John merely sat down and stared at the room door for a while before he started eating.
Meanwhile, Old Mr. Bailey and Isabelle went back to their room, the former’s expression still grim. Glancing at him, Elder Mr. Bailey asked, “What happened? Why are you still so angry when you’ve gone over for a visit?”
Old Mr. Bailey pulled a face. “I’m now all the more furious after going over there.”
Beside him, Isabelle aptly patted him on the back. “Dad, don’t get worked up.”
Elder Mr. Bailey looked at Old Mr. Bailey in exasperation. “You’re still as hot-tempered as ever. Why can’t you just get over it?” He peered at Isabelle out of the corner of his eye. “Besides, Belle has already made it clear that John had no choice but to marry Sophia Gwendolyn back then. Why can’t you let it go?” Isabelle nodded in agreement.
Sighing, Old Mr. Bailey took Isabelle’s hand and placed it on his own. “He dashed Belle’s hopes of a marriage.”
The fact that Isabelle had feelings for John was common knowledge in the Bailey Family. Her joy was plain as day back when the Bailey Family and Constance Family contracted a marriage between the two of them. Later, when John personally came to break off the engagement and subsequently married Sophia, she isolated herself for a whole week and lost much weight; everyone in the Bailey Family knew this.
Mrs. Bailey who was sitting at the side sighed as well. However, Isabelle had now gotten over it, and she even laughed. “Ah, let’s just eat. Don’t think about the past anymore, for it’s all water under the bridge.”
While Old Mr. Bailey was irate, food was still a necessity. Thus, the Baileys then ate, their pace slow since there were many of them here, time ticking by as they talked and tarried. During the meal, someone blurted, “How rude! John Constance knows full well that we’re here, yet he doesn’t even come and greet us.” At this, the atmosphere turned oppressive.
Isabelle lowered her gaze and stared at her bowl. Actually, she’d also thought that John would come over since they’d first expressed their sincerity by going over to his room. Besides, almost everyone here was his elder, so he should come over to greet them no matter what. Since he isn’t here yet when there are only two people over there, and they should be finishing by now, that means he isn’t planning to come over. She pursed her lips and said nothing.
Elder Mr. Bailey was also a tad chagrined, and he ordered Old Mr. Bailey to open the room door. As this private room was near the entrance of the corridor, John would definitely walk past when he left since he was further in. Knowing the reason behind it, Old Mr. Bailey went over and opened the room door.
In fact, they didn’t even have to wait for long before John and Sophia’s voices drifted over, seemingly having just concluded their meal as well. Giggling, Sophia said, “It’s no surprise that we can’t finish the food since you ordered so much.”
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