After I Stopped Loving Him (Isabella and Ethan) novel Chapter 601

Actually, Ethan's friends were pretty decent. In her previous life, Isabella hadn't really hung out with them much. Ethan almost never brought her along to his gatherings. The few times she did meet them, she could tell they weren't bad people at all.

Ethan always insisted Harold wasn't a good guy. He'd say that anyone raised as a family heir had to have some tricks up their sleeve, that there was no way someone like that could be truly good. She never argued that Harold was some kind of saint. She understood that you couldn't survive in business without being a bit sharp. Even now, as she ran her own business, she found herself making tough calls. Sometimes she couldn't afford to be too kind either.

As long as she and Harold didn't have any conflicts, everything was fine.

“Harold.” Isabella pulled up and parked the car.

Harold glanced at her. “You can drive in, you know.”

“No need, parking here is good.” She wasn't planning to stay long, and leaving the car by the gate meant she could leave easily.

Harold didn't push it. Honestly, just getting her here with a harmless little lie was enough for him. Of course he had all sorts of medication at home. His medicine cabinet was always stocked with the basics. He’d lied just to get Isabella to care about him for a moment.

The household staff were all off today. He'd made sure of it.

Ethan was right about one thing. Isabella really didn’t know Harold at all. She had no idea that underneath that gentle, elegant exterior, he could be pretty calculating when he wanted to be.

She parked and got out, carrying the liniment she’d bought and two bowls of porridge she’d picked up for dinner.

Harold reached out as if to take them from her, but she quickly said, “Harold, you’re hurt. You don’t need to carry stuff. Let me do it.”

He still took the porridge from her. “It’s just my face that’s injured. My hands work fine.”

“You noticed I brought two bowls?”

“I haven’t eaten yet. It’s already dark, so I thought I’d grab an extra bowl so we could eat together.”

Harold laughed, shaking his head. “What’s there to be scared of? I know how to take care of myself. And anyway, the security here is great. The Carter Group developed this whole neighborhood. Since I live here, I made sure it’s as safe as possible.”

Truth was, he usually had bodyguards at home too. But tonight, just for Isabella, he’d sent them all out for a walk. He told them not to come back until after she left.

“That makes sense,” Isabella said, nodding.

She couldn’t help thinking about how these old-money families had all made a killing in real estate. During the property boom, they’d scooped up houses left and right. Everyone in their circle owned more than a few beautiful homes.

The rich really did live in another world. Wherever they went, they had a mansion waiting for them.

She glanced around at the gorgeous villa and quietly promised herself she’d work hard. One day, when she was as successful as Linda, she’d have her own homes everywhere too.