After I Stopped Loving Him (Isabella and Ethan) novel Chapter 781

If nothing unexpected happened, she’d probably end up with Jesse in the end.

Choosing Jesse meant stepping into his world.

“Why isn’t Isabella here yet?” Laura glanced at her phone, mumbling Isabella’s name under her breath.

“She should be here any minute.” Jesse lifted his head and spotted Melissa and his mother walking in. He reached for Laura’s hand and nudged her up. “My mom and Melissa just arrived.”

Laura followed his gaze and saw Janetta and Melissa too.

All the women at the banquet tonight were dressed in glamorous evening gowns. All except Melissa. She showed up, as always, in a tailored black suit. There was something about her—her beauty was almost intimidating, her face always set in that cool, unapproachable expression, like nothing could ever faze her.

She was gorgeous and successful, but no one ever dared to hit on her. She was just too icy.

Jesse and Laura hadn’t even made it to Melissa’s side when Douglas appeared, pretending to just be passing by. He stopped when he noticed Melissa and Janetta.

Cocktail in one hand, Douglas paused with a smile and greeted Janetta first.

Janetta smiled back, polite but distant.

Then Douglas turned to Melissa. He’d honestly been hoping she might wear a dress tonight, just once, just to see how stunning she’d look all dressed up. But she was in another business suit, like always.

It was always the same. Every time Melissa bothered to show up at these events, she came in a suit. No one said a thing about it, though. Melissa was a boss in every sense. Even if she stepped down as CEO of The Mason Group and handed the reins to Jesse, she’d be fine on her own. She owned a dozen companies outright, all of them huge. She didn’t need the family business. She was a true powerhouse.

“Melissa.” Douglas watched her with a teasing smile. “When am I finally going to see you in an evening gown?”

Melissa didn’t even blink. “Douglas, the day you show up to a party in a bright red gown is the day I’ll wear one.”

Douglas stared at her. “What, is my family that bad?”

He really thought his brothers were top-tier, just as good as Ethan’s.

Melissa shook her head. “It’s not that. I just don’t like you, Douglas. You gossip too much.”

Douglas went silent.

Apart from butting heads with her over business, he honestly had no idea how to get her to see him differently.

He was completely out of his depth.