Sweet Flash Marriage with the Restrained Tycoon (Isabelle and Damien) novel Chapter 93

Isabelle spoke those last words with deliberate seriousness.

"Wait." The girl came down the stairs.

Isabelle slung her chain-strap bag over her shoulder but didn't leave. She watched as the girl, Aurora Vale, walked toward her.

Aurora wore a pricey wool sweater with jeans and the latest-season black boots. Her clothes screamed rich girl, but her face was plain and she carried herself with no real grace.

"Move out." The two words came from Aurora's mouth, her ordinary features twisted with spite.

Isabelle crossed her arms, a look of mild disdain on her face. "And you are?"

"Aurora Vale."

"You want me to move out?" Isabelle gave a short laugh. "Damian might have a problem with that."

Aurora couldn't match Isabelle's presence. Even at five-foot-seven, her youthful, unremarkable bone structure gave her no advantage. "What's a kept woman like you got to be so cocky about?"

Isabelle didn't feel like explaining. She just shrugged and turned to leave.

Who knew Damian had so much messy baggage?

Behind her, Aurora mistook her departure for being stung by the words and felt a flicker of satisfaction. She turned and headed upstairs, where she proceeded to pack all of Isabelle's belongings from the room and haphazardly dump them in the middle of the second-floor living room.

*****

Isabelle didn't take her car. She called a ride. Just as she got in, she saw Damian's returned call.

"What's up?" Damian's voice came through.

"Aurora Vale. Who is she?" Isabelle asked.

"A buddy's little sister. You ran into her?"

"Yeah. At the house. She told me to get out."

Silence on the other end.

"What do you want me to do?" Isabelle pressed, unsure what his silence meant.

"Don't listen to her. I'll handle it."

"Okay."

Isabelle hung up.

Damian frowned at his phone during dinner.

"Damian." Ashley, sitting beside him, used her own fork to place a piece of beef on his plate.

Damian's lips thinned. He picked up the beef and dropped it onto another plate.

Ashley offered an awkward smile, grateful the others weren't paying attention.

The gathering was supposed to be just the guys. Earlier, Ashley had made an excuse to go upstairs to his office to sign some documents. She chatted for a while too.

Then Alaric casually asked if she wanted to stay for dinner—and she said yes. Later, Alaric got an earful because of that.

Anyone could see it, but no one pointed it out. Besides, Damian was married now. Keeping distance was the right move.

He didn't respond, just downed a drink and texted Isabelle.

Damian sent, "You mad?"

Isabelle didn't reply.

He stared at his phone.

The guys, seeing this, quickly made conversation with Aurora, urging her to eat.

Ashley smirked to herself. This year feels different.

"Lucas," Aurora's voice wasn't loud, but everyone in the room heard her. "Is Dami keeping a woman on the side?"

Ashley's eyes went wide. Did I hear that right?

Damian's eyes turned dangerously piercing. The knuckles of his hand gripping the phone turned white.

"You. Outside. Now." His icy tone made Aurora shrink back slightly. His gaze was like a shard of ice.

Even Ashley felt a chill. She was still turning the phrase "keeping a woman" over in her mind when Damian stood and walked out.

Alaric looked at Aurora. She seemed properly scared now, her pale face a shade whiter.

Lucas hadn't expected Damian to blow up like that either.