The Billionaire's Pretend Wife (Isabella) novel Chapter 44

Seth blinked in astonishment as he looked from Isabelle to the strange man. Had he heard her right? Husband? Her husband? When did she get married?

He cleared his throat and leaned back in his seat, suddenly feeling very uncomfortable. From the morning he had seen Isabelle at the flower shop on her first day at work, he had been thinking of how to win her affection.

Earlier, when she asked him to dinner, his hopes had shot to a new high. Not once did he imagine that she could be married. His eyes darted to her ring finger. No, she wasn’t wearing any. He would have noticed. And she still went by her maiden name. No wonder he had never suspected she was already married.

“I didn’t know you were married,” he told her, feeling his throat go dry. His hands curled into his fists on his thighs. “When did you get married?”

When had she met her husband? Where had she met him? The questions flew through his mind, but he didn’t dare ask. It was none of his business. Besides, knowing the answers wouldn’t change anything. She was married. He had to give up pursuing her.

Isabelle fidgeted with her napkin as she took in the astonished look on Seth’s face. She really should have told him earlier, she thought. She just hadn’t thought it mattered.

“A couple of months ago,” she replied.

Jacob’s arm going around her shoulder startled her, and she looked up at him. His eyebrows were drawn together over his eyes, his lips in a thin line. She gulped. He was mad. “You don’t tell people that you are married?” he demanded, his dark gaze digging into hers.

She swallowed hard and then drew her gaze away from him. She had never really had to tell anyone that she was married. Seth had never asked. And whenever they went out together, she addressed him as her husband. Wasn’t that enough?

“I’ve just told him,” she said, giving Seth a weak smile. He still had a dazed look on his face, as if the news had truly shocked him.

Jacob snorted and pulled out the seat next to hers. He sat down. “Only because I showed up,” he grumbled.

Isabelle cast him a sidelong glance, wondering whether he was truly mad. She had been forthcoming about her location and who she was having dinner with. Surely, he would know that she wasn’t doing anything inappropriate behind his back, right?

As the couple across the table from him got engrossed in each other, Seth excused himself and stood from his seat. He headed to the bathroom, desperate to have a few minutes to himself to let the news of Isabelle being married sink in. And gather the mindset it would take to sit with the couple through dinner.

What a turn of events! He had planned to let Isabelle know of his intentions some time during dinner. Now, he had to sit there and watch her with her husband. With the man who had been lucky enough to win her heart and her hand in marriage. His heart beat painfully as he realised that this time, he might really have to forget about her. His luck was really rotten when it came to his feelings for her, he decided.

Back at the table, with Seth gone, Isabelle turned sideways to look directly at Jacob. The scowl on his face had disappeared, but his blank expression wasn’t exactly heartwarming.

“Are you mad at me?” she asked, needing to know. If he was, she would try to calm him down so that dinner was not a disaster.