The Billionaire's Pretend Wife (Isabella) novel Chapter 7

When Jacob got to his new in-laws house, he didn’t expect to be welcomed by the sight of his wife all but being thrown out of the house.

As Isabelle stumbled onto the porch, he reached forward quickly and caught her arms, steadying her. “What’s going on?” he demanded, taking in her face. Her face was flushed, her lips pursed, while her eyes were teary and red.

“Nothing,” she muttered, turning her face away from him and freeing herself from his grip. “What are you doing here?”

Jacob looked towards the open door, where Isabelle’s sister had been standing a few seconds ago. Turning around, he spotted Kevin who was carrying several shopping bags. “Kevin, bring them into the house,” he told him.

“Okay, boss,” Kevin agreed and walked past the couple into the house.

“What is that?” Isabelle asked as she looked closely at the bags Kevin was carrying.

“Gifts for my new in-laws,” Jacob answered, and then reached for her hand. “Come on, let’s go inside.”

As Isabelle went back into the house in Jacob’s company, she wasn’t sure what kind of reaction to expect. After all, she had just been kicked out of the family…

Lucy and Naomi were waiting in the living room, with Naomi already going through one of the bags Kevin had brought inside. Francis was nowhere to be seen, and Isabelle figured he must have disappeared into his study.

“Hello, Mrs Cruz,” Jacob greeted politely, letting go of Isabelle’s hand and shaking hands with her mother.

Isabelle held her breath at the exchange. Her fear was that her mother, or Naomi, would say something insulting to Jacob. Or throw them out together. After all, they didn’t think highly of him…

“Oh my God!” Naomi squealed, attracting everybody’s attention. She rushed to Lucy with a jewellery box in her hand, a tiered diamond necklace lying on the velvet interior. “Mum! This is the necklace I wanted you to get me!”

Isabelle’s eyes widened as she gave another look at the bags Kevin had brought in. They were all from luxury brands… Oh no.

Recalling the brooch Jacob had worn to the wedding, she realised that they could all be fake. How else would he be able to afford such expensive gifts?

“Look at this scarf,” Lucy said, reaching into another bag and retrieving a flowery silk scarf. “It’s so beautiful!” Clutching it to her chest, she turned to look at Jacob. “Thank you so much, Jacob. These gifts are amazing. You’re such a good son-in-law.”

As her mother and sister cooed over the gifts, Isabelle rose to her toes and whispered in Jacob’s ear, “They are fake, right?”

Before he could answer, Naomi hurried up to them with another jewellery box. “How did you get this choker? It was a limited edition when it got out and I didn’t manage to get one…you’re literally the best, Jacob. Thank you!”

Isabelle couldn’t even focus on the irony of how Naomi was suddenly addressing Jacob after how she treated him at the wedding. Did she even remember offering him a job as a security guard? Or did she forget all of that the moment she saw the gifts? Her stomach was suddenly queasy as a feeling of dread took over. What would happen if they found out the jewellery were fake?

Rising back to her toes, she tugged Jacob by his jacket to whisper to him again. “If they find out, you can say it was my idea.”

Jacob looked down at her, his eyebrows coming together. “Are you sure?”

She nodded. “They are my family. I know how to deal with them.”