The Billionaire's Pretend Wife (Isabella) novel Chapter 84

Isabelle had been prepared to spend every last cent she had and borrow a few more to cover Ruth's funeral costs.

What she hadn’t expected was for the Larson Group to more than take care of everything. Did they really give that much condolence money to their employees? It seemed unreal.

She was about to leave the vice president's office when she remembered that Logan Larson had wanted to meet her. Now that she was here, and before she went on her leave, she could see him.

“Sir, is the CEO around? He wanted to meet me yesterday, but I had an emergency.”

The vice president frowned and rubbed his hand on the back of his neck. “No, he is not available at the moment.”

“Oh, okay. I’ll get going, then.”

He nodded and walked her to the door.

After leaving the company, Isabelle went straight to the hospital to make funeral arrangements. She had tried to get hold of anyone who would be interested in sending Ruth off the previous day.

The children’s home Isabelle had stayed at, and where Ruth had worked, had closed down a few years ago. So, she hadn’t been able to contact the people who had known her.

After leaving the orphanage, Ruth had lived alone, and Isabelle knew for a fact that she didn’t have any children or husband.

In the end, she was only able to reach some of the people who had gone through the orphanage under Ruth’s care. She had reached quite a few, and promised to send them details of the funeral. With ten thousand dollars, she could hold a proper wake for Ruth alongside her childhood friends from the orphanage.

It made her feel better. Ruth had given so much love to so many in her lifetime. She deserved to be sent off with as much love as possible.

After confirming the arrangements and communicating to the people she had contacted, she went to Hillside to look for a place to stay.

On the forty-minute bus ride, she kept looking at her phone. She had noticed that her message to Jacob hadn’t been delivered. He also hadn’t tried calling her again.

She figured he must be so mad at her that he didn’t care anymore.

She sighed and rested her head on the bus window next to her.

Good, he should forget her.

Her eyes pricked with tears, and she quickly blinked them away. She didn’t have the right to cry about that. No right to miss him, no right to ache for him.

She was the one who had lied, the one who had given him back the ring.

She had deserted him.

Whatever pain she felt couldn’t make up for the hurt she had caused him.

***

Two weeks later, Seth frowned as he left his office and noticed that the lights were still on in the office where Isabelle worked.

He had stayed at work late–something he had been doing since that day he came across Isabelle by the highway. His mind was often full of thoughts of her, and overworking himself was his tactic to keep his brain otherwise occupied.

She had found a place the next day, but he was still worried about her. He had seen her a few times around the company, and she was always in a hurry. He understood that she was trying to complete her projects before she left.

It was already ten o’clock at night, and there usually wasn’t anyone else around when he left. Curious, he walked over to the other department and pushed the door open.

Instinctively, his eyes went straight to Isabelle’s desk. There she was, slumped over her desk, deep asleep.

He sighed and walked into the office. She now lived far from the city centre, so it wasn't a good idea to stay so long at the company.

When he got to her desk, he called her name softly, but she didn’t respond. He tried louder but got no result. He shook her shoulder gently. He frowned when she remained asleep.

Getting concerned, he felt her forehead. A chill went down his back at how hot she was. She was running a fever.

Placing his laptop bag on her desk, he tried harder to wake her up. The most he got from her was a moan.

Thinking fast, he pulled her onto his back, grabbed both their bags, and made his way to the elevator. He went down to the parking basement, where he set her in the passenger seat before getting into the driver’s side.

Her eyes opened then, but only partly.

“Isabelle? Isabelle, can you hear me?” he asked, his voice panicked. “I’m taking you to the hospital, okay?”

She moaned something unintelligible and then shut her eyes again.