“Harold, have some fruit,” Isabella said, steering the conversation away from the awkwardness.
She just couldn’t bring herself to accept Harold’s feelings right now. Ethan was still hanging around, way too persistent, and it would feel like she was using Harold as a shield. That wasn’t fair to anyone. Besides, her divorce was still fresh. The idea of jumping into another relationship felt impossible. And who knew if the Carter family would even approve of her?
“You didn’t eat much at the banquet. Are you hungry? I could make you some noodles if you want,” she offered.
She, on the other hand, had eaten plenty. Isabella never went hungry if she could help it. Her first priority was always making sure she was fed. The food at the Cabinda Hotel was right up her alley, and if Natalie hadn’t interrupted, she definitely would have kept eating.
“I’m good, thanks. I’m not hungry,” Harold said. He didn’t want to trouble her. “Are you still feeling sick? Do you want to see a doctor?”
“No, I’m fine. I felt a lot better as soon as we left the hotel. Maybe I’m just not used to the vibe at those banquets,” she replied.
Everyone at those events wore a mask, only talking about business and what they could gain. It was exhausting.
“You’ll get used to it,” Harold said with a gentle smile.
Isabella smiled back, though she knew something had felt off tonight. Usually, social events didn’t faze her, but tonight the anxiety came out of nowhere. She had this weird feeling, like something bad was about to happen, or someone was plotting against her. Maybe it was just her intuition, but it was enough to make her want to leave early.
“Harold, can you find out anything about York? I can’t shake the feeling that there’s more to him than meets the eye.”

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