*Isabella's POV*
"You two deserve each other, for fuck's sake," Cole said, swirling the liquid in his glass. "How come you moved out of his house then?" He leaned forward, his elbows on the counter, his gaze sharp and probing.
"You're right about the breakup," I said, the words feeling like sandpaper in my throat. I focused on a loose thread on my sweatpants, unable to meet his eyes. "I'm not with Jacob anymore, so I felt the need to be alone." I omitted the rest – the soulmate crap, the twin connection, the fact that I dated Damien too, the suffocating weight of it all. "I rented this place," I added, the lie tasting sour.
"But the rent on this place must cost a fucking fortune," he said, his voice laced with suspicion. He'd caught it, the slight waver in my tone. "How could you afford it? You're always bloody complaining about money."
Panic flared in my chest. "My house in Indiana... I, uhm, sold it," I said, my voice barely a whisper. I started picking at the non-existent lint on the counter, my heart hammering against my ribs.
"You had a house in Indiana and you didn't fucking tell me?" he exclaimed, his voice rising in disbelief. "That would have solved your problems years ago!" He looked genuinely hurt, and a pang of guilt shot through me.
Not really, I thought, it's a fucking dump, not even worth two dollars.
"Anyway," he said, his expression softening as he decided to let it go, for now. He grabbed another glass from the cupboard and poured a small amount of the sparkling wine for me. "Let's toast to your new, stylish place downtown. May I say, it totally suits you. You're finally where you belong, Queen." He handed me the glass with a flourish, a genuine, supportive smile finally replacing his skeptical frown.
*Monday morning*
The shrill beep of my alarm was a fucking drill sergeant, marching me into a new week I was in no way prepared for. I took a long, hot shower, letting the water burn my skin as if it could wash away the weekend's emotional wreckage. I got dressed, putting on my armour of a smart blouse and trousers, and headed to the office.
But my feet, with a will of their own, carried me past the imposing, polished wood door of Damien's office. Thank fuck for that. I couldn't face him today, not after everything. Instead, I made a run for the finance department, a buzz of familiar energy and the smell of stale coffee and printer ink.
"You don't know how happy you just made me, Isabella," Charlotte, the manager of the finance department, said, her face lighting up as I stood in her doorway. She was a woman in her late thirties with a kind, no-nonsense face and a laugh that could make even the most stressful tax season feel manageable. "We've always wanted you on our team. But are you sure Mr Lancaster is okay with this?" Her brow furrowed slightly, a flicker of understandable apprehension in her eyes. Nobody wanted to get on the wrong side of Damien Lancaster.
"Of course he is," I said, forcing a smile that felt incredibly fake "I'll still need to help him for a few days, wrap some things up, but then I'll be full-time in the finance department." The words felt both liberating and terrifying.
"May I say, this is where you belong," she said, her warm sincerity making a lump form in my throat.
"Yep, that's actually true," I agreed, my voice a little shaky. I took a deep breath. "About me being full-time, though, I do need to tell you this... I think I want to change to part-time."
"Oh?" Charlotte asked, her friendly expression clouding with confusion. "What do you mean?"
"It's my senior year of college," I explained, the words tumbling out in a rush. "I already lost an entire year because of working so much, and I need to make sure I won't screw this up. I'm not saying I'll only work four hours, but I'll split my time according to my classes. I'll work three days a week, and I'll accept you reducing the money offer. It's only fair."
Charlotte just looked at me for a long moment, her head tilted. Then she let out a soft chuckle. "Don't you worry about it, Isabella," she said, waving a dismissive hand. "I know you'll do a better job in those three days than most of my employees do in two weeks."
"I... uh, I would say that," I said, feeling a blush creep up my neck.
"Are you kidding me?" she said, leaning forward on her desk. "You've saved our asses with Mr Lancaster so many times I've lost count. Of course, you have my support until you graduate. You're one of ours." Her words were a lifeline, a warm blanket in the cold, chaotic mess my life had become.
"Thank you, Charlotte," I said, my voice thick with emotion. "You're the best." For the first time in what felt like forever, a small, genuine smile touched my lips. Maybe, just maybe, I could actually do this.
With a new sense of purpose, I grabbed a portfolio file from Charlotte's office and headed upstairs. I rounded the corner to the executive suite, only to stop dead in my tracks. There he was. Cole, of all fucking people, was seated behind my old desk, the one right outside Damien's office, looking like a bored bird in a very expensive, very dull cage.
I leaned against the wall, a slow, tired smirk spreading across my face as I waited for him to look up from whatever mind-numbing task he was pretending to do.
"I can't fucking believe I'm sitting here again," he said, finally lifting his head and rolled his eyes.
"Come on, it's not that bad," I said, pushing off the wall and walking towards him. "Would you prefer your old team with your new boss who despises you?"
"Whatever," he sighed, flopping back in the chair. "I need to change companies." I rolled my eyes right back at him.
"Don't be a dick," I said, placing the portfolio on the corner of the desk. "Just help me out until Damien finds another assistant."
"Damien, huh?" he asked, a wicked, knowing glint appearing in his eyes. He leaned forward, lowering his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "You two have grown terribly close since you live together, am I right?"
"Just shut up," I snapped, my voice low and sharp as a whip.
"Cole, I need you to..." a deep, familiar voice said from the doorway. Damien walked out of his office, but he trailed off instantly when his eyes landed on me. The air crackled, the easy workflow between him and Cole evaporating in an instant, replaced by a thick, suffocating tension.
"Isabella," he said, my name a rough, shocked breath on his lips. He looked like he'd seen a ghost, his composure completely shattered by my unexpected presence.