The morning had slipped away amidst the tense atmosphere; the competition was smoothly concluded, and everyone was nervously awaiting the results.
After packing up, Isabella Sheffield felt a significant relief washing over her. The internal tension that had kept her on edge was finally relaxed with the end of the training.
"Clara, you seem preoccupied. Is everything okay?" Isabella Sheffield asked Clara James after they left the dormitory together. She noticed her complexion wasn't great.
"Huh?" Clara James was startled, "I'm fine, Bella. You go ahead and rest up." She shook her head and forced a small smile at Isabella Sheffield.
Isabella Sheffield wanted to accompany Clara James, but as fate would have it, a text message from Alexander Cole arrived.
After reading the message, Isabella Sheffield's lips twitched into a slight smile. Her face was full of joy as she gave a few words of advice to Clara James, then hastened towards the underground parking garage. Alexander Cole was waiting for her there.
Clara James watched Isabella Sheffield's retreating figure, forcing a bitter smile. She walked towards the entrance of Stellar alone. There, the person she both wanted to see and dreaded to meet was waiting for her—Thomas Sheffield.
Clara James felt conflicted. She detested Thomas Sheffield, but at the same time, she found herself drawn towards him. He was initially her creditor, but she had ended up dropping not just her body but also her heart to him.
Upon arriving at the underground garage, Isabella Sheffield clearly saw Alexander Cole's figure. He was leaning against his car, engrossed in his mobile, but looked up when he heard Isabella Sheffield approaching. He flashed a smile, put down his phone, and walked towards Isabella Sheffield with long strides.
Just as Isabella Sheffield was about to greet Alexander Cole, he surprised her with a hug. Though they had gotten a marriage license, they had not yet done anything intimate, not even a simple handhold. This embrace was beyond Isabella Sheffield's expectations. She blinked, unsure where to place her hands and stood stiffly, still surprised.
"You did great today." His voice, shaded with hints of citrus, enveloped Isabella Sheffield. The warm breath passed by her ears, ticklish. His words drew her back to reality. She gently pushed him off, blushing slightly, glanced at him and quickly moved her gaze elsewhere.
"Thank you, but didn't you forget to mention that you're the president of the He Corporation?"
This question had popped into her mind the moment she saw Alexander Cole at Stellar city. She knew practically nothing about him, besides his name.
Isabella Sheffield admired her own bravery. She had taken a leap into the unknown with a man like Alexander Cole. If it were anyone else, she might have been doomed.
Alexander Cole looked slightly startled, and then looked at Isabella Sheffield with a meaningful glance, saying, "I thought you knew."
Indeed, with Alexander Cole's popularity, his name itself was a walking billboard. Not many people had met him, but there was hardly anyone who didn't know his name.
Upon receiving that meaningful glance from Alexander Cole, Isabella Sheffield awkwardly touched the tip of her nose and realized how naive she had been.
"I...I..." Isabella Sheffield wanted to explain. It wasn't that she hadn't heard of Alexander Cole's name before, but that she had momentarily forgotten. However, she struggled to find the right words to say, and finally ended up muttering, "I'm hungry."
"Let's go home." Alexander Cole reached out and casually touched Isabella Sheffield's head, in high spirits. With one hand dragging her luggage and the other holding hers, he led her towards his car.
Alexander Cole was a man of strong sense of belonging, apart from social gatherings, he usually dined at home. In his view, no matter how delicious the food outside was, it could not compare to the comfort of home.
This feeling was not as strong when he was alone, but ever since he had Isabella Sheffield, such feelings had become increasingly pronounced.