Chozen stood outside the movie theater as he watched Isabella walk away with the kids. He clenched his jaw in frustration, watching as she turned the corner and disappeared from sight.
He turned and stalked off in the opposite direction, his mind racing with anger and confusion.
The next day, as he walked into the movie theater that he had just purchased, Chozen couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction at having gotten his way once again.
As he looked around the empty theater, memories of last night's argument with Isabella came flooding back to him.
"Dad, you can't always buy everything," Felix said the dating plan failed so badly it just seems like momma hates dad even more while dad seems to have momma?
Chozen turned to look at Felix, his expression softening slightly.
"I'm not trying to buy everything," he said.
"I just..." He trailed off for a moment before sighing heavily.
"I just can't stand when things don't go my way," he admitted quietly.
"Dad why don't you like m-Isabella," Felix asked all us four siblings decided on something maybe the movie was a failure seeing a play would do?
Chozen sighed and ran a hand through his hair.
"It's not that I don't like her," he said, choosing his words carefully.
"I just..." He paused for a moment before continuing.
"I just can't stand how she always seems to get under my skin. She's stubborn and defiant and..." He trailed off again, shaking his head in frustration.
Felix nodded in understanding.
"I get it," he said.
"But have you ever thought that maybe she's like that because she feels threatened by you?"
Chozen raised an eyebrow at his son's words.
"Threatened by me? Why would she be threatened by me?"
Felix shrugged.
"I don't know," he said.
"But people often react defensively when they feel threatened or intimidated."
He looked over at Isabella's angry face before turning back to Chozen.
"Maybe she's just putting up a front because she's scared of you."
"Dad you need to be more nice," Felix said now that he said this maybe his dad will be more kind to mommy who you don't even know about she is his birth mother.
Chozen looked at Felix, his expression unreadable.
"Nice?" he repeated, as if the word was foreign to him. "I'm not used to being nice."
He sighed heavily and ran a hand through his hair again.
"I've spent my whole life being tough and ruthless," he said quietly.
"Being nice feels..." He trailed off for a moment before continuing.
"Weak," he said quietly. "Nice people get walked all over."
Felix looked at his father with a mixture of concern and understanding.
"I know you're not used to being nice," he said gently.
"But maybe it's worth trying."
Later that week Isabella gets flowers and chocolates at her hotel door.
Isabella was surprised to find a bouquet of flowers and a box of chocolates waiting for her at the doorstep of her hotel room. She looked around, wondering who could have left them there.
She picked up the bouquet and smelled the flowers, their sweet scent filling the air. Then she opened the box of chocolates and took one out, popping it into her mouth.
As she savored the taste, a small smile tugged at the corners of her lips. She looked at the roses and she threw them in the outside trash can they aren't her favorite flowers but she likes candies.
Isabella put the box of chocolates down on a nearby table and sat down on the bed, her mind racing with curiosity.
She tried to guess who could have left the gifts for her. Was it a secret admirer? Or perhaps an old friend she hadn't seen in years?
The more she thought about it, the more intrigued she became.
With a sigh, she picked up the box of chocolates again and took another one out. As she savored the sweetness on her tongue, she couldn't help but wonder if there would be more gifts waiting for her tomorrow.
"Mommy who gave it to you?" Chloe asked her mommy who looked at her.
Isabella looked down at her daughter and smiled.
"I don't know, sweetheart," she said softly.
"I found them at our doorstep."
She held up the box of chocolates, showing them to Chloe.
"Do you want one?"
Chloe chose a chocolate and ate it while Raven asked mommy who would send chocolates? Atticus shook his head momma seems to hate daddy.
Isabella watched as her children ate their chocolates, a small smile on her face.
"I don't know who sent them," she said honestly. "But it was a nice surprise."
She noticed Atticus shaking his head and she knew what he was thinking. She sighed heavily.
"Atti, I know what you're thinking," she said quietly.
Atticus looked up at her, his expression a mix of annoyance and concern.
"Then you know how stupid this is," he said bluntly.
"Who would send us chocolates? We don't know these people."
"It's free candy," Isabella mumbled and she sat the rest of the candy at the table and walked away.
"Lord Chozen," Zal said as he walked inside the office and Chozen looked up.
"Yea?"
"The press is here. They heard about you buying the movie theater and want to ask you some questions."
Zal handed Chozen a stack of papers, presumably containing information about the press conference.
Chozen took the papers and skimmed through them, a frown on his face.
"Kick them out," Chozen snapped.
"Yes."
"Oh did Isabella like the basket I gifted her?" Chozen asked as he cleared his throat it was an apology gift.
"She took the candy threw away the flowers," Zal said simply.
Chozen's eyes widened in surprise.
"She threw away the flowers?"
He sat back in his chair, a mix of annoyance and disbelief on his face.
"I spent good money on those roses," he muttered under his breath.
Zal chuckled slightly at Chozen's reaction.
"You did. But it seems like she didn't appreciate them."
He leaned against the desk and looked at Chozen with a smirk.
"Maybe you should try something different next time."
Chozen grumbled and crossed his arms over his chest, looking away from Zal.
"Shut up," he muttered under his breath.
"I don't need your advice."
But even as he said it, he knew that Zal was right. He had been trying the same tactics with Isabella time and again, but nothing seemed to work.
Zal chuckled and leaned back in his chair, a sly grin on his face.
"Oh, I think you do need my advice," he said. "You're clearly not making any progress with your current approach."
He gestured towards the empty theater around them.
"Buying this movie theater might have been a step too far, don't you think?"
"I…the manager made me mad."
"But sir you made sure to tell the people who work here if Isabella and her three kids ever come here again they have it for free," Zal said as he pointed it out.
Chozen grumbled again and ran a hand through his hair.
"I know I did," he said quietly.
"But it's not like she'll ever come back here after what happened last time."
He looked up at Zal, a hint of frustration on his face.
"Why do I even care what she thinks?" he muttered under his breath.
Zal shrugged, a sly smile on his face.
"Maybe you care more than you're letting on," he said. "Maybe she's not just some annoying woman that gets under your skin."
He leaned closer to Chozen, a mischievous gleam in his eyes.
"Maybe she's someone you actually like."
Chozen's cheeks reddened slightly at Zal's words. He looked away from him quickly, trying to hide his embarrassment.
"Don't be ridiculous," he muttered. "I don't like her. She's just…annoying."
But even as he said it, he knew that there was a hint of truth to Zal's words.
Zal chuckled softly at Chozen's reaction.
"You can deny it all you want," he said. "But I can see it in your eyes."
He leaned forward slightly, his expression serious.
"You're intrigued by her. You like the fact that she's not afraid to stand up to you."
Chozen opened his mouth to argue, but no words came out. He couldn't deny that there was something about Isabella that drew him to her. Maybe it was her feisty attitude or her beauty.
"Damn it," he muttered under his breath.
"Why does she have to be so infuriating?"
Chozen clenched his jaw in frustration as he watched Isabella toss the roses in the trash.
"Damn it," he muttered under his breath.
"Why does she have to be so stubborn?"
He couldn't understand why her rejection of his gift bothered him so much. It was just a bouquet of flowers and some chocolates, after all.
But deep down, there was something about her that made him want her approval - even though he would never admit it out loud.
The next day Isabella gets another gift at her door step two bouquets of flowers this time 20 piece of her favorite candy. Isabella sighed and threw the flowers away and then looked at the candy and she walked back inside.