Chapter Eight

The fabric of her dress tugged lightly as Isabelle bent down, one arm stretched toward a shelf of themed paper cups. She paused and turned to look.

She had thought her dress got caught on one of the racks. But,what she saw instead made her blink.

Aimee.

The little girl stood there quietly, coat mint green, braids soft and uneven, and a single pink ribbon peeked from her coat pocket. She simply stood there without a single word.

“…Sweetheart?” Isabelle’s voice dropped. She smiled instinctively, confused. “What are you doing here?”

She looked around wondering who she was with. Then, she saw Riven standing in between the two aisles with hands in pockets. The mall lights cast a soft, almost surreal glow over him, like he had walked out of a frame that didn’t quite belong in this store.

He stepped forward, voice even. “She saw you and pulled away before I could stop her.”

Aimee gently clutched the side of Isabelle’s coat which she had pulled earlier silently.

Isabelle looked down again, her heart softening. She brushed a hand over the things at the rack. “I was just picking things for Ryan’s birthday.”

Riven gave a small nod and said simply, “Dress shopping.”

When he saw Isabelle look at his empty hands, he added, “Julienalready took the bags to the car.”

“Ah.” She nodded politely, figuring Julien was his assistant.“Well… I shouldn’t keep you. I’ll just—”

“Would you join us for lunch?”

His words came clean. No awkwardness.

She blinked. “Oh… That’s kind, but I still have things to get, and I don’t want to…”

“It’s fine,” Riven said. “We’ll wait.”

Isabelle was startled and something in her chest hesitated. But when she looked toward Aimee, she saw that the girl was staring at her with those big, widened eyes in anticipation.

She couldn’t bring herself to reject her so she could only nod gently.

She looked toward Riven and asked, “Can she come with me? She’d get bored waiting.”

He merely nodded and strode to take a seat in the lounge.

Then, Isabelle took Aimee further into the store. They strolled down the aisles together, cart gently rolling between them.

Aimee didn’t speak. But she stayed close.

Each time Isabelle held up something — paper garlands, sparkler candles, party hats — she’d ask,

“Blue or silver?”

Aimee would point.

When Isabelle picked up a small stuffed lamb and offered it to her, she hugged it without hesitation. This made Isabelle’s eyes twinkle and she found herself just staring with a smile.

It felt… natural.

Like she’d known this child longer than a few chance encounters.

By the time they circled back to the checkout, the cart was full. Isabelle glanced at her phone and her eyes widened. Over two hours had passed.

“Oh no,” she muttered under her breath. “Your dad must be furious.”

She peered toward the lounge.

Riven sat with his phone, posture relaxed and legs crossed. The assistant sat nearby, checking a tablet. None of them seemed bothered that they spent so much time.

Isabelle approached the cashier quietly, hoping not to draw attention. But when she handed over her card, the woman blinked.

“Ma’am… all your orders have already been paid for.”

“What? By who?”

The cashier nodded subtly toward Julien in the lounge. Isabelle quickly figured he must have been told by Riven to do so.

A flush crept up Isabelle’s neck.

She thanked the cashier and took Aimee to the lounge. Julien immediately stepped forward the moment she got to them.

“I’ll carry those,” he offered.

“It’s okay, really. I can manage.”

“Please.” He smiled. “Allow me.”

She hesitated for a moment but then gave in.

Then, she looked over to Riven. “The cashier said you already paid, thank you. But I’d like to repay you. Is there an account?”

She looked over at Riven.

“There’s no need,” he said quietly. “Consider it a thank-you.”

“But still—”

“It’s alright, Mrs. Torres.”

He didn’t call her by name like he had told her to call his the other day. But the way he said her name made her breath catch, just slightly.

She gave a faint nod. Then, Julien led them to eat at the indoor café.

Riven sat across from her. Aimee beside her.

The assistant, seated diagonally, made light conversation. He was easy, with all smiles and jokes.

At some point, he folded his palms and asked her, “Don’t be mad but I’ve wanted to ask all day. Are you Isabelle Monroe? The one who won Best New Actress six years ago.”

Isabelle was taken aback.

How in the world did he recognize her? She had only spent two years in the industry back then and she left just when she blew up. She could bet none of her fans would recognize her now even if she paraded herself in front of them.

She slowly nodded.

“Ah, I knew it!” Julien exclaimed. “Back then, boss asked me to—”

Isabelle’s ears instantly perked up.

But Riven cut in just then, with a cough. He didn’t say anything but both Julien and Isabelle understood what that cough meant.

The assistant quickly zipped his mouth. Isabelle had the mind to push but she decided against it.

Sure, he felt familiar but she had left the industry now. It was best not to get involved anymore.

Julien quickly shifted the conversation and now, they were talking about how furnished the mall was. Riven didn’t make any sound after that and merely listened.

​

By the end of the meal, Isabelle was smiling. Not politely like she did with most people.

A kind of genuine smile she couldn’t control.

So when she said the next thing, it tumbled out before she could catch it.

“You know… Ryan’s party is this weekend. Just something small. But if Aimee would like to come…”

She stopped herself, waving her hand quickly.

“Only if it’s not inconvenient. I know it’s short notice—”

It was Riven who cut in. “We’ll come.”

She looked up.

He didn’t even blink.

Aimee looked up at her too, eyes lit just faintly.

And Isabelle swallowed.

“…Alright then. That… that would be lovely.”

Later, outside the mall, she gathered her bags. “I’ll get a cab.”

“We’ll take you.” Riven muttered.

She looked up quickly. “Oh, no. That’s too much, I can—”

“I insist.”

Isabelle’s shoulders slumped.

“…Alright. Just this once.”

The drive was quiet and city lights drifted by the windows.Financial news played from the dashboard and although no one said anything, no one seemed to be paying any attention to it.

When they reached her house, Isabelle stepped out slowly. Shequickly turned back to the car with a smile.

“Thank you for everything.”

Riven didn’t speak and just nodded once.

She turned to the gates and pressed the keypads. Once it opened, she quickly strode in with the bags. When she turned back to look behind her though, she saw that the car hadn’t left. And, he was sitting there quietly watching her.

She gave another polite nod and it was only then that the car kicked and drove off.

Once she entered, she found Gregory sitting on one of the sofas with his laptop. He looked up at her and asked, “You took quite long. Did something happen?”

Isabelle’s high the whole day somehow managed to fizzle out the instant she saw him. After the drama two days back, he had apologized with flowers again, saying he hadn’t meant all he said. But at this point, she neither believed him nor had the strength to argue with him. So for now, they were simply keeping the status quo, both of them pretending that things weren’t going for the rocks.

She nodded gently to his question, carrying the bags to the kitchen counter.

“Nothing much. I had a little girl with me so I got lost picking things. Then, I had lunch with her and her father before coming here.”

“Who’s that?” He asked, without looking up.

“The girl that was bullied in Ryan’s class, Aimee.”

He nodded at her words. But then, he suddenly seemed to realize something and looked up, his face lighting up. “The one whose father is from Knox Corporation?”

Isabelle nodded. Only business could probably interest him to look at her like that these days.

He seemed delighted. “Oh, that’s good. Maybe someday, we can have the kids on a picnic together. It’s not bad to know someone like that.”

She didn’t say anything to that and merely went about, arranging some of the things she got. She remembered she’d invited Aimee to the birthday and thought of informing him. But, she decided against it.

She wasn’t about to promote his plan of using children for business.

Moreover, she wasn’t even sure they were going to come.