Chapter 21: The Rival's return.

ISADORA’S POV

A few days later, I was invited to a gala night. The night started at a big luxury hall in Madrid, where rich people gathered to drink wine and give money to charity. 

I was standing near the long table with my glass of water, feeling uncomfortable because I did not know many people in the room. Then Rafael was talking to some old men in dark suits across the hall, leaving me alone for a few minutes.

A woman in a shiny red dress walked up to me with a small smile on her face. 

Her name was Valentina, and she was a very beautiful lady with long black hair and rich gold jewelry around her neck. 

I knew her because she was Rafael’s former fiancee, and her family had a lot of money in Spain.

When I saw her, I was expecting maybe a warm handshake, at least for courtesy sake. But immediately she came around me, she said, "You must be the poor little wife," Valentina said, taking a sip from her glass as she came closer to me as my face changed into fury.

I held my glass tighter and looked her straight in the eye because I did not want her to see any fear in me. 

"Yes, I am Isadora," I said, stepping closer to her as my stomach churned with anger.

Valentina laughed softly, and the sound made my chest feel tight. "You really think Rafael loves you, Isadora," she said, leaning down to speak directly into my ear as my skin grew cold. "Well honey if you must know, he only married you because your family estate has the money he needs to save his own business." She said mockingly.

Her words felt like a big kick to my stomach, and I stood there without saying anything for a long time. I looked across the room at Rafael, and he was watching us pretentiously while talking to the men. He knew I would be in a lot of shit already with Valentino, but he did not come over to help me. 

While she said that, immediately I remembered all the secrets he kept from me before, and suddenly, I believed what Valentina said.

Suddenly pain and hot anger filled my heart at the same time, and I decided that I would not stand there and look like a fool in front of these rich people.

While I was still there with her, immediately a handsome billionaire from another country walked past us, holding two glasses of juice. 

His name was Derick, and he was smiling at me as he passed.

I turned away from Valentina immediately and walked toward Derick with a big smile on my face. 

"Can you dance with me?" I asked, touching his arm gently as my heart beat fast in my chest.

Derick looked surprised, but he smiled and put his glasses down on a table. "It will be my pleasure, beautiful lady," Derick said, taking my right hand as my palms grew sweaty. I had an intention of making sure Rafeal gets the bite of my anger.

Then we walked onto the middle of the floor where many couples were dancing slowly to the music. I put my hand on Derick’s shoulder and laughed at every small word he said, even though his jokes were not funny. I made sure I smiled very brightly so that Rafael would see me from across the room. 

I wanted Rafael to feel the same pain that was burning inside my chest.

As we danced,Derick pulled me a little bit closer, and I did not stop him because I was watching Rafael out of the corner of my eye.

Rafael stopped talking to the old men immediately when he saw us as his face turned dark, and he walked across the floor with long, steps toward us. The people around us moved out of his way because he looked very angry.

Before Derick could turn me around again, Rafael grabbed my left wrist with a strong hand and pulled me out of Mateo's arms.

"She is dancing with me now," Rafael said, pushing Derick's back with his chest as his breathing became heavy.

Derick tired  opened his mouth to complain, but Rafael looked at him so fiercely that he raised his two hands and walked away into the crowd.

Rafael pulled my body against his chest and wrapped both of his arms around my waist, holding me so tight that I could hardly move. He did not care that many rich people were watching us on the dance floor. He bent his head down and pressed his face close to my ear, his breath burning hot against my neck.

"Touch another man like that again and see what I will do," Rafael whispered dangerously, digging his fingers into my waist as my knees went soft.

"Let me go, Rafael," I said, trying to push his broad chest away as my breath came in short gasps. "You only married me for my family money."

"Who told you that lie?" Rafael asked, pulling my hips even closer to his until there was no space left between us as his eyes burned into mine.

"Valentina told me," I whispered back, looking at his hard mouth as my feelings mixed together like a storm. "And I know you are a liar."

Rafael tightened his grip on my waist and pulled my face closer to his mouth, kissing my cheek with a hard, possessive press of his lips. "You are my wife, Isadora," he said softly against my skin, his chest moving up and down fast against mine. "No other man touches what belongs to me, and no woman can take me away from you."

My anger began to melt because his body was so warm against mine, and the strong way he held me made my whole body shake with desire. I put my hands on his shoulders and looked into his dark eyes, realizing that I was truly in love with him, even though he was dangerous. 

Then we swayed together on the dance floor for a few moments, completely ignoring the people around us.

He pressed his lips against my neck, and I closed my eyes, letting out a soft breath because my heart belonged to him completely.

Suddenly, the music stopped playing, and the bright lights on the stage came on with a loud click.

Rafael stopped moving and turned his body to shield me, but we both looked up at the stage to see what was happening.

Valentina was standing near the main microphone in her shiny red dress, holding a glass of wine and smiling down at everybody in the room as she spoke to the microphone.

"Good evening, everyone," Valentina said into the microphone, her voice carrying through the speakers into every corner of the big hall as my breath caught in my throat wondering what she was about to say, "I have a big announcement to make tonight concerning the future of the famous Fenwick estate."

I looked at Rafael’s face, and it showed clearly, he was pissed off as he stared at the stage with anger in his eyes.

"My family business has just signed a deal," Valentina announced, looking directly at me with a cold smile on her face. "And Rafael and I are launching a joint takeover of the Fenwick estate starting tomorrow morning.”