Chapter 36: The Uninvited Guest

 

The engagement ring sparkled on Harper’s finger, a beacon of pink fire under the morning sun. It had been twenty-four hours since the proposal in the garden. Twenty-four hours of bliss.

Harper sat at the dining table, staring at her hand, giggling like a teenager. "If you stare at it any longer, the diamond might melt," Liam teased, pouring himself coffee.

"Shut up, Liam," Harper grinned. "I'm just making sure it's real."

Sebastian rolled into the room. He wasn't walking today. Dr. Ryan had strictly forbidden him from standing for more than five minutes a day until his muscles strengthened. But his aura was different. The gloom was gone. He radiated the calm, confident power of a man who had everything.

"Morning, Mrs. Sterling-to-be," Sebastian kissed the top of her head.

"Morning, Boss," Harper blushed.

"I have a meeting with the Board regarding the merger," Sebastian said, stealing a piece of toast from her plate. "But tonight, we are celebrating. Just us. I booked the entire rooftop of the Skyline Tower."

"Fancy," Harper whistled.

Just then, the doorbell rang. It wasn't the delivery man. It was a long, insistent ring.

The butler opened the door. A woman walked in.

She was tall, striking, and dressed in a white Chanel suit that probably cost more than Harper’s parents' noodle shop. Her hair was perfect, her makeup flawless. Behind her, two assistants carried Louis Vuitton luggage.

She didn't wait to be announced. She walked straight into the dining room, her heels clicking sharply on the marble floor. She looked around the room, her gaze sweeping over Harper with dismissive disinterest, before landing on Sebastian.

"Sebastian," the woman smiled. It was a perfect, practiced smile. "I'm back."

The room went silent. Liam dropped his toast. "Oh no."

Sebastian’s expression turned cold. "Isabella."

Isabella Vance. The daughter of the banking tycoon. And... Sebastian’s childhood friend. The one everyone in their circle thought he would marry before the accident. She had been "studying" in Paris for three years. And now, she was back.

"I heard the news," Isabella walked over to Sebastian, ignoring the wheelchair, and leaned down to kiss his cheek. Sebastian turned his head, so her lips landed on air. Isabella didn't seem fazed. She straightened up and looked at Harper.

"So," Isabella’s eyes zoomed in on the pink diamond ring. "This is the... little nurse? The one who changed your bandages?"

"She is my fiancée," Sebastian said, his voice hard. "Harper. This is Isabella Vance."

Harper stood up, extending her hand politely. "Nice to meet you."

Isabella didn't take her hand. Instead, she handed Harper her coat. "Hang this up for me, will you? Be careful, it's vintage silk."

Harper froze, holding the coat. Isabella thought she was the maid. Or maybe... she knew Harper wasn't the maid, but was treating her like one anyway.

"Isabella," Sebastian slammed his hand on the table. "Harper is not a servant. She is the future mistress of this house."

Isabella laughed lightly, covering her mouth. "Oh, Sebastian, don't be so sensitive. Old habits die hard. I heard she was a maid." She turned to Harper, smiling sweetly. "Sorry, dear. But you understand, right? In our world, roles are important."

She turned back to Sebastian. "Anyway, I'm not just here to say hello. My father sent me." "The merger you're planning? The Vance Bank is the biggest investor." Isabella pulled out a chair and sat down uninvited. "And part of the deal... is that I stay here. To oversee the integration."

"Stay here?" Harper asked.

"Yes," Isabella signaled her assistants. "Put my bags in the East Wing. I remember that's the best guest suite."

She looked at Harper. "We're going to be spending a lot of time together, Harper. I hope you can keep up." "Sebastian needs a partner who understands business. Not just someone who can make soup."

Sebastian looked at Isabella, then at Harper. He opened his mouth to kick her out. But Liam grabbed his arm and whispered urgently, "Bro. The Vance funding. If we lose it now, Uncle Shen might find a loophole to come back. We need them until the audit is done."

Sebastian clenched his jaw. He looked at Harper, silently apologizing.

Harper looked at the arrogant woman sitting in her dining room. She looked at the coat in her hands. She smiled.

She walked over to the coat rack and hung it up. Then she turned around. "Welcome, Miss Vance," Harper said cheerfully. "The East Wing is lovely. But just so you know..." Harper walked over to Sebastian and put her hand possessively on his shoulder. "The Master Bedroom is occupied. By us."

Isabella’s smile twitched.

(End of Chapter 36)