Stay a little Longer...

The car ride was quiet.

Not the uncomfortable kind,just… restrained.

Isabella sat by the window, her fingers lightly resting against her bag, watching the city lights blur past. She could still feel the weight of the day clinging to her filming, the attention, Jason’s chaos, the constant tension of being watched.

And now the most wanted and formidable man sitting right beside her.

He didn’t speak immediately. He never rushed into words, she’d noticed. Everything about him carried a sense of control measured, deliberate, almost unnervingly calm.

It made her more aware of herself than she liked.

“You didn’t have to come in person,” she said finally, breaking the silence.

“I was nearby,” he replied.

She glanced at him briefly.

“You were ‘nearby’ a film set?”

A pause.

Then, faintly—

“I adjusted my route.”

That caught her off guard.

“…For Saviee?” she asked.

“For him,” he said.

Another pause.

“And for efficiency.”

She almost smiled.

Almost.

“You always talk like that?” she muttered.

“Like what?”

“Like everything is part of a business report.”

This time, there was the slightest shift in his expression.

Not quite a smile.

But close enough to count.

“I’ll take that as feedback,” he said.

She let out a soft breath, leaning back slightly into her seat.

The tension eased. Just a little.

By the time the car pulled into the private estate, the sky had deepened into a soft evening blue.

The gates opened smoothly.

No noise. No chaos. Just quiet wealth.

The car came to a stop.

They both stepped out into the familiar calm of the estate.

The lights from the villa were warm.

Inviting.

She walked beside him naturally.

The door opened before they even reached it.

A small figure stood there.

Still.

Watching.

Saviee.

His eyes lit up the moment he saw her.

Not dramatically. Not loudly.

But unmistakably.

“Hey baby….you missed me?” Isabella softened immediately, crouching slightly as she stepped closer.

He smiled.

Once.

Then, without hesitation, he walked straight to her and held onto her sleeve.

Tight.

Her expression shifted.

Something gentler.

“I guess that’s a yes,” she murmured.

Alexander stood a step behind, watching quietly.

No interruption.

No comment.

Saviee tugged her slightly, already pulling her inside.

Isabella let herself be led.

Inside, everything felt calm.

Lived-in, but controlled.

Saviee quickly grabbed his small writing board from the table and scribbled something down with urgency before holding it up.

“You didn’t come back.”

Isabella blinked.

Then sighed softly.

“…I know.”

She reached out and gently tapped his forehead.

“I had work. You know, adult responsibilities. Very tragic.”

He stared at her.

Unimpressed.

Then scribbled again.

“You said you would come.”

“…Wow,” she muttered. “You hold grudges already?”

Saviee didn’t react.

Just stared.

Alexander, from the side, spoke quietly—

“He waited.”

That was all.

But it landed.

Isabella’s expression softened again.

“…I’m here now, aren’t I?” she said, her voice quieter this time.

Saviee hesitated.

Then slowly nodded.

She smiled.

“Good.”

Dinner was simple.

Surprisingly so.

Not extravagant.

Not staged.

Just… real food.

Saviee sat beside her, occasionally nudging things toward her plate like he had decided it was his responsibility to feed her properly.

“Are you trying to bribe me?” she asked.

He shook his head.

Then wrote:

“So you won’t disappear again.”

She froze for half a second.

Then huffed softly.

“…You’re scary, you know that?”

Alexander, seated across from them, spoke—

“He takes after his grandfather.”

Saviee looked up immediately.

Then wrote quickly:

“I’m better.”

That made Isabella laugh.

“Confident too? Dangerous combination.”

For a moment, the atmosphere felt… light.

Easy.

The door opened without warning.

Footsteps.

Then—

“Well… this is unexpected.”

Julian Sterling stepped in, loosening his tie slightly, his gaze sweeping lazily across the room—before landing on a very familiar face.

His brows lifted.

“Bella…?” Julian said like he has been waiting to see her.

His eyes flicked briefly to Saviee who was sitting close to her then to Alexander, calm as ever.

Then back to her.

A slow smile spread across his lips.

“So this is what’s going on tonight?”

Isabella straightened slightly, but didn’t look flustered.

“Good eveningMr Sterling.”

“Julian,” he corrected easily. “We’re not in a boardroom.”

Julian walked in fully this time, completely at ease, like he had just walked into a live drama he didn’t want to miss.

“You disappear for a while,” he continued casually, dropping into a seat, “and suddenly you’re back here having dinner like this is normal?”

Saviee frowned slightly at his tone and tapped his board.

“You’re late.”

Julian placed a hand over his chest dramatically.

“I’m hurt. No ‘welcome back,’ no warmth, just accusations?”

Saviee ignored him.

Julian chuckled under his breath before glancing at Isabella again, this time sharper.

“I didn’t expect to see you here again so soon.”

A pause.

Then, more lightly—

“Not that I’m complaining.”

Alexander spoke calmly from across the table.

“She came to see Saviee.”

Julian’s gaze lingered on Isabella for a second longer.

Then he nodded once.

“Mm. Makes sense.”

Then, leaning slightly closer…

He lowered his voice just enough.

“Careful,” he murmured, just for her.

“My brother doesn’t invite people over.”

Isabella met his gaze.

Unshaken.

“…Maybe I’m an exception.”

Julian’s smile widened.

“…I like you already.”

Saviee simply picked up his board again and wrote something before turning it toward Isabella.

“Eat.”

Isabella blinked.

Then glanced at the plate he had nudged closer to her earlier.

“Since when does he feed people?” he mused aloud, tilting his head slightly. “Last time, he ignored me for three days straight.”

Saviee didn’t even look at him.

Julian clicked his tongue.

He looked down at the words, then back at Isabella.

“…He likes you,” he said simply.

Isabella shrugged slightly, trying to play it off.

“I bribed him with snacks.”

Saviee immediately shook his head.

Hard.

Julian raised a brow.

“Oh? So it’s genuine?”

Saviee nodded once.

Firm.

“So….,” Julian continued, leaning forward slightly, “I heard filming started getting interesting today.”

Isabella paused mid-motion.

“…You hear things fast.”

“I make it my business to,” he replied smoothly. “Especially when it involves people under our umbrella.”

There was no arrogance in his tone.

Just fact.

Saviee tapped his board again, looking between them.

“She works too much.”

Isabella shot him a look.

“Excuse me?”

Julian smirked.

“Already complaining about your schedule? That was fast.”

“I am not complaining.”

Saviee stared at her.

Then slowly wrote again—

“You look tired.”

That… landed.

Isabella blinked, caught off guard for a second.

“…Wow,” she muttered. “So this is what betrayal feels like.”

Julian laughed quietly.

“Brutal. And honest.”

Alexander finally spoke—

“She didn’t rest after filming.”

It wasn’t a question.

It was a statement.

Isabella sighed.

“Can we not turn this into an intervention?”

“No promises,” Julian said lightly.

Saviee slid his board toward her again.

“Stay.”

Just one word.

Simple.

But heavy.

Isabella looked at it for a few seconds.

Then reached out and gently tapped the edge of the board.

“I can’t stay,” she said softly. “I have work tomorrow.”

Saviee’s fingers tightened slightly.

The conversation had slowed on its own, plates half-cleared, glasses nearly empty.

Saviee was still seated beside Isabella, unusually quiet now.

Not withdrawn.

Just… aware.

Like he already knew what was coming next.

Isabella wiped her hands lightly with a napkin and glanced at the time.

“…I should go,” she said.

Simple.

But it shifted the atmosphere immediately.

Saviee’s fingers stilled on his board.

Julian leaned back in his chair, watching the reaction without saying anything this time.

Alexander didn’t speak either.

Not yet.

Saviee lowered his head slightly, then picked up his pen.

He wrote slower than usual.

Carefully.

Then turned the board toward her.

“You just came.”

Isabella’s chest tightened a little.

“…I know.”

She softened her voice, leaning slightly closer to him.

“But if I don’t leave now, I won’t wake up tomorrow.”

No reaction.

Saviee just stared at the board for a second

Then wrote again.

“Stay a little longer.”

Julian exhaled quietly through his nose, glancing away like he was giving them space without making it obvious.

Isabella hesitated.

Just for a second.

Then reached out and gently ruffled Saviee’s hair.

“I’ll come again,” she said softly. “Soon.”

Saviee didn’t respond immediately.

His grip on the pen tightened slightly.

Then—

“Promise?”

She smiled faintly.

“I promise.”

This time, he looked up at her.

Searching.

Measuring.

Then slowly…

He nodded.

Isabella stood up, picking up her bag.

Julian finally spoke again, tone light but not teasing this time.

“Next time you come, give me a heads up. I’d like to mentally prepare.”

She glanced at him.

“For what?”

He shrugged.

“For whatever this is,” he said, gesturing lazily between her and Saviee.

“…You’ll survive,” she replied.

“Barely.”

Alexander stood as well.

“I’ll walk you out.”

It wasn’t a question.

Isabella didn’t argue.

The walk to the driveway was quiet.

Not uncomfortable.

Just… calm.

The night air was cooler now, brushing lightly against her skin as they stepped outside.

For a few seconds, neither of them spoke.

“How was filming?” Alexander asked.

His tone was casual.

But not indifferent.

Isabella adjusted her bag slightly.

“…Good,” she said. “Better than I expected.”

A pause.

“Jason didn’t give you trouble?” he added.

She let out a small scoff.

“He exists. That’s already trouble.”

A faint shift at the corner of his lips.

Not quite a smile.

But close.

“…That sounds like him.”

They reached the car.

But neither of them moved to open the door immediately.

Isabella glanced at him briefly.

“…He’s your nephew.”

“Yes.”

“And you’re nothing alike.”

Alexander didn’t answer right away.

“That’s not what people usually say.”

She raised a brow.

“Oh? What do they say?”

“That we’re both difficult.”

Isabella huffed a quiet laugh.

“…That’s accurate.”

This time there was no hiding it.

A subtle, real smile flickered across his face.

Gone quickly.

But it was there.

A brief silence settled again.

Not empty.

Just… unfinished.

Then..

“Saviee was happier today,” he said.

It was simple.

But it carried weight.

Isabella’s expression softened.

“He’s a good kid.”

“He doesn’t open up easily.”

“I noticed.”

A pause.

Then she added, a little quieter “…He didn’t have to.”

Alexander’s gaze shifted to her.

Slightly deeper now.

“You make it easy for him.”

That caught her off guard.

She looked away for a second.

“…I didn’t do anything special.”

“You did.”

No hesitation.

No exaggeration.

Just… fact.

She didn’t argue this time.

He reached for the car door and opened it.

Isabella paused before getting in.

“…Thank you,” she said.

“For dinner.”

“For inviting me.”

“For… him.”

Alexander met her gaze.

“You don’t have to thank me for that.”

Another pause.

Then

“Come again when you’re free.”

Not commanding.

Not distant.

Just… steady.

Isabella nodded slightly.

“…I will.”

She got into the car.

The door closed.

As the car pulled away, Isabella leaned back against the seat, letting out a slow breath.

Her phone buzzed.

She glanced at the screen.

Jason.

She picked up.

“What.”

His voice came through immediately.

“So you really went with him.”

She rolled her eyes.

“You sound like you’re monitoring me.”

“I am.”

“Creepy.”

“Did you forget something?”

She frowned slightly.

“What?”

A pause.

Then

“Our unfinished business.”

She blinked.

Then laughed softly.

“…You’re still thinking about that?”

“Of course I am,” he replied. “You ran away.”

“I had work.”

“Excuses.”

She shook her head, a faint smile forming.

“…Sleep, Jason.”

“No.”

“Then suffer.”

“I will. But I’ll drag you down with me tomorrow.”

“You wish.”

There was a brief silence on the line.

Then—

“…Next time,” he said.

Her tone turned lazy.

“We’ll see.”

She hung up.