Chapter 161
Whitney nodded and exchanged smiles with her. Sarah put her feet on the floor. “Let’s go change our clothes.” She jumped up suddenly, surprising Whitney, who quickly said, “Take it easy. Your leg still hurts, right?” Sarah waved her hand and said, “It’s fine, I’m all better now.” She moved her legs a little to prove her point. Whitney still watched Sarah’s legs with concern. “Just walk slowly, alright?” He stepped forward to hold Sarah’s hand and led her toward the walk-in closet.
Sarah glanced at their hands and smiled, but then she remembered something. She looked at Whitney’s face and said, “Oh, by the way, Dad’s birthday is coming up soon. We should prepare.” This was an important event for the Howerton family. She couldn’t afford to be careless. Whitney turned back to look at Sarah and nodded, his eyes gentle as he replied, “Don’t worry, I have it all planned out.” Sarah smiled softly at him. With him around, everything felt so much easier for Sarah. She could focus entirely on her career. She genuinely said, “With you taking care of things, I feel so much more at ease.” Whitney squeezed her hand a bit tighter, chuckling softly, “Having you around makes it much more relaxing for me too.” His eyes were filled with affection as he looked at Sarah.
At half past seven, Isabella parked her car outside the restaurant Sarah had reserved. She opened the car door and gracefully got out. Today, she wore a white blouse paired with a short skirt that fell just above her knees. Because she was going to meet Rachana today, Isabella styled her hair into two low ponytails with several little braids and clipped butterfly tassel hairpins behind her ears. This gave her a less cold and more lively and charming appearance. Isabella opened the rear door of her Ferrari and lifted out a huge box filled with the latest Barbie dolls. Although she didn’t know exactly what Rachana liked, she thought these were things most girls would like. With a slight smile on her face, Isabella, feeling quite cheerful, closed the car door, pressed the lock button, and then turned to walk towards the restaurant.
In the restaurant, as Isabella reached the entrance, she paused and checked to make sure she had the right address. However, the restaurant in front of her was completely dark, not a single light was on.
Chapter 161
Slightly frowning, she picked up her phone, about to call Sarah to confirm the address. Suddenly, the restaurant lights all turned on. Isabella instinctively used her hand to shield her eyes, and once she got used to the light, she opened her eyes. The previously dark restaurant was now brightly lit, decorated with blue streamers, light blue roses, and white bellflowers arranged throughout the place. Rachana stood in front, holding a small cake, smiling widely at Isabella. Rachana had her hair in two braids and was styled just like Isabella’s today. Behind Rachana were Sarah, Whitney, and one unexpected guest.
Tonight, the man wore a navy-tailored suit and stood tall. He fixed his deep eyes on Isabella with an intense gaze, carrying a hint of passion. It was Samuel. Isabella was a bit surprised and thought, “Wasn’t he on a business trip? Why is he here?” At this moment, Rachana started to sing. “Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you.” Even Isabella, who was always calm and indifferent, was deeply moved by their surprise. She thought, “Is today really my birthday?” It turned out that Sarah invited Isabella here just to celebrate Isabella’s birthday. Even though Sarah’s attitude towards Isabella had changed, Isabella knew Sarah wouldn’t go out of her way to find out her birthday. Isabella thought, ‘It’s Samuel. He wants to surprise me.’
At this moment, Isabella’s emotions were trembling uncontrollably. Since her mother passed away, she hadn’t celebrated her birthday. Right now, she felt cherished. She couldn’t stop herself from looking at Samuel, and saw his eyes filled with a gentle smile, while Rachana’s innocent song was still echoing in her ears. After finishing the song, Rachana toddled over to Isabella with her chubby cheeks full of smiles, saying, “Auntie Isabella, happy birthday!”
Rachana repeated in her sweet childlike voice, “Auntie Isabella, close your eyes, make a wish, and blow out the candles!” Her eyes were filled with anticipation as she looked at Isabella. Isabella finally came back to her senses, her heart melting. She crouched down to look Rachana in the eye, gave a soft smile and said, “Okay.” How could she let Rachana’s wish go unfulfilled? Isabella bent forward, and clasped her hands to make a wish, when Rachana’s soft voice came again, softly asking, “Auntie Isabella, could you wish for a little brother for me?” Everyone behind them exchanged looks and couldn’t help but chuckle softly. Rachana’s thoughts were interesting.
Mon, Nov
Chapter 161
Isabella instinctively glanced at Samuel, only to see him looking at her with a smile, making her heart flutter. She turned her gaze away, then smiled at Rachana and gently pinched her nose, saying, “It’s a secret.” Rachana made a funny face at Isabella with a grin. Isabella made a wish and blew out the candles, then took the cake from Rachana to ease her struggle. Rachana danced around happily, saying, “Yay, happy birthday, auntie Isabella! I wish you become more beautiful and amazing every year!” This made Isabella unable to stop smiling. She stepped forward and ruffled Rachana’s hair. She thought, ‘She is so cute!’
At that moment, Samuel stepped up and took the cake and the Barbie doll Isabella had bought earlier. He then handed Isabella the bouquet he was holding, and he gently said, “Happy Birthday.” His eyes were fixed on Isabella and never looked away. Isabella looked up at Samuel with a smile in her eyes and replied with a laugh, “Thank you.” Even though he was supposed to be away on a business trip for a while, he came back especially today to celebrate her birthday. Sabella found herself feeling a bit overwhelmed. In the past, she usually spent her birthdays quietly. Sometimes Luna would send her gifts, but they rarely went out for dinner or anything like that for her birthday. Even though they did, it was rare.
Sarah chuckled at Isabella and said, “Come on, have a seat. This restaurant was specially booked by Samuel in advance.” They all took their seats. Isabella felt really moved seeing the table filled with all her favorite dishes. She had forgotten about her own birthday, yet someone else remembered. And Samuel planned such a wonderful surprise. Having someone who treated her so well made her feel truly happy. Rachana kept looking at the Barbie doll next to Samuel. She leaned closer to Isabella, pointed at the box with her chubby little finger, and curiously asked, “Auntie Isabella, is that for me?” Isabella glanced at the Barbie doll placed by Samuel and suddenly remembered it. She bent down to pick up the Barbie doll and smiled as she replied, “Yes, I hope you like it.” Samuel handed the box over and placed it right in front of Rachana.
Rachana’s eyes sparkled with excitement. “Really? Wow, I love you so much, auntie Isabella! Yay…” She happily bounced on the spot. Whitney chuckled as he reminded Rachana, “Rachana, watch out for the table corner.” Rachana really liked Isabella, sticking to her from the start.
09:05 Mon, Nov 18
Chapter 161
Even though they had all kinds of Barbie dolls at home, Rachana couldn’t be happier. Sarah and Whitney exchanged a glance, their eyes twinkling with indulgent smiles towards Rachana. Rachana shuffled over and gave Isabella a kiss on the cheek. With her fist clenched, she raised one hand and shouted excitedly. “I declare, you are the most amazing auntie Isabella in the entire universe!” Her playful antics made Isabella burst into giggles. Rachana then hugged the box, lost in the enjoyment of unwrapping presents. Sarah shook her head with a light laugh. “Don’t pay attention to her, she’s all into her toys right now.” Sarah never imagined her daughter would be so fond of Isabella. Reflecting on the times she made things difficult for Isabella, Sarah couldn’t help but feel a bit guilty. Isabella chuckled softly, but before she could speak, Samuel’s voice, full of magnetism, suddenly sounded.