Chapter 62

“Shut up!” Perry barked. His sudden outburst shocked everyone. They thought, “Damn! What just happened? Perry actually yelled at Wendy—for this woman?”

Even Wendy was stunned. Did Perry just disrespect her in front of everyone? She was the daughter of a major shareholder! How dare he shout at her? Who was this woman? The same question echoed in everyone's minds.

Perry's cold gaze fixed on Wendy. “Apologize to her,” he commanded.

Wendy, furious, stamped her foot, crossed her arms, and glared at Isabella. “Apologize? For what? She doesn’t even have an appointment! I did nothing wrong!” she spat, her voice sharp with anger. “Does Perry really think that just because he’s Mr. Howerton’s right-hand man, he can ignore me?” She turned, thinking, I may be a receptionist, but I’m far more important than he is!

Perry’s face darkened. “Your actions weren’t the problem,” he said coldly, “but your attitude was. Is falsely accusing someone acceptable to you?” He thought grimly, She really thinks she can do whatever she wants because of her status.

Unwilling to back down, Wendy jabbed a finger at Isabella. “Who is she anyway? Why are you defending her so much? I’m the…”

Isabella, weary of Wendy’s antics, glanced at her dismissively before turning to Perry. “Let’s go.” She picked up her food container and moved to his side.

Perry, instantly switching to a respectful tone, said, “This way.” He shot Wendy a cold look over his shoulder. “I’ll deal with you later.”

“You…” Wendy was on the verge of exploding.

Everyone watched as Isabella and Perry walked away. Once they were in the CEO’s private elevator, hushed whispers filled the air. “Who is that woman? And did you hear? She called Mr. Howerton by his first name!” “She’s got quite a presence. Definitely not ordinary.” “Could she be our future Mrs. Howerton?” “But I never heard anything about Mr. Howerton dating anyone…”

Wendy, gritting her teeth, watched Isabella disappear. The only one fit to be Mrs. Howerton is me, she thought viciously. Who else could compare?

In the elevator, Perry stood respectfully beside Isabella. His mind was still on Wendy when Isabella asked, “What’s Samuel up to right now?”

Perry blinked, slightly taken aback. “Mr. Howerton is probably working on some documents,” he quickly responded.

Isabella nodded thoughtfully, her grip on the food box tightening slightly.

In the CEO’s office, the minimalist black, white, and gray décor gave the room a cold, distant air, yet it was undeniably sophisticated. A wall of bookshelves held an impressive collection. Samuel sat at his sleek black desk, his expression cool and detached.

A knock echoed. Without looking up, he said, “Come in.”

The door swung open, and Isabella entered, carrying the food box. Perry silently closed the door behind them and headed back to the elevator.

Samuel, still assuming it was Perry, said without lifting his head, “Take care of the Eastside project…” The words died on his lips. When he finally looked up and saw Isabella, his hand, holding a document, paused mid-air. Surprise flickered across his eyes. His voice softened. “What brings you here?”

He noticed the food box. A subtle warmth appeared in his gaze.

Isabella smiled gently and placed the box on his desk. “I thought I’d bring you some lunch. Why not eat before you get back to work?” She glanced around, thinking, The décor matches him perfectly. Cool, distant, and just the right amount of seriousness.

Samuel raised an eyebrow and set down the document. If Perry were here, he’d immediately notice that Mr. Howerton was in an exceptionally good mood, he thought. He stood, walked around the desk, and stood before Isabella. Taking the food box in one hand, he gently took her hand with the other.

Her slight surprise at the warmth of his touch caused her to glance down at their intertwined hands. Before she could respond, he led her to the sofa, placed the food box on the coffee table, and looked up at her with a soft smile. “Shall we eat together?”

His natural, easy movements flustered her. She quickly opened the box, revealing three dishes and a soup, each a feast for the senses. She shook her head. “No, you go ahead.” I’ll eat when I get back, she thought.

Samuel was mildly surprised. “Did you make this?” he asked. This isn’t Megan’s cooking, he thought, recognizing the difference immediately.

Isabella nodded calmly. “Yes.” Her gaze fell on him. She hesitated. “About sitting in the front seat… I didn’t know it was a thing before, but I’ll be more mindful from now on.” I never paid attention to these things before. I was a bit slow to catch on, she thought.

Samuel raised an eyebrow and smiled. “So how did you find out?”

Isabella didn’t hide the truth. “I saw it on a short video.” If not for that video, I probably would’ve never known about this, she thought.

Before Samuel could respond, she pushed the box toward him with a smile. “Consider this my way of apologizing.”

His eyes softened. She’s surprisingly…adorable, he thought. As he positioned the box, he said softly, “I didn’t expect I’d be so lucky—marrying a wife who can cook.”

Isabella was momentarily stunned. Did he just…tease me? she thought.

Samuel pointed towards the food box. “Sure you don’t want to join me?”

Isabella shook her head. “No, you eat. It’ll get cold.”

But Samuel had already picked up the chopsticks and placed them in her hand. “Eat,” he said. He took a bite and nodded approvingly. “Not bad.” At that moment, Samuel was genuinely impressed. Having tasted the finest dishes, it was Isabella's cooking that satisfied him most.

Isabella smiled softly. “I’m glad you like it.” Many people knew how amazing her cooking was. Even Molly and Ivana often craved her dishes. Back then, she had naively believed that working hard would earn their love, but reality had proven her foolish. And then, in the next moment…