I honestly didn’t expect Isabelle to apologize first—it really caught me off guard.

When I didn’t pick up my coffee cup, she stiffened and lowered her head. “You’re not going to accept my apology?”

It took me a moment to react, but then I grabbed my cup and tapped it against hers. “I accept.”

Isabelle gave a small smile. “Alright then, all our old grudges are wiped clean. Ryan, mind if I sit down and eat with you?”

Ryan gave her a look, clearly annoyed. “Trying to get close to Uncle Ryan, huh?”

Isabelle’s cheeks flushed, but she nodded boldly. “Uncle Ryan’s been overseas for ages. I haven’t had a meal with him in over half a year. Come on, let me join you.”

Ryan finally cracked a smile. “Alright, go add a couple more dishes. We didn’t save you a spot.”

Isabelle happily pushed the door open and left. A moment later, she came back in with Edward.

Around Edward, Isabelle turned into a little songbird, her voice much softer than usual.

Edward kept to himself, even with Isabelle sitting right beside him, not saying much or making conversation.

“When’s Nora coming back? I haven’t seen her in forever,” Isabelle smiled as she asked about Nora.

Edward said, “She’s not really interested in coming back with me. Plus, she’s still studying overseas and doesn’t have time to visit.”

Isabelle let out a quiet “oh,” looking a bit flustered. She clearly wanted to chat more with Edward, but was too anxious to come up with anything to say.

Ryan watched them and grinned. “Uncle Ryan, rumor has it your wife’s already found herself a new boyfriend. Maybe you’ve started thinking about your own love life, huh?”

Edward kept his tone flat. “I’ve got way too much going on right now. Not really thinking about that.”

Ryan shot a glance at Isabelle and teased, “Forget about the ones far away—why not consider someone right in front of you?”

Edward froze for a second, then suddenly looked over at me.

I happened to be looking at him too, wondering if he’d get what Ryan was getting at.

His sudden gaze caught me off guard, and I quickly ducked my head, fumbling for my coffee cup.

Clutching my cup, I glanced at Isabelle, who looked all shy and adorable, while I braced myself, half expecting to be called out next.

Seeing Edward’s lack of response, Ryan pushed the point. “Uncle Ryan, seriously, can’t you see it? Isabelle used to cling to you when she was little, and she still really cares about you now.”

“Ryan…” Isabelle’s cheeks flushed a deep red, and you could tell her heart was racing.

Even though she was embarrassed, she was still full of hope, sneaking glances at Edward to catch his reaction.

Edward gave her a thoughtful look, then smiled. “To me, she’s just someone from the younger generation. It’s not something I’d ever consider.”

That straightforward rejection drained the color from Isabelle’s face.

Ryan looked a little stumped, then turned to me. “Vic, do you have any single friends who are both pretty and capable?”

I shook my head. “Most of the women I know are already married. There aren’t many single ones around me.”

Isabelle’s face fell, and she bit her lip, on the verge of tears.

Ryan, clearly feeling bad for his childhood friend, teased Edward. “Uncle Ryan, you didn’t have to be so blunt. Why don’t you tell us what kind of woman you actually like? Maybe Isabelle could take some notes.”

Edward sipped his tea and said, “Liking someone is a strange feeling. It’s hard to put into words.”

Isabelle nodded. “Uncle Ryan, have you always known I had feelings for you?”

Edward smiled. “Honestly, I never thought of it that way. I just figured you liked hanging around with your friends, like when you were a kid.”

Isabelle’s face went even paler, and she bit her lip. “Uncle Ryan, how could you not see the difference? Having a crush on someone isn’t the same as just being friends.”

Suddenly, Ryan turned to me, his gaze burning into me.

I didn’t dare meet his eyes, just kept my head down, keeping my own little secrets to myself.

Honestly, relationships are way more complicated now. Back in college or high school, just having a crush was enough.

But these days, there’s so much more mixed in—status, benefits, family background. Even if you catch feelings, you have to think it through. It’s just not pure anymore.

Edward apologized softly, “I’m sorry, Isabelle. Even putting aside our family ties, I just don’t have romantic feelings for you.”

“Then what kind of person do you like?” Isabelle’s voice trembled with emotion. “Just tell me, I’ll change for you.”

Edward shook his head “I honestly don’t know. I can’t give you an answer.”

“Is your ex-wife your type?” Isabelle suddenly blurted out, her voice shaking.

The air grew tense in an instant—even Ryan looked pretty grim.

Honestly, I was dying to know what kind of person Edward’s ex-wife was.

“I don’t like someone who’s too rational,” Edward said after a brief pause. “I prefer someone who’s a little rebellious.”

“Aren’t I rebellious enough?” Isabelle asked, stunned. “I’ve never followed the rules, not since I was a kid. Ryan can back me up on that.”

Ryan gave an awkward laugh. “Isabelle, I think you’re misunderstanding what Uncle Ryan means by ‘rebellious.’”