Sweet Flash Marriage with the Restrained Tycoon (Isabelle and Damien) novel Chapter 43

"Sorry to keep you all waiting!" Caroline was the first to step into the private room.

"Ms. Foster!" The three women already seated at the table greeted her with playful laughter, using the formal title as an inside joke.

They were close friends; they dragged her into almost everything, except maybe hunting for guys at clubs.

Isabelle and Damian followed her in.

"Well, look who's back! And she brought a gentleman with her!" teased a stylish woman with long waves cascading over her shoulder.

"Hope you bring one tomorrow, then!" Isabelle shot back, awkwardly taking his hand to guide him to a seat.

"I'll pass on that kind of luck, thanks!" the staunchly single woman fired back.

"My friends love to joke. Hope you don't mind," Isabelle said, feeling a bit flustered. The apology felt like it covered her balcony mishap from the other day too.

"Not at all. I don't mind," Damian said, a rare, genuine smile touching his lips, making him seem like a different person from his usual stern CEO self.

"Good." She let out a small, relieved breath. "Let me introduce everyone."

"This is April Graf. She's a musician," Isabelle said, gesturing. The fashionable woman who had spoken first gave a little wave, which Damian returned with a polite nod.

"This is Vivian Smith. She's a model."

Vivian Smith had delicate, fine-boned features that gave her a unique, quiet charm. She simply offered Damian a respectful nod, which he returned.

"And this one," Isabelle said, taking a slightly deeper breath, "is Diana Williams. A fashion designer."

Damian's gaze first flicked to Diana, then settled intently on Isabelle.

Isabelle knew that with Damian's sharp mind, he'd probably already connected the dots.

Surprisingly, his expression remained mostly neutral, which threw both Diana and Isabelle a bit.

Diana had sharp, short hair, a lean face, and a tall, willowy frame. Her style was all designer.

"Hello, Mr. Cross," Diana said with a nod, her expression unreadable.

"Hello, Ms. Williams," Damian replied, mirroring her nod. After a brief pause, he added, "Thank you."

Diana pressed her lips together, her eyes darting from Damian to Isabelle. She didn't dare say anything else. See? I knew he was sharp. But what on earth is he thanking me for!

Isabelle just sighed and facepalmed, looking utterly resigned.

Luckily, the others didn't seem to pick up on the sudden tension.

The food arrived quickly. The conversation stayed lively. Damian chimed in here and there, but he spent most of the time quietly serving Isabelle, piling her plate with her favorite dishes and even deftly shelling the tricky lobster for her.

Watching his precise, effortless movements, Isabelle felt a strange, quiet flutter in her chest.

He thinks of everything.

But this rushed marriage? That was pure impulse. Just because they'd slept together once, and after two dramatic "broken door" incidents, she'd thrown caution to the wind and chosen Damian.

Deep down, she kept asking herself what "right" even looked like. She had no clear answer, but he... he seemed to fit.

"What are you thinking about?" Damian asked, walking out of the bathroom. He wore loose silk sleep pants, his hair still damp. A light mist fogged his frameless glasses, hiding his eyes.

Isabelle was sitting on the bed, hugging a pillow, lost in thought. "Don't you have any questions?" she asked.

"I do," Damian said, tossing his towel onto a nearby chair with perfect aim.

"What?"

"Is two million dollars too little?"

"Huh?"

Before she could process his question, he had already sat down beside her. He draped a long arm along the headboard behind her, almost encircling her. "I left a card with Caroline today. I was actually worried it might not be enough..."

"Wait..." Isabelle interrupted him. "Don't you have any other questions?"

Could it be that he doesn't know my friends well?

His profile was sharp, his nose straight. The soft light in the room glinted off his frameless glasses.