“Belle, these are your favorite dishes. If you don’t like them, I can ask them to prepare some other dishes instead.” Nathan looked at Isabelle, who was sitting across from him. There was a hint of awe in his eyes.
“It’s fine. I’m not here for a meal anyway.” Isabelle started taking a few bites, and then she said to the waiter behind her, “Change all of these to something spicy. I like spicy food now.”
Mom was lying about that. She was having a light and healthy meal last night, and she wouldn’t have ordered something spicy if it wasn’t for me.
Nathan stiffened upon hearing that, and he quickly told the waiter, “Just go and prepare what she asked for.”
He turned around and said, “You’re still as beautiful and youthful after these many years, but I’m already an old man.”
Isabelle chuckled enticingly. “You’re indeed older. It’s normal for you to look older when your business is in trouble.”
“You…” Nathan hesitated for a moment before asking, “When will you let go of this then?”
“We’re finally getting to the point. I was worried that you won’t address the elephant in the room.” Isabelle placed her palm under her cheek as she smiled at him. “I’m just curious. I was so naive and ignorant that I put everything under your name. Now that I think of it, they belong to me in the first place. Do you agree with what I said?”
It was a difficult question. I noticed Nathan’s expression darkened right away upon hearing that. He got a little icier as he said, “You should know that I was the one managing the company all this while, and I’ve made most of the huge decisions even back in the old days. You’ve left for so many years, and you’re asking me to give you back everything now that you’ve returned. Do you think things work this way?”
“Ha!” Isabelle curled her lips sarcastically. “You’re finally dropping the loving act and showing your true colors now. We both know what exactly happened back then, and time doesn’t erase everything. Nathan, I will always remember what you’ve done behind my back.”
Nathan’s gaze fell on me, with a hint of something else. I frowned, knowing that he was about to say that I wasn’t his daughter. I shook my head subtly at him as anxiety flashed across my eyes. This wasn’t a negotiation but a fight. Nothing good would ever come out from this. Nathan gritted his teeth and swallowed back his words.
Naturally, Isabelle took in all of our silent interactions. It was impossible for her to not notice. I saw through her expression that she wasn’t feeling guilty about me being there at all, and her gaze toward Nathan was icier.
The atmosphere was getting awkward. I had to say something, hence I smiled. “Mom, let’s eat first. The dishes here are amazing. You should try them.”
Seeing that Isabelle had picked up her cutlery, I shot Nathan a glance. He snorted softly and then downed his glass of wine.
After a while, Isabelle placed her cutlery away, and she said to Nathan, “I know why you’re here today. You want me to stop attacking the Tanner family. I can promise you that. It was Mark’s decision anyway, and I’m sure Mark will listen to me. He doesn’t care much about the Tanner family. But, I do have one condition.”
“What is it?” Nathan and I looked at Isabelle at the same time. I saw how anxious he was, and my heart was thumping wildly too. If Isabelle was to say something beyond our expectations, this negotiation would be a failure.
Isabelle raised her chin as she looked at me. “It’s simple. Crystal will be the only heir to the Tanner family, not anyone else. Do you get me?”
“What?” I stood up. How could this be?
Nathan was taken aback too. He couldn’t understand Isabelle’s decision as he frowned and asked, “Why? I do like Crystal. She’s my niece, and I’m willing to love her as my daughter. But still, her last name is Yates. She’s not a Tanner.”
