The Billionaire's Pretend Wife (Isabella)

Seth blinked in astonishment as he looked from Isabelle to the strange man. Had he heard her right? Husband? Her husband? When did she get married?

He cleared his throat and leaned back in his seat, suddenly feeling very uncomfortable. From the morning he had seen Isabelle at the flower shop on her first day at work, he had been thinking of how to win her affection.

Earlier, when she asked him to dinner, his hopes had shot to a new high. Not once did he imagine that she could be married. His eyes darted to her ring finger. No, she wasn't wearing any. He would have noticed. And she still went by her maiden name. No wonder he had never suspected she was already married.

"I didn't know you were married," he told her, feeling his throat go dry. His hands curled into his fists on his thighs. "When did you get married?"

When had she met her husband? Where had she met him? The questions flew through his mind, but he didn't dare ask. It was none of his business. Besides, knowing the answers wouldn't change anything. She was married. He had to give up pursuing her.

Isabelle fidgeted with her napkin as she took in the astonished look on Seth's face. She really should have told him earlier, she thought. She just hadn't thought it mattered.

"A couple of months ago," she replied.

Jacob's arm going around her shoulder startled her, and she looked up at him. His eyebrows were drawn together over his eyes, his lips in a thin line. She gulped. He was mad. "You don't tell people that you are married?" he demanded, his dark gaze digging into hers.

She swallowed hard and then drew her gaze away from him. She had never really had to tell anyone that she was married. Seth had never asked. And whenever they went out together, she addressed him as her husband. Wasn't that enough?

"I've just told him," she said, giving Seth a weak smile. He still had a dazed look on his face, as if the news had truly shocked him.

Jacob snorted and pulled out the seat next to hers. He sat down. "Only because I showed up," he grumbled.

Isabelle cast him a sidelong glance, wondering whether he was truly mad. She had been forthcoming about her location and who she was having dinner with. Surely, he would know that she wasn't doing anything inappropriate behind his back, right?

As the couple across the table from him got engrossed in each other, Seth excused himself and stood from his seat. He headed to the bathroom, desperate to have a few minutes to himself to let the news of Isabelle being married sink in. And gather the mindset it would take to sit with the couple through dinner.

What a turn of events! He had planned to let Isabelle know of his intentions some time during dinner. Now, he had to sit there and watch her with her husband. With the man who had been lucky enough to win her heart and her hand in marriage. His heart beat painfully as he realised that this time, he might really have to forget about her. His luck was really rotten when it came to his feelings for her, he decided. Back at the table, with Seth gone, Isabelle turned sideways to look directly at Jacob. The scowl on his face had disappeared, but his blank expression wasn't exactly heartwarming.

"Are you mad at me?" she asked, needing to know. If he was, she would try to calm him down so that dinner was not a disaster.

"No, I'm not," he snapped in a tone that said that yes, he was pissed off. He didn't look at her as he talked either.

Before she could say something, the waitress came back with their food. They fell into silence as she arranged the dishes on the table. When she went back to get more dishes, Isabelle turned back to Jacob. "It looks like you are angry," she pointed out. Calmly, she went on, "I'm sorry that I-"

"I said I'm fine," he grouched, interrupting her mid-sentence. "Just leave me alone," he demanded.

Isabelle sighed heavily and turned away from him. She sure hoped he wasn't planning on sulking through dinner. She didn't want to put Seth in an awkward position. He could at least try to be sociable, and then he could be mad at her all he wanted when they went back home.

By the time Seth got back, all the dishes had been brought to the table. Isabelle was relieved to see that he no longer looked astonished. He was back to his lively personality, and he even tried to start a conversation with Jacob a few times before giving up when Jacob proved to be uninterested.

Isabelle and Seth ended up talking to each other through dinner while Jacob sat beside her, silent. In retrospect, Isabelle thought that maybe it would have been better to not tell him about the dinner. She had enough on her mind already without having to worry about whatever was going on in his head. She just hoped he wouldn't try to accuse her of anything later, because she would be really pissed off. While the table of three had dinner, Naomi Cruz walked through the entrance. She often frequented the high-end restaurant and had arrived that evening for a dinner date with her boyfriend. However, while the hostess talked to her about her reservation, her eyes picked out two familiar people.

She frowned as she took another look. Right, that was her sister and Jacob Garcia. There was another man, but his back was turned to her. She waved the hostess away and headed towards the trio. She came to a stop beside the table, and all of their attention went to her. When she saw the other man sitting with the couple, she gulped. He was so handsome and well-dressed. What was he doing having dinner with Isabelle?

He must be Jacob's friend, she thought. There was no way such a handsome man would take a second look at Isabelle. She tossed her hair back dramatically. Right. Even though Jacob was good looking, she was sure he never would have taken a second look at Isabelle hadn't they been forced to marry.

Even as she convinced herself that there was no way such handsome men could be captivated by Isabelle, her jealousy grew.

"Naomi?" Isabelle called to her, her eyes narrowed slightly. Her voice didn't give away any coldness to those around them, but Naomi could see in her eyes that her sister wasn't happy to see her there. "What are you doing here?"

Naomi looked at Jacob, and then at the other man, both of whom had their gazes trained on her. It annoyed her that none of them were looking at her with the kind of interest she was used to getting from men. Were they blind? She had dressed up sexily and put on her makeup for her date, so she knew she looked like a knockout. Especially compared to her plain-looking sister.

Any other day, she would have tried to jostle her sister for their attention, but today, she had something even better planned. This was the perfect opportunity to put the bitch in her place once and for all, and she wasn't about to waste it.