Xo Novel
Chapter 1528
Chapter 1528
Chapter 1528 The Grand Finale
After returning from their honeymoon, Neera, carrying bags of various sizes, made her way to Grace Hospital.
At that moment, Isabella had just completed a major surgery. Rushing to the office after a quick shower and change of clothes, she collapsed onto the couch, too exhausted to lift a finger.
Neera reached the door and knocked twice. “Bell, are you there? It’s me.”
Isabella was in a daze. Recognizing the voice, she mumbled a couple of times with her head buried before raising her voice to say, “Come in.”
Neera blinked, discerning from the woman’s weak and breathless voice that she had just finished a surgery.
Upon entering, unsurprisingly, there was no one in sight.
With practiced ease, she maneuvered around the couch, discovering Isabella nestled within it. Squatting down with a smile, she playfully poked the half of Isabella’s face that was visible.
“Bell, it’s me. I’ve come to bring you presents.”
Without even opening her eyes, Isabella swatted her hand away and weakly remarked, “No present will help now; I’m already a wreck. Are you here to collect my body? How kind of you… Thank you…”
Neera chuckled, “What a mess you’re in. Wake up now. The limited edition bag and necklace you specifically asked for, I’ve bought them all for you.”
At these words, Isabella’s eyes shot open as if injected with adrenaline. Swiftly propping herself up on the couch, she sat upright.
Just as she was about to speak, her gaze moved past Neera and fixed on the man behind her. She was completely
stunned.
Neera noticed her standing still as if someone had suddenly hit her with some magic. Out of curiosity, she reached out and waved in front of Isabella.
“Hey, wake up. You’re not meditating again, are you?”
While conversing, Neera noticed Isabella’s disheveled hair, prompting her to casually smooth it out.
As she made this tactile adjustment, Isabella only then realized the extent of her unkempt appearance. Her face instantly turned extremely scarlet, and she abruptly threw herself back onto the couch, her voice muffled as she shouted, “You… You guys go out first!”
Neera wore an inexplicable expression on her face. However, due to the presence of others, she refrained from saying much. Instead, she took Zephyr and left.
After walking out, she suddenly turned her head to stare at Zephyr, as if she had belatedly understood something.
Feeling a bit uneasy under her intense gaze, the man pursed his lips and inquired, “Ms. Garcia, is there something on my face?”
Neera suddenly chuckled with a meaningful smile. “No, no.”
Tsk, Bell’s so obsessed with appearance. It looks like romance is knocking on her door!
By the time Isabella took the initiative to open the door, allowing them to re-enter, she had already freshened up. Neera observed that her friend not only applied foundation but also put on lipstick and eye makeup.
Wow, she got all that done in such a short time. How impressive!
“Oh dear, Neera, why didn’t you tell me before you came? I could have prepared and given you a proper welcome.” Isabella affectionately held onto Neera’s arm, yet her eyes subtly glanced toward Zephyr. “I’ve never seen this gentleman before. Who is he?”
Zephyr addressed Isabella in a professional tone, “I’m Ms. Garcia’s personal bodyguard. My name is Zephyr. Nice to meet you, Ms. Lopez.”
Observing his composed demeanor, Isabella’s eyes sparkled even more, and excitement filled her heart. I’m totally into this cool, muscular hunk. He’s incredibly handsome and exudes a strong sense of security. Isn’t he just perfect!
Neera, catching wind of Isabella’s thoughts, nudged her and whispered, “Drop that lovesick look of yours; it’s not like you’ve never seen a handsome guy before. Show some restraint.”
Isabella shot Neera a disapproving look and whispered in her ear, “Being reserved won’t help me win over the handsome guys, stinky Neera. You knew I liked guys like this; why didn’t you introduce me to him earlier!”
Neera rubbed her forehead. “I’ve been so busy; I can’t remember all of that. I’ve even forgotten that you guys have never met before.”
With a playful hum, Isabella said, “No matter what, you’re treating tonight.”
Neera chuckled at her antics. “All right, I get it. Now, go wipe your drool.”
Engrossed in their hushed conversation, Zephyr couldn’t hear them. However, he couldn’t shake the feeling that Isabella was peeping at him now and then.
Normally, being stared at would irritate him, possibly even lead to direct anger. Yet, as those lively, large eyes gazed upon him, he found it strangely tolerable for the first time.
The trio then proceeded to the restaurant together.
Isabella, typically obsessed with limited edition handbags and such, lost interest entirely upon encountering the handsome Zephyr. Her sole focus became finding opportunities to exchange words with him.
Neera played the role of a facilitator, passing messages between the two during the meal to encourage their conversation.
However, Zephyr remained reserved, contributing minimal words even during their chat. Thus, Isabella took the lead in initiating most of the conversation throughout the meal.
Feeling somewhat defeated after the meal, Isabella sighed. “Ah, it’s funny. Here I am, as beautiful as a flower, and I’ve never chased after anyone. But the one time I finally meet someone who makes my heart flutter, he turns out to be as emotionless as a log.”
Neera chuckled, lightly tapping her forehead, “Come on, don’t give up so soon. You’ve got to have some patience. Although Zephyr doesn’t talk much, he’s the type who’s cold on the outside but warm on the inside. He’s a good guy. If you two could make it work, I’d be quite happy to see it. So, put in some more effort, and give it a try, okay?”
Isabella hummed in response, glancing at the man behind her who still wore an expression of indifference, as if he were a deflated balloon. “I feel like he doesn’t take me seriously at all. I guess we’ll see.”
As they prepared to depart, Neera abruptly remembered leaving her phone behind. She requested them to wait for her in the lobby as she retraced her steps to retrieve it.
Consequently, in the lobby, Isabella and Zephyr found themselves standing facing each other, both silent in the peculiar atmosphere.
Suddenly, the lights throughout the hall flickered twice and, with a pop, extinguished completely. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!
The entire space plunged into darkness, startling Isabella, prompting a short, sharp scream to escape her lips.
Before she could react, a robust arm encircled her shoulder, pulling her into a protective embrace.
“It’s just a power outage.”
As soon as the words left his mouth, Zephyr was taken aback, realizing he had acted on instinct, forgetting they had only met once. His initial impulse was to release her.
However, in the ensuing silence, Isabella’s voice, soft as a kitten’s, reassured him, “Mm, I’m not scared anymore. Thank you, Zephyr.”
For some inexplicable reason, her voice seemed to scratch at Zephyr’s heart, creating a ticklish sensation.
The thought of letting her go instantly evaporated.
It wasn’t until the hall lights flickered back on that he lowered his head, observing the slightly blushing, shy face in his arms.
In that moment, a peculiar sensation stirred within him, as if something had blossomed deep within…