Chapter 13

Isabel smiled as she adjusted the shawl on her shoulder. She lightly tapped the young girl's forehead. "Don't believe everything you hear. Andy and I grew up together. Only I know what kind of person he is. "Alright. We got everything we needed. Let's head back." Mayra tried to ignore the conversation, but she still ended up overhearing Isabel's words. No wonder Anderson cared so much about Isabel in her past life. It was because they were childhood friends. Compared to Isabel, she didn't stand a chance. Two steaming plates of pasta soon arrived. Mayra added two scoops of cheese to her plate, and just as she was about to add a third, she was stopped by Gordan. "That's enough. It's not good to have too much cheese." "Then I'll give this scoop to you." Before Mayra could extend her spoon, Gordon snatched it from her. He added the cheese onto his plate before handing the spoon back to her. Mayra said, "I've used that spoon before." Gordon casually replied, "It's fine." The gloominess in Mayra's heart instantly faded away. She lowered her head, a smile playing on her lips. Gordon really hadn't changed a bit… … Meanwhile, at the Everton Corporation, Isabel held the intricately packed pastries and walked into the building. The minute she entered, she was immediately recognized by the receptionist. With a warm smile on her face, the receptionist hurried over. "Ms. Fisher, it's so good to see you. Are you here for Mr. Barlow? He's currently in a meeting so you might have to wait a couple of minutes. Here, let me get the elevator for you." Isabel nodded with a smile. "Thank you." The receptionist replied, "No worries, Ms. Fisher." In all of Belchester City, almost everyone knew that Isabel was soon to be Ms. Barlow. She had a status that was beyond prestigious. Besides her, no one seemed to be worthy of Anderson, who was exceptional in every way. Isabel took the private elevator up to the top floor. Upon stepping out, she immediately caught sight of Anderson, who was seated in the main seat of the executive conference room. With two buttons of his shirt undone, he exuded a captivating yet dangerous aura. Isabel found herself completely enamored by him, unable to turn away. Despite being away from Belchester City for decades, he remained the same. Just like when he was young, no one seemed to catch his attention. In the year and a half he had been back, Isabel still had a surreal feeling toward him. But their relationship seemed more distant now compared to before. Thinking about his coldness toward her over the past couple of days, Isabel couldn't help but feel saddened. It was Shane who first noticed Isabel standing outside. He leaned down and whispered something in Anderson's ear, making him nod in response. After a short while, Shane walked out of the conference room. "Ms. Fisher, please come with me." Isabel said apologetically, "I'm sorry for the sudden visit. I didn't mean to bother you all!" Shane responded politely, "Not at all. You're the future mistress of Everton Corporation. Mr. Barlow has already said that if you wish to come, no one can stop you. However, the meeting just started half an hour ago, so you may have to wait for a bit." Isabel was escorted into Anderson's office. Shane then instructed someone to fetch a glass of water for her. Isabel placed the box of pastries on the table and took a seat on the couch, waiting patiently. After a while, Shane spoke up, "By the way, there's something I must warn you about, Ms. Fisher." Isabel gave him a gentle smile. "What is it, Mr. Gorman?" Shane replied, "Please do not mention anything about Ms. Sadler in front of Mr. Barlow." Isabel pondered for a moment before asking, "What happened? Isn't Anderson usually very concerned about her? Have they gotten into an argument?" Shane said, "At the end of the day, Ms. Sadler doesn't have any blood relation to the Barlow family. That's all I can say. Please be careful with your words, Ms. Fisher." Isabel softly smiled. "I will. Thank you for the reminder, Mr. Gorman." After Shane left, Isabel calmly picked up the cup of water, masking away any trace of her emotions. At that moment, even she didn't know what she was feeling. After waiting for approximately half an hour, Anderson finally walked out of the conference room. The minute the office door swung open, Isabel immediately heard his voice and sprung up from the couch. "Regarding the project, I want a follow-up as soon as possible. Make sure it starts before the year ends." Shane nodded. "Yes, Mr. Barlow." With one hand in his pocket, Anderson sat down at his office desk. He emitted a strong sense of detachment that seemed to keep everyone at bay. Twisting open a pen, he briskly reviewed the documents before signing them and handing them to Shane. When they were the only ones left in the office, Isabel took the pastries she brought and slowly approached him. "Andy, you haven't been spending time with me ever since you got back." She walked behind Anderson and placed her hand on his shoulders, massaging them gently. A blue diamond ring glimmered on her fingers. Anderson glanced at the pastries on the table and his eyes immediately darkened. "You went to Mayra's school today?" Sensing his dark tone, Isabel quickly explained, "I saw you eating these cream puffs last time. They seem to be from a mall near her school and they are the only shop that sells them. "Since I had nothing to do today, I thought I'd get some for you. You should have them when they're still fresh. They might not taste as good once they're stale." Anderson cocked his eyebrow. "Cream puffs?" Isabel said, feeling slightly confused, "Don't you remember having them last month? Were you not the one who bought them?" As if he suddenly recalled something, Anderson responded coldly, "Don't you have anything better to do? Don't do such unnecessary things." Mayra was the one who bought these cream puffs. She had bought them from her school and had waited a long time for them. However, after taking a small bite, she found them too sweet and gave them to him. Anderson wasn't one to waste food so he simply finished it for her. Isabel's hand paused before she smiled faintly. "What else could I possibly do with a body like mine? I've already been taking herbal supplements for the past few days. I'm not sure when I'll recover." "Try switching to a different doctor then. Make sure you take care of yourself. There's a lot to do in the company so I won't have time to be with you." Isabel hesitated as if she wanted to say something. After a moment of contemplation, she uttered, "Andy, Mom mentioned that our engagement is coming soon. She wants me to move into the Barlow mansion with you as soon as possible." She added, "After all, we haven't seen each other for over a decade. Mom hopes we can deepen our relationship. To be honest, I also feel like you're much more distant than before…" Throughout their conversation, Anderson never once lifted his head to look at her. Instead, he continued busying himself with his work. Just then, Anderson's phone suddenly rang. It was a call from Mayra's school…