Chapter 354: Ellie Meets Isla

Adam doesn’t know how to process this new feeling he has for Isla, but one thing is for sure: Isla is different, and he doesn’t want to let her go.

Now, as he slowly drives into his restaurant’s parking lot, he recalls how Isla had nervously approached him at the restaurant and how timid she looked when she asked him out behind the restaurant.

Now that he thinks about it, he is glad that Isla built up the courage to ask him out; otherwise, who knew if he would ever have met her again.

Adam is happy to have Isla in his life, as she’s the only girl right now whom he sees more than an object, someone with whom he can be relaxed, someone that he doesn’t need to hide his true self.

She accepts him for who he is. She accepted him even before things got intense between them, and that’s why he trusts her more than others.

"What are you thinking again?" Isla asks, noticing Adam staring at the restaurant.

"I was just remembering how shy you were when you first approached me," Adam says in a teasing tone, making Isla blush.

"But I am also very glad that you did," He says, earning a genuine smile from Isla.

"Let’s go," Adam says, getting out of the car. Isla follows him out.

Adam grabs her hand and walks her up towards the restaurant.

The restaurant’s front door is closed, but there are people inside, and the atmosphere feels very joyful.

"Looks fun inside," Isla says, sounding a little off.

Adam notices this, looks at her, and realizes she’s nervous.

"Are you nervous?" He asks in a teasing tone.

"No~ I just... " It’s my first time meeting people as your girlfriend," She says while tightening her grip around his hand.

"You have nothing to worry about. People inside will be more nervous about you being here, after all, you are a very famous musician," Adam says.

"I am not, we are an indie band," Isla says.

"An indie band with millions of fans, you don’t need to be humble. Just treat this as a meet and greet, smile and talk. And if anyone tries to be impolite, I will be right there by your side," Adam says.

Isla nods and follows Adam into the restaurant through the back door.

As soon as they enter, their ears are assaulted by the voices of people inside the restaurant.

The kitchen is filled with food and drinks, while a few servers walk in to grab some drinks and snacks before heading out to serve them.

Adam didn’t expect such a grand party. He thought it would be a small one with a few people from the restaurant and their families joining in, but as he looks inside the main house of the restaurant, he sees many unfamiliar faces.

"Oh, thank god, you are here," Adam hears a pleasant voice directed at him.

He turns his head to see who it is; it’s Ellie, his new business partner.

Adam checks her out. He can’t help it as she looks stunning in that floral white dress she has on.

Ellie approaches him with a beautiful smile and hugs him.

"I was wondering when you would come," she says, turning to look at Isla. Her eyes flash with surprise at Isla’s beauty. She feels as if she is face-to-face with a supermodel.

"And, who’s this?" Ellie asks. Seeing her standing right next to Adam with her arms around his while her perfect breasts pressed against him, Ellie couldn’t help but stare while a weird feeling emerged inside her that even she was not aware of.

Isla, being the observant girl she is, noticed the look in Ellie’s eye and couldn’t help but smirk. She can tell that Ellie likes Adam, which is not a surprise given her boyfriend’s attractiveness.

After all, human beings are just like any other animals, slaves to their primal desires.

"This is my girlfriend, Isla. And Isla, this is Ellie, my new business partner," Adam introduces the two women to each other.

The two look at each other, trying to get a read of each other. Ellie didn’t expect Adam to address Isla as his girlfriend, given she knows he’s a little bit of a playboy, but then again, Isla’s really beautiful, so she couldn’t find fault in him dating her, after all, both of them are extremely attractive people.

But this also makes Isla question Adam’s character. After all, she did see Adam having sex with Leila. Was Adam cheating on Isla with Leila?

She’s too curious to let this go.

"So, when did you start dating?" Ellie asks.

"It’s only been a few days," Adam says.

Hearing this, Ellie takes a sigh of relief. If they just got into a relationship, then there is no cheating happening.

’Of course, Adam wouldn’t do such a thing,’ Ellie thinks.

While Ellie feels relieved about the current situation, Isla is trying her best to get a read on Ellie, wondering what’s going on inside her mind.

She didn’t expect the reaction she got from Ellie. When Adam introduced her as his girlfriend, Ellie should have been shocked or frustrated, but she looked a little relieved.

’Was I wrong? Is she not interested in Adam?’ Isla wondered, but when she saw the look in Ellie’s eyes when looking up at Adam, she saw a woman who liked and admired Adam. So Ellie is currently a puzzle in Isla’s eyes that needs to be solved.

"The people are waiting for you; you should head in and mingle with them," Ellie says.

"By the way, who are most of these people? I don’t recognize them at all," Adam says.

"Oh, they are just some local critics I invited for some tasting. I thought I could turn this party into a tasting as well, to improve the restaurant’s image and reputation," Ellie says, already thinking like the successful hotel empress that she is going to be in the future.

"Great, glad to see you already putting in the effort," Adam says.

"How can I not. You have put your trust in me, so I need to give it my all to make this restaurant a success," Ellie says.

Adam smiles.

"I will take my leave, I have other people to attend, bye," Ellie says and doesn’t bother lingering around and making things awkward for no reason.

Adam and Isla watch her leave, and when she disappears into the crowd, Isla speaks. "She’s really pretty," Isla says.

"Not as pretty as you," Adam says cheesily.

Isla rolls her eyes at him before getting back to the topic. "So, are you two a thing?" She asks.

"What thing?" Adam asks.

"You know what I am talking about, don’t need to play dumb with me," Isla says, sounding annoyed, but really isn’t.

"Well, if you are talking about me ever getting with Ellie, then sure, I am interested," Adam says, coming out clean.

"Interested? You haven’t yet?" Isla asks, surprised. Given Adam’s track record, he should have fucked Ellie already.

"I am just taking my sweet time, plus she is in a relationship," Adam says.

"And when has that ever stopped you?" Isla asks in a sarcastic tone.

"You know me so well," Adam says with a chuckle, bringing her in closer with a hug.

"As I said, I am just taking my time. Unlike most girls who just want to get with me, Ellie here has morals, and if I want her all for myself, I need to take my time getting close to her," Adam says.

"From what I saw, she already likes you," Isla says.

"Is that so?" Adam asks.

"I am a woman, I can see when other women are interested in my man," Isla says.

"That’s good to know, but just because she likes me doesn’t mean she will cross her morals. For that to happen, something drastic needs to take place," Adam says.

"Like what?" Isla asks.

Instead of answering her question, his eyes scan the crowd searching for a certain someone, who isn’t hard to spot.

"Like catching her boyfriend cheating on her in the act," Adam says, looking at Sean, who is clearly having a very intimate conversation with Ellie’s "friend" Helena.

Following Adam’s gaze, Isla also found herself looking at the average-looking man, who was currently standing in a corner next to a woman, with his hand up her dress.

"Who is he?" Isla asks.

"That’s Sean, Ellie’s boyfriend," Adam says.

"Him?" Isla asks, surprised.

"I know right? I was shocked as well when I first saw them together. Turns out he started dating Ellie before her glowup," Adam clarifies.

"He has such a sweet and beautiful girlfriend, and he is cheating on her with that fake skank?" Isla asks, staring at Helena.

With one glance, she could tell that Helena’s beauty is fake, from fake breasts to lip fillers and a nose job. She has gone through all the necessary surgeries possible to look the way she is right now.

"That skank is none other than Ellie’s so-called best friend. She pretends to be Ellie’s friend on the surface, but actually is extremely jealous of her.

That’s why she is fucking Sean behind Ellie’s back, even though she doesn’t find him attractive. She wants everything that Ellie has or at least, and if she can’t, she will try to destroy it," Adam says.

He already has a very good read on both Sean and Helena.

Hearing this, Isla comes to pity Ellie a lot. The poor woman is surrounded by snakes.

"Are you going to help her?" Isla asks.

"I am already helping her. If I hadn’t stepped in and become her partner, those too would have sucked every bit of money she had invested into this restaurant," Adam says.

He also can’t help but admire Ellie’s determination.

She didn’t just become the tycoon; she was without struggles. Her boyfriend and best friend did fuck her over, but she still succeeded.

This is why Adam chose to invest in her because people like her will always find a way to succeed, no matter what obstacles they face.

"So how are you going to make Ellie catch them in the act without humiliating her?" Isla asks.

Adam could always just barge in and make a scene out of what’s going on. With Sean’s hand up Helena’s skirt, groping her ass, it would be very easy to label him as a cheater, but that would also humiliate Ellie in the process.

Even though Ellie won’t be at fault here, given that she is the one being cheated on, society is one fucked up place where victims are blamed equally as the perpetrator.

People will try to find excuses for Sean’s action, and if many people decide to do that, the situation will flip on its tail, and most of the negativity might get thrown onto Ellie.

So exposing Sean right now is not a good idea, especially with the type of people who are here today.

Food critics. They are here to taste the food and enjoy the party. If a scandal breaks out, the attention will divert from the food to the juicy cheating gossip.

"Don’t worry about it. The truth can never be hidden for long. When the time is right, I will pounce on it," Adam says with a reassuring tone.

"Enough about Ellie, let me introduce you to two very special ladies, I know for a fact that you will like one of them, as for the other, it’s up to your taste," Adam says with a chuckle and walks into the main room with Isla in his arms.