Chapter 162

Ethan Sullivan locked his phone screen and lifted his gaze to meet Isabella Jackson's tear-filled eyes across the table.

In the past, he would have comforted her tenderly. Now, his temples throbbed with irritation.

"Isabella, this dinner is to thank you for organizing Grandma's birthday banquet." His knuckles tapped lightly on the table. "Nothing more."

Her nails dug into her palms. "Even after the divorce, I still don't have a chance?"

She stared at the intricate patterns on the tablecloth. How could she lose to Evelyn Sullivan? The woman she had always looked down on.

"You'll always be my sister."

"Sister?" Isabella suddenly laughed bitterly. "When we shared the same bed, you never called me that."

Ethan's eyes turned icy.

"If I hadn't left the country in anger back then—"

"There are no 'what ifs.'" He cut her off. "Evelyn and I are only temporarily separated."

Isabella shot to her feet, her napkin fluttering to the floor.

"She said she would never come back!"

The air around Ethan turned frigid. A glass on the table cracked with a sharp sound.

In the car on the way back, Isabella's tears soaked her Chanel jacket. Through the rearview mirror, the man's chiseled profile remained unmoved.

"I'll wait for you to change your mind," she choked out before slamming the car door.

The black Maybach turned toward the southern district but screeched to a halt outside a darkened villa. Colin Keller's hesitant voice came through the phone. "Miss Sullivan has moved to Northville Villa..."

Northville Villa was brightly lit.

Ethan watched as Daniel Sterling carried a fruit platter inside. The leather steering wheel creaked under his grip.

"Schedule Daniel for a shoot," he said, his voice dripping with ice. "The farther away, the better."

Inside the villa, Zoe Zade was sticking notes on Daniel's face.

"Royal flush!" Evelyn tossed down her last two cards, and all three burst into laughter.

Daniel's phone buzzed. His expression darkened. "The crew needs me for emergency reshoots."

After seeing their guests out, Zoe leaned in close. "The way Daniel looks at you..."

Evelyn choked on her watermelon juice, her face turning red.

"He never smiles on set," Zoe mused, swirling her wineglass. "But just now, his eyes sparkled when he looked at you."

Outside, tree shadows swayed in the darkness. No one noticed the car parked in the shadows.

Ethan stared at the second-floor lights and dialed another number.

"Check Daniel's upcoming schedule," he said coldly. "I want him on set tomorrow."