Chapter 7 I Really Envy Bella's Life

Daniela set the menu aside, her voice icy. "I'm starving. Let's get this food moving."

Kevin and Amari traded furious looks. With a pointed nod from Joshua, the entire family retreated into the kitchen.

Out of sight, Amari leaned in and hissed, her tone sharp and furious, "Joshua, what the hell is happening? That little bitch-she's a different person! She slapped your sister, for god's sake!"

Clutching her throbbing cheek, Daisy sniffled, milking every ounce of pity. "At least Bella knows how to behave. She's sweet, refined-she'd be an asset to your career. Why stick with that woman?"

Joshua's jaw clenched, his patience fraying. "If she wasn't the only one who could develop that drug, do you think I'd put up with this? Once the wedding's over, I'll make her hand over the formula."

His voice dropped, tight with menace. "Don't worry. I'll make her pay for this. Once the wedding's over, she's mine to handle however I see fit. There's no one backing her. What could she possibly do?"

His eyes flashed with ruthless intent.

Daisy's lips curled into a vicious grin, delight sparking in her gaze as she imagined Daniela's impending downfall.

The servers brought out steaming dishes, setting the table with practiced efficiency.

Kevin and Amari instantly put on warm, cheerful faces, pretending the earlier drama had never happened.

Daniela had finally run out of patience for their charade. She addressed Joshua. "I barely slept last night. I think I'll call it an early night and go home to rest."

Joshua immediately jumped in, eager to play the considerate fiancé. "I'll drive you. It's no trouble at all."

She barely suppressed a laugh. The thought of stepping foot in the car where he had been intimate with Bella was enough to make her skin crawl.

Her reply dripped with sarcasm. "There's no need. You're always swamped with work-I wouldn't dare bother you."

Joshua, missing the edge in her voice, assumed she was genuinely concerned for him. He tried to drape an arm across her shoulders, but she slipped neatly out of reach, not even glancing his way.

He tried to recover with a strained chuckle. "Business is insane right now-endless meetings, wedding prep, the guest list... But it's all for us, you know? Everything I do, I do for you."

She studied him, her expression calm and impossible to read. A beat passed before she spoke, her tone suddenly light. "Sometimes, I really envy Bella's life."

Joshua tensed, eyes darting away. "Envy? Why would you ever envy her?"

"She's got it easy. No overtime, no stress. She just gets pampered." Daniela let out a wistful sigh. "That ring she's flaunting online? Looks like it costs a fortune. Her fiancé treats her like a princess."

She drew in a breath, voice low. "Meanwhile, I build a restaurant from nothing, pour my heart into it, and it's still not mine. Your family treats me like I'm just passing through. If you ever betrayed me, Joshua-after everything-I'd walk away with nothing."

A knot formed in his throat. For a fleeting moment, suspicion gnawed at him-did she actually know something?

But as he met her cool, unwavering stare, his nerves settled.

if Daniela had really discovered his affair with Bella, she would be raising hell, not dropping quiet hints.

She was just envious of Bella. That had to be it.

Inwardly, he swore at Bella for turning their relationship into a public spectacle.

Joshua put on an affable smile. "Come on, Daniela. This restaurant? You're the brains behind all of it. My parents just have their names on the paperwork. After the wedding, it's yours. All of it."

He spoke with easy confidence, hiding the fact he had zero intention of giving up control.

Daniela's lips quirked into a sly, almost lazy smile. "Since you care so much, there's no reason to drag this out. I expect those ownership transfer documents on my desk tomorrow morning. Don't tell me you'll find a way to stall."

Her eyes glittered with mischief as her voice turned syrupy-sweet. "I know I'm missing out on Bella's diamond ring and pampered life. But if I can't even hold on to the business I built from scratch, what does that say to your so-called partners?"

Joshua's expression soured.

Daniela gathered her purse with a careless grace and breezed out, leaving him reeling in silence. "I'll look forward to your good news," she remarked, not bothering to wait for a reply.

Joshua prided himself on his cold logic. He knew all too well-she was worth far more than a handful of luxury restaurants.

If playing nice was too hard for the Clark family, then let them rot in the pit they dragged themselves out of.

...

Later that evening, Daniela swept into the city's most illustrious pharmaceutical gala, the kind reserved for royalty and corporate titans.

Her invitation had, naturally, been hand-delivered by the Stewart family's butler.

A custom evening gown hugged her frame, while a rare purple diamond necklace-worth a small fortune-gleamed at her throat. Even behind a delicate masquerade mask, the sharp lines of her eyes and brows were enough to draw every gaze in the room.

All around her, guests whispered in awed excitement.

"Who on earth is she? I've never seen her at these events."

"Don't you know? That's the Stewart Group heiress."

"Unbelievable-the only daughter of the Stewarts! Her brothers basically run the city, but she's always stayed out of sight."

Standing at ease on the second-floor balcony, Daniela scanned the room until her gaze landed on Joshua, who stood below with Bella clinging to his arm.

Bella was radiant with effort, her makeup flawless-but her dress, Daniela noted with faint amusement, was last season's castoff.

Just days before, Daniela had dug into Bella's background: an unremarkable foreign college, a father toiling away at a regular job overseas.

Yet here Bella was, parading as a woman of means and style-managing to fool Joshua.

Even so, Daniela wasn't about to drag her into the spotlight just yet.

She would take her time, savoring the game as it unfolded.

A glass of deep red wine landed on the table in front of her, its surface catching the chandelier's glint.

She arched a brow, glancing over her shoulder. Aiden stood there-flawlessly put-together in a dark suit, every line of him carved with quiet authority. He looked as if he belonged in every room he entered.

A flicker of surprise crossed her eyes before she masked it.

Aiden had been the thorn in her side since childhood-her first and fiercest rival.

They hadn't exchanged a word since she had walked out on the Stewart family, but now he was here, unmistakable under the dim, golden lights-sharp jaw, predatory gaze, an air of dangerous confidence that drew eyes from across the room.

She remembered every scrape and every fight, and instinctively her posture tightened. Her voice slipped out, cool and edged with mockery. "Aiden Lambert. Since when did we become so close enough for this?"

She would ever trust a drink from his hand.

What if he spiked it?

Aiden's mouth curved in a sly, almost dangerous smile. "Not close enough?"

They had spent a whole night tangled together. Now she acted as if he were a stranger.

Aiden arched an eyebrow, but decided to play along. Casually, he slid the untouched wine glass away and traced her line of sight to Joshua, who was bumbling his way through awkward small talk on the floor below.

With a hint of mockery, Aiden murmured, "Still letting emotions cloud your judgment?"

Daniela ignored him, expression unreadable.

He had always had a talent for barbed remarks-it seemed he hadn't mellowed with age.

She shot him a sidelong, brittle smile. "How long do your girlfriends usually survive, Aiden? I imagine you leave a trail of corpses."

He blinked, taken aback. "Excuse me?"

Her smile sharpened, slicing straight through his composure. "Well, after kissing that mouth of yours, I'm surprised any of them make it to breakfast."

Aiden let out a bitter laugh.

He leaned in, eyes glinting with dangerous amusement.

Daniela shoved him away with a baffled look. "Seriously, what's gotten into you?"

He held her gaze, his tone half-admiring, half-provocative. "Daniela Stewart... you're a piece of work. Now that you have your clothes on, you treat me like a total stranger."