CHAPTER 50: CHAPTER 50 YOU DON’T BELONG

Isabella’s eyes drifted to one thing first:

The buffet table in the far corner.

Strawberry tarts.

Jay leaned close to her. "Don’t look too happy about the desserts. You’re a mafia wife now look mysterious."

Isabella blinked. "But... they have strawberry mousse..."

Leonardo’s eyes narrowed slightly when he was called over by an elderly man, judging by how respectfully others greeted him. He didn’t argue. With a sharp glance at Isabella, he simply said, "Don’t go far," and walked away.

Isabella didn’t reply, just gave a small nod. Honestly, her cheeks were starting to hurt from all the polite smiling. Social events weren’t really her thing.

Jay noticed her exhaustion and casually said, "Let’s get food. That mousse you spotted earlier is probably calling your name."

Relieved, she nodded and followed him to the buffet area.

The scent of warm food mixed with elegant perfume made the whole hall feel heavier. Jay whispered jokes here and there, helping her feel a little less out of place.

But then...

The atmosphere changed like a sudden shift in wind.

All heads turned subtle gasps and murmurs spread like fire.

At the grand entrance, Alexa appeared.

She wore a sleek, floor-length black gown that shone under the chandelier light. Her long legs peeked through a thigh-high slit, and her dark hair was styled to perfection. Red lips, sharp eyeliner, and eyes that scanned the room like a predator looking for prey.

Next to her was Alan, his shirt slightly unbuttoned and his expression casual, almost lazy. His hand rested on Alexa’s waist with the ease of someone who didn’t care about rules.

Together, they looked like the power couple of the night—stylish, confident, magnetic But Alexa wasn’t smiling. Her eyes were searching for one man.

Leonardo.

But he wasn’t where she expected. Her gaze swept over the room and landed on Isabella, who was standing beside Jay, casually picking at a strawberry tart.

Alexa’s expression faltered. Just for a second.

There it was.

That flicker of something bitter sharp, and ugly. She clenched her clutch tighter as she kept walking, but her posture wasn’t the same anymore.

Just as Alexa was trying to hold onto her fake smile, the mood shifted again—

Casper and Zion entered.

Their entrance wasn’t grand like Alexa’s, but the energy they brought in was completely different. Zion looked calm, collected, dressed in a crisp navy suit with his hands in his pockets. Casper, on the other hand, wore a velvet maroon blazer over a black t-shirt, wild curls bouncing as he walked with confidence.

Many eyes followed them, whispers already spreading.

"They’re always together..."

"You think they’re dating?"

"I heard Casper kissed him once in college..."

But neither of them cared.

Casper didn’t even look at the crowd. The moment he spotted Jay and Isabella near the buffet, his entire face lit up and he jogged toward them like a kid who saw his best friends.

"Jayyyy!" he yelled, arms out.

Jay grinned and they high-fived hard, immediately pulling each other into a quick brother-hug.

Then Casper turned to Isabella, his bright eyes sparkling with mischief.

"Hey, little sister-in-law!" he grinned, stretching out a fist toward her.

Isabella blinked. Was this real? Her eyes went wide in surprise.

She quickly placed her dessert plate on the table and looked at his hand. Then with a little shy but excited smile, she bumped her fist with his.

Casper gave her an approving nod. "Nice. Solid form."

And Isabella’s heart did a tiny happy flip.

This is so cool... she thought.

She had seen people do this in cartoon, or with school friends... and now, she got to do it too. For a moment, she forgot about Alexa, the pressure of the event, even Leonardo. She just smiled genuinely.

Zion reached them too, giving Isabella a quiet, kind smile. "You look nice tonight."

Isabella nodded politely, still feeling shy but happy.

Casper was already stealing Jay’s mini cupcakes, and Jay slapped his hand in mock annoyance.

***

Alexa’s heels clicked softly against the marble floor as she walked over, her black dress swaying elegantly with each step. Her makeup was perfect, hair flawless, confidence dripping from her like expensive perfume.

She was holding Alan’s arm, but her eyes were scanning the group like a radar. And the moment she reached them she smiled.

A practiced, polite smile.

"Casper. Jay. Zion," she greeted sweetly, giving them each a little nod.

Even Alan gave them a lazy salute.

But then... Alexa’s gaze slid past Isabella.

She didn’t even glance her way. She didn’t acknowledge her, as if She hadn’t seen her.

Isabella stood right there, next to Jay, trying to keep her expression neutral. But inside, her chest felt a little tight. Like someone gently pressed a hand over her heart and whispered cruelly, "You don’t belong."

The way Alexa smiled at everyone except her—it wasn’t a mistake. It was deliberate.

Jay glanced at Isabella briefly and noticed the change. Her soft glow from earlier dimmed, her posture stiffened, and she shifted her feet uncomfortably like she wanted to disappear into the floor.

Casper noticed too.

He raised one eyebrow and tilted his head at Alexa. "Yo," he said casually, "you forgot someone."

Alexa blinked innocently. "Oh?" She looked over, as if she just now noticed Isabella. "I didn’t recognize her... wow, such a dramatic transformation tonight," she said with a sugar-dipped tone. "Almost didn’t realize it was you, Bella."

Isabella opened her mouth slightly, unsure what to say. Was that a compliment? Or...?

But before she could answer, Casper gave a tight smile. "That’s cause she’s glowing. You know, happiness looks good on her."

Jay grinned. "Exactly."

Alexa’s lips twitched. "Oh? I’m sure..."

And just like that, she turned her attention to Alan again, locking her arm around his and leaning into him.

Isabella stayed quiet, but her fingers slowly relaxed on her clutch. Jay gave her a wink from the side, like saying "We got you."

And for the first time, Isabella didn’t feel like escaping. Because even if someone ignored her...The right people noticed her.

Alexa knew Casper had a soft corner for her.

He wasn’t exactly subtle, his teasing, his little gifts, the way his gaze focused on her sometimes longer than it should. She had known for years. Zion had warned her once, gently. Alan too had joked about it once, half-drunk on whiskey. Casper himself never confessed, but it hung between them like unspoken fog.

But she didn’t care.

Not in the way people thought she would.

Because while Casper was funny, charming, and wildly rich... He wasn’t the one who made her heart ache.

Her eyes were looking for someone else.

The man who hadn’t even touched her.

The one who barely said more than a few words to her at a time. The one who could crush countries with a single call and still stood so silently it felt like gravity bowed around him.

Leonardo.

He wasn’t just better than them. He was in another realm.

Superior in appearance—no man compared to the kind of cold, dangerously alluring beauty he held.

Superior in power—he didn’t chase influence. Influence chased him.

Superior in status—those who didn’t kneel, bowed in silence.

And even in silence, he roared louder than anyone in the room.

That’s the kind of man she liked.

Not the sweet ones. Not the kind ones. She wanted someone who was untouchable. Who could burn her just by looking at her.

And the cruelest part was He never gave her what she wanted.

That’s why she still couldn’t stop.

Even when he looked at that boring, weak little wife of his.

Even when he stood beside Isabella like a mountain she could never climb.

Alexa didn’t care what others thought. She didn’t care if people pitied her or called her obsessed.

Because in her eyes, there was only one throne and only one man who sat on it.

**

When Leonardo came in, he looked cold and distant. His head was slightly lowered as he stared at his phone, one hand in his pocket, the other scrolling with a tight grip. His jaw was clenched, the sharp line of his face looking even more intense under the warm golden lights of the hall. There was something heavy in his aura tonight, like he had just walked away from a war room.

Alexa noticed him the moment he entered. Her eyes lit up with excitement as if the whole night had been waiting for his arrival. She took a quick step forward, gently brushing invisible dust from her black silk gown and letting her red lips curve into a practiced, confident smile.

"Hi, Leo," she said sweetly, her voice soft, almost affectionate, as she tilted her head in a charming angle.

But Leonardo didn’t even glance at her.

He walked right past without slowing down, like her words had melted into thin air before reaching him. As if she wasn’t even there.

Alexa’s smile froze midair. The confident sparkle in her eyes flickered for a second, disbelief slowly creeping in.

Leonardo’s steps didn’t falter until he reached Isabella, who was quietly standing near the table, holding a glass with both hands. She hadn’t expected him to come toward her and her grip tightened slightly when she realized he was headed straight in her direction.

He stopped right in front of her and looked at her for a moment, his face unreadable. His voice was calm, low, but it carried a hint of something firm underneath.

"You look cold," he said. "Drink something warm."

Before she could answer, he turned to the nearest staff and said, "Bring her ginger tea. With honey."

Isabella looked stunned. Jay raised an eyebrow. Casper let out a low whistle.