Chapter 119

119 Let’s Pretend We Don’t Know Each Other

“Hold up. Why do I have to feel guilty? She’s just an ignorant woman,” Joseph tried to convince himself.

Yet Joseph remained unsettled the entire day. Isabella, her delicacy and warmth when she hugged him last night got stuck in his head. He couldn’t shake it off his mind...

“Mr. Joseph, it’s a great honor to have you personally here. Please, come inside!”

A person standing in front of him interrupted his thoughts. Raising his head, he saw Mr. Alfredo, an old man who was the party’s host, also a former provincial official.

He had a kind smile on his face, but it seemed more like disgusting flattery.

Boring people. He would rather go back and tease Isabella if he could.

However, considering Master Wilson’s words, Joseph lowered his head respectfully and responded politely, “It’s my great pleasure to be invited by Mr. Alfredo!”

“Mr. Joseph, you’re flattering me. Please come in!”

“The Wilson Consortium, Joseph Wilson–”

.....

A voice rang out from the door. Joseph was led in by Mr. Alfredo himself.

People immediately cast curious and probing gazes at Joseph, gabbling, when they learned the young master of the Wilson Group was present.

The announcement was not circulated as the “the President of the Global Group,” but as the “young master of the Wilson Consortium.” Mr. Alfredo’s intention was self-evident. Joseph curled his lips knowingly and went straight to a remote corner. He enjoyed his wine without interacting with the others.

Joseph’s phone sounded.

A notification came in. Gerry handed the phone over to Joseph.

Despite not saving this number, he recognized it at a glance. It was Isabella’s number.

As he unlocked his phone, a message popped up, “Mr. Joseph, look behind you!”

Turning his head, he saw Isabella standing behind a wall. She smiled as she looked at him, fawning.

Joseph stuffed his phone in his pocket, put down the wine and walked over.

Isabella trotted ahead and led him to a corner in the corridor where no one else could see them.

“I didn’t expect to see you at this party.”

Isabella smiled and greeted Joseph, trying to cotton up to him, “I’m here with my father. What a coincidence! I think we’re meant to meet today!”

Joseph looked at her bright little face, slowly shifted his gaze to her shoulders. After a moment of hesitation, he asked, “How’s your injury?”

“Injury?”

For a quick moment, Isabella was shocked. Suddenly, someone passed by. She hurriedly covered Joseph’s mouth and pushed him up against the wall. Her body stuck against his. Her eyes nervously looked in the direction of the passerby.

Joseph lowered his eyes and looked at Isabella, who was close by.

She wore a red body-hugging dress today. Her figure was perfectly outlined. The makeup on her face was exquisite, and her red lips were stunning. She looked charming and attractive.

A small white fur canopy covered her upper body. The material wasn’t bad at all.

Judging from this outfit alone, she should be able to survive in the Smith family, although he didn’t know why she would try so hard to win over her younger brother for 2,000 dollars.

But since Carl was willing to bring her to attend such a banquet, she should be held in regard in her family.

Gerry’s investigation revealed that although she wasn’t as favored as John, her younger brother Carl didn’t mistreat her.

It seemed that the greed for money was a natural desire.

Of course, Joseph didn’t know that Carl was a hypocrite. Since Isabella was a child, he avoided hitting her face when he abused her. Isabella wouldn’t speak out about this sort of family matter, so very few outsiders knew about Isabella’s abuse.

This was also why Gerry couldn’t find the real source of the problem.

“So, what are you here for?”

Joseph took Isabella’s small hand off his mouth, held her hand, and pinned it to her back. “Why do we have to avoid people?” he asked, hugging her waist and looking down at her.

Isabella noticed their current posture wasn’t very appropriate, but she held back from going against Joseph right away. Instead, she blinked her cunning eyes and pleaded, “Let’s discuss something. Joseph, let’s pretend that we don’t know each other at the banquet today, deal?”

Joseph immediately frowned. “Why is that? Is it that embarrassing to know me?”

“No, no!”

Isabella hurriedly denied, “It was for your own good. There’s already a lot of reports about your love affairs and gossips. If we’re seen together today, the media would be making stories about us. Besides, we had an agreement that we wouldn’t let the Smith family know about our relationship. So, let’s save ourselves unnecessary trouble from this pretend relationship, what do you say?”

As Joseph listened to Isabella’s excuses, he suddenly realized that he didn’t feel uncomfortable that she was trying her best not to get involved with him in front of the public.

“Don’t flatter yourself!”

Joseph said unhappily, “I wouldn’t want to make it public with someone like you. Even if you are really my woman, you are nothing!”

After Joseph finished speaking, he pushed Isabella away angrily and turned to leave.

Isabella was left alone, speechless.

Although Isabella was angry at Joseph, she was already used to Joseph’s uncertain temperament.

She looked at his straight back and said confidently, “If that’s the case, I’ll call it a deal then! Let’s mind our own business later!”

Isabella didn’t leave to use the bathroom just now. Instead, she secretly sneaked to observe who the guest was today.

If it was Master Wilson, then seeing her flirting with some people at Carl’s instigation, she would be doomed!

But if it was Joseph, pretending that she didn’t know him, there shouldn’t be any problem later.

Now that the hidden dangers were gone, Isabella clapped and returned to the hall, carefree.

Sitting on the sofa, Joseph looked at Isabella, who was smiling brightly as she walked through the crowd. He then drank all the wine in the cup, obviously unhappy.

That damned woman, Isabella, really enraged him so much. At first, he was concerned about her injuries. But she could still flirt around. She didn’t seem to need any care at all!

“Joseph, why the gloomy face?”

As the young man with charming eyes walked over, he held a glass of wine in his hand. A meaningful smile lit up his delicate face.

“Mind your own business, Jayden,” Joseph said coldly.

“Oh, Joseph is getting colder and colder. I knew you since we were kids, even I am scared of you,” responded Jayden.

Although Jayden said he was afraid, he then sat on the sofa opposite Joseph, apparently not afraid at all. “A few days ago, Zachary told me that he had something to ask you, but he couldn’t even meet you once after three trips to your company. That’s so sad. Ah! Speak of the devil! Zachary! Over here!”

“Jay ... Wow! Joseph is here too!”

Dressed in a fancy purple suit, a young man with smoky eyes, trotted over the door and greeted him excitedly, “Joseph, I haven’t seen you around much lately. What’s up?”