The CEO’s Quadruplets

            “I don’t know, your birthday was pretty good,” Amory debated. “And the first time we hooked up was pretty great.”

            “Well, you were intoxicated that night. Champagne had you excited about everything.”

            Amory chuckled. “I feel like too many of my stories involve cocktails or champagne.”

            “It’s because you’re wealthy and important.”

            “Aw, shucks, Bella.”

            Isabella kissed him one last time. “On that note, I’m leaving.”

            She pulled herself away from her husband and grabbed her purse off the floor where it had been knocked off the sofa. She let a childish grin play at the corners of her mouth as she stopped by the secretary desk to give word about dinner, while also asking the young woman manning the phones to call a car for her to take her over to the university. Isabella wanted to play it cool, but it was more and more difficult the harder she tried to hide her excitement.

Giddy like a schoolgirl, Isabella was all teeth as she beamed on the elevator. The smile would have hurt if she was not so freaking happy. Alone for several floors, Bella even did a little touchdown dance as she sunk downward toward the ground level. Youth and excitement coursed through her veins and added a pep to her step. The cheerfulness made it so the only thing she should focus on besides Amory was what she might change into before their dinner date later that evening.

The idea of designer jumpsuits or a luxurious form-hugging dresses occupied her thoughts during the quiz she administered during class and the staff meeting she also had that afternoon. Isabella felt thankful for the outline of the agenda from the meeting because as she stepped out of the conference room the small amount she heard left her brain. Besides answering straight forward emails from students about their class scores, Isabella was essentially useless. She was out of her office in a flash of lightning when the driver Jack finally contacted her to say he had arrived at the parking deck across the street.

She did return home for a moment to touch up her makeup and to change into a red chiffon dress that draped over her body in all the right places. The off-the-shoulder straps made it look as if the burgundy garment was being pulled off her body, and Isabella knew as she looked herself over in the mirror that she would not mind reliving their afternoon delight this evening.

Isabella called their little beagle in for dinner before she left herself. She scratched his sweet ears and gave him a smile, whispering to him as he mindlessly ate the dry dog chow in the shiny metal bowl on the floor.

“Romeo, I love you very much, but I love your Dad more. He takes me to dinner. He makes me laugh. He makes feel beautiful, and that’s why we’re going to have possibly have s*x two times in one day. If I was not already pregnant, I would probably be pregnant by tomorrow morning.”

The dog looked up at her, and while he obviously remained clueless Romeo gave Isabella a panting puppy smile. She handed him a dog bone to take to his indoor bed for the evening, and slipped back out into the hot night air. Winds off the coast blew warm summer breezes through the city, which billowed up Isabella’s skirt as she strolled up to the office once more. People heading home passed her silently, except for those who knew who she was. Out of some deep-seeded obligation they said hello to “Mrs. Blake.”

Legally, Isabella never claimed the name, but she was still glad to hear it. She walked through the office as the memory of her afternoon delight sent her reeling. Her smile returned as she found herself reaching for the handle of Amory’s office door. She stopped herself, fixing her nude lipstick and using her pocket mirror to make sure her mascara had not created black speckles on her cheekbones. Home free, Isabella’s happy heart rose only to drop down farther than she ever knew it could.

            Isabella opened the door, and her eyes went wide. Starla St. Clair had her hands around Amory’s tie, and pulled him into her. Kinetic energy left Amory still in motion as he moved closer to Starla, and nearly stumbled onto her. It was clear to Isabella that he had just become an unwilling partner in the horrific scene. His hands were pushing against her, pulling away from the stolen and unwanted kiss. Bella was not stupid. She knew this was not his game. He looked both regretful and bewildered as their eyes met across the room, but Isabella was far more interested in the tiny thing who dared to cross her.

Amory faded into the background as Bella’s eyes trained on the starlet. Isabella glared at Starla St. Clair who was wiping the corners of her lips to ensure her scarlet red lipstick remained pristine. As their eyes locked, the pompous young woman arrogantly and boldly smiled back. Behind her eyes, Starla had a severe hunger for something Isabella could not describe. It was clear she wanted power, fame, money, and s*x. She wanted the world to bow down to her like soulless villain because Isabella saw clearly that St. Clair would do anything to have everything. She was ready to watch Isabella’s world burn at her fingertips.

Isabella was not one to bow down to tyrants like this foolish child.

“Leave,” Bella said in a flat even tone.

Starla ignored the fiery glare as her prey stood back still baffled by the scene. She smiled harder, and took a step around the desk where she and Amory stood.

“Oh, Isabella, I didn’t know you were coming! You have to forgive me.”

There was no forgiveness in her expression.

Bella threw her purse down in a guest chair in the corner of the room as she said again louder, “LEAVE.”

“I see you must have ever so much to talk about. I’ll leave you to it, Mr. Blake.” She winked at her boss before turning back to face Bella. “Isabella.”

“That’s Mrs. Blake to you,” Isabella growled back, throwing open the office door.

“Of course.”

The girl let her lips turn into a wicked grin as she sauntered out. Isabella slammed the door behind the wicked young woman. With Starla St. Clair gone, Isabella began to pace. The tension that young girl put in her had not left Isabella or the office. She wanted to scream. She wanted to murder. She wanted to rip the fake blonde hair off her head and mar her surgically perfect face.