Isabel Jones transferred the money into her account and walked out of the office, heading for the mall down the street. Fifty grand was serious money to Isabel. To Maximilian Riley, it was pocket change.
With fresh resolve, Isabel stepped into a luxury boutique. “I’d like to see that handbag,” she said, pointing at one on display.
The sales associate gave her a quick once-over. “That bag is four thousand nine hundred dollars.”
Isabel smiled, relieved she had just enough. “I’ll take it. Please wrap it up,” she said, sinking into a chair. Her legs still ached with exhaustion.
The associate’s attitude flipped in an instant. Suddenly friendly, suddenly efficient, she went to retrieve the bag.
In a store like this, a handbag over four thousand dollars was entry-level. Nothing special. But to Isabel, it was a shard of her dignity.
She held the bag and felt its weight—heavy with meaning. Instead of making her feel confident, it only made her feel smaller.
Before she left the counter, Isabel noticed another handbag displayed on its own. “How much is that one?” she asked.
She remembered seeing Kayleigh Fernandez carrying one just like it—elegant, poised, radiating a confidence that came to her as naturally as breathing.
“That bag is a limited edition. It’s display only. To buy it, you’d need three million in loyalty points or nearly a million dollars in accompanying purchases,” the associate explained with a polite smile.
Isabel stood frozen. Stunned.
Three million...
Three million dollars was an abstract number to Isabel. A sum Maximilian could drop on a whim for Kayleigh. To an orphanage, it could save countless lives.
Human life was priceless—and so easily overlooked.
And Isabel? She’d been born into a world where her value barely registered.
The gap between her and Kayleigh wasn’t just about the price of handbags. It was family. Upbringing. A lifetime of experiences she could never buy her way into.
Maximilian would never toss Kayleigh a pity offering of a few thousand dollars. He knew her worth was far beyond that.
Isabel was painfully aware of what she was: a frog dreaming of becoming a swan, foolish enough to imagine she could hold a place in Maximilian’s heart.
Ridiculous beyond measure.
...
Back at her apartment, Isabel listed the handbag on a resale site right away. She’d take a loss, but it would sell fast.
Once the money came in, she planned to send it straight to the orphanage director’s account.
The kids needed warm clothes for winter. Four thousand dollars would go a long way.
After a hot shower, Isabel stood in front of her closet, trying to figure out what to wear to her meeting with Mr. Alexander tomorrow.
The door swung open without warning. Maximilian walked in like he owned the place.
Startled, Isabel instinctively clutched the towel to herself. “Mr. Riley...”
“You resigned?” Maximilian asked, brow furrowing. He was holding a plastic bag of random fruit he’d grabbed from a store nearby.
He never showed up empty-handed, but his gifts—spiced honey cakes, fruit, simple bouquets—were always modest. Cheap, even.
“Yes,” Isabel nodded. She reminded herself that Maximilian paid the rent. Of course he came and went as he pleased.
“Don’t worry about Ruby. I’m here,” Maximilian said. He sat on the bed and pinched her cheek lightly, tugging her closer, his voice unexpectedly gentle. “Does it still hurt?”
Isabel dropped her gaze and shook her head. Not a word.
“I talked to HR. Just take a few days. Come back whenever you’re ready.” Maximilian was offering her a special privilege.
To Isabel, it felt like charity.
Ever since Maximilian found out what his sister had done, he’d been doling out pity from a pedestal.
“You’re getting married... aren’t you?” Isabel asked, dragging in a breath for courage.
Maximilian said nothing.
Isabel forced a smile, though her eyes burned. “I won’t come back to the company. I’ll move out soon. Let’s just end this. I wish you and Miss Fernandez a lifetime of happiness.”
She wasn’t without principles. She had lines. At the very least, she refused to be the other woman.
Maximilian’s frown deepened, irritation flickering across his face. “Are you throwing a tantrum?”
Isabel let out a hollow laugh. “No...”
He pulled her into his arms and tried to soothe her. “Stay here. Be comfortable. We’ll talk more when the wedding gets closer.”
His words held a casual cruelty, as if he had no idea how much they cut.
Maybe, Isabel thought, he never saw her as someone worth considering at all.
“That car accident really scared Kayleigh. She feels guilty she wasn’t there to take care of you,” Maximilian said, his fingers finding her waist out of habit. He’d always admired her figure—one he’d carefully cultivated since she was a teenager.
At nineteen, Isabel had been malnourished, slower to develop than other girls her age. Maximilian had pulled her out of that bare-bones life, made sure she ate three meals a day, smoothed the sharp edges off her struggle.
“Tomorrow night, we’re hosting a dinner at home for a few friends. I’m going to propose to Kayleigh there. It’d be great if you came early to help set up,” Maximilian went on. The words spilled out of him while his hands wandered, his breath warm against her neck.
To Isabel, Maximilian seemed truly heartless.
Deep down, he was cut from the same cloth as his sister.
Hadn’t he gotten his fill of Kayleigh in the Caribbean?
“I won’t be there...” Isabel refused quietly. She pushed him away and grabbed the towel again as nausea crept up her throat.
Tomorrow night, she had a meeting with Mr. Alexander.
“If you don’t come, she’ll get the wrong idea,” Maximilian argued, irritated by her resistance. “She’s divorced. She’s sensitive. I don’t want her suspecting anything about us.”
Isabel didn’t answer. She just turned away, her silence saying more than words ever could.
