Isabelle had briefed Colette and Samantha on the current events and made lists of what really needed to be done in the coming days.
'I hope you can set things straight.' Colette said, hugging Isabelle.
'Same here.' Isabelle said and hugged Samantha. 'Good luck with Jean.'
'If he gets too much we'll threaten to tell you.' Samantha chuckled.
Isabelle chuckled. 'And then get me into trouble?'
'Well, since you are involved with him, we assumed you don't mind.'
Isabelle tried not to think of the punishments she had received before but shook her head. 'Not like that, I don't.'
Colette smirked. 'So you do in other ways, hmm?'
Isabelle smiled. 'None of your business, lady.' she said and looked at the clock. 'I've got to go.'
The girls waved goodbye as the elevator doors closed and Isabelle felt a little homesick going down. She hadn't realised how much she got used to being there before. She thought she would long for her original job, but with all that had happened at the office here she hadn't had much time to miss it. Of course, the whole thing with Jean-Marie had something to do with it.
She remembered the deal, she would only stay until a replacement had been found, and that thought now made her feel sad. She would have to let go of her place here when that time came. To leave him in the care of someone else. She felt a little lonely and empty at that thought until the door opened to the parking garage.
The cool air wafting inside made her aware she had a job to do. She went to her Honda, which he had insisted on she'd use to impress any client with while she needed to work at her father's company. He also told her to make use of his company's resources if she really needed to, as long as it didn't conflict with his company. She smiled softly as she stood at the car, looking at the bags with her selection of suits. He had her back, and trusted her to handle the job that needed to be done.
She felt strong and proud, got in the car and drove with confidence to her father's office.
***
Felicia and Adelaide welcomed Isabelle with open arms, more than she usually got from her sisters. She thought that they had finally realised how much work she did at the company and grinned on the inside.
She hugged them and had them get the conference room ready to get an overview of the current troubles. Her father came in and they hugged for a long time.
'You look great.' he said, admiring how good she looked in her outfit.
'Jean has made sure I look the part.'
'Jean?' he asked, raising an eyebrow and smiling a little. 'Is that how you speak of him?'
She blushed. 'It just makes things easier, dad. Now, tell me what's going on.'
Her father and sisters briefed her on the trouble they had, sorting out the little things until they became a bigger mess and her father told her of hearing what had happened at the party with Avery from a friend. He had confronted him and because of his attitude and insistence she was the one who caused him to get into a fight he had fired him on the spot.
She hadn't thought about getting him fired, and hated for him to lose his job, but on the other hand, maybe it was better he learned his lesson. If he did.
After the meeting Isabelle started making calls and sorted things out one by one. At the end of the day she had handled the most urgent matters and drove home, and although it was a familiar route to the family home, it felt strange.
She took her bags inside and Felicia stared at her car through the door.
'What is that?'
'A special import Jean arranged after he got to know the little car in Japan. He gave it to me for company use.' Isabelle said and grinned a little. 'It's a really cool little machine.'
'And what's with the clothing?' Adelaide said, walking into the hallway. 'I don't recognise the brand, but it looks expensive.
Isabelle beamed a little. 'You like it? Jean is friends with a German couple who knew his father, and they're really good at it. They made all his clothes and he had them make an entire wardrobe for me.'
'An entire wardrobe!?' Felicia asked. Just like that!?'
'Well, he did want to make sure I looked the part.' Isabelle said, sensing a little jealousy from her sisters. 'I'll have to give it all back after I leave, probably.'
Adelaide touched the fabric of her blouse. 'No way it can be given back..'
'Anyway,' Isabelle said. 'I'm hungry. What's for dinner?'
Isabelle's sisters kept on asking questions during dinner about what Jean-Marie had bought for her and where he had taken her and she played it all down, not revealing the size of the apartment he had arranged in his house because then they'd just dig deeper into their relationship. For now she just wanted her family to think of Jean-Marie and her as a demanding boss and his personal assistant.
When she walked into her own room to finally get some rest, which she had left not so long ago, it seemed so foreign to her. She had spent nights in her private room in his mansion until the night of the incident, then slept next to him in his bedroom since. She should feel familiar with this room, yet it seemed like so long ago since she had been in here.
She fished her phone out of her pocket and dialled Jean-Marie's number. He picked up after just one ring.
'Isabelle?' he asked, his voice betraying his anticipation.
'Jean..' she said softly and sat on her bed, butterflies filling her stomach.
