Page 79 of Fake for 7 days

"Abigail, of course. But I don't see her." Ian turned his attention back to the buffet.

"Come on, Ian. My brother wouldn't invite his ex to his wedding. He wants a nice day without any arguments." I thought about my encounter with Abigail a few days ago when she had visited me in my office.

"I thought he had invited her. As the daughter of a business partner." Ian shrugged.

"Hanny certainly wouldn't agree to that." I shook my head and imagined if I were marrying Isabella and invited not just Abigail, but a whole host of other women to the wedding. That would ruin our beautiful day.

Carter! What are you thinking???

I called myself to order.

Time to end the conversation with Ian. Somehow you're only getting stupid ideas from it.You're not going to marry Isabella, Carter.

"Ian, please excuse me, I urgently need to check on Isabella and my grandmother." With this excuse, I patted my old schoolmate on the shoulder and left him standing in the buffet line. I would look for Marylou. Our old cook loved to spoil me rotten and would surely find a way to organize two well-filled plates for me and Isabella without having to stand in line at the buffet forever and make small talk about unpleasant topics.

As inconspicuously as possible, I walked across the lawn towards my parents' house. Between me and the back entrance lay our swimming pool, where I used to like to do my laps and regularly beat Cameron in our competitions. Next to it, three children were playing tag.

Would Isabella prefer chicken or fish?

Or did she prefer vegetarian food?

Again, I realized how little I knew her.

And suddenly I thought that I would like to change that.

"Help!" one of the children screamed at that moment.

I grinned. That's how Cameron always used to scream when I chased him as a child and he realized he would probably lose at tag.

"HELP! HELP!" The child screamed louder and louder. I looked up. A little girl was running across the lawn towards me, screaming fearfully: "HELP!" My gaze followed her outstretched finger.

The pool.

And in it... a small body was flailing.

A boy, desperately fighting to stay above the water's surface.

The moment I quickened my pace and ran towards the pool, the boy's face disappeared under the water. I reached the pool within seconds and jumped in without hesitation. Clothes and shoes and all. As fast as I could, I dove down. In front of me floated the boy's body.

Could a child drown so quickly?

Hastily, I grabbed the little one and swam with him to the edge of the pool. I heaved him out of the water and pulled myself up on the pool's edge. It was more difficult than expected because my suit had soaked up water.

At that moment, the boy moved at the pool's edge. A fit of coughing shook his small body and he spat out a good portion of water. I exhaled in relief. I hadn't even been aware that I had been holding my breath from all the tension.

The little one was okay. That was the most important thing. Gently, I first turned his head to the side. As the coughing slowly subsided, I sat the child up and patted him on the back.

"Johnnie!" A distraught woman came running across the lawn towards the swimming pool, as fast as possible in high heels. That was... Tabitha, wasn't it? But she didn't seem to notice me at all at that moment, having eyes only for her son.

"Mommy," the little boy croaked.

"I think he's alright." I smiled at Tabitha. "He should just change into something else quickly and get something to drink."

"Carter! Is everything okay?" Suddenly Isabella appeared behind Tabitha and looked at me. In her warm brown eyes was... concern? Isabella was worried about me?

Or was she just playing a role? The role I had hired her for?

"Is everything okay?" Isabella repeated, leaning down to me and wrapping her arms around me. "I was worried about you," she whispered in my ear and gently kissed me on the cheek. Once. Twice.

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