Page 24 of The Billionaire's Bargain
Nothing had been forgotten.
Message received.
Picking up her fork—the correct fork—and knife, Isobel prepared to eat the perfectly cooked meat that would undoubtedly taste like ash on her tongue.
“I was leaning toward yes before the trouble with their vice president leaked.” Darius paused, murmuring a “thank you” as a plate was set in front of him. “One of their employees came forward about long-time, systematic sexual harassment within the company, and their senior vice president of operations is one of the key perpetrators. No,” he said, shaking his head, tone grim. “I won’t have King Industries Unlimited tainted with that kind of behavior.”
Unlike the rest of the conversation surrounding business, Darius’s comment snagged her attention, surprising her so much, she blurted out, “You would really base your decision on that?”
Silence crackled in the room. In the quiet, her question seemed to bounce off the walls. Everyone stared at her, but she refused to cringe.
It was Darius’s scrutiny she resolutely met, ignoring the others’. And in his eyes, she didn’t spy irritation at her interruption. No, just the usual intensity that rendered her breathless.
“Of course. I don’t condone it, and I won’t be associated with any business or person who does. Every person under my employ or the umbrella of my company should have the expectation of safety and an environment free of intimidation.”
“Your employees are lucky to work for you then,” she murmured.
More and more companies were trying to change their policies and eliminate sexual harassment—or at least indulge in lip service about removing it. But the truth couldn’t be denied—not everyone enjoyed that sense of fairness or security. Even at the supermarket, the supervisor didn’t think anything of calling her honey or flirting with her, going so far as to occasionally say how “lucky” her man was. She’d never bothered to correct him, assuming if he knew she didn’t have a “man” at home, the inappropriate behavior would only worsen.
That Darius would turn down what was most likely a multimillion-dollar deal because of his beliefs and out of consideration for those under him... It was admirable. Heroic.
“I like to hope so,” he replied just as softly.
A sense of intimacy seemed to envelop them, and she couldn’t tear her gaze away from his. Her breath stuttered in her lungs, her heart tap-dancing a quick tattoo at the heat in those golden depths.
“Of course his employees are fortunate,” Gabriella interjected, shattering the illusion of connection. “Darius is a good man. He doesn’t brag about it, but he’s founded—and often single-handedly funded—several foundations that provide scholarships for foster children, housing for abused women coming out of shelters, and literacy and job-placement programs for under-privileged youth. And those are just some of his...projects.”
The strategic pause before “projects” let Isobel know Gabriella consideredherto be one of those charity cases. If passive-aggressiveness was a weapon, Gabriella and Helena would own codes and security clearances.
“It’s wonderful to know Aiden will have an admirable role model in Darius,” Isobel said, voice neutral. Silence once more descended in the room, but Isobel didn’t shrink from it. The scared, quiet girl they had known no longer existed; the woman she was now wouldn’t stand mutely like a living target for their verbal darts.
Darius glanced at her, and once more she found herself trapped in his gaze. Something flickered in the golden depths. Something that had her lifting her glass of wine to her lips for a deep sip.
“If Gage couldn’t be here to raise him, he would’ve wanted family to do it,” Darius finally said to the room, but his eyes... His eyes never wavered from her.
“Still,” Helena pressed, not looking at Darius but keeping her attention firmly locked on Isobel. “A boy should know his father. Tell me, Isobel, since you claim Aiden is Gage’s, have you showed him pictures? Does he know who his real father is?”
“Helena,” Darius growled a warning.
“Darius, darling,” Helena replied, tilting her head to the side. “We all commend you for your sacrifice in this difficult situation, but I think you’d agree that a child deserves to know who his true parents are, right?”
A muscle jumped along Darius’s jaw, but Isobel set her glass down on the table, meeting Helena’s scrutiny.
“I’ve always shown Aiden pictures of Gage, since he is Aiden’s father, as well as talked to him about Gage. And he understands who hisreal fatheris, as much as a two-year-old can.”
“Hmm,” came Helena’s noncommittal,condescendinganswer.
“Aiden looks so much like Gage when he was that age,” Baron added from the head of the table, aiming a quelling glance at his wife.
But Helena didn’t respond, instead turning to Gabriella and asking about a function she was supposed to attend that week.
Pain and humiliation slashed at Isobel, but she fought not to reveal it. Not only did she refuse to grant them that pleasure, but she didn’t have anything to be ashamed of. They accusedherof cheating, when the opposite had been true.
But what would be the point in trying to explain the truth to his family? They would never believe her. Not after they’d always accepted every utterance from Gage as the gospel.
And with him dead, he was even more of a saint.
And she would always be a sinner.
