The Surrogate He Discarded

It was already lunchtime by the time the meeting adjourned.

Chairs scraped against the polished floor as everyone rose from their seats. Conversations buzzed through the boardroom while executives gathered their laptops and documents. They had been given one week to refine their proposals before presenting them to the board.

Kristoff stood and walked toward Morgan.

Coincidentally, Morgan also needed to discuss the latest progress of the theme park project with him.

As the room gradually emptied, Isobel pushed her chair back and turned to leave.

She had barely taken a step when she bumped into something solid.

Or rather...

Someone.

The impact made her stumble a little before steadying herself.

She looked up.

Kristoff was standing right behind her.

His broad chest was like a wall, and for a brief moment, she found herself caught beneath his steady gaze.

Heat crept up her cheeks.

”I-I’m sorry,” she said, taking a quick step back. ”I wasn’t paying attention.”

A faint smile tugged at the corner of Kristoff’s lips.

”It’s alright,” he said in a calm voice. ”You didn’t exactly hurt me.”

Embarrassment flickered across her face.

Morgan watched the brief exchange before speaking.

”Isobel,” he said, drawing her attention away from Kristoff, ”go ahead and have lunch. Kristoff and I still have a few things to discuss.”

She nodded.

”Yes, Mr. CEO.”

With one last polite glance at Kristoff, she slipped out of the boardroom, leaving the two men behind.

For reasons he couldn’t quite explain, Kristoff found himself watching until the door closed behind her.

...

Richard followed Isobel to her workstation.

The first thing that caught his eye was the bouquet of blush pink roses arranged in an elegant crystal vase. Their delicate fragrance lingered in the air, bringing warmth to the otherwise sleek and modern office.

The flowers seemed to brighten the entire space.

A smile tugged at Richard’s lips.

”I’m glad you like them,” he said. ”Though I can’t say I’m surprised. Even when you were little, you’d insist on taking home a rose whenever you saw one.”

Isobel laughed softly as the memory returned.

”I was just a child,” she said. ”Besides... who doesn’t like roses?”

Richard chuckled.

”You were quite determined.” He shook his head fondly. ”There was that time when the gardener at the flower farm at the back of the orphanage, refused to let you pick one, so you spent the next three days staring at the rose bushes.”

Isobel covered her face, laughing.

”I did not.”

”You did,” Richard said with a grin. ”In the end, the gardener could not stand your pitiful look so he clipped one himself and gave it to you.”

She smiled, remembering how proudly she had carried that single red rose back to the orphanage, treating it as though it were a priceless treasure.

The warmth between them lingered before Richard’s smile slowly faded.

”So, you are really working here,” he said quietly. ”Had I returned sooner... perhaps we could have worked together in my company.”

His voice carried a trace of regret.

Isobel smiled reassuringly.

”Maybe this is simply how fate wanted it.”

Richard’s eyes darkened briefly.

”Perhaps.”

He glanced at the clock before looking back at her.

”Enough about work.” His smile returned. ”I’m taking you to lunch.”

She blinked.

”Consider it a reward for a job well done.”

The words instantly transported her back to the orphanage.

Whenever she accomplished something, Richard always found a way to celebrate it.

When she learned to read an entire storybook without stumbling over a single word, he bought her an ice cream from the passing vendor.

When she won the spelling bee in grade school, he surprised her with a brand-new box of twenty-four colored pencils—the largest she’d ever owned.

After she built a miniature windmill from discarded cardboard and bottle caps, he spent his modest salary treating the children to fish balls and sweet ice candy because, as he had put it, ”Bel’s success is everyone’s reason to celebrate.”

And on the day she earned the highest score in the science quiz, he took her to the public library instead of buying her a toy.

She had pestered him for a long time to take her to the library.

To anyone else, they were simple rewards.

To a little orphan who owned almost nothing...

They had meant the world.

Isobel’s eyes grew misty as she looked at the man before her. Some things, she realized, never changed.

Richard was still rewarding her achievements.

”You don’t have to reward me anymore, Richie,” she said as they walked toward the executive elevators. ”I’m not the little girl who got excited over ice cream.”

Richard laughed.

”You’ll always be that little girl to me.”

Isobel shook her head with a helpless smile.

”And besides,” Richard continued, ”I missed too many years. Allow me to make up for at least one lunch.”

She finally surrendered.

”Alright. Lunch is on you.”

”Good. I was afraid I’d have to pull rank as your former teacher.”

”You never had any rank over me.”

”Oh?” Richard raised an eyebrow. ”Who was it that cried because I wouldn’t let her borrow another of the astronomy book I borrowed from the library because she has not finished the first one?”

”I did not cry.”

”You negotiated with tears.”

”I was persuasive.”

Richard burst into laughter.

The easy banter followed them all the way to the executive dining hall.

Novare’s private restaurant was quieter than the public cafeteria. Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the city skyline, while the soft hum of conversations blended with the clinking of silverware.

”So,” he asked as they waited to be seated, ”tell me more. What have I missed in your life?”

”Where do I even begin?”

”The beginning is usually a good place.”

She laughed.

”I don’t think we have enough time for that.”

A familiar voice interrupted them. Both of them turned.

Kristoff stood a few feet away.

He had removed his suit jacket, leaving only a crisp white shirt with the sleeves neatly rolled to his forearms. His expression remained composed, but there was a flicker of something dark in his eyes as they moved between Richard and Isobel.

”Mr. Dalton,” Richard greeted.

Kristoff inclined his head before his gaze settled briefly on Isobel.

”I didn’t expect to see the two of you having lunch together.”

Richard smiled.

”I’ve known Bel since she was a child.”

Kristoff’s eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly.

”Bel?”

Richard’s smile deepened.

”That’s what everyone at the orphanage called her.”

For a heartbeat, silence settled over the table.

Kristoff looked at Isobel.

She avoided his eyes, suddenly finding the restaurant’s décor remarkably interesting.

Richard, oblivious to the shift in atmosphere, continued cheerfully.

”I practically watched her grow up. Taught her to read, to write, even how to use a computer. Back then, she was already very intelligent.”

Kristoff’s gaze remained fixed on Isobel.