Isabella was just about to turn around and leave quietly, when Alexa suddenly walked over with a bright, fake smile and gently grabbed her arm.
"Isabella! Why are you standing there like a ghost? Come in, come in. My friends are just joking around—they say nonsense all the time," she said sweetly, dragging her further inside before Isabella could protest.
"Don’t be shy, just sit with us." Alexa pushed her down gently onto one of the couches near the drinks table. Isabella sat stiffly, her hands folded in her lap, her eyes darting around the room. She could feel the music vibrating through her bones, but it was the stares that made her heart race. People were whispering behind glasses and leaning in to look at her.
One girl, with long legs and a tight red dress that clung to her like a second skin, leaned forward and gave Isabella a sharp smile. "So... you’re Leo’s wife?" she asked, her tone amused, like she was questioning the very idea.
"Y-Yes," Isabella said, nodding quickly. Her voice was small, her eyes wide.
The girl in red chuckled and crossed her legs, her heels clicking softly on the floor. "Really now? How’s he in bed?" she asked, her voice loud enough for the others to hear. Laughter followed. Isabella’s face flushed in shock, her mouth parted in disbelief. She couldn’t believe someone would ask something like that—out loud. She didn’t know what to say. Her throat tightened, and she looked down.
Before she could think of any reply, Alexa joined in, twirling a strand of her glossy hair around one finger. "Yeah, I mean... he has to be a good kisser, right? I’ve seen those lips—mmm," she said with a teasing wink, giggling like they were sharing a secret.
Isabella’s stomach churned. Her face grew hotter, and she clutched the edge of her dress. She tried to force a smile, but it was weak and trembling.
Then the red-dressed girl leaned in again, lowering her voice but not her volume. "Leo looks like the rough kind. You know... pushy, commanding, doesn’t ask—just takes. Is he like that in the bedroom too?" she said, raising her eyebrows with a mocking expression.
"I-I... I want to go..." Isabella finally muttered, standing up quickly, her voice shaking.
But Alexa grabbed her hand again, this time with a little more force. "Oh come on, Bella. Don’t be so uptight. It’s just a party," she said, her voice still sweet but her grip too tight. "Why don’t you dance with us? Have some fun."
The others nodded, pretending to agree, but their eyes were sharp, amused, hungry for more reactions.
Isabella looked around at all of them—dressed like models, confident, comfortable, and loud. She didn’t belong here. Every second she sat on that couch made her feel like she was being torn apart with a thousand invisible knives.
Isabella tried to keep her head low and her hands folded as she sat awkwardly on the edge of the couch, surrounded by strangers who all looked like they belonged in glossy magazines. Their heels clicked, their dresses shimmered, and their eyes kept darting to her like she was the odd one out in a royal painting.
She was still flustered from the earlier questions about Leonardo—her face warm, her throat tight. But just when she thought the teasing was over, another girl leaned forward with a glass of wine in her hand, the curve of her yellow dress making her look like she stepped straight out of a high-end commercial. Her lipstick was perfect. Her hair didn’t have a single strand out of place.
"So..." the girl started, her tone light, but something about her smile was sharp. "What do you do, Isabella? I mean, I’m a business administration graduate—just got my second internship done." She gave a small toss of her hair and glanced at the others. "You must be very educated, right? Since you look like... someone who doesn’t really enjoy wild parties."
A few people around her chuckled. The words weren’t cruel at first but the tone was filled with sugar-coated sarcasm.
Isabella froze for a second, then lowered her gaze and answered in a small, honest voice, "I-I’m a school graduate..."
There was a beat of silence.
Then the girl in yellow gasped lightly and covered her mouth. "Oh—! I didn’t mean it like that, sweetie," she said with an exaggerated giggle. "Wow, I thought Leo was into smart women, but I guess he changed his type!"
Laughter rippled through the group. Another girl on the couch, wearing a deep green dress that shimmered under the lights, leaned in, resting her elbow on her knee. "So, like... do you have any hobbies? Or do you just stay home all day looking pretty for Leo?" she asked with a smirk.
"I-I like baking..." Isabella murmured, her fingers twisting in her lap.
"Aww, baking?" the girl echoed mockingly. "How domestic. Alexa, maybe you can hire her as your maid when this little ’honeymoon’ ends."
More laughter.
Isabella looked around helplessly. The lights in the room suddenly felt too bright, the music too loud, her dress too short, her skin too hot. She wished the floor would swallow her. Her heart was racing, but her voice refused to rise. She didn’t know how to defend herself—not against these women who knew how to smile while cutting her down.
Alexa, sitting across from her with a wine glass in hand and her legs crossed elegantly, watched the whole thing with a calm, knowing smile. She didn’t stop them.
In fact, she leaned in next and said, "Well, at least she’s cute. Leo always liked cute things. Like puppies. Kittens. Quiet girls."
Everyone laughed again.
Isabella’s lips trembled. She wasn’t sure what hurt more–their words, or the fact that she couldn’t find a single one of her own to reply.
"Please guys, don’t make fun of Bella," Alexa said sweetly, placing her wine glass on the table with a light chuckle. "She’s young. Still learning." Her smile was soft, but it didn’t feel kind—it felt like a knife wrapped in lace. Her words were gentle, but they rang louder than the rest.
Isabella felt all the eyes on her again. She gave a nervous smile, trying to seem unbothered, but her shoulders stiffened as if a cold breeze had passed through the room. The girl in green leaned closer with a curious tilt of her head, her earrings swaying. "Wait... how young are you, Bella?" she asked.