His Precious Iris

41. Jealousy 2.0

Author's POV -

"Attention, party people!" The host's voice boomed through the room, commanding the guests' focus like a conductor ready to start a symphony. "We have a momentous occasion on our hands! Allegra Russi, daughter of the illustrious Mr. Russi, is about to embark on the grand adventure of marriage! Let's shower her with applause that shakes the very foundation of this venue!"

Amidst the thunderous claps, Isabelle couldn't resist injecting her trademark humor. "She's getting hitched, but did you see her eyeing up my man?" Her quip prompted chuckles from Reyansh and Aahania, who exchanged amused glances.

"When's Aahan making his grand return?" Isabelle asked Aahania.

Aahania's response dripped with a mixture of resignation and amusement. "Return? Ha! That man operates on his own time zone. If Dad beckons, he'll show up fashionably late, probably tomorrow!" Isabelle nodded.

With the announcement of the couple's dance, the mood shifted to romance, but Isabelle had other plans. "You guys go ahead. I don't have a partner anyways, so I'll just be here."

Reyansh raised an eyebrow at her decision. "You sure you don't want to join the love fest?"

Isabelle waved him off with a grin. "Yup, I'll just fill me and my baby with some food. Now go!"

Isabelle's POV -

As I sat there, fork in hand, ready to savor the meal in front of me, I couldn't help but notice Naveen ji and Allegra in the corner of the room. Their laughter floated over to me like a distant melody, sweet and intoxicating. I watched as they leaned in, engaged in animated conversation, their smiles lighting up the room.

But then, like a sudden gust of wind extinguishing a flame, my heart sank as Allegra took Naveen ji's hand and led him to the dance floor. They moved together in perfect harmony, twirling and spinning, lost in each other's embrace. It was a dance of intimacy, of connection, a dance that spoke volumes of their closeness.

And there I sat, frozen in place, unable to tear my eyes away from the painful spectacle unfolding before me. Every step they took felt like a dagger twisting in my chest, a reminder of what I had lost.

"What is such a pretty lady doing in here alone?"

As I turned around to see who had addressed me, my gaze met the piercing eyes of a stranger dressed impeccably in a sleek black suit. His voice carried a charm that seemed to linger in the air around us.

"Pardon me!" I replied, caught off guard by his sudden approach.

"Why are you not dancing?" he inquired, his tone warm and inviting.

A hint of reluctance tugged at the corners of my lips as I responded, "I don't have a partner."

With a confident smile, he leaned in closer, his eyes sparkling with a hint of mischief. "So can I have the dance?" he proposed, extending his hand towards me.

A surge of uncertainty washed over me. "I don't even know you," I countered, my voice tinged with caution.

His smile only widened, undeterred by my hesitance. "You can know me as we are dancing," he reassured, his hand gently tugging mine as he led me towards the dance floor.

"Leonardo," he said, his voice carrying a hint of playfulness.

"I'm Isabelle," I replied, a smile tugging at the corners of my lips as I reciprocated the introductions, my hands resting comfortably on his shoulders.

"So, Miss Isabelle, what are you doing here and why are you here alone?" Leonardo asked me as he twirled me around, his eyes sparkling with curiosity.

"Answer to your first question, I am here to attend the party," I said, matching his laughter as we moved gracefully to the rhythm. "And as for the second question, I came here with a friend, but he had to leave due to family issues."

"Just a friend?" He asked, raising an eyebrow mischievously as he guided our steps to the left.

"Yup, just a friend. I'm married," I said, trying to keep the conversation light despite the growing unease in my chest.

"Where's your husband then?" he asked, his hand inching closer to mine as he prepared to pull me even closer, when suddenly I was yanked backward, colliding with something solid. I looked up to see Naveen ji standing there, his expression dark with displeasure.

"He's right here. You can leave now," Naveen ji said, his voice a low growl as he glared at Leonardo, who gave a casual wave before disappearing into the crowd.

Naveen's POV -

"Congratulations on your engagement, Allegra," I said, offering my heartfelt wishes to my friend.

"Thank you so much, Naveen. I actually need your help," she replied, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"Go ahead," I said, curious about what she had in mind.

"I wanna make my fiancé jealous. I wanna see how a man gets jealous. Will you have a dance with me so I can make him squirm a bit?" she said with a playful grin.

"You sure?" I asked, raising an eyebrow skeptically.

"Absolutely!" she exclaimed, pulling me onto the dance floor with her.

As we swayed to the music, my eyes scanned the room and landed on Isabelle, dancing with another guy. A surge of jealousy and protectiveness washed over me, and I couldn't shake the feeling of unease.

"Isn't that your fiancé?" I asked Allegra, nodding towards Isabelle and the man she was dancing with.

"Yeah," Allegra confirmed, her expression clouding with concern.

Why on earth is she cracking up at his jokes? I'd rather laugh directly at his face; he's got that Joker vibe going on!

And hold up, why is her hand casually resting on his shoulder? And his hand... oh boy, it's going rogue and landing on her waist!

"Allegra, your fiancé is trying to steal my woman. I need to go," I said abruptly, cutting our dance short as I made my way towards them.

I pulled Isabelle away from the man, shooting him a stern look before turning my attention to her. "Why were you dancing with him?" I demanded, my voice tinged with jealousy.

"He asked me for the dance," Isabelle replied, her gaze dropping to the floor.

"And you agreed?" I pressed, unable to contain the bitterness in my tone.

She looked up at me, her eyes meeting mine. "Weren't you dancing with Allegra too?" she retorted, a hint of defiance in her voice.

"I was helping her make her fiancé jealous," I admitted, feeling a pang of guilt for my own actions.

"Did it work?" Isabelle asked.

"Yeah, it did," I admitted reluctantly, nodding towards Allegra and her fiancé, who were now smiling and laughing together.

"Then why did Allegra ask you to dance with her? Didn't she know you were married? Oh wait, how'd she know, you ain't wearing your wedding ring." Isabelle's words cut through me like a knife, her touch on my bare ring finger sending a pang of guilt straight to my heart.

"You did the same thing," I replied weakly, unable to meet her gaze.

"I had clearly stated that I was married. I am still wearing my ring," Isabelle said, her voice tinged with disappointment as she showed me her ring, a silent accusation in her eyes.

Feeling the weight of her judgment, I slowly reached for her hand, intertwining our fingers as I guided her touch to the chain around my neck. "The ring's here. Always with me," I whispered, my voice barely above a murmur as I made her feel the symbol of our commitment against my chest. She didn't say anything, but her silence spoke volumes, echoing the hurt and betrayal that lingered between us.

As the music faded into silence, we remained locked in a tense standoff, our eyes locked in a silent battle of emotions. But just as the tension threatened to suffocate us, Aahania's interruption shattered the moment, breaking the spell that held us captive.

"Isabelle, let's go?" Aahania's voice pierced through the heavy atmosphere, jolting Isabelle back to reality. With a nod, she reluctantly withdrew her hand from mine, leaving me standing alone in the hall, the echoes of our unresolved emotions ringing in my ears