The Phantom's Game | 18+

Chapter 4

The next morning, Isadora woke up to the sound of someone knocking on the door. She stirred and sat up, her body aching from last night's activities. She felt sore and spent, but it was a pleasurable kind of sore. Gabriel, however, was nowhere to be seen, but a note on the bedside table caught her eye immediately. She picked it up and read it quickly:

'Got some business to attend to, feel free to leave whenever you like' – G

Isadora shrugged, throwing the note away, and threw herself out of bed for a quick shower. Her skin was dirty with sweat and other bodily fluids, causing her to scrunch her nose up at the smell. She made herself scarce in the bathroom, washing away all the grime that stained her, not wanting to spend another minute all dirty. 

Her thoughts revered to the previous night, causing shivers all over her skin. The way he touched her, the way he fucked her... she wasn't supposed to be thinking about it now.

Once she was clean and refreshed, the brunette walked out of the bathroom, and got dressed in a comfortable white t-shirt and jeans, and she pulled on her boots before heading out of the room. She took the elevator to the lobby, and walked towards the reception counter.

"Good morning, madam," the young woman greeted her, flashing her a friendly smile. "What can I do for you today?"

"I'd like to check out, if Gabriel hadn't already."

"Gabriel? Who is Gabriel?" The blonde inquired.

"Gabriel Valentino," Isadora replied, raising an eyebrow. "Did he check out already?"

"Oh, yes. He checked out a few hours ago."

"Hmm, alright, thanks," the brunette mumbled, biting her lower lip. Without another word, she left the hotel and called one of her men to grab her car from the nightclub parking lot. While she waited, she decided to grab breakfast at the café across the street once she heard protests from her stomach. Last night took out a lot of her energy but in a good way.

Cautious of her surrounding and making sure her path was clear of vehicles, Isadora crossed the street in a hurry. The perfume of freshly made pastries and cakes greeted her senses as soon as she walked into the café. 

Although it calmed her thoughts, it also made her more peckish. 

Fortunately, there weren't many people around, so she could get her breakfast quickly before she went home. She approached the counter to order, scanning the menu for a moment before finalizing her order.

After paying for her order, she sat by the window near the entrance and took a quick look at her phone to check on her messages. Turned out she missed a lot of calls from Enzo and a few messages from her clients. With a soft sigh, she began to reply those messages first while waiting for her meal and coffee.

Time went by a lot more quickly than she anticipated. She quickly arrived to her house and changed into her formal attire, adding a few golden trinkets to finish the look. She was just about to put an earring in when a phone came through. The brunette picked up her phone from the vanity table with a groan and answered the call.

"Yes? I've got work to do soon," She said, her voice betraying her annoyance and frustration.

"Izzy, there's something important you need to know, I'll come by your office soon. I'll text you when I get there," Enzo's voice rang through the other side of the line.

"Why can't you tell me now if it's that important?" The brunette questioned, confusion taking over irritation.

"It's not safe to speak to you on the phone... in case of prying ears," Her assistant replied with a soft sigh.

"Fine, meet me at the office during lunch hour. No later than that."

"Lunch hour, then. See you later."

She then hung up the phone and left her manor in a flash. She made the decision to remain in her office till she completed her job because there was a lot to do today. Likewise, she anticipated a long day due to meetings and video chats. After leaving the apartment complex's parking area, the woman drove her white BMW to the office. It was clear to her that the day would be tedious and protracted.

As soon as she got to her boutique, her phone started receiving a barrage of texts. She opted to ignore it and get on with her work. Checking the time on her wrist, it was almost 11 A.M. She had a meeting in less than two hours with someone who wanted a dress. 

If this went well, she would have a perfect outfit ready for Fashion Week in a month, but she needed a lot more practice in selecting clothing for that occasion. And it would be a pain in the ass trying to find clothes without the help of a designer. Still, she knew what she could do. Her company did have the best designers in the world, after all.

All she required was the right material for the right occasion...

When lunchtime rolled around, she remained in her office while the others went out for lunch nearby, probably. Isadora had been sitting at her desk for the better part of the morning, checking her email and occasionally checking the time before her meeting with Enzo and afterward, an actress who was her regular client. Before she knew it, a knock on the door interrupted her thoughts. Isadora frowned, and looked up expectantly to see Enzo standing there.

"You're early," she remarked, frowning further and pushing a strand of hair behind her shoulder absentmindedly.

"Yes, you told me to be here during lunch hour. I didn't want to waste any time... Unless you've not been paying attention to the time," the man said with a chuckle. He closed the doors behind him softly, looking around for a place to sit. He settled upon the sofa opposite her own desk and admired the interior of her office.

It was cozy inside, with all kinds of different fabrics draped from the walls and various accessories adorning everything. On the wall opposite the sofa were pictures taken of the artist's artistry, along with various sketches of the models she hired. 

In the corner, Isadora kept a few personal items such as photos and framed pictures of her family and friends, as well as awards and medals earned by her art, both professional ones and 'personal'. All of them were framed meticulously by Isadora herself.

"Well, what are you waiting for, Enzo? I don't have all day, you know," Isadora spoke up, setting aside her things on the desk and glanced at her assistant.

"Sorry, sorry. Just admiring the room. It's very elegant, don't get me wrong," Enzo said politely, smiling slightly.

Isadora raised her eyebrows, and scoffed playfully. "I'm certain you are not here for that, are you? Speak."

"Okay, well, we might have a clue on the person who attacked us before. This person comes from a rich family, has some influence within the underworld, and doesn't seem to care much about anyone but himself," Enzo explained calmly.

Her expression darkened, though it wasn't visible to the eye. She pursed her lips together as she considered their options.

"Alright," Isadora agreed after a moment, nodding her head slowly.

"Yet I have never seen him before. If I did, we would have recognized him by now," Enzo continued, leaning back against his seat with a slight frown on his face.

"That may be true, but we still should make it our priority to keep surveillance on everyone, especially him. I suggest you contact the authorities as well, they could possibly provide some answers," the woman offered.

Enzo nodded in agreement. "Very well, I'll see what I can do to get more information on this guy. In the meantime, I've added more security at your manor, just in case."

She sighed tiredly, shaking her head a little before saying, "Thank you, Enzo, I appreciate it."

"Anytime, boss."