A Thousand Ways To Say I Love You

CHAPTER LXI

As Isabella stepped out of her apartment, dressed for another day at the hospital, she was startled to see Matteo leaning against his sleek black Mercedes Benz, waiting for her. Her heart skipped a beat as their eyes met, and despite everything, she couldn’t help but smile softly.

Matteo noticed her smile and straightened up, opening the passenger door for her. “Good morning, Bella” he greeted, his voice warm but casual. “Let me drop you off at the hospital. I’ve got some work nearby.”

Isabella raised an eyebrow, knowing he was lying. She could tell from the way his eyes lingered on her that his work wasn’t anywhere near the hospital. “Nearby, huh?” she teased, crossing her arms. “Matteo, you don’t have to pretend.”

He chuckled, a hint of playfulness in his voice. “Alright, fine. Maybe I just wanted an excuse to spend a few minutes with you. Is that a crime?”

Isabella rolled her eyes but couldn’t stop the smile from spreading across her face. “No, but it doesn’t mean I’ll forgive you that easily either.”

Matteo nodded, holding his hands up in surrender. “Fair enough. But let me make it up to you one small step at a time. Today, it’s just a ride to work.”

She sighed, knowing she could have easily declined, but a part of her enjoyed his company, even if she was still guarded. “Alright, fine. But don’t make this a habit,” she warned, slipping into the car.

Matteo smiled, closing the door behind her and getting into the driver’s seat. As they drove off, the atmosphere was lighter, though the underlying tension of unresolved feelings still lingered. Isabella glanced out the window, her mind racing with thoughts of their complicated history, but also the undeniable pull she still felt toward him.

Matteo, on the other hand, was focused on the road, silently vowing to himself that he would earn back her trust, no matter how long it took. He had messed up, but he wasn’t going to let her slip away this time.

As Isabella stepped out of Matteo’s car, she was immediately greeted by the sight of Carter standing outside the hospital entrance, holding two cups of coffee. His face lit up when he saw her, and he waved her over, a friendly smile on his lips.

“Morning, Isabella! Thought you could use this,” Carter said, handing her the coffee with a wink.

Isabella gave a polite smile in return, though her mind was still reeling from her ride with Matteo. “Thanks, Carter. You didn’t have to.”

As she took the cup from him, Carter’s eyes shifted briefly to the black Mercedes driving away. He didn’t say anything, but his expression darkened for a split second, a sign of irritation that he quickly masked with a forced grin.

Matteo, watching from the rearview mirror, smirked knowingly. He didn’t need to say anything; the look on Carter’s face said it all. His presence alone was enough to get under Carter’s skin, and Matteo found a twisted satisfaction in that. With a slight nod to himself, he sped off, leaving the tension behind.

Carter, trying to keep his composure, asked, “Everything okay? You seem… distracted.”

Isabella hesitated for a moment, glancing down at the coffee cup in her hand. “Yeah, I’m fine,” she lied. “Just a lot on my mind.”

Carter nodded, though he clearly wasn’t convinced. “If you need anything, you know I’m always here, right?”

She gave him a quick smile, feeling the weight of the awkwardness between them. “I know. Thanks, Carter.”

As she walked into the hospital, Isabella couldn’t help but think about how complicated things were becoming. Matteo’s sudden reappearance in her life, Carter’s persistence—it all felt overwhelming. But she knew she had to focus on her work today, no matter how much her emotions were pulling her in different directions.

As Isabella chatted with Carter, her phone buzzed with a message. She glanced down discreetly and saw it was from Matteo:

Don’t be so close to him.

A small smirk crept onto her face. She loved how possessive Matteo could be, even though he tried to act composed most of the time. But this time, she wasn’t going to give in to him so easily. With a quick swipe, she left the message on read and slipped her phone back into her pocket, pretending she hadn’t seen it.

Carter, noticing her brief distraction, leaned in slightly. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah, all good,” Isabella responded, her smile polite but a little distant. “I actually need to get to work.”

Carter’s face softened, clearly not ready to let her go just yet. “How about I pick you up later? I can drop you home.”

Isabella smiled, though she didn’t give a direct answer. “We’ll see. I’ll let you know, but thanks, Carter.”

With that, she turned and walked into the hospital, feeling the weight of her own emotions. Matteo was the one who truly made her heart race, yet Carter’s unwavering attention was hard to ignore. Still, she wasn’t going to let either of them control her decisions today. She had work to focus on, and that’s what she intended to do.

As Isabella’s shift ended, she walked out of the hospital feeling utterly drained. Her day had been long and emotionally taxing, and all she wanted was to go home, curl up in bed, and forget about the world for a while. But as she stepped outside, she stopped in her tracks.

There they were—Carter and Matteo—each waiting in their own cars. Carter was standing by his, holding a bouquet of flowers, while Matteo leaned casually against his sleek black Mercedes, watching her with that same intense gaze she knew so well.

“Shit,” Isabella muttered under her breath. The last thing she needed right now was to deal with both of them at the same time.

Carter was the first to notice her. His face lit up as he approached, his warm smile disarming. “Bella, I was just about to call you. I thought I’d give you a ride home, like I promised.”

Before she could respond, she looked at Matteo’s who's looking at Carter with the eyes that she knew what was it, he turned back to look at her, his expressions turned calm but laced with authority.

Isabella’s heart raced as both men stood there, eyes locked in silent confrontation. She could feel the tension rising, and part of her wanted to laugh at the absurdity of the situation. But the other part—the exhausted part—just wanted to disappear.

“Guys,” she said, raising a hand, “I really don’t have the energy for this right now. I just want to go home.”

Matteo took a step forward, his eyes softening as he focused on her. “Then let me take you. You need rest.”

Carter, not to be outdone, added, “Or I can drive you. You’ll be comfortable, and we can talk.”

Isabella sighed, glancing between them. She was too tired for games, and right now, all she wanted was peace. She took a deep breath and made her choice.

Instead of choosing either of them, Isabella turned on her heel and started walking toward the road, leaving both Matteo and Carter standing there in stunned silence. She raised her hand to hail a taxi, her back to the two men who had spent the last few minutes vying for her attention.

The look of disbelief on their faces would have been priceless if she had turned around, but she kept her cool, determined to avoid the unnecessary drama. When a taxi pulled up, she got in, feeling a mix of amusement and relief.

As the taxi drove off, Isabella couldn't help but chuckle to herself. She may be exhausted, but at least she had left them speechless for once.