The Principessa Bought a Genius Boyfriend Chapter 08

Yeah, at the nightclub, Aurora said he hated me.

Maybe that was the truth.

Vincent hated being indebted to anyone.

From start to finish, I was just a big weight on his chest, a creditor.

In this moment, endless sadness swallowed me whole.

I didn’t even know how to blame him.

Eight years ago, I was the one who pulled him into an uneven position with me.

After that, it was impossible to fix.

He was a stand-up guy, he never took my generosity for granted.

He’d politely kept track of it all this time.

It would’ve been better if he’d just forgotten.

A nameless anger burned in my chest.

My fingers shook as I texted Vincent.

[Why did you pay my debt without asking me?]

[Isn’t paying it off a good thing? You won’t have to work multiple jobs anymore.]

[I don’t need you to.]

[Isabella, don’t be stubborn. I should’ve done this a long time ago. I’ve always wanted to pay you back for my grandpa’s medical bills too.]

His words stung me all over again.

[I’ll save up to pay you back. After this, let’s only contact each other for work, nothing more.]

Vincent called me dozens of times after that, but I didn’t want to answer any of them.

I took an extra day off work, locked myself in my room, and slept like the dead.

It felt like I was making up for all the sleep I’d missed over the years.

It wasn’t until the next morning that my mom told me.

Vincent had stood outside my building all night.

I took the subway to work.

Vincent ditched his Porsche and rode the subway with me.

That night I went to my usual shift at the nightclub like always.

He rented a small private room, sat by the door, and watched me walk in and out.

He was like a walking stone statue, following me everywhere I went.

This went on for several days.

I finally couldn’t take it anymore and said, “Stop following me.”

“If I don’t follow you, you’ll disappear.”

He counted on his fingers.

“Disappear to another city, disappear into a stairwell, disappear and stop answering calls. I can’t stop worrying about you.”

I choked up a little and said, “I promised I’d pay you back, so I won’t disappear. Trust me, okay?”

Vincent frowned. “What are you talking about? I don’t need you to pay me back.”

He still kept following me like a shadow behind my back.

Then on Friday, he didn’t show up.

Aurora called me, furious.

“Vincent beat someone up.”

Vincent had punched Marcus.

The thing started when they both went to an industry party that day.

They weren’t sitting at the same table, and Marcus probably didn’t notice he was there.

Suddenly someone brought up the Moretti family, which had dropped off the map years ago.

Marcus started talking big. “Mr. Moretti has a daughter named Isabella, she’s so gorgeous!

“She was impossible to get back in the day, but now she’s super easy.

“Her family still has unpaid debts, right? I promised I’d pay them off for her, and she came right to me.

“That girl, even if you spend that much to bring her home, it’s totally worth it…”

Before he could finish talking, Vincent’s fist landed on him.

Right in front of all those people in the industry, he beat Marcus up.

I rushed over there.

Outside the exam room, Aurora blamed me.

“Vincent has no connections, he’s made it this far all on his own. It’s been harder for him than anyone, but now because of you, he’s definitely gonna piss off a lot of people.”

Aurora snapped, “Isabella, if you’re not gonna help him, can you just stop ruining his life?”

Ruining his life?

“Aurora, what right do you have to blame me?”

Aurora froze.

I stared at her. “You two are just business partners, didn’t you agree not to interfere in each other’s personal lives?”

“He actually even told you that…” Aurora looked devastated.

A moment later, her eyes welled up, and she looked completely wronged.

“Isabella, even though Vincent and I are just business partners, I really love him. You’ve been gone for so long, just stay gone, leave him for me, okay?”

“You love him?”

“Yeah.”

That was the last thing I expected.

Because—

“But wasn’t it you who started all those rumors about Vincent back in college?”

Aurora’s face drained of all color instantly.