Chapter 702

Isabella arched a perfectly sculpted brow, her crimson lips curling into a smirk. "Is that jealousy I detect in your voice?"

Henry Lancaster's piercing gaze locked onto her defiant expression. "Tell me where I'm mistaken. You gave birth to our child, abandoned her, and vanished for two decades without a single word. If I hadn't tracked you down, would you have ever returned?"

A bitter laugh escaped Isabella's lips. Eleanor had poisoned her back then, and that woman had remained by Henry's side all these years. That was precisely why their daughter could never have stayed in Metropolia.

The night Isabella gave birth, she had nearly died. Someone had whisked her away while she was unconscious, and the poison had kept her in a coma for years. She had only awakened recently.

"What's done is done," Isabella said coolly. "There's no point rehashing the past. Just inform me when the DNA results are ready. I have places to be."

She turned sharply to leave.

Fury ignited in Henry's chest. His hand shot out, gripping her wrist as he shoved her against the wall. His towering frame caged her in, his voice a low, dangerous growl. "What's with the attitude? You disappeared with Jessica all those years ago without so much as an explanation, and now you dare act like this?"

Isabella tilted her head, her icy gaze meeting his. "Why are you so agitated? Do you need a woman to help you relieve some tension?"

She lifted one slender leg, the pointed heel of her stiletto dragging slowly up the length of his tailored trousers. The high slit of her crimson dress revealed a tantalizing glimpse of flawless skin.

Henry's grip tightened on her shoulder, his eyes darkening with a mix of anger and something far more dangerous. "We're in public. What do you think you're doing?"

Isabella reveled in his reaction. "I assumed this was what you wanted when you pinned me against the wall. Was I wrong?"

Her fingers trailed over his chest, slipping beneath his black coat to trace the firm planes of his abdomen through the crisp fabric of his dress shirt.

His muscles tensed beneath her touch.

She couldn't help but admire the definition of his body, the sharp angles of his jaw. A playful glint lit her eyes. "You're past forty, yet you've maintained yourself well. Just like when you were younger."

Her fingertip pressed teasingly against his abs, and she let out a soft laugh.

"Impressive."

Henry's breath hitched. He leaned in, his lips seeking hers—

But she turned her face away at the last second.

His body went rigid. "Are you toying with me?"

Isabella withdrew her hand. "Have you forgotten our relationship? We're divorced. If you're aroused, find someone else to take it out on."

Henry's lips curled into a mocking smile. "Divorced? As far as I recall, we never actually filed the paperwork. Get your facts straight—you're still Mrs. Lancaster."

Isabella lifted her chin defiantly. "So what? It's just a piece of paper. We've been separated for over twenty years. Tomorrow, my lawyer will file for divorce, and that certificate will be mine before you can blink."