THE FORGOTTEN HEIRESS-Chapter 389: Loafer

Isabella’s expression changed instantly, shutting down the suggestion. "No, you can’t."

"Why not?" George’s tone was light, but there was a challenge in his eyes. "If Benita and Ms Stranded were welcomed, why can’t I be?"

Isabella frowned slightly. "Ms Stranded?"

"Yeah," George said with a teasing tone. "You know, the second loafer who crashed at your place."

"Oh, you mean Dolly?" Isabella blurted out, then caught herself. "And just so you know, she’s not a loafer, she’s a doctor at one of the top hospitals in the city."

George felt a thrill of triumph wash over him. He had a name and a profession now—Dolly, a doctor.

The missing puzzle pieces were slowly coming together. But before he could savor the moment, a strange sensation buzzed through his mind, causing him to freeze mid-motion as he lifted his glass to his lips.

Wasn’t that the same as Steffan’s colleague at the hospital and companion the other day? The same woman who is always giving Lauren a hard time?

’Wow!’ This was getting more interesting and worth the sacrifice. He couldn’t wait to give Killian the good news but he still needed to gather more information.

He knew this was already a breakthrough, but why settle for less if you can get more and he intends to do exactly that before the evening wears out.

"Enough about other people, what do you say about a little dance," George suggested as he saw a few people on the dance floor.

"I thought you’d never ask," Isabella laughed and without further ado, placed her hand in George’s extended one as he helped her to her feet.

George led Isabella toward the music, his hand lightly resting on her lower back as they walked.

He kept his expression easygoing, though inwardly, his thoughts raced with the new pieces of information he’d gathered.

Dolly was someone they hadn’t connected to what happened until now. And if she was involved, that could only mean one thing, she was most likely the person that had loaded the bullet in the gun. She’s the only one among all the people checked that had something for special

And would be any Lauren out of the way.

They found a spot on the dance floor, where George smoothly pulled Isabella into a gentle waltz, showing nothing of what was going on in his mind.

The motion was easy, fluid, with just enough charm in his movements to keep her engaged.

As they danced, George kept up the conversation with subtle flattery and light banter, all the while continuing to glean information from her.

"I have to say, you’re full of surprises tonight," he said, spinning her gracefully. "Who knew you had such a sharp eye for detail? You caught onto my interest in Lauren right away," he said casually as he played one of his diverting techniques.

Isabella gave him a teasing smile. "It’s hard not to notice. But I think I’m starting to understand you a bit better now. You’re the kind of man who loves to keep people guessing."

George chuckled. "Guilty as charged. But you’ve got your own air of mystery, you know. I’m intrigued."

Before Isabella could reply, a murmur rippled through the crowd as more guests entered the room.

George’s gaze casually swept in the direction of the new arrivals, his focus quickly narrowing as he spotted someone unexpected.

’This can’t be,’ he muttered under his breath. ’Talk of the devil herself and she’s here. How did she suddenly show up just when he just found out some terrible things about her.’

’And how did she get to know Nathan?’

The sight of them together immediately set off alarm bells in George’s mind. Could Nathan had been the one helping Peggy behind the scene?

As expected, Dolly’s entrance was striking, with her dark long hair framing a confident expression as she walked in with the air of someone who knew she would be noticed.

Nathan, on the other hand was a renowned playboy and was quite popular with the girls, coupled with his well-built structure and sharp features he could easily attract anyone’s attention.

George couldn’t help but notice that they looked so good together and would be an error for them not to marry ... the way they moved together suggested a strong rapport.

Being a notorious playboy, George wasn’t surprised at how Nathan, being the notorious playboy that he was, seemed to glory in the curious looks from several guests as they passed by.

George’s grip on Isabella’s waist loosened ever so slightly, though he kept his face smooth and unreadable.

This was the perfect opportunity. He could feel the puzzle pieces clicking into place, but he needed to tread carefully—too much too soon, and he might tip his hand.

"Seems like the guest list just got a bit more interesting," George remarked casually, nodding toward Nathan and his companion.

Isabella glanced over her shoulder, looking surprised for a brief moment before she quickly masked it. "Oh, that’s Dolly, the friend I was telling you about " she said quite naturally, almost throwing George who was watching out for any form of agitated reaction offguard. "I didn’t know she’d be here tonight," he heard Isabella say.

George’s gaze flicked between Isabella and Dolly, not believing there wouldn’t be any subtle shifts in her demeanor. "Why don’t we say hello?" he suggested, knowing this was his chance to observe them together.

Isabella hesitated for a beat but then nodded. "Sure, let’s go."

After all, Dolly hadn’t seen the need to contact her all these while.

As they approached Dolly, George’s mind raced through the implications. If Dolly was indeed Steffan’s colleague and was also at Isabella’s house on the day of the wedding, then, there was a strong possibility that she played a role in whatever happened at the wedding. The pieces fit too well to be a coincidence, but he still needed to probe deeper.

"Dolly," Isabella called out as they neared, her tone laced with a blend of familiarity and subtle tension. "I didn’t expect to see you here tonight."

Dolly turned, her eyes narrowing slightly as she took in the sight of Isabella beside George.

After George’s identity as the president of Barista Royale was revealed online, she knew George would be present here tonight. But what she didn’t expect was that Isabella would be the one with George and not Lauren.

She quickly masked any sign of surprise, greeting them with a polite smile. "Isabella, I could also say the same about you. I didn’t know you’d be attending this event."

George only have a curt nod in acknowledgment of Nathan’s greetings, all the while studying the undercurrents between the two women.

He noticed the slight stiffness in Dollly’s stance and the way her smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. Whatever their connection was, it wasn’t as simple as it seemed.

"And who’s your companion?" George asked, smoothly gesturing with his chin in Dolly’s direction as if he was just noticing her presence.

"Oh, this is Dolly Thompson, a neurosurgeon at Medstar Hospital," Nathan said fluidly, completely oblivious, or rather choosing to ignore the tension between Dolly and George. "The perfect definition of beauty and brains, don’t you think?" he added, with a gentle squeeze to Dolly’s waist.