After I Stopped Loving Him novel Chapter 1098

Salome smiled warmly at Isabella. "Harold is fiercely loyal when it comes to love. He has a ruthless side to him, certainly, but he has a tender side too, and he saves all that tenderness entirely for you."

"His feelings for you are completely genuine. You didn't make a mistake choosing our Harold."

Hearing his grandmother's praise brought a faint flush to Harold's handsome face, though he straightened his posture proudly. She was telling the truth. As the heir to the Carter Group, he couldn't afford to be soft. He had a ruthless edge, but he reserved it strictly for his corporate rivals. To the people he cared about, he was patient and warm.

And his deepest devotion was reserved solely for Isabella, the woman he wanted by his side for the rest of his life.

Isabella looked at him, catching his gaze. Meeting his eyes, she saw nothing but bottomless affection and warmth.

Honestly, having known him across two lifetimes, she had never actually witnessed his ruthless side. Even now, navigating the business world and mingling with industry titans, she would occasionally hear hushed whispers about Harold's brutal business tactics. Yet, to her, he had never been anything but an incredibly considerate, protective partner.

Maybe he really did save all his softness just for her. She didn't care how the rest of the world saw him; to her, he was an amazing man, and his goodness toward her was all that mattered. As long as he wasn't doing anything illegal, she didn't mind if he played hardball in the boardroom. She was a businesswoman herself now—she knew what it took to survive. When she went head-to-head with Natalie in the corporate arena, she was just as cutthroat, actively wishing for Natalie's company to crash and burn.

Isabella smiled back at him before turning to Salome. "I know his heart is true. I've never once doubted his feelings for me."

"I'm incredibly grateful that he never judged me for my past. He helped me so much even before we were together, and now he treats me like I'm his whole world. I feel his love every single day."

Harold immediately leaned forward. "Don't talk like that, Grandma. You promised you were going to stick around to meet your great-grandchildren."

Salome chuckled, a teasing glint in her eye. "Then you better hurry up and propose so you can marry the girl!"

Harold looked at Isabella, his eyes brimming with emotion. He wanted to. God, he dreamt of marrying her as soon as possible. But Isabella wasn't ready yet. They hadn't been dating that long, and they still needed time to just enjoy being together. Given her history, she was incredibly cautious about marriage. Even if he dropped to one knee today, she wouldn't say yes lightly.

Besides, Ethan had recently been in a terrible accident. Though he was out of the woods, Isabella was still naturally concerned for him.