13 Out of the Water!

With a look of amusement in her golden orbs, Isabel swept her sight over Ivan who was choking and coughing and Davina who was running from the room with a napkin over her face then settled them on Mason who was attentively rubbing Ivan's back with one hand while a glass of water was held in the other to offer to his lover and her gaze took on a blaming look as she pouted her little red mouth. She grumbled:

"Sonny, how come you didn't tell me? Am I that untrustworthy?"

Seeing Mason's burly frame go sitff as his eyes widened and his hand that was patting Ivan's back paused, Isabel smirked on the inside.

She knew that she was being unreasonable right now. Being gay, being in love with each other, having a relationship; all of these were Mason and Ivan's private matters, they didn't have to report anything to her.

Although she and Mason were as close as brother and sister, they weren't brother and sister and even though everyone in Sunshine doted on her to high heaven, Ivan was not one of them and the two barely interacted, they weren't even friends.

In fact, in the last life, after she found out about their sexual orientation, although she kept quiet, Isabel had had a not so positive reception to it and Ivan had taken to directly shunning her and not keeping it a secret.

He was a very straightforward person; if he liked someone, then he liked them,if he hated someone, then he hated them and he held no pretenses. Isabel believed that it was precisely this quality in Ivan that would have caused this facial paralysis ice-cube who stayed a virgin for more than thirty years to fall in love and wave the rainbow flag and it was also why she had a new appreciation for the younger man, having a chance to meet in this situation for a second time.

Looking at Mason's face that had quickly become filled with guilt, she continued to pout and feign sadness at betrayal until he finally spoke up.

"Isabel, you're like a sister to me, of course I trust you. However, the matter of being gay and being in a gay relationship is not something that just anybody can handle knowing. I wanted to tell you but I was afraid that it might be too much for you and I didn't want to lose you as a friend,so I kept quiet about me and Ivan."

Isabel understood what Mason was saying, but her expression suddenly crumpled a little and she asked: "Lose me as a friend? What, were you planning to cut ties with me if I didn't accept your relationship with Ivan?"

On the side, Ivan who had stopped coughing looked at Isabel darkly with his baby blue eyes and under the table he grasped Mason's hand that had gone stiff. Mason glanced down at his lover and seeing the silent encouraging look in his eyes, he returned a light squeeze and faced Isabel.

"I have the resolution to do so."

Isabel's expression fell and anger flashed in her eyes. "You would forfeit our years of friendship for him? Do you really love him that much?"

"Yes." His reply was unhesitant.

"You--!"Isabel looked at Mason incredulously then glanced at Ivan by his side and her expression suddenly turned serious as her tone became stern.

"Mason, don't be blinded by love into doing anything stupid."

Her sudden outburst surprised Mason and Ivan and startled Davina who was returning from the toilet. Standing at the kitchen entrance, she looked at Isabel's never before seen grim appearance and fell into a shocked trance.

"Your mother started this company for the sake of your future and put her heart and soul into it until she passed away from exhaustion; your uncle almost ruined it with his greed and lack of vision and you brought it back from nothing with your own two hands. This company is all that you have."

Isabel looked over at Ivan and the young man was shocked by the sudden derision he saw in her eyes.

"Indulging in this relationship could put all that at risk and its not even certain if when that time comes he will stand by your side."

Mason swallowed hard and his heart shook as he listened to Isabel's lecturing words and his unease did not go unnoticed by the man at his side. Feeling Mason's wavering confidence in their relationship, Ivan's eyes as he looked at Isabel became even darker.

"You may be in love today,but who is to say about tomorrow? Can you really trust him? Can you both tell me right now that if you come out to the media this evening in two days time after facing the ridicule of the world and all your peers that you would still stand strong in this relationship? Homosexuality isn't exactly accepted in this country in case you've forgotten."

Looking down at their serious expressions, Isabel had to suppress her urge to laugh.

She had lived the next ten years, Isabel already knew that Ivan would never betray Mason and that Mason would always love Ivan. In several years time when she inadvertently exposes their relationship while dumping black powder on Davina's head, the two would only grow closer while weathering the storm and in the days of Sunshine's collapse, Ivan would be Mason's largest pillar of support, keeping Sunshine afloat with his career which by then would have already gone global.

So, although she already knew all this, why was Isabel still acting like a rabid she-wolf? Obviously it was to earn herself some brownie points.

As shameless as it was, Isabel was using her advantage of forknowledge to put herself into Ivan's good books.

Mason? Even if she caused lightning and fire to descend on him the man would never come to hate her but Ivan wasn't the same. If he had even a sliver of suspicion that Isabel might hold some prejudice towards his relationship with Mason the younger man would never accept her and Isabel didn't want that. This was her 'big brother's' pearl in the palm, in this life, a good relationship between them was a must.

"We haven't forgotten."

Ivan's clear and calm voice sounded in the room that had suddenly gone quiet and he lifted eyes filled with bursting flames to glare angrily at Isabel and she smirked on the inside.

In the past those flaming eyes had made her feel so much anger and resentment thinking that Ivan didn't have any basis to want to be angry with her.

In her self absorbed mind back then, she had only been trying to teach Davina a lesson for poking her nose where it wasn't wanted and exposing his relation with Mason had been a mistake, she didn't do it purpose and even Mason wasn't angry with her so why was he?

Wrapped up in her own concerns she had completely missed the fact that by 'accidentally' exposing the homosexual love affair of the company president and their biggest celebrity in this conservative country she had brought around the downfall of all of Sunshine. Ivan wasn't the only one angry at her, but he was the only one willing to show his anger and resentment so openly.

In comparison to the coworkers who consoled and comforted her to her face, giving her flowery words and words of concern while behind her back they cursed and pulled her down, unwillingly offering support due to Mason's orders, Ivan was much more honest.

"Thank you for your concern Isabel, but I assure you that it is unwarranted. Even if the whole world were to shun and curse me for loving a man, as long as Mason is willing to continue being with me, then to me, the rest is history because I love him."

Ivan's clear declaration of love caused Mason to be deeply moved and as he watched his lover's clear and unwavering gaze from the side, his own wavering heart felt as though it had found solace and he relaxed, tightening the hold he had on Ivan's small hand.

In truth, although he spoke those words in seeming confidence, Ivan's heart had been nervous. He knew how much Isabel meant to Mason and he was afraid because he saw that her words had shaken him, but feeling the large and warm palm tightly griping his own, he regained his confidence and Isabel caught a glimpse of his underlying cockiness as a corner of his mouth hooked up in a slight smirk.

"I'm sorry Mrs. Jaeger, but I am not someone who rushes blindly into relationships and neither is Mason. If neither of us hadn't held any true sentiments for each other, we would not have continued our relationship for so long out of pure stubbornness."

Isabel couldn't help but flinch at those words. He was hitting her where it hurt most. Like, ouch! Didn't he know that she was human too? No need to be so rude, she just wanted to be friends.

Well, at least she knew now that the story she wanted spread had been spread but it seemed like that bastard had done research of his own and spread some additional information. That damned 'Tom'! Just wait until she finally met up with him in this life.

"We won't be coming out to the media because that is just stupid and how we feel about each other doesn't have anything to do with the rest of the world, that is our concern. However if it ever does come down to standing before the masses, just like I have today, I will stand and declare my love for Mason Brown in the same way!"

Ivan faced head on with Isabel who had stood up from her chair. Her face had turned red with her cheeks puffed up and she was trembling as her chest heaved in heavy undulating breaths, she looked like she would spit fire at any moment and Ivan smirked because he was expecting her to.

In Ivan's mind, Isabel was nothing more than a spoiled brat who depended on the doting and indulgence of the Sunshine company members as a top earner to run rampant and do as she pleased.

Food fights? Paint wars? Pranks? What was she, five?

He wasn't fond of her to say the least and now that she suddenly wanted to come and step between him and his man, was he supposed to roll over and let the queen of all brats walk all over him? He'd be damned if he did!

Mason had chosen to sit this one out and let Isabel and Ivan have a go at each other, this was their first time meeting like this after all. He hoped that after this, maybe they would have a better understanding of each other.

It was unknown if the two in question would laugh or cry if they knew the man they were both concerned about was treating this matter as kids hashing out an argument.

On the other side of the room, Davina was frozen, unsure of if she should step in or not. She had never seen Isabel like this before, not once in their ten years of friendship to the point that she was wondering if this was really her Izzy. Had the situation with Brycen gone to her head that she was suddenly warning others about not falling too deeply in love?

Isabel would surely cry if she knew someone was questioning her mental state.

Ivan crossed his legs as he faced Isabel with confidence and without scruple, even bringing out his and Mason's interwoven hands from under the table as he began to play with Mason's long and slender fingers.

Seeing Ivan's face that seemed to be daring her to explode as he openly expressed his affection to provoke her, Isabel could no longer hold it in and she smacked her hands to her face as she let out a squeal that caused to hairs of the other three people to raise as they looked at her in fright.

Isabel parted her fingers and peered out at Mason and Ivan through the spaces with eyes that now held a coquettish and mischievous glint.

"Young man, I had high hopes for you but you completely blew me out of the water."

Ivan stared dumbly at Isabel as she sat down and laid her still red face on the cool wood table as she lamented.

"Ah, I also want someone to give me such a passionate love confession. Why is Sonny the only lucky one? Boo~"

The three people whom were waiting for doomsday had no idea what to do with the sudden appearance of this little white bunny.

Looking around at the three people who were stunned silly by her sudden change, Isabel giggled and raised up to prop her cheeks in her palms as her elbows rested on the table. Her eyes glistened with mischief.