Chapter 1259
No.1
Just then, Alexander Whitmore entered the room, dressed in a flawlessly tailored suit. “Victoria, what’s this about the pho—”
“It’s all lies! Complete nonsense!” Victoria snapped, cutting him off mid-sentence.
Alexander froze. He had never seen Victoria in such a state before.
Realizing it was him, she quickly composed herself and rushed to his side, her voice trembling with feigned distress.
“Alexander, my love, I didn’t mean to shout. I’m just so hurt by Isabella.” She let bitterness seep into her tone. “I’ve always treated her well, except for that one incident five years ago. I never imagined she could be so vicious. Who knows what she’s been doing in Africa all this time? Making money, buying properties, even befriending Professor Zero. She probably paid him off to fabricate that analysis. We both know nothing about photo forensics. He could say anything and get away with it!”
She trembled as she cried, making it seem as though Isabella had committed an unspeakable betrayal. “Alexander, we’ve known each other since childhood. Do you really believe I’m capable of such things? Why would I ever sabotage my own reputation?” Her performance was so convincing it was almost flawless.
“Please, don’t cry. I trust you completely.” Alexander pulled her into an embrace, gently rubbing her back. “I can’t believe Isabella Montgomery has turned so malicious in just five years.”
Victoria pushed him away gently, feigning fear. “Yes, and she’ll come after us for revenge. After all, I did accidentally push her down the stairs, and you… you kicked her. With the power she has now, she’ll stop at nothing to destroy us.”
“Ha! She won’t stand a chance,” Alexander scoffed. “Don’t worry about this. She’s wronged you twice now. I won’t let it slide.” After settling her comfortably on the sofa, he picked up his phone and logged into his Twitter account, which boasted millions of followers.
No.2
Over the past five years, Alexander’s parents had retired and handed him the family business, making him the CEO of Whitmore Enterprises.
Originally ranked among the 'Top Ten Most Successful Companies' in the nation, Whitmore Enterprises owned shopping malls, theaters, hotels, travel agencies, and more. Under Alexander’s ruthless yet charismatic leadership, coupled with his savvy social media marketing, the company had climbed into the top five.
Even Theodore Montgomery admired his capabilities and approved of Alexander’s relationship with Victoria. However, they couldn’t officially get engaged until Isabella returned the engagement token, a fact that had fueled their resentment toward her over the years.
Alexander composed a tweet and tagged Isabella.
[Laughable. “Wait until tomorrow night”? Only a fraud like you would spout such nonsense! If you actually make it to the show tomorrow, I, Alexander Whitmore, will owe you 100 million! @IsabellaMontgomery]
As the youngest, wealthiest, and most handsome CEO, he was dubbed the 'National Husband' by his over 40 million followers. Within seconds, his post garnered over 200,000 replies.
[Ahhh! My husband finally tweeted! So commanding and fierce!]
[Even our National Husband can’t stand that witch Isabella Montgomery!]
[Rumor has it Alexander Whitmore is dating Victoria Kensington. Is he defending her?]
No.3
[That’s irrelevant! Didn’t Isabella tell us to wait until tomorrow night? If she’s so capable, why is she hiding?]
Unbeknownst to them, Isabella had long logged off her account and was working out in her private gym at Rosewood Manor.
As her agent, Julian Hawthorne was tasked with monitoring the situation. After Professor Zero’s video went viral, he expected the hate toward Isabella to die down, but the attacks quickly resumed, especially with Alexander’s involvement. He had no choice but to leave the sofa and bring this to Isabella’s attention.
In the gym, Isabella was dressed in form-fitting workout attire, relentlessly punching a heavy bag. Sweat glistened on her toned body, her damp skin highlighting her untamed beauty.
Julian, like any man would, was momentarily captivated, but he quickly shook off the distraction. “Isabella, your ex-boyfriend just declared war on Twitter,” he said. “Do you have a moment?”
Ex-Fiancé?
“Alexander Whitmore? That disgusting piece of trash?” Isabella’s expression darkened instantly.
“Correct. He issued a public challenge. If you manage to win over the audience with your charm, he’ll owe you one hundred million dollars,” Julian Hawthorne stated calmly.
She scoffed. “Do I look like I need an extra hundred million?” Turning back to her training, she delivered a powerful blow to the heavy bag.
No.4
Thump!
The hundred-pound bag swung violently from the impact.
Julian stared, momentarily stunned, though he really shouldn’t have been surprised. This was pure Isabella.
But she wasn’t finished. She pulled off her gloves, grabbed her phone, and typed a swift reply to Alexander.
[Disgusting! AlexanderWhitmore]
She attached a picture of her raised middle finger.
The internet exploded. The nation's most eligible bachelor called 'disgusting' by Isabella Montgomery? A man worth thirty billion dollars publicly given the finger?
[OMG! Is this woman insane? Alexander is perfection! How dare she!]
[No wonder she was disowned. Absolute trash!]
No.5
[Too cowardly to accept the challenge? Stop using my future husband for clout!]
[Someone needs to teach her a lesson! I volunteer!]
The hate flooded her mentions, a torrent of vicious comments.
Isabella remained completely unbothered. Their words meant nothing to her. Her phone rang. She answered to hear Harrison Winslow breathing heavily. “Boss! Are you seeing the attacks online?” he gasped.
“Mhmm,” was her simple, uninterested reply.
Harrison was shocked. Who would be stupid enough to come for her? In the last five years, no one had dared cross Isabella Montgomery!
Well, except for Julian, who sometimes had a death wish.
“Boss, should I get on a plane? I can handle this!”
“Unnecessary. Focus on your job. If quarterly profits aren’t up by ten percent, don’t even think about your bonus.” She ended the call without another word.
No.6
Harrison was left speechless, a mix of concern and regret washing over him. He shouldn't have called.
Seeing she was off the phone, Julian seized the moment. “The public here prefers humble celebrities. A low profile is advisable. They won’t react well if they discover your true identity, or the power you wield.”
“Relax. I know exactly what I’m doing,” she assured him, already scrolling through her phone again. A thought struck her. She logged back into her social media and posted a new challenge.
[Challenge accepted. If I lose, I pay you ten billion. But if I win, I don’t want your money. I want a live stream of you eating sh*t. Do we have a deal?]
She attached two more photos of her middle finger for emphasis.
Julian could only stare in disbelief. This is her idea of keeping a low profile? When will she ever learn? He sighed, a strange mix of annoyance and amusement twisting inside him.
On the other end, Alexander’s face contorted with rage. How dare she speak to him with such arrogance? This was the same woman who used to follow him around like a pathetic puppy! Fuming, his fingers flew to type a retort, but Victoria stopped him.
“Alexander, darling, don’t be rash. She would not be this confident without a reason. What if she actually wins—”
“Win? Her?” he spat, a cruel laugh escaping him. “I knew her for eighteen years. She was vulgar, talentless, and utterly worthless. Five years abroad doesn’t change that. She’s a paper tiger. Walking a runway requires real skill, confidence, experience. The entire world will be watching, judging her every move. There is no way she can win them all.”
No.7
His fingers typed out his reply with furious certainty.
[You’re on. I hope you have ten billion ready!]
He was absolutely convinced of her failure.
Isabella let out a cold laugh at Alexander’s response and quickly typed back.
[Someone should decide if they prefer human or cow excrement. Or perhaps pick up stray dog shit off the street?]
Neither side was backing down. A bet worth a century’s fortune had just been made. Fans on Twitter erupted into chaos. A live stream of someone actually eating feces versus ten billion dollars in cash—what could be more insane? Everyone was buzzing with anticipation for Chanel’s show the next day.
Isabella remained perfectly calm. She tossed her phone aside and turned to Julian. “Be ready for tomorrow.”
“Don’t worry. I won’t disappoint you.” With that, Julian turned and left.