Chapter 1385
No.1
"Absolutely." Isabella took his small hand and led him toward the kitchen. She didn't even bother to shut down the computer; her sole focus was on spending precious time with Oliver.
Meanwhile, Nathaniel Blackwood's intense gaze remained fixed on the computer screen. It displayed a sophisticated management platform teeming with thousands of video recordings. His eyes darkened with intrigue. What other remarkable capabilities did this woman possess?
Isabella guided Oliver into the expansive kitchen. All the maids immediately lowered their heads in a respectful greeting. "Ms. Montgomery."
"You may all take a break. I'll handle lunch preparation myself," Isabella stated calmly, her eyes already scanning the room. She spotted a basket brimming with high-quality, sustainably farmed lobsters in the corner. They were impressively large and impeccably clean.
The maids exchanged nervous glances, shaking their heads in unison. "Ms. Montgomery, that's highly inappropriate! Please, simply instruct us on the menu for today...!"
"Don't worry. Consider it a direct order. Go and rest," Isabella insisted firmly, settling beside the basket and gesturing for Oliver to join her.
Oliver shot the maids a decisive look, and they reluctantly filed out of the kitchen. He skipped over to Isabella, his face alight with excitement. "Mommy, are these lobsters? Is it okay for children to eat them?"
"Of course! Mommy will make you a tomato lobster roll. It's packed with calcium and magnesium, excellent for strengthening your immune system," she explained warmly.
As she spoke, Isabella selected a lively lobster and began handling it with practiced, skillful precision. She first severed its powerful claws, then expertly split open the tail. She meticulously cleaned the head and stomach cavity.
Oliver watched, his eyes wide with awe. "Mommy, you know how to prepare lobsters?"
Most of the socialites who relentlessly pursued his father couldn't even boil water. It astounded him that Isabella was not only breathtakingly beautiful but also possessed such impressive culinary skills for complex dishes!
"Naturally! When I was in Africa, I always cooked for myself. During my training, I even—" Isabella abruptly cut herself off, realizing she had ventured into forbidden territory. She glanced at Oliver and swiftly changed the subject. "Anyway, Mommy is full of surprises. I'll make you the most delicious lobster roll. Why don't you go help me chop some onions?"
"Okay! Yes!" Oliver agreed happily, hopping to his feet.
However, most of the fresh vegetables and herbs were cultivated in the estate's extensive outdoor garden, harvested only as needed. Oliver, accompanied by a few maids, headed out to gather the ingredients.
Isabella watched his retreating back with a deeply affectionate gaze. As long as Oliver continued to expand his knowledge and skills, he would fill his time meaningfully and make his life far more enriching. Besides, she realized she had never properly cooked a special meal for him since they'd met.
Fully immersed in her task, Isabella continued preparing the lobster with intense concentration. Suddenly, a distinct, sinister hissing sound broke the silence.
No.2
That was odd. A prickle of suspicion ran down her spine. Isabella turned her head cautiously, her eyes scanning the kitchen.
Her blood ran cold.
Dozens of massive pythons were slithering directly toward her!
One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
The massive pythons surged into the kitchen.
Some came through the doorway.
Others slid through the open window behind the sink.
All of them moved toward Isabella Montgomery.
These were the same snakes she had seen on the security feeds.
Each one was thick, muscular, and terrifyingly long.
A truly horrifying sight.
Within seconds, dozens of pythons had closed in.
They were now just two meters away from her.
No.3
Hidden in the shadows, Lillian Prescott smiled with deep satisfaction.
Vivienne Delacroix had promised her a huge reward for traumatizing Isabella.
When Lillian thought about it, it made perfect sense.
A celebrity like Isabella, who rose to fame through scandals and came from a modest background, was no match for Vivienne.
The elegant Vivienne presided over multiple corporations and knew how to properly reward loyalty.
Isabella was just some flashy nouveau riche who had never given Lillian anything.
So cheap!
Quietly, Lillian raised her phone to record everything.
She was ready to capture the pure terror on Isabella’s face and send it straight to Vivienne.
But…
Isabella didn’t even flinch as the snakes advanced.
She remained seated at the table.
She let out a soft, dismissive scoff.
“All of you,” she commanded, her voice sharp and heavy with authority. “Sit.”
Four words.
That was all it took.
No.4
The pythons, poised to strike, suddenly froze.
Every single one settled down and went completely still.
Lillian stared in disbelief.
How… How was this possible?
These pythons only listened to Oliver.
He always spoke to them in a gentle, soothing tone.
He even got hurt if he raised his voice accidentally.
But Isabella had just shouted at them with aggression… and they obeyed?
Isabella continued calmly brushing seasoning onto the lobsters.
Her gaze, however, was fixed on the snakes—icy and intimidating.
“I’m preparing these for your little master,” she stated coldly. “If you’re looking for trouble, I’ll add you to the broth.”
Her words seemed to insult one of the larger pythons.
It raised its head, its eyes sharp and hostile.
It looked ready to lunge at any second.
The snake was as thick as a large bowl—a truly horrifying sight.
Yet Isabella showed no fear.
No.5
She glared right back at it. “What are you staring at?” she snapped. “How dare you little cretins come out to scare people? Go back to your cage! Now go find whoever let you out!” Her order was final and left no room for argument.
For a moment, the pythons didn’t move.
Then Isabella raised her hand and flicked her wrist.
Immediately, the snakes changed direction.
They began slithering toward the opposite side of the kitchen.
Directly toward the pillar where Lillian was hiding.
Lillian trembled violently.
Her phone clattered to the floor.
“Don’t… don’t come any closer!” she shrieked.
Why were they listening to Isabella?!
The pythons closed in rapidly.
In a blink, the largest one was only half a meter away.
“Argh!” The terrified maid turned and sprinted for her life.
The pythons gave chase, not letting her escape.
The scene descended into pure chaos.
Isabella wiped her hands clean.
No.6
She walked over and picked up Lillian’s fallen phone.
The screen was still lit, showing an open WhatsApp chat with Vivienne Delacroix.
The message history was clear.
Vivienne had written: (Send me a clip of Isabella terrified by the pythons.)
Isabella’s eyes darkened.
So Vivienne had discovered she was staying at the Blackwood Estate.
She had even bribed a maid to harm her.
Isabella had never wanted to start a conflict.
But since Vivienne had chosen to make a move, Isabella wouldn’t just sit back and take it.
She wanted to see a terrified expression?
She could keep dreaming.
A wicked smirk curled on Isabella’s lips.
Her fingers flew across the phone’s keyboard.
She sent a link.
At the Delacroix estate…
Vivienne was soaking in her marble tub. The memory of that python coiling around her thigh haunted her thoughts. A violent shudder wracked her body.
No.7
Her phone screen lit up on the vanity. It had to be Lillian. Vivienne snatched it eagerly, ready to watch footage of Isabella completely unraveling from a python attack.
Hah! Always acting so cold and superior. ‘Boss Montgomery’? Please. Isabella would be a sobbing mess facing those snakes.
Vivienne tapped the video. The screen instantly went black. Then, a massive, hyper-realistic python materialized. Its scales glistened. Its head filled the entire display. It seemed to lock its reptilian eyes directly on her. It lunged straight for the screen.
“Ahhh!”
A blood-curdling scream tore from Vivienne’s throat. Her hands trembled violently. She flung the phone away from her.
It splashed into the bathwater. The waterproof device remained active. The horrifying 3D python continued its slithering motion in the tub. It looked utterly real.
“Help! Somebody! Get in here!” she shrieked, her voice cracking with pure panic.
This was worse than any accidental horror jump-scare. Her deepest fear was snakes. This visual was too vivid. Too lifelike. It was a waking nightmare.
Her personal assistant, Cassandra, burst through the bathroom door. She found Vivienne huddled and shaking at one end of the large tub. The phone glowed ominously from the water, the python still coiling.
The sight made Cassandra flinch. She steeled herself. She quickly fished the phone out. She tried to force a shutdown.
It was useless. The power button did nothing. The screen remained dominated by the slithering serpent. It tilted its head. Its forked tongue flickered out menacingly.
It was deeply unsettling.
Cassandra’s composure wavered. She grabbed a thick bath towel. She wrapped the possessed device tightly. “Try to relax, Madam. I’ll have this looked at immediately.” She hurried from the room, clutching the bundled phone.
Silence returned to the steamy bathroom. Vivienne’s heart hammered against her ribs. The real pythons were traumatic enough. Now someone sent a digital one to torment her?
That useless Lillian!