Chapter 1524
No.1
“Must you buzz like an irritating gnat?” Isabella’s voice was ice. “If you’re not a paying customer, get out.”
Sophia’s face twisted into an ugly mask. “You’ve asked for this! I’ll teach you some respect!” One hand yanked viciously at Isabella’s hair. The other swung high, aiming a sharp slap at her face.
“A lesson?” Isabella’s lips curved into a dangerous smirk. “Let me demonstrate how it’s done.”
She moved with blinding speed. Her hand shot up, catching Sophia’s wrist in a vice-like grip. She twisted, hard.
A sickening crack echoed in the stunned silence.
Sophia’s arm hung limp and useless at her side. Dislocated. Completely powerless.
“Ahhh!” Sophia screamed, her face turning ghostly white from the sharp pain.
Eleanor immediately pulled Sophia behind her, her expression darkening. “Isabella, that’s enough! How dare you strike your own cousin? Have you no shame?”
“Shame?” Isabella’s voice was icy. “Should I be ashamed for listening to your nonsense?”
No.2
“She is your family!” Eleanor shrieked. “Even if she criticizes you, so what? You’re nothing but an adopted daughter! Your very existence is owed to the Montgomery family. With all the disgrace you’ve brought upon us, you deserve every bit of scorn!”
A cold, mocking glint flashed in Isabella’s eyes.
So she deserved to be scorned to death? They would soon see who would truly fall first.
Victoria seized the moment to play the peacemaker. “Mother, Sister, please don’t fight,” she pleaded softly. “Let’s talk this through. Isabella claims she isn’t the other woman and that this boutique is hers. What if she’s telling the truth? Maybe she was forced into this situation?”
“Forced? Don’t make me laugh! She’s just vain and greedy! If I hadn’t taken her in all those years ago, she would have died on the streets! Instead of being grateful, she repays us with this humiliation!” Eleanor’s voice grew louder, her eyes burning with fury.
“You’ve disgraced the Montgomery name! If you have any respect left for your foster mother, you will go to Senior Montgomery and tell him you’re leaving the family voluntarily! Spare us all from your shame!”
“Aunt Eleanor is right!” Sophia chimed in, her voice trembling with rage. “I’ll expose you to the world! Your reputation will be ruined! You should disappear now before you tarnish the Montgomery legacy forever!”
“Expose me?” Isabella let out a cold, dismissive laugh. “Go ahead. Be my guest.” Her tone was unyielding, filled with defiant confidence.
Victoria hated this version of Isabella—proud, stubborn, and utterly uncontrollable. How could a mere mistress act so arrogantly?
No.3
Just then, Victoria noticed paparazzi lurking outside the boutique, their cameras aimed discreetly through the window. An idea sparked in her mind. She stepped forward and gently grasped Isabella’s arm.
“Sister, Mother and Sophia only want what’s best for you. If you made a mistake, just apologize. Or if you’re in trouble, tell us. We’ll forgive you.”
“Forgive me?” Isabella’s eyes narrowed. “You don’t have the right to forgive anyone. Get your hands off me!” She jerked her arm away forcefully.
“Ah!” Victoria stumbled backward, crashing into a glass display counter.
The counter shattered instantly, scattering shards of glass across the floor. Victoria fell hard, crying out as a piece of glass sliced deep into her palm.
“Victoria!” Two voices shouted in unison—Eleanor and Alexander.
Alexander rushed to her side, his face pale with worry. “Victoria, you’re bleeding!” he exclaimed, helping her up.
“I’m fine, really,” Victoria whispered, clutching his sleeve. “It was an accident. Isabella didn’t mean to push me. Please don’t blame her.”
Alexander’s handsome features twisted into a mask of cold anger. He turned his glare toward Isabella. “Isabella! Your sister was trying to help you! How could you be so cruel? You’re nothing but a heartless viper!”
No.4
“You wretched girl!” Eleanor snarled, her eyes burning with hatred. “How dare you hurt my daughter? Don’t you know she needs her hands to play the piano? Who do you think you are, laying a finger on Victoria?”
Isabella had long grown accustomed to Eleanor's venomous glare over the years. This woman was completely bewitched by Victoria. Even if she discovered Victoria was adopted, she would still take her side.
Speaking to them felt utterly exhausting. Isabella issued a cold command. "Security. Escort them out immediately."
The guards originally meant to remove Isabella now approached Sophia and her group instead.
Sophia cradled her dislocated arm, the white-hot pain still searing. She snarled through clenched teeth. "Don't you dare act so superior, Isabella! I refuse to spend another second in this pathetic store. It's beneath me! Just you wait. This afternoon, I'll expose your true hideous face to the world. Your reputation will be utterly destroyed!"
Sophia refused to let the guards touch her. She struggled to walk out on her own. Alexander and Julian supported Victoria. They shot Isabella looks of pure, unadulterated hatred. Victoria held herself like a regal white swan, the cherished princess. Though she secretly threw a filthy glance at Isabella.
So what if she owned a diamond store? Isabella still lost to her! Alexander was hers. Eleanor was hers. Even the Montgomery family was hers!
Suddenly... "Wait." Isabella's clear voice cut through the tension.
Alexander and the others instinctively halted, turning to look at her. They were visibly startled.
No.5
"Please settle the bill for the shattered gold-plated display case. The total is three hundred thousand dollars."
Isabella casually took a card machine, shaking it before them nonchalantly.
Sophia, Eleanor, Alexander, and Victoria were completely dumbfounded.
Their eyes burned crimson with rage. Eleanor, harboring the deepest grudge, snapped. "How utterly shameless, Isabella! After all these years leaching off the Montgomery family's resources, you have the audacity to demand money? And three hundred thousand at that?!"
"Fine. Here's your three hundred thousand! But tonight, you will return to the Montgomery estate and repay every cent you've ever used!"
Eleanor produced a card and flung it at Isabella.
Isabella picked up the card and threw it directly back at Eleanor. "Unfortunately, the display case was broken by Victoria. I will only accept payment from her."
Victoria's face flushed red with fury. Her hand was already injured. Now she had to pay Isabella 300,000? Isabella wasn't giving her a moment's respite!
She desperately wanted to kill Isabella on the spot. But she quickly composed herself, remembering the paparazzi outside and her plans. She swallowed her rage, adopting a soothing tone.
No.6
"Mother, Sister is right," she murmured. "I broke it, so I should pay for it." She pulled out a card, though her eyes still blazed with anger. She would make Isabella pay dearly for this arrogance and this ridiculous 300,000 'damage'.
After swiping the card, Isabella tossed it back to her. "You may leave now."
The four of them stormed out of the store, fumes practically visible above their heads.
As they exited, Sophia yelled back. "Just you wait, Isabella! Tune in to the press conference at three o'clock today. I want to see you beg for mercy!"
Isabella's lips curved into a smirk. Cry? Oh, someone would definitely be crying.
She then scanned the store. "Why is everyone just standing around? Clean this place up. Now."
"Yes, Miss Montgomery," the staff replied in unison, immediately starting the cleanup.
Isabella was shameless, but they were still employees. They needed these jobs.
The general manager feigned innocence, pretending to join the cleanup effort.
No.7
"You're fired!" Isabella snapped.
In less than an hour, Twitter was flooded with trending hashtags.
#IsabellaMontgomery-owner#Isabella-attacks-Victoria#Isabella-pushes-Victoria#Isabella-abuses-foster-mother
These were the hottest discussion topics. It was blatantly obvious they were orchestrated to attack Isabella. Netizens happily joined the fray, eager for the drama.
[OMG! She's been fully exposed! How can she still be so arrogant?!]
[If it weren't for Eleanor Kensington, she would have died years ago! How dare she treat her mother like that?]
Isabella had long grown accustomed to Eleanor's venomous stares over the years. This woman was completely devoted to Victoria. Even knowing Victoria was adopted wouldn't change her allegiance.
Dealing with them felt utterly exhausting. Isabella issued a cold command. "Security. Escort them out immediately."
The guards originally meant to remove Isabella now approached Sophia and her group instead.