Chapter 1886
No.1
Lillian felt a chill run down her spine. She knew Vivienne had the favor of the elders. But her loyalty was to Boss Blackwood. Betraying him would be a fatal mistake.
“Your silence is telling,” Vivienne hissed. Her voice was laced with venom. “Do you think you will keep your position if this umbrella ‘accidentally’ injures me? Hmm?”
The threat was clear. Lillian’s job hung by a thread.
Lillian’s hands trembled. This job was everything. Her parents had used all their connections to secure it for her. She couldn’t lose it.
Defeated, she whispered the name. “It’s Isabella Montgomery.”
Isabella Montgomery.
Vivienne’s eyes darkened instantly. So it was her.
She had heard the rumors from Seraphina before. She had dismissed them as lies meant to provoke her. She never imagined they held truth.
Isabella was truly with Nathaniel. She was living under his roof.
No.2
It all made sense now. This was why Nathaniel had been so distant. That home-wrecker Isabella had seduced him. The image of Isabella’s flawless, captivating face filled her mind. Pure malice ignited in Vivienne’s gaze.
They got into the waiting car. Her assistant, Cassandra, spoke up. “This Isabella Montgomery is dangerously skilled. You must be cautious. Look at this.” She handed her phone to Vivienne.
The screen displayed blazing headlines that overshadowed major news: ‘Agent Isabella’. A video clip showed Isabella moving with lethal, expert precision. How could a mere adopted daughter from a minor family possess such abilities?
Vivienne’s expression soured further. This news was connected to Genevieve. Genevieve was an old friend. They had maintained contact over the years.
A sudden idea struck Vivienne as she quickly dialed Genevieve’s number. “Gigi, how are you holding up?”
“I’m… managing,” Genevieve’s voice trembled, heavy with sorrow. “Please, just let me be alone right now.”
Vivienne sighed softly. “I know it hurts, but he isn’t worth your tears. I just saw Harrison visiting Arabella—all because she manipulated him with her victim act. Don’t waste another second on a man like that!”
“He… went to see her?” Genevieve’s voice broke, sounding utterly defeated. The line went dead moments later.
She had ended the call.
No.3
A cold, calculating gleam flashed in Vivienne’s eyes. So Isabella thought she could win public favor by saving Arabella? She would regret that decision soon enough. Crushing her company was only the beginning!
Less than an hour later, a new headline exploded across the internet. Genevieve had slit her wrists in her bathtub. This was no publicity stunt—the tub was filled with blood, a horrifying scene. She would have died if her maids hadn’t found her in time.
Photos of an unconscious Genevieve being rushed to the hospital spread like wildfire. Her three-year-old daughter wept uncontrollably, her tiny face streaked with tears as she cried for her mother.
The images went viral instantly.
[I’m so angry I could scream! Gigi deserves so much better! That poor little girl… my heart breaks for her!]
[Scarlet destroyed a beautiful family! I hope that homewrecker rots in hell!]
[Gigi is an actual angel—gentle and kind. Why would Scarlet do something so cruel to her?!]
[Let’s be real, the real villain here is Isabella Montgomery. She never should have saved Scarlet today. If she hadn’t interfered, Scarlet would be dead and Gigi wouldn’t have tried to take her own life.]
[Stop with that nonsense. Our sweet Gigi would never wish death on anyone. She’s just heartbroken by how cruel this world can be. If I were her, I wouldn’t understand why a homewrecker gets to be saved either.]
No.4
[Isabella saved Scarlet and publicly defended her. She’s basically rubbing salt in Gigi’s wounds!]
[That video of her jumping off a building to save Scarlet is everywhere now. It’s so obviously staged for clout!]
[Disgusting! Isabella and Scarlet should both just disappear!]
Netizens quickly turned their rage toward Isabella for saving Arabella, making her the new target of their fury.
But it didn’t end there.
Vivienne tweeted: [Some women will sell their souls for money and attention. What do you actually gain from being a homewrecker? Have some shame!]
Vivienne was celebrated as the nation’s top socialite, often compared to royalty. She attended elite events, held multiple patents, and had built a global reputation through her genius innovations. Her social media following neared a billion.
She was a self-made icon in high society, admired for her accomplishments without relying on family connections. Her influence was immense. With one tweet, industry leaders flocked to support her message.
Seraphina Delacroix retweeted Vivienne’s post and added her own: [Scarlet owes Gigi a public apology! Homewreckers don’t belong in this industry—and neither do the people who enable them! We should never support wrongdoing!]
No.5
Both women were powerful figures with massive followings. Since Arabella was clearly in the wrong, their tweets ignited a firestorm of attacks against her, Isabella, and GoldenPhoenix Company.
Behind the scenes, business partners quietly agreed to sever ties with Isabella. They would rather pay termination fees than be associated with her scandal.
Just like that, GoldenPhoenix and Isabella were thrust into the eye of the storm, with public opinion turning violently against them.
At the Blackwood Estate, Isabella was on a call.
“You don’t need to help me anymore, Isabella,” Arabella’s weak voice came through, heavy with guilt. “Let me go out and confess. Someone like me deserves to die. I can’t drag you and your company down with me.”
“You’ll drag the company down if you die now! Do you have any idea how much GoldenPhoenix has lost because of you? If you truly want to die, at least pay me back seven billion first,” Isabella shot back.
Arabella was stunned by the harsh words. Seven billion… How could she possibly have that kind of money? Supermodels appeared to live glamorous lives, but the reality was different. They spent fortunes on designer gowns and jewelry for every public appearance. While regular people could wear affordable clothes, a supermodel would be crucified online for it. On top of that, Arabella had made significant charitable donations and had given Harrison a substantial amount of money.
She didn’t have seven billion. If she died now, Isabella would suffer a massive financial loss because of her…
Her pride wouldn’t allow that.
No.6
Noting Arabella’s silence, Isabella continued, “Don’t worry. My people are gathering evidence right now. This will be resolved before the Celestial Gala. If you feel guilty, just focus on staying alive until then.”
Arabella gave a quiet sound of acknowledgment before hanging up, still consumed by misery and depression. Netizens were scrutinizing her, Isabella, and GoldenPhoenix relentlessly. The situation was incredibly complex. Could Isabella really turn things around?
It seemed highly unlikely…
Isabella sat by the garden pond, absently picking up a small stone and tossing it into the water. She wasn’t worried about Arabella anymore; she was more preoccupied with her complicated relationship with Nathaniel.
Should she tell him the whole truth? She still hadn’t told him about the pregnancy all those years ago…
Yet, it might not even matter. Nathaniel was so determined and persistent. Why was he so certain about her after such a short time? Everything was moving too fast. Isabella didn’t feel ready for any of it.
Suddenly, a deep red rose appeared in her line of sight. She turned to find Nathaniel standing beside her, having approached without a sound. He offered her the rose with an elegant, refined gesture. “When you can’t decide, let fate decide for you.”
Let fate decide?
Nathaniel began plucking the petals from the rose one by one, mimicking a scene from a romantic movie. What would be left once all the petals were gone?
No.7
Isabella stood up, brushing off her clothes. “I’m not a child. A person should make their own decisions. This is serious. Give me two more months. I’ll give you my answer before our contract ends.”
Nathaniel frowned. Two months felt like an eternity.
Nevertheless…
“Alright. I’ll wait for your answer.”
Since she would be staying at the Blackwood Estate for the next two months, he had plenty of time to win her over.
At that moment, Isabella remembered Vivienne. “Maybe I should move back to Rosewood Manor for a while?” Her eyes met his. “I’d prefer to keep this private for now.”
“Don’t worry. Today was just a coincidence. I wasn’t prepared. When she comes tomorrow, she’ll want to leave immediately.” A subtle glint shone in Nathaniel’s dark eyes.
Isabella frowned. Did that mean he had a plan for tomorrow? Vivienne was notoriously stubborn. How could she be made to back down so easily?
Isabella was deeply curious. She could hardly wait for the next day to arrive.