Chapter 102
After returning from Muisvedo, Isabella made her way to the Montgomery estate to bid farewell to Olivia.
The moment Olivia heard the news, her eyes widened in shock.
“You’re leaving, Isabella? I can’t believe this!” she exclaimed, her voice trembling. “My home is enormous—there’s more than enough space for you here!” Tears welled up in Olivia’s eyes at the thought of Isabella moving away.
“What am I supposed to do without you? I’ll worry myself sick!” she continued, clutching Isabella’s hands. “As long as you stay within the Montgomery territory, no one would dare lay a finger on you. And besides… I’ll miss you terribly.”
Isabella hadn’t anticipated such an emotional reaction. A small, helpless smile tugged at her lips.
“You know we’re both swamped with work,” she said gently. “Your father drags you to the company every single day, and I need to be closer to Muisvedo to handle the server repairs. Moving just makes sense.”
Seeing Olivia about to protest again, Isabella reached out and ruffled her hair affectionately.
“Relax. I’ll drop by whenever I have free time.”
Olivia, who knew Isabella better than anyone, understood that once her mind was made up, there was no changing it. With a defeated sigh, she pulled Isabella into a tight hug.
“Fine. But promise me this—if anything dangerous happens, you call me immediately.”
Isabella chuckled and nodded. “Of course.”
But the very next morning, her phone rang—Ethan’s name flashing across the screen. Frowning, she wondered if he was calling to request more medicine for Eleanor. Suspicion prickled at her as she answered, only to hear Eleanor’s voice on the other end.
“Isabella, I didn’t want to disturb you, but William’s condition has worsened. He’s coughing up blood now. The private doctor is with him, but he keeps asking for you. Every time he sees Ethan, he only gets worse. I had no choice but to call.”
Isabella froze, the words hitting her like a physical blow. William had always treated her with such warmth, as if she were his own granddaughter. Without family of her own, that bond meant everything to her.
Without hesitation, Isabella grabbed her things and bolted down the stairs. She arrived at the Blackwood estate in record time.
But when she stepped into the living room, only Eleanor and Ethan were waiting for her.
“You’re finally here, Isabella,” Eleanor said with a strained smile. She looked worse for wear—pale, exhausted, clearly suffering from one of her debilitating migraines. The way she stood to greet Isabella, with the deference of an elder, was almost touching.
Ethan, on the other hand, looked like he’d bitten into something sour. He’d spent the previous night trapped in Muisvedo’s dark, mosquito-infested warehouse, and the relentless itching had robbed him of sleep. Seeing Isabella now was the last thing he wanted.
Isabella, long accustomed to their theatrics, had no patience for pleasantries.
“Where’s William?” she demanded, cutting straight to the point.
Eleanor forced another smile. “I know you care for him, but he’s already been transferred to a high-level facility on Etron. There’s no need to worry.”
“But you said on the phone that a private doctor was treating him here—”
In that instant, realization struck. A wave of disgust crashed over her.
It was all a trap.
She hadn’t imagined they would stoop so low as to use William against her.
Her expression darkened, and she turned to leave, but Eleanor lunged forward, seizing her arm with trembling hands. Tears shimmered in her eyes as she clutched her head in pain.
“Isabella, I know I haven’t been perfect with you, but these past three years, I’ve tried. I didn’t take you to all the important events. I didn’t ensure you had every luxury item the moment it released. But I’ve always treated you like my own daughter. You know you’re far more capable than that girl, Sophia. I had my reasons for everything, and I understand if you resent me, but—”
Isabella had seen this act too many times. Eleanor’s performance was no different from Sophia’s manipulative games.
Coldly, she shook off Eleanor’s grip.
“Why tell me this now? We settled everything the day I divorced Ethan. Your daughter-in-law is Sophia, not me.”
Eleanor’s face tightened at the mention of Sophia, a flicker of anger flashing beneath the surface. If it hadn’t been for Sophia’s interference, none of this would have happened.
Still, Eleanor didn’t give up.
“All I ask is that you use your connections to help me secure more medicine. I’ll make sure you’re well compensated. You won’t lose out—”
