Chapter 54

Isabella surrendered her body to the hot spring and Michael, her legs tightly wrapped around his waist, rising and falling with him.

Soft moans, like whispers in the nighit, escaped her lips and were lost in the darkness, mingling with the splashing water.

After an unknown amount of time, Michael's desire poured into Isabella's body.

Isabella, like a ragdoll, lay in Michael's arms, falling asleep.

The next morning, Isabella woke up feeling ravenous.

The room was empty except for her; Michael had left at some point.

She sat up, her waist aching like she'd been hit by a truck.

But, surprisingly, there was no discomfort between her legs.

She noticed a bottle of ointment on the bedside table. The label said it was for relieving post-coital discomfort.

Isabella blushed instantly.

Flashes of last night came rushing back.

Her suitcase was next to the bedside table. She tried on outfit after outfit but couldn't hide the passionate marks on her neck. Finally,she settled on a thin long-sleeve shirt and wrapped it around her neck like a scarf.

There was a message from Michael saying he had some matters to attend to and that she could go to the dining hall if she was hungry.

Isabella left the room.

On the way, she saw several couples holding hands.

She thought, 'Looks like Michael's hot spring is pretty popular.How have I never heard of this place before?

Following the signs, she found the dining hall without any trouble.

It was a buffet-style setup with a wide variety of food.

Isabella picked some of her favorite dishes.

A waitress introduced her to the food, "Miss, our steak here is top-notch.The chef has specialized training. You should give it a try."

Isabella politely thanked her and took her breakfast to a seat by the window.

The waitress, Thalia Fairchild, sneered, "Poor people just don't know what s good. I kindly suggested she try our steak to broaden her horizons, but she refused."

"Thalia, don't talk about the guests like that. Everyone has different tastes,"another waitress nearby tried to persuade her.

"Didn't you see she's alone? Single women come here just to find a rich man and sell themselves for a good price. What's with the pretense?"Thalia continued.

Isabella ignored them, eating her meal while enjoying the view outside the window.

It had been night when she arrived, and the fog had made everything blurry and.hard to see.

The morning sunlight had dispersed the fog, revealing the beautiful scenery of Maple Hill Hot Springs.

Being a designer herself, Isabella was particularly interested in the layout of the buildings.

The more she looked, the more she admired the dlesigner of the hot spring.The buildings blended seamlessly with the mountain, retaining their unique features without looking out of place. Various flowers and trees adorned the area, likely offering different views in each season.

In the courtyard in front of the dining hall, short red maples dotted the green trees, and tall trees stood golden and proud.

Isabella was entranced.

"Mr. Diaz and Mrs. Diaz, welcome to have breakfast here!" Thalia shouted in a high-pitched voice, breaking the dining hall's tranquility and interrupting Isabella's thoughts.

Isabella looked up and couldn't help but shake her head in resignation.What a coincidence!

Chris and his female comnpanion from yesterday walked into the dining hall.

Isabella didn't want to interact with them, so she quickly lowered her head and ate her food in large bites.

She regretted it a bit; if she had known she would run into them, she would have finished eating quickly and left.

The woman next to Chris pointed at Isabella and shouted, "Chris, isn't that the woman who asked you to sign yesterday?"

She had been stunned by Isabella's beauty the first time she saw her, so she recognized her immediately today.

Chris looked over and indeed saw Isabella. He was a bit surprised; he hadn't expected Isabella to be so determined as to follow him here.

Chris leered at Isabella and said, "What? Are you here to get my signature

again today? I still say the same thing: sleep with me once,and I'll sign as many times as you want."

Isabella felt a wave of disgust; Chris's blatant gaze made her very uncomfortable.

"Mr. Diaz, you got your revenge yesterday. Let's call it even and move on,"Isabella said, taking a deep breath. "I'll still need your signature on Monday. I hope our companies can work together smoothly."

Chris sneered, "You think we're even? Have you thought about who started all this? If you had just taken the room key, I would've signed ages ago. Your biggest mistake was getting my father involved!"

The woman next to Chris grabbed Isabella's arm, saying, "Ms. Taylor, Mr.Diaz was doing you a favor with that room key. You didn't appreciate it and even cost him his inheritance. How could he not be mad? Just let him vent. He's very skilled; you'll be satisfied."

Remembering how this woman had tricked her into drinking spiked wine,Isabella shook off her hand and stepped back. She sneered, "Mr. Diaz, you mean I need to sleep with you to make things right?"

Chris smirked, "If you serve me well, everything's negotiable. Want to stay at Johnson Group? You'll complete the project smoothly. Want to leave?Pick any position at Global Innovators Inc. Don't want to work? I can even make you Mrs.Diaz."

Isabella laughed coldly. "Mr. Diaz, you flatter me! But what if I refuse?"

"You've come to me, so don't play games," Chris grinned lewdly."But if you want to play, I'll play along."

Chris shouted to the two waitresses, "You two,come over here and grab her for me."

One waitress hesitated, but Thalia rushed over and grabbed Isabella's arm.saying, "Ms. Taylor, since you like to play hard to get,I'l indulge you."

Chris sat down, staring at Isabella like a viper.

Isabella tried to break free from Thalia's grip, and in the struggle,the shirt around her neck fell off.

Chris noticed the hickeys and said with interest, "Ms. Taylor, you've been busy! Whose bed did you end up in, and how many signatures did you get?"

He reached out to touch Isabella's neck, but she dodged and glared at him fiercely.

Chris said, "Interesting. Keep pretending. I like women like you-the more dignified off the bed, the wilder on it. Ms. Taylor, you really suit my taste."

Chris ate the breakfast his companion had brought him, enjoying Isabella's angry expression.

"Mr. Diaz, if you have Ms. Taylor, what about me?" Chris's companion asked,swaying her hips.

Chris replied, "Every woman has her own flavor. You're mine,and so is she. Your personalities are different. Life isn't perfect without each type of woman."

"Mr. Diaz,you're so right. You're practically a philosopher," the woman clapped lightly,flattering Chris.

Isabella was disgusted.

Last night's activities had left her exhausted. She tried several times to break free from Thalia's grip but failed.

"Ms. Taylor, stop wasting your energy. You're lucky to have Mr.Diaz's

favor," Thalia said sarcastically.

"Let go of me!" Isabella said sternly, "You can ask around about who I came with yesterday. I'm not someone you can afford to mess with."

Another waitress came over and whspered to Thalia, "I heard our boss came last night with a female companion. Is it her?"

Thalia laughed and said to Chris, "A small-time hot spring owner can't compare to the president of Global Innovators Inc. Mr. Diaz, if I offend our boss for you, you have to take me in!"

Chris said, "Don't worry. I'll save a spot for you in my bed."

Isabella shouted at Chris, "Mr. Diaz, aren't you afraid of offending the Johnson Group?"

"Would the Johnson Group cancel their cooperation with Global Innovators Inc. over an employee like you? Don't be naive, Ms. Taylor. I still say the same thing: serve me well, and everything will be negotiable. If you don't know what's good for you, don't blame me for forcing you." Then Chris said to his companion and Thalia, "You two, take her to my courtyard, tie her up, and give her some strong drug. I want her to beg me!"