Chapter 8

Michael leaned in and held her hand, trying to get through to Isabella."Look, Isabella, money's just a tool. When we use it to make life better, it's totally worth it. If I just let it sit in the bank, it's just numbers. It doesn't do anything for us. So, whether the money went to Stella or the Taylor family, it brings us closèr, and that makes me happy. I think it was worth it."

Isabella smirked, "Well, if you throw a few million my way, I'd get close to you too."

Michael chuckled, messing up her hair. "If you were just after money, I wouldn't have to deal with all this..."

Just then, his phone rang, cutting their chat short. His expression grew increasingly grim as he answered it.

Michael quickly ended the call and told the driver to pull over.

"Isabella, something urgent came up. I might be gone for a couple of days.While I'm away..."

"Can I go back to the dorm?" Isabella asked eagerly.

"No, stay put at home and wait for me to come back," Michael refused.

Content that she could still some alone time, Isabella nodded. "Alright, I'll stay home and call you if anything comes up."

Michael paused, then added, "If you need anything, reach out to Robert.Don't stress if you can't get ahold of me."

Isabella nodded earnestly.

Michael's car arrived, and before leaving, he gave Isabella a long, lingering kiss,reluctant to part.

After he left. Isabella tried to act cool about Aidencutting tie with her for money, but inside, she felt empty.

Not wanting to go home yet, she decided to find Olivia and hit the bars.

The driver dropped her off just as Olivia was finishing work.

After a short wait, Olivia appeared. Isabella asked her to join her for drinks.

Olivia knew Isabella wasn't the type to enjoy hanging out at bars.Worried that she might have something on her mind, Olivia suggested they stay in and have a drink at the dorm.

So,they headed to the supermarket.

At the checkout, they realized they couldn't carry it all.

Isabella went to find the driver for help.

As soon as she left, Olivia spotted John with another girl.

John,that jerk,was cheating!

Olivia, furious, decided to step in.

"John, you jerk! You just got married and you're already cheating?" Olivia's loud voice drew attention.

"Married? Seems like you and Isabella aren't that close. Didn't she tell you?Maybe she's too embarrassed to mention the sleazy things she's done,"John sneered.

"Watch your mouth, or I'll sue you for defamation," Olivia shot back.

"Speaking of charges, that bitch Isabella is worse than me," John said sarcastically. "Your so-called friend has been sleeping around with other men. She acts innocent in front of me, refusing to sleep with me, but then she turns around and gets married to someone else."

Olivia couldn't take it anymore. She stepped forward to slap John, but the girl with him grabbed her.

John punched Olivia in the chest, making her crouch in pain.

Despite the pain, Olivia spat out, "John, hitting a woman? Are you even a man? Isabella's lucky she didn't marry you. You'd regret it."

These words only made John angrier. He stepped forward and started beating Olivia.

John spat out. "I knew it! She found another guy because you kept driving a wedge between her and me. You've always looked down on me, haven't you? Now she's married to someone else, and you're happy, right?"

When Isabella and the driver arrived, they saw a crowd at the supermarket entrance.

Not seeing Olivia, Isabella got a bad feeling.

She pushed through the crowd and saw Olivia on the ground,getting beaten by John.

Isabella might look fragile, but only if you didn't push her buttons.

She grabbed a bottle of red wine from the shopping bag, walked up to John, and smashed it on the back of his head.

John felt a sharp pain and reached up to find his hand covered in red liquid. He screamed and slowly collapsed.

Just then, the patrolling police showed up and took them all to the station.

The driver quickly called Michael.

At the police station. John's mom, Layla Scott, was crying and accusing Isabella, demanding justice for John.

Thinking about how John collapsed. Isabella felt a bit scared. She quietly asked the police, "Would it be considered self-defense? If John dies, will we be held responsible?"

Olivia kept apologizing to Isabella, saying she shouldn't have lost her temper and was sorry for causing trouble.

For Isabella, who had just been abandoned by her family, a friend like Olivia was incredibly precious. Olivia didn't blame her for keeping the secret about the change of groom; instead, she even apologized. Isabella felt bad and thought she owed Olivia an apology.

Isabella said, "I'm sorry, Olivia. If I had told you about the wedding incident, this wouldn't have happened."

Olivia shot back, "Isabella, don't blame yourself. I just couldn't stand John's shamelessness and had to hit him!"

Seeing the two girls trying to take the blame, the officer in charge couldn't help but advise, "Girls, don't be so impulsive. Talk it out instead of fighting. You knocked out Mr. Williams. You need to apologize to him and resolve this properly, or you might face detention."

"Apologize to him? I'd rather be detained," Olivia scoffed.

"Officer, can I borrow your phone to make a call? I need to ask for leave,"Olivia asked.

Taking the phone, Olivia dialed and shouted, "Mr. Allen,I need to take leave... No, I have to. I've been detained... For fighting."

Olivia hung up.

The officer looked at her in surprise and laughed, thinking Olivia had a straightforward personality.

"I hit him, and I can apologize. But he also needs to apologize to Olivia-he hit her too," Isabella said.

"Make sure to arrest those two women. They hurt my son. They can't get away with it. I'm getting a lawyer and making them pay," came a familiar voice from the next room.

"It's John's mom, Layla," Isabella said. "Looks like she's determined to go after us."

"So what? It's just detention, right? I'll just consider it a new life experience,

" Olivia said nonchalantly.

Isabella gratefully held Olivia's hand.

Just when they thought they'd spend the night at the station, the officer in charge came back in.

He said, "You've been bailed out. The victim is fine. He fainted because he mistook the wine for blood."

They thanked the officer repeatedly and happily walked out.

No one expected that shortly after they left, a young man in a suit,Eric Allen, rushed in, saying he was there to deliver something to the detained Olivia.