Chapter 13 No One's Allowed to Bully My Sister-in-Law!
During their years of marriage, Isabella had devoted herself entirely to caring for the children at home. Very few people in the outside world knew she was William's wife.
She was finally seeing things clearly.
The consequence of repeated tolerance was Laura's ever-expanding ambition. She had now forgotten that she was the one who had destroyed someone else's marriage in the first place.
Most people who could afford to dine at this restaurant were influential figures, and the argument here had drawn their curious gazes.
Their stares made Laura feel as though she'd been stripped naked, exposed bare under the public's scrutiny.
She seemed frightened by Isabella's gaze, pitifully clutching William's arm.
"That's not what I meant. It's all because I'm so terrible with words. I've made Isabella misunderstand again!"
Laura even put on a self-reproaching act.
Richard was quite surprised to hear William's voice and looked at the three of them with astonishment.
The two men were similar in age, both trust fund kids who had built their own companies from scratch. Their relationship was fairly good.
Richard had always known about William's marriage.
However, the Montagu family had kept their daughter-in-law well hidden—even Seaside City's media hadn't uncovered William's wife's identity.
Richard never imagined such a major scandal was brewing beneath the surface!
Being looked at this way by a close friend made William's face turn ashen.
He certainly hadn't expected his friend and wife would end up together!
Isabella had proactively asked for a divorce and even blocked him.
Days of accumulated anger felt like a spring compressed to its limit, finding an outlet and suddenly rebounding to its peak.
William clenched his teeth so hard that his jaw muscles bulged from the effort, "Apologize to Laura!"
His grip was equally forceful, already hurting Isabella.
Hearing William squeeze those words through gritted teeth, the mockery on Isabella's face only deepened.
"Which word did I say wrong just now?"
"We're about to get divorced—we haven't divorced yet. Fine, you can be with this mistress, but you're delusional if you think I'll let my children call her mom." When Nathan was mentioned, Isabella's heart clenched painfully. "If anyone should apologize, it should be her apologizing to me!"
Isabella spoke with solid reasoning, each word landing with conviction.
No matter how much power William wielded or how big this scene became, his adultery during marriage was an undeniable fact.
Isabella didn't believe he could twist the truth like that.
William's eyes were filled with bloodshot veins, his slender fingers gripping Isabella's wrist.
The veins bulged on his thin hands, revealing just how furious his emotions were.
Richard sighed softly. Despite their good relationship, he couldn't blindly take William's side.
"William, that's enough."
Turning to Laura, Richard's tone was no longer gentle.
"As a mistress who destroyed someone else's family, you have no right to be so arrogant and bold in front of someone's wife."
Living in this circle, Richard wasn't ignorant of how wildly the wealthy played.
Adultery and keeping mistresses were perfectly normal occurrences.
There were even more disgusting things that weren't worth mentioning.
Richard was about the same build as William. When the two men stood together, they projected an evenly matched excellence.
From family background to personal ability, down to their obvious good looks.
It was almost dazzling for onlookers.
And now, they were both focused on Isabella as the center of their conflict.
Because of Richard's words, Laura stood there like a jumping clown, extremely embarrassed.
Everyone knew she was a mistress.
People's faces showed disdain, their gazes filled with contempt.
Keeping mistresses might be commonplace, but that didn't mean they considered mistresses respectable.
Especially since the situation had become quite clear just now—anyone with eyes could see that Laura had started the trouble.
William warned Richard, "This is our family business."
The implication was warning Richard not to meddle.
But Richard showed no intention of backing down. A faint smile played at the corners of his lips as he gently placed one hand on William's, prying his fingers off Isabella's wrist one by one.
"Ms. Capulet just said you're going to divorce. Soon you won't be family anymore."
Richard's eyes swept over Laura with faint disdain. Though he said nothing, that single glance was enough to convey everything.
Disgraceful people did disgraceful things.
Richard even seriously reminded William, "If Amara doesn't want you to publicize your marriage status because she's afraid Ms. Capulet's background isn't worthy of you, I think she should find someone else to worry about now."
Compared to Isabella's poised and graceful demeanor, Laura had just acted like a jumping monkey, thinking herself clever while already becoming a laughingstock in everyone's eyes.
The middle-aged man who had caused all this trouble had long since seen the situation going south and fled with his female companion.
Laura had been repeatedly attacked, nearly grinding her teeth to powder in her mouth. Her eyes brimmed with tears that seemed ready to fall at any moment.
"William, I don't care what they say about me, but why should they criticize our relationship?"
Lifting her tear-filled eyes to glance at Isabella, Laura made a shocking statement, "The unloved person is the real destroyer of relationships. I just appeared a little late, but William and I are true love!"
Isabella had to admit that when it came to shamelessness, she could never compete with Laura.
What was this "true love"?
Destroying someone else's family was called true love?
Isabella crossed her arms, now regarding this as entertainment, "If he made three thousand dollars a month, couldn't afford luxury homes or cars, could only live in a rental apartment and ride a bicycle, would you still love him?"
Forget love—Laura would probably have trouble even giving him a second glance.
Isabella suddenly felt that perhaps this was a tribulation the Montagu family was destined to face.
They had been wealthy for too long, so God had deliberately sent Laura to stir their peaceful life into muddy waters.
Perhaps this was the result of Amara treating Isabella like a gold digger and guarding against her for six years.
Having seen enough of the show, Isabella felt disgusted watching William and Laura's lovey-dovey act. She quietly said goodbye to Richard and prepared to leave.
Richard offered, "Let me drive you home."
But William wouldn't allow it, blocking Isabella again with a domineering and firm tone, "Go home by yourself."
He quickly added, "I'm coming to find you tonight."
"We need to talk this through." William enunciated each word.
William's seeking her out was nothing more than wanting to salvage the face he'd lost at the restaurant today.
This childish tactic was so immature that Isabella couldn't even be bothered to acknowledge it.
"I have nothing to say to you, and don't come disturbing me either." Isabella's attitude was dismissive.
A figure in a pink princess dress came running from the side corridor, suddenly inserting herself between Isabella and William. Though small, her presence was commanding.
"No one's allowed to bully my sister-in-law!"
Julia looked up at William and shouted.