Chapter 163

Chapter 163

Inside the private club.

The early morning hours were the quietest.

Many people who had partied themselves out had already left, while others had simply fallen asleep right there.

Michael had arrived midway through the night. Now he sat quietly in the corner on a leather sofa, gritting his teeth as he stared at his phone.

Joseph noticed and walked over with a smile.

He sat down next to Michael, glanced at the phone, and teased, "Are you some kind of pervert? Why do you have this voyeuristic urge? Besides, she's your woman—you can look at her however you want. Why do you need to peek?"

He was finding it harder and harder to understand Michael these days.

He clearly loved Isabella, clearly wanted to win her back.

Yet look at what he was doing.

He was stupid enough to install surveillance cameras at home.

Not only that, but he came to a place like this, didn't drink, just stared at the surveillance footage without saying a word. Was something wrong with his brain?

Martin and Juan gathered around at that moment.

The two exchanged glances, and hearing Joseph's words, instantly understood what was going on.

"What are you doing here? All melancholy and brooding—it's completely out of character for you. Women, if you're not happy, just move on. You don't lack anything, do you? Especially not women."

Michael was famous for having plenty of options.

Usually, countless people threw themselves at him.

Michael's cold gaze swept over them, then returned to his phone.

He had left home in anger, and it was the middle of the night.

Isabella hadn't called even once. Instead, she just lay in bed sleeping.

When he first left home, he hadn't gone far. He sat in the car downstairs, hoping that as long as Isabella came down, as long as she appeared before him, he would throw everything aside, hold her, and go back home to sleep.

But after waiting a full five minutes, Isabella never appeared.

In extreme anger, he had come here.

After drinking one glass, still angry and unwilling to accept it, he took out his phone and opened the surveillance app.

And what did he see?

Isabella was sleeping soundly in bed.

Normally, he would have enjoyed watching such a scene for quite a while.

Now he had no mood to appreciate it at all.

Only anger.

Isabella didn't care about him at all.

In the past, whenever they fought, no matter what happened, no matter who was right or wrong.

Isabella would call him over and over, even following him around, constantly acting cute and playful, just to make him calm down.

Now? Not only were there no messages, she hadn't come looking for him, and she was sleeping so well.

She really didn't take him seriously at all.

Or had she really stopped loving him?

As Michael realized this, panic spread through his heart.

No way.

How could someone who loves you just stop loving you? That was absolutely impossible.

Yes, that's right.

Loving someone is a lifelong thing. It can't just disappear into thin air.

Michael comforted himself, picking up a bottle and starting to drink.

"Tell me, can a woman who loves a man suddenly stop loving him?"

By the end, his voice trembled in a way even he hadn't noticed.

The others in the room exchanged glances.

Joseph sighed first, "You finally realize this. Do you think everyone is a puppet? That if they love someone, they'll love them forever? Look at why couples break up."

"The love at the beginning was real, but it's also possible that not loving anymore is real too."

"Shut up, you're talking nonsense."

Michael snapped angrily, his eyes bloodshot, "How could that be? Isabella said she would love me forever, that she would never leave me."

"But forever is too long, isn't it? Think about it—if the roles were reversed, if your family had problems, no matter what happened, no matter the reason, and the other person didn't care at all, even kicked you out with nothing, what would you think?"

Seeing Michael about to explode, Joseph shook his head helplessly, "Think about how passionately Isabella loved you back then, and then what happened to her?"

"They betrayed me first."

Michael suddenly became emotional, jumping to his feet and smashing a bottle of red wine heavily on the floor. Veins bulged on his forehead, and he looked like an enraged beast.

Everyone present shrank back.

Only Joseph dared to speak, "So have you investigated what actually happened back then? Besides, if you really loved a woman, how could you allow her to become so miserable?"

"Or is it that because of love, the hate became even stronger? But Isabella's heart has long been broken by you. Think about it—a wealthy young lady who can now face us without changing expression, still smiling, and even when insulted, can handle it calmly. What has she been through all these years?"

Isabella had changed.

The once arrogant and domineering girl had learned to swallow her pride.

Not only that, but she would do anything for work, even willing to act cute and please others just to get a job.

These were things the old Isabella would never have done.

Michael was extremely irritated, "If she doesn't love me, fine. I don't love her either anyway."

"Really? You're sure you don't love her? Then if that's the case, just let her go. Everyone lives their own life, everyone's fine, okay?"

Honestly, they all grew up together. How could there be no feelings at all?

Even though Isabella used to put all her energy into Michael, you had to admit that she had done many things for them along the way.

Since Isabella returned to the country, Joseph had seen many things.

It was because he saw them that he felt sorry for her.

The once-proud Isabella now had to please a man just to survive.

It must be so painful.

Thinking of the brothers and sisters in arranged marriages in his own family, Joseph sighed, "If you really don't love her anymore, don't like her anymore, just let her go."

"If you still love her, then treat her well. Don't repeat the same mistakes."

Right and wrong from back then—no one could say clearly. But now that they'd reunited, Michael should cherish her properly, not dwell on the past.

When there are difficulties, you should face them together.

"Want to know if it's love? It's simple—just see if Isabella can move your heart."

Joseph's words kept circling in his mind. Michael, extremely irritated, grabbed a cigarette and walked outside.

The remaining people looked at each other.

Martin pursed his lips and rolled his eyes, "Are you helping Isabella now? You know how much happened back then. Are you trying to throw your friend into the fire?"