Chapter 238: No Escape Even If She Leaves
Isabella had just climbed the stairs with Olivia in her arms when she spotted Daphne standing at her door, about to knock.
"You're back?" Isabella's face lit up with surprise and delight.
Daphne had mentioned earlier that she'd burned through all her vacation days and was heading to her family's countryside home to rest. Isabella hadn't been able to reach her—just the occasional text message coming through.
"The countryside's perfect for unwinding, but the signal's terrible. I kept missing all your messages," Daphne said with a smile, reaching out toward Olivia. "How long has it been? I swear Olivia's gotten taller already."
"Kids grow fast," Isabella said warmly.
Once inside, standing in better light, Daphne studied Olivia more carefully before turning to Isabella with concern. "Why are Olivia's eyes so red? What happened?"
Richard entered behind them with Julia in tow and greeted Daphne. "We just came from William's place."
"I thought the Montagus adored Olivia. What did they do to her?" Daphne's voice sharpened.
Julia piped up indignantly, her small face scrunched with anger. "Mrs. Montagu is the worst! She had someone pick Olivia up from preschool without even telling Isabella! Even when the police showed up, she wouldn't let Olivia come home. We had to fight like crazy just to get her back!"
Although she was only six months older than Olivia, Julia was remarkably articulate, her words tumbling out with impressive clarity.
Daphne pieced together what had happened, her expression shifting to alarm. "My God. Sophia actually stooped that low? William's the one who won't leave you alone, but she's acting like you're the one chasing him!"
She rolled her eyes, then her face grew serious as the full weight of the situation sank in. The Montagus could take the children anytime they wanted—whisk them away without a trace. For any parent, it was a nightmare scenario.
Daphne squeezed Isabella's hand tightly. "What if I help arrange something? We could transfer Olivia to a different school—maybe another city, or even abroad."
Between her salary and her racing winnings, Isabella had accumulated substantial savings. She could afford to relocate with Olivia and start fresh somewhere else.
Isabella shook her head firmly. "Running won't solve anything. They'd just hunt us down. Besides, I've got my hands full at Infinity Ventures, and the racing team just relocated here. I can't leave Seaside City right now."
At first she hadn't wanted to leave. Now she couldn't.
The doorbell rang. Daphne flinched. "Please don't tell me they're back."
Compared to the Montagus' resources, Isabella was just an ordinary person—powerless against their influence.
Richard rose and checked the peephole before opening the door with visible relief.
"Well, well, Mr. Spencer! Fancy seeing you here!" Joseph breezed in carrying several bags, his face brightening at the sight of Richard.
Zack had progressed from his wheelchair to crutches. Though still somewhat unsteady, he managed to walk with Samantha's support.
"You must be the famous Daphne Isabella's told us about. Great to finally meet you," Joseph said, his demeanor noticeably more mature than before.
Daphne had heard about them as well and stood to exchange polite handshakes.
"It's been ages since we all got together! I brought Samantha and Zack along for a reunion." Joseph enthusiastically unpacked his bags onto the table. "Beer for us, juice for Olivia." He produced a small box with a flourish and set it in front of the little girl. "Guess what I brought you!"
"Chocolate?" Olivia's tone was listless, but she made an effort to guess.
"Exactly! Your favorite—a special reward just for you."
Even faced with her beloved treat, Olivia remained subdued. She accepted the box and murmured a halfhearted thank-you.
Joseph noticed her lack of enthusiasm and crouched down to her level. "Who upset our little princess? Tell me and I'll set them straight!"
Olivia remained silent. Isabella pressed her lips together.
Joseph turned to Daphne. "You got here first—you must know what happened. Isabella didn't scold her, did she?"
Isabella was an exceptionally patient mother. Joseph had never once heard her raise her voice to Olivia, let alone discipline her harshly. She'd have to commit some serious offense to warrant a scolding, and what could a five-year-old possibly do that was that bad?
Daphne sighed and recounted everything she'd just learned.
"This isn't the first time Sophia's pulled this controlling stunt in front of outsiders. They're about to get divorced, for God's sake! I just don't understand why they're hell-bent on destroying Isabella. What do they possibly gain from this?"
All Sophia wanted was to force William to marry Laura. Did she really need to go to such extremes? Especially when she knew perfectly well that William didn't respond to threats.
Samantha's expression darkened. None of them had imagined that a grandmother would use her own grandchildren as leverage—sacrificing their wellbeing just to manipulate William.
"Does the Montagu family have a single normal person?" Joseph burst out. "Why the hell should Olivia suffer because of their dysfunction? If they're willing to treat a child like this just because William won't marry Laura, what comes next? What happens when he refuses again?"
With Sophia's track record, there was no telling how far she'd escalate.
"Sit down and cool off," Samantha said sternly. She was the only one who could rein Joseph in. "Take a breath and listen to what we're saying."
She turned to Isabella with a measured look. "What's done is done. How does throwing a tantrum help anyone?"