Chapter 71: Revenge for Her

Ethan's POV

I frowned when I noticed the tears glistening in Isabella's eyes. I had been waiting for her to speak to me on her own, but I never expected it would be because she was scared to tears.

"Here," I immediately released her and pulled a handkerchief from my pocket, my voice involuntarily softening, "Don't cry. Tears will ruin your beautiful makeup."

She quickly took the handkerchief and lowered her head to gently dab her eyes. Watching her like this made my chest tighten. Despite knowing what that bastard had done to her, I let Joshua approach her. Just to get her to talk to me, I actually stood by and watched her get frightened like this.

I was a complete bastard.

The host's voice pulled me back from my self-reproach. "Our final award tonight, Breakthrough Designer of the Year. The winner is Isabella Monroe. Let's welcome Ms. Monroe to the stage."

Applause filled the room. I looked at Isabella, whose expression changed from fighting back tears to complete shock. Her lips parted slightly, her eyes filled with disbelief. Her helpless, bewildered look struck me as somewhat endearing.

As she slowly walked toward the stage, whispered speculations reached my ears from around us. However, these mundane opinions meant nothing to me.

My gaze followed Isabella steadily, watching her stand on stage, frantically searching for a point of stability until she found me. I raised an eyebrow slightly, giving her a reassuring look.

"Thank you. I'll continue to work hard," she said briefly before hurrying off stage, exactly as I'd expected. She was never one to seek the spotlight.

As the event was ending, a group of designers and executives surrounded me, eagerly inquiring about Horizon's next plans. I responded halfheartedly, my eyes scanning the crowd for Isabella. She was also surrounded by people, but I could tell she was uncomfortable.

Isabella slipped away from the crowd during a lull. She moved quickly, glancing back occasionally, clearly still afraid of that bastard Joshua. It was my fault for pretending to make a deal with him, frightening her like this. Seeing her so afraid made my chest tighten again.

I gave James a look, and he immediately understood. By the time Isabella reached the hotel entrance, our car was already waiting for her.

The Bentley stopped smoothly in front of her. I lowered the window, just in time to see her startled, her body trembling slightly.

"Get in," I tried to make my voice sound gentle.

Her expression immediately became guarded, her fists unconsciously clenching at her sides. "What exactly do you want?"

I didn't answer immediately, not to make her worry more, but to consider how to make her let down her guard. James got out to open the back door for her.

"Ms. Monroe, please get in," he said respectfully.

Doubt flashed in Isabella's eyes as she looked between James and me. I could see what she was thinking, wondering if I was really going to take her to Joshua's place. She took a step back, her face filled with fear.

"Ms. Monroe, please don't worry," James explained, "Mr. Black is taking you to a construction site, not to Mr. Thomas's residence."

"What construction site?" Her voice carried obvious distrust.

"Your next design project," I answered simply, hoping this excuse would reassure her.

I watched the subtle changes in her expression, knowing she was weighing the pros and cons. She came to Manhattan to make money, for her grandmother in Georgia, and I could provide that opportunity.

Finally, she reluctantly got into the car, sitting as far away from me as possible, saying nothing and just staring down at her trophy.

I observed her discreetly, her subtle makeup making her even more captivating. Only that dress was irritatingly eye-catching. Just thinking it was Julian's doing made an inexplicable irritation rise in my chest.

"Isabella, name your price," I suddenly broke the silence.

She jerked her head up, her face pale, body pressed against the door. "What price?"

Her reaction made my heart sink. She actually thought I would make the same kind of indecent proposition as Joshua.

"What are you afraid of?" I asked, knowing full well.

"Let me out, or I'm calling the police," she threatened, her voice trembling.

A bitter smile tugged at the corner of my mouth. In her mind, I would always be the cruel, heartless enemy. No matter what I did, that wouldn't change. This realization filled me with an indescribable sense of loss, but I quickly suppressed it.

"I meant your design fee," I explained, "You're now a renowned designer. Shouldn't your rates increase with your rising status?"

Watching her face transform from fear to confusion, then to sudden realization with a fleeting embarrassment, I suddenly found it interesting.

"Thank you, Ethan," she said softly.

When she called my name, her tone was unusually free of the wariness and resistance it usually carried. This stirred an unusual excitement in me. I deliberately looked out the window, consciously hiding the urge to smile.

Thirty minutes later, we arrived at the construction site, and Isabella looked around curiously.

"You want me to design condominiums?" she asked, her wariness noticeably diminished.

I shook my head and pointed upward. "Look up there..."

She followed my gesture, squinting in the bright light. "What is that?"

"James, lower it," I commanded, with hidden anticipation in my voice.

James spoke into his radio, and the massive crane began to slowly descend. As the suspended shape became clearer, Isabella gasped.

The crane stopped at the fifth-floor height, and Isabella's body visibly trembled when she recognized it was Joshua.

"Ethan... please... don't do this!" Joshua's voice was distorted with fear, "Someone will get killed! Please, stop!"

Seeing him so wretched, a cold satisfaction welled up inside me. This man who had ruthlessly tormented Isabella, who had caused her mental breakdown, was now tasting the flavor of fear himself.

"Isabella," I turned to her, my voice calm but firm, "Just say the word, and I'll make him shatter into pieces today."

She grabbed my sleeve, her eyes filled with panic. "No, don't kill anyone!"

"Have you forgotten how he tortured you?" I asked.

She nodded and shook her head frantically, clearly conflicted inside.

"When I hurt you, you watched me fall off a cliff without helping," I said, my voice calm but with a barely perceptible note of disappointment, "Now you can't bear to see him die?"

"Ethan," she looked directly into my eyes, "If he fell accidentally, I wouldn't save him or feel sorry for him. But if you kill him, while his death means nothing, you would pay with your life. You can't kill someone. You can't destroy yourself like this."

Looking at the concern in her eyes, I felt momentarily dazed. So she was worried about me? This realization made my heart warm slightly, an indescribable feeling of warmth emerging quietly.

"James, release him," I commanded.

"No! Don't kill anyone!" Isabella shouted, misunderstanding my intention.

I grasped her wrist and led her forward. If I were avenging my sister Olivia, she would be ecstatic, but Isabella was concerned about my situation and the consequences.

We walked to the end of the crane area, where Joshua was suspended over an open waste treatment pool. The stench was overwhelming, but it didn't affect my enjoyment of the fear on Joshua's face at all.

"Ethan, don't... don't do this," he stammered, cold sweat soaking through his shirt, "I'm the only Thomas heir. If anything happens to me, my father will never let you get away with it."

James placed a large travel bag at our feet and unzipped it, revealing various tools—barbed whips, electric prods, iron rods, hooks, and spiked clubs. These were the exact tools Joshua had once used on his victims.

Seeing these, Joshua trembled all over, all his arrogance and confidence completely gone.

"Didn't you want to play with us?" I smiled, though my eyes remained cold, "This is how we play. Since you were so eager to join, make sure you enjoy it properly."