Chapter 171

The office atmosphere was tense.

Isabella wished she could disappear into the floor.

What was Michael doing? Was he trying to cause trouble?

They had been having a perfectly normal work discussion, and she had warned him repeatedly not to pull anything—yet he chose this exact moment to wrap his arms around her.

This was an office, not a place for him to mess around.

Isabella's face burned with embarrassment.

Michael, on the other hand, didn't care at all. He got even bolder, his long fingers wandering over her in a way that made everything obvious to anyone watching. They were all adults—no one needed to guess what was going on.

Isabella grew even more furious. She suddenly realized just how shameless Michael really was.

She stood up abruptly, her face flushed red, "Let's talk another time. I'm heading out."

Without even waiting for Eric to say a word, Isabella walked out first.

Michael stayed where he was, staring across the table with a provocative look, "We're both men. I know exactly what's on your mind. Let me make this clear—Isabella is mine. I don't let anyone take what's mine. You know what I'm capable of."

Eric paused, then shook his head with a helpless sigh, "I don't know exactly what happened between you two, but I'll say this—money can't buy everything. And if it could, you wouldn't have had to follow her here, would you?"

The whole thing had caused quite a stir back then. With just a little digging, he had managed to find out enough.

That was exactly why he felt so sorry for Isabella.

A woman of her standing, throwing away her pride to follow a man—and what did she get in return? Nothing. Not only did her family go bankrupt, but she was left with absolutely nothing.

It was hard to imagine how the bright-eyed, romantic Isabella from back then had become the sharp, no-nonsense woman she was today. What had she been through?

Eric cleared his throat, his voice softening with concern, "If you truly love someone, you should be trying to make them happy—not forcing your will on them. Maybe you should look into what actually happened over these past few years."

Michael flew into a rage and shot to his feet, "What does any of this have to do with you? Mind your own business. If I catch you sticking your nose in, don't blame me for what happens."

He had been hit where it hurt. He turned and stormed out.

Isabella was already gone—he had no idea where.

He ran a frustrated hand through his hair, drove straight home, and found she hadn't come back. He let out a long sigh and sent her a message.

Meanwhile.

Isabella had gone to Stella's place.

Still fuming, she recounted everything that had just happened.

Stella was outraged, but there was nothing she could do, "Isabella, I know you're hurting right now. But life goes on, doesn't it? And if you really want your parents to come back home, the Johnson family is a wall you have to get past. Otherwise, even if they do come back, the Johnsons will keep making things difficult."

If the family was ever going to be together again, Michael was the first obstacle she had to deal with.

No matter what happened, no one could afford to make enemies of the Johnson family.

Isabella collapsed onto the bed, a single tear sliding down the corner of her eye, "I know all that. That's exactly why I haven't walked away. I just don't want to go back tonight. Can I stay here?"

"Of course. Stay as long as you want."

Stella didn't hesitate—she made up the bed and grabbed a fresh blanket. But seeing Isabella still so weighed down, she couldn't help but ache for her.

Neither of them said much after that. Instead, they did what they used to do—lay side by side, watching movies and talking about nothing in particular.

Before they knew it, the movie was almost over.

On screen, the couple was living happily ever after.

Isabella's lips curved into a bitter smile, "They look so happy together on the surface. But every romance drama ends at the wedding. What comes after is just the messy reality of everyday life."

Even the deepest love can't survive the wear and tear of time.

In this world, a love as pure as her parents' was incredibly rare.

So many couples end up resenting each other after marriage, growing tired of one another, and eventually divorcing.

The ones who stay genuinely happy together are few and far between.

Stella opened her mouth, but said nothing.

The night grew darker, and soon they both drifted off to sleep.

Early the next morning.

When Isabella arrived at the office, she noticed a lot of strange looks being thrown her way. She didn't let it bother her and went straight to work.

But when she walked into the break room to get some water, she heard voices—and her body went still for a moment.

"You see? Isabella acts like she got where she is on her own merits, but she's just another woman who uses men to get ahead. And she's living with her ex-husband, of all things. Disgusting."

"Exactly. She plays the hero online, acting like she's fighting for justice for her friend. It's all just a performance—a way to get men to notice her."

"Women like that have no shame. The one I really feel bad for is Kade. He's been with this company for years, and then some newcomer who's barely been here a few months swoops in and takes the big project. Kade, don't worry—we all know how talented you are. We believe in you."

Kade Bailey, basking in the praise, let out a dismissive laugh, "Oh, I know exactly what I'm worth. Isabella might look professional, but her work is full of holes. She just got back from abroad—she has no idea how things work here."

"She's just another woman who slept her way to the top. I've never taken her seriously. But you all should watch your backs—she's a schemer. I'm in a leadership position now, so one more project or one less doesn't make much difference to me. But for you guys, she's your competition. Be careful."

With the company's workload suddenly surging, everyone should have been swamped.

Yet here they were, huddled together talking trash.

Isabella took a slow, deep breath. Unlike someone weaker who might have quietly backed away, she deliberately made noise as she walked in.

The moment she stepped into the break room, the room went dead silent.

The people who had just been talking about her looked visibly uncomfortable—especially Kade.

He had been with the company long enough to know his own abilities clearly. That was exactly why, when Isabella had taken on the project, he hadn't said a single word.

Getting caught bad-mouthing someone was just embarrassing.

Isabella's expression didn't change. She glanced around the room, filling her cup as she spoke, "Don't you all have work to do? If I remember correctly, the projects we just took on are pretty complicated. Be careful—mistakes get people fired."