Chapter 863 Drowning in Love

Chapter 863 Drowning in Love

Hearing the seriousness in Isabella's tone, Olivia spoke before Atticus could even open his mouth.

"Isabella, if you say something like that again, I'm going to be offended. Have you forgotten that I was Michelle's godmother before she was even born? In my heart, she's my daughter too. How could we ever stand by and do nothing for her?"

Her eyes locked on Isabella's, wounded and indignant, as if the polite distance in Isabella's words had struck her the wrong way.

Atticus nodded in agreement. "Olivia's right. The Wilson Family is your family. We're all one. You're living in your own home—what's this talk about 'taking care' of each other?"

"Exactly. We're family. Don't say things that make it sound otherwise."

Isabella let out a helpless laugh. "Alright, alright, I won't say it again. But there's something else I need to talk to you about."

She drew a breath. "Cinda's been helping me look after Michelle these past weeks, and once I'm back home, I don't think I can manage everything on my own. I was thinking of having Cinda stay with me for a while, at least until Michelle's a bit older and I can take over more myself."

It wasn't just about convenience—both she and Michael had their companies to run, and their days would be swallowed by work. She needed someone she could trust completely.

Olivia's shoulders relaxed; she had thought Isabella was about to drop something far more serious. "Is that all? You do remember that Cinda was hired to look after you in the first place, right? And she's trained in infant nutrition. Right now, both you and Michelle need her. Of course she should go with you."

She glanced toward Atticus. "If you don't take her, Cinda won't be happy, and I doubt Atticus will be either."

Everyone in the family knew the story—Cinda had been brought in after a long search when Isabella was pregnant with her first child. That pregnancy hadn't made it to term, but Cinda had stayed on at the Wilson Villa. Now, with Michelle here, it felt like all the pieces had fallen into place.

To Atticus and the rest of the Wilson brothers, Isabella wasn't just a niece—they loved her as if she were their own daughter. If she hadn't married into the Brown Family, they might have kept her and Michelle under their roof forever.

It was one of the things Olivia admired most about the Wilson brothers: they didn't waste words preaching about family; they proved it through action.

And as for Olivia herself, she and Isabella had been friends for over a decade. Their bond had long since gone beyond friendship—there was no way she'd let Isabella face hardship alone.

Isabella understood perfectly. She squeezed Olivia's hand with a smile. "I was just worried that taking Cinda away might interfere with your… big plans."

Olivia blinked. "Big plans?"

Leaning in, Isabella lowered her voice. "Your daily nutrition regimen. Those supplements Cinda prepares for you every morning—what will you do without her?"

Olivia's cheeks flushed instantly. She darted a glance at Atticus to make sure he hadn't caught on, then shot Isabella a glare. "Do you really have to bring that up now? It's not complicated. Anyone could make it."

Of course, that wasn't the full truth. The real reason she kept Cinda in charge was because she trusted her discretion. Cinda had prepared those tonics for Isabella before, and Olivia knew she wouldn't breathe a word to anyone. Still, after all this time, there had been no results. If not for Isabella's own story, Olivia might have given up on the whole thing.

Isabella's skeptical look made her flush even deeper. Olivia sighed and explained in a low voice, "It's mostly psychological. And it's not like drinking that stuff is the only way to get pregnant. Don't worry about me. I have my own plan."

In truth, she'd been doing her research. She'd once believed that simply increasing the frequency of intimacy would eventually work, but she'd since learned the truth—it all came down to those two or three days each month when the timing was right. She had already calculated her next ovulation window. It was coming next week, and she intended to be ready.

Seeing Olivia's confident expression, Isabella couldn't help but tease her. "Really? And what's this plan of yours? Don't tell me it's something bizarre you found online."

Olivia narrowed her eyes. She could tell Isabella was baiting her, and with Atticus standing right there, she wasn't about to take the risk of saying more. "You'll find out soon enough. For now, just focus on resting and getting your strength back before you think about work. I'll call you from time to time. And as for the rest… just wait for my good news."

By the end, her voice had sunk to a whisper, her cheeks burning with color.

Isabella decided to let her off the hook. She gave Olivia a knowing look, then glanced around the room. "Atticus, where's Thomas? I wanted to say goodbye to Nicole before she leaves."

Nicole had been here for over a month, and now that Thomas had settled his affairs abroad, she suspected the Brooks Family was calling them back. It might have been a short stay, but Isabella had grown fond of her aunt-in-law. It didn't feel right to let her leave without a proper farewell.

Atticus thought for a moment. "I think they just stepped out. Thomas said they'll be leaving by tomorrow night at the latest. If you want to say goodbye in person, you can come by any time tomorrow."

"Alright."

She had just answered when Michael came down the stairs, Michelle in his arms. Cinda followed close behind, carrying their luggage—clearly, Michael had already told her about the move to Elysian Heights Estate.

Before leaving, Michael stepped up to Atticus and bowed deeply, a gesture of gratitude for the care he and Olivia had given Michelle at the hospital.

Atticus didn't move to stop him. He simply watched for a long moment before saying, "Enough of that. In the Wilson Family, you don't need to stand on ceremony. Just take care of Isabella—that's all that matters."

He didn't mention the matter of the share transfer again. The family had already agreed—it was Isabella's decision to make, and not even her uncles had the right to interfere.

Michael straightened, his gaze finding Isabella. A faint smile touched his lips. "I know now exactly how much she means to me. No matter what happens, I won't let anything come between us again."