Chapter 201 She Actually Doesn't Like Zachary?
Isabella won't accept this marriage arrangement?
What right does she have to refuse?
So many women are dying to marry into the Baker family but don't get the chance. Grace came to propose because she saw potential in Isabella, and now Isabella has the nerve to be unhappy about it.
What right does she have to be unhappy?
Grace clutched her chest, nearly fainting.
Olivia quickly steadied her. "Grace, don't get upset. That's not what she meant. I apologize on her behalf."
Then Olivia frowned at Isabella. "What are you doing? Grace genuinely wants our families to unite through marriage. Why are you making a scene?"
She had no idea what Isabella was fussing about.
The Taylor Group was declining, while the Baker family was much stronger than the Taylor family. It was a good thing that the Baker family didn't look down on them and was willing to form this alliance.
Isabella should accept gladly, not reject this marriage.
Hearing Olivia's questioning, Isabella sneered. "Just because she wants this marriage means it has to happen? Does she think their Zachary is some kind of king? I can't refuse him?"
She really couldn't understand why Grace would come to propose when Zachary clearly despised her so much.
Did Zachary know about this? What was he thinking? Wasn't he always devoted only to Bianca?
Olivia clenched her fists. "Isabella! It's your good fortune that the Baker family would consider you..."
"That good fortune would be better given to Bianca."
Isabella turned and walked away.
"You!"
Olivia stared at Isabella's retreating figure, furious.
How could she act like this? If Zachary hadn't decided he didn't want to marry Bianca anymore, how could the engagement have been switched to Isabella?
Was Isabella saying this just to upset her on purpose?
Grace was still there, so Olivia could only suppress her anger and said to Grace, "Grace, don't worry. I'll have a good talk with Isabella later."
Grace clenched her fists, staring hard at the direction Isabella had left.
She never expected Isabella to be so ill-mannered. She really lived up to being raised in the countryside.
She actually didn't like Zachary?
How could she not like Zachary?
"Mrs. Taylor, I'll give your family three days to think about this marriage alliance. Within three days, if you've made up your mind, send me word."
Grace left these words and walked out with a cold expression.
She didn't believe Hayden and Olivia would really refuse this marriage.
Once Isabella married into the Baker family, she could properly discipline her then.
She didn't believe she couldn't whip her into shape.
——
Isabella returned to her room and was about to sit down when she noticed someone had tampered with her nightstand.
She never used the nightstand drawers, so the three layers were always tightly closed, but now the third drawer had been pulled out slightly.
Isabella narrowed her eyes. Without much thought, she knew someone in this house must be after those four gemstones.
The Emberly and Azureus that Sophia gave her at the birthday party were extremely valuable—together worth eighty million dollars. The pink diamond William gave her and Soren's gift weren't cheap either.
These gemstones were probably worth half of the Taylor family's current assets.
Such valuable items would naturally attract greedy eyes.
Isabella had anticipated this, so she'd already asked Jada to help her store those gemstones in Silvergate International Bank. Silvergate International Bank offered private safe deposit box services—you just needed to pay an annual service fee to use them, and keeping precious items there was very safe, with almost no risk of theft.
Isabella closed the drawer and was about to lie down on the bed to rest.
Just then, someone knocked on the door.
"Open up, Isabella."
Olivia stood outside, her expression grim. She really couldn't hold back anymore, which was why she came up to knock.
Isabella always did this—never giving her any face in front of others, making her very embarrassed.
What kind of daughter treats her own mother like this?
"Isabella, do you know how many people want to form a marriage alliance with the Baker family? Just now downstairs you were so cold, you even dared to call Zachary trash. Do you know how rude those words were? Who taught you to talk to people like that? And why is it that every time I talk to you, you won't listen properly and have to argue with me?"
Before Olivia finished speaking, the door was pulled open from inside.
Isabella looked at her coldly, very impatiently. "What are you making a fuss about? I already said I won't marry Zachary. Didn't you understand?"
Olivia froze.
So cold, so impatient.
This was Isabella's attitude toward her?
Olivia frowned deeply. "If you don't marry Zachary, who else could you marry? You look down on even Zachary? Do you think you're a daughter of one of the four great families?"
She didn't understand why Isabella wouldn't marry Zachary. The Baker family already had considerable status—Zachary was more than good enough for Isabella.
This marriage was originally meant for Bianca. If Bianca hadn't made mistakes, it would never have been Isabella's turn.
"Who I marry is none of your business. What does it have to do with you?" Isabella was really exasperated. Why, whether in her past life or this one, did they always try to force her to marry someone she didn't like?
"You!"
Olivia suddenly thought of something and stared at Isabella. "Don't tell me you really do have a boyfriend out there?"
If what Abigail said at the birthday party was true, that would explain why Isabella didn't want to marry Zachary.
Because she already had someone in her heart.
Seeing Isabella remain silent, Olivia's eyes turned red with anger. "You really want to marry some poor man from outside? I won't allow you to do something so disgraceful! That man outside—you need to break up with him immediately!"
"I can't break up with him," Isabella said.
She'd tried. And then the Cox family went bankrupt and the whole family moved abroad.
Olivia was incredulous. "You like that man that much?"
"Think whatever you want."
Isabella couldn't be bothered to explain. She would never tell the Taylor family that her boyfriend was William. Once the Taylor family knew, they would endlessly exploit her to get favors from William.
Sophia and William appearing at the birthday party was already high-profile enough. She didn't want things to get even more complicated.
Isabella was about to close the door, but Olivia grabbed it.
This time Olivia didn't make a scene, just told her, "Whether you marry Zachary isn't up to you. It's all your father's decision. He's the head of this household."
"Where is he now?"
"The study."
"Fine."
Isabella headed straight for the study.
The door wasn't closed. It opened with a push.
Hayden sat upright at his desk, as if he'd been waiting for her all along. Seeing her arrive, a smile crept into his eyes. "Isabella, you're here?"
Isabella couldn't be bothered with his pretense. "Didn't you tell me to come?"
Hayden picked up his teacup and took a leisurely sip, then looked up at her appraisingly. "Isabella, on your birthday, William personally came to celebrate and gave you a gift. Do you communicate with him privately much?"