Chapter 39 Waiting for Her to Kneel
In just a moment, Benjamin felt a chill run through his entire body.
What... what was going on?
Why would a girl have such a terrifying presence?
That scene just now must have been fake.
Benjamin frowned hard, forcing himself to pull it together.
A girl who looked so fragile—how could she possibly have beaten Brian up like that?
He didn't believe it.
"You're asking for it!"
Benjamin clenched his fist and swung it toward Isabella's face.
Isabella grabbed his hand, pulled it behind him, and dislocated his arm in one move. Then her elbow slammed hard into his head.
Benjamin immediately spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva.
Isabella landed several brutal punches to his stomach, grabbed him by the waist, and shoved him forward.
Benjamin's back hit the wall. He coughed up blood and went completely still.
The empty street fell silent once again.
Isabella calmly took the item off her back, opened the outer wooden case, and took out the autoharp inside, placing it on the ground.
She felt around the space beneath the strings and, sure enough, found a knob on the left side. After turning it twice, a wooden piece popped out. Isabella pulled it out, glanced at the content on it, then took out a silver-gray lighter from her pocket and lit the piece on fire.
Watching the wood burn down to just a corner between her fingers, Isabella gently blew out the remaining flame, tossed the autoharp beside Benjamin, and walked away.
Second floor of the café across the street.
William quietly watched Isabella's figure disappear into the distance before looking away.
He frowned and let out a helpless sigh. His slender fingers reached into his suit jacket pocket, pulled out his phone, and made a call.
"The intersection of Willow Street and Laurel Street, surveillance footage from 6:10 to 6:30—destroy it."
——
Two hours later.
Isabella stood in front of the Taylor Villa.
Just as she reached the entrance, the door opened from inside.
Standing at the door was the gatekeeper, Owen.
He had a rather stern face. When he saw Isabella, his eyes were judgmental and somewhat disgusted. "Ms. Isabella Taylor, you actually know to come back?"
Isabella looked up at him. "What's wrong?"
She remembered that in her previous life, this Owen had been very hostile toward her with a terrible attitude.
Though she rarely ran into him normally, so she hadn't thought much of it.
"You have the nerve to ask what's wrong?" Owen said harshly. "The Baker Family came today and nearly called off the engagement with Ms. Bianca Taylor!"
Isabella narrowed her eyes. "Nearly?"
Owen looked at her coldly. "Mr. Baker is deeply in love with Ms. Bianca Taylor. He knelt before his father and begged, saying he would marry no one but Miss Bianca in this lifetime. The Baker Family only has this one son, so they had no choice but to decide not to cancel the engagement for now."
He continued, "Mrs. Taylor said that since you've caused such big trouble for the family and left so willfully, tonight you either kneel at the door to reflect on your mistakes, or don't come home at all. Whatever happens to you out there has nothing to do with the Taylor Family!"
With that, Owen shut the door right in her face.
Olivia had said that this Isabella had been far too arrogant lately.
She needed to be taught a lesson.
Owen agreed completely. A nobody who grew up outside the family—bringing her back was already generous enough. Yet she had the audacity to publicly reveal the truth about her identity. Wasn't she just trying to replace Bianca?
Bianca was so well-mannered and excellent in every way. How could she possibly compare to some girl from the countryside?
Owen looked at Isabella with displeasure, waiting for her to kneel.
Isabella turned and walked away.
Owen: "?"
She just left?
While he stood there stunned, Isabella had already walked farther and farther away, as if she really didn't plan to come in.
Owen snapped back to reality, anxiously opened the door, and called out to Isabella's retreating figure, "Ms. Isabella Taylor, where are you going?"
"Mrs. Taylor is waiting for you inside. She said as long as you kneel and reflect for one hour and recognize your mistakes, you can come home!"
For such a serious mistake, kneeling for just one hour was already a light punishment.
What reason did Isabella have not to accept?
Isabella didn't look back. "Tell Mrs. Taylor I don't have time to play this boring kneeling game with her anymore."
Owen froze on the spot.
Things were developing completely differently from what he'd expected. His mind went blank for a moment, not knowing how to react.
By the time Owen came to his senses, Isabella had already disappeared from view.
Owen slapped his thigh and rushed back inside, his voice unable to hide his panic. "Mrs. Taylor! This is bad! Ms. Isabella Taylor is gone!"
In the living room, Olivia sat on the sofa, her expression very unpleasant.
The coffee in her hand had lost all its flavor.
She set down her cup and was about to stand when the door was pushed open from outside.
The gatekeeper Owen appeared, looking panicked. "Mrs. Taylor! Ms. Isabella Taylor, she..."
"She admitted her mistake?" Olivia instinctively looked up.
Owen quickly shook his head.
"Didn't I say? If she doesn't admit her mistake, she can't come back!"
Owen wiped the sweat from his forehead, very anxious. "No, Ms. Isabella Taylor left!"
Olivia froze. "What?"
Left?
How could that be?
Hayden was still waiting for her in the study!
Olivia stood up abruptly. "What are you standing there for? Go bring her back right now!"
Making Isabella kneel wasn't Hayden's idea—it was entirely her own.
She just couldn't stand Isabella's reckless and unrepentant attitude, so she'd instructed Owen to do this.
She'd originally thought that in order to come home, Isabella would obediently kneel.
She never expected her to just run off!
Olivia was absolutely furious.