Chapter 419 Typical Selfishness
"So this is why you were so eager to get me back?" Isabella looked at him coldly.
"Not entirely," Chase said. "We were worried about your safety out there. I heard the Northern Ice Empire has some security issues, with fights breaking out frequently, so we hoped you'd be safer here."
"Are you done with your act?" Isabella curled her lip in disgust. "How disgusting. I didn't realize you could put on an even better show than Bianca."
Chase's face darkened at her words, somewhat displeased. "What am I pretending?"
"Shouldn't you hand over the shares to me?" Chase looked at her seriously. "I'm your older brother. I've always been managing the Taylor Group. What use are the shares in your hands? Can you make the company more valuable?"
Chase felt Isabella was still young and should just enjoy being a rich girl. He naturally wouldn't shortchange Isabella on food, clothing, or expenses—he'd give her endless money to spend. But company matters were something Isabella really didn't need to touch.
"Forget it. I won't give the Taylor Group shares to anyone," Isabella refused.
Chase was immediately shocked and furious. "Are you planning to keep that seventy percent of shares for yourself?"
"If it weren't for William insisting the shares be acquired under your name, Father and I would never have agreed. We only thought that since we're family, what's yours is mine, so we reluctantly agreed to sell the shares under your name. But that was just for show, to satisfy William. The shareholding structure of the Taylor Group should remain what it was before."
"Since you said we're family, and there's no distinction between us, then the shares under my name are the same as being under your name, right? Why do you insist I transfer them to you?" Isabella countered.
Chase was immediately at a loss for words.
"How hypocritical, Chase." Isabella clapped and laughed. "So my shares are yours, and your shares are still yours. Classic selfishness."
Chase's face darkened. "Shut up!"
"Am I wrong?" Isabella sneered. "My young age isn't a reason I can't hold Taylor Group shares. My things—why should I give them to you? Even if you want to ask me for the shares, you should at least have the attitude of someone asking for a favor, not ordering me around."
"What do you mean by 'your things'?"
Suddenly, Hayden's authoritative voice came from behind.
Hayden walked over with several bodyguards in suits, looking sternly at them. "Isabella, if I hadn't heard it with my own ears, I wouldn't believe such nonsense could come from your mouth."
"Are you trying to fight your brother for power? Don't forget, you're just a girl. You'll get married eventually. Even if we give you the shares, they'll end up belonging to someone else's family. Once Mr. Brown helps us solve our current crisis, you'll obediently return the Taylor Group shares. Of course, you can keep three percent, but don't even think about the rest."
Isabella was amused by this "three percent."
"My things—I'll give them if I want to, and won't if I don't." Isabella's tone was resolute. "That's my position. Do what you will."
Seeing the girl turn to leave, Hayden's expression changed. "Where are you going now? Is it that whenever I'm not watching you, you want to sneak out of the country again?"
Without hesitation, Hayden ordered the bodyguards: "Grab her and take her back. Watch her closely!"
As soon as Hayden gave the order, the bodyguards moved to act.
"Haven't you learned your lesson yet?" Isabella raised an eyebrow, glancing at the detention center entrance with a smile. "If you dare grab me, I can have the police arrest all of you. Believe it or not?"
But Hayden didn't care. "What's wrong with disciplining my own daughter?"
"My daughter wants to run away from home—should I not keep her at home? Should I just let her run off?"
Hayden's fox-like gaze swept over Isabella. "I thought you could be obedient, but I didn't expect you to covet things that don't belong to you and oppose your family at every turn. Truly disappointing."
"Enough talk. Grab her and take her back."
The bodyguards immediately reached for Isabella.
But before they could touch her, Isabella merely raised her hand slightly, and a fierce force sent the bodyguard flying backward.
Hayden was shocked.
Chase was stunned, too.
Olivia didn't even understand what had happened.
The bodyguard flew several meters, spat out blood, and passed out on the spot.
Isabella's gaze swept over them. "Want to try again? If you don't value your lives."
Hayden was utterly shocked, pointing at Isabella. "You... you..."
How could Isabella, a girl, have such strength?
Was this normal?
And just now, when Isabella moved, they all felt a strong wave of energy.
"Forget these four or five bodyguards you brought—even if you brought a hundred bodyguards to grab me, they couldn't touch me." Isabella looked at Hayden and said quietly, "I advise you not to bring trouble on yourselves."
Meeting Isabella's forceful, cold gaze, Hayden actually felt a sense of intimidation.
His mind went blank. He just couldn't understand how Isabella had suddenly become like this—she seemed completely unfamiliar.
Hayden clenched his fists, his face ashen. "So what are you saying? I'm your father, but I can't control you anymore. You can do whatever you want now, is that it?"
He really hadn't expected Isabella to be so ruthless.
Isabella had lived so many years without parents—he thought she would care about family ties, would care about them as her relatives.
"You didn't give birth to me or raise me. What right do you have to control me? What qualifies you to control me?"
Isabella said coldly, "Don't say the shares are yours. I acquired the shares with money. Do you need me to show you the contract?"
"In exchange for acquiring the shares at a low price, William has already agreed to help the Taylor Group get through this crisis. So the seventy percent of shares I got is completely reasonable. What right do you have to demand I give you my things?"
"We didn't give birth to you?" This was the second time Hayden had heard this from Isabella, and he was furious. "You're my daughter. How did I not give birth to you?"
"Although I admittedly didn't fulfill my responsibility to raise you for the first seventeen years, it wasn't intentional. Who knew you'd be switched at birth in the hospital..."
Hayden was speaking when suddenly a low male voice interrupted him.
"Mr. Taylor is quite good at moral blackmail. When you need her, you say she's your daughter. When you don't, even a glance is too much. Is this how Mr. Taylor has always treated his daughter?"
The speaker was William.
His car had been parked by the roadside, but Hayden's attention had been entirely on Isabella, so he hadn't noticed.
William stood tall, looking their way, a playful smile in his eyes.