James is a very traditional man, which is why Emily had to pretend to be a virgin and make things official with him. Her previous pregnancy and abortion were certainly things she couldn't let him find out about.
"Isabella, stop threatening me. James loves me so much; he won't believe what you say," Emily glared at her.
"I don't know how much he loves you, but I'm not interested in men who are easily swayed. However, I hadn't planned to give up this room to you. If you don't leave, I'll call James and see if he'll believe me..." Isabella began reaching for her phone as she spoke.
Before she could finish her sentence, Emily left angrily to find Charlotte.
"Sweetie, what's wrong with you again? I just managed to pacify your dad. Be good and give me a break," Charlotte warned.
"Mom, it's because you're too soft-hearted. You should have kicked them both out from the start. Let's see how they'd dare to argue with me over a room," Emily said bitterly.
"Darling, keep your voice down, you might be heard by your dad," Charlotte quickly covered Emily's mouth with her hand in a panic.
"It's just a bedroom; why compete with her? Don't sweat the small stuff. You'll be marrying James in a year; you should focus on him now. You're already engaged; you should urge him to get the marriage certificate sooner rather than later. It's better to avoid any unforeseen problems."
"You need not worry. He's already at my mercy, like a little puppy," Emily said proudly.
Charlotte reminded her, "Oh, you're feeling quite confident now, but remember who cried and worried that James wouldn't be responsible for her back then. If it weren't for Victoria's advice to fake a pregnancy and a miscarriage and then blame it on Isabella, do you think you could have made James submit?"
Emily and Victoria were a pair of identical twins, with Victoria being the more beautiful one and Emily the smarter one. The two daughters had always been Charlotte's pride. Currently, Victoria was abroad, busy with her rising career as an actress for the past couple of years.
"Yes, everything about my sister is better in your eyes," Emily grumbled, then picked up a jewelry box from the vanity and handed it to Charlotte.
"James gave this to me just today, and I heard it's a family heirloom of the Brown family, only given to daughters-in-law."
Inside the box were a pair of jade bangles, with a pure green color, completely flawless. You could tell from the water content that it was top-quality jade. Gold has a price, but jade is priceless. These bangles were incredibly valuable and undoubtedly a family treasure.
Charlotte held the bangles, and a thought suddenly crossed her mind. "Emily, you can get some satisfaction quite easily..."
Isabella's first night back in the Harris family's house was peaceful enough.
She had a habit of sleeping in, and the next morning, Ava had to wake her up.
"Ava, what time is it?" She sat up in bed, rubbing her still-sleepy eyes.
"It's eight o'clock. Now, get up and head downstairs. You mentioned you wanted to talk to your dad," Ava reminded her and handed her a coat.
After changing clothes and a quick freshening up, she went downstairs.
In the dining room, David and Charlotte were having breakfast, and the atmosphere was lively, filled with laughter and conversation.
Isabella couldn't help but admire Charlotte's skills. Last night's events didn't seem to have any effect on her. As a politician, David wasn't that easy to handle, but Charlotte had him under control just perfectly.
If her mother, Eleanor Allen, had half of Charlotte's abilities, her divorce wouldn't have ended so miserably. Her mother was too proud, unwilling to cater to a man. While a woman needs her self-esteem, excessive pride isn't necessarily a good thing.
Isabella took her seat, obediently greeted everyone, "Dad, Aunt, Sister, good morning."
Emily didn't even look up, and under the table, Charlotte discreetly tugged at her daughter's collar, annoyed that she couldn't control her temper.
"Isabella's here. How did you sleep last night?" She asked Isabella, looking lovingly at her. If you didn't know any better, you'd think she was Isabella's biological mother.
"Grace, bring a bowl of salad, Isabella doesn't like high calorie foods," Charlotte instructed one of the maids.
"Thank you, Aunt. It's rare that you still remember what I like." Isabella smiled warmly, then took a sip of the porridge.
David had finished his meal, set down his utensils, and immediately, Charlotte handed him a napkin, serving him perfectly. She was gentle and considerate both at home and outside; who wouldn't call her tender and virtuous.
"Dad, there's something I'd like to discuss with you," Isabella spoke up at the right moment before David stood up.
"What is it?" David asked, with an indifferent attitude.
"My courses for this semester have ended, and I'm eligible for a graduation internship. I want to help out at the company," she said.
Moonlit Art Inc. used to be an asset of the Allen family and was left by Isabella's grandfather. Before her grandfather passed away, he transferred most of the company's shares into the name of her, his only granddaughter. Due to her young age, the company had been managed by David and Charlotte throughout this time.
Charlotte's cousin, Robert, is the current CEO of Moonlit Art Inc.
"Managing a company can be tough, Isabella. You're a girl, and you'll eventually get married. It's better to wait and become a proper mistress of the house. You're so blessed not to know how to enjoy it. With your uncle managing the company for you, there's no need to worry," Charlotte said earnestly. She certainly didn't want Isabella to regain control of the company. She had already regarded Moonlit Art Inc. as her own.
David maintained a composed expression and added, "Your aunt is right, young ladies should stay out of the limelight. I'll arrange a position for you at the Cultural Bureau. You can intern there."
Taking control of Moonlit Art Inc., something they had already obtained, wouldn't be easily given up.
She raised the corners of her lips slightly, her gaze slightly cold, and bit into a slice of bread without saying anything.
As expected, she hadn't thought they would easily agree, but she had her own methods.
...
Luminosity Club was a chaotic place, a playground for wealthy men and a place of decline for beautiful women.
Isabella walked through it, feeling a bit uneasy.
"Olivia, are you sure Connor is here?" Isabella asked the girl following her.
Olivia was Ava's daughter and had been Isabella's loyal companion since childhood.
"The private detective said so. Mr. Connor spent the night here and hasn't left yet."
Connor was the Vice President of Moonlit Art Inc., the second-largest shareholder. He held a significant position in the company, and with his support, Isabella's entry into the company wouldn't be difficult.
However, gaining his support wouldn't be that easy; at the very least, she needed some leverage.
Connor was shrewd, and his only drawback was his weakness for women. Unfortunately, he had a fierce wife at home.
As they spoke, a drunk, obese man suddenly appeared, grabbing Isabella's wrist with one hand and leaning over her like an octopus.
"You're a new girl, right? This face, this figure, you're quite a looker. An enchanting little devil. Come, let me show you some affection."
The stench of alcohol hit Isabella, and she almost retched. She used both hands and feet to push him away. "Get lost! I'm not one of the girls!"
The obese man staggered back, nearly falling. "Oh, this little lady's got some spirit. I like it. All the girls who come here say they're not 'girls,' but it's only because the price isn't right. What about your offer?"
The Stranger’s bulky body came lunging toward her again, provoking Isabella's anger. She grabbed the hand he extended, biting it without any hesitation.
"Ah!" He hadn't expected her to bite him and cried out in pain before raising his hand to slap her.
"Brother, are you this temperamental?" His raised arm was intercepted by Olivia before it could fall. Olivia had dyed hair, heavy makeup, and a short skirt revealing her thighs.Her looks weren't as impressive as Isabella's, but her alluring thighs easily drew the attention of him."Brother, don't lower yourself to her level. Look at me, how about we find a private room to chat?" Olivia said with a playful smile.Isabella knew that Olivia was trying to help her get out of this situation but still worried. "Hey, can you handle him alone?""Sis, it's not my first day here. I've got pepper spray in my purse; I won't suffer," Olivia said as she took out a small canister of pepper spray from her bag and handed it to Isabella."Be careful," Isabella replied as she took it.Having escaped the lewd man, she walked alone in the dimly lit corridor, with sounds of booming music and luxurious moans emanating from the private rooms on both sides.Isabella couldn't help but frown; with so many room
"If everything goes as planned, yes," Andrew replied indifferently, as if he were taking over a regular job rather than a massive conglomerate.Ryan let out a soft snort, continuing with a half-mocking tone, "It seems your father Mr.Jacob hasn't lost his mind yet. Handing the company over to you is much better than letting it fall into the hands of his grandson. If he gets it, he'll squander it all within ten years."The lycanthropes of the Dark Moon Clan had hidden within the human world centuries ago. Due to the interbreeding with humans over the generations, the lycanthropic blood had gradually thinned, and many descendants of lycanthropes couldn't even shift into wolves. However, the Turner family was different. Andrew's father had decreed that the public wolves of the Turner family couldn't mate with humans, and as a result, Andrew and his siblings had pure lycanthropic blood.The Turner family was a powerful clan, deeply involved in politics and business, and held a prominent po
The panic on her face was not faked at all. Even though she had instructed Grace to hide the bracelet in Isabella's room to frame her, she hadn't ordered Grace to destroy it. After all, these bracelets were extremely valuable, and they were tokens from the Brown family."What else do you have to say? You're acting so malicious at such a young age," David's rage was ablaze, and he raised his hand as if to strike Isabella.Naturally, she wasn't going to stand there and let him hit her; she had already moved to the side. She gave a nonchalant glance at Emily and her mother, her lips curling into a cold, mocking smile."If I really wanted to steal something, would I have put it in my room and waited for you to catch me?"She thought David, who had climbed from a humble civil servant to become the Deputy Mayor, couldn't be a fool. However, she couldn't understand how such a shrewd man could be so easily manipulated by Charlotte and her daughter."Is someone else framing you?" David shouted
“Also, you need to take $20,000 and give it to Mr. Bennett, the intermediary. We've been hiring household staff through him, and you should ask him to find a job for your distant niece, Lily, in our house.”"I understand, Ma'am," Ava nodded. Instead of letting Charlotte insert another spy, it was better for them to take the initiative.After she had finished giving instructions, Isabella felt tired and went to bed early.Three days later, Ava brought Lily to meet her."Hello, Ma'am," Lily politely bowed. She had her hair in two thick braids, and she appeared quite intelligent.Isabella smiled and asked her a few simple questions. Lily was two years older than her, twenty-one years old, with a high school diploma. She had come from Blue River town to Ithaca town a year ago and had previously worked as a waitress in a restaurant."However, you must remember that in this house, you don't need to reveal your relationship with Ava or me, or even with me," she reminded her."I understand,"
Andrew was dressed very casually today, wearing a light beige V-neck sweater and black casual pants, exuding a faint elegant charm."Do I look good?" He turned his head slightly, and their gazes briefly met.His deep blue eyes were so profound that she felt a bit hesitant to look directly at him. Andrew faintly smirked. In fact, when she approached the door, his wolf instincts had already detected her scent, which was quite alluring to him."Yes," she honestly nodded, smiling, "Your voice is quite nice too."His voice was low and magnetic, like a cello's bass note."'Good-looking' isn't much of a compliment for a man," he said indifferently, showing no emotion, as he handed over Asher, who was in his arms. Asher was only a month old, and because he was a Hybrid, Andrew wasn't worried about the baby revealing any wolfish features to scare the human girl.Isabella immediately snapped out of her admiration. She took the baby carefully into her arms, and her movements were a bit stiff due
"Will the school accept my explanation?" she said calmly."The school will certainly consider it," Benjamin replied, his hand resting on the table, tapping it now and then. It seemed like he was subtly exerting pressure on her.However, she didn't show any signs of panic and spoke in a composed tone."The person in the photo is indeed me. I was ill in the first half of the year and frequently visited the hospital for treatment. It's not unusual to be photographed outside the hospital. I just can't understand how this photo could be linked to me having an illegitimate child."In the photo, she had wrapped herself tightly, resembling a ball, and her belly was not visible at all. She could easily deny it.At this moment, she was extremely grateful that David cared about his reputation. He had forcefully suppressed the news of her having an illegitimate child, and Charlotte's attempt with this photo was ultimately ineffective.However, while the photo lacked the necessary impact, the pres
Ithaca Town has always had four major families, and the majority of wealth is controlled by these families.The Mitchell family is a leader in the construction industry. Half of the houses in Ithaca town were built by the Mitchell family. The Taylor family has been in the military for generations and has been naval officers for generations.The Green family, on the other hand, is a family of lawyers. The girls from this family are exceptionally beautiful, intelligent, well-mannered, and marry into political and business elites. Their various marriage connections have strengthened the Green family's position in Ithaca Town.The Turner family holds the highest position among the four major families. The men from the Turner family hold influential political positions, high-ranking military positions, and are deeply involved in various businesses. Their family's financial power is like a money-printing machine, where money is merely a number to them.The status of the Turner family is bey
One month laterAt the party held by the Harris family, many upper-class people from Ithaca town came."James, I'm sorry, truly sorry!" Emily interrupted him, her emotions getting somewhat agitated."I know the necklace you gave me was very important. I originally left it in a drawer, and I don't know why it ended up around Isabella's neck. I asked her for it, but she said the necklace was hers... I also know that the bracelet your mother gave me is a family heirloom, and I kept it carefully locked in the cabinet. But somehow, it ended up in Isabella's room, and I found it when it was already broken!"As she finished, she was left choking up, her eyes teary and pitiful.James, however, looked utterly bewildered. "Are you saying that Isabella broke my mother's bracelet and stole the necklace I gave you?""I..." Emily choked up and couldn't speak.In fact, she didn't say anything; James came to these conclusions on his own."I'm going to ask her to clarify this." He walked towards Isabe