Chapter 8

Victor's furious roar echoed through the hall. His words hit Isabella hard, like a punch to the gut, knocking the last bit of strength out of her. Her knees buckled, and she dropped to the ground, unable to hold herself up. Her nails dug into her palms as she clenched her fists, the sharp edges embedding into her skin, but the sting barely registered. All these years, she had worked herself to the bone, mastering every skill a proper lady from a prestigious family should have, just to shrug off the shadow of her past. She wasn't some broke girl to be looked down on anymore—she was Isabella, the praised daughter of the Kaisers! Taking a shaky breath, she forced herself to look up at Victor. "You said you didn't mind that I cared about Alexander. You promised to take care of me for the rest of our lives. That's why I agreed to marry you." "And now you're just throwing me away like this? It's all my fault... I loved Alexander too deeply..." She covered her face, started sobbing quietly, her frame quivering. A few seconds later, she turned toward Mrs. Prescott, tears clinging to her lashes, looking utterly pitiful. Mrs. Prescott was known for being gentle—maybe she'd pity her and let her pursue Alexander. But instead, Mrs. Prescott just chuckled coldly, giving her a look full of disdain. "Wow, you're really something. Just told everyone how much you love Victor, and now suddenly Alexander's your true love? What a manipulative little act." "Shameless. Don't worry though—you're not marrying into the Lane family, and definitely not into ours." "Mrs. Prescott, you've got it wrong! I only said I loved Victor to save face. My heart's always belonged to Alexander!" Isabella cried, sobs tearing from her throat. Her voice was desperate. But this time, no one bought it. Everyone's patience wore thin—now it was just annoyance filling the room. "Hey, everyone knows the Prescotts run Capitol City. Alexander's a genius in business and the future head of their empire. Even a real Kaiser heiress might not be good enough—let alone a fraud like her." "Ugh, so fake. I actually complimented her earlier. Gross." Sneers and gossipy whispers came from all sides, each word like ice water dumped over Isabella's head. Cold sweat drenched her back. Elizabeth stepped up to her, leaned down just a little and gently patted her shoulder, whispering in her ear, "Charlotte, do you remember what you told me ten years ago?" "Well, let me remind you. What's mine will always be mine. You? You're not worthy." With a smirk, she subtly waved her phone in front of her. Her eyes glinted with irony. "You!" Isabella's eyes widened, then twisted into an angry glare. "You recorded me?" "All this... just to get back at me? You really stooped this low?" Elizabeth chuckled. "Sweetheart, don't flatter yourself. You're not worth the effort." She didn't stick around for a response. With her head high, she turned and left. Reputation in shambles, Isabella was done in the Capitol's elite circle—and Elizabeth had just ticked off a personal win she'd planned for a while. Now all she could think of was heading home to see Gabriel Kaiser and Grandma. After all these years, she just hoped they were okay. ... Meanwhile, at Prescott Group's headquarters. Right in the heart of Capitol City's financial district, the Prescott family owned the prime real estate. Inside the CEO office, Oliver Watts rushed in. "Mr. Prescott, I've finally got something on that woman you asked me to look into." Alexander, who had been flipping through a file, immediately looked up. "Talk." He kept it short and sharp. Being a Prescott meant digging up information was usually a breeze—but this time, after days of chasing leads, even her name remained elusive. That only made him more intrigued than ever.