Chapter 1616

"Drive!" Abraham shouted, kicking the back of the driver's seat. Suddenly, a thought struck him, and he turned to Diana. "By the way, I'm in favor of setting up a match for Katie. Once we find a new house, we can bring her back." It was time to find a son-in-law to support them. "Great! I'll call her right now!" Less than an hour after they left the Terzian residence, Isabelle showed up at the door. She was ready for a showdown, sitting down with a defiant attitude. "Kaylee, you know why I'm here, right?" Helen sipped her coffee calmly and replied, "Of course. Looks like you've figured out I'm Ms. Kardashian. You're quite sharp." "What are you talking about? Do you even consider me a friend? You knew I was here for business, yet you kept this secret from me. I waited at the hotel all day yesterday for nothing!" Isabelle shot back, thinking "Kaylee" had gone too far. "What else was I supposed to do?" Helen replied nonchalantly. "I wasn't planning to write a memoir. I couldn't just turn you away at the airport and cause a scene—it would have looked bad." With a few well-placed words, she redirected Isabelle's focus. "Why not?" Isabelle shot back. "Raising kids costs money. Who wouldn't want extra income these days?" "Well, I still have my past royalties," Helen said pointedly. "And while you're here, let's discuss my pen name. I'm ready to go public with my identity." "I've told you—we need to take our time with this. Your father, the legalities, the kids—if any controversy comes up now, you won't be able to handle it. Let's wait a few more years," Isabelle replied smoothly, falling back on her usual excuses. "This is my decision to make; you don't need to worry about it. I want to reclaim my rights," Helen insisted, her voice rising. "This matter is too complicated; it'll take at least another year or two," Isabelle said, her expression darkening. "A year or two?" Helen scoffed, a sarcastic smile forming on her lips. "I brought this up seven years ago, and now you're saying it'll take another two? Is it really that complicated, or do you just not want to face it?" "Are you doubting me?" Isabelle's eyes narrowed, a flicker of surprise crossing her face. "Seven years ago, I sent someone to find 'Izzy Noir.' I wanted to meet her in person, but I ended up meeting you instead. You never told me any of this." Helen's smile vanished, her cold gaze now brimming with tension. At that moment, Isabelle knew everything was laid bare. After a brief silence, she straightened up. "That's right, I stepped in for you. Everyone in the industry believes Izzy Noir is me—I am Izzy Noir." "Well, I appreciate your honesty," Helen replied with a smile, though her eyes remained icy. "For all these years, you've given me only minimal payments. You've been collecting royalties and bonuses for over a decade. It's time you hand everything over." "Hand it over? To whom? You?" Isabelle scoffed. "It was mine to begin with. Why should I give it to you? Are you claiming to be the real Izzy Noir? Who's going to prove that?" With a smug smile, she continued, "This industry is ours to conquer. Do you really think 'Izzy Noir' would have thrived without my efforts? I built this brand; what right do you have to take away everything it stands for?" Helen scoffed, a mocking smile creeping onto her face. "So, according to your logic, the copyright should belong entirely to the publishers and editors handling the promotion, right? What about the author's blood, sweat, and tears? How do you justify that?"