Just as she finished speaking, the sound of a car engine approached from a distance. A red Maserati pulled up in front of the villa. The car door opened, and Isabella stepped out, wearing red high heels. She walked gracefully and stopped in front of Charlotte and Emily, looking down at them from above.
“Auntie, sis, are you here to welcome me?” she asked with a light laugh.
At this moment, her beauty and elegance formed a stark contrast to the disheveled state of Charlotte and Emily.
“Isabella, you’re here to laugh at us, aren’t you?” Emily shouted, her voice strained.
“Yes,” Isabella nodded irritatingly. She casually brushed back her hair that the wind had tousled. “Auntie, do you remember when my mother left here? You and my sister stood under the eaves watching, probably laughing at that time, right? They say what goes around comes around. Now, it’s your turn. However, my mother left with dignity, while you’re being thrown out.”
“Isabella, this is your doing, isn’t it?” Charlotte wasn’t stupid; she finally figured it out.
Isabella smiled faintly and didn’t deny it.
“Fine, very good. But don’t get too complacent!” Charlotte rasped, coughing as she spoke.
“Were you the one who leaked Dad and Elowen’s affair? You’re the one causing trouble; I’m going to tell Dad!” Emily stood up in a rage, but Charlotte held her back tightly.
“Emily, calm down. No matter what you say now, your father won’t believe it,” Charlotte said.
“Auntie knows her place,” Isabella said with a smile.
“Isabella, you win this time, but there’s a long road ahead. We’ll see,” Charlotte said, trying to keep her composure.
“Fine, I’ll be waiting,” Isabella replied. She then walked past them with her high heels clicking. At the villa entrance, Ava greeted her with a smile and led her inside.
The living room was in disarray, and the servants were tidying up.
Mrs. Ada and David were sitting on the sofa, talking.
“Grandma, Dad, it seems I came back at a bad time,” Isabella said as she approached them.
David forced a smile when he saw her. “Isabella, you’re back. Why didn’t you give us a heads-up?”
“I just came to say hello. Andrew will be coming over after work, and we’ll have a casual dinner together tonight,” Isabella said.
“Tonight? So suddenly!” Both David and Mrs. Ada couldn’t help but feel a headache coming on. Everything seemed to be happening today.
In the morning, David’s scandal was exposed, and he was suspended. In the afternoon, Elowen had an abortion at the hospital, and Charlotte was thrown out. The Harris family was already in chaos, and now Andrew was adding to the mix.
“Andrew decided, so I couldn’t object,” Isabella replied.
“Alright then. Mom, make sure the kitchen is prepared. We can’t let Andrew feel we aren’t good hosts,” David sighed and said to Mrs. Ada, looking exhausted.
“Dad, if you’re tired, I can help you upstairs to rest,” Isabella said in an unusually sweet tone, acting like a dutiful daughter.
David nodded. Just as he stood up from the sofa, Robert and his wife Alice walked in.
Isabella stood beside David, watching Robert walk in, impeccably dressed in a suit. A faint, mocking smile appeared on her lips.
Robert’s news sure traveled fast. Charlotte had just been thrown out, and now he was here to argue.
“Robert, come in and sit,” David said, sitting back on the sofa, maintaining a polite tone towards Robert.
Robert led Alice in and sat silently on a sofa nearby.
“Brother-in-law, I was on a business trip this morning, and when I returned this afternoon, I heard about your suspension. How are things now? Is it serious? If you need any help, don’t hesitate to ask. We’re all family.”
Robert’s concerned words were very comforting, and David’s expression softened considerably.
“I’ve already had Elowen get rid of the baby. As long as that leverage is gone and the family keeps quiet, the investigation team won’t be able to do anything to me,” David replied.
“That’s good. In the future, you should still be more careful. I’ve heard that the higher-ups are cracking down on these issues very strictly now,” Robert said, lighting a cigarette and speaking slowly.
David nodded, looking very weary.
After that, the atmosphere fell into a brief silence.
David hung his head without speaking, Robert smoked his cigarette unhurriedly, and no one mentioned Charlotte.
Isabella even felt a bit of admiration for Robert’s composure.
However, while Robert could stay calm, Alice was very anxious. She kept tugging at his sleeve, but he acted as if he didn’t notice.
Alice couldn’t hold it in any longer and spoke up, “Brother-in-law, before I came here, I went to the hospital to see my cousin and Emily. My cousin is covered in injuries and even broke a rib. You were too harsh. This is domestic violence, and she can sue you. With your scandal already all over the place, adding a charge of abusing your wife for the sake of a mistress could really stir things up.”
“Are you threatening me now?” David’s previously softened expression turned dark again.
Robert glanced at Alice, his eyes full of warning, and then spoke to David, “She is not very expressive. Brother-in-law, you don’t need to take her seriously. However, my cousin is still your legal wife, and Emily is your daughter. Kicking them out like this doesn’t look good for anyone.”
“Robert, you’re a smart man. Do you think I have any face left? Charlotte, did she treat me as her husband? Exposing my scandal and ruining my career, what benefit does that have for her and her daughter? Robert, there’s no need to say more. I will not continue living under the same roof with such a fool.”
“Brother-in-law, you wronged my cousin. She’s not stupid; she wouldn’t do something that brings her no benefit,” Alice glared at Isabella, about to accuse her when Robert cut her off coldly.
“Alice, have you said enough? If you can’t speak properly, then don’t.”
Alice bit her lip, looking furious.
Robert ignored her, extinguished his cigarette, and slowly said to David, “Brother-in-law, are you planning to divorce my cousin?”
David was taken aback by the question, as he hadn’t considered it yet.
In David’s mind, he was the head of the household, and anyone who didn’t please him was simply expelled.
But divorce was a troublesome and complicated matter. With his recent scandal, divorcing would make it even harder to explain to the organization. More importantly, Charlotte had lived with him for many years, and if they divorced because of domestic violence, he would definitely not come out ahead and would lose a significant amount of money.
As David hesitated, the sound of a car engine came from outside the villa. A black Bentley Mulsanne pulled up in front of the villa.
Andrew had arrived.