Chapter 12: Chapter 12

1,137 words

<html><head></head><body>Michael's lips curled into a cold smile upon hearing this. He looked at her sharply, not saying a word, but exuding a deadly sense of oppression. Isabella wasn't scared at all and met his gaze directly. Silent sparks flew between their eyes. Isabella's calmness made Michael's face even darker. At this moment, Isabella's phone rang. It was a video call from Daniel. Daniel couldn't wait until the evening and had already called to check in. Isabella truly believed that Daniel might have sensed something. Aiden, who was beside her, saw who was calling at a glance. He looked at Michael, who was still standing there, then at Isabella beside him, his eyes flickering, "Isabella, it's Daniel calling. You should answer, or he'll get suspicious again." Isabella felt a sudden tension in her heart. She came back today to hide her intention to divorce from Daniel with Aiden's help. But who would have thought Michael would return at this time? If she didn't answer now, she feared Daniel would overthink. She had no choice but to answer the call. As soon as the call connected, Daniel's loving face appeared on the screen. "Isabella, what are you doing? You don't even have time to answer my call?" Feeling guilty, Isabella pointed the phone at herself and Aiden. Facing Daniel, her voice softened, "I'm with Aiden. How are you, Grandpa? I miss you." Daniel and Aiden were both eager for them to have children. She had been so preoccupied with fighting Michael that she hadn't spoken to Daniel in a long time. Especially since she was hiding her divorce from Daniel, she felt even more guilty. "I miss you too. How long have you been married? You promised to bring Michael to see me, but I haven't seen either of you. Do you think I'm easy to fool?" Daniel's dissatisfaction was genuine. Once a legendary figure who could shake the business world with a word, Daniel now had to feign anger in front of Isabella. Grace died early, and his sons were not yet married. He only had Isabella as his granddaughter. He cherished her dearly, afraid she would be wronged in any way. Now that she was married, as long as she was happy, he was content. "Daniel. Don't worry. Isabella is now married into the Brown Family. Don't think about taking her away from me." Aiden was afraid that if he wasn't careful, Isabella would be taken away. Daniel and Aiden were old friends, a relationship only Michael was unaware of. Besides, he never cared about anything related to Isabella. Seeing the three of them chatting and laughing on the phone, treating him like air, Michael felt an indescribable discomfort. He remembered that Isabella's grandfather Daniel was supposed to be farming in the countryside. How did he become so familiar with Aiden? But one thing Michael didn't miss. When Daniel mentioned his name earlier, Isabella deliberately changed the subject, and Aiden helped her cover it up. Michael felt something was off. To confirm his suspicions, he casually picked up the cane Aiden had thrown earlier and walked over to place it by the chair. "Grandpa, here's your cane." As he spoke, he moved closer to Isabella, his slightly open collar revealing his sexy collarbone and muscular chest. With Michael's face and body proportions, he was eye-catching anywhere. Isabella squinted her eyes. After three years of being with him, how could she not see that he was doing it on purpose? If it weren't for Daniel on the other end of the phone, she would have kicked Michael away long ago. On the other end, Daniel immediately noticed Michael's fleeting presence beside Isabella. "Is that Michael?" Daniel's tone was surprised, as it was his first time seeing Michael in person. Isabella's eyebrows tightened, just about to stop him from speaking, but Michael sat down right next to her. He adjusted his posture to accommodate her, with half of his shoulder tightly against hers, as if afraid she would get tired. He held her phone higher with his hand. They were so close that when Isabella looked down, she saw Michael's chest muscles. Michael's unique scent overwhelmed her, and Isabella's face couldn't help but heat up. She instinctively turned away, only to find her lips brushing against his Adam's apple. Isabella's mind went blank. Her flushed face turned even redder, her heart pounding wildly. But Michael remained completely unfazed. She was sure she had touched him. How could he be so calm? Then again, he never had feelings for her. He liked Bianca. Isabella closed her eyes, suppressing the discomfort in her heart. If it weren't for the fear of Daniel overthinking, she would have pushed him away and left. But Michael acted as if nothing had happened, leaning against her and greeting Daniel on the phone. "Daniel, I'm Michael. Isabella often talks about you. It's my fault for not visiting you in person. How about we come see you tomorrow?" On the other end, Daniel sat in his living room, exuding a powerful aura, his sharp and stern features far from those of a countryside farmer. Seeing Isabella and Michael snuggled up together, Daniel couldn't be happier. "Good. If you can come, I'll be overjoyed. It's our first meeting, and I have something for you as a wedding gift." Isabella's heart skipped a beat. Daniel was always generous, and since he mentioned a wedding gift, it was likely something valuable. She couldn't let Michael take advantage of this. "Grandpa, it's our duty to visit you. There's no need for gifts. Please keep your things; it's too much trouble." "We're all family. What's wrong with giving a gift? But you two need to hurry up. It's been so long, and there's still no good news. Next time I call, I want to hear that you're expecting a child." "Alright, we'll do as you say." Michael lowered his head, giving Isabella a deep look, and agreed decisively. Isabella's eyes widened, and she nudged him with her shoulder. He was crazy. What was he saying in front of Daniel? They were already divorced. Who would have a child with him? Isabella used quite a bit of force, but Michael didn't seem to feel any pain. Instead, he reached out to rub her shoulder, his voice low, "What, are you shy about having a child?" Isabella's face turned bright red, not wanting to reveal anything in front of Daniel and Aiden. She gritted her teeth and said, "Michael, take your hand off." Michael pretended not to understand, "You bumped into me first. Shouldn't you apologize instead of being so self-righteous?" Isabella said, "Mind what you say." He leaned closer to her ear, "What did I say? Shouldn't I have a child with you?" Isabella trembled all over, looking at him in disbelief, "You..." </body></html>

Chapter 12: Chapter 12

1,137 words