Chapter 8
Isabella picked up her fork, took a piece of sweet cake, and put it in Michael's empty bowl.
Lily frowned. "What are you doing?"
"It's for my son," Isabella said.
Lily looked disgusted. "That's bad luck. He's dead. How's he supposed to eat that?"
Isabella looked up, her voice icy. "If everyone else can steal his life and still sit here eating, why can't he eat?"
Her fork hit the table with a loud clatter.
Mason couldn't take it anymore. "Isabella, get out."
Isabella stood up. "Fine by me. I couldn't eat another bite anyway."
Mason's voice was cold. "Tomorrow, you're going to apologize to Nora. You scared Anthony today."
Isabella looked at him. "I'm not going."
"Then Violet's shop can close down," Mason said.
Just then, Isabella's phone rang.
She glanced at the caller ID and picked up.
The person on the other end sounded frantic. "Miss Roberts, people from the Gonzalez Group are here. They said the landlord's taking back the shop. Violet's already arguing with them."
Mason looked at her, like he already knew exactly what kind of call she'd just gotten.
"Apologize now, and it's still not too late," Mason said.
Isabella hung up the phone.
She looked Mason straight in the eye, her voice icy and deliberate. "You make me sick."
Violet's repair shop was tucked away at the end of the old street. The place was small, and the sign above the door was hand-painted by Violet herself, the words "Half Cup Spring" scrawled across it in a messy hand.
When Isabella arrived, a crowd had gathered outside the shop.
The landlord was blocking the entrance with a few burly guys, while Violet stood behind the counter, clutching a cracked porcelain vase, her face flushed with anger.
"The lease still has two years left. You can't take it back whenever you want," Violet shouted.
The landlord rubbed his hands nervously. "Violet, don't make this hard for me. Orders from above. I can't do anything about it."
Violet snapped, "Who's 'above'? Mason? What kind of man takes it out on his friend's shop? Is his skin thicker than a fortress wall or what?"
The landlord didn't dare say a word.
Mason's assistant stood outside the door, holding a document.
When he saw Isabella, he was polite.
The assistant said, "Mrs. Gonzalez, Mr. Gonzalez says if you go to the hospital and apologize to Miss Parker and Anthony, the shop stays open."
Violet let out a laugh of disbelief. "What, is Mason some kind of emperor now? Does he expect us to bow and thank him for his mercy?"
The assistant said, "Miss Edwards, don't blow this up. The lease really does have issues."
Violet glared at him. "What are the issues?"
The assistant flipped through the papers. "The place is old, and it's got safety hazards. According to the rules, the landlord can take it back early."
Isabella pressed, "And when did you suddenly discover these supposed safety hazards?"
The assistant paused, then admitted quietly, "Today."
"Mason threatened me today, and suddenly you find safety hazards today?" Isabella said. "What a coincidence."
The crowd started whispering among themselves.
The landlord looked desperate. "Isabella, I really can't do anything. My kid works for the Gonzalez Group. There's no way I can go against them."
Violet paused, a little stunned. "Lorenzo, when your kid was sick, didn't I help you out with 7 grand dollars for medical bills?"
The landlord looked embarrassed. "I'll pay you back."
"You're messing up my shop right now. What's the damn point of paying me back?" Violet snapped.
One of the burly guys tried to move the counter, but Violet held on tight to the porcelain vase, refusing to let go.
The guy gave her a shove.
Isabella reached out to steady Violet, but the porcelain vase slipped from Violet's arms and shattered on the floor.
Violet's face went pale. "That belonged to a client. It's an antique, and it's supposed to be delivered tomorrow."
The assistant glanced at the mess. "Mr. Gonzalez will cover the cost."
Isabella crouched down and picked up a shard of porcelain.
The glaze was a bluish gray, and the cracks were old.
She knew this vase.
Three years ago, someone had brought it to her and said, "If you can't fix it, just let it go." She spent seven nights painstakingly restoring the broken rim.
Later, when Violet opened her shop, Isabella started handing off some anonymous repair work to her to give her shop a boost.
She never thought it would break again, and this time, it was Mason who caused it.
Violet crouched beside her. "Isabella, stop picking up the pieces. I'll cover the cost."
Isabella shook her head. "No need."
The assistant frowned. "Mrs. Gonzalez, don't waste time."
Isabella looked up. "Bring me the glue, tweezers, and a lamp."
Violet blinked in surprise. "You're fixing it now?"
"Right now," Isabella replied.
The crowd found it amusing.
"It's smashed to pieces. Can you really fix it?"
"Isn't she Mrs. Gonzalez? She can actually do this?"
"If she messes it up, it'll be even more embarrassing."
Isabella ignored them.
Violet quickly brought over the tools.
No one knew when Mason arrived, but he was standing at the edge of the crowd, looking grim.
Nora was sitting in the car with the window rolled halfway down, and Anthony was leaning out, watching the commotion.
Mason walked into the shop. "Isabella, don't you think this is embarrassing enough?"
Isabella didn't even look up. "Move, you're in my light."
Mason's face fell, clearly stung by her comeback.
She laid out the shards in order, cleaned the edges, mixed the glue, and started piecing them together. Her hands moved fast, but there wasn't a hint of chaos.