Chapter 4

This was the third time Brian had tried to talk to Isabelle.

She had her mom and friends supporting her; she didn't need a father.

I watched from the side, quietly relieved.

Brian slammed his hand down on the table, clearly losing his cool.

He roared, "Isabelle, do you really think you got this nice life all by yourself?

"You're nothing without me."

Isabelle was only eighteen. She shivered at his words but refused to back down. "Everything I have comes from my mom. It has nothing to do with you."

Ever since she could remember, her whole world had been Margaret and my family.

Brian's anger twisted into a sneer.

"Alright, let's see if you can keep up this smart mouth after you graduate from college," he said, voice loaded with sarcasm.

It was the date he and Margaret had agreed on.

He fixed Isabelle with a glare. "One day, you'll be begging me, crying."

Honestly, compared to his other daughter, Lydia, Isabelle was much better.

I couldn't stand it anymore. I yanked off my sunglasses and slammed them onto Brian's head.

"Are you trying to threaten her? Well, the Carter family and the Stone family have millions of ways to deal with you," I said.

Thinking of a recent business deal, I didn't even hesitate to escalate. "Mr. Goodwin, I'm sorry to tell you that NovaTech won't be considering any deal with your company."

While studying abroad, I co-founded a company with a senior from my lab.

From startup to going public, it had taken every ounce of my effort.

That was why I hadn't returned home for nearly two years.

Isabelle's eyes lit up with surprise, and for the first time, there wasn't a trace of fear in them.

"Matthew, I missed you so much," she cried out.

The last time she had seen me was during the New Year, when they had gone abroad together to visit me.

I stepped protectively in front of Isabelle, just like I did back then, and gave Brian a contemptuous look. "Aren't you leaving?"

What a jerk.

I thought Jennifer had tried to swap Isabelle with Lydia purely out of selfishness, but now it seemed there was more to it.

Brian was probably involved, too. I couldn't believe that he would do such a thing to his daughter.

I looked at Isabelle, trying to comfort her. "It's okay. Let's go home."

Isabelle nodded. "Sure."

I took Isabelle back home, and by chance, Margaret was there. She looked at us in surprise.

She asked, "Matthew, didn't you say you and Isabelle were out for dinner tonight? Why are you back so early?"

Usually, everyone else was so eager to please Isabelle that she never had to complain, but I was not like her. I just said what I wanted.

I said, "Mrs. Stone, Brian's been bothering Isabelle again.

"He wants Isabelle to tell you she wants to live with him, and he's basically hoping she'll force you two into getting back together."

Thinking about the real relationship between Brian and Lydia, I tapped my fingers on the table, wondering where to start.

Ever since Isabelle's tenth birthday bash, every time Brian saw Lydia, she put on a straight face.

Yeah, she was innocent, and so was Isabelle.

I was starting to piece together what Brian and Jennifer were scheming.

The whole heiress-swap scheme had just been accidentally exposed by me.

Thinking about all this, I looked at Isabelle's innocent eyes, feeling a chill running through me.

If I hadn't spilled that chocolate on her back then, they would have been raising an impostor instead.

Margaret's face went pale in an instant. She grabbed Isabelle, looking her up and down, giving her that classic mom once-over.

She said, "Thank God you're okay. Don't worry, I'll get you rid of him."

Even though Isabelle hadn't really been mistreated, her eyes welled with tears.

She said, her voice quivering, "Mom, he said if I didn't do what he wanted, you would kick me out of the house.

"He also said you'd regret it."

Margaret, usually calm and composed, trembled with anger. For the first time since the divorce, she called Brian.

She yelled, "Brian, what are you doing? Isabelle is just a kid. Why did you threaten her? Come deal with me if you dare.

"And if you dare mess with Isabelle before she takes the SAT, I'll make you pay."

Isabelle's SAT was only days away, and Brian's showing up at this moment clearly meant no good.

Sure, even if Isabelle failed, Margaret would find a way to get her into a decent school abroad, but she wouldn't let Isabelle's hard work be wasted.

Brian didn't even bother to act anymore. Every word of his dripped with smug satisfaction.

He sneered. "Margaret, I'm going to make sure Isabelle flunks the SAT.

"I warned you—you're going to regret ever going against me."

Margaret shot back, her voice laced with scorn, "Brian, all you do is threaten a kid, huh?

"After all these years, you're still the same useless man.

"You'll never get the chance to see Isabelle again."

Fuming, she slammed the phone down and said, "Isabelle, I'm staying home with you these next few days."

Isabelle loved art, and all she ever wanted was to become a painter who poured raw passion and freedom into every piece of artwork.

What I loved most about her artwork was how vibrant and bright it was—her pieces practically jumped off the canvas, pulsing with energy and emotion that one just couldn't look away from.

Jennifer, who must have been listening in for a while now, shot Isabelle a look full of concern, her teeth clenched in frustration.

She said, "Isabelle worked so hard. She mustn't miss the test.

"She's nothing like Lydia, who was always goofing off, never caring about school. Honestly, once Lydia turned eighteen, she had to move out and stand on her own feet."

Jennifer had it all planned out. College was a must for any kid, and people like Margaret could never stand her daughter dropping out of high school, so of course, she'd favor the one with the higher degree.

She had to make sure Isabelle got into college without a hitch, while Lydia, on the other hand, could never be allowed that chance.

I gave Jennifer a pointed look after hearing her words.

I said sarcastically, "Jennifer, sometimes I honestly can't tell which one is really your daughter.

"You always treat Isabelle well, while being so harsh on Lydia.

"No matter what, Lydia is your daughter. You should let her go to college and find a decent job."

People tended to complain about degrees not mattering anymore, but honestly, one didn't get to say that unless he had been through it himself.

Jennifer just brushed it off, not bothering to hide how little she thought of Lydia.

She said, "I've done my duty raising her. She should be grateful."

If it weren't for secretly looking after Isabelle, she would have quit her job a long time ago.

She continued, "If Lydia were as smart as Isabelle, I wouldn't have made her drop school and work so early."

She was lying.

I knew she never liked Lydia, whom she believed to be Margaret's real daughter. She was just waiting for the right moment to take it all.