Chapter 201

John's hands shook a bit when he heard what Bianca said. He looked up at her, and finally, like he'd finally made up his mind, he pulled her into a tight hug.

"No way anyone's taking you from me, not even my grandpa, unless I say so!" John declared.

Bianca leaned into his arms, tears rolling down her cheeks again, but a small, triumphant smile appeared on her lips.

Meanwhile, Isabella had no clue what was going on with Bianca. After wrapping up plans with Michael, she went back to her usual work. Even though she had told Dwayne she was quitting, she needed to secure all the family company shares before officially leaving.

One day, just as Isabella was about to start her work, she got a call from Dwayne asking her to come to his office.

Isabella knocked on Dwayne's office door. After hearing a response, she walked in.

"Mr. Larson, do you need something?" Isabella asked.

Dwayne smiled and motioned for her to come closer. "Isabella, I knew you wouldn't give up so easily."

Isabella was caught off guard, not getting what he meant.

"Give up? What are you talking about?" Isabella asked, confused.

Dwayne stepped out from behind his desk, holding a fax. "This is a fax from the international design competition, congratulating you on winning first prize."

Isabella frowned as she took the fax, her confusion growing with each word she read.

Dwayne, noticing her reaction, was surprised. "What's wrong? Aren't you happy about winning?"

Isabella got what Dwayne was referring to. He had asked her before if she wanted to join the competition, but she had said no, thinking she would soon take over her family business. Now, getting a congratulatory fax was confusing.

"Mr. Larson, if I tell you I didn't enter this competition, would you believe me?" Isabella asked, putting the fax back on the desk.

Dwayne frowned, puzzled. "What do you mean? Didn't you sign up?"

Isabella shook her head with a bitter smile. "Mr. Larson, I've been swamped with media, dealing with reporters, gathering evidence for lawsuits, and now I'm getting ready to take over the family business. Do you really think I had time for a design competition?"

Dwayne was stunned. Isabella's explanation made sense; everything she said was a huge pain, no way she had time for that competition.

"If it wasn't you, then who?" Dwayne asked, his voice low, sensing something fishy.

Isabella thought for a moment and then got it. "Mr. Larson, what if someone took their work and submitted it under my name? Once I win, they plan to accuse me of plagiarism."

Dwayne caught on quickly. "Madeline?"

Isabella smiled. "Mr. Larson, Madeline's been here for years. You should know her design style. Ask the competition to send the work, and you'll see."

Dwayne nodded. "If that's the case, there's no need to keep her around. Don't worry, I'll look into this."

Dwayne started his investigation, and Isabella went back to her office.

As Isabella walked by the office area, she glanced at Madeline's office, a cold smile on her lips.

Inside Madeline's office, Odette was talking about their next steps with Madeline.

"Ms. Eve, when I was dropping off some papers for Mr. Larson, I saw a fax saying Isabella won that competition. It was a little early, so we should wait for the official online results before we do our thing," Odette said with a smile.

Madeline crossed her arms, smirking. "You're right. It's not time yet. Let's wait a bit longer and let things simmer. Isabella's already in the spotlight, so a whole bunch of people online are gonna see what a jerk she is."

Isabella had already figured out Madeline's plan, but she had no proof. When she got back to her office, she suddenly remembered something and took out her phone to play a video.

The video showed Odette entering Isabella's office, inserting a USB drive into her computer, and doing something. After finishing, Odette removed the USB drive and left.

Since discovering the convenience of hidden cameras, Isabella had installed one in her office, discreetly placed inside a wall clock.

One day, when Isabella heard Juliet mention that Odette had been in her office, she became alarmed.

'Since that day, Odette and Madeline have never entered my office, yet they managed to use my computer and send emails in my name. It seems the USB drive Odette plugged into my computer contained a virus, allowing them to control my account,' Isabella thought as she tapped on her keyboard, pondering how to fix the issue.

Initially, Isabella had considered giving Madeline a chance when she resigned, recognizing Madeline's competence. But Madeline kept going after her, and Isabella felt really let down. Madeline's jealousy had clouded her judgment, making her a liability to the team.

As Isabella was coming up with a plan, her phone suddenly rang. She glanced at the screen-it was Charles calling.