Chapter 217

Nobody saw it coming when Madeline went totally nuts.

Odette, who was right next to Isabella, jumped in front of her, taking the hit. The paper cutter sliced through her clothes, leaving a nasty cut on her chest.

Dwayne was quick to act. He kicked Madeline hard, sending her crashing to the ground. The security guards swooped in, pinning her down and snatching the cutter away.

Odette was shaking like a leaf, staring at the blood on her chest, sweat dripping down her face.

"Are you okay? Somebody call a doctor, now!" Isabella yelled, panic in her voice.

Someone in the crowd immediately called 911.

"I'm okay, it's just a scratch," Odette said, her voice trembling.

She looked at Isabella with desperate eyes.

Isabella got the message. She leaned in and whispered, "I'll get you the best lawyer to help reduce your sentence."

Odette's eyes filled with gratitude.

"Odette, why did you betray me? After everything I did for you? What did Isabella offer you? Why? I hate you! You all deserve to rot in hell!" Madeline screamed from the floor, her hair a mess, eyes wild with rage.

"Hand her over to the cops!" Dwayne barked.

The security guards hauled Madeline up and dragged her out.

Even as they dragged her away, her laughter, chilling and unrestrained, filled the air. "You'll all join me in hell! I'll be waiting!" she shrieked.

Isabella turned to the reporters. "Alright folks, you've got your story. Time to go."

The reporters got the hint. They had their scoop and didn't need to stick around. After quick goodbyes, they rushed out of the building.

Like a pack of wolves, they raced to their cars. Once behind the wheel, they sped off, eager to be the first to break the news.

Soon, an ambulance arrived and took Odette away.

Back at the office, Dwayne dispersed the crowd and called Isabella to his office.

"It's all taken care of. I've heard about your plans, but just remember, if things don't pan out, the director's position is always open for you," Dwayne said with a smile.

Isabella smiled back. "Thanks, Dwayne. And thank the boss for his support. But I've got faith in myself."

After a quick chat, Isabella went back to her office. Once she was gone, Dwayne picked up the phone and called Michael, filling him in on what happened.

"Mr. Williams, Isabella doesn't want to press charges against Odette and plans to get her a lawyer to reduce her sentence. Should we help with that?" Dwayne asked carefully.

Michael replied, "If that's what Isabella wants, then let's do it. I'll take care of the lawyer."

Michael hung up the phone, muttering, "You're lucky you took that knife meant for my wife," as he arranged for someone to handle the situation.

Odette had caused too much trouble in the past. But this time, by taking the knife meant for Isabella, she had managed to earn a bit of redemption in Michael's eyes. He decided to follow Isabella's wishes and reduce Odette's punishment.

Michael then called Jerry into his office. "Bianca's got a hand in this mess too. Once the news breaks, make sure her reputation is completely trashed. I want her name to be mud."

Jerry sighed inwardly, knowing he had more work ahead. "Yes, Mr. Williams, I understand," he replied calmly, then left to make the arrangements.

Michael watched Jerry leave, feeling a nagging suspicion that Jerry was hiding something.

Meanwhile, in the newsroom, the reporters were typing up their stories at lightning speed. Editors quickly reviewed and published the articles, almost simultaneously, highlighting the urgency of the situation.

Soon, the public was buzzing about the dramatic events at Isabella's company.

Bianca was in the kitchen, working on a recipe and preparing a meal for John. "I wonder how things are going with Madeline. She's probably suffering now. My poor cousin, now you'll know what it's like to be the target of online hate," she muttered with a cold smile.

She tasted the soup and nodded in satisfaction. "The flavor is great. John will love it," she said, setting down the bowl and turning off the stove.

Just then, the door swung open, and John walked in.

Seeing him, Bianca smiled and picked up the soup pot. "John, I made you some delicious soup..."

Before she could finish, John slapped her hard across the face. Bianca was stunned, dropping the soup pot. The hot soup splashed on her legs, burning her skin.

Clutching her face in pain, Bianca stumbled back, finally noticing the intense anger on John's face.

"John, what happened? Why did you hit me?" she asked, tears streaming down her face.

John clenched his fists, glaring at her with hatred. "Haven't you seen today's news? Why did you conspire with Madeline to frame Isabella?"

Bianca's heart sank. She hadn't expected John to find out about this.

She wanted to deny it, but remembering that John said it was already in the news, she closed her mouth and grabbed her phone to start searching.