Chapter 222

Michael held Isabella close, gently patting her back.

"Don't let those trashy tabloids get to you. I know you'd never do something like that," he said softly, though his eyes flashed with a cold, steely glint.

'Just wait, John,' Michael fumed, his face a mask of barely contained rage. 'You've really ticked off my wife, and you will pay for it.'

Isabella lightly patted his chest. "I don't really care. I've been called a fool and an unwanted daughter for years. I can handle that. But I can't stand them calling you a murderer. You're the brightest light in my life, and I won't let anyone slander you like that." Her eyes were red with emotion as she looked up at him.

Michael's expression softened as he wiped her tears away. "Don't worry about what they say. As long as you believe in me, that's all that matters. I don't care what others think," he said with a gentle smile.

Pulling her back into his arms, he added, "I trust the police will uncover the truth. Once they do, those spreading lies online will face the consequences."

Just then, Isabella's phone rang. She pulled it out, surprised to see Amelia calling.

"What's up, Amelia? Something wrong?" Isabella asked, puzzled.

Amelia's anxious voice came through the phone. "Isabella, are you okay? I just saw the news. They're accusing you and your husband of killing Odette!"

"I suspect this is all John's doing. He's trying to divert attention away from Bianca," Isabella sighed.

"That bastard again!" Amelia fumed, her anger palpable even over the phone.

"Why hasn't that jerk been hit by a car yet? Isn't someone struck by lightning every year? Why not him?" Amelia ranted, her frustration boiling over.

Isabella chuckled bitterly. "Alright, Amelia, enough with the cursing. It's a minor inconvenience at worst. But it's okay. I believe once the hype dies down, the police will uncover the truth."

"But what if they don't? Maybe we should pool some money and hire a few trolls to fight back online, give Bianca a taste of her own medicine," Amelia suggested.

Michael, standing behind Isabella, raised an eyebrow. He hoped Amelia wouldn't go through with that plan, as he had already taken steps to resolve the situation.

"Thanks, Amelia, but no need for that. Besides, we don't have as much money as John," Isabella chuckled, declining Amelia's offer.

At that moment, another call came in. "Hold on, Amelia, I've got another call," Isabella said, switching lines.

A woman's voice came through. "Is this Ms. Taylor? This is Officer Davis from the police department. We met during the investigation of your kidnapping case. I'm also handling the current case with Odette."

Isabella remembered the incident with Pearl and the officers who had questioned her at the hospital.

"I remember now. What can I do for you? You don't actually believe the rumors online, do you? I was at the office all day; there's no way I could've done anything," she joked lightly.

The officer chuckled. "We absolutely believe your alibi, Ms. Taylor. I'm calling because we've taken down a troll farm that was spreading those rumors. They were paid to target you."

Isabella was stunned. She hadn't expected such swift action.

Michael smiled lightly, feeling a bit smug.

"Thank you so much for your hard work. I really appreciate it," Isabella said, expressing her gratitude before ending the call.

Turning to Michael, she said, "Can you believe how fast the police moved on this?"

Michael shrugged nonchalantly. "Who knows? Maybe they've got some tech whizzes on their team."

In truth, Michael had anticipated John's move and had hackers track the source of the rumors, leading to the swift police action.

Isabella quickly called Amelia back, sharing the good news.

"They busted a whole troll farm? Wow, the police really stepped up their game!" Amelia exclaimed, equally surprised.

The rumor had just started circulating online, and not many people knew about it yet. The fact that the police managed to bust the trolls so quickly was nothing short of miraculous.

"Do you think the police are using AI now? I can't think of any other reason for such efficiency," Amelia said, feeling a wave of relief. She hadn't had time to hire trolls to manipulate public opinion for Isabella yet. If she had, she might have ended up getting caught too. "Anyway, we've dodged a bullet for now," Isabella said, feeling lighter.

After chatting with Amelia for a bit, Isabella hung up the phone and turned to Michael.

"What's for dinner, babe?" she asked, wrapping her arms around his neck and lifting one foot off the ground, clearly excited.

Michael started to smile but then remembered something, his expression turning serious. "By the way, honey, a friend at the detention center told me that John and Bianca contacted Jasper a couple of days ago."