Chapter 245

When John and Bianca were getting all hot and heavy, Michael got back to his villa.

Isabella had already wrapped up her workday and was busy cooking in the kitchen.

"Hey babe, did you stay late at work today?" Isabella asked, her smile lighting up the room.

Michael nodded, smiling back, and shrugged off his coat, hanging it up.

"You seem pretty chipper today," Michael noted as he walked over to Isabella, wrapping his arms around her waist.

Isabella gently pushed his hand away, still smiling. "Well, my mom got picked up by the cops, and there's a warrant out for my dad. Everything's going according to plan, right?"

Michael grinned, "Yeah, things are looking up, but don't forget, we haven't secured those shares yet, and Jasper's left us with a big mess."

Isabella grabbed a bowl of strawberries from the fridge and handed it to Michael. "Babe, can you wash these strawberries?" she asked before turning back to the stove.

As he washed the strawberries, Michael looked at her, a bit puzzled. "You don't seem worried at all. Have you figured out what to do about the missing funds?"

Isabella shook her head. "Honestly, I have no clue. The only thing I can think of is finding my dad, making him spill where the money is, and then covering the gap."

"That sounds like a whole lot of nothing," Michael said with a shrug.

Isabella put down the knife and shrugged too. "Exactly. That's why I'm so chill. When I talked to Mason, he told me about his bet with John. So even if I get the shares from my dad, Mason can't cover the hole with money for me. Unless Jasper hands over the funds, which he definitely won't."

She sounded a bit helpless but kept her optimistic look. "Let's not stress about it now. We'll deal with it tomorrow or the next day."

Michael shook his head with a smile and bit into a strawberry. "These strawberries are good. Where'd you get them?" He picked up another and fed it to Isabella.

She smiled, chewing on the strawberry. "I didn't buy them. Amelia brought them over. She and Benjamin went to a strawberry farm and picked some."

Michael nodded, thinking. "Seems like they're hitting it off. If you need money, you could ask Benjamin. His family might not be one of the big four, but they're loaded, especially with their booming medical business."

Isabella suddenly stopped what she was doing and turned to Michael, her eyes intense.

Michael looked at her, surprised, still chewing on a strawberry. "Did I say something wrong?"

Isabella suddenly put down the knife, hugged Michael excitedly, and planted a passionate kiss on his lips.

"Babe, you're a genius! Forget about borrowing money for now, I just had a brilliant idea! Remember Bianca's feigned illness?" Isabella asked, her eyes sparkling.

Michael nodded. Of course, he remembered. He even sent someone to Lumaria to check if Bianca's surgery was real.

"If we can prove Bianca was faking it, it'll definitely cause a rift between her and John! John's been duped by her twice already, and he hates being lied to. If we can break them up, it'll be a huge win for us!" Isabella reasoned, knowing that Bianca's biggest support came from John. Once John was out of the picture, Bianca would be no threat.

Michael smiled and nodded, watching as Isabella dialed Benjamin's number. He didn't mention the possibility of another powerful force backing Bianca.

Isabella called Benjamin, and after two rings, Amelia's voice came through.

"Hey, Isabella! What's up? Were the strawberries I gave you not to your liking?" Amelia teased.

Isabella was momentarily stunned. Last time, Benjamin helped Amelia move, so she answered his phone. But this time? Was Amelia moving in with Benjamin again?

"Do you realize you are answering Benjamin's phone?" Isabella teased back.

Amelia realized her mistake and blushed. "I just picked up the wrong phone. And Benjamin is right here with me. We're in a legitimate partnership now," she said proudly.

Isabella smiled, about to respond, when she heard Amelia scream on the phone.

"Oh my god, it hurts so much! Pull it out quickly!" Amelia's voice was filled with discomfort.

Benjamin's voice came through, sounding helpless. "Babe, just hold on a little longer. It's almost over."

"But it really hurts! I can't take it anymore," Amelia said, her voice tinged with a hint of whining.

Benjamin sounded even more helpless. "Babe, if you keep moving like that, I really can't pull it out."

Isabella held the phone, her expression stiff. Michael hugged her waist, put his ear to the phone, and smirked.

"Are you two getting busy? Seriously, why didn't you tell me earlier? Can I hang up now?" Isabella said, exasperated.

"No, no, no, Isabella, you got it all wrong! We're not doing that," Amelia explained anxiously.

But just as she finished, Benjamin's voice rang out with relief.

"Babe, I finally got it out! Does it still hurt? Wait, you're bleeding! Don't move, so you don't get infected. I'll get some antiseptic!" Benjamin sounded panicked.

Isabella's face turned crimson, and Michael, with a look of surprise, whispered, "Are they having anal sex?"