Chapter 282

Bianca clutched the phone tightly, a mix of comfort and unease swirling in her chest.

"Ever since Jasper and Mia got out of the detention center, I've had this bad feeling, like something's about to go down," she muttered, running a hand through her hair in frustration.

The voice on the other end scoffed, "What are you so scared of? If you didn't do it, no one's gonna pin it on you."

Bianca paused. "We don't even know who did it. The most suspicious person is Isabella's husband, but that guy's a ghost. John hasn't been able to dig up anything on him, which is saying something."

The voice on the line turned serious. "Yeah, the mystery around Isabella's husband has everyone on edge."

Bianca snorted, "If I were you, with the power to take down Isabella directly, she'd be gone already! So we wouldn't be in this mess! That woman is always causing me grief. If you can't fix the problem, why not get rid of the source?"

The voice on the phone replied coldly, "I've told you before, don't entertain such foolish thoughts. Isabella can't die right now. If my people kill her, it'll raise too many red flags! Plus, I still don't know who her husband really is. If he's someone even I can't handle, it'll just bring trouble my way."

"Coward," Bianca shot back, rolling her eyes in disdain.

Impatiently, the person on the phone snapped, "Look, I don't have time for this nonsense. Anything else? If not, I'm hanging up."

Suddenly, a thought hit Bianca.

"Wait, don't hang up yet," Bianca blurted out. "I need to ask you something important. Can you lend me some money? John's in a tight spot with other families targeting him, and he's strapped for cash. He can't spare any for me. I need to buy shares from those minority shareholders. Isabella can borrow from Mason, but I can't."

The voice on the other end hesitated. "It's not that I don't want to help, but I don't have that kind of money either! When the old man handed out the tasks, he didn't give me my share of the cash. And even if I could give you a chunk of money, how are you gonna explain it to John?"

Bianca was stunned, realizing she had missed a critical detail. She had no good explanation for where the money would come from.

"So what do we do? If Mason lends money to Isabella, I'm screwed," Bianca said, frustration creeping into her voice.

There was a pause on the line, as if the person was trying to come up with a solution.

"Hey, do you know any journalists? Get them to write a piece on John's situation-focus on Mason ignoring his family and favoring outsiders. Oh, and drop some hints about an affair between Mason and Isabella. You're good at spreading rumors like this," the voice on the phone teased.

Bianca's eyes sparkled with a sudden flash of cunning. The plan was brilliant. Under the pressure of media, Mason would have to think twice about helping Isabella against John. It would just prove the gossip and destroy the William family's reputation.

She was about to agree when a sudden thought stopped her. "Wait, what if John finds out? I know him. Even though he's got issues with his grandpa right now, he wouldn't let his grandpa's reputation get trashed. If he finds out I ruin his grandpa's name to stop Isabella getting the money, he'll see how selfish I am."

The voice on the other end, now irritated, snapped back, "A real strong person doesn't get tied down by love! When you make it to the top, you'll see that even movie stars would jump into your bed with just a snap of your fingers!"

"I don't want those people. John's way better than them," Bianca replied, clearly annoyed.

The voice softened, resigned, "Alright, I'll help you one more time. I'll find the journalists. But remember, my help is limited, so try not to call me again. I'm being watched, and I need to lay low now."

After ending the call, Bianca stared at the blank screen for a moment, a long sigh escaping her lips.

"Great, let's see how Isabella stacks up against me now. Without Mason's money, she won't have the cash to buy those shares." Bianca smirked.

Little did Bianca know, Isabella had the money John gave to Jasper, and it was enough to buy all the shares.

Three days passed, each one filled with anticipation. The investigations against the minority shareholders finally concluded, and the dirt they dug up on them matched the documents Caro gave Isabella.

The minority shareholders were getting anxious too. They had heard about John's financial troubles and had been calling Isabella non-stop for the past two days.

After one such call, Isabella set down her phone and arranged a meeting with the anxious shareholder. Turning to Michael, who was lounging on the couch, she smiled, "Babe, this is good news. I don't know what John did to offend the other top families, but the current situation is working in our favor."

Isabella walked over to Michael and embraced him.

Michael put his arm around Isabella, but his face was serious.

"What's wrong, babe?" Isabella asked, her eyes full of concern.

Michael's expression was grim as he pulled out his phone and showed her an article.

Isabella's eyes moved over the text, and her face grew darker with each word.

"These damn media! They spread rumors without a shred of evidence and they're dragging Mason's name through the mud!" Isabella slammed the table in frustration.

Michael looked at her and asked calmly, "Honey, who do you think is behind this?"