Chapter 284

John was caught off guard by the intensity of Bianca's reaction.

This whole thing smelled like Bianca all over it. Because she was the one who would benefit most.

"Do you really think I'm that awful? I know how much your grandfather means to you. Why would I ever do something like that?" Bianca's voice shook with anger, tears streaming down her face.

John felt a pang of panic as he looked at her. He wanted to reach out and wipe away her tears, but she pulled back from his touch.

"If you don't believe me, ask the security at the winery or check my recent call logs. Or look into the reporters who published the story. See if I've had any contact with them." With a final, icy tone, Bianca turned away, retreating into the room and slamming the door behind her.

John sighed, staring at the closed door. He clenched his jaw, hesitated for a moment, and then decided to check with the winery's security.

In the end, John found out that Bianca had been at the winery the whole time, not seeing anyone, and she hadn't been in touch with any reporters.

"If it wasn't Bianca, then why would these media outlets publish such a story? Who would benefit from ruining my grandfather's reputation?" John wondered, frustration etched on his face.

Meanwhile, at the hospital, Mason's anger boiled over when he saw the news.

"Seriously? Who's spreading these lies? They're ruining Isabella's and my reputation!" Mason sputtered, his face turning red.

Charles quickly called for medical staff to check on Mason. After a while of soothing from the doctor, Mason's anger slowly began to subside.

With Mason somewhat calmed, Charles approached, his expression a mix of concern and resignation.

"Mr. Williams, we got to that media company right after the news hit, but they were long gone. It's a small company, but that story spread like wildfire because it was so juicy," Charles explained.

Mason furrowed his brow. The quick response from the other party indicated premeditation. With his experience, Mason quickly guessed that the intent was to prevent him from lending Isabella the money to buy shares.

"Could it be Bianca who did this?" Mason squinted, only able to think of Bianca. As for John? He had confidence in his grandson.

Charles still had a wry smile on his face. "Mr. Williams, just now Mr. John Williams called. He's already looked into it, and it wasn't Ms. Taylor who did it."

"What on earth could he have looked into? His mind is practically brainwashed by Bianca. His so-called investigation probably just involved asking Bianca if she did it, then calling you after she denied it." Mason's anger flared up again at the mention of this.

Charles soothed Mason. "Mr. Williams, I think you're worrying for nothing. John hasn't sunk that low, and ever since Bianca helped frame Isabella's parents, I've noticed a shift in his attitude towards her. I'm sure he's done his homework."

With Charles' reassurance, Mason's agitation began to ease.

"Even if it wasn't Bianca, it's definitely got something to do with her. Could someone be trying to set her up? What's the point? Can Bianca's reputation get any worse?" Mason scoffed.

Charles shook his head with a wry smile. Bianca had been gunning for Isabella from the start, ever since the plagiarism scandal in the design competition. Every time Bianca tried to frame Isabella, it backfired, leaving her reputation in ruins.

"Whatever. Whether it was Bianca or not, their goal is probably to keep Isabella from getting those shares. I'm curious now, what does Isabella have up her sleeve?" Mason's face showed a spark of interest.

Charles, with a hint of admiration, replied, "I think you'll find out soon. Mr. John Williams doesn't have the extra cash to handle this now, so Isabella should jump on this chance."

Charles's analysis was spot on, as Isabella had already met with the first small shareholder.

The first small shareholder Isabella met was Zack. They had spoken on the phone before, and Isabella had even offered a high price of one hundred billion dollars to annoy John.

When Zack saw Isabella in the office, he put on a fake smile and asked politely, "Ms. Taylor, would you like some coffee? The coffee here is pretty good."

Isabella shook her head. "Mr. Farley, I have a lot of people to meet. Let's skip the small talk and get straight to the point about the shares."

Zack rubbed his hands together excitedly, grinning. "Sure thing, I like your direct approach, Ms. Taylor. Mr. Williams offered three times the price. How much are you willing to offer?"

Isabella held up two fingers.

Zack's eyes widened in surprise. "Twenty times? Wow! That's impressive! Just give me the money, and the shares are yours."

But Isabella frowned slightly and said calmly, "Mr. Farley, I think there's been a misunderstanding. I didn't say twenty times, I said two times. That's the highest price I can offer."

The excitement vanished from Zack's face. He snapped, "Isabella, are you serious? John offered three times the price, and you're only offering two times? Are you kidding me? In that case, I might as well sell the shares to Mr. Williams."

Isabella, with a faint smile, crossed her arms. "You wanna sell the shares to John? Sure, go ahead. Does he even have the money right now? He'll probably promise to pay triple later, once he sorts out his mess."

Zack's face grew darker. He'd heard about John's recent troubles. But selling to Isabella for less than what John might offer? No way, that'd make him look like an idiot.

"Those terms are hard for me to accept," Zack shot back, his voice icy.