Chapter 396

Joseph finally spilled the beans about his crush on Isabella.

He'd been keeping this secret locked up for way too long. Sometimes, he wondered if it was all just a figment of his imagination.

His dad shipped him off abroad when he was just a kid, so he missed out on getting close to Isabella. When he heard she was getting engaged to John, he drowned his sorrows on the side of the road.

At first, Joseph had zero plans to come back home because he couldn't stand the thought of seeing Isabella and John tie the knot. But then he got wind that Isabella wanted to call off the wedding.

Joseph was over the moon when he heard the news. He literally jumped up and did a couple of backflips. But when he found out she called it off because she was already married, he crashed back down to earth.

In that moment, it felt like his whole world went dark. But then rumors started flying that Isabella's so-called husband was a no-show, and people began to think she made up the marriage just to ditch John. Turns out, she wasn't married at all.

With a mix of hope and doubt, Joseph hopped on a plane back home. Married or not, he was dead set on going after his love. He figured his charm could win her over.

But boy, was he wrong.

Joseph totally underestimated the bond between Isabella and Michael.

"I don't get why you're so upset. If I hurt you, I'm sorry, but I don't see what I did wrong," Isabella said with a calm shrug.

"Do I really have no shot?" Joseph suddenly grabbed her hand, his eyes pleading.

Isabella frowned and tried to pull her hand away, but Joseph's grip was firm. She tried a couple more times but couldn't break free.

She sighed, "Can you let go? I only see you as a friend. I've never felt that way about you."

Joseph's lips quivered as he searched her eyes for any sign she was lying, but all he saw was calm sincerity.

Taking a deep breath, he slowly let go of her hand. "I'm sorry, I got carried away."

Isabella shook her head, rubbing her wrist. "It's okay. Emotions can make us do crazy things. We can't be a couple, but we can still be friends."

Joseph shook his head. "I can't just be your friend, not with how I feel about you. Maybe things will change someday, for you or for me. But if your marriage ever falls apart... just know I'll be here, waiting like a fool for my chance."

A flicker of annoyance crossed Isabella's face at his words, feeling like he was jinxing her marriage to Michael.

"Alright, Joseph, your sister's been in the bathroom forever. You should go check on her. I've got stuff to do at the office," Isabella said, getting up and leaving the coffee shop.

Joseph sat there quietly for a long time.

Until a hand landed on his shoulder, and Avery sat down next to him.

"My poor little brother, have you given up now?" Avery asked.

Joseph glanced at Avery, then got up and walked out of the coffee shop without a word.

Avery watched him leave and sighed. "I shouldn't have agreed to this. Now he's all upset, and Isabella's probably mad too. She might even be pissed at me. I need to explain things to her, or our friendship's toast."

Avery sighed again and started dialing Isabella's number to apologize.

Isabella, already in her car, saw Avery's call. She hesitated for a moment before picking up.

"Hey, Isabella. I'm really sorry. As his sister, I had to look out for Joseph's feelings. But please believe me, I didn't encourage him to go after you or mess with your marriage. He just wanted some closure, so I helped set up the meeting," Avery explained.

Isabella chuckled. "I believe you. It's just that my charm is too irresistible, making your brother fall head over heels. It's a shame I met my husband first. If Joseph had come along earlier, who knows what might've happened."

Avery gave a wry smile and shook her head. "It's all fate, something Joseph can't fight. Anyway, I'll apologize in person next time we meet. And don't worry, he won't be tagging along."

After expressing her regret, Avery hung up.

Isabella looked at her phone and sighed softly. She had been a bit annoyed with Avery, but the quick call to explain things made her forgive her friend.

Just like Avery said, being a sister sometimes means making tough calls.

Isabella glanced out the window and spotted a familiar figure.

"Bianca? Am I seeing things?" Isabella muttered, watching the figure disappear down the street.

Little did Isabella know, Bianca had already set her sights on causing more trouble for her.

In fact, Bianca was just out shopping to blow off some steam. But when she glanced through the mall window, she saw the drama unfold at the coffee shop.

Bianca put away her phone, which now held a video of Joseph holding Isabella's hand.

"Isabella, aren't you supposed to be a role model? I want everyone to see a married woman like you getting cozy with another guy, betraying your marriage, your husband, and your love. Let's see how long your endorsements last when everyone despises you," Bianca sneered.

Bianca also noticed Avery in the video and knew there was more to the story. But that didn't matter.

All Bianca needed to do was edit the video, post it online, and let the internet do the rest.

After filming, Bianca left the mall and headed to the coffee shop.

Standing at the door, she called her two bodyguards to go inside and get the surveillance footage.

"This time, you won't have a chance to explain," Bianca said coldly.