Chapter 45

The room went dead silent.

Amelia shot a look at Isabella, then Michael, and finally at the lingerie in Isabella's hand. She seemed to get the picture.

"Didn't see a thing. Carry on," Amelia chuckled, shutting the door behind her.

Isabella's face turned as red as the lingerie she was holding, and she quickly shoved it under a pile of clothes.

"Sorry, I forgot. I asked Amelia to bring me something. You know, I studied fashion design in college, and I needed something to keep me busy while I'm stuck here." Isabella stammered, clearly embarrassed.

Michael sighed. He was used to her getting flustered at the worst times.

"It's fine. I should've warned you. I forgot people could walk in anytime." Michael tried to sound reassuring, but he was still pretty annoyed.

Just then, the door swung open again, and Amelia walked back in.

"Sorry to barge in, but I saw John, and I really don't want to deal with him right now." Amelia shrugged, looking apologetic.

Hearing John's name made Michael's brow furrow.

John hadn't seen Amelia; he was busy tracking down Isabella's doctor to ask about her husband.

"Ms. Taylor's husband is quite the looker. But, of course, compared to Mr. Williams, he's not as good-looking as you," the doctor said to John, trying to be polite.

John frowned and said, "I don't need flattery. Just give me the facts."

The doctor hesitated, then said, "Well, Ms. Taylor's husband is indeed very handsome. He has an elegant look and a great physique. Even through his shirt, you can tell he's got strong muscles."

The doctor thought back to Michael's appearance. "He's not bulky, but his muscles are well-defined. If he weren't married, he'd definitely catch a lot of women's attention."

John frowned, not expecting the doctor to praise Isabella's husband so much.

"He must really love his wife. Ms. Taylor only sprained her foot and could've rested at home, but he insisted on her being hospitalized, just to be safe. That's love." The doctor looked a bit envious, hinting at his own past.

John didn't care about the doctor's story; he was focused on the fact that Michael loved Isabella a lot.

"Alright, I've heard enough. If you see Isabella's husband again, find a way to keep him here or snap a picture of him secretly." John said before leaving the office.

Standing in the hospital corridor, John's eyes were filled with anger and frustration.

He didn't love Isabella, but he couldn't stand the thought of her being with someone he considered beneath him.

He thought, 'Even if that man is handsome and charming, he is nothing compared to me. After all, I am the heir to the Williams family.'

John had no idea Michael was in Isabella's room at that very moment. Meanwhile, in Isabella's room, she was introducing Amelia and Michael to each other.

Michael already knew about Amelia; he had done his homework on everyone close to Isabella.

"Hey, I've heard a lot about you. You're Isabella's best friend, right?" Michael greeted Amelia with a nod.

Amelia smiled back. "Yeah, she talks about you a lot too. Always saying how handsome you are. I thought she was exaggerating, but I guess not. So, what do you do?"

"I told you, he works at the Williams Group as a mid-level manager," Isabella chimed in.

Amelia looked at Michael, curiosity sparking in her eyes. "Even as a mid-level manager, you must have a specific role, right? Which department are you in?"

Michael grinned. "I'm in the research and development department, working on new cosmetics for the company."

Amelia's interest piqued, and she started asking a bunch of questions about cosmetics. Michael answered all her questions patiently, even breaking down the pros and cons of different brands.

Amelia was surprised by how much Michael knew about cosmetics; she had been trying to test him. "Wow, now I know which products to use. By the way, I have a college friend named Luna Bailey who works in your department. Do you know her?"

Michael shook his head and chuckled, "She must be pulling your leg. We don't have anyone by that name in our department."

Amelia laughed, "Looks like Luna's been fibbing. I'll have to tease her about it next time."

Even Isabella noticed something was off; Amelia seemed to be testing Michael on purpose.

Suddenly, Isabella clutched her stomach and said, "Amelia, my stomach hurts. Can you help me to the bathroom?"

"Sure, let's go," Amelia said, helping Isabella to the bathroom.

After they left, Michael sat on the hospital bed, furrowing his brow. He could tell Amelia was testing him, but he didn't get why.

In the bathroom, Amelia said seriously, "I think he's a bit weird!"

Isabella looked at her helplessly. "What's so weird about Michael? Why are you testing him? He seems perfectly normal."

Amelia threw her hands up, exasperated. "You need to pay more attention. Haven't you noticed his aura? It's not what you'd expect from a mid-level manager. He has this noble vibe, like a prince!"

Isabella thought back to when she first met Michael. He always had a mischievous smile, more like an elegant troubadour.

But a troubadour wouldn't climb into someone's house through a water pipe. Michael moved with the grace and strength of a seasoned adventurer.

Isabella remembered Michael climbing into the ward through the water pipe and thought of the red lingerie, her cheeks turning red again.

Amelia saw Isabella's blush and sighed, "Oh my, are you blinded by love? Stay alert!"