Chapter 72

When Michael and Isabella got back from the supermarket, they found Benjamin and Amelia deep in conversation, laughing and having a good time.

"Back when I was in Evernia doing some medical work, I met this local guide. He had this crazy story about rescuing a lion. The lion was like a big, friendly cat, always sticking close to him," Benjamin was saying, sharing his wild tales from Evernia.

Amelia was totally hooked, her eyes wide with interest.

Michael and Isabella walked up behind them, but the two were so engrossed in their chat they didn't even notice.

"So, what happened next?" Amelia asked, leaning in.

Benjamin's face fell a bit. "Well, the next time I went back, I heard the guide had died. The lion bit him."

Amelia's jaw dropped. "Wait, was he hit by the lion he raised?"

Benjamin nodded. "Yeah, apparently, he saw the lion on the grassland and ran towards it, thinking it was his old buddy. Turned out, he was wrong."

Isabella, who had been sipping her beer, choked and sprayed it all over Michael's face when she heard the end of the story. The sudden chaos made Amelia and Benjamin finally notice Michael and Isabella standing there.

Michael just pulled out a handkerchief and started wiping his face, not saying a word.

Isabella, looking mortified, grabbed the handkerchief to help him clean up. "I'm so sorry. Did that really happen? It sounds like a dark joke," she said, turning to Benjamin.

Michael shot Benjamin a cold look. "It is a dark joke. It's one I told him a while back."

Benjamin rubbed the back of his neck, looking sheepish.

Amelia jumped in, "I figured it was a joke, but Mr. White here has a great sense of humor."

Isabella raised an eyebrow, noticing how much Amelia seemed to like Benjamin.

Amelia, blushing a bit, handed Benjamin a beer. "The beer is here. Let's have a toast!"

Everyone grabbed a beer, ready to toast.

Amelia raised her can high. "Cheers! We beat Bianca again!"

After the toast, Benjamin's face grew serious. "Speaking of Bianca, I'm her doctor. Her latest medical reports are weird. Her symptoms don't match uremia."

Amelia rolled her eyes. "I don't buy it. She's probably faking it. She used to fake being sick all the time to mess up Isabella and John's dates. Maybe she thought she'd up her game and fake something serious this time."

Benjamin's brows knitted together. If Bianca was faking it, her health reports would make perfect sense.

"Does John really trust Bianca that much? Hasn't he had her get another check-up?" Benjamin asked, still frowning.

Isabella took a big swig of her beer, wiped her mouth, and slammed the can down on the table. "John is not only a jerk but also a fool! Bianca's been playing him like a fiddle! I told him my kidney didn't match Bianca's, but he always thought I was just trying to stir up trouble between them," she ranted, her anger flaring up again.

Amelia walked over, took Isabella's hand, and tried to calm her down. "Okay, let's not talk about that moron John anymore. If we keep this up, we'll ruin our night."

Benjamin suddenly said, "We're running low on barbecue. Who's up for grabbing more stuff from the fridge?"

"I'll go," Isabella said, getting up from her chair. She and Amelia headed into the villa to fetch more ingredients.

Once they were gone, Benjamin turned to Michael. "You know, most exes who are really over each other act like strangers. But Isabella clearly still cares about John. Doesn't that bother you?" he whispered.

Michael took a sip of his beer, glanced at Benjamin, and said, "Don't forget, Isabella almost died on the operating table because of John. Who can stay indifferent to someone who nearly killed them? If it weren't for our family ties, I wouldn't have let him live this long."

Benjamin nodded. "Good to hear you're thinking straight. I was worried you might get the wrong idea."

Michael rolled his eyes. "Do you think I'm as brainless as John?"

Meanwhile, at the hospital with Bianca, John suddenly sneezed.

"Weird, why do I feel like someone's talking about me?" John muttered, rubbing his nose and looking around.

"What's wrong, John? You okay?" Bianca asked, concerned.

John shook his head and stood up. "I'm fine. Just need to hit the restroom."

As John left the room, Bianca felt a pang of unease. Even though she'd pinned everything on Pearl, she knew this wasn't over.

Sure enough, not long after John left, the door opened again, and in walked Pearl.

"What are you doing here?" Bianca asked, surprised but keeping her cool. With John around, she felt safe.

Pearl sneered as she approached. "You've really screwed me over this time! Thanks to your lies, John's been on our case like a madman!"

Bianca smirked. "So, you're here for payback, huh?"