Chapter 301

Estella, new to the city, had no clue about the events that had unfolded there.

Right now, Estella was stunned as Zoey pulled out a photo of Pearl.

The girl in the picture was a horrifying sight. Her limbs were gone, leaving just her torso. Her eyes were gouged out, her nose was cut off, and her head was shaved, with IV tubes sticking out. It was both tragic and terrifying.

"You suspect Isabella did all this, but it doesn't seem like her. She looks so gentle. How could she possibly do something so cruel?" Estella's voice trembled with shock.

Zoey wiped her tears and shook her head. "I don't have any proof that Isabella did this. But my husband once had some evidence pointing to Isabella's sister. Her sister got my daughter to kidnap Isabella. She's a very malicious woman."

Estella blinked, trying to piece together what Zoey had said. Isabella's sister had Zoey's daughter kidnap Isabella. Now, Isabella seemed unharmed, so the kidnapping must have failed, but Zoey's daughter ended up like this. Was this Isabella's sister's revenge for the failed kidnapping?

Estella was confused but decided not to dig deeper. Bringing this up now would just reopen Zoey's wounds and make her relive those painful memories. It would be rude and insensitive.

"Everything will be okay, Mrs. Brown. I believe your daughter will recover, and justice will be served." Estella tried to comfort Zoey, giving her a hug.

Zoey cried bitterly in Estella's arms, showing the helplessness and sorrow of a mother whose daughter had been dismembered.

What Estella didn't notice was that despite Zoey's tears, there was a glint of relief in her eyes, revealing her calculated thoughts.

Growing up in a big family, Zoey might not be very emotional, but she was good at reading people.

Earlier at the restaurant, in a moment of anger, she had embarrassed Estella. Now, by using Pearl's tragic state and a mother's grief, it was easy for Estella, also a woman, to sympathize with her. The rift between them would soon be mended.

Meanwhile, despite the earlier unpleasant incident at Isabella's gathering, everyone quickly got over it. The atmosphere became lively again.

Isabella accepted toasts from her colleagues and drank a lot. Even though she could handle her alcohol, she was feeling a bit tipsy.

After the party wrapped up, Isabella declined her colleagues' invitation to go singing, saying she needed to head home. However, she encouraged Juliet to take everyone out for a night of fun.

With the help of her driver, Leo, Isabella got into the car, her cheeks flushed from the wine. She smiled at Leo, her voice soft but clear. "Leo, thanks for taking me home. You don't need to pick me up for work tomorrow."

Leo glanced in the rearview mirror. Even though Isabella was drunk, she was still coherent.

Leo returned her smile warmly. "Isabella, if you don't mind, I'd like to keep being your driver. As a CEO, you shouldn't drive yourself, and hiring a new driver could be risky with the four major families lurking around. It's safer if I take the wheel."

Isabella was surprised. She didn't expect Leo to make the same offer as Juliet.

"How can that be? You're not like Juliet. She's new and just an assistant. Maybe the boss doesn't value her that much, but you're an old hand at the company, personally assigned by the boss to be my driver. Now I'm about to resign. If the boss finds out I took you with me, he might not be happy." Isabella shook her head, turning down Leo's offer.

Leo felt a bit awkward. Sometimes one lie led to countless others, but he knew how to persuade Isabella.

"Isabella, I have my reasons. You've seen how I've worked these past days. If I stay as your driver, I know you'll treat me well. Before you, I drove for some people who were nothing like you. They were all so picky! I never felt respected by them, but I had to endure it for my family's sake. Honestly, I wasn't happy." Leo gave a bitter smile.

This was the script Leo had agreed on with Michael.

Leo had always been the kind of guy who worked hard for his family, while Isabella was a gentle and kind-hearted woman. When she learned about Leo's struggles, it was only natural for her to feel sympathy for him.

But as Leo thought about his conversation with Michael, his expression showed signs of inner turmoil. The idea of manipulating his wife left him feeling hesitant.

Things unfolded just as Michael had predicted.

Hearing Leo's words, Isabella hesitated. Leo had been very helpful, always on time and handling other troubles efficiently. He was undoubtedly competent.

Leo suddenly smiled and said, "If you're worried about explaining to the boss, I've already talked to him. Don't think the boss is all serious. He's actually very humorous and generous. He said he respects my decision, and as long as you agree, my resignation will be processed immediately. After all, I'm just a driver."

"Did you really talk to the boss? If that's the case, then come work for me, and your salary will stay the same for now." Isabella smiled. Since Leo had already talked to the boss, she had nothing to worry about.

Leo breathed a sigh of relief. Luckily, Isabella bought their story this time. If she hadn't, he would have had to come up with another excuse. Constantly lying was exhausting.

When they arrived at the villa, Isabella was dozing in the back seat. The exhaustion of the day, combined with the effects of the alcohol, had left her feeling incredibly drowsy.

By this time, Michael had returned to the villa. Leo got out of the car and informed Michael that Isabella was asleep.

Michael walked to the car, opened the door, and saw Isabella sleeping soundly in the back seat.

Michael smiled, leaned in, and gently picked up Isabella.

Isabella's nose twitched, catching the familiar cedar scent, and she hugged Michael's neck.

Seeing this intimate moment, Leo allowed himself a small, knowing smile. "You and Ms. Taylor seem very close."

As he spoke, he made an 'OK' gesture, signaling Michael to take over as Isabella's driver again.