CHAPTER 322: CHAPTER 322: BOYFRIEND

The men guarding Louis earlier were strong, the kind of people who were clearly trained in martial arts. She had an eye for that sort of thing, and she could tell these were not just ordinary hired guards.

If she could have such people on her side, even temporarily, she would feel a lot more secure. And in the back of her mind, she was already planning something bigger.

She wanted to train her own group of bodyguards, a team that would be completely loyal to her.

Louis looked at her for a moment, then smiled in that way of his that always seemed like he was enjoying some private joke.

"I can lend them to you," he said, "but only if Olivia agrees to date me."

Olivia’s head snapped up instantly. Her cheeks flushed with anger.

"You are going too far!" she said, pointing at him. "I am not going to date someone like you. I am not ready for that, so you can forget it."

Louis chuckled. "You really can be ignorant sometimes," he said. His voice was calm, but there was something serious behind his words.

"Victor will not let this go. He will take his revenge on the Waters family. It is only a matter of time before you and the others are caught in the crossfire."

Olivia’s mouth closed. She did not like hearing it, but she could not deny that Louis was telling the truth. She had seen enough today to know that danger was coming. Still, she did not want to give in so easily.

"If you want me to be your girlfriend," she said slowly, "you will need to pay me ten million dollars every single month."

Aurora almost laughed at that. She thought Louis would definitely refuse such an outrageous demand. But to her surprise, Louis just chuckled again and nodded.

"Alright," he said in a good-natured tone.

Aurora raised an eyebrow at him. Something about the way he agreed so easily made her feel like there was more to it. When she looked up again, she noticed his gaze had shifted to her.

His eyes were steady and deep, studying her face as if he wanted to see what she was thinking.

Aurora met his gaze without flinching. She was not the type to look away just because someone was staring at her.

Louis’s lips curved into another small smile before he turned away.

...............

Victor was not at the party anymore. Instead, he was with Isabella. They were in a restroom of a fancy building. Isabella was inside one of the stalls, her back pressed against the door, her hands clenched into fists.

Outside, a group of girls stood near the sinks, talking in voices that were not loud, but still clear enough to reach her ears.

"Did you see what happened earlier?" one of them said with excitement.

"I have never seen anything like it all year. The way he was shut down right in front of everyone... it was brutal."

"I know," another girl replied, her tone full of amusement.

"This gossip is going to spread everywhere. By tomorrow, every single person in the upper circle will have heard about it."

"I still cannot believe it," a third voice added.

"Victor was so confident. He said that Ms. Dawn would definitely accept his offer. But she didn’t. She humiliated him instead."

A few of the girls laughed softly.

"And that red-haired girl," one of them said, "she said Ms. Dawn would not pull back the investment, and she was right. From the way she carried herself, she must have some kind of special connection to Ms. Dawn. She was beautiful too. Way more striking than Isabella."

That last part made Isabella’s teeth clench.

Another girl joined in. "Honestly, Isabella is probably the most embarrassed person tonight. She caused such a scene, and now when she goes home, she will probably be punished."

"I agree," another voice said. "She is always so arrogant, pretending to be gentle and sweet, but it is just a mask. She does not know the difference between heaven and hell before she acts."

They all chuckled, their voices full of mockery.

"And Aurora," someone said, "she was so calm and confident. Way smarter too. If you compare the two, Isabella looks childish."

Inside the stall, Isabella’s face was red with anger.

She wanted to throw the door open and scream at them, but she knew it would only make her look worse. So she stayed where she was, seething in silence, her nails digging into her palms.

Every word they spoke felt like another slap to her face.

Isabella waited until the sound of the girls’ footsteps faded completely. Then she slowly pushed open the stall door and stepped out. Her heels clicked lightly on the restroom tiles as she walked to the sink.

She stopped for a moment, looking at the spot where one of the girls had been standing earlier.

Her eyes were cold, but there was also a calculating look in them. Pulling her phone from her clutch, she dialed a number she knew very well.

When the other person answered, Isabella’s voice was calm and soft, but every word carried a sharp edge.

She listed the girl’s full name, making sure there was no mistake, and gave her instructions.

"Make things difficult for her family," she said plainly. "Do not be too obvious, but make sure they feel it."

The person on the other end agreed without question. Isabella ended the call and slid her phone back into her clutch.

Her lips pressed together in a thin line. If she thought for even a second that these girls had been gossiping without knowing she was inside, she would be a fool. The timing, the way they spoke, the choice of words... it was all too perfect. They wanted to humiliate her, to stab her pride where it hurt the most.

Did they really think she would let them walk away untouched?

Of course, what she didn’t know was that she was overthinking everything. Those girls had only wanted to share the latest gossip among themselves. They had no idea she was inside the stall at all.

Still, Isabella was not the type to forgive and forget

Her fingers curled into a fist as her thoughts turned in another direction. The main reason she had been embarrassed today was not those gossiping girls... it was Aurora. That red-haired girl had completely destroyed her plans.

Isabella’s anger rose again, but before she could think further, the restroom door opened.

Victor stepped in.

The sight of her father made Isabella tense. She quickly lowered her head and called out softly, "Father."

She hoped her tone would make him feel pity for her, but Victor’s expression showed no such thing. Without a single pause, he stepped forward and slapped her hard across the face.

The sharp sound echoed in the restroom.

Isabella’s head turned from the force of the blow, her cheek burning. Her fists clenched, but she did not speak a word.

She had learned long ago that in moments like this, silence was her best weapon. She would endure, bide her time, and strike back when the opportunity came.

Inside, she promised herself she would take revenge on this petty man one day.

But Victor was no fool. Running a business empire for so many years had made him shrewd. He could read people’s thoughts just from the look in their eyes, and he saw clearly that Isabella’s silence hid more than just shame.

Grinding his teeth, he spoke coldly.

"Do not be angry at me for slapping you. Today, you made a complete mess. Because of you, I lost face in front of everyone. And yet you act as if I am to blame. Do you really want me to strip you of your position entirely?"

Isabella quickly changed her expression. Her eyes filled with tears, and she shook her head, speaking in a trembling voice.

"You misunderstand me, Father. I would never think of taking revenge on you. I only wanted to help. I wanted to teach Aurora a lesson and help you build a connection with Ms. Dawn. How could I know Ms. Dawn would not follow the rules?"

She pouted slightly, lowering her voice into something softer and almost childlike. "I know I was wrong. I will not cause you trouble again. Please do not be angry anymore."

Her tone and pitiful look began to melt Victor’s anger. Slowly, his shoulders relaxed, though his jaw remained tight.

"The embarrassment I felt tonight will not be forgotten," he said firmly. "That Ms. Dawn will regret rejecting me. Once I learn her true identity, I will make sure she pays for it."

Isabella nodded obediently, but her thoughts were on someone else entirely. While her father focused on Ms. Dawn, she would turn her attention to Aurora and Alex.

The more she thought about it, the more she burned with the need to ruin them.