Goodbye Cheater Hello CEO’s Wife by Payne Walter

4.Chapter 4 Conspiracy

“What are you still standing around for? Quick, get her to the hospital. The child’s safety comes first,” Lorelai said urgently, placing her future grandchild’s well-being above all else.

Clayton covered his mouth and stifled a chuckle. “Even in this situation, you still want your daughter to marry into a family like this, Mr. Ingram? What exactly do you hope to gain from the Winslow family?”

His words caused a visible shift in everyone’s expression.

Meanwhile, Nathan’s expression was grim.

Marrying Isabella to Zachary was a strategic move for both families. However, if Clayton was willing to wed Isabella, he would become Nathan’s son-in-law, with Rayson International as Nathan’s backing.

The value of one hundred Avid Ventures Real Estate paled in comparison to Rayson International. In the face of years of friendship and mutual benefits, Nathan was torn between loyalty and opportunity. He was a businessman, and he knew what he wanted.

Clayton saw the calculative glint in Nathan’s eyes, turned to Isabella, and softly inquired, “Shall we go?”

Isabella tore her eyes away from Zachary and Scarlett, nodding gently.

She visited the graves of her granddad and mother, George and Irina Sorenson, tenderly wiping their photos clean with a tissue.

“I’m sorry, Granddad, Mom. Zachary and I are no longer together. Our marriage won’t be happening,” she murmured.

Caressing Irina’s photo on the tombstone, she couldn’t control her tears. “I’ve tried to heed your advice, Mom, enduring everything. But now, I’m at my wit’s end. I’m only 22 years old, still too young to take over the company with my current ability,” she confessed.

“I thought things would be fine once I got married, but now…” Isabella muffled her sobs with her hand, her body trembling as she knelt before the tombstone, curled into a small ball of grief.

Since Irina’s passing, Isabella had learned to endure silently through countless trials, enduring disdain from Nathan, Winona, and Yvonne. Growing up in a home that no longer felt like hers was a constant struggle, yet she clung to the hope that marrying Zachary would bring her freedom. She believed that everything would soon be fine.

When Nathan told her about the engagement party that was about to be held, Isabella was overjoyed. They had planned to get married after her university graduation the following year, and once that happened, she’d finally be free.

Zachary was the man she loved dearly, and she believed the union arranged by George and Irina must be the best course. After all, Zachary was the guardian angel George and Irina had chosen for her.

Throughout her childhood, Zachary had been her constant companion, treating her with great care.

George passed away when Isabella was just eight years old, followed by Irina when Isabella turned ten, enveloping her world in hues of gray.

When Isabella turned twelve, Zachary left for his studies abroad.

Tearfully, Isabella clung to his hand, reluctant to let him go, fearful of losing the sole connection she had left to George and Irina.

She vividly recalled Zachary’s promise as he held her hand and said, “Isabella, wait for me. I will come back and marry you when I’m grown up.” Those words echoed constantly in her mind.

Throughout the years, Isabella dedicated herself entirely to Zachary. She nurtured their relationship meticulously, treasuring their brief annual reunions, and worked tirelessly to mold herself into the person he admired, adapting to his preferences.

Despite enduring ridicule, sarcasm, and insults from Megan and Yvonne, she clung to the belief that everything would be fine after she married Zachary.

Marrying Zachary had been Isabella’s primary motivation and ultimate goal throughout those years. Every future scenario she envisioned concluded with her union with Zachary.

She firmly believed that marrying him would breathe new life into her existence, heralding a fresh chapter and a brighter future.

Whenever she faced punishment and was locked in a dark room, whenever she suffered from hunger, whenever she faced difficulties, the mere thought of that envisioned future fueled her with boundless courage.

Alas, that hope was shattered. The day she had dreamed of would never materialize. The envisioned future dissolved, leaving behind a shattered world. Isabella felt as though her heart had been torn from her chest, leaving behind an agonizing void.

After a long while of weeping silently, Isabella raised her head, wiping away tears with trembling hands, and pledged, “Granddad, Mom, from now on, I’ll live for myself. I’ll do my best to not let you down.” Despite the pain, she knew that life must persist, regardless of the circumstances.

As Isabella left the cemetery, the sun had already descended below the horizon.

Clayton’s car waited silently by the gate, catching Isabella off guard. Stepping out of the vehicle, Clayton opened the passenger seat door for her. She said in a low voice as she settled into the seat, “Thank you.”

Clayton got back in the car and glanced at Isabella. Her eyes and nose were red, and she looked exhausted. “Let’s find a place for you to rest,” Clayton suggested.

Isabella shook her head, recognizing the inevitability of confronting what lay ahead. “Mr. Murray, thanks for your help today,” she croaked, her voice strained from emotion.

Clayton started the car and asked, “Where do you want to go?”

“Could you please drive me home?” Isabella requested softly.

After confirming the address, Clayton fell into silence as Isabella leaned against the window, closing her eyes for the journey home.

Meanwhile, at the Ingram residence, Nathan, Winona, and Yvonne sat facing each other on the couch in solemn silence.

Breaking the silence, Yvonne implored, “Dad, you can’t allow Isabella to marry Mr. Murray.”

Nathan, having deliberated the matter during his return journey, felt a disquieting unease despite acknowledging the potential benefits of Isabella’s union with Clayton. When pressed by Yvonne, he couldn’t help but raise his gaze to meet hers, questioning, “Why?”

Yvonne hesitated, not knowing what to say, thinking, ‘I can’t say I should be the one to marry Mr. Murray, right?’ She glanced at Winona.

Winona, pouring a cup of coffee for Nathan, said with composure, “Nate, it’s widely known that Isabella and Zachary have been engaged to each other since childhood. Considering her background, it’s not suitable for her to wed into the Murray family. Won’t they look down on her?”