"Ah!" Isabella screamed, covering her eyes, then hurriedly covered him with the blanket, her face burning red with embarrassment. "You... you pervert!"
Lucius 's voice sounded aggrieved. "You uncovered me, exposed me, and then call me a pervert. My clothes were cut off by you, my underwear is wet and bloody, so I had to take them off."
Isabella, feeling both ashamed and furious, asked, "Then why didn't you say it earlier?"
"Why didn't you say you were uncovering me earlier?" Lucius retorted unapologetically.
Isabella was completely defeated by this man. She raised her hands and nodded. "Fine, fine, I'm the perverted one here. So, for your innocence and safety, please leave, okay?"
This time, the man closed his eyes and remained very quiet.
"Don't pretend!" Isabella walked up to him, shaking him gently. She noticed an unusual flush on his face and touched his forehead. It was burning hot. He had a fever.
Isabella wrung her fingers in distress. He was burning up, and it didn't feel right to throw him out like this.
She kept consoling herself, "Isabella, you must have owed this man in your past life, and now he's come to collect. It's because you're too kind-hearted, unable to be ruthless. Now you're completely stuck."
In the end, she reluctantly went out to buy him fever-reducing and anti-inflammatory medicine, along with... men's underwear.
Isabella bought the medicine, got a new phone, and also purchased some daily necessities from the supermarket. When she reached the men's underwear section, her face turned red. She estimated the size, glanced around to make sure no one was looking, and quickly tossed two pairs into her shopping basket.
It was the first time she had bought underwear for a man, especially a stranger who had intentionally scammed her.
She couldn't tell if she was being kind or foolish.
After grabbing a bike, she prepared to head home, thinking that it was both environmentally friendly and a good workout.
Squeak!
A Porsche whizzed past Isabella with an ear-piercing noise. She jumped away from the car, her heart pounding.
She nervously looked at the car parked in front of her.
The door opened, and Cynthia stepped out of the car. She was heavily made-up, wearing a designer miniskirt that hugged her curves, and had tender legs balanced on high heels over a dozen centimeters tall, exuding a seductive aura.
"Oh, I was thinking who's blocking the road in front? Isn't it my sister who was just kicked out of the house? What a coincidence," Cynthia said, not showing a hint of apology, but rather a provocative smile.
Isabella's anger surged. Her expression turned icy cold. "Cynthia, if you're blind, donate your eyes to someone in need. And the psychiatric hospital is to the left, did you take the wrong road?"
Blind and crazy, Isabella cursed without using any foul language.
Cynthia wasn't angry either, raising her eyebrows. "Isabella, it just so happens that I have some super exciting news to share with you."
She sounded arrogant. "Dad has transferred the villa he prepared for you to my name."
Isabella's heart sank.
The house Cynthia mentioned was the one where her deceased mother used to live, holding precious childhood memories for her.
Now, her father had kicked her out of the house, leaving her homeless, while giving her mother's cherished home to Cynthia.
At this moment, Isabella's feelings were a mix of indignation and disappointment.
Cynthia smiled and observed Isabella, waiting to see her discomfort.
But Isabella, who had been at the receiving end of Cynthia and her stepmother's actions, knew exactly why she was being provoked.
Suppressing her boiling anger, Isabella let out a sigh and looked at Cynthia with a cold expression.
A hint of mocking or ironic smile lifted the corner of her mouth. "Things stolen from others always smell sweet. Since you and your mother moved into the Riveras, how many things have you taken from me? I have to say, the way you and your mom look reminds me of a dog that loves to scavenge for leftover bones."
"Well, so be it. Consider it me giving you and your mother something I don't want. Oh, by the way, let me remind you. That villa was a house my mother once loved very much. If you happen to see my mother, remember to give her my regards."
Her mother was forced to death by her stepmother back then.
Now, this mother and daughter are living in her mother's house, and she intends to make things difficult for these two venomous women.
She doesn't believe that Cynthia can really live in peace. People with guilty consciences are always fearful, especially of nightmares.
Sure enough, Cynthia's expression turned gloomy.
Isabella sneered, got on her bicycle, and prepared to leave.
But Cynthia suddenly stood in front of Isabella, a hint of maliciousness flashing in her eyes, and she said with a smile, "Don't go yet! I have a gift for you."
As she spoke, she threw a water cup at Isabella's feet.
The cup rolled over, and Isabella couldn't help but tremble as she looked down, seeing nothing but pain.
This water cup was originally a gift from Isabella to her once beloved boyfriend, Samuel Hayes.
Isabella will always remember the day she celebrated his birthday.
She traveled all over the city to buy limited edition handmade cups for him.
Although the cup was not expensive, it was exquisite and translucent, very tasteful.
Most importantly, the cup was handmade by her.
At that time, while she was making it, she sweetly thought about giving him the cup and being together forever.
But when she pushed open the door of Samuel's bedroom with the birthday gift and breakfast she made herself, she saw him and Cynthia messing around together on his bed, of all places.
That was probably the most disgusting scene she had ever seen in her life.
It's really cliche, isn't it?
Her once most trusted and deeply loved boyfriend, and her step-sister who she treated as family, betrayed her in such a despicable way, stabbing her heart deeply.
This cup appeared in front of her again, as if mocking her mercilessly, mocking her foolishness and ignorance.
Isabella clenched her fists tightly, her nails sinking deep into her palms.
Cynthia was extremely pleased, her arrogant laughter coming over, "I'm returning it to you on behalf of Samuel. Isabella, you're really funny, don't you feel ashamed to send such trash to him? Samuel is the distinguished young master of the Hayes family, and you dare to celebrate his birthday with such cheap stuff, it's really laughable."
Then, she lifted up her sparkling necklace, the pendant shining brightly with a large diamond, disdainfully looking down at Isabella, "See this? This is the hundred thousand-dollar diamond that Samuel gave me for our anniversary. Now he loves me the most. You, a worthless peasant, have nothing, yet you dare to entangle him. Don't ever bother him again in the future."
"Is this why you came to find me?" Isabella stared at Cynthia, her eyes filled with coldness. "That cup was meant for garbage, just throw it away. You really went to great lengths to treat trash as treasure."
In other words, Samuel Hayes meant nothing to her anymore.
The things she gave him had no value anymore, they could be thrown away like garbage, yet Cynthia treated them as treasures. She sarcastically mocked Cynthia.
Cynthia was speechless at being rebutted, about to retort, when suddenly she heard a man's voice behind her, "Cynthia."
The man was gentle and elegant, handsome and suave, he is none other than Samuel Hayes, the young master of the Hayes family.
A malicious look flashed across Cynthia's face, and she hooked her foot onto Isabella's bicycle.
Because the bike was unstable, Isabella leaned forward, falling towards Cynthia.
From Samuel's perspective, Cynthia was knocked to the ground by Isabella's bicycle.
Samuel immediately rushed over, not even glancing at Isabella, but helped Cynthia up, his face full of concern as he asked anxiously, "Cynthia, are you alright?"
Cynthia raised her face, looking aggrieved, tears glistening, "Sam, my dad kicked her out and I'm very worried about her, so I want her to come back. It's just that she still can't forgive me for falling in love with you. It's all my fault. She is still angry, don't blame her."
Samuel looked at the red mark on Cynthia's knee from the fall, feeling distressed, without asking for any explanations, he directly scolded Isabella, "Isabella! It doesn't matter if you resent me, but Cynthia is innocent. Why are you so cruel?"
***
"Cynthia is your biological sister. These past few days, she has been pleading for you every day in front of your father, hoping to bring you back. She treats you with all her heart, but how do you treat her?"Isabella saw the look of disappointment on Samuel's face, as if he regarded her as a bully who picks on the weak.Seeing Samuel's expression, Isabella felt as if her ears had suddenly gone deaf; she couldn't hear his scolding.All she could see was Samuel's face filled with anger and disappointment.Today, she truly witnessed what it meant to turn black into white and to accuse the victim.The one who betrayed first was acting all righteous and wronged, scolding her; she was framed by Cynthia, kicked out of her home, left homeless, and in the end, Cynthia was portrayed as some kind of saint.Isabella felt so angry she wanted to laugh.Seeing Isabella's pale face, Samuel felt that his tone just now might have been too harsh and softened his voice, "How are you doing now? Do you h
Isabella wondered. His injuries weren’t healed, and he had a fever—where could he have gone?He had no one to rely on, was suffering from a terminal illness, and like her, was homeless. Now, with his injuries and amnesia, his situation was truly dire.Earlier, she had driven him away out of anger. Maybe the saying ‘a sharp tongue but a soft heart’ really did apply to her.Calming down, she realized they were both in similarly difficult situations, and she felt a sense of empathy.Deep down, Isabella still felt sympathy for this man.She decided to go out and look for him, but then she heard the door open.The man stood at the doorway, dressed in casual sportswear. The sunlight from outside cast a golden glow on his tall figure. With a gentle breeze, he looked distinguished and elegant, exuding a noble aura.Isabella was momentarily dazed.Lucius slightly curled his lips into a smile and walked into the house with his long legs. “You’re back? It was stuffy inside, so I went out for a w
Lucius, unperturbed, responded, “Mm-hmm.”Isabella finally couldn't contain the overwhelming urge to punch him. She raised her small fists threateningly in front of him.Lucius, seeing the small, fair fists, blinked and coolly refused, “Arm-wrestle with me? No way, I’m still injured.”This statement reminded Isabella: was he deliberately provoking her to make her fall into a trap? If she accidentally hurt him more, he’d have an even better excuse to stick around.Catching herself just in time, Isabella grinned and continued shaking her fists, “Keep trying, you’ll remember eventually.”But she couldn't let him get away with everything. Smiling sweetly, she said, “You need a name. Since you can’t remember your past, I can’t just call you ‘hey,’ right?”After thinking for a moment, she suggested cheerfully, “I found you at the entrance of my house, so how about we call you Mucky?”Lucius’s face darkened, “Mucky?”He caught on quickly. Isabella stifled her laughter and switched tactics, “
Finally unable to resist, she approached and peeked through a crack in the door. Taking a deep breath, she was astonished by what she saw.Lucius was chasing a live fish around the kitchen with a knife...Lucius, being cautious of oil splatters, was honing his basketball skills by tossing lobsters into the hot oil...Lucius was putting on a show, smashing eggs with flair, yolks splattering...Lucius, pinched by a crab, was hammering away at it...But the most heart-stopping sight was Lucius's unique chopping technique, dangerously close to chopping off his own fingers...Unable to bear it any longer, Isabella shouted, "Stop!"Lucius paused, turning to look at Isabella, confidently saying, "Turns out, I've got quite the knack for cooking. Just hold on a bit. If you're hungry, you can try the two dishes I've already whipped up."He gestured towards the two plates on the table."What on earth..." she muttered, noticing they were charred black and still smoking."Charcoal?"Isabella cough
Lucius opened the lottery app, checked the winning numbers, and nodded confidently. "That's right. The numbers I bought match the winning numbers."Isabella stared in disbelief before joy took over. She ran around the room and patted Lucius on the shoulder, laughing. "Haha, I didn't expect you to be so lucky! Since you won us the prize, I'll let go of all our past grievances."She wore a magnanimous expression, as if forgiving all past wrongs.With that, she picked up the spoon from the table and excitedly finished her bowl of soup. She was so happy that she couldn't help but eat.Lucius lazily leaned back in his chair, casually glanced at Isabella, and said, "That's the spoon I used. It has my saliva on it. You're indirectly kissing me."Ew—! If you don't say anything, no one will consider you mute.Isabella quickly ran to rinse her mouth.At night, when it was time to shower, the inevitable dispute over who would use the bathroom first ensued between them.Unable to compete with the
Isabella drew a line down the middle of the bed and sternly warned Lucius, "This is the boundary. If you dare cross it..."She paused, making a chopping gesture at his neck, her face serious, "I'll show no mercy!"Lucius glanced at her nonchalantly and said in a tired tone, "You better control yourself and not get any ideas about me."And so, she inexplicably ended up sharing a bed with Lucius. Isabella couldn't help but cry out in her heart, "Oh, God, what are you doing to me?"Lucius, on the other hand, was very relaxed and soon his even breathing indicated he was sleeping soundly. Isabella was not so lucky; she stared wide-eyed and couldn't fall asleep.She sneaked a glance at Lucius and saw that he was sleeping soundly without any impure thoughts, which reassured her a bit. Gradually, sleepiness overcame her and she drifted off.In her dream, her grandfather was back, lovingly calling her, "Bella, come eat."Her grandfather had made delicious Beef Shank, and she happily went to ea
The hexagonal tower gleamed in the sunlight, its streamlined architecture looking modern and grand.This was the Knight Entertainment, the high-end palace for entertainers in Elaris. The most influential film stars globally took pride in signing with Knight Entertainment.And Knight Entertainment was just the tip of the iceberg of the Knight business sphere.Knight's business sphere was the most powerful and robust in Elaris and even globally.In Elaris, Knight's name was synonymous with dominance in the business world. Knight Entertainment had branches worldwide, and even the prestigious Golden Awards were hosted by Knight.No financial conglomerate could match it, and no company could shake its position.In Elaris, Knight had its hand in everything from electronics, finance, insurance, biopharmaceuticals, construction, chemicals, medical, aviation parts... Hence the moniker ‘Knight Empire.’The 'Knight Empire' played a crucial role in the economic lifeblood of Elaris.This enormous
Thalia stepped forward, her tone light and dismissive. “The results for today’s interview have already been finalized, and all positions have been filled. Therefore, the interviews are over.” Isabella’s eyes were steely as she stared at Thalia. “I am one of the candidates. I haven’t been interviewed. Why are the interviews concluded?” Thalia chuckled, condescendingly. “We’ve already selected the best candidates. With all positions filled, there’s no need to continue the interviews.” “Oh, really?” Isabella’s voice was sharp and unyielding. “Are you telling me that a prestigious company like Knight Entertainment doesn’t follow proper procedures? That a mere secretary can manipulate the process for personal gain? Does your boss know about this?” “You...” Thalia’s face turned red with anger, but before she could argue further, the main interviewer intervened. He addressed Isabella. “I haven’t received your resume. It might have been misplaced. I’ll go check.” He turned back to the o
Lysander, a bit taken aback, asked, "Why not? Cynthia has set traps on set and secretly slandered Isabella. If you don’t replace her, are you just going to let Cynthia continue to make things difficult for your Isabella?"Lucius’s voice suddenly grew deep and frosty. "If we remove Cynthia from the role, the Riveras will pull their investment. That money is essentially owed to Bella by the Riveras, and it should be paid to her. Why should we let them take it back?"Lucius’s voice carried a barely perceptible cold smirk as he looked at the bathroom door, touching the wound Isabella had bandaged for him. Although the scab had fallen off, the psychological terror Isabella had endured that night from the Rivera family—those helpless, frightened eyes like a young deer—still pained him deeply.His voice, now subtly heavy, grew louder. “If the Riveras withdraws their funding, it won’t affect them much. I want Cynthia to stay in the production and continue playing the le
Faced with overwhelming evidence, Cynthia had no way to defend herself. Every trick she wanted to pull unraveled before she could even speak.Someone shouted, “Cynthia, you brought us all here to the assistant director’s office to slander Isabella, didn’t you?”The onlookers, who had been dragged into this mess by Cynthia, were now desperate to distance themselves from her. That shout was clearly directed at the assistant director, pleading for forgiveness and hoping he wouldn’t hold a grudge.The director and Producer Aileen remained silent, as the truth was already crystal clear. There was no need for them to say more. Cynthia was caught, with no escape.Panicked, Cynthia tried to bluff her way out. "That love letter was just a prank between my sister and me. Nothing actually happened, you're all overreacting—”“Slap!”Before she could finish her sentence, Isabella delivered a hard slap across her face, causing Cynthia to see stars and nea
The assistant director remained composed, standing firm as he gave Hailey a calm, steady look. “So, what you’re suggesting is that I’m having an affair with Ms. Isabella?”Hailey raised an eyebrow, her lips curling in a sneer. She stared at Isabella with contempt. “Exactly. I like to call things as they are. You two were alone in your office—what else could it be but an affair?”“Who said they were alone?” A cold, sharp voice suddenly interrupted from behind the assistant director.Everyone turned toward the source of the voice, and a woman stepped out of the office.It was none other than the assistant director’s wife, Producer Aileen, who also worked on the project.The onlookers were stunned.What was going on? Why was the assistant director’s wife here too?Producer Aileen looked calmly at Hailey, her expression unreadable. She asked coolly, “Isabella was in the office for less than a minute, and you’re claiming she and the assist
If Isabella tries to clear her name now, it'll only make things worse—who would believe her anyway?Cynthia is probably stirring up more trouble behind the scenes, and it seems like most of the crew has already bought into her lies.The only way to stop the rumors is to force Cynthia to confess, to make everyone see her ugly true nature.With that in mind, Isabella started thinking about how to expose Cynthia.Despite everything, she acted as if nothing was wrong, carrying on as usual, completely unfazed by the stares and mockery around her.But Cynthia was running out of patience. She wanted to deliver a fatal blow to Isabella, to get her kicked out of the production—and maybe even out of the entire industry. It was time to make a bigger move.That evening, just as the crew was wrapping up, Amy approached Isabella with a file and said, "Isabella, the director wants to discuss the script for Lady Lucia. He needs to go over the lines with you.”Isabel
Isabella almost thought she’d misheard. She stared at the director in disbelief and asked again, “I can play the second female lead?”The assistant director, with a smile in his eyes, confirmed, “Yes, you’re cast as the second female lead.”Then he shifted his tone, “Although the second female lead plays a villain, it’s a highly challenging role and one of the key pillars of this drama. If performed well, it will shine brightly and win the audience's sympathy, gaining you countless fans. But if performed poorly, it will become a one-dimensional, uninteresting character, leading to criticism and affecting your reputation, which could hinder your future prospects. So, are you up for the challenge?”The assistant director’s gaze was intense and full of anticipation.Isabella nodded vigorously, confidently replying, “Director, trust me.”“Good. I’ll announce the final casting list soon. The role of the second female lead is yours.” The assistant direct
In the heavy armor, Isabella felt as if her legs were filled with lead, making each step laborious.She took a deep breath, using her core strength to try and maintain a valiant appearance.After numerous adjustments and attempts, her steps began to look more confident and graceful. The armor, instead of seeming cumbersome, added a substantial and authentic feel to her portrayal.Unlike many productions that use lightweight, superficial props, this armor, crafted from real iron, was heavy and lent a genuine sense of the historical battlefield.The weight of the armor, though exhausting, contributed to the realism of her performance, making the historical context feel palpable.Every step she took was a struggle, but she carried herself with unwavering determination, her feet steady and resolute.The armored general she portrayed wasn’t grandiose like a mythical hero but had a commendable presence, showcasing the strength and dignity of a wom
Isabella’s eyes lit up with excitement. “Of course, I’d love to. If the director gives me the opportunity, I’ll definitely perform well.”The assistant director was charmed by her enthusiasm and laughed heartily, “So confident! I like your drive. Alright, come on over and we’ll do the audition.”Isabella eagerly followed the assistant director.Her excited demeanor immediately caught Cynthia’s attention.When Cynthia learned that Isabella was auditioning for a special role, she was relieved.Although a special role was a step up from a temporary background actor, it was still quite demanding and tough, often involving dirty and strenuous work.Special roles, especially those requiring dangerous stunts, were usually assigned to tough individuals, so it seemed odd for a delicate girl like Isabella to be called for a special role.Curious about what role Isabella might play, Cynthia decided to follow along.Isabella followed the a
When Isabella appeared on set again, the most surprised were Cynthia and Director Martez.Seeing Isabella’s serene expression, Cynthia felt a bit uneasy and quickly forced a smile. “Sister, you finished the shoot so soon?”Isabella remained composed. “Yes, it’s done. Unlike you, who always seems to be acting.”The remark was sharp, and Cynthia immediately sensed the underlying tone.Cynthia pondered over Isabella’s reaction.Logically, she should have been upset after being scammed. But her calm and neutral demeanor made it hard to guess what had really happened.Director Martez watched as Isabella returned and felt a wave of anxiety. He knew that the announcement was definitely a fake scam ad. Perhaps this young lady had already been scammed, was in tears with nowhere to turn, and was coming back to blame him?Thinking this
The young man at the reception was exceptionally enthusiastic when he saw someone come to sign up.He immediately listed the benefits of joining the production team: “Generous pay, comprehensive insurance, paid vacations, and bonuses during holidays.”Isabella couldn’t help but feel a bit hesitant as she listened to his enthusiastic pitch.The difference in treatment between this production and the previous one was striking.She thought about the 11 dollars she earned from the whole day’s hard work in the previous crew and stared blankly.Now, this new crew promised a commission that was more than 100 times her previous earnings. What kind of golden crew was this, offering such excellent benefits for temporary actors?Seeing Isabella’s silent contemplation, the young man assumed she was impressed by the generous offer and quickly seized the opportunity, saying, “Miss, you clearly have the potential to be a