Chapter 356

Isabella's eyes turned cold as she glared at Michael.

"Even now, you're still defending Bianca?"

With Renee presenting the evidence herself, Michael had no more excuses.

If their child had once been a bond between him and Isabella, now, in her eyes, he was nothing but a despicable man.

There was no way to mend their relationship anymore.

"Isabella, take care of yourself. I'm outta here."

With those words, Michael couldn't bear to stay any longer. In his haste, a small, delicate trinket fell from his pocket.

The sound of it hitting the floor drew everyone's attention. On the white tiles lay a small silver bear charm.

Michael bent down to pick it up, but Isabella's voice stopped him.

"How do you have that bear charm?"

Even from a distance, Isabella recognized it as the one she had thrown into the sea at Moon Bay.

But how could it have ended up with Michael? Unless he had lost it back then and bought an identical one, which was very easy for him.

Michael's eyes lit up with a spark of hope as he held the charm out to Isabella. "You recognize this bear charm? Did you throw it into the sea at Moon Bay?"

If Isabella knew the charm, did it mean she was the one who saved him back then, not Bianca?

If it was really Isabella, had he been mistaken all these years?

The thought made Michael's heart race.

But Isabella shook her head, denying it.

"No, I was mistaken. My grandfather bought me a similar one when I was a child, but it wasn't this color."

Seeing the flicker of joy in Michael's eyes, Isabella understood. Just as she had hoped countless times that he would recognize her, she could see the hope in his eyes now.

But she wanted to sever all ties with him.

So she had to say this.

She had once hated him for mistaking Bianca as his savior. Now, to get rid of him, she had to throw this back onto Bianca.

After all, he had been unconscious when she saved him and hadn't seen her face clearly. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been fooled by Bianca for so many years.

Let it be.

She didn't want any more entanglements with him.

Even if he found out she was the one who saved him, she wouldn't admit it.

"So, it just looks similar."

Disappointed, Michael couldn't hide his sadness. Without another word, he clenched the charm and left quickly.

Late at night, at the Starlit Tavern.

Michael sat in the largest private room, downing one drink after another of the strongest liquor.

The deafening music from outside seemed distant and unreal to him. He didn't even know how he had ended up there.

All he knew was that he couldn't do anything but drown himself in alcohol.

Ethan arrived as soon as he got Michael's call. He had planned to give him a piece of his mind, but seeing Michael recklessly drinking, he was stunned.

"My God, Michael, have you lost your mind? How much did you drink?"

The table was littered with empty bottles of strong liquor, and Michael, head down, was pouring drink after drink into his mouth.

When Ethan arrived, there were already seven or eight empty bottles at Michael's feet.

But Michael showed no sign of stopping.

He was like a soulless body, still gulping down the alcohol.

"Enough, man, you're killing yourself."

Ethan snatched the glass from Michael's hand and sat on the couch beside him, getting straight to the point.

"Something big must've happened to get you this upset. If there's a problem, let's figure it out. What good does drinking do?"

Michael shook his head numbly. "It can't be fixed."

He reached for another drink, but Ethan wouldn't let him. At this rate, he'd drink himself to death.

Ethan didn't want to return a drunkard to the Brown Family and get chewed out.

"Stop drinking!"

Ethan angrily pushed the bottles aside and gave Michael a hard slap on the shoulder.

"Michael, we've known each other for years. Don't you trust me?"

"Whatever it is, just spill it. Even if I can't help, I can at least give you some advice. What's the point of keeping it all inside?"

Michael kept his head down, but his thoughts were starting to clear.

He leaned back on the couch, closed his eyes, and asked a question.

"Ethan, do you think I'm a terrible person?"

Ethan was taken aback.

Terrible?

He must be really drunk to say something like that.

This was Michael, a man who held the economic lifeline of Evergreen City. Wealth, power, background-he had it all.

He was a man who was always in control, never allowing anyone to contradict him.

And now, this golden boy was questioning his own worth?

Ethan swallowed, shocked but ready to answer.

"Why would you think that? In my eyes, you're already exceptional. You took over the Brown Group at a young age and made it even better. Doesn't that prove your capability?"

Ethan was being honest.

Though they had grown up together, Michael was the most hardworking of all the privileged kids he knew.

In their circle, most people were arrogant and entitled.

But Michael had never shown those traits.

"I don't want to hear that. I'm asking about me as a person, not my abilities."

Michael waved his hand in frustration. "Do you understand what I want? Can you evaluate me as a man?"

A man?

Ethan's eyes flashed with realization, quickly catching the hint of something more personal.

As a fellow man, Ethan couldn't help but think about Michael's sex life. Given Michael and Isabella's ongoing issues, he wondered if there was a "cruel" truth.

"Michael, are you having... performance issues? No wonder you're drinking like this."

Ethan shook his head, looking Michael up and down. Michael was taller and more robust than him. How could he have performance issues at such a young age?

It didn't make sense.