Chapter 460

Isabella thought back to a few months ago when Michael found out that Indigo and Harper were behind his mother's death, yet he still protected Bianca, keeping her hidden from Isabella.

And now he said he didn't like Bianca?

Isabella couldn't tell what was real anymore.

Michael shook his head.

"Isabella, I can't talk about this."

Isabella frowned.

Even drunk, Michael wouldn't spill the truth. What was he hiding?

The more he tried to hide, the more curious she got.

Suddenly, she had an idea.

She moved closer, took his hand, and sat beside him with a gentle smile.

"Michael, remember, this is just a dream. Dreams aren't real. You can say anything you want, and once you wake up, no one will ever know. Plus, bottling everything up like this is eating you alive. Wouldn't it feel good to finally get it off your chest?"

Isabella spoke softly, trying to make him believe it was all just a dream.

Just her moving closer made Michael believe it was a dream.

After all, Isabella would usually push him away, never holding his hand and speaking so gently.

He held her hand tightly. "Yeah, this is a dream."

Isabella blinked. "You finally believe it?"

Michael looked at her seriously, his eyes full of affection. "If this weren't a dream, you wouldn't be this close to me."

Isabella was speechless.

So that was how he figured it was a dream?

All her words were in vain.

But he wasn't wrong.

Normally, she wouldn't sit so close to Michael, especially after their recent divorce.

But to uncover Michael's secret, she had to set aside her pride.

She played along. "I told you, it's just a dream. So, you can say anything. No one will hear."

Then, Isabella repeated her earlier question.

"You haven't said why you don't like Bianca but still treat her so well and help her without considering the consequences?"

If it weren't for Bianca, she and Michael wouldn't have ended up in this mess.

She wouldn't have lost all hope in Michael.

Their arguments and cold wars were always about Bianca.

"I help Bianca because..."

Michael was about to reveal the truth, but he suddenly fell silent at the crucial moment.

He lowered his head and sighed.

Isabella was getting anxious, but then Michael continued.

"She once saved my life."

"What?"

Isabella was shocked.

She had known Michael since they were kids and recognized him immediately when they met again at a party.

Because she liked him, she secretly found out a lot about him, but she had never heard that Bianca saved his life.

Such a significant event couldn't have been hidden by the Brown Family.

However, she remembered the time she saved Michael from drowning.

As Isabella pondered if she had missed something, Michael's voice broke her thoughts.

He held her hand and started recounting the past.

"It was when I was a kid. One summer, I was in a bad mood and went to Moon Bay. I accidentally fell into the water, and Bianca jumped in to save me. When I woke up, she was beside me, soaking wet. I thought she was the girl who saved me. Everything I did for her was to repay that debt."

Michael finished and let out a cold laugh.

"But I never imagined Bianca would be so bold to impersonate someone else. It's my fault for not realizing sooner. I wouldn't have helped her otherwise."

Isabella knew all this.

She had thought about telling Michael, but he was already under Bianca's spell and wouldn't have believed her.

But one thing surprised her.

She always thought Michael's affection for Bianca was genuine, but it turned out he was just repaying a debt.

This realization stirred something in Isabella.

What if she told Michael that the girl who saved him was actually her? How would he react?

Would he feel guilty or treat her as well as he did Bianca?

"So I sent Bianca away. She'll never appear before me again. She caused me to lose the one I love. I hate her. How could I possibly like her?"

The one he loved?

Isabella was stunned by his words.

She couldn't process it.

Michael loved someone else?

And for a long time.

Her heart ached. No matter how hard she tried, she and Michael were never meant to be.

She thought he loved Bianca, but now he said he loved someone else.

Whether it was Bianca or someone else, it was never her.

Isabella held back her sadness. Suddenly, Michael tightened his grip on her hand, forcing her to look up at his anxious face.

"Isabella, if this is a dream, I hope I never wake up. Actually, I've wanted to tell you something for a long time, but I never had the courage. I have feelings for you-real feelings. I wish I had realized it sooner, but I need you to know that you're the only one who's ever meant this much to me."

Michael's eyes were intense, his throat moved slightly, and he held her hands tightly, afraid she would disappear the next second.

Isabella was stunned.

If it weren't for the warmth from Michael's hands, she would have thought she was the one dreaming.

Because everything in front of her was too unreal.

Michael was confessing to her, saying he only loved her.

How was that possible?

Seeing Isabella's calm expression, without a hint of emotion, Michael seemed to expect this outcome and gave a bitter smile.

"Of course, you wouldn't believe it."

He muttered, "How could you believe it? I've caused you so much pain, made you lose our child and your grandfather. It's a wonder you don't hate me. How could you believe what I say?"

"All these years, I treated Bianca as my savior. When she asked for help, I couldn't ignore it. But somehow, every time she needed help, you ended up suffering. Over time, a barrier formed between us that I couldn't break."

"Later, someone told me something. It turns out Bianca wasn't the only one standing between us. There was someone else!"