Chapter 182

Hearing Bianca's name made Mason think of John, and his face darkened as he started coughing violently from anger.

Isabella, startled, gently patted his back.

Mason covered his mouth with a handkerchief, coughing for a bit. Once he calmed down, he sighed, "Let's leave her to John. If the heir to the Williams Family can't even handle one woman, that's a huge disappointment."

Isabella wanted to tell Mason about how John and Bianca had nearly killed her, but seeing Mason's pale face, she worried his extreme anger might be too much for him.

"Let's hope John can handle it. Even though I don't have feelings for him anymore, I don't want to see Bianca ruin the family you've built," Isabella said.

Mason sighed again, "Is it the fate of every leader in our family to suffer in love?"

"What do you mean?" Isabella asked, puzzled by Mason's remark.

Mason shook his head, clearly not wanting to elaborate.

"Nothing. Where are you headed next? I can have someone take you," Mason said," Mason offered.

Isabella noticed Mason was changing the subject but didn't mind. She smiled and pointed to the reporters outside. "I plan to keep talking to the reporters. I want to use this opportunity to expand my influence."

Mason was taken aback. "Why? You've never been one to seek the limelight"

Halfway through his sentence, he fell silent as he realized Isabella intended to leverage this media attention for another goal. From the beginning, she knew she would win; Jasper, Mia, and Bianca were just pawns on her chessboard.

"You're becoming more and more like your grandmother...and grandfather." Mason patted Isabella's head.

"If you ever need my help, just let me know. I'll be there for you!" Mason said seriously.

"Thank you, Mason. If I need anything, I won't hesitate to ask." Isabella smiled, nodded, and then opened the car door to walk towards the reporters.

Mason watched her confident, composed figure, his eyes a bit dazed, and he murmured, "Isabella really resembles her."

Charles, sitting in the driver's seat, sighed, gripping the steering wheel without a word.

The atmosphere in the car felt heavy until Mason spoke again, breaking the silence.

"Let's go home." Mason's voice carried a deep weariness.

Charles nodded and started the car, heading towards the Williams Villa.

Meanwhile, Michael was reviewing some documents and files when Jerry knocked and entered.

"Mr. Williams! Good news! Mrs. Williams won! Jasper and Mia fainted in court and were taken to the hospital by ambulance. Mrs. Williams is now giving an interview. Should we send someone to pick her up?" Jerry asked.

Michael remained calm, waving his hand dismissively. "No need. Isabella can handle it herself."

Jerry nodded, picking up on Michael's calm vibe that he already knew the score.

Just as Jerry was about to leave, Michael put down his files.

"Is all the info on the Taylor Family here?" Michael asked, frowning.

Jerry nodded. "Yeah, everything you asked for is here. Did you find something off?"

Michael rubbed his temples, deep in thought. "It doesn't add up. The Taylor family's assets shouldn't be this limited. As one of the four major families, their financial foundation, though not as strong as the Williams Family, should still be comparable to the other two. But the records show that before their bankruptcy, their assets were only on par with the current Brown Family, which is simply impossible."

"Mr. Williams, are you saying there's something fishy with their assets?" Jerry asked, curious.

Michael paced back and forth, hands in his pockets. "Isabella's true goal is to restore her family to its former glory. I thought it would be simple, but it seems her grandfather had some plans we don't know about before he passed away."

Jerry frowned. "But that shouldn't be. When Isabella's grandfather handed the family power to Jasper, if there were any other plans, Jasper would have known. But the way he's handling things, he looks like a total business dummy. Unless..."

Jerry didn't finish his sentence, and Michael completed it for him. "Unless even Jasper didn't know about his father's contingency plans."

Michael turned around, a gleam in his eyes.

"Gather all information on the Taylors, every bit of it! I'm very curious about what treasures Isabella's grandfather left for her before he passed away," Michael said, a slight smile playing on his lips. He always smiled like this when faced with a challenge.

Jerry nodded and left Michael's office.

After Jerry left, Michael took out his phone and called Isabella.

Isabella had just finished her interview with the reporters. Feeling exhausted after answering all the questions, she sat in her car, ready to head home, when she received Michael's call.

"Congrats on your success, my dear. How about we celebrate tonight?" Michael asked with a smile.

Isabella thought for a moment and then nodded. "Let's invite Amelia and Benjamin too. It would be great to celebrate together!"

Michael's smile froze for a second. He'd planned a private celebration, but the thought of sharing the happiness made him agree to her idea.

"By the way, honey, I heard Jasper and Mia were taken to the hospital by ambulance. What are your plans for them?" Michael asked curiously.

Isabella squinted her eyes and smiled. "I've already arranged for Juniper to handle the next steps. She'll take care of everything."