Chapter 18
Michael was about to explain that he could actually get his hands on 30 million dollars, but right then, Isabella's phone buzzed in her pocket.
She picked up, and Eric's cheerful voice came through.
"Sorry, Ms. Taylor. I was in a meeting and missed your call. What's up?" Eric asked.
Isabella quickly filled him in about needing 30 million dollars, and to her surprise, Eric was all in.
"I've got 30 million. Your grandfather helped me out back in the day. Let's meet tonight, and I'll transfer the money to you," Eric said.
After hanging up, Isabella was thrilled. She finally had a way to get the money.
Michael, who had overheard the whole thing, frowned. "Isn't it weird? Everyone in our circle knows about your bet with John. Who's this Eric guy who can stand up to John?"
Michael's words were like a splash of cold water, cooling Isabella's excitement.
Taking a deep breath, Isabella thought it over. "You're right. It is suspicious. But Eric's my only shot right now. I'll be careful, thanks to your heads-up."
Seeing Isabella's determined look, Michael knew he couldn't change her mind. He just nodded, already forming his own plans.
After lunch at Isabella's place, Michael left and made a call.
"Get me everything you can on this Eric guy," he instructed his subordinate before hanging up. He needed to make sure Isabella stayed safe that night.
Meanwhile, in a hospital room, Bianca put down her phone, a malicious glint in her eyes.
"Isabella, this time I'll make you the joke of the town. Let's see if you still think you can join the Williams Family," Bianca muttered with a cold smile.
Just then, John walked in with some freshly washed fruit, and Bianca's expression softened instantly.
"Thanks for washing the fruit, John. I'll eat it all," Bianca said sweetly.
John smiled and nodded, then picked up his phone from beside Bianca.
"Did anyone call while I was washing the fruit?" he asked.
Bianca shook her head. "Nope, no calls."
John nodded and started peeling the fruit for Bianca, clueless about what she'd done with his phone while he was gone.
As night fell, Isabella dolled up with perfect makeup and her most stunning dress, heading to her meeting spot with Eric.
Eric was already waiting at the hotel entrance. He'd only seen Isabella a few times at parties, but this private meeting made him realize she was even more stunning up close.
Her flawless makeup, elegant neck, and red, form-fitting dress added a touch of allure to her natural beauty.
"Ms. Taylor, great to see you again. I've got dinner ready. Let's head to the private room and chat," Eric said, gesturing for her to follow him inside.
Not long after Isabella and Eric entered the hotel, Michael showed up, heading straight for the entrance.
Inside the private room, Eric popped open a bottle of top-notch red wine, filling the room with its rich aroma.
As they ate, Isabella brought up the 30 million dollars, but Eric kept dodging the topic.
"Ms. Taylor, let's not rush. I prefer not to mix business with pleasure. How about we finish our meal first? You've got a week, and today's just the first day," Eric said, sounding reasonable enough to Isabella.
Throughout the meal, Eric kept refilling Isabella's glass. The wine made her cheeks flush, giving her a rosy, alluring look.
"Mr. Allen, I think I've had enough to eat. Can we talk about the 30 million now?" Isabella said, rubbing her temples, looking like she might topple over any second.
Eric's eyes greedily roamed over Isabella. He even tried to help her up, saying, "Ms. Taylor, you seem a bit tipsy. Let me take you to a room upstairs to rest. We can talk when you're feeling better."
Isabella pushed him away. "I don't need your help. I can get upstairs on my own, and I'm not even drunk," she said, wobbling as she clung to the handrail and slowly made her way up.
Eric's desire burned as he watched her struggle. He wanted to scoop her up and rush her to the room, but with too many hotel staff around, he had to wait.
Finally, Isabella reached the second floor. Eric quickly led her to a room he had prepped and opened the door.
The room was dark, but when Eric flicked on the light, a camera pointed straight at the bed came into view.
"Ms. Taylor, you want 30 million dollars? Spend the night with me, and it's yours. No one else would pay that much," Eric said, ripping off his tie and lunging at her.
Just as he was about to grab her, Isabella whipped out a small stun gun and jabbed it into his side. The electric shock made Eric's body convulse uncontrollably.
Isabella, now stone-cold sober, glared at him. "Did you really think I'd drink alone with a guy like you without some kind of protection?" She cranked up the stun gun's power, making Eric collapse to the floor.
She crouched down, pressing the stun gun to his neck. "Spill it. What's your plan? If I zap you at this range, you could end up brain-damaged or paralyzed."
Terrified, Eric blurted out, "Ms. Taylor, calm down! It was John! He told me to rape you and take nude photos!"
Isabella frowned deeply; although John wasn't very bright, everyone in the city knew that Isabella was his fiancée, and he would never do anything to jeopardize the Williams family's reputation.