Chapter 36

The butler strolled into the banquet hall and made a beeline for Mason.

"Mr. Williams, it's time. The chef's got everything ready, and the banquet's about to kick off," the butler said with a respectful nod.

Mason nodded back, knowing the main event was about to start. He had to put his curiosity on hold for now. Handing the oil painting to the butler, he said, "Can you get someone to send this back home right away?"

"Of course, Mr. Williams," the butler replied, taking the painting and making the necessary arrangements.

As the waitstaff started serving up the fancy dishes, everyone raised their glasses to toast Mason.

"Mr. Williams, congrats on getting such a valuable gift. Definitely worth celebrating."

"Ms. Taylor is so thoughtful."

"Yeah, Ms. Taylor isn't even part of the Williams family yet, and she's already so generous and caring towards Mr. Williams. That's impressive."

Mason couldn't stop smiling.

Meanwhile, no one was paying attention to Pearl anymore. After Mason scolded her, she didn't dare to approach and just sat in the corner, glaring at Isabella, who was soaking up all the attention.

"Damn, Isabella, why don't you just drop dead? Why do you always have to go against me? I hope you get hit by a car or something," Pearl muttered under her breath, her eyes shifting to the painting being carefully handled by the staff.

'No way! Isabella can't afford something that valuable. There's gotta be something fishy here!' Pearl's suspicion grew.

Isabella received everyone's praise, but she remained puzzled about who had sent the painting in her name.

Noticing the butler leaving the banquet hall, Isabella quickly made an excuse to go to the restroom. In reality, she intercepted the butler, Charles Green, outside the hall.

"Charles, can you tell me who sent the painting in my name?" Isabella asked, looking at Charles hopefully.

Charles smiled and pointed in a direction, "It was John's uncle. He told me to do it. Want to thank him? I can show you the way."

Isabella's heart raced. She had always wanted to thank John's uncle, but John never took her. Now, she finally had the chance.

"Thanks, Charles. I want to thank Mr. Williams in person," Isabella said, following Charles to the lounge.

'Rumor has it John's uncle is young and very handsome. Now, I finally get to see him. I wonder if he's more handsome than Michael.' Isabella's heart was full of anticipation.

After a short walk, Charles stopped at a door and smiled, "Ms. Taylor, here we are. I'll leave you to it."

Isabella nodded and waited until Charles left before gently knocking on the door, holding her breath for a response.

After knocking three times, there was no answer.

Isabella tentatively called out, "Mr. Williams, are you there? It's Isabella. I want to thank you."

"What are you shouting at an empty room for?" a deep, familiar voice suddenly sounded behind her, making Isabella jump.

She turned around in a panic and saw Michael standing there. Surprised, she asked, "What are you doing here?"

Michael stepped closer to Isabella.

In reality, Isabella was even more stunning than on screen, and Michael felt his heart race. "I might just be a mid-level leader at the Williams Group, not high-ranking, but I still have a reason to be here."

Feeling Michael's magnetic presence, Isabella blushed and took a step back. She blinked nervously, "I know you're here for the banquet, but why are you here? This is where John's uncle stays."

Michael teased, "Are you here to find Mr. Williams? Do you have a thing for him?"

His words made Isabella uneasy. "Mr. Williams is someone I respect as an elder. Please don't talk like that."

Michael smirked and suddenly wrapped his arm around Isabella's shoulder, pressing her against the door.

Startled, Isabella's breathing quickened, her heart pounding.

"Don't do this. This place is dangerous and easily discovered. If the Williams Family finds out, you're done for," Isabella tried to push Michael away, but her strength was no match.

"Don't move," he warned in a low, stern voice.

Isabella froze, feeling her temperature rise and her breathing become rapid. Surprisingly, her body seemed willing to obey Michael's command.

Michael lifted Isabella's chin, her delicate face illuminated by the light like a perfect sculpture.

Nervousness and fear made her eyelashes tremble slightly, adding a strange allure.

Suddenly, Michael's body tensed because he noticed Isabella was crying, and his playful intentions vanished instantly.

"Don't cry, I was just joking," Michael apologized anxiously.

Isabella's eyes welled up, tears streaming down uncontrollably.

"It's not about you. I'm crying for my tragic fate," Isabella suddenly hugged Michael's waist, crying in his arms.

As a young woman barely in her twenties, knowing her end was near, she couldn't help but fear death. Despite trying to appear strong, seeing her parents and John with Bianca made her feel extremely unwilling.

Michael's heart ached to see her cry. He gently wiped the tears from Isabella's face, but they seemed endless.

Isabella suddenly stopped crying because Michael directly cupped her face and kissed her red lips. He was kissing her.

The kiss was intense, and Isabella felt her strength draining, her body almost collapsing if not for Michael holding her tightly against the door.

Just as Isabella felt like she was suffocating, Michael finally released her lips.

"Don't do this. There might be someone in the lounge," Isabella said.

Michael chuckled lightly, picked up Isabella, and opened the door. "No one's here."

Isabella was startled by Michael's actions, but he pushed the door open, revealing an empty room inside.

Michael gently placed Isabella on the sofa, his eyes burning with desire. The kiss from earlier had awakened the 'beast' within him, a primal desire.

During the days Isabella stayed at Amelia's house, Michael had been thinking about her. Biting her lip, Isabella locked eyes with Michael, knowing what was about to happen next.

'Since I'm about to leave this world, I might as well indulge once before I go.' Isabella decided to leave one last mark on the world before her death.

Seeing Isabella close her eyes, Michael understood her inner thoughts. He excitedly moved his hand towards her hip, finding the zipper of her dress.

Isabella's body trembled, and she suddenly hugged Michael, weakly saying, "Be gentle, it's my first time."

Kissing her ear gently, Michael whispered, "Okay."

At that moment, there was suddenly the sound of footsteps outside, followed by the sound of the door handle turning.