Filed To Story: Watch Out! She's a Mastermind Heiress (Isabella Patton) Book PDF Free
“Kristine, there’s something I need to ask you,” Lynda said, fixing her gaze on her. “Tell me honestly, was that you dancing in the living room the other day?”
Kristine was stunned. She hadn’t anticipated Lynda would bring up such a distant memory, and suddenly, she found herself unable to cry.
Seeing the panic on Kristine’s face, Lynda felt let down. “So, it wasn’t you. It was Isabella, wasn’t it?”
“Aunt…”
“I’m disappointed that you lied to me,” Lynda said with a deep sigh. “You should think about your actions. You didn’t get the senior executive position at the association this time.”
Kristine’s skills didn’t meet that standard.
This time, Kristine truly felt like crying, but all she could do was bow her head and hold back her tears.
Lynda then looked over at Isabella, who was surrounded by her family. Her expressive eyes and relaxed demeanor displayed no arrogance at all.
A wave of guilt overwhelmed Lynda. She approached Isabella and said, “I’m sorry, Isabella. I did you wrong before. I’m truly sorry.”
Isabella was somewhat taken aback. Seeing her typically arrogant aunt apologize, Isabella simply responded, “It’s okay.”
Lynda, anxious, asked, “By the way, are you participating in the international competition?”
“Yes, I am.”
Lorpond had been outperformed by other nations for too long. A loss in this competition could crush their spirits even further. Isabella, being Bella, certainly had the potential to achieve a top rank internationally.
Lynda exhaled in relief but felt even more remorseful. She had overlooked the prodigy among them. She resolved to make amends to Isabella moving forward.
“Today’s a great day. Let’s go out for dinner,” Glenn suggested cheerfully.
Everyone was on board, but Isabella said, “Dad, Mom, you guys go ahead. I’ve got some things to handle.”
Glenn understood her busy schedule as a judge and nodded, departing with the others.
Isabella then met with Trevor to discuss the international competition. Trevor assisted her in registering for the event.
Then Isabella encountered Eliza and Phyllis. Phyllis had arrived to pick up Eliza. She had wanted to see the competition but had been delayed by chores at home. Upon arriving, Phyllis asked Eliza about her performance and was shocked to see Isabella.
“Isabella?” Phyllis exclaimed with disdain. “What are you doing here? Surely you’re not competing. With your skills, making it to the finals would be unimaginable. Eliza is aiming for the international stage.”
Phyllis had unwavering faith in Eliza.
Eliza blushed at her mother’s words and quickly interjected, “Mom, please, let’s just leave.”
“Eliza, don’t downplay your abilities. She will never match up to you,” Phyllis continued boastfully, patting Eliza’s hand.
Eliza wanted the ground to swallow her up.
Isabella gave them a slight smile and walked away without a word.
Irritated by being ignored, Phyllis called after her, “Isabella, I’m speaking to you. Are you deaf? Since leaving the Chapman family, you’ve grown quite rude.”
“I’m sorry. I prefer not to converse with unpleasant people,” Isabella retorted lightly.
Phyllis paused, taken aback, then realized Isabella was insulting her. “How dare you! It was right to throw you out. Who knows how many people you’ll offend with that mouth. You’re nothing next to Eliza! Why would you even be at a dance competition? Don’t embarrass yourself! Eliza, she’s not here to compete, is she? Someone like her doesn’t belong here.”
Eliza’s cheeks flushed a deep red as she tugged at Phyllis’s hand. “Mom, please, let’s just go.”
“Eliza, you are too kind, always trying to refrain from embarrassing others, even now,” Phyllis sighed heavily.
As they were about to leave, a contestant walked by, murmuring loudly enough for others to hear, “Isn’t that the girl who got expelled? Why is she arguing with Bella?”
Bella?
Everyone knew who that was. Phyllis’s eyebrows shot up, her voice tinged with surprise. “Are they talking about you?” She stared at Eliza, disbelief etched across her face.
At that moment, Eliza wished she could just disappear, escaping the mounting embarrassment.
“Eliza, you are Bella? That’s incredible! Why didn’t you tell us?” Phyllis’s face lit up with pride and joy. She was convinced her daughter was a star.
Isabella could never measure up to her daughter!
The air thickened with tension as Phyllis’s gaze shifted mockingly towards Isabella, preparing to gloat further. But before she could utter a word, the same onlooker who had started the murmur approached Isabella excitedly.
“Bella, could I get your autograph?”
Isabella looked at the lively girl and nodded.
“Just sign it right here on my shirt!” the girl blurted out excitedly.
Isabella’s lips tightened briefly, but she obliged, taking the pen and beginning to scrawl her signature across the fabric.
The sight seemed to strike Phyllis like a physical blow, her face a picture of stunned disbelief as the realization dawned on her: Bella was not Eliza—it was Isabella.
Then the expelled contestant was… Eliza?
The reality of this stark reversal sent Phyllis’s head spinning, and Eliza, overwhelmed by humiliation and distress, quickly ushered her mother toward their car and climbed in.
It took Phyllis a moment to piece it all together as they sat in silence. “Isabella is Bella?”
Eliza’s composure broke, tears streaming down her face. “Yes, Mom. I don’t know how she ended up being Bella, and she’s the reason I was expelled!”
Phyllis felt her head reel even more.
Bella was a legendary name in the dance world, a symbol of excellence. If Isabella was indeed the renowned Bella, the Chapman family could have reveled in her success and gained considerable prestige.
“Isabella is so odd. Why would she keep her identity a secret? She could have brought so much prestige to the Chapman family.” Eliza sobbed harder.
Disdain flickered in Phyllis’s eyes, her voice dripping with contempt. “This bitch, she just doesn’t want the Chapman family to shine, does she? Ungrateful, that’s what she is. Even if she is Bella, so what? If she doesn’t place well in the international competition, she’ll only end up a laughingstock!”
The stakes were high; the entire nation was focused on the competition, and Phyllis believed that the higher one climbed, the harder they fell.
Eliza blinked, absorbing her mother’s harsh words.
Meanwhile, in an upscale restaurant, a group awaited Isabella’s arrival, their anticipation palpable.
“You should have started without me,” Isabella said apologetically.
“How can we eat without you! Isabella, you’re so brilliant! I can’t believe you’re Bella. I’m going to be bragging about this for ages!” Waylon exclaimed, his voice full of excitement and pride.
“Well, you’d better eat. Can’t you see Isabella wants to keep a low profile?” Without waiting for a response, Dane playfully shoved a piece of carrot into Waylon’s mouth.
Waylon pouted, but still accepted the food.
Lynda offered some food to Isabella. “Isabella, I’ve had the wrong idea about you before. If you ever need help, just let me know. Also, the selections for the international competition are out. You and Kristine made the cut, along with the runners-up in the competition. There’s still some time to gear up—I’m eager to see what you’ll bring to the stage.”
The topic hung heavy in the air, and Isabella simply nodded, absorbing Lynda’s words.
“Of course, don’t stress too much. Just do your best,” Lynda added reassuringly.
“Okay,” Isabella replied, her voice steady.
Kristine, observing the encouragement Isabella received, clenched her fork tightly and gritted her teeth in silence.
As the Patton family finished their dinner and returned home, Isabella’s phone buzzed. It was a message from Andrew.
“I’m waiting for you at the gate.”
Surprised, Isabella wondered why he had come. Nonetheless, curiosity piqued, she made her way outside to meet him.
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