Filed To Story: Watch Out! She's a Mastermind Heiress (Isabella Patton) Book PDF Free
The mall was bustling, with families, couples, and groups of friends filling the space, moving from store to store. By the time Isabella reached the sixth floor, nearly every restaurant had a line of people waiting outside. Based on her past outings with Susan, Isabella figured the recommended restaurant would likely be full too. Yet, luck was on her side. The waiter at the entrance saw she was alone and led her to the only available single-person table.
Once seated, she flipped through the menu, ordering a selection of the restaurant’s signature dishes.
The ambiance was entirely different from the private rooms of the high-end restaurants she usually dined in with Andrew. This restaurant, situated in the heart of a bustling shopping mall, was alive with chatter and laughter. Tropical plants and traditional decor gave the space a lively, welcoming vibe.
For a moment, Isabella was transported back to her younger days, wandering night markets with friends, indulging in fried chicken and grilled skewers.
When the dishes arrived, each plate was a feast for the eyes, beautifully presented and bursting with color. Her appetite awakened instantly.
Pulling out her phone, Isabella snapped a few photos of the vibrant dishes. She couldn’t resist sending them to Andrew.
“Look! Found a great spot today!”
Andrew was having lunch with a business partner when Isabella’s message lit up his phone. With a grin, he shot back a playful emoji.
“You love these dishes? I’ll whip them up for you when I get home.” Isabella chatted with him for a few minutes before cutting it short, not wanting to interrupt his work-related meal.
Feeling quite satisfied after her meal, she decided to take a stroll nearby to help with digestion, considering she had already finished her work for the afternoon.
She strolled through the mall toward the pedestrian street, but her path was suddenly blocked by a group of four boys, who looked like they had just come from school. The tallest, with his arm draped casually around a friend, was animatedly saying, “C’mon, we gotta practice. We have to crack the top fifty rankings today!”
The four of them were engrossed in their discussion. Since this section of the path was narrow, with railings and flowerbeds on the sides, Isabella couldn’t go around them. Hearing that their conversation was about a game, she asked, “Hi, what game are you talking about?” The boys turned toward her, their faces lighting up with surprise and curiosity.
“We’re talking about Finger Dance, a rhythm game.” They exchanged a quick glance before their leader spoke up again, tilting his head at her.
“What’s up? Are you interested in playing too?”
Isabella arched an eyebrow, a faint smile playing on her lips.
“Why not? Can’t I play?”
What the boys didn’t know was that she was the top player of the game, though she had been too preoccupied with work lately to keep up. She wondered briefly if her reflexes were still as sharp.
The leading boy quickly waved his hands, flustered.
“No, no, it’s just—do you actually know how to play?”
“Of course,” Isabella replied smoothly, her confidence unshaken.
“I heard the game’s been updated recently. It must be even more fun now.”
Noticing her trendy vibe, the boys warmed up to her. Their leader, clearly impressed, introduced himself.
“Hey, I’m Hank Rutherford. There’s a team battle mode now—why don’t you join us for a match?”
Isabella hadn’t expected Hank’s eager invitation. Just as she was about to respond, a sarcastic voice cut through the air from behind them.
“Hank, are you seriously picking up random women on the street to play games? You should probably check your own skills first. Don’t embarrass yourself by trying to be a hero and failing miserably. That’d be hilarious!”
“Austen Chavez! How dare you show your face in front of me?” Isabella watched as the once cheerful boy standing before her transformed, his expression twisting into…
One of utter disgust, as though he was barely holding himself back from throwing a punch at the newcomer.
She turned around, and when her eyes fell on the two figures standing behind her, a spark of surprise flickered in her eyes.
“Tatiana?”
“Isabella?”
Two voices rang out simultaneously, dripping with disdain. Beside Tatiana stood Austen, who turned his attention to the two women.
“You know her, Tatiana?” Austen asked, his gaze flickering with interest. Tatiana was, after all, the head of the prominent company he had just started working with.
Hank glanced at Isabella.
“Hey, you know them?”
“I don’t know the one on the left, but I find the one on the right rather annoying.”
Tatiana laughed, her tone mocking.
“Isabella, no need to be so harsh. I almost became your sister-in-law, after all.”
Tatiana, clearly irritated by Isabella’s icy demeanor, made a deliberate attempt to provoke her.
“I heard you’re interested in Finger Dance. Perfect timing. Austen here is a streamer who specializes in that game. Since we’re acquainted, I could have him stream a session with you.”
Austen jumped in eagerly.
“Miss, I’m miles ahead of these guys when it comes to Finger Dance. If you need help, I’ve got you covered!” He threw a smug glance at Hank, whose face darkened with anger.
Pointing a finger at Austen, Hank snapped, “The only reason you’re good at this game is because my brother’s club trained you! You’re an ungrateful jerk who smeared his name just to boost your career. There’s no way this lady would choose someone like you to guide her.”
After Hank finished speaking, he turned his gaze to Isabella. His words carried a tone of confidence, but the flicker of nervousness in his eyes betrayed him.
His relationship with Austen had soured because of his brother’s club. He didn’t want to lose face in front of Austen—it wasn’t just about pride. Yet, deep down, he was painfully aware that having the guidance of Austen, the popular streamer, was far more appealing than teaming up with an unknown high schooler like himself. The choice seemed obvious, but despite it all, he clung to a faint glimmer of hope.
Isabella looked…
Isabella looked into Hank’s eyes and immediately recognized the trace of vulnerability he was trying to hide. It was clear that her decision meant a lot to him.
Though she hadn’t planned on playing with the students, she suddenly felt compelled to accept Hank’s invitation.
She didn’t want to be the one to crush his spirit while he was trying so hard to keep it together. Besides, she highly doubted Tatiana’s intentions—there was no way Tatiana would genuinely want to help her with anything.
“Of course,” Isabella said with a smile.
“Didn’t we just agree that I’d team up with you guys?”
“We sure did!” Hank’s eyes lit up with excitement, his boyish charm shining through. He tilted his chin proudly at Austen before turning back to Isabella.
“Come on, I’ll take you to the spot where we play the game. Let’s get started!”
Isabella glanced at Tatiana and Austen, then nodded and followed Hank.
As they walked, Hank launched into a story, his tone animated and full of emotion.
“My brother’s been obsessed with Finger Dance for as long as I can remember. But, you know, he’s over thirty now, and his reflexes just aren’t what they used to be. So, he put his savings into starting a club. He became a coach, training young talents to compete. Austen was one of his top students. But that jerk…” Hank sighed dramatically.
“My brother gave everything to train him, and how did he repay him? By jumping ship the second someone else offered more. And it didn’t stop there! Austen even went on his live stream and accused my brother of exploiting him, completely ruining my brother’s reputation just to dodge paying the breach-of-contract fee.”
“As if that wasn’t bad enough,” Hank said, his voice tightening.
“He convinced most of the other streamers in the club to leave, too. Now, the club’s nothing but an empty shell.
My brother’s devastated. He’s planning to sell the club and walk away from the game altogether. He might be ready to give up, but I’m not. I’m working hard to make things right and avenge him!”
Isabella listened attentively, piecing together the situation. She chose not to press Hank on how exactly he planned to get revenge. Instead, she followed him into a cafe and took a seat at their table.
Pulling out her phone, she logged into her account and added Hank as a friend. When Hank saw her username pop up on his screen, he froze.
“Night Cat M?” he read, blinking in disbelief.
“Wait… are you a fan of Night Cat too?”
Isabella couldn’t help but smile, amused by his reaction. She had changed her username on a whim, thinking it sounded cooler.
“I’m not her fan,” she said.