Chapter 16

Jasper and Mia shot daggers at Isabella.

Isabella instinctively took a step back but mustered up the courage to ask, "Dad, Mom, what are you doing here? I'm not marrying John."

Jasper exploded, pointing a finger at her. "Do you have any idea what you've done? Because of your stubbornness, John is pulling all his funding from the Taylor Family. Every single project we have is now on hold."

Isabella stood there, stunned. "Dad, what are you talking about? Have we been relying on the Williams Family all this time?"

Jasper was too furious to speak. Mia, on the other hand, looked down, clearly embarrassed because she knew exactly what Isabella was thinking.

Isabella took another step back, her face pale. She felt like her world was crumbling. She had plans to slowly rebuild the Taylor Family's companies and restore their former glory. This was the last thing she expected from her parents.

"Dad, you're such a disappointment. Grandpa left those companies so we could rise again, and you chose to depend on the Williams Family. You might as well hand over all our shares to John!" Isabella shouted, her eyes welling up with tears.

Jasper felt a pang of fear. He couldn't bring himself to meet Isabella's eyes, which were filled with anger and despair.

"If Grandpa were still alive, he'd give you a piece of his mind!" Isabella spat out before slamming the door shut.

Jasper felt a surge of anger and failure as both a father and a son. He couldn't accept it. He clenched his fists, ready to pound on the door again, but it suddenly opened. Isabella stood there in a coat.

"Aren't you supposed to take me to see John? Let's go." She locked the door behind her without even glancing at her parents and walked out.

"She has no respect for me. I'm her father!" Jasper fumed.

Mia grabbed his hand. "Enough, at least she's willing to meet John. That's what we wanted."

Jasper waved her off angrily. They hurried to catch up with Isabella, worried she might bolt.

Meanwhile, over at the Williams Group office, Michael and John were lounging on the sofa in the CEO's office, sipping tea.

John poured a cup for Michael and grinned. "Michael, when are you bringing your wife over to meet us? Grandpa's been dying to meet her."

Michael took a sip, raised an eyebrow, and smiled. "I'm not ready yet, but trust me, when she shows up, she'll turn heads."

"Is she that stunning? Now I'm really curious," John said eagerly.

Michael smirked to himself, thinking, 'You have no idea what's coming.'

Just then, John's assistant rushed in. "Mr. John Williams, Ms. Taylor and her parents are here."

John smirked. "Looks like my little threat worked. Can't wait to see the look on Isabella's face."

Michael glanced at John, got up from the sofa, and headed towards the lounge.

"I'm not interested in your drama. I'll excuse myself." Michael waved his hand dismissively, not giving John a chance to respond, and walked into the lounge.

John had his assistant bring Isabella in, then sat back down.

The assistant relayed John's message to Isabella and her parents.

Jasper, trying to be respectful, slightly bent over and asked the assistant, "I'm Isabella's father. Don't I have the right to enter John's office?"

The assistant glanced at Jasper and Mia, then impatiently waved his hand. "Mr. Williams said only Ms. Taylor is allowed in. Please, Ms. Taylor."

The assistant made an inviting gesture, and Isabella coldly chuckled at her parents. "The head of the Taylor Family, reduced to this. I wonder if Grandpa would be so mad he'd come back from the dead?"

Jasper was speechless with anger, while Isabella shot him a cold look and walked towards John's office.

When Isabella entered, John looked up at her. "I'm curious to see the guy you're marrying. He dares to steal my woman."

Isabella kept a straight face despite John's taunting.

"I'm not here for your nonsense, and I'm not divorcing." Isabella's words wiped the smirk off John's face.

John's expression turned cold. "You know your family's in deep trouble, and marrying me solves it. Why are you so stubborn?"

Isabella slammed her hands on the table, glaring at John. "Do you even know my blood type doesn't match Bianca's? She can't use my kidney, and she's trying to kill me!"

John frowned. "That's impossible. Bianca wouldn't do that."

Isabella laughed at John's ignorance. "You're really clueless. Is it so hard to do a simple compatibility test? Why believe Bianca's lies instead of checking yourself?"

John hesitated, realizing he had never done the test because he trusted Bianca. But soon, he looked up and smirked at Isabella. "I see, you've gotten clever."

Isabella frowned, not understanding his sudden change in tone.

"You know Bianca and I truly love each other. People in love trust each other. Asking me to take the test would make Bianca think I doubt her, causing problems between us. You've become quite cunning." John smirked, thinking he had figured out her game.

Michael, hiding in the lounge, listened to the conversation and felt speechless.

After a moment, Isabella resisted the urge to slap John and said, "Let's make a bet. If I win, you stay out of the Taylor Family's business and stop pressuring my parents!"