Chapter 73

Bianca wasn't scared of Pearl coming after her; honestly, that wasn't even why Pearl showed up today.

"There's this doctor who owes our family some cash, and since he can't pay up, he gave us some info instead. Can you guess what it is?" Pearl leaned in, squinting at Bianca.

Bianca felt a chill run down her spine. "What are you getting at?"

"It's about you faking that kidney disease report with the doctor!" Pearl's words made Bianca's face go pale.

Pearl gave Bianca's leg a light pat, grinning. "If John finds out you've been lying to him, do you think he'll still be into you?"

"What do you want from me? Are you trying to blackmail me?" Bianca clenched her fists, glaring at Pearl.

Pearl shook her head, still smiling. "What do you have that I could use? Sure, John listens to you, but you have no say in the Williams Family's business. I need you to do something else-keep an eye on Isabella for me."

Bianca frowned. "Can't you do that yourself? Why drag me into it?"

A flash of bitterness crossed Pearl's face. "Thanks to your betrayal, I'm under house arrest. My dad's got me locked up and warned all my people to stay away. I'm on my own now."

Bianca smirked. "So that's how it is. But for the record, I never betrayed you. If you hadn't messed with my plan last minute, things wouldn't have gone south."

Pearl's fists tightened but then relaxed.

"Pointing fingers won't help us now. Do you want to get back at Isabella? From what I've heard, Mason wants John to keep chasing her." Pearl's words reignited Bianca's jealousy.

"I'll tell you where she is, but what's your plan?" Bianca asked, curious.

Pearl whispered her plan, and Bianca's eyes widened.

"That's twisted! You're basically destroying Isabella!" Bianca looked at Pearl, a hint of fear in her eyes.

Pearl sneered. "Compared to your plan to let her die on the operating table, I'm being merciful."

Bianca nodded. "I'll tell you where Isabella is. Just make sure you follow through this time."

"I will!" A cruel glint flashed in Pearl's eyes as she quickly left Bianca's hospital room.

Meanwhile, at the villa, Isabella had no clue a plot against her was brewing. They were drinking and having a barbecue, and the vibe was super chill.

"It's getting late. I'm stuffed," Isabella said, patting her stomach full of barbecue and beer.

Benjamin's grilling skills were top-notch, just like his medical skills. Amelia had eaten and drunk the most and was now passed out in Isabella's arms.

Out of the four of them, Amelia had the worst alcohol tolerance. Isabella was a bit better off but still couldn't stand straight.

Michael helped Isabella stumble towards the villa. Before heading in, he called out, "Benjamin, can you get Amelia to her room?"

Benjamin sighed, looking at the passed-out Amelia. He scooped her up and carried her inside.

"You're a real weight. Good thing I've been hitting the gym," Benjamin panted as he laid her on the bed.

After setting her down, he sat on the edge, wiping the sweat off his forehead.

Just as he was about to leave, Amelia grabbed his shirt. She woke up, eyes half-open, clutching his clothes tightly.

"You're awake? Need something?" Benjamin bent down to check on her.

Out of nowhere, Amelia wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down. Their lips met, and Benjamin's eyes went wide, his body freezing up.

"Cutie!" Amelia kissed him fiercely.

Benjamin touched his lips, feeling like he'd just been ambushed. He suddenly felt flustered. He was great at giving Michael advice on wooing Isabella, but he'd never actually tried any of it himself.

"Ms. Martinez, if you don't need anything else, I'll go," Benjamin stammered, trying to get up. But Amelia sat up and pushed him back down.

"Don't go; it's been ages since I've had a boyfriend. How could I let a handsome guy like you slip away?" Amelia grinned, a bit tipsy.

Her skin was flushed from the alcohol, and her body temperature was rising.

Benjamin's throat felt dry, unsure if it was from the alcohol or something else.

"Ms. Martinez, we can't do this. We've only met twice," Benjamin awkwardly tried to push her away, but she bit his hand.

His heart skipped a beat, feeling the softness of her lips and the warmth of her tongue.

"Ms. Martinez, it's hard to control myself when you do that," Benjamin gasped, a spark of desire in his eyes.

Amelia's eyes were seductive as she sucked on his finger, slowly letting it out, a strand of saliva connecting her lips to his fingertip.

When the strand broke, so did Benjamin's last bit of self-control. He rolled over, pinning her beneath him, kissing her passionately. Amelia responded, their lips moving together, tongues entwining.

They rolled on the bed, shoes hitting the floor, clothes gradually coming off. In the quiet room, only the sound of their heavy breathing and occasional soft sighs filled the space.

Meanwhile, in another room of the villa, Michael and Isabella were also lost in each other. They'd turned off their phones, sure that this time, nobody would interrupt them.

"We can finally finish what we started," Michael breathed heavily, nibbling on Isabella's earlobe.

Isabella nodded, the alcohol having washed away her shyness. She was ready.