Mikayla really panicked this time. Isabelle had always seemed like such a pure and simple girl, yet Mikayla had already laid out her plans long ago. If the Owens family could tie Isabelle down, then their family and the Robertson family would be bound together like iron, unshakable and secure.
For the Owens family, that would be the ultimate reassurance, a guarantee that their position would be unthreatened. But unfortunately, Isabelle had such a peculiar personality. Apart from Mikayla, she rarely gave anyone from the Owens family the time of day, let alone their men.
Mikayla had originally planned to take things slow, to move piece by piece without rushing. But then Andrew showed up, and Isabelle inexplicably started showing signs of favor toward him.
That alone threw Mikayla completely off balance. What if Isabelle grew close to Andrew? Worse, what if she went so far as to become his woman? If so, everything Mikayla had been building for so long would crumble to nothing. She would have gained absolutely nothing, only to watch someone else reap the rewards. That was why she called Zayden back without telling Isabelle, planning to spring him on her and force the situation.
Yet, who would have thought Zayden would be so useless, blowing up in anger instead of impressing her? Isabelle did not bother to hide her disgust either, brushing him off completely. That only made things awkward. So, Mikayla decided to try a different approach. If she could not push Isabelle toward Zayden, then she would at least drive a wedge between Isabelle and Andrew.
Yet instead of working, it was like lighting a fuse. Isabelle not only refused to listen but even fought back, and their argument escalated until their friendship visibly cracked.
“Fine, I admit it. My mouth ran off, I meddled, I was being petty!” Mikayla snapped coldly. “I know you don’t see me as your friend anymore. Belle, your heart has changed. Because you lean toward Andrew, you think everything I say is wrong, like I’m just stirring up trouble. If that’s the case, then there’s nothing I can do. Even if you don’t see me as your friend, my feelings for you won’t change.”
Isabelle shook her head lightly and said, “Only you know what those feelings truly are, whether they change or not. But I don’t want to question it, and I don’t want to care. I just want to live like before, carefree and simple. That’s it, I’m going. And Mikayla, you should know my temper well enough. Don’t ever pull something like this again. Putting some idiot in a room to wait for me without even telling me? That kind of move disgusted me.”
Mikayla’s face darkened, and she shut her mouth, saying nothing. Isabelle’s words showed she had truly grown disgusted with her tactics, and Mikayla could not refute it. After all, she really had tried to corner her without giving her the chance to refuse.
Just then, Isabelle stopped at the door. “By the way, these two pills were given to me by Andrew. Mikayla, can you tell me what grade they are?”
She turned, holding them out with a smile. Mikayla gave a cold snort, ready to dismiss them as trash. However, as her eyes fell on the pills, she froze in shock. She exclaimed, “Bone–Mending Pills… They work directly on the human skeletal and meridian systems! These are premium seven–grade pills. Each one costs at least a million dollars or more, and most high–level alchemists can’t even produce these. You’re saying Andrew gave these to you?”