Chapter 2 Proposal

• Isabella scanned the people around her. Her father was livid, while her stepmother and stepsister were gloating.
• Timotheus shook his head, letting out a sigh, and Luciana had an awkward look on her face.
• On the other hand, Julia was glaring at her resentfully.
• With a flummoxed look on his face, Jonas held a pitiful-looking woman in his arms who was none other than her best friend, Stella.
• Everyone here made up her whole world. But now, the whole world was against her, and she was the biggest public enemy.
• Isabella wiped her tears away and said calmly, “Our engagement is canceled. From now on, Mr. Jonas Westwood and I have nothing to do with each other. I wish you happiness, Mr. Westwood.”
• She then went down the stage.
• “Do you think you have a say in your marriage? It has been decided before you were born! Without my permission, you can dream on about canceling it!”
• José had always been harsh toward Isabella. His daughter’s existence reminded him of the fact that he was a live-in son-in-law, and his children must take after their mother’s family name instead of his. That was the biggest humiliation in José’s life, especially when he was now a successful man.
• “Yeah, Isabella, don’t be rash. We’ll ask Jonas to apologize to you. Your marriage isn’t just your affair. It’s both of our families’. Calm down and don’t do anything on impulse. Don’t worry. I’m on your side,” Timotheus persuaded her gently, then he looked back and roared at his son, “Jonas, let go of that woman right now!”
• Jonas narrowed his eyes.
• Stella pushed him as she cried, “Get Isabella back, Jonas. Don’t blame her. This is all my fault. I’m just a common woman. I shouldn’t have gone against her for you. Isabella, I’m sorry for what I did. Don’t go, I beg you! Please forgive me!”
• As the situation spiraled out of control, Jonas panicked and was at a loss for words.
• “Stop right there, Isabella Sera! Are you deaf?” José was furious. He had always regarded Isabella as an obedient daughter who wouldn’t go against him no matter what. What’s wrong with her today?
• Isabella paused in her tracks and clenched her fists, her nails digging into her flesh. She turned around and glared at her father.
• José looked daggers at her. “It’s just a small matter. Why are you throwing a tantrum? Jonas and his parents already apologized, so what more do you want? Who would tolerate a grumpy woman like you aside from Jonas? Don’t push your luck!”
• Isabella said coldly, “He doesn’t have to spend his life with a grumpy woman like me. Since I’m unworthy of him, I’ll just find someone who is willing to marry me.”
• “Isabella Sera! Nobody is going to want you if you leave the Shaw family!” Isabella ignored her father’s threats and went out with her head held high.
• All the guests watched the drama unfold with huge interest. Isabella and Jonas had been a fairytale-like couple in the upper-class society. The two families had been maintaining close contact because of this marriage, and thanks to their collaboration, their companies had been growing quickly.
• This engagement ceremony was just a formality since the marriage was an eventuality. However, much to everyone’s surprise, this fairy tale went down in the most dramatic way possible.
• Even though Jonas cheated on Isabella with her best friend, everyone criticized her. Nobody thought of her as a victim just because they assumed she was the one who exposed them in the banquet as revenge.
• Isabella felt dejected. Humans tend to get blinded by the truth, I guess.
• Well, even her own father treated her that way, so she couldn’t blame anyone else. Isabella jumped down from the stage. Even though it was only one foot tall, her four-inch heels made her stumble, but someone held her arms in time.
• Isabella’s head hung low as she muttered, “Thank you.”
• A baritone voice said, “Be careful.”
• After Isabella steadied her footing, she looked up into a pair of deep-set eyes. She was stunned momentarily, for the man before her had a perfect face.
• His eyebrows were neat and dark, while his eyes were gleaming attractively.
• If she were to look into them a moment longer, Isabella would get drawn into his soul.
• He had the perfect tall nose and luscious lips, and the man was smiling.
• Isabella took a deep breath before asking him, “Hello, mister. Say, are you single?”
• The man stood there in a daze for a moment and nodded. Isabella ignored the gasps around her and said, “My name is Isabella Sera, age twenty-two. Don’t worry. This is not a Yoshikage Kira introduction. I’m currently studying at Maxglobe University. I hold 40% of Sera Entertainment’s shares as of now, and I will be inheriting all the properties my grandfather and mother had left for me once I am twenty-five. However, I have not a penny on me right now, and I need someone to marry. Will you marry me?”
• Isabella looked intently at the man before her. She knew she was doing this on impulse, but she didn’t care. Her life had no happiness to speak of now, for the man she loved her entire life had cheated on her. To make matters worse, he didn’t even bother to apologize.
• Isabella had always lived by the creed her mother told her before she passed away—endure, be gracious, and surrender to fate.
• She had been doing exactly that all these years, but what did that get her besides public humiliation and betrayal? Rather than living this way, she resolved to go down with all of them. They wanted her inheritance, and she was well aware of that.
• You guys want my inheritance badly, don’t you? Fine! Then I’ll marry myself off to a random guy, and none of you will even get a single dime!
• Abruptly, someone gasped, “Has Isabella gone mad? Did you hear what she said? Oh my god, I feel sorry for Mr. Westwood.”
• “Goodness me, what a loose woman! How could she just get a random man to marry? And to think the Westwood couple is trying to get her back!”