How could she not be pleased with herself?
"Isabella." Catherine suddenly said her name.
Isabella immediately looked away from Serena, her teary eyes turning to her mother.
Catherine gazed at her with a complex expression before finally sighing. "Isabella, this was my decision. Don't take your anger out on Serena. From beginning to end, she never said a single word against Agnes."
*Of course Serena didn't have to say anything,* Isabella fumed silently. *She doesn't have to lift a finger, and Mom and everyone else will charge into battle for her. Why would she need to say anything?*
Outwardly, however, she didn't dare show a hint of her true feelings. She just nodded meekly, looking pitiful and wronged. "I know. Agnes did something wrong. Why would I take it out on my sister?"
“As long as you know." Seeing her pathetic, aggrieved look, Catherine felt a wave of irritation.
She sighed again. "Alright, stop the waterworks. Either go to your room and pull yourself together, or sit down and eat."
Of course Isabella couldn't leave.
If she left, wouldn't that just make Serena even more smug? Wouldn't it give her free rein to monopolize her family?
She had already lost her advantage.
If she left now, who knew what lies Serena would spin about her to the family?
What if Serena secretly convinced them to kick her out, just like they did with Agnes?
She would never let Serena succeed!
"I... I'll stop crying." Isabella took a tissue and dabbed at her eyes, careful not to smudge her makeup. "Mom went to the trouble of cooking herself today. I want to try her food, too..."
With that remark, she was once again trying to subtly manipulate Catherine-pointing out that in all these years, Catherine had never Once cooked for her yet she ad done so for Serena multiple times.
She could only taste her mother's cooking by riding on Serena's coattails.
But before she could gauge Catherine's reaction, Edward spoke up. "We have staff in the house, so your mother doesn't get many changes to cook. Since you want to try her food, go wash your face and, sit down to eat before everything gets cold."
Isabella gave a small, submissive nod, her voice barely a whisper. She turned away, heading to the vanity to repair her fragile mask.
Before, all it took was a few tears and a little pouting, and her father would give her anything she wanted.
But just now, he hadn't said a word in her defense.
Now he finally decides to speak up.
Every single one of them was playing favorites with Serena!
Isabella wiped her tears and reapplied her makeup, but she cleverly left subtle traces of tear stains around her eyes to make herself look all the more pitiful.
When she returned to the family dining room, it was once again filled with laughter and cheerful chatter.
Of course. She was the only one who was hurt, the only one who was sad.
With only Serena in their hearts, why wouldn't they be laughing so happily?
Isabella suppressed the bitterness in her heart and forced a smile as she walked
over.
As soon as she sat down, she heard Julian ask with a frown, "Serena,
about that Nicholas kid... Even
though he's capable, from a good family and good-looking-practically flawless-he's still a man, and no
man
is any good. Don't listen to a Word he says. Don't fall for that kid's tricks, you hear me?"
Serena was surprised to hear such high praise for that sly fox from her eldest brother.
But when she heard the second half of his sentence, she couldn't help but laugh. “Julian, you're so harsh you even insult yourself. And not just you, you lumped Grandpa and Dad in there too."