The Billionaire’s Secret Quartet novel Chapter 2044

Once upon a time, Thalassa's disdain for Isabella was as bitter as the coldest winter. Seeing her again, those old wounds bubbled up inside her mind like a tempest, the pain as sharp as a knife's edge, a thorn lodged deep in her heart that refused to be removed, aching softly.

Isabella had turned what should have been a beautiful life with Leopold into a tragedy. Worse, Leopold had paid the ultimate price. And yet, the instigator of all this misery, Isabella, seemed to float through life unscathed, decked out like she was heading to a gala every day, without a trace of remorse for the damage she'd caused.

Upon seeing Isabella again, waves of hatred surged in Thalassa.

Isabella smirked, her lips curling in scorn. "Still the same old country mouse, huh? Can't even put on a bit of makeup properly. You're like a plain Jane next to me."

Isabella took perverse pride in her appearance, not sensing Thalassa's sarcasm at all. As she approached, Thalassa's gentle demeanor was evident, the kindness in her face making her seem vulnerable to the world.

Lydia stepped forward, positioning herself between Thalassa and Isabella, looking down on her with disdain. Taller by a head, Lydia's posture as she stared down Isabella was reminiscent of a bouncer facing down an unwelcome troublemaker.

"Isabella, weren't you also a country girl? Mocking her for being 'country' is like mocking yourself," Lydia said, her face set in stone.

Isabella brushed her off. "Move aside. I wasn't talking to you. Why butt in?"

Isabella's arrogance was palpable, but Lydia, feeling disrespected, tensed up, ready to throw a punch at any moment.

"Try saying that again to my face!" Lydia growled, fists clenched, the threat in her tone clear.

Isabella, unfazed by the threat, had seen it all in her years of high-stakes business dealings and relationships. "Lydia, I've done nothing to you. Lay a finger on me, and I'll call the cops!" she retorted, brandishing her smartphone.

Lydia was speechless, her anger boiling over with nowhere to go.

Thalassa quickly pulled Lydia back, facing Isabella herself. "What do you want, Isabella? Just say it."

She knew all too well how dangerous Isabella could be. She and Leopold had been victims of her scheming before, and she had even teamed up with Faye Brennan in an attempt to ensnare both her and Lysander. Thankfully, Lysander was no easy target, and they managed to avoid Isabella and Faye's trap.

Thalassa didn't want Lydia to get into trouble on her account. Isabella was like a bad penny, always turning up.

Isabella eyed Thalassa, a cold smile playing on her lips. "Heard you moved in with Lysander? Planning to marry him? Seeing how plain you're dressed, no designer brands, what, he can't spare the cash for you? At the end of the day, you're just a means to an end for Lysander, aren't you?"

Isabella had overheard Thalassa and Lydia discussing the marriage certificate when she walked in. The sight of the document in Thalassa's hand was like a thorn in her side.