Chapter 50

Kaia didn't know why Isaac suddenly shifted the topic,but hearing him bring up her elite school filled her with pride. Smiling with confidence, she nodded and said, "That's right, I'm studying at Acorith College of Medicine."

"A student from Acorith College of Medicine has fallen so low? How laughable. You followed your sister around, snapped pictures of her with another man,and showed them to her fiancé-and Miss Willis,even if any of it istrue, shouldn't your first thought as Verena's family be to stand by her?"

Isaac's stare cut straight into her, laced with sarcasm,and the cold sharpness in his eyes made her shiver.

Kaia stiffened where she stood, her face flickering through different emotions. Why was his anger turned on her? Shouldn't he despise Verena for supposed infidelity? Instead, his cold ridicule was aimed at her.

What she faced from him was entirely different from the reaction Kaia had imagined.

Kaia's once-bright smile collapsed into stiffness,and she blinked awkwardly before saying, "Mr. Bennett, I don't understand what you mean. My only intention

was to stop you from being misled."

"Not understanding doesn't matter." His voice was low,and his narrowed eyes glowed with danger. "But remember this. Secretly taking pictures is useless. I know my fiancée better than you do."

He already knew the Willis family dismissed Verena,and his words were chosen to strike them deliberately.

"And even if Verena really is that kind of woman,my feelings don't change," he added. "She's the only one I want. As long as she's willing to remain by my side,I'll overlook her flaws. Do you hear me?"

The declaration stunned everyone in the room,leaving Isaac the only one unfazed.

Alec's eyes widened as he stared at him, disbelief etched into his face. He wondered if the crash six months ago had damaged more than Isaac's legs. If nothing was wrong with lsaac's mind, there was no way he could have stood by Verena's side after seeing the photo and pushed back against eveything being said about the way she lived.

Of course, Alec kept those doubts to himself. What weighed heavier was the regret pressing in on him. If he had realized earlier how deeply lsaac cared for Verena,then regardless of Danica's opinion of their family,he would have done more to shield Verena.

Luka couldn't shake the feeling that lsaac's accident had scrambled something in his head. It was the only way to make sense of the way he spoke-like every word was soaked in blind loyalty.

Grinding her teeth, Laura struggled to make sense of it. What spell had Verena cast that could make lsaac so blind to her faults?

Kaia's complexion drained of color,her gaze burning with envy and bitterness. Isaac showed no fury toward Verena's betrayal. Instead, he twisted Kaia's accusations into shameful overreach. What did Verena possess that earned such unwavering love? She wasn't well educated, she lacked refinement-was her beauty alone enough to blind him?

Unable to hold her composure any longer, Kaia bit down on her lip until it stung. "Mr. Bennett,the photo isn't mine. A friend captured it while eating out, l...l Swear-"

Her voice cracked, breaking into sobs halfway, her shoulders trembling as though the weight of injustice crushed her.

Laura tugged her closer, pulling her under a protective arm.

"Isaac, must you take this so harshly? Kaia already told you she didn't take that picture. And even if she had, she only wanted to warn you about the woman beside you. Verena grew up in some uncultured backwater,and she still carries that lack of polish. Kaia's the one looking out for you, and you ought to appreciate her."

Her face softened with warmth as she spoke of Kaia,yet the moment Verena's name left her lips, her tone sharpened into contempt.

Watching the contrast in Laura's expression, Isaac caught every shift. A sudden relief washed through him that Verena wasn't present. If she had been forced to hear those words...

The memory of Verena's tear-filled eyes flashed across lsaac's mind, and the thought twisted something in his chest he refused to linger on.

With a cold stare fixed on Laura, he spoke slowly,each syllable deliberate. "Mrs. Willis, your devotion to your younger daughter is remarkable. She's fortunate to have a mother like you. But tell me-did you forget that Verena is also your child? I've never seen a mother tear down her own daughter so publicly."

Laura let out a sharp laugh. "Yes, she's mine by blood,but don't ignore the truth-she grew up in some countryside with her grandmother, never taught properly. I'm not insulting her-I'm stating facts. When she enters the Bennett family, it'll be your mother's duty to shape her into someone presentable." she only wanted to warn you about the woman beside you. Verena grew up in some uncultured backwater,and she still carries that lack of polish. Kaia's the one looking out for you, and you ought to appreciate her."

Her face softened with warmth as she spoke of Kaia,yet the moment Verena's name left her lips, her tone sharpened into contempt.

Watching the contrast in Laura's expression, Isaac caught every shift. A sudden relief washed through him that Verena wasn't present. If she had been forced to hear those words...

The memory of Verena's tear-filled eyes flashed across lsaac's mind, and the thought twisted something in his chest he refused to linger on.

With a cold stare fixed on Laura, he spoke slowly,each syllable deliberate. "Mrs. Willis, your devotion to your younger daughter is remarkable. She's fortunate to have a mother like you. But tell me-did you forget that Verena is also your child? I've never seen a mother tear down her own daughter so publicly."

Laura let out a sharp laugh. "Yes, she's mine by blood,but don't ignore the truth-she grew up in some countryside with her grandmother, never taught properly. I'm not insulting her-I'm stating facts. When she enters the Bennett family, it'll be your mother's duty to shape her into someone presentable." Hearing Laura bring up his mother, Isaac easily saw through Laura's scheme.

Danica had always disapproved of the Willis family's behavior, yet she tolerated them for the sake of the marriage alliance. Laura clearly wanted to lean on that authority to sway him.

Isaac's brow tensed as he spoke slowly, each word deliberate. "Verena isn't just the woman I plan to marry. She makes her own choices. I didn't choose her so I could fix her or change her. I chose her because I want her to be happy. And no one-neither you nor my mother-gets to decide who she should be."

The Willis family gaped, stunned silent, unable to believe the level of protection Isaac gave Verena.

When faced with their disbelief, he added without hesitation, "The moment she becomes my wife, I'll sign over half of my shares to her name."

From behind his parents, Luka let out a sharp breath.Half? That was an amount beyond comprehension.

Alec,meanwhile, stood stiff as stone, haunted by one dreadful realization that wouldn't let go-lsaac's devotion to Verena was unwavering, and they had made the mistake of turning against her. Shock swept across Laura's and Kaia's faces, their voices colliding in disbelief. "What did you just say?"

The revelation struck like thunder-Isaac intended to hand over half of his company shares to Verena?

Their stunned expressions meant nothing to him. He already knew they dismissed Verena as unworthy,hoping she would walk away empty-handed. He was determined to prove the opposite-that she would thrive without any help from the Willis family.

He lifted his eyes, his gaze locking onto Laura with a chill that didn't waver. "One more thing," he said, his voice low. "I don't let things go easily. Whatever you put my fiancée through..."

A brief silence stretched before he deliberately shifted."I don't know how much my mother's generosity has bought you, nor do I care. But from me... I'm not sure if you can find any favors. What I can promise is this -I have the power to erase your family overnight."

The look in his eyes was glacial, deep and merciless,like the heart of winter itself. His presence filled the room,pressing down with a weight that felt inborn.

Laura's complexion drained of color, her jaw twitching as though the words cut straight into her.

Cold sweat trickled down her back despite the season's chill, each drop reminding her of the danger before her.

Her courage faltered, and for the first time, she lowered her eyes, a sharp pang of regret twisting inside her.