Chapter 20
Ex-Fiancé?
“Alexander Whitmore? That disgusting piece of trash?” Isabella’s expression darkened instantly.
“Correct. He issued a public challenge. If you manage to win over the audience with your charm, he’ll owe you one hundred million dollars,” Julian Hawthorne stated calmly.
She scoffed. “Do I look like I need an extra hundred million?” Turning back to her training, she delivered a powerful blow to the heavy bag.
Thump!
The hundred-pound bag swung violently from the impact.
Julian stared, momentarily stunned, though he really shouldn’t have been surprised. This was pure Isabella.
But she wasn’t finished. She pulled off her gloves, grabbed her phone, and typed a swift reply to Alexander.
[Disgusting! AlexanderWhitmore]
She attached a picture of her raised middle finger.
The internet exploded. The nation's most eligible bachelor called 'disgusting' by Isabella Montgomery? A man worth thirty billion dollars publicly given the finger?
[OMG! Is this woman insane? Alexander is perfection! How dare she!]
[No wonder she was disowned. Absolute trash!]
[Too cowardly to accept the challenge? Stop using my future husband for clout!]
[Someone needs to teach her a lesson! I volunteer!]
The hate flooded her mentions, a torrent of vicious comments.
Isabella remained completely unbothered. Their words meant nothing to her. Her phone rang. She answered to hear Harrison Winslow breathing heavily. “Boss! Are you seeing the attacks online?” he gasped.
“Mhmm,” was her simple, uninterested reply.
Harrison was shocked. Who would be stupid enough to come for her? In the last five years, no one had dared cross Isabella Montgomery!
Well, except for Julian, who sometimes had a death wish.
“Boss, should I get on a plane? I can handle this!”
“Unnecessary. Focus on your job. If quarterly profits aren’t up by ten percent, don’t even think about your bonus.” She ended the call without another word.
Harrison was left speechless, a mix of concern and regret washing over him. He shouldn't have called.
Seeing she was off the phone, Julian seized the moment. “The public here prefers humble celebrities. A low profile is advisable. They won’t react well if they discover your true identity, or the power you wield.”
“Relax. I know exactly what I’m doing,” she assured him, already scrolling through her phone again. A thought struck her. She logged back into her social media and posted a new challenge.
[Challenge accepted. If I lose, I pay you ten billion. But if I win, I don’t want your money. I want a live stream of you eating sh*t. Do we have a deal?]
She attached two more photos of her middle finger for emphasis.
Julian could only stare in disbelief. This is her idea of keeping a low profile? When will she ever learn? He sighed, a strange mix of annoyance and amusement twisting inside him.
On the other end, Alexander’s face contorted with rage. How dare she speak to him with such arrogance? This was the same woman who used to follow him around like a pathetic puppy! Fuming, his fingers flew to type a retort, but Victoria stopped him.
“Alexander, darling, don’t be rash. She would not be this confident without a reason. What if she actually wins—”
“Win? Her?” he spat, a cruel laugh escaping him. “I knew her for eighteen years. She was vulgar, talentless, and utterly worthless. Five years abroad doesn’t change that. She’s a paper tiger. Walking a runway requires real skill, confidence, experience. The entire world will be watching, judging her every move. There is no way she can win them all.”
His fingers typed out his reply with furious certainty.
[You’re on. I hope you have ten billion ready!]
He was absolutely convinced of her failure.