Chapter 486
Isabella knew the Hahn family's reputation intimately.
They were the sole dynasty in the nation honored as 'Ceramic Royalty' and 'Living National Treasures'.
Their craftsmanship was legendary.
Each piece was meticulously handcrafted for royal patrons across the globe.
Their output was intentionally scarce, creating years-long waiting lists for their exquisite work.
Nathaniel's grandmother was their most devoted collector.
She dispatched aides annually to secure her place in the queue, adding a new Hahn masterpiece to her private trove.
If Isabella reclaimed her Montgomery birthright and gained control of both the family shares and half the Hahn fortune…
Nathaniel's grandmother would undoubtedly champion her.
She would wholeheartedly support a union between Isabella and Nathaniel.
McKenzie had intended to expose Isabella to the Blackwoods.
But after overhearing the Montgomerys' discussion…
Isabella's hidden lineage changed everything.
McKenzie couldn't afford any risks.
She had to drive Nathaniel and Isabella apart before the Blackwoods discovered the truth.
McKenzie stormed out of Grace Memorial Hospital.
She slid into her car and immediately dialed Miranda.
"Any progress on locating Annabel?"
"Madam, I was just calling you. You must come to The Grand Mariner at once. I'll be at the service entrance," Miranda's voice buzzed with urgency.
"Drive to The Grand Mariner. Now," McKenzie commanded her driver.
The Grand Mariner was Westchester's most exclusive seafood establishment.
Every delicacy was flown in daily from international waters, prepared only upon order.
The car glided to a halt at the restaurant's rear delivery bay.
Miranda opened the door and slipped inside.
"Madam, look through the window. See who is working in there."
McKenzie peered through the tinted glass.
They were parked directly behind the restaurant's bustling kitchen.
Inside, a frail figure knelt on the cold tile floor.
She scrubbed a basket of fresh prawns with a stiff brush.
A simple white cap covered her hair, pulled into a limp ponytail.
Her uniform was drab and stained, marking her lowest status.
Yet her face remained hauntingly delicate.
It was petite, paler than McKenzie remembered.
Those wide, watery eyes still held that pathetic, pleading look.
One glance still stirred a foolish desire to protect her.
"Tch. Still playing the helpless victim," McKenzie's crimson lips twisted into a cold smirk.
She pushed the car door open and stepped out.
Miranda scurried ahead, clearing a path through the kitchen staff.
Annabel remained focused on her task, scrubbing the prawns on her knees.
She didn't notice the other kitchen staff silently dispersing.
The service door swung open.
A long shadow fell across her work station.
Annabel's eyes traveled up from a pair of elegant beige heels.
Her hands froze mid-scrub.
Her breath hitched.
"Ms. McKenzie…"
"You remember me?" McKenzie placed her hands on her hips, looking down her nose with sharp disdain.
"If you remember our agreement, why are you back?"
"I… I'm so sorry. Truly, I am." Annabel dropped the brush, scrambling to her feet.
She bowed repeatedly, her voice trembling.
"I took the money. I went abroad for my grandmother's treatment, just as you arranged. But five years ago… she passed."
"Her final wish was to be laid to rest here in Westchester. She didn't want to remain in foreign soil."
"I only returned with her ashes to grant her peace. I want nothing else. I swear it."
"Five years?" McKenzie's glare was icy, her tone dripping with sarcasm.
"Did it take five whole years to bury an old woman? Answer me."