"Which family is that young lady from? The Blackwoods and the Lancasters... both seem to be quite close with her."
"Old Mr. Blackwood doesn't give just anyone the time of day."
"When that young master of the Blackwood family ran off just now, didn't he shout something like 'brother's wife'? Was he talking about her?"
"Given Old Mr. Blackwood's attitude, I think... probably?"
"The Blackwood family has several sons. I wonder which one's wife she is?"
"Judging by Nicholas's attitude toward her... they seem quite close, don't they? Could she be the one he just publicly confessed to?"
"No way. If it's really her... then that Lancaster girl is even more..."
As they said this, they cast strange glances toward the corner where Isabella was trying her best to shrink into obscurity.
After all, Isabella had always presented herself as Nicholas's fiancée. Being publicly rejected by him was already a slap in the face.
Then, she was utterly crushed in the one area she was most proud of the piano.
And now, the very person who had crushed her at the piano was also crushing her in love.
How devastating could it get?
Feeling the probing gazes from all around, Isabella was so mortified she wanted to flee in disgrace.
But she couldn't run.
If she ran, she would face the wrath of the Blackwood family and the disappointment
of the Lancaster family.
She couldn't bear either of those consequences.
Isabella clenched her fists tightly, lowering her head even further.
In her mind, she cursed Serena thousands, tens of thousands of times.
It's all Serena's fault!
All of it!
All the humiliation she had suffered today was because of Serena.
Serena did it on purpose!
Today... today was supposed to be the day she had orchestrated to ruin Serena's reputation!
As long as Serena was disgraced and lost all face, the Lancaster family would never be able to publicly acknowledge her identity, and she would forever remain the one and only daughter of the Lancaster family.
But now?
She was the one who was disgraced.
She was the one whose reputation was in tatters.
Isabella was seething with so much anger she felt she could burst.
Suddenly, she saw Riley running toward the exit.
Just now...
Riley had been over there, talking to Serena about something.
What was certain was that Riley had gotten into trouble with Nicholas because of Serena.
Her fingers tightened. "Riley, wait!"
Riley was running so fast his hair was flying.
He paused when he suddenly heard someone call out to him.
In a corner near the ballroom entrance, a figure was huddled together.
And 'huddled' was the right word for it.
Isabella was draped against a heavy velvet curtain, trying to strike a sultry pose as she caught his eye.
Riley's eyebrow twitched.
What kind of game was this woman playing now?
He was already heartbroken, and now this woman was walking right into the line of fire?
He shoved his hands in his pockets and walked over to her.
Seeing Riley approach, Isabella's face lit up, and she was just about to speak.
But then she heard Riley say disdainfully, "All you do is call out 'Riley.' Anyone who
didn't know better would think you were a clucking hen."
"Lady, have you looked at yourself? You're older than me, so who gave you the right to call me that? You really think that face of yours can pull off acting all cutesy?"
"Don't think I don't know what you're up to. You couldn't snag Nicholas, so now you're trying to latch onto me, right? Let me tell you, I'm not interested in your type."