Ch. 2136..2140

Chapter 2136

Isabel cringed.

Had he been stalking behind her the entire time?

What was the meaning of this? He was toying with her!

She felt a swell of fury rise up in her chest. "Then, why didn't you say anything?!"

Roland looked like he wanted to say something, but he decided against it. He wanted to explain, but he realized that he did not know how to explain it in concise terms and gave up on the idea.

Besides, they had already broken up, so there was no point explaining anyway.

Isabel grunted and folded her arms across her body. She asked sharply, ” What are you doing here?"

Roland said nonchalantly, "| came here with a client to see the exhibition."

He came to see the exhibition with a client?

Isabel eyed him suspiciously.

Then again, most of the attendees were rich folks, so it did make sense that his clients would want to attend a jewelry exhibition. She dropped the subject and continued interrogating him, "Why did you hide when you saw me?"

He remained silent and was reluctant to answer.

This made her grow nervous somehow, and she asked agitatedly, “Were you worried about what | would say to you if | saw you?"

He frowned. "No."

She snapped at him, "Then, why did you run from me?"

If he was not scared of having to interact with her, why did he flee from her both times they ran into each other? Could it be that he was simply afraid of seeing her?

Roland pursed his lips tightly and refused to answer, letting the silence stew between them.

“Answer me!” Isabel cried out vehemently.

"Isabel,!-"

"Sir." Suddenly, a young man approached from the mouth of the hallway with a frantic look on his face.

It seemed like he was going to say something important to Roland, but when he noticed Isabel standing next to her, he grew hesitant.

Isabel recognized the man. He was one of the men who accompanied Roland when she saw him at the hotel. Judging by the looks of it, he was probably Roland's assistant.

Roland peered at him, then he turned to Isabel. "| have something important to attend to. | will explain things clearly the next time we meet.”

With that, he turned and hurried out of the hallway without bothering to give time for Isabel to respond.

Isabel was dumbstruck by his sudden departure. She stood in the same spot, grinding her teeth.

Explain what to her?

Was he worried that she was not over him yet?

She was skeptical that they would even see each other again after this.

She scoffed and promptly sorted out her food. After that, she returned to the exhibition hall.

She turned down the generous offer of the coordinator to gift her the jewelry and promptly took out her wallet to pay for them herself. She made sure to gift some pieces of jewelry to Carla and Amanda and kept two additional pieces for herself. She was going to gift them to Sylvia and Caprice when she returned to Westchester.

After that, she returned to the hotel accompanied by Carla and Amanda.

It was nearing evening and it was slowly darkening outside.

She sat by the window and stared at the serene sea.

Carla sat next to her and was focused on a variety show that she was watching on her phone.

Shortly after that, Amanda approached them and asked, "Isabel, are you going to tour the city for a few more days or are you going home tomorrow?"

Isabel looked out of the window with a blank look in her eyes. After a brief silence filled with pensive thoughts, she told Amanda, "I'm going home tomorrow."

There was no point staying here.

Whether Roland manage to reclaim Rockwell Corporation or got himself booted out in the end was none of her business. They had already broken up a while ago, hadn't they?

Amanda observed the forlorn look on her face and expressed with a sigh," Alright then, I'll buy the tickets right now."

As night fell, the beach was showered in golden lights again as the roadside stalls were set up and the bustling nightlife was in full swing.

Isabel got sick of lazing around and promptly got up.

Carla was still watching the same variety show. She asked when she noticed Isabel going somewhere, "Where are you going?”

 

Chapter 2137

Chapter 2137 Isabel remarked casually, "I'm heading to the beach for a quick walk. You don’t have to come with me."

She only wanted some alone time to clear her head. Besides, she did not want to interrupt Carla who was immersed in watching her favorite show.

After she threw on her usual disguise of a mask and a hat, she made her way to the beach. Most of the people at the beach at this hour were young people, many of them in pairs.

Isabel felt a little self-conscious when she saw all the lovebirds around her. She strolled along the beach for a while until she reached a distant part where there was nobody around. Then, she proceeded to sit on the sand.

While she was losing herself in the gentle sea breeze, a black sack was suddenly thrown over her head, catching her completely off guard. She felt her arms seized from behind as well, immobilizing her within seconds.

She was frightened by the sudden assault, and her first instinct was to resist. Soon, she felt herself carried in the air with her arms still pinned to her back, leaving no room for resistance. She shrieked at the top of her voice, ’Help-"

"Isabel, you’d better keep your mouth shut if you don't want anything to happen to you.” She heard a deep growl in her ears, and the voice was grim yet familiar.

She frowned. "Decker?"

She struggled vainly again before crying out, "Let me go, tell them to let me go!”

Her vision was completely shrouded in darkness. She could feel herself carried in a certain direction with a quickening pace. Decker snarled, 'TH tell them to let you go if you stop resisting and listen to what | say."

Isabel knew better than to continue rebelling against him since her safety was the top priority. She wisened up and told Decker, "lll do whatever you tell me to do. Just let me go."

"Heh." She heard his sinister chuckle. "Sure, I'll have them untie you, but only after we get to the car." How was she supposed to escape if they took her into a car?

She was done trying to negotiate with him and resorted back to crying for help, "Help! Somebody help! This person is trying to kidnap me-"

She felt a large hand placed over the black sack which muffled her screams. Decker hissed into her ears, "Isabel, you're a difficult one, aren’t you? Wait till | take you back. I'll teach you a firm lesson."

While threatening her, he lapped his other arm around Isabel's waist to feel her up.

Isabel felt a wave of disgust and let out a muffled cry, "Argh!"

‘Let go of me, you pervert!’

She struggled violently.

Decker had her mouth gagged with force while he continued advancing in the same direction as his accomplice.

Although the black sack masked her vision, Isabel could still see faint glimpses of light spilling through the sack. She noticed bright spots of lights, much like the street lamps lining the street next to the beach.

Soon, she felt her kidnappers slowing down. She heard Decker's voice. "Open the door." It was followed by the sound of a door being flung open, and she was then thrown into the car.

Her hands and feet were bound tightly, so all she could do was toss and turn around awkwardly without hope of ever freeing herself. She could barely fling off the sack thrown over her head.

She tensed up with fear as sweat poured endlessly down her forehead. Was this the end? Was there no escape from Decker?

Thump!

Suddenly, she heard a terrific blow coming from outside the car.

She flinched from the sound.

Then, she heard the unmistakable sound of a fight.

Thump! Thump! Thump! It was the sound of punches and kicks thrown. It sounded like somebody had collapsed to the ground.

Shortly after that, she heard Decker whimpering, ”Ro-" before his sentence got cut short. She heard the sound of a body thrown to the ground.

Somebody must have knocked him to the ground before he could finish his sentence. She was paralyzed with fear in the backseat of the car, too afraid to move.

Who was it that took care of Decker for her? Was it someone on her side?

She had no friends in Southboro except Roland, so who else would come to her rescue? If she ruled out the possibility of this being an ally, then it could only be Decker's enemy. Would Decker's enemy kidnap her in turn to spite Decker?

Her heart was beating like a drum.

She bundled herself into a ball.

 

Chapter 2138

Creak.

The door opened, inviting a gentle gust of sea breeze into the car.

Isabel shivered from the cold and yelped, “I'm not involved with Decker. He kidnapped me." There was no response.

Soon, she felt the gentle touch of two hands placed on her.

One of the man's arms wrapped around the back of her neck and gently tugged her upward. The other arm wrapped around from under her legs.

She held her breath. Just like that, she was swiftly and gently carried out of the car.

She could hear the sound of the sea breeze and traffic passing through the highway. Soon, she could even hear the voices of beach-goers talking and laughing.

She asked nervously, "Who are you? Where are you taking me?" Still, there was no response.

Over time, she could sense there were more people in the vicinity. At one point, she heard a random beach-goer pointing out, “Huh? Why does that girl over there have a sack thrown over her head?”

"She’s not being kidnapped, is she?"

"It doesn't look like that guy is kidnapping her. Besides, no one in their right mind would kidnap someone and bring them to a public place like this.”

Isabel heard the murmur of the crowd, and at one point, she was lowered to the ground.

She could tell that she was taken somewhere else judging by the brighter flashes of light seeping through the sack. She was handled very delicately as she was lowered to the floor.

Soon, she could feel the person's arm withdrawing from her. It looked like that person was going to leave without revealing their identity.

She was alarmed by this and quickly yanked at the arm of that person, seizing a wrist just in time. With her other hand, she yanked off the sack thrown around her head in one swift motion.

She was briefly blinded by the fluorescent lights of the hotel lobby. When her vision returned, she recognized the man at first glance.

Roland must not have been expecting her to somehow manage to untangle her wrists from the ropes bundled tightly around them. His beautiful and clear eyes were colored with shock.

Isabel said with a raised eyebrow, ‘I knew it was you."

Roland did not utter a sound. He merely signaled at several bodyguards who were with him. The bodyguards took the hint and promptly walked away to give them some privacy.

Isabel tugged at his arm and asked him, "How did you know Decker was going to kidnap me and then show up just in time to save me?"

Roland was silent for a while, then he stated quite unconvincingly, "I just happened to be in the area."

Isabel shot him a look. "Do | look like | was born yesterday?"

Roland averted his gaze from her eyes and glanced to the side. ‘I have something important to deal with, so I’ll be going."

With that, he tried to break away from her.

Isabel immediately launched herself at him and grabbed his arm tightly with both hands so that he could not escape. "Don’t even think about leaving until you explain everything clearly to me!"

Roland frowned. "Isabel, I...’

“What? You what?" She stared intently into his eyes.

He cast his eyes to the ground. "I really do have something important to attend to."

“Are you telling the truth or are you just saying that because you don't want to tell me the truth of why you're here?" She jabbed a step forward and drew closer to him until their bodies were almost touching.

The moment she drew closer, Roland flung himself away from her and jumped a step back as if she was a ghost.

He grimaced tightly with the same avoidant look in his eyes and muttered,” You have nothing else to do in Southboro, don't you? You can leave now.

No point hanging around."

With that, he turned and walked away.

Isabel stood frozen and watched as he strode away figure. She clenched her hands tightly, filled with agitation. After a while, she sniggered to herself while unclenching her fists.

He wanted her to leave?

No way!

The weather in Southboro was as fine as it had ever been.

 

Chapter 2139

The next morning, Isabel went to pull the curtains open after she woke up and was immediately blinded by a scorching ray of sunlight.

She showered and changed into something casual before heading out of the room. She took Carla with her to someplace nearby for breakfast.

Then, she went to Rockwell Corporation Tower with Carla.

Carla asked inexplicably, "What are we doing here?"

Isabel put on her sunglasses and said stoically, "We're here to see someone." Carla stopped asking questions.

The car parked by the roadside, and Isabel promptly got out of the car. Carla followed behind her. The duo walked into the building through the main entrance.

Asecurity guard stopped them. "Credentials?"

Isabel took off his sunglasses and smiled cordially. "I’m Isabel Ross. I'm here to see President Rockwell.” The security led her to the reception.

Isabel repeated the same thing to the reception.

The clerk asked politely, "Which President Rockwell are you looking for?"

Isabel was about to answer when she spotted a familiar figure stepping into the building.

It was Roland. He was wearing a jet-black suit and was being escorted by his assistants and bodyguards as usual. His expression was entirely stoic.

When the two female clerks at the reception saw him, they began fawning over him.

Isabel's expression turned brittle with ice. When she noticed Roland glancing over in her direction, she said to the reception clerks, "I'm looking for President Decker Rockwell."

Roland stopped abruptly. Isabel barely spared a glance at him as she directed her attention at the reception clerk. Upon hearing this, the clerk picked up the landline phone and called Decker's office.

She informed Decker's office, "A Miss Isabel Ross is asking to speak to President Rockwell. Is the president available right now?"

About roughly two minutes later, the clerk put down the phone and informed Isabel with a courteous smile, "Miss Isabel, President Rockwell would like to invite you up to his office."

“Alright, thanks." Isabel turned around while instinctively darting a glance in the direction Roland entered from. He was nowhere to be seen. She scanned the entire lobby, but there was no sight of him. He must have left at one point.

She felt a sudden stuffy feeling in her chest. She took a deep breath and proceeded towards the elevator. She was escorted by the staff to the floor where Decker's office was located.

Decker's secretary led them to the entrance of the office before gesturing, "Miss Isabel, President Rockwell is waiting for you inside."

She threw a look at Carla who was standing behind Isabel. " And this is?" Isabel remarked, "She's my assistant."

The secretary informed politely, "Could you please wait here for a while, Miss? President Rockwell has stated that he only wants to speak to Miss Isabel."

"Sure." Isabel turned to Carla and gave her a look. "Wait for me. I'll be done in a minute."

Carla nodded. The secretary promptly opened the door for Isabel. Isabel walked into the office.

It was a rather large office and very intricately designed. Close attention was paid to the furnishing, so it was still very tasteful while being lavishly large.

Decker was sitting gracefully on a leather chair, wearing a black suit striped with gold.

He wore a smug grin since the moment Isabel came into the office. His curved smiling eyes were very charming. It was a shame that there was a dark green bruise on the corner of his eye from the beating he received.

Isabel kept her distance from him and stopped several meters away. Upon sensing her reluctance to approach, Decker rose from his seat and slowly strode toward her.

He asked in an intrigued voice, "Isabel, what made you suddenly decide to come to me? Didn't Roland take you away last night? Did he ditch you again after that?"

Isabel stood motionlessly with her hands crossed in front of her as she said sharply, "There's something | need to ask you." "Go ahead. I'll tell you everything | know," he said while drawing even closer to her.

Isabel asked without reservation, "How did you find me last night? How did you know | was going to be on that beach?"

 

Chapter 2140

Chapter 2140 Decker grimaced. He was expecting her to ask something of a different nature.

He admitted quite bluntly, "I saw a picture of you attending a jewelry exhibition at Southboro yesterday, so | sent my men there to spy on you. After the event, | had them tail you, and that's when they found out you were staying at a hotel nearby. When | went to find you, they told me that you had gone to the beach by yourself."

At this point, he said with a prolonged sigh, "Isabel, | just miss you too much, and you're not giving me many options. | knew you would refuse to see me, so | had to resort to other methods.” Isabel ignored him and was entirely not in the mood to bicker with him over this.

She was wondering how Roland happened to show up and managed to time his appearance so well, just in time to save her from Decker's evil ploys.

She was not convinced that he just happened to be in the area. Such coincidences were barely possible.

Besides, she remembered seeing a host of bodyguards with him when she had thrown the sack off her head.

If he was just loitering around in the area, why would he need so many bodyguards with him? Wouldn't an assistant suffice? Perhaps he already knew about Decker’s plans and had shown up to put a stop to it?

After all, he was now in a power struggle with Decker, thus it was logical for him to keep an eye on what Decker was up to. “What are you thinking about?”

Suddenly, she felt a hand graze across her cheeks.

She frowned and immediately took a step back. After she dodged away from his advances, she turned and prepared to leave. She barely managed two steps before Decker caught up to her and cut off her path.

He stood adamantly in front of her and asked with a wicked smile, "What, leaving so soon?”

The trauma of almost getting kidnapped by him last night was still fresh in her mind. She had to suppress the urge to punch him in the face right there and instead glowered at him. "Yeah, I’ve already asked what | wanted to."

Decker was in disbelief. "You came here just to ask me this?” "That's right."

He squinted suspiciously, and the gaze in his eyes grew sharper. He doubted that Isabel approached him just to ask a simple question.

She had been avoiding him for so long, and after what happened last night, she suddenly approached him

voluntarily, what could this possibly mean?

"Isabel, are you planning something?” he said as he took another step closer to her while casually resting his hand on her head. Isabel repelled away instantly and snapped at him, "I'm already leaving. What can | possibly be planning?”

He grinned. "I suppose so."

This was his turf, so it did not matter how cunning Isabel was. He was not going to let her outsmart him here.

Upon noticing his confident expression, Isabel announced her leave, "Well, I'll be going. You can get back to it."

She was just about to walk away when he felt her wrist being seized by him.

She had been mentally prepared for this since the moment she walked into the building. As if they had rehearsed this a thousand times, she swung around and jabbed a kick right at his stomach the moment she felt his touch on her wrist.

Decker barely had time to guard against the blow, and he yelped in pain.

Isabel made use of the opening to shrug his hand away and ran outside.

Decker was doubled over with his hand over his lower abdomen, the veins on his forehead bulging because of the sharp pain pulsing through him.

He gnashed his teeth and cried out furiously, "Isabel, don’t you even think about getting out of this building!" With that, he reached for his phone.

While Isabel was fleeing from his office, she briefly heard him yelling into his phone, ordering to have all the exits to the building sealed off immediately.

She had no time to spare and quickly dove into the elevator. She repeatedly tapped the elevator button and waited anxiously for the gears to spin and take her to the first floor. The doors opened swiftly.

Just as soon as the doors opened and she had stepped outside into the hallway, she spotted several large and intimidating security guards charging aggressively at her from several directions.

She wanted to retreat into the elevator, but the door had already closed and the elevator was already headed to another floor. In a fit of desperation, she picked a random direction where there were no security guards sighted and sprinted that way. "Stop!" The security guards chased her.

She took off and ran.

She heard wind gushing in her ears as she ran. She passed by several employees at one point before she reached a stairway leading to an emergency exit.